Some preachers feel it is not necessary to preach on Palm Sunday or Good Friday. The Passion speaks for itself, the thinking goes. The story is so rich, so full of awe, so packed with meaning—there is simply nothing we could say to add to its profundity.
I appreciate the humility in that perspective, because it can feel that anything we add to the story is anti-climactic at best. However, I encourage preachers to offer a homily on Palm Sunday and Good Friday for three important reasons.
Curiosity is a powerful driver in sermon prep. When we pay attention to our curiosity, brainstorm all the questions we have about a text, and then narrow our focus to our top three interests—we’ll save time in prep, discover information that sparks our wonder, and find delight in what the Spirit prompts and unearths for us. Read on for step-by-step instructions on applying this strategy to your Palm Sunday sermon and any sermon.
How we set ourselves up for sermon prep makes all the difference in our experience of preaching. Consider these five common mistakes preachers make that block effective, efficient sermon prep. When we overcome these obstacles, our creativity expands, and we craft sermons we believe in and are excited to offer. Are any of these blocks keeping you from a vibrant preaching life right now?
Improving our sermon craft results in more compelling preaching, which of course benefits our listeners who hear Good News and experience freedom from the sin, shame, legalism, or pain of living in this imperfect world with imperfect humans and their imperfect selves. But growth in our preaching craft provides freedom for us, too. We feel confident in our ability to execute the preaching vision deposited by the Spirit. And we experience freedom to play, create, experiment, and ultimately excel at preaching—for the sake of the gospel.
Today's free download of quotes feels especially timely and needed. The authors remind me of the most important aspect of Lent: that we, like Christ, are to die to self for the sake of others, out of love. I pray these quote offer you similar comfort, wisdom, and guidance this Lent and throughout 2024.
