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Bible Question:
Can you assist me in finding sermon preparation tools (books,
illustrations, guidelines, etc)? Also, in your answer to the
question about the saved seeing their loved ones who are not
saved, once we all die, are you saying that the memory of them
will be erased?
Bible Answer:
Teaching or preaching the Word of God is a serious responsibility.
An anointed preacher or teacher is not necessarily one who is
dynamic, funny, or a great personality. God's teacher or preacher
is one who will declare the truth of scripture and not his own
opinion. God was upset with those in the Old Testament
who claimed to speak for God and did not. They may have thought
they were prophets of God, but they were not. They spoke lies
and not the truth. One who speaks for God must with all his/her
heart seek to speak what God has said - what the Bible means.
We do not have the freedom to invent truth, to give our opinion,
or ignore something because we do not like the message. A true
teacher or preacher speaks what God has spoken. This is the
first place to start. Our emphasis must be on truth, and not
style or seeking to please those who hear us.
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I did not send these prophets, but they ran. I did not
speak to them, but they prophesied. But if they had stood
in My council, then they would have announced My words
to My people, and would have turned them back from their
evil way and from the evil of their deeds . . . The prophet
who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. . .
. Behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the
LORD, “who use their tongues and declare, ‘The
Lord declares.’" "Behold, I am against
those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares
the LORD, “and related them, and led My people astray
by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not
send them or command them . . . " (NASB) Jeremiah
23:21-22, 28, 30-32
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I would encourage you to read a
Q&A which I prepared earlier on principles for teaching/preparation
.
Sermon Preparation. For sermon preparation I use a number
of tools. When I come to a passage such as a New Testament passage,
I first start with prayer along with a Greek-English Interlinear
or Greek New Testament Bible. I read the passage and look up
any Greek words that I do not know. I also check out the Greek
tense to make sure that I understand the full meaning of the
passage. Usually, there is some word or phrase that needs further
study before I can really understand what the Holy Spirit was
saying. Next, I read background materials to help me understand
the passage more. For example, when I studied the Sermon on
the Mount, I read books written by Jewish rabbis on the Mishnah
and I also read the Mishnah. I like to check others' quotes
and comments. Sometimes they are wrong or have misquoted something.
Once I think I understand the basic meaning of the passage,
I like to see what others think the passage means. At this point,
I want to read commentaries that have been written recently
(1900-2000 A.D.), older commentaries (1000-1900 A.D.) and ancient
commentaries (200-1000 A.D.). Culture changes our view and our
opinion of what we read. It is interesting and sometimes convicting
to see an ancient scholar provide a thought that we just miss.
Then I pray and struggle with what God is saying. I pray more
until the Holy Spirit helps me understand. Then I ask what is
the message? What is the application? How can I organize the
message in logical flow? What illustrations can I use that support
the message of the passage? Then I put it together and pray.
I hope that helps. Here is a list of several books in each category.
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Type
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Tools
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Purpose
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Language
Tools
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Interlinear NASB-NIV Parallel New Testament in Greek and
English, A. Marshall. Zondervan.
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To see the relationship between the Greek and the English
words in the Bible
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New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology,
Colin Brown. Zondervan. 3 vols.
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To understand the meaning of Greek words
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The Interlinear Bible: Hebrew and English, J. P. Green,
Hendrickson Publishing.
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To see the relationship between the Hebrew and the English
words in the Bible
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