How To Write a 3 Point Sermon: The 3 point sermon is not about garnering information for the sermon, it is about packaging that information for delivery.
How To Write a 3 Point Sermon
I have been writing weekly sermons for about thirty years and I have found the structure of the three point sermon to be one of the best ways to package biblical truth for delivery.
The benefits of the structure of the three point sermon are:
- The three point sermon expands and explains one topic
- The three point sermon is easy to follow
- The three point sermon has a natural, sequential flow
The key to writing any sermon (especially a 3 point sermon) is the structure of the sermon. Once you understand the structure of packaging a sermon for delivery, you will find writing 3 point sermons quite easy.
1. The Sermon
I teach homiletics to Bible College students and I make it very clear to them that a sermon has three parts – the introduction, the body or sermon outline and the conclusion. I know this is obvious but many students begin to write their sermons without framing the body of their sermon (sermon outline) for delivery.
The body of the sermon is the bulk of your message. The introduction simply introduces the main preaching point of your sermon, which is the body of your sermon. The conclusion concludes your sermon by reinforcing the main preaching point of your sermon with application and action.
Therefore, you need to start with the body of your sermon and the body of your 3 point sermon is the sermon outline.
2. The Sermon Outline
Let’s look at the structural parts of a 3 point sermon outline!
A. The Main Preaching Point
Every sermon must have a main preaching point. You cannot develop a 3 point sermon without a main preaching point.
In Luke chapter 4:1-13, Luke discusses the topic of temptation. The story is about Jesus being tempted by Satan. This story helps us understand how to deal with temptation. Therefore, I developed the topic of this sermon around the main preaching point of “How To Deal With Temptation With a Winning Smile?”
B. The Sub-points
Now that I have got the main preaching point, I simply need to expand and explain the main preaching points with sub-points (in this case 3 sub-points).
I usually expand and explain the main preaching point by asking why, what, where, when or how of the main preaching point.
In this case, I asked the how question. How can we deal with temptation with a winning smile?
After much study of this text of Scripture, I came up with three sub-points.
There are three WAYS to deal with temptation with a winning simile. They include:
- We Must Recognise Temptation Immediately
- We Must Realize the Way of Escape
- We Must Remember the Subtleties of Temptation
There you have your three point sermon outline. This three point sermon outline becomes the road map for your sermon.
Your congregation know exactly what you are going to preach on: Three ways to deal with temptation with a winning smile.
Your congregation know exactly what you are going to say about your main preaching point: We must recognize temptation immediately. We must realize the way of escape and we must remember the subtleties of temptation.
Your three point sermon is easy to follow because it has a natural progression and flow to it.
C. The Incidental Points
Sometimes it is advantageous to expand and explain your sub-points. In this three point sermon outline, I added two incidental points to the second and third sub-points. Here is the completed 3 point sermon outline of Luke chapter 4:1-13.
Introduction:
There are three WAYS to deal with temptation with a winning smile. They include:
- We must recognize temptation immediately
- We must realize the way of escape
- Jesus trusted God
- Jesus trusted God’s word
- We must remember the subtleties of temptation
- To draw us away from God
- To rely on our own resources
Conclusion:
3. The Sermon Manuscript
A. Manuscript Content
Once you have crafted your 3 point sermon outline, you will need to write content to the sermon outline with appropriate illustrations and applications.
Once you have written the content and added appropriate illustrations and applications, you will need to write the introduction and the conclusion to the sermon.
I always remind myself that a sermon is like an airplane flight. The take-off is the introduction, the flight is the body of the sermon and the landing is the conclusion.
B. Manuscript Markup
I usually write a full manuscript. This is so that I have a physical and electronic record of the sermon.
However, the manuscript is not the same as an assignment paper. I format the sermon manuscript in point form so that I can mark up the manuscript as a road map for my preaching.
I only write content to the sermon outline, introduction and conclusion in short form so when I preach, I simply expand what I want to say in my own words. I do not preach word for word from the sermon manuscript.
I would encourage you to write your manuscript in short form and I would encourage you to develop the confidence to share the content of your sermon in your own words. This may take some time to develop your confidence and the freedom to speak your sermon content in your own words. I guarantee that your preaching will grow in leaps and bounds by doing this.
C. Manuscript Practice
When I write a three point sermon as described above, I find that I know the sermon manuscript intimately. I know the main preaching point with its sub-points and incidental points. In some ways, I could quite easily preach the sermon without the manuscript.
However, I always take my sermon manuscript with me into the pulpit because the sermon manuscript keeps me on track when I move through the sermon.
Nevertheless, I do practice the sermon manuscript before I preach it. In other words, I simply talk my way through the sermon manuscript so that I understand the transitions from one point to another, the content and the illustrations and applications. I do not want to be self-guesting myself when I am preaching.
It takes me about one hour to talk my way through the manuscript. Also, this helps me with any last minute ideas and changes to the sermon manuscript.
By practicing the sermon manuscript, I give the Holy Spirit every opportunity to guide and shape my preaching. Sometimes the Holy Spirit leads me to add content to the sermon as I am preaching and other times the Holy Spirit encourages me to subtract content from the sermon manuscript.
Resources For How To Write A 3 Point Sermon
Chapell Bryan, 1994, Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Koller Charles W, 1995, How To Preach Without Notes, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids Michigan.
Braga James, 1981, How To Prepare Bible Messages, Multnomah Press, Portland, Oregon.