The Big Idea of the sermon is technically called “the Proposition”. It is a summary of your entire sermon in one sentence. Some call it “the sermon in a sentence.”
Getting accurate on the Proposition is the most important step you can do as you begin work on your sermon. Accurately capturing all you have to say in a single sentence will propel you forward to a successful sermon. Arriving at the Proposition can be some of the hardest work you do in your sermon preparation. It may take a couple of days to really nail it; you may have to precede it first with exegetical study of the passage, and an understanding of the culture into which the passage speaks.
But once you have the Big Idea, the Proposition, the Sermon in a Sentence, you are almost half-way there!
A finely crafted Proposition can deliver a powerful punch.
Sermon Example: Ezekiel 18:1 – 30
This is a very long passage and argument from the Lord God to the people of Israel. It is difficult enough to explain to adults, but what about mid-schoolers? How would you explain this passage to teens, ages 12-14?? Nathan Miller of Brooklyn Park EFC taught this passage to just such an age group by really nailing the sermon in a sentence. Here’s his Proposition, Big Idea, or Sermon in a Sentence for Ezekiel 18:
“Your soul is your responsibility.”
That captures it really well.
Once you have the Proposition, you are on your way to putting together a good sermon. Work hard at it, and you – but especially your people – will be rewarded.
For great preaching,
Dr. Bill