I like James Braga’s practical book How to Prepare Bible Messages. I am fond of it because it was the book my Homiletics professor used to teach me how to preach back when the earth’s crust was still hardening. Braga divides sermons into the three traditional categories that some challenge today.
Topical Sermon: A topical sermon is one in which the main divisions are derived from the topic, independently of a text (James Braga, How to Prepare Bible Messages, p. 19).
Textual Sermon: A textual sermon is one in which the main divisions are derived from a brief portion of Scripture. Each of these divisions is then used as a line of suggestion, and the text provides the theme of the sermon (Braga, p. 37).
Expository Sermon: An expository sermon is one in which a more or less extended portion of Scripture is interpreted in relation to one theme or subject. The bulk of the material for the sermon is drawn directly from the passage, and the outline consists of a series of progressive ideas centered on that main idea (Braga, p. 61).
Donald R. Sunukjian, in his excellent Invitation to Biblical Preaching disagrees with these three ways of identifying sermons in theory.
“When talking about this kind of biblical preaching, the old distinctions of textual, topical, and expository are not helpful. Those distinctions were based on the amount of biblical material being used, or where it was being drawn from---a single verse (textual), passages from different biblical books (topical), or sequential paragraphs through a particular book (expository).
Today, instead, we define true biblical preaching by how the biblical material is treated---that is, faithful to the meaning and flow of the original author and relevant to the contemporary listener. Any of the above approaches---textual, topical, expository---can be a biblical message…. Similarly, topical preaching can be true biblical preaching. A topical sermon on being a Christian husband might look like this:
I agree that all three sermon styles can and should be biblical for the reasons he stated. It is interesting that Sunukjian then provides an example of a biblical topical sermon.
1. Be considerate as you live with your wife (1 Peter 3:7).
A. In the original language, the words “live with” look at the most intimate aspects of life, including sexual intimacy.
B. To be “considerate” means to act in an understanding and knowledgeable way in this intimate relationship. “Considerate living” in our marriages might take many forms.
1. Example
2. Example
3. Example
2. Love your wife as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25).
A. Christ’s love for the church was such that he gave himself up for her.
B. In a husband’s life, such sacrificial love might take many forms.
1. Example
2. Example
3. Example (Donald R. Sunukjian, Invitation to Biblical Preaching, pp.13-14).
The Topical Sermon
Here are some basic steps in preparing a Topical/Doctrinal Sermon.
1. You do not start with a Biblical text but a Biblical topic.
Most doctrines are presented thematically throughout Scripture; not in one passage or chapter. Therefore the form of Scripture affects the form of the sermon.
A. The Love of God could be preached topically in Ephesians. Braga gives the example of “in love” used six times in Ephesians which he converted into a sermon (Braga, p. 28).
Title: "The Life of Love"
Topic: Facts about the life of love
1. It is founded upon God's eternal purpose (1:4-5)
2. It is produced by Christ's indwelling (3:17)
3. It should manifest itself in our Christian relationships (4:1-2, 15)
4. It will result in the edification and growth of the church (4:16)
5. It is exemplified by Jesus Christ Himself (5:1-2)
B. The Love of God could be preached textually in John 3:16. For example:
1. Whom does God love? "For God so loved the world"
2. How does God love? "He gave His only begotten Son"
3. Why does God love? "That whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life"
C. The Love of God could be preached expositorily in 1 Corinthans 13. For example:
Proposition: We must use our spiritual gifts in love. Why?
1. Because of the necessity of love (13:1-3)
2. Because of the nature of love (13:4-7)
3. Because of the permanence of love (13:8-12)
4. Because of the supremacy of love (13:13)
2. Each division is supported by a Biblical text (see page 20).
On page 20 Braga has a topical sermon on Unanswered Prayer in which each division is supported with a biblical text:
Unanswered Prayer
1) Asking with wrong motives (James 4:3)
2) Sin in the heart (Psalm 66:18)
3) Doubting God’s Word (James 1:6-7)
4) Empty repetitions (Matthew 6:7)
5) Disobedience to the Word (Proverbs 28:9)
6) Inconsiderate behavior in martial relationships (1 Peter 3:7)
3. The main divisions can be arranged chronologically such as a sermon on end time events.
End Time Events
1) The Rapture (Revelation 4:1)
2) The Tribulation (Revelation 4-18)
3) The Second Coming (Revelation 19)
4) The Millennium (Revelation 20:1-10)
5) The Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15)
6) The Eternal Home (Revelation 21-22)
This is a Biblical Theology approach verses the more usual Systematic Theology approach in topical sermons.
4. The main divisions can be arranged logically (Braga, p. 24)
Title: "A Believer's Hope"
1. It is a living hope (1 Peter 1:3)
2. It is a saving hope (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
3. It is a sure hope (Hebrews 6:19)
4. It is a good hope (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
5. It is an unseen hope (Romans 8:24)
6. It is a blessed hope (Titus 2:13)
7 It is an eternal hope (Titus 3:7)
5. The main divisions can be analytical (Braga, p. 25). Here is a doctrinal sermon on Satan.
Title: "Satan, Our Archenemy"
1. His origin (Ezekiel 28:12-17)
2. His fall (Isaiah 14:12-15)
3. His power (Luke 11:14-18; Ephesians 6:11-12)
4. His activity (Luke 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:18)
5 His destiny (Matthew 25:41)
6. The main divisions can be based on a phrase from Scripture (Braga, p. 27).
“Walk” in Ephesians
A. Walk in Unity (Eph. 4:1 “therefore walk”)
B. Walk not as Sinners (Eph. 4:17 “therefore walk”)
C. Walk in Love (Eph. 5:1-2 “therefore walk”)
D. Walk in the Light (Eph. 5:7-8 “therefore walk”)
E. Walk Circumspectly (Eph. 5:15 “therefore walk”)
7. The main divisions can be doctrinal (This is a Biblical Theology approach in one book of the Bible)
A. The Coming of Christ and Salvation (1 Thess. 1:10)
B. The Coming of Christ and Soulwinning (1 Thess. 2:19-20)
C. The Coming of Christ and Sanctification (1 Thess. 3:13)
D. The Coming of Christ and Sorrow (1 Thess. 4:13-18)
E. The Coming of Christ and Soberity (1 Thess. 5:1-7)
8. Topical series on Angels
A. The Origin of Angels
1. The Fact of Angelic Creation (Col. 1:16)
2. The Time of Angelic Creation (Job 38)
3. The Number of Angels Created (Rev. 5:11)
4. The State of Angelic Creation (Gen. 1:31)
B. The Nature of Angels
C. The Fall of Angels
D. The Angel of the Lord
E. The Guardian Angel
I preached a topical/doctrinal series on the Trinity which you can read at drtimwhite.net under the category “Trinity.”
1. Three Biblical Statements on the Trinity
2. The “Social” Trinity: The Trinity’s Relationship with Each Other
3. The Economic Trinity: The Trinity’s Relationship with Us
Driscoll does an entire topical/doctrinal series of 13 sermons for new church members which has been published in a book entitle “Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe.”
Doctrine Preview
I think you see the need and importance of preaching topical/doctrinal sermons. You may even be tempted to preach some of these outlines found here and in Braga. Have at it! Just give honor to whom honor is due.