A textual sermon is a sermon based on a biblical text. James Braga suggests that it should not exceed three verses. This implies that a textual sermon can be built around a single verse.

Indeed, several biblical verses, taken individually, can provide the necessary material for developing a sermon through the suggested outlines they contain. This leads us to say that the main parts of a textual sermon must necessarily come from the selected biblical verses, while there is no strict rule regarding the subdivision of these parts. This means that a textual sermon with four main parts, for example, may have one or two parts whose subdivisions do not come directly from the biblical text.

This clarification is particularly important because a sermon is not merely an exposition or a commentary on the text, where all developments, especially in detail, must originate solely from the selected passage without reference to other verses. Examples are necessary to illustrate this point.

However, before exploring this further, it is essential to understand the necessary characteristics for structuring a textual sermon.

A) Essential Characteristics for Structuring a Textual Sermon.

Once the text is chosen, it is important to follow these guidelines:

1. The main idea leading to the sermon’s title must come from the text. This means that, in a textual sermon, the message title is not chosen randomly—it is derived from the passage itself.
2. The message may have multiple themes, as a single text can provide more than one subject.
   Depending on the richness of the text, different themes may emerge, varying not only in wording but also in meaning.Example:
   “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16
   • Title: God’s Love for Humanity
   • Theme 1: God’s Precious Gift
   • Theme 2: The Promise of Eternal Life
   • Theme 3: Believing in the Son of God for Eternal Life
3. As in a topical sermon, it is preferable for the main divisions to follow a logical or chronological order.
4. The main divisions should derive their titles from the biblical text being studied.
5. The subdivisions of the main parts can be supported by other biblical verses.
6. It is crucial to understand the chosen text in its context. A passage taken out of context, as someone once said, becomes a pretext.Example:
   1 Timothy 5:14 — “I want the younger women to marry, have children…” Without reading the preceding verses, such as 1 Timothy 5:11 — “But refuse the younger widows...”, one might not understand why the Apostle Paul advises young women to marry. More importantly, it becomes clear that he is referring specifically to young widows, not just any young women.Note: Certain Bible translations, such as Parole de Vie, Le Semeur, and Français Courant, clarify that Paul refers to young widows, whereas translations like Louis Segond and Goun omit this detail. This is not the case in Yoruba translations.
7. One is not required to follow the natural divisions suggested by a text. They can be reorganized to enhance clarity and logical flow.
8. The phrases from the biblical verse itself can serve as the sermon outline.Example:
   “Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will act.” — Psalm 37:5
   • Title: God’s Action
   • Theme: How to See God Act
     • I. Commit your way to the Lord
     • II. Trust in the Lord
     • III. And He will act…

This text is an excerpt from the book The Preacher and Preaching written by Dr. Eric ADEROMOU.

We invite you to read the next article: “Being a Bad Preacher”.