In our previous post we noted God instructed Jeremiah to “whatsoever” He commanded him (Jeremiah 1:7) and “all” He commanded him (1:17). In essence, like Paul, Jeremiah was to speak all the counsel of God (cf. Acts 20:27). Those who preach today are under the same onus.

It is easy to see that one’s failure to preach all the counsel of God endangers the souls of those do not hear the full message God has sent them regarding their salvation from past sins. It may also end in other undesirable results. It has caused some preachers to appear totally negative, belligerent, and obnoxious, while making others look as soft as butter, endorsing everything and condemning nothing.

It is not an easy task to preach all the counsel of God. It takes much time and effort. Perhaps the following outline from brother Winkler may help you in your quest.

  1. Preaching all the counsel of God includes sermons that are balanced in design
    1. Instructional (ex. sermons about the New Testament church)
    2. Convicting (ex. sermons about the existence of God)
    3. Corrective sermons (ex. sermons on the cause and cure of absenteeism)
    4. Comforting sermons (ex. sermons on the unfailing promises of God)
    5. Inspirational sermons (ex. sermons on prayer, heaven, the cross, love)
  2. Preaching all the counsel of God includes sermons that have varied subject matter and content (i.e. they “cover all the bases”)
    1. Godhead
    2. Holy scriptures
    3. Church
    4. Christian living
    5. Home
    6. Last things
    7. Sin
    8. Salvation
    9. Religious error
    10. Attitude
    11. Apologetics
  3. Preaching all the counsel of God includes sermons that include different methods of  approach and development
    1. Topical
    2. Textual
    3. Expository
  4. Preaching all the counsel of God includes sermons that meet multiple needs, challenges and problems
    1. Age groups
    2. Relationships (husband/wife, parent/children, employer/employee
    3. Spiritual developments (non-Christians, new converts, mature saints)
    4. Life challenges (death, illness, loss, war)
  5. Preaching all the counsel of God includes sermons that cover the Bible from “every angle”
    1. “Testamentally” (OT and NT)
    2. “Dispensationally” (Patriarchal, Mosaic, Christian)
    3. “Periodically” (15 periods of Bible history, cf. “Dean’s Outline of Bible History”)
    4. “Schematically” (scheme of redemption developed historically)
    5. “Bibliographically” (sermons from every book of the Bible)
    6. “Biographically” (studying great characters)
    7. “Prophetically” (Bible prophecies)
  6. Preaching all the counsel of God includes sermons that blend an appropriate measure of emphasis
    1. Devotional and doctrinal
    2. Attitude and action
    3. Heaven and hell
    4. Positive and negative
    5. Theological and practical
    6. Person and the plan