Sermons Evaluation

Read Christ-Centered Sermons: Models of Redemptive Preaching and write a brief, one-paragraph evaluation of each sermon contained in it, stating your opinion of its strengths and /or weaknesses and any way(s) it will help you in your preaching ministry.

Sermon One: Proclaim His Word; 2 Timothy 4:1–5

This sermon follows the structural methodology of sermon preparation mentioning the introduction, proposition, main points, illustration, and application. The sermon is in the deductive format presenting the main points followed by the sub-points. The preacher deals with the text by exposition as he transitions from one main point to the sub-points. He presents the general problem and tends to deal with the problem gradually until the question is answered. This kind of sermon starts forcefully and does not create suspense. For the past years, this sermon appears naturally and it has been easily adaptable for my preaching ministry.

Sermon Two: Proclaim His Word; 2 Timothy 4:1–5

This sermon follows the structural methodology of sermon preparation mentioning the introduction, proposition, main points, illustration, and application. The sermon is deductive formatted presenting the main points followed by the sub-points. The preacher deals with the text by exposition as he transitions from one main points to the sub-points. It presents the general problem and tends to deal with the problem gradually until the question is answered. This kind of sermon starts forcefully and does not create suspense. The difference between this and the former one mentioned above is, the second sermon contains analytical questions followed by the sub-points.

Sermon Three: Use for the Useless; Judges 6, 7, and 8

This sermon creates suspense by asking a question analytically. It moves from specifics to the general as to solve the problem. It is an inductive one which starts weak. Preaching the deductive or inductive sermon requires the preacher to exegete the congregation. Inductive sermon is not natural to be preached as compared to deductive sermon. It requires skilful practice to preach such sermon. I have not preached this sermon before. Adopting it in my preaching ministry will help shape the way I preach.

Sermon Four: The Glory of the Lord; Psalm 126

This sermon is the topical one that uses biblical text to give significance to a topic under discussion. It does not deal strictly with the biblical text as does the expository sermon, but it uses a wide range of biblical texts to support the topic being discussed or preached. In this sermon, the preacher introduces himself to the African-American community as one who experienced and has knowledge of the Civil Right Movement in the United States. His sermon is outlined as a speech attacking the political and sociological views of human affairs and using the biblical text to solve the above problems. He was speaking to a church group; therefore, the message was well directed to the audience being ministered to. It is a good way of developing a speech manuscript.

Sermon Five: Tinsel for Twigs; Jeremiah 33:14–16

The text and sermon introductions of this sermon are very illustrative of the message that pin points what God had planned in the eternal past to redeem mankind. Jesus is mentioned in this text as the young tree that had sprout out to become the mature tree that gives lives to every mankind under the sun. The conclusion of the sermon is also illustrative and applicative to the suggestive response of humanity to the effort made by God. This sermon is theological that points to the redemptive works of God in this life and the life to come eternal life. The preacher was smart to reveal the Christological theology in the message from the prophecy made by the prophet before time began.

Sermon Six: Grits and Grace; Isaiah 44:9–23

The scriptural introduction of this sermon introduces Isaiah as the God’s prosecutor as the result of the sin of the people of Israel; however, the sermon introduction introduces grits to explain its comparison to grace. Despite of sin, God sent Jesus to atone for sin once for all; therefore, the present standing of humanity before God with respect to righteousness does not depend on merit, but it depends on the saving grace of Jesus Christ through his death. This preparatory Christ-centered interpretation is sound and it corrects people who preach Old Testament law without understanding dispensations thereby speaking out of context of the Bible leading to hermeneutical ambiguity and errors.

Sermon Seven: A First Repenter; Numbers 20:1–13

This sermon explains the danger of preachers or pastors making themselves to be gods instead of being servants of God. It clearly demonstrates how God responded to Moses’ reaction that eventually led Moses not to enter the promise land. I see anger followed by pride from Moses; although, the bible says that Moses was the humblest man on planet earth; however, he sinned against God as the result of anger. It tells that one sin can cause another sin to surface; therefore, preachers are advised to be very careful when God is using them. I have learned from this sermon that setting oneself up to be acknowledged by the congregation that one leads is a form of idolatry that God hates.

Sermon Eight: Hope’s Journey; Romans 15:4

This sermon gives the entire Gospel in nut shield and states that the entire book talks about the hope of humanity that drew Jesus from heaven and made him to visit humanity on earth to pave the way of hope through his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. The scripture and sermon introduction pin points this aspect of hope based on God’s grace. This sermon keeps me on track concerning the validity and enormity of the grace of God that has brought hope to humanity.

Sermon Nine: To Make God Come Down; Luke 17:1–19

This sermon deliberates on how one can only approach God through faith that sets relationship between God the Creator and mankind. It opens with the introduction of a couple who had dated for sometimes and then broke out as the result of indifferences. Despite of their break out, they still had something tied. They had closeness; as the result, they began again to sit together in the same pew during services. There are standards set in place to keep human relationship strong; similarly, there are also standards set by God to make his relationship with humanity desirous. In the sermon, the preacher outlines three standards: Namely, cause no one to sin, confront other’s sin, and do not sin. There are standards Christians should keep in order to be in good relationship with God. This sermon is excellent because it attacks the real issue of life that has to do with our relationship with God.

Sermon Ten: Dying to Live; Colossians 3:1–5

The scriptural introduction of this sermon is illustrative in the sense that it gives the clue to the message and the meaning of the sermon. The passage is clear concerning how one can live spiritually. In order to live spiritually, the believers should die to the sinful nature. It deliberates on the believer’s position, the believer’s imperatives, the believer’s power, and concludes with the inherited power the believer has obtained as the result of faith in the Son of God. This sermon is informative, illustrative, and redemptive in the manner in which it has been presented.

Sermon Eleven: Intolerant Grace; Titus 2:11–15

This sermon opens with the manner in which revival has been preached during these years; unfortunately, what has been preached concerning revival has not been realized. The preacher attempts to reiterate on the tirelessly topic that has been preached; unfortunately, there has been no physical evidence of revival in the church. He laid out the spiritual obstacles posed by believers that are stopping the revival from being actualized. The sermon topic, “Intolerant Grace” is characterized by rescued of grace, the requirements of grace, redeemed of grace,  and concludes with how the Pastor took his family to the beach; eventually, an event occurred sinfully that made the Pastor to withdraw his family from the beach. The gang wanted to attack the Pastor as the result of his response to the gang’s activities on the beach. In our preaching ministry as pastors, we cannot tolerate sins because we want to please human beings. We must be strait and practical of what we preach as pastors.

Sermon Twelve: Union with Christ; Romans 6:1–14

This sermon introduces how grace has been preached and misunderstood by many in Christendom; fortunately, Apostle Paul explains the dichotomy concerning how grace works in Romans 6:1–14. In the sermon introduction, the illustration given by the Pastor concerning the couple who had become members of their church explains how grace is being treated consciously by Christians who liberally sin against God in order to reconcile their disobedience before God. This sermon is demonstrative of how Christians treat grace today with respect to their disobedient acts. The sermon is sound and applicative to today’s societal behavioral pattern of irresponsible Christians who treat grace as a platform to sin against God.

Sermon Thirteen: Preach the Word; 2 Timothy 3:16–17

The scriptural introduction of this sermon is illustrative of why the topic, “Preach the Word” as recorded in 2 Timothy to Paul’s spiritual son, Timothy. The erosion of scripture in Chinese seminaries as the result of the presence of neo-evangelicalism and post-conservatism points to the fact that there is nothing new under the sun with respect to how false teachers are seen today in our churches and seminaries; therefore, “Preach the Word” is the command to the present generation of our time as we cross from the principalizing bridge of their time to our time. The sermon deliberates on hearing the voice of God, seeing the hand of God, knowing the heart of God, and concludes with how preachers should remain Christ-focused as they proclaim the message of the gospel. This sermon is practical of the preacher’s responsibility to preach the word in season and out of season.