Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages

by Haddon W. Robinson

roughly equals the stanza or strophe of a poem. While at times we may choose to expound only a single stanza, normally we will treat the entire psalm. In selecting passages for the expository sermon, therefore, a general principle to follow is this: Base the sermon on a literary unit of biblical thought. Working in the book of Proverbs, however, presents a special challenge to this rule. While the opening nine chapters can be divided into units of thought that are relatively easy to identify, the sayings found in chapters 10 through 31 seem to be a collection of pithy, seemingly unconnected sentences. Preaching on the proverbs one after the other, however, will turn

begins to deal with the doubts: “Oh, where is the sea” the fishes cried, As they swam the Atlantic waters through; “We’ve heard of the sea and the ocean tide And we long to gaze on its waters blue.” All around us are little fishes looking for the sea; people living, moving, having their being in an ocean of God’s providence, but who can’t see the ocean for the water. Maybe it’s because we call it by another name. The ancient Hebrews from whom the Bible came were a religious people. They