Preaching with Power
A Lecture on Preaching
Scripture
Sermon Description
How much value is there in a sermon not delivered? Clearly, the mere research and writing of a manuscript or sermon outline cannot be considered preaching. Preaching is both the sermon and the act of delivering the message, says Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. In this lecture on preaching, he focuses on the general elements preachers need to be aware of for their calling. While Dr. Lloyd-Jones avoids providing the preacher rules or regulations for preaching, he does propose a number of important traits and qualities required for proper delivery of the word of God to the people of God. Based upon his many years of experience, the British evangelical preacher shares perhaps some unfamiliar words of wisdom on preaching that contemporary preachers need. How does one approach the art of preaching? Have they thought about the role of authority, persuasion, or zeal in preaching? Does being serious about preaching mean being dull or boring? Allow Dr. Lloyd-Jones to help preachers think about their own approach to sermon delivery by listening to this lecture from the series on “Preaching and Preachers”.
Sermon Breakdown
- Preaching involves the whole personality of the preacher including the body. The preacher should not stand like a statue.
- The preacher should have a sense of authority and control over the congregation. He should not be apologetic or tentative. He is speaking with authority as an ambassador of God.
- The preacher must have freedom and flexibility. He should not be too tied to his preparation. He must be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
- The preacher should derive inspiration from the congregation. There is an element of exchange and interaction between the preacher and congregation.
- The preacher must be serious as he is dealing with holy and solemn matters. However, seriousness does not mean dullness. The preacher must be lively.
- The preacher must have zeal, enthusiasm and concern. He must be gripped by the message himself.
- The preacher must have warmth and passion. He should not be cold or clinical. His heart must be engaged.
- The preacher must make contact with the congregation. There must be intimacy and rapport.
- The preacher must have a sense of urgency. The matters he is dealing with cannot be postponed. Life is fleeting.
- The preacher must aim to persuade the congregation. He wants them to understand and respond to the message.
- The preacher must have pathos and emotion. He must show compassion for the people. The message itself is deeply moving.
- The preacher must have power and unction. It is God working through him. The Holy Spirit must be evident.
- True preaching requires both the sermon and the act of preaching. Both are essential. The sermon provides light, the act of preaching provides heat.
- The chief end of preaching is to give people a sense of God and his presence.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding Preaching: Essential Elements in Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Approach
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say distinguishes a sermon from its delivery or the act of preaching?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the sermon is the prepared content while the act of preaching is the delivery in the moment. He explains that true preaching is a combination of both elements in the right proportions. The sermon is the structured content prepared beforehand, while the "act of preaching" involves how that content is delivered under the inspiration and power of the Holy Spirit in the moment. He notes that sometimes a sermon that was powerful in one setting falls flat in another because the act of preaching—the spiritual dimension that animates the content—may be missing in the second instance.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones define the essential qualities of true preaching?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones defines true preaching through several essential qualities: - The whole personality of the preacher must be involved ("truth mediated through personality") - The preacher must have a sense of authority and control - Freedom while delivering the message (not being tied to preparation) - Seriousness about the message being delivered - Liveliness (never being dull or boring) - Zeal and a sense of concern for the audience - Warmth and emotional engagement - Urgency in delivery - Persuasiveness - Pathos (heart element) - Power from the Holy Spirit
He summarizes it memorably as "logic on fire" or "theology on fire."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about the emotional element in preaching?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly emphasizes that true preaching must include the emotional element he calls "pathos." He criticizes preachers, particularly in the Reformed tradition, who become "over intellectual" and "almost despise the element of feeling." He argues that if a person truly understands the gospel truths about sin, salvation, and God's love, they cannot help but be emotionally moved.
He distinguishes this from "emotionalism" (manipulating emotions), stating: "When a man really understands this truth, which he claims to believe, he must be moved by it." He cites Paul as an example, noting how the apostle would often start with theological arguments but then burst into emotional praise when contemplating God's greatness, as in Romans 11:33-36.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones consider the chief end of preaching?
The chief end of preaching, according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is "to give men and women a sense of God and his presence." He explains that while he can forgive a bad sermon technically, what he cannot forgive is if the preacher fails to convey some sense of God's majesty and the magnificence of the gospel. He sees preaching as bringing people into an encounter with God Himself, making them aware of their condition before God, and helping them understand "the character of the life they're living and its offense to God." This sense of divine presence is what distinguishes true preaching from mere lecturing or speechmaking.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the relationship between preparation and spontaneity in preaching?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that proper preaching requires both thorough preparation and spiritual freedom in the moment of delivery. He emphasizes that while careful preparation of the sermon is essential, the preacher must remain "free in this act of preaching" and "open to the inspiration of the moment."
He explains that often "the best things that one says are things that have not been premeditated and were not even thought of in the preparation of the sermon, but are given while one is actually speaking and preaching." This is not a contradiction but rather recognizes that the Holy Spirit works both in preparation and in the moment of delivery, sometimes in different ways. The preacher must be receptive to what Lloyd-Jones calls "this element of exchange" with the congregation, where there is "interplay and action and response" that can significantly impact the message.
Sermons: Preaching and Preachers
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.