Hey fellow preachers and teachers. I thought it would be cool to let you in on how I organize my thoughts in preparing a sermon. I usually pray, approach the text, pray more, read again, pray, outline main ideas, form a rough outline, pray, then write out the sermon verbatim.
I want to share with you the middle stage of this process. There has been some progression in how exactly it looks, but the idea is basically the same. Here is the “main idea” stage for one of my first sermons.
____________________________________
The Cross: The Victory of Christ
Colossians 2:11-5
Main Idea: On the cross Christ defeated and was victorious over the powers and systems which oppress mankind and people from living the live God intended them to live. But more importantly on the cross Christ was victorious over the most oppressive, destructive, and vicious system; the root of all destruction and evil: Sin.
Verse 15: On the cross Christ defeated and was victorious over the oppressive, unjust, and destructive earthly powers, systems, and authorities of his time and for all time.
Closing Idea: The cross is Christ’s saving victory, Paul reminds the Colossians to live in light of this. But Christ’s saving grace doesn’t just apply to the Colossians, but applies to us as well, so lets live in light of what Christ did on cross.
CWoznicki Think Out Loud 