Preaching and the Imagination: Thesis Research

This book provides seven rich chapters illustrations and metaphors which bring out the core of the book. The two strengths embraced in this survey consist of: the well-crafted illustrations on the silent pictures and the masterful metaphors which capture the sermonic distinction of black preaching.

In regard to sermon design, Eswine offered several new ideas and concepts. First, he suggested that preachers ask, “Could I now reach who I once was?”. Normally preachers observer their listeners; however, this question causes preachers to exegete themselves, motivating them to recall their journey along the path of sanctification. “Remembering where we’d be without God and then ministering to others out of that knowledge” promotes empathy with listeners (11). As a result, preachers are able to construct sermons tailored to meet the needs of their listeners since they can relate to their struggles and situations as well as their questions and concerns.

Turley argues that the structure is the sermon is part of what gives Edwards’ work its power. Before he dissects Edwards’ sermon, Turley looks at how Edwards uses indicators in his performance to generate a setting for his audience. He goes on to states, “The combination of all the performance indicators in Edwards’s sermon – scripture reading, metaphors, parallels, dialogue, tactility, motion, weight, gravity, etc. – functioned illocutionary to generate a state of affairs for the auditors” (522). Turley begins by stating that Edwards used a combination of performance indicators in his sermon. He states that Edwards used biblical verses in his sermon. He also says that Edwards used metaphors and parallels in his sermon. Edwards also used tactility and motion in his sermon according to Turley. Also according to Turley he used the performance indicator of weight, gravity and many others in his sermon. He notes that Edwards uses these many performance indicators functioned to suggest a situation to the audience. Turley also notes that all of the indicators as a whole generated a situation in the audience’s mind to create a setting that Edwards wished to set for sermon. Turley’s discussion of Edwards’s usage of performance indicators supports the persuasiveness of Edwards sermon

The book was very well put together with principal concepts, but it was not always easy to follow and some sections had to be read twice for clear comprehension. The message could have been portrayed using straightforward writing that would enable undergraduates and others that are not seeking higher levels of education to process the information. In simpler terms, this book can be essential to pastors, for personal relationships, and other professions if the language is simplified and made more user-friendly.

In the sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Jonathon Edwards utilizes rhetorical devices such as, personification, similes, and metaphors to persuade his audience into obeying God.

Response: “Alan Potter (2014) wrote that John MacArthur warned us that if we lose the biblical foundation while preaching this will lead to the decline of preaching which will contribute to the weakness and worldliness of the church, so for a church to be spiritual healthy, preaching should return to its proper biblical foundation (https://www.linkedin.com). Paul told Timothy that by preaching the Scripture, man and women could be wise for salvation (2 Tim. 3:15 NKJV). They learn the way of salvation through the Bible which the Holy Spirit taught the preacher to use, they should not use their own words dictated by man’s wisdom (1 Corinth. 2: 13

In the life changing sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Edward Taylor uses many persuasive techniques to grab the attention of his congregation. By amplifying specific rhetorical devices Edwards intends to instill enough fear into his congregation for them to turn from their sinful ways and repent; He achieves this by repetition, imagery, and his use of hyperbole. An effective rhetorical device Edward Taylor uses is repetition; this allows him to deepen the personal effect his sermon has on his congregation. In his piece Edwards continually restates many phrases to keep the overall tone very clear and distinct.

Often in sermons pastors persuade their audience to behave in a spiritual or moral fashion. For example, as used in Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” where he goes on to express how sinners should repent and live happily or continue to sin and live in destruction forever. Edwards wanted to convince his audience by appealing to their fears, pity, and vanity. Edward had a strong impact on his audience because of his use of incensed tone, vivid imagery, and his use of figurative language.

In this project, I will describe a scenario in which I am developing within my own ministry to engage people in helping them think theologically. The Church today is suffering greatly because many people are not engaged in Scripture, practicing spiritual disciplines, or thinking theologically. I hope to create a pattern to correct that and give them the ability to not just learn a little each week from a sermon, but take everything that comes at them and learn from it, while giving them the ability to teach others as well.

In the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards he demonstrates imagery, personification, and repetition. Also, Edward persuades his audience by using a powerful tone to affect their perspective.

My goal of writing this paper is to highlight Jonathan Edwards’ key use of figurative language throughout the sermon. Undoubtably, the most figurative language used throughout the sermon was imagery. It is the use of words that appeal to one or more of your five senses. A good example would be when Jonathan Edwards says, “ …the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own heart is struggling to break out…”

To truly comprehend a biblical passage, it is important to have knowledge of the ‘hermeneutics which enables an understanding of the locus of meaning and the principles of bible interpretation’ . The audience needs to have a clear interpretation of the biblical passage which includes ‘content and unity of the whole of Scripture if the meaning of the sacred texts is to be correctly worked out’ , this supports the argument that all worlds of the text are equally important. ‘Biblical passages are often taken out of context and interpreted to support a particular viewpoint of justify a particular action’ . It is imperative to note that ‘in order to discover the sacred authors' intention, the reader must take into account the conditions of their

Macdonald, (2010) suggested that the bible is a cultural work of art because it is used in storytelling, preaching, drama and visual posters. The bible tells God’s story in how he created the world, the fall, redemption and the new creation. The bible has a sequence of events, songs, proverbs, prophetic books, writing of wisdom and letters. In the bible there is a comparison between connecting scripture and constructing culture. It is able to change one’s life and one’s culture because

Vivid images, from visions, to detailed explanation and accounts of places and events, to symbolic imagery used to explain parables, or teach and encourage the first century churches are driving forces within the Biblical text. Metaphorical language, by virtue of the fact that it preserves the literal meaning of the symbol, while intending an analogical secondary meaning, is able to communicate profound truths about reality, mainly by creating an alternative, symbolic way of seeing and understanding the world. (Liubinskas, Susann. 404) Throughout the New Testament of the Bible the most commonly used images are the: body of Christ, and vine imagery. These images work together to create a powerful example of the necessity for unity among individual believers, and that unity tying them Christ.

The Gospels of the New Testament contain 39 different parables told by Jesus (Phillips 2004, 18-19) and no doubt he spoke many more during his ministry. Jesus’ choice to use parables to teach his people is one that has intrigued many people throughout history. The aim of this essay is to get to discover why he chose to use those parables, and also what we can learn from this teaching method when evangelising today.