There
are tons of methods for doing homiletics.
All you have to do is type “homiletics” into Google and tons of links
and files pop up with information on the execution of the exercise. If you’re reading this post, you probably already
know that homiletics is a method of Bible study designed to take a passage of
Scripture and transform it into a sermon or lesson. You don’t have to be a preacher to study the
Bible using homiletics techniques. You
can do it for your own personal study or to prepare a Bible study lesson.
One
bit of advice: it’s not necessarily bad to learn from several different
teachers several techniques for homiletics, but I think you need to work with
one set of guidelines for a while to develop your own style and
confidence. Otherwise, you might get
frustrated and quit using homiletics altogether. Homiletics is very personal. It’s how God talks to you. No two people will have the same homiletics
when they’re done, but I have seen very similar themes come from individuals.
Before
we get started on steps, I want you to close your eyes (read what I want you to
imagine BEFORE you close them) and imagine that you are sifting your fingers
through sand. You are unearthing
beautiful, bright, bold and shiny gemstones.
That sand and the treasure is God’s Word and your fingers are the tool
of homiletics. The gemstones are the
amazing things you’re going to learn.
OK. Here we go…
The Steps: There are 7 steps to studying the Bible using
homiletics. First,
PRAY
You
get so much more out of Bible study when you engage the Holy Spirit as your
personal Tutor! Second,
READ
Read
the passage you’re studying in its entirety.
This will give you a complete picture of your study. You’ll get an overview of themes and you
won’t take verses out of context. Now,
the process of “Shrink and Think” begins:
third,
CONTENTS
This
is your first sift through that sand with your fingers. Group 2-4 verses together, summarizing the
content of those verses using words directly from Scripture. Write as short a summary as possible. I struggle with this, myself, but doing this
will help you boil things down later. The
“Contents” portion should be comprised of 10-20 summaries. Fourth,
DIVISIONS
This
is your second sift. You’re starting to
feel those gemstones rising to the surface.
Group your “Contents” together in 2-4 ideas, events, themes or
concepts. Write one run-on sentence to summarize
the verses in each group using words directly from Scripture. Again, make this as short as possible. It’ll help you with the next step. I usually take a moment to perform a third
sift at this point by identifying “Principles” from Scripture for each
“Division”. Principles are absolute
truths that provoke thought and encourage.
Gemstones seem to pop to the surface for me at this time. Fifth,
SUBJECT SENTENCE
In
this fourth sift, more treasure is becoming visible. Using your “Divisions,” create a sentence of
no more than 10 words to summarize the entire passage you’re studying. This sentence should have proper structure
and it should identify where in Scripture the passage is located. Sixth,
AIM
This
is the goal of your teaching. I always
begin this section with “TCMAT” (To Cause My Audience To…). This section can be one sentence or
several. Seventh,
APPLICATION
Create
open-ended (can’t be answered “yes” or “no”) questions for each of your
“Divisions”. If you’ve taken the time to
identify “Principles,” you may want your application questions to relate
directly to them. Crafting and answering
these questions usually brings lots of little treasures to the surface in my
experience.
So,
there you have it. Your homiletics is
complete. Since it is a personal method
of study, you may get a flood of treasure from the Lord while you work on
“Contents” or in crafting your “Aim”.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t unearth treasure right away. Keep praying and keep practicing your
homiletics. I’ve included a sample of my
homiletics for you below. I use the KJV
as my text in case you want to compare my homiletics to the original
passage. I’m still working on tightening
my “Contents” and “Divisions” summaries.
Both are too long in my opinion. I
also struggle at times with the “Subject Sentence” being decisive enough to
identify exactly where in Scripture the passage I’ve studied is, but the
sentence in my sample below is pretty good.
Have
fun with this! I’m going to start
posting my homiletics here every Saturday.
So, if you need more samples, this is where they’ll be. God bless you as you study.
Contents (not
sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture): Where?
Egypt Who? Children of Israel,
Pharaoh, Hebrew midwives (Shiphrah and Puah), Levite couple, child (Moses),
child’s sister, Pharaoh’s daughter
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1
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1:1-4
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Children of Israel in Egypt: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,
Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher.
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2
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1:5-7
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Souls out of Jacob = 70; Joseph died and brethren and all
that generation; Israel fruitful, multiplied and mighty, land filled with
them.
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3
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1:8-10
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New king over Egypt knew not Joseph: “children of Israel
more and mightier than we, let us deal wisely lest they multiply, when war
they join our enemies and fight us.”
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4
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1:11-12
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They set taskmaster to afflict them, they built cities
Pithom and Raamses; the more afflicted, the more they multiplied, they
grieved because of children of Israel.
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5
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1:13-14
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Egyptians made children of Israel serve w/rigour; made
lives bitter w/hard bondage, mortar, brick, service in field.
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6
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1:15-17
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King to Hebrew midwives (Shiphrah, Puah): “when ye midwife
Hebrew women, if son – kill him, if daughter – she live”; midwives feared
God, did not as king commanded, saved men children.
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7
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1:18-19
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King called midwives:
“Why ye done this?” Midwives:
“Hebrew women lively, delivered ere midwives come.”
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8
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1:20-22
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God dealt well w/midwives, people multiplied, waxed very
mighty; because midwives feared God, he made them houses; pharaoh charged all
his people: “Every son ye cast in river, every daughter save alive.
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9
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2:1-4
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Man of Levi took wife of Levi; woman conceived, bare son,
hid him 3 months; when could no longer hide, took ark of bulrushes daubed
w/slime and pitch, put child in, laid in flags by river’s brink; his sister
stood far off to wit what would be done to him.
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10
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2:5-6
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Daughter of Pharaoh came to wash, maidens walked by
river’s edge; she saw ark, sent maid to fetch; she opened, saw child, babe
wept, she had compassion: “This of Hebrews’ children.”
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11
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2:7-10
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Sister to Pd: “Shall I call nurse?” Pd: “Go.”
Maid called child’s mother; Pd: “Take child, nurse, I give thee
wages.” Woman took child, nursed;
child grew, she brought to Pd, he became her son, called his name Moses:
“Because I drew him out of water.”
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Divisions (run-on
sentence OK, direct verbiage from Scripture):
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1
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1:1-14
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Israel in Egypt; Joseph died (and all that generation);
new king, knew not Joseph: “Israel more/mightier than we, when war they join
enemies/fight us; set taskmasters to afflict, the more afflicted, more they
multiplied; Egypt made Israel serve w/rigour, made lives bitter w/hard
bondage, mortar, brick, service in field.
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Principle:
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People fear what seems too large to control, and that fear
unleashes cruel treatment.
Man’s plan to oppress will not thwart God’s will to
prosper.
God’s children are often punished by man because they are
blessed by God.
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2
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1:15-22
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King to midwives: “when ye midwife Hebrew women, son-kill,
daughter–live”; midwives feared God, saved men children; king: “why ye done
this?” Midwives: “Hebrew women delivered ere midwives come;” people
multiplied, because midwives feared God, he made them houses; pharaoh charged
all his people: “Every son, cast in
river, daughter save.”
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Principle:
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It is always better to fear God than it is to fear men.
God rewards those who fear Him.
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3
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2:1-10
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Man/wife of Levi conceived, bare son, hid him 3 months,
took ark of bulrushes, put child in, laid in flags by river’s brink, sister
stood to wit that be done to him; dP came, saw ark, opened, saw, babe wept,
she had compassion: “this of Hebrews’ children;” sister: “I call nurse?” dP: “go” maid
called child’s mother, dP: “nurse, I give thee wages;” child grew, brought to
dP, called his name Moses: “I drew him out of water.”
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Principle:
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Sometimes the protection from a bad situation exists right
in the enemy’s household.
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Subject Sentence (10-word sentence with proper structure):
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Fearing Israel, Pharaoh charges: “kill boys,” while daughter
saves Moses.
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Aim (Christian and Non-Christian):
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TCMAT know that God’s plans are never thwarted, delayed or
interrupted and that He rewards those who fear Him, sometimes using the most
unlikely people and circumstances.
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Application:
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1
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How do you react when you are afflicted?
What do you admire about how Jesus responded to affliction
and how might you adopt His behavior?
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2
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What do you do when you receive a request from someone in
power over you that conflicts with what God wants you to do?
In what way does your behavior reflect that you fear God?
What change can you make in your life today to show that
you fear God?
What blessings have you received from God for your
faithfulness and reverence?
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3
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What is the oddest rescue operation you’ve ever seen or
heard about?
When have you experienced God using an unusual person or
situation for your good?
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