Expositional preaching can be defined as, exposing the text as the original author intended
it while drawing out applications that can be applied to the members of the congregation. This
would also include an exhortation and some encouragement as well. There are some reasons why expositional preaching is biblical and needed. Let us examine them together.
The first reason is because expositional preaching exalts the God of the Scriptures. If
our preaching is not centered upon God, then why are we preaching, and to whom receives the
credit? We must remember that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate,
equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Since the Bible is from God, then it
follows that He should get the glory and not man who was created by God.
The second reason is because expositional preaching exalts the Scripture as the
author intended it. There is a tendency in many religious circles today to make an immediate
application of a text to the modern day. This is a fundamental problem that is fixed with a proper understanding of biblical hermeneutics. Scripture is to be taken in context of that which
surrounds it. It is to never be taken out of context. This is eisegesis and not exegesis. When you exposit a passage as it is intended, you will let the text guide where you are going. Once you teach the text as intended, there may be some principles in that text that can be applied to us today. It depends on the context and intended audience. Expositors today would fair well to heed this.
The third reason is because expositional preaching covers many topics that are
needed in our modern day. This shows true when preaching through the Lord’s Sermon on the
Mount (Matthew 5-7). A faithful exposition of the Sermon on the Mount would cover various
topics such as: attitudes, anger, divorce, treasures, etc. This can be a powerful way to address
these topics as it would prevent some to suggest that the expositor is “preaching a hobby”.
Preachers are not to preach their hobby topic of the day. Covering a text expositionally helps
prevent such today.
I hope that this article has helped you and encourages you. I want to challenge you to
preach expositionally and do so faithfully. Doing so will produce powerful results. I am not all
who I want to be, nor am I a perfect preacher, but we must all seek to improve our craft daily. A
failure to do so will produce mediocrity in the pulpit and that is not what the church needs today.
I pray that we will all take heed to this and seek to work for the glory of God!
Comments