Sermon Eyes


On Topical Sermons by Paul Boeker


Yes, topical sermons have a place in the pastor’s sermon calendar. I love preaching expositorily through a book, but I would be short- changing the congregation if I didn’t include a topical sermon now and then. Let me explain.


A single epistle (letter) has a message intended for a single


group or individual that deals with subjects of interest to that group or individual. For example, in Te Epistle to the Romans, Paul is explaining the meaning of salvation: what it means to God, what it means to the sinner, what it means to the believer. But Paul, in the process of explaining how salvation should im- pact the believer, says a few words about hospitality (12:13).


However, in order to get a full understanding of what hos-


pitality entails and to see the value God puts on this virtue, one has to read all the letters of Paul and perhaps Genesis, Job and the Gospels as well. Tus, a topical sermon on godly hospitality would be in order. Many other virtues and responsibilities also need topical sermons to inform the believer of God’s desires and commands. Generosity, purity, forgiveness, labor, ethics, and prayer are all topics worthy of a sermon or a series of sermons.


Teological sermons are a related but different genre. A theo-


logical sermon deals with subjects related to our understanding of who God is and how he relates to humanity: creation, angels, fa- therhood, grace, wrath, inspiration, future things, etc. For topical sermons, we are thinking of topics that are part of God’s will for humanity, but which define our relationships with one another as servants of God. Besides the topics listed in the paragraph above, one could add anger, integrity, wisdom, compassion and many others. Te book of Proverbs contains a mine of topics worthy of sermons.


Expository preaching should unfold the purpose, message


and intended results of a single book. But topical study and preaching is needed to grasp God’s expectations and his approval or disapproval of human actions.


Topical study is not just looking up a word in a concordance


and stringing together a list of passages on a topic. Te same principles of historical, grammatical, exegetical study should be applied. When was the topic first mentioned? Why did God need to talk about this topic? Whom did God speak to? Did God give commands or promises? How did the hearers respond? How do those commands or promises apply to us? Are there false expres- sions of the topic (i.e., does someone go through the motions without a heart for God [Matt. 6:1-4]). Are there rewards or consequences connected to this topic?


A general knowledge of Scripture and biblical characters is


necessary for a good topical sermon. What people did the Holy Spirit include in Scripture as concrete positive or negative illus- trations of this topic? Oſten the topic is not mentioned by name in the Scriptural illustrations. For example, a woman built a guest


room for Elisha and furnished it comfortably (2 Kings 4), but the text never uses the word hospitality. Why are the specific furnish- ings mentioned? What do they say about the woman? How did God reward her hospitality? Will he reward us in the same way?


Because a biblical topic is just that — a topic discussed in


many places throughout Scripture, a good topical sermon cannot be thrown together quickly. It takes advance planning, thought, and development. Many of us at one time probably did sermon planning on legal tablets — one page for each sermon in the series. Te topic would be listed, then pertinent passages added as they were discovered. Introductions, illustrations and appli- cations would eventually take shape. But now the process can be done much more efficiently with a note-taking program like One Note® or Nota Bene®. One can paste in Scripture texts, add notes, jot down ideas, rearrange everything, and flesh out a topic over a period of weeks, and get the series planned long before beginning to actually write the sermons.


What is the downside of topical preaching? Inadequate


preparation may lead to false conclusions. A pastor may grab a few verses and make assertions that a more thorough study would contradict. Te topic of tithing is an example that comes to mind.


Topical sermons can also become “weapons” the pastor


uses against some tradition or conviction a congregation holds. Expository book sermons don’t lead people to think the pastor is picking and choosing Scriptures to use “against” them in the same way topical sermons can.


Topical sermons, if not well-grounded in Scripture, can


quickly driſt into “my good ideas.” At one church I visited, the pastor spoke on “Twelve Reasons We Should Give Generously.” He ran out of God’s word at about reason four.


What is the upside of topical preaching? People can learn


from God how to be a peacemaker, a person of prayer, a generous giver, a doer of good works, an encourager, a friend, a sufferer, non-grumbler, a person of integrity, a pure person, an industrious person, a loving person, a worshipping person, a servant of Christ — and the list goes on.


When planning your sermon calendar, think about when a topical sermon might be appropriate.


Fellowship Focus, May/June 2020 17


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