Identify the biblical passage you have been assigned to preach. Read the text 3 times:

1. First, read it silently to get a general sense of the text. (Familiarization)
2. Second, read it silently again, but intentionally slowly, allowing the words to settle as you highlight or underline details that capture your attention. (Internalization)
3. Third, read it aloud, paying close attention to punctuation, rhythm, and emphasis, fully entering the world of the text. (Enactment)

 

If you have not been assigned a specific passage, prayerfully reflect on which text God may be leading you to preach. To discern this, consider the following questions:

• Has a particular verse or passage stood out to you this week? If so, what specifically impacted you, whether theologically, intellectually, or emotionally?
• Is there a passage that fascinates, puzzles, or troubles you, one you have never fully explored? What details or themes draw your attention or raise questions for you?
• As you pray about what text to preach, does a specific passage come to mind? If so, why do you believe God is drawing your attention to it?

Sketch a simple structural outline of the passage. Do not overthink or over-detail, just notice where the text moves or shifts. Write a few short sentences that capture the flow of the passage. Pay attention to linking words such as “but,” “then,” or “however,” which often signal a change in argument, perspective, or theme. When analyzing a narrative, also observe shifts in focus among the characters.

Consider the following questions if helpful:

• Themes: Are certain ideas or topics emphasized in parts of the text? Name them and indicate roughly where they appear (e.g., forgiveness, grace, humility, judgment).
• Characters: Do different characters take the spotlight in certain sections? Identify who and where.
• Perspectives: Are multiple viewpoints present (e.g., God vs. human, narrator vs. character, poor vs. rich, faithful vs. unfaithful, victim vs. victimizer, hero vs. villain)? Note which sections focus on which perspective.

Tip: Not every lens will apply. Use whichever feels natural to the text. 

Example: Exodus 32:1-35

vv. 1–6: The Israelites, in impatience, turn to idolatry and create the golden calf
vv. 7–14: God’s anger rises, but Moses intercedes and judgment is delayed
vv. 15–29: Moses descends, shares God’s anger, and executes judgment
vv. 30–35: Moses intercedes again; God shows restraint but affirms coming judgment

 

3.1 Context

Identify the literary context of the text. What comes before and after the text? How does the passage reflect, respond, or relate to the surrounding verses and chapters? To what narrative question does the text answer? How does this passage relate to the larger narrative?

 

Example: Exodus 32

This passage follows Moses’ prolonged encounter with God on Mount Sinai, where the law – including the command against idols – is given (Exodus 19–31). Yet while the mountain remains shrouded in cloud, below the scene shifts: absence is felt, waiting falters, impatience surges. Unable to endure the hiddenness that marks God as God, the people manufacture a substitute. What unfolds is not mere delayed fulfillment, but Israel’s first covenant betrayal – the honeymoon barely begun, the ink still fresh. It becomes the pattern of every heart that panics in God’s silence, replacing the unseen with what is visible, controllable, and immediate.

3.2 Analyze the text verse-by-verse.

Observe only what the text reveals. Write at least one note per verse, addressing one or more categories below.

At times, a unit of 2–3 verses is so interconnected that it should be observed together. In such cases, feel free to record a single observation for the entire unit (e.g., vv. 12–13).

 

Setting (if present): Note the physical location/s (e.g. sea, valley, mountain, house, temple), time or season, cultural and relational setting (especially for epistles: recipients and letter purpose), and any symbolic or theological weight the setting carries – how it shapes actions, expectations, or the message.

Characters & Actions (if applicable): Identify main figures; observe what the text discloses about their traits, motives, development, key actions, and reactions/responses from others – what these reveal about character and the passage’s point.

Key Words: Spot significant, repetitive, unusual, and theologically loaded terms (e.g. grace, sin, redemption, heart, covenant).

For each:

• Consider plain English meaning first.
• Check original language sense (tools: BibleHub and BibleStudyTools – use interlinear Bible and dictionaries).
• See usage within the book and broader Scripture for consistent implications (tools: BibleHub and BibleStudyTools – click a word to view all occurrences in the Bible).

Metaphors & Imagery: Identify metaphors (comparisons) and sensory descriptions (e.g., touch, smell, sight, hearing)

• Metaphors: What’s compared? What attributes transfer? What truth is conveyed? Other biblical uses? Evoked response?
• Imagery: Symbolic meaning? Linked themes? Evoked emotions? Parallels (creation, exodus, Passover, prophets)? Contribution to overall message?
• Note: How do these elements make truth vivid or point to Christ/redemption?

Tools: Free verse-by-verse commentaries are available at www.biblehub.com  and www.biblestudytools.com.

3.3 Reflect and Respond to the Passage as A Whole 

• Themes: What are the central themes of the passage? Reflect on the passage’s theological implications. What does it reveal about God, humanity, sin, redemption, etc.?
• Purpose: Reflect on the passage’s function. Is it to instruct, correct, comfort, encourage, challenge, or warn?
• Overarching Message: What is the primary message of the text? What is the chief message that the text appears to transmit to its ideal readers?
• Personal Response: Reflect personally on the passage. How does it affect your understanding, faith, or behavior? What emotions or thoughts does it evoke? What expectations or hopes does it stir within you? How does the passage inspire or compel you to act?

Condense the complexity of your observations and interpretive findings into a single, coherent insight by engaging the following pair of questions. Together, these questions help you discern both the central theme of the passage and the specific emphasis the text places upon that theme.

• What does the text speak about? (Theme)
• What does the text say about what it speaks about? (Emphasis)

After answering these questions individually, aim to express your synthesis in one clear, complete sentence that faithfully reflects the passage’s theological center and dominant claim (theme + emphasis).

Having worked within the world of the text, now turn your attention to the world of today, viewed through the insights you have gained from the passage. With one foot in the biblical world and one in the present, begin to give shape to the sermon.

The shape of the sermon is formed by four elements: (1) purpose, (2) title, (3) guiding question, and (4) main points.

 

5.1 Purpose

Clarify the primary purpose of the sermon. Is it meant to teach, encourage, challenge, warn, or motivate? The following pair of questions will help you discern this:

• What do I believe God is leading me to speak about? (Theme)
• What specifically do I believe God is leading me to impart about this subject? (Emphasis)

 

5.2 Title

Draft a working title that captures the core message of the sermon in light of its stated purpose. Then, write three alternative titles. From these, select the one that most clearly expresses the sermon’s intent.

When crafting a title, keep these general principles in mind: short, memorable, and actionable.

 

5.3 Guiding Question

A single title can be approached from multiple angles. Narrow your focus by selecting a specific guiding question that will shape the sermon’s development. Examples include:

What does ___ mean?
What does ___ signify or imply?
How can one become ___?
How can one obtain or achieve ___?
What are the steps toward ___?

 

5.4 Main Points

For the sake of structure, clarity, and comprehension, develop the sermon through several main points (most preachers prefer 3 main points). These points serve as the supporting arguments, answers, or movements that unfold the title. Each point should be clearly stated, easy to remember, and practically oriented.

Bring your sermon to life in spoken form. This is where shape becomes voice.

Do not aim to write a full script. Instead, begin putting your sermon into natural, spoken language – as if you were explaining it to someone in the room.

 

The sermon should include three core components: (1) Ιntroduction, (2) Μain Points, and (3) Conclusion.

 

6.1 Introduction

Sketch your opening (hook + direction). How will you begin in a way that captures attention and leads clearly into your message?

You may open the sermon with:

• a compelling statement,
• a thought-provoking question, or
• a brief story drawn from Scripture, history, or literature.

Consider the following questions:

• What opening statement could naturally introduce the sermon?
• What question might surprise, challenge, or invite the audience into reflection
• What illustrative story could lead the audience toward the spiritual truth this sermon will explore?

6.2 Main Points 

Craft a few clear, memorable lines that carry the weight of your main points. Each point may be expanded through two or three movements:

• Explanation/narration
• Illustration (biblical, historical, or life-based)
• Application/exhortation

To develop each main point, consider:

• How is this truth grounded in and derived from the biblical text?
• What does the text itself communicate about this point?
• What illustration could clarify or embody this idea?
• What applications does God seem to press upon the hearers through this truth?
• How might this truth be lived out in concrete, daily practices?
• What call to action, encouragement, or challenge naturally flows from this point?

6.3 Conclusion 

Conclude the sermon by briefly restating the title and main points, drawing the message to a clear and intentional close. The conclusion should help the audience carry the sermon with them beyond the moment of preaching.

Consider the following:

• What was the central message of the sermon, as expressed in the title and main points?
• Toward what attitudes, actions, or postures is God exhorting the audience?
• What core life applications should remain with the hearers after the sermon ends?
• What final questions might linger in the minds of the audience, inviting reflection, conviction, or hope?

Create a clear sermon map by outlining the essential lines of the Introduction, Main Points, and Conclusion. This sketch is not a script but a distilled framework that captures the sermon’s big picture and governing flow.

The purpose of this step is to crystallize the core structure and chief statements of the sermon so they can be easily remembered and confidently delivered. Rather than memorizing the sermon word for word, internalize its shape, movement, and key affirmations. This approach keeps you grounded in thoughtful preparation while leaving space for presence, responsiveness, and the spontaneous leading of the Spirit during delivery.