Topical preaching is popular. Is it good? Nehemiah 8:1-10 seems to argue for textual preaching. Textual preaching can also be topical, but topical preaching can ignore scripture or take it out of context. Textual preaching can also be motivational, but motivation without examining scripture can be just empty-headed materialistic fluff. Nehemiah suggests a three-fold approach to textual preaching. First of all he read distinctly. Reading scripture with skill is such an important task that at various times the church has had a special office of lector, to do just that. Second, he gave the sense, making it clear what the scripture meant, we might say exegesis. Third, he caused them to understand, we might say a hermeneutic. Then, he proclaimed feasting and the day holy. If we ignore God’s Word in our preaching, how can our day be holy?
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