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In today’s blog, we'll cover strategies and resources that pastors can use to choose relevant verses for their sermons.
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As entrusted leaders of the Church, pastors are given the authority to deliver God-inspired sermons on a weekly basis. The keyword here? God-inspired.
Something we learn from Titus 1:9, is that leaders of the Church must “hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he [“elders” of the Church] can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.”
How can this be done? By studying the Word of God and using it as the foundation for every sermon.
In the way journalism without sources is unreliable, a sermon without the Bible is questionable.
Of course, this doesn’t simply mean taking any verse out of context to fit the point that you’re trying to make. At least, it shouldn’t mean that. Rather, finding the right scripture for a sermon takes careful thought, context, and research.
In today’s blog, I will be going over strategies and resources that pastors can use to choose relevant verses for their sermons.
When it comes to preparing a weekly sermon, there are many ways a pastor can go about crafting their message. While of course, pastors use all kinds of illustrations, anecdotes, and examples to craft an engaging message, it’s important for pastors to a.) know what kind of sermon it is, and b.) how it reflects scripture. Whether the sermon is expository or topical, it’s important that the message’s bottom line is based on Bible-centered truths that accurately represent a critical understanding of scripture.
For this reason, I’ve provided a list of helpful tips and tools that pastors can use for collecting relevant verses for any type of sermon.
Seeking divine guidance through prayer is essential at every stage of sermon preparation, including the research phase. Like any part of our life, spending time in prayer and seeking God’s wise counsel is the first step to revealing how He wants to speak to us through scripture.
As Greg Breazeale of Lifeway Christian Resources puts it:
“Preaching does not work without prayer. In fact, God never intended for us to separate prayer from preaching. Paul often asked for prayer from the churches in order that his preaching might be bold and effective (Eph. 6:19; Col. 4:3–4). The apostles devoted themselves to "prayer and to the preaching ministry" (Acts 6:4). Jesus said, "Apart from me, you can do nothing," (Jn. 15:5) in the context of preparing his disciples to go out and preach (Jn. 15–17).”
Spend time in prayer and ask God to highlight passages of scripture that speak directly to the hearts of the congregation. Trust in God's wisdom to lead you to the verses that will inspire, comfort, and challenge your listeners.
Something pastors should be aware of when preparing scripture for their sermons is what are the needs of the congregation?
Have members of the congregation been showing struggle in particular areas of their lives? Are there questions about scripture or theology that need to be addressed? Perhaps the congregation has been feeling the weight of political, societal, or global issues –– how can these be addressed with scripture? What topics are relevant and timely?
By understanding the pulse of the congregation, pastors can tailor their sermon topics and scripture selections to address specific issues and provide spiritual guidance and support.
Thanks to modern technology, pastors have access to Biblical study applications that assist in researching and choosing relevant verses for their message. These applications serve as advanced concordances that allow pastors to search for specific words or themes across the Bible, from front to back.
By looking up keywords related to the sermon topic, pastors can find appropriate verses to accurately address the central message they wish to convey. Using Bible software programs is not only an easy and effective approach to finding applicable scripture, but is also able to assist in the exegetical research process.
With the assistance of AI, there are now Sermon preparation tools that offer advanced search capabilities, dictionaries, and commentaries, making the research process more efficient and comprehensive. In addition to advanced verse search and research, these applications can also generate sermon outlines, character studies, and modern examples of scripture.
Cross-referencing scripture is an effective way of drawing the connection between scriptures that share similar themes or concepts.
By cross-referencing scripture, pastors are able to: 1.) provide a more well rounded view of concepts found throughout the Bible, and 2.) how the sermon relates to those concepts.
When researching relevant verses for their sermon, pastors can find or put together their own cross-references as a way of discovering additional passages that complement or expand upon the sermon’s main text or topic. This approach enriches the sermon content and allows for a more comprehensive exploration of the chosen topic.
As Will Anderson of the Gospel Coalition puts it:
“By looking up a few cross-references for John 1:29 in my Bible, I’m reminded that Jesus’s identification as a “lamb” is linked to Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac (Gen. 22:8), Isaiah’s description of the suffering servant slaughtered like a lamb (Isa. 53:7), and the angelic chorus worshiping Christ as the lamb who was slain (Rev. 5:12). These connections matter, and cross-references ping our theological memories.”
When it comes to collecting scripture for a sermon, it’s important to consider the context in which the passages were written. Studying the scripture and highlighting the historical, cultural, and literary context of each passage allows pastors to truly explore the significance of the Biblical text. Being able to do this not only provides a critical interpretation of God’s Word, but also gives a better understanding of how the scripture applies to us in a modern context.
Contextual understanding helps pastors avoid misinterpretation of scripture, ensuring that the selected verses resonate authentically with the congregation.
A good place to start with teaching scripture with context can be summarized by Watermark Community Church, which says:
“Reading the Bible in its context means looking at every verse or passage in relation to the verses, chapters, and broader narratives that surround it. It means knowing what other ideas, themes, or stories the author was thinking about when writing. It is seeking to understand how all this context affects or influences how a verse should be read.”
By doing this, pastors can better avoid what Watermark Community Church warns against:
“Often we may be tempted to make the Bible say what we want it to say, rather than what God wants it to say. One of the most common ways we do this is by selecting singular verses out of their context.”
While it’s important to do your research and critical studies, cross-reference, and be aware of the context when pulling scripture, it’s also important to allow God’s Word to be personal. At the end of the day, we must not forget that we too have personal relationships with God. When it comes to using scripture, pastors can offer their own insights and testimonies on what they’ve personally gained or learned from verses over the years. While we may gain intellectual understanding from contemplating scripture, there’s power in testimony; speaking from a place of living out our own faith journey, being moved by the Holy Spirit.
Additionally, pastors can also seek inspiration from their community, other preachers, theologians, and Christian resources when searching for verses for their message. Listening to others' sermons, reading theological books, and discussing the Bible with fellow church leaders are good secondary resources for gaining new perspectives and ideas on scripture. Collaborating with peers and learning from wise teachers enriches the research process, widening the scope of scripture exploration.
When it comes to sermon writing, the Bible is foundational in preaching the teachings of Jesus and understanding the relationship between God and man. Allowing the fullness of scripture to inform your message is instrumental in upholding “the trustworthy message” as pastors are called to do in Titus 1:9. With a critical use of scripture, selecting relevant verses through Biblical research, a well-rounded view of the Bible through cross-reference and context, as well as adding personal experience and secondary sources, pastors can effectively encourage their congregation by sound doctrine.
