I'm just wondering what those of you who preach think about preaching verses or passages i.e chapters.
I tend towards large passages of scripture and seek to work through it drawing on particular emphases each time.
Others, it seems, will perhaps just use one verse and build there sermon around it.
Which do you think is best?
E.g I'm considering preaching from 1 Peter chapter 1 and drawing out several aspects which I think are relevant on this occasion. The concerns I have is 1) there is just so much rich content 2) Trying to cover too much could lose depth and end up being an overview. 3) Will it overload the congregation?
However I feel focusing on just one or two verses will limit me and not allow me to paint the bigger picture for the congregation.
For example in in 1 Peter 1 some of the key points which are coming to me are (excuse the lack of specific references its late and I'm just about to go to bed)
1) The source of faith (Foreknowledge)
2) The basis of Faith (The redeeming work of Christ on the cross)
3) The means of faith (the new birth)
4) The walk of faith (Strangers in the world/sanctification/obedience unto Christ)
5) The test of faith (suffering/persecution/trials
6) The outcome of faith (salvation)
7) The permenancy of faith (kept by the power of God through faith
Now the problem I have in sermon prep is that as I develop key poinst I suddenly feel that each of these points could be a sermon in their own right! And this often continues with the sub points!
Anyway, each of these points is based on one or two texts. For those of you who are seasoned preachers would you suggest 1) take one text/point as one sermon or would you do the 'overview' and try and preach the wider context.
P.S I am a visiting preacher so it is not my congregation and I do not have the priveledge of teaching them over a longer period.
I tend towards large passages of scripture and seek to work through it drawing on particular emphases each time.
Others, it seems, will perhaps just use one verse and build there sermon around it.
Which do you think is best?
E.g I'm considering preaching from 1 Peter chapter 1 and drawing out several aspects which I think are relevant on this occasion. The concerns I have is 1) there is just so much rich content 2) Trying to cover too much could lose depth and end up being an overview. 3) Will it overload the congregation?
However I feel focusing on just one or two verses will limit me and not allow me to paint the bigger picture for the congregation.
For example in in 1 Peter 1 some of the key points which are coming to me are (excuse the lack of specific references its late and I'm just about to go to bed)
1) The source of faith (Foreknowledge)
2) The basis of Faith (The redeeming work of Christ on the cross)
3) The means of faith (the new birth)
4) The walk of faith (Strangers in the world/sanctification/obedience unto Christ)
5) The test of faith (suffering/persecution/trials
6) The outcome of faith (salvation)
7) The permenancy of faith (kept by the power of God through faith
Now the problem I have in sermon prep is that as I develop key poinst I suddenly feel that each of these points could be a sermon in their own right! And this often continues with the sub points!
Anyway, each of these points is based on one or two texts. For those of you who are seasoned preachers would you suggest 1) take one text/point as one sermon or would you do the 'overview' and try and preach the wider context.
P.S I am a visiting preacher so it is not my congregation and I do not have the priveledge of teaching them over a longer period.