Criswell Theological
Review 1.1 (1986) 137-147.
Copyright © 1986 by The
PREACHING FROM THE
BOOK OF JAMES
GEORGE B. DAVIS
What's
wrong with preaching today? Suggestions are as numerous
as the analysts. But one deficiency which appears
on the list of
almost everyone is this--the lack of substantial biblical content. Much
preaching today is devoid of solid biblical
exposition. Consequently,
the slow but steady resurgence of expository
preaching evident today
is most encouraging. Pastors, in increasing
numbers, are recognizing
that expository preaching, more so than any other
type, leads a
congregation into a submission to
the Word of God.
Technically speaking, an expository
sermon is one in which both
major and subpoints are
drawn directly from a passage of Scripture.
Effective
expository preaching comprises the thorough exegesis, rele-
vant application, and vivid
illustration of a given passage of Scripture.
Expository
preaching in its purest form is taking a book of the Bible
and preaching through it paragraph by paragraph.
The intent and
purpose of this article is both to encourage and
enable students and
pastors to preach through the Book of James.
I. General Preparation
General preparation should be
started several months before the
series is to begin. General preparation should be done
in at least five
areas:
Step
One: Thorough Familiarity With the Book
Read the Book of James through, not
just once or twice, but
numerous times. The use of cassette tapes is also
recommended.
Thorough
familiarity with the epistle enables the preacher to make the
sermons come alive in delivery.
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CRISWELL THEOLOGICAL
REVIEW
Step
Two: Gathering of Helpful Tools for Exposition
Every preacher must remember that no
amount of scholarly
research ever becomes a substitute for the
teaching ministry of the
Holy Spirit. It is far more
important to become a "Bible student" than a
"commentary student."
Nevertheless, we will want to avail
ourselves of the most helpful
tools at our disposal to make the Word of God both
relevant and
exciting for the people. The reader is encouraged
to see the review
article on bibliographic material for the study
of James in this issue.
Step
Three: Determine the Historical Background
When preaching through any book of
the Bible, attention must
always be given to such matters as: (1) authorship;
(2) recipients,
(3)
date and place of writing; (4) theme and purpose; and
(5) special
or unique features.
In addition to the introductory
material found in all major com-
mentaries, dictionary and
encyclopedia articles on both "James" and
"The
Epistle of James" will prove immensely profitable in ascertaining
the historical background of the book.
Step
Four: Develop a Paragraph Outline of the Book
The most logical method for
preaching through the Epistle of
James
is to do it paragraph by paragraph. Thus, the expositor should
develop a paragraph outline of the Book of
James, comparable to the one
suggested below:
Paragraph
Scripture Summary
Number
Reference Statement
1
1:1 Salutation
2
1:2-8 The
trials/tribulations of the believer
3
1:9-11 The
proper attitude toward material
things
4
1:12-18 The
temptations of the believer
5
1:19-25 Contrast between the hearer
and the doer
6
1:26-27 Contrast between empty
religion and
genuine religion
7
2:1-13 The
sin of partiality
8
2:14-26 The
relationship of faith and works
9
3:1-11 Controlling the tongue
10
3:13-18 Contrast between false
and true wisdom
11
4:1-10 Warning against
worldliness
12
4:11-12 Warning against
censoriousness
13
4:13-17 Warning against presumption
14
5:1-6 Coming judgment
against the
oppressive rich
15
5: 7-11 Patience/endurance amidst
affliction
16
5:12 Truthfulness in
speech
17
5:13-18 Praying for the sick
18
5:19-20 Restoring the erring
brother
II. Specific Preparation
Once the foundation of general
preparation has been laid, we must
then turn our attention to the week-by-week exegesis
of each para-
graph and the development of the sermon therefrom.
Step
One: Exegete Each Individual Paragraph
1. Study the passage in English.
Meditate on it; brood over it; pray
over it; ask God to help you see what is there.
2. Make observations. Note the key
words; write down every
spiritual truth
observed.
3. If possible, work through the
paragraph in the Greek New
Testament. If not, utilize study helps
available for those without
a working knowledge of Greek.
4. Consult exegetical commentaries.
This should be reserved to
last in order to
allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the truths of
Scripture personally.
Step
Two: Formulate the Exegetical Idea
I. The prayful
and diligent exegesis of a paragraph will enable the
expositor to determine the author's main intent
and purpose in
the passage.
2. Writing out the exegetical idea
as clearly and concisely as
possible helps to clarify the sermon topic.
Step
Three: Develop the Sermon Outline
I. Pinpoint the spiritual principles
and concepts used by the
author to develop and support his major thesis.
These will
usually become the major and/or subpoints of the message.
2. Utilize homiletical
commentaries for assistance in developing
the sermon outline.
3. Normally the sermon should have
between two and five major
points.
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CRISWELL THEOLOGICAL
REVIEW
4. Alliteration is helpful to the
memory, but accuracy should never
be sacrificed for it.
Step
Four: Build the Sermon (Three Essential Ingredients)
1. Exegesis
a. Exegesis of the Word
of God should be the core of every
sermon.
b. Every major point
should be drawn from the text.
2. Application
a. Spiritual
truths/principles must be conscientiously applied
to the needs of
the people.
b. Learn to apply each
spiritual truth to specific needs within
the congregation.
3. Illustration
a. Illustrate the sermon
with vivid, cogent experiences to which
the people can
easily relate.
b. As a general rule,
each major point of the sermon should be
illustrated.
c. In addition,
illustrations are effective in both the introduc-
tion
and conclusion.
Step
Five: Write Out the Sermon
1. Introduction
a. It is probably best
to write out the introduction in paragraph
form.
b. This practice gives
us poise as we begin the sermon.
2. Body of the Sermon
a. The body of the
sermon is more easily remembered if it is
written out in
outline form.
b. The outline should
not be too highly structured; remember
that the sermon is
to be heard, not read.
3. Conclusion/ Invitation
a. Like the
introduction, the conclusion/invitation should be
written in
paragraph form.
b. Careful attention
should be given to the theological content
of the invitation.
After we have prepared in this way,
we are now ready to deliver
the sermon. After we have prayed and meditated over
the exegetical
outline, we are ready to preach the sermon with
the enabling power of
the Holy Spirit. We hope the following outlines can
be beneficial to the
readers as they prepare to preach through the
Book of James.
III. Suggested Homiletical
Outlines
Why James?
James
1:1
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Reasons Why the Book
of James is Important
I. THE BOOK OF JAMES IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF
WHO WROTE IT--"James, the
(half) brother of Jesus."
A. A Servant of God
B. A Servant of God's
People.
II. THE BOOK OF JAMES IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF ITS
RECIPIENTS.
A. Historically:
"the Twelve Tribes"
B. Prophetically: All
Believers
III. THE BOOK OF JAMES IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF
WHAT IT IS ABOUT -"the testing of
one's faith."
Nobody Knows The
Trouble I've Seen
James
1:2-8 (cf. I Peter 1:6-9)
EXEGETICAL IDEA: The
Trials/Tribulations in the Life of the
Believer
I. THE CERTAINTY OF
TRIALS/TRIBULATIONS--"when."
v.2
II. THE VARIETY OF TRIALS/TRIBULATIONS--"divers."
v.
2
III. THE INTENSITY OF TRIALS/TRIBULATIONS--"trying."
v.3
IV. THE MAIN TARGET OF
TRIALS/TRIBULATIONS--"your
Faith." v. 3
V. THE PURPOSE OF
TRIALS/TRIBULATIONS--"Patience
(Endurance)." v. 3
VI. THE PROPER RESPONSE TO
TRIALS/TEMPTATIONS-
“Joy.” v. 2
Does Money Make the Man?
James
1:9-11
EXEGETICAL
IDEA: The Proper Attitude Toward Material Things
I. THE ATTITUDE OF THE LOWLY
BROTHER. v. 9
A. The Command: Rejoice.
v. 9a
B. The Result:
Exaltation. v. 9b
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CRISWELL THEOLOGICAL
REVIEW
II. THE ATTITUDE OF THE RICH
BROTHER. vv.10-11
A. The Reason. v. 10
B. The Illustration. v.
11
How Do You Handle Temptation?
James
1:12-18
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Temptations in the
Life of the Believer
I. THE CERTAINTY OF TEMPTATIONS.
vv.12, 13, 14
II. THE SOURCE OF TEMPTATIONS. vv.
13, 14
A. Negatively. v. 13
B. Positively. v. 14
III. THE PATTERN OF TEMPTATION. vv.
14, 15 (cf. Joshua
7:21)
A. Desire--"lust."
v. 14
B. Deception--"enticed."
v. 14
C.
Disobedience-"sin." v. 15
D. Death-v. 15
IV. THE RESULT OF ENDURING
TEMPTATION. v.12
A. Blessedness. v. 12a
B. Crown of Life. v. 12b
Passing The
Hearing Test
James
1:19-25
EXEGETICAL
IDEA: Contrast between the Hearer and the Doer
1. THE WRONG RESPONSE TO THE WORD--"hearer
only."
vv.22-24
A. Characteristic of the
Hearer--"self-deceived." v. 22
B. Illustration of the
Hearer. vv. 23, 24
II. THE RIGHT RESPONSE TO THE WORD--"doer."
vv. 22,
25
A. The Mandate for
Obedience. v. 22
B. The Reward for
Obedience. v. 25
How To Tell When You
Have The Real Thing
James
1:26-27
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Contrast Between Empty
Religion and Genuine
Religion
I. CHARACTERISTICS OF EMPTY
RELIGION. v. 26
A. Lack of Self-control--"bridleth not his tongue." v. 26
B. Self-deception--"deceiveth his own heart." v. 26b
II. CHARACTERISTICS OF GENUINE
RELIGION. v. 27
A. Concern for the
Helpless--"to visit the fatherless and widows
in their
affliction." v. 27a
B. Holy Life-style--"to
keep himself unspotted from the
world." v. 27b
The Peril of Prejudice
James
2:1-13
EXEGETICAL IDEA: The Sin of Partiality
I. THE REBUKE FOR PARTIALITY. vv.I-4
A. The Prohibition of
Partiality. v. 1
B. An Illustration of
Partiality. vv. 2-3
C. The Self-condemnation
of Partiality. v. 4
II. THE RESULTS OF PARTIALITY. vv. 5-11
A. Inconsistent with the
Purposes of God. vv. 5-11
B. A Breach of the
"Royal Law." vv. 8-11
III. THE REMEDY FOR PARTIALITY. vv. 12-13
A. Be Obedient to the
Scriptures, Not Mores. v. 12
B. Be Merciful. v. 13
The Great Divorce
James
2:14-26
EXEGETICAL IDEA: The Relationship of
Faith And Works
I. CHARACTERISTICS OF GENUINE FAITH.
vv. 15-20
A. Genuine Faith
produces service to others. vv. 15, 16.
B. Genuine Faith is
Visible to Others. v. 18
C. Genuine Faith is More
Than Intellectual. vv. 19,20
II. ILLUSTRATIONS OF GENUINE FAITH. vv. 21-25
A. Abraham (Jewish
Patriarch). vv. 21-24
B. Rahab
(Gentile Harlot), v. 25
III. THE TEST OF GENUINE
FAITH-"Works." vv. 14, 17, 26
The Big Little Troublemaker
James
3:1-12
EXEGETICAL IDEA: The Biblical Mandate
for Controlling the
Tongue
I. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CONTROLLING
THE TONGUE.
vv.I-2
A. The Teacher. v. 1
B. The Perfect
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CRISWELL THEOLOGICAL
REVIEW
II. THE NEED FOR CONTROLLING THE
TONGUE. vv. 3-5
A. The Analogy of The Horse's Bridle. v. 3
B. The Analogy of The Ship's Rudder. v. 4
C. The Analogy of the
Fire's Spark. v. 5
III. ILLUSTRATIONS OF AN
UNCONTROLLED TONGUE.
vv. 6-8
A. The
Tongue is a Fire. v. 6
B. The
Tongue is an Untamed Beast. v. 7
C. The
Tongue is a Deadly Poison. v. 8
IV. THE INCONSISTENCY OF THE TONGUE.
vv. 9-12
A. Evidence of the
Inconsistency. vv. 9-10a
B. Rebuke for the
Inconsistency. vv. 10b-12
The Wise And
Otherwise.
James
3:13-18
EXEGETICAL IDEA: The Contrast Between True Wisdom and False
Wisdom
I. FALSE WISDOM. vv.14-16
A. Motivations for False
Wisdom. v. 14
1. Bitter
jealousy
2. Selfish
ambition
B. Characteristics of
False Wisdom. vv. 14-15
1. Arrogant
2. Self
-deceptive
3. Earthly
4. Natural
5.
Demonic
C. The Outcome of False
Wisdom. v. 16
1. Disorder
2. Every
evil thing
II. TRUE WISDOM. vv.17-18
A. Characteristics of
True Wisdom. v. 17
1. Pure
2. Peaceable
3. Gentle
4.
Reasonable
5. Full of
Mercy/Good Fruits
6.
Unwavering
7. Without Hypocrisy
B. The Fruit of True
Wisdom: Peace. v. 18
The Peril of Worldliness
James
4:1-10
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Warning Against
Worldliness
I. THE SOURCE OF WORLDLINESS. vv. 1-4
A. Self-gratification. vv. 1-3
B. The "World
System." v. 4
II. THE SOLUTION FOR WORLDLINESS. vv. 5-10
A. Submit to God. vv. 5-7a
B. Resist the Devil. v.
7b
C. Draw Near to God. vv.
8,-10
1. Personal
cleansing. v. 8
2. Public repentance.
v. 9
3. Private
humility. v. 10
The Sin of Slander
James
4:11-12
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Warning Against
Censoriousness
I. THE PROHIBITION OF
CENSORIOUSNESS. v. 11a
A. "Speaking
Against" a Brother Prohibited. v. 11a
B. "Judging" a
Brother Prohibited. v. 11a
II. THE REASONS FOR THE PROHIBITION.
vv. 11b-12
A. To
Condemn Others is to Play God. vv. 11b-12a
B. To
Condemn Others is to Compare Erroneously. v. 12b
Is It Wrong To Plan Ahead?
James
4:13-17
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Warning To Believers Against Presumption
I. THE WRONG ATTITUDE TOWARD THE
FUTURE. vv.
13, 14, 16
A. Presumption Rebuked. vv. 13-14
1. Because
of the complexity of life. v. 13
2. Because
of the uncertainty of life. v. 14a
3. Because
of the brevity of life. v. 14b
B. The Arrogant Nature
of Presumption. v. 1
II. THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD THE
FUTURE. vv.15,
17
A. Recognition of the
B. Exhortation to Make
Plans With Complete Reliance Upon
the Will of God.
v. 17
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When Is Wealth Worldly?
James
5:1-6
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Coming Judgment Against the Oppressive Rich
I. THE PRONOUNCEMENT OF THE
JUDGMENT. v.l
II. THE DEPICTION OF THE JUDGMENT. vv. 2-3
III. THE REASONS FOR THE JUDGMENT. vv. 4-6
A. Withholding of Wages.
v. 4
B. Self-indulgent
life-style. v. 5
C. Oppression of the
righteous. v. 6
The Power of Patience
James
5:7-11
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Patience/Endurance Amidst Afflictions
I. THE EXHORTATION TO
PATIENCE/ENDURANCE. vv.
7-8
II. THE MOTIVATION FOR
PATIENCE/ENDURANCE--"the
coming of the Lord." vv. 7-8
III. ILLUSTRATIONS OF
PATIENCE/ENDURANCE. vv. 7,
10-11
A. The Farmer. v. 7
B. The Prophets. v. 10
C. Job. v. 11
IV. INSTRUCTIONS FOR
PATIENCE/ENDURANCE. vv. 8-9
A. Avoid Discouragement--"strengthen
your hearts." v. 8
B. Avoid Complaining. v.
9
The High Cost of Cheap Talk
James
5:12
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Truthfulness in Speech
I. THE NEGATIVE PROHIBITION. v. 12a
II. THE POSITIVE EXHORTATION. v.12b
Can Prayer Heal The Sick?
James
5:13-18
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Praying For The Sick
I. THE NEED FOR PRAYER. vv. 13, 14
A. When Suffering
Affliction. v. 13
B. When Sick. v. 14
II. THE PROCEDURE FOR PRAYER. v.14
A. Summon the Spiritual
Leaders of the Church. v. 14a
1. Anoint
the sick person with oil.
2. Pray for
the sick person.
B. Leave the Results To God--"in the name of the Lord"
means "according to the will of God." v. 14b
III. THE POWER OF PRAYER. vv. 15, 16
A. When It Is Done in
Faith. v. 15
B. When Sin is Confessed. v. 16a
C. When a Man Is Right
With God. v. 16b
IV. AN ILLUSTRATION OF PRAYER (cf. 1
Kings 17-18). vv.
17-18
Operation Restoration
James
5:19-20
EXEGETICAL IDEA: Restoring the Erring
Brother
I. THE NEED FOR RESTORATION--"any
of you do err from
the truth." v. 19a
II. THE INSTRUMENT OF RESTORATION--"and
one (i.e.,
one of the brethren) convert him." v. 19b
III. THE RESULTS OF RESTORATION. v.
20
A. The Straying One's
Soul Will Be Saved from Death. v. 20a
B. A Multitude of Sins
Will Be Covered. v. 20b
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