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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

9 traits of expository preaching in Acts



2 Timothy 4:1-4 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

Offering a definition of Expository Preaching
Expository preaching is characterized by proclamation, followed by explanation, clarified by illustration, strengthened w/ exhortation and connecting with application. 

Can we biblically demonstrate this definition? In today's post we will contend that such preaching is Biblical preaching and consider why it is by noting the following nine traits of such preaching in the Book of Acts:

9 Traits that define a pattern for Biblical Expository Preaching
A quick survey reveals actual sermons, or portions of sermons, preached by the Apostles in the early church, as showcased in the Book of Acts:


a. 5 sermons by Peter Acts 2:1-36; 3:11-26; 4:8-31; 10:34-48; 15:6-12                             

b. 1 each by Stephen, Phillip & James Acts 7:1-60; 8:25-40; 15:13-35

c. 11 sermons by Paul Acts 9:1-31; 13:15-43; 13:44-52 ;14:14-15:5; 17:22-34; 20:7-12 ;20:17-38; 21:40-23:11; 24:10-27; 26:1-32; 28:32-31

Whenever we study some of those sermons, the following common traits are found among them:

Trait                        Peter     Stephen    Paul
1. Power                                  2:1-13         6:10,15          13:9 
of the Spirit


2. Proclamation                        2:14             7:1-2            13:16

3. Progression                         2:14,22     Abraham       Smooth
                                                                  to David     Transitions
4. Priority of                              2:22-24    History         13:27-34 
    Doctrine                                2:31-33 

   of SalvationNote: Almost half the messages center on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

5. Exposition                            2:17-36     Exposition   13:17-25                                                                                        of Acts 7 

6. Illustration                       2:15,22,23        Whole 
                                                                  Illustration 
                                                               message within 
                                                                  Exposition


7. Preach                                2:37-40          7:51-56       13:26 
       For a                                  40-41 
   Decision 
(Exhortation) 

8. Pointed                               2:37-40          His            13:40-41 
Conclusion                                               Martyrdom


9. People                                2:41-47       Negative        13:44  Changed                                                      fruit at         
 or affected                                                   first         
                                                                    yet the           nearly
                                                                   the church     whole 
                                                                     grows            city 
                                                                                         came 
                                                                                         to hear

Conclusion:
We proposed the following definition of expository preaching: Expository preaching is characterized by proclamation, followed by explanation, clarified by illustration, strengthened w/ exhortation and connecting with application. From studying some of the those sermons in the Book of Acts, we glean the above definition from them based upon the nine traits discovered in those sermons:
1. Power of the Spirit 
2. Proclamation 
3. Progression 
4. Priority of Doctrine 
5. Exposition 
6. Illustration 
7. Preach for a Decision 
8. Pointed Conclusion 
9. People Changed/Affected

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