A sermon by Earl Palmer taught me an indelible lesson about the spiritual impact a few words can have. Palmer’s message explored the sixth commandment—you shall not kill.
“This sixth commandment,” said Palmer, “tells us not to cross over the right of another person to life. We are not willfully to harm. We are to weigh someone else heavy; we’re not to weigh them light.”
The phrase “weigh others heavy” riveted my attention. It captured a world of meaning in a creative few words.
In sermon preparation now, I may spend from thirty minutes to an hour developing such a key phrase. I’m looking for canvas to hang from the mast, for words that catch the wind.
Although keen emphasis on one phrase doesn’t suit every sermon, the search for the best term clarifies my thinking, enhances my insight into the text, and forces me to look at the daily world of my listeners. If nothing else, I have my sermon title. And if I do find words that catch the wind, a sermon can almost write itself.
Here are some criteria for choosing the best words.
- Serious. The temptation is to be merely clever, to get as goofy as a beer ad. I want words with the weight of York barbells, words that offer credibility and importance (though not necessarily gravity). There’s heft in terms like Promise Keeper, Experiencing God, and fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ, which have captured the imagination nationwide.
- Fresh. Fresh doesn’t mean slangy or offbeat. In a recent sermon, I wanted a contemporary definition of true discipleship. I decided on “A passion for growth in Jesus.” Even new Christians could understand it, yet it challenged longtime believers.
- Inspired. I want words that kindle a desire to obey God, so I hunt for terms that appeal to a listener’s noblest aspirations. In search of the central phrase of this column, I generated some three-dozen options. I chose “Words that catch the wind” because it links with the biblical idea of inspiration from the Spirit and pictures the positive metaphor of sailing. I quickly rejected one alliteration, “Terms that have torque,” because, besides being clunky, it smacks of mere technique.
- Insightful. Effective phrases elucidate the biblical concept. They provoke thought and summarize the sermon’s big idea. Earl Palmer’s phrase, “weigh others heavy,” increased my understanding by giving a tangible feeling for what it means to regard others as worthy of all respect.
- Energetic. Words that catch the wind appeal to a listener’s five senses. That rules out most abstract, academic words.
A large sail hoisted to the mast, though, is not enough. I must do two things with that key phrase:
- Develop it. To fill the phrase with significance and emotion, I tell a story, explain a word choice, illustrate, offer background, show relevance, give Scriptural exposition. Though I try to select words that already carry significance, I treat the phrase like the black lines of a coloring book that require my work with chestnut brown and evening blue crayons.
- Use it at key points. The introduction is almost a must; further opportunities are in transitions, main points, the conclusion, or as a refrain. A telling phrase can serve as the organizing framework for the message.
I’ve found that words in inspired combination can catch the trade winds of the Spirit and move people forward.
Craig Brian Larson is pastor of Lake Shore Assembly of God in Chicago, Illinois. I want words with the weight of York barbells.
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