Putting a sermon together

Writing sermons is an art. It is not enough just to study. You cannot leave it to the last moment and say, "Oh well, I'll leave it to the Holy Spirit." That's presumption - not good stewardship.

Research is an essential part of spiritual warfare. As one who stands in defence of their flock, you have a responsibility to have a relationship with them. Your responsibility extends to feeding them appropriately. Therefoe you must know their state of spiritual health. This is not to squeeze out the work of the Holy spirit - on the contrary; it gives Him more material to work with in order to inspire something truly worthy of the label 'anointed'.

This is where choosing illustrations comes in. Don't just think of something that worked for someone else - manna was fresh each day for the Children of Israel in the desert. Craft your illustrations to meet the flock's needs - make it relevant to them. This was Jesus' model. When talking to farming communities, he used illustrations that both He and His listeners would be familiar with.