Preaching and Preachers

The Form of the Sermonthen work these out in detail and in order in his sermon. So the matteris to be divided up in this way into a number of subordinate propositions.The arrangement of these propositions or heads is a very importantmatter. Having divided up the theme, and having seen its respectiveelements, you do not now place these haphazardly in any sort of order.You have a doctrine, an argument, a case which you want to argue out,and to reason, and to develop with the people. So, obviously, you mustarrange your headings and your divisions in such a way that pointnumber one leads to point number two, and point number two leadsto point number three, etc. Each one should lead to the next, andwork ultimately to a definite conclusion. Everything is to be soarranged as to bring out the main thrust of this particular doctrine.The point I am emphasising is that there must be progression inthe thought, that each one of these points is not independent, and isnot, in a sense, of equal value with all the others. Each is a part of thewhole, and in each you must be advancing and taking the matterfurther on. You are not simply saying the same thing a number oftimes, you are aiming at an ultimate conclusion. So in this matter ofthe form of a sermon, the progression, and the advance, and thedevelopment of the argument and the case is absolutely vital. Youmust end on a climax, and everything should lead up to it in such away that the great truth stands out dominating everything that hasbeen said, and the listeners go away with this in their minds.But as you have presented your message in this way it is importantthat you should have been applying what you have been saying as yougo along. There are many ways of doing this. You can do so by askingquestions and answering them, or in various other ways; butyou mustapply the message as you go along. This again shows that you are notjustlecturing, that you are not dealing with an abstract or academic ortheoretical matter; but that this is a living matter which is of realconcern to the people in the whole of their life and being. So you mustkeep on applying what you are saying. Then to make absolutelycertain of this, when you have ended the reason and theargument, and77