Looking at the “Insignificant” Parts of the Text
Author: Sherman Haywood Cox II (587 Articles)
Sherman Haywood Cox II is the director of Soul Preaching. He holds the M.Div with an emphasis in Homiletics and a M.S. in Computer Science.
Preachers are expected to “tell the story” in the African American tradition. Often this is a call to preach the familiar stories that we all have heard multiple times. Preaching familiar stories helps both the preacher and the people. The people know the story that you are seeking to interpret and the preacher does not have to go looking in obscure sections of the Bible for something to preach. In addition as Bishop Rudolh Mckissick wrotes: it will “increase [the people's] comfort as they listen to you.”
The New Spin
But if we are to preach familiar stories, we must listen to Mckissick and attempt to “give the ‘old text’ a ‘new spin.’” Eugene Lowry, in the book The Homiletical Plot writes about how to find this “new spin.” Lowry suggests that preachers “Attend to every ‘insignificant’ line.” He is telling preachers that when they preach the familiar stories, don’t immediately jump towards the features of the text that you have heard preached repeatedly. Instead, go to those aspects that might otherwise be considered “insignificant.” Look at the text very closely. Look at every word. Often the preacher can come up with an important sermon from looking more closely at the text.
“Insignificant” Details Make Significant Points
Lowry gives the example of Nicodemus coming to Jesus “by night.” I admit that I have heard this feature of the text brought out before, but it does serve to demonstrate that small features of the text that might otherwise be considered insignificant can be very important and even guide the sermon.
My fellow preachers. It is in the details where we find very important features that can strengthen our sermons immensely. Look at these details in your attempt to give that “new spin” to an “old text.”
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