What qualifies a sermon to be classified among a list of sermons that work. There are tens of thousands of sermons preached every week, but what sets one apart from another? Are there characteristics that are common among the best, or is it simply the charisma of the person doing the preaching? Of all the pastor resources that are needed, relevant sermons are near the top. To speak to people about God is serious business and touches eternity. So, what sets aside a sermon as one that does the work it should do? With these questions in mind, I suggest that there are four things to consider that sets a sermon apart:

1. 4 MARKS OF SERMONS THAT WORK
By Eddie Lawrence, D.Min.
What qualifies a sermon to be classified among a list of
sermons that work. There are tens of thousands of
sermons preached every week, but what sets one apart
from another? Are there characteristics that are common
among the best, or is it simply the charisma of the person
doing the preaching? Of all the pastor resources that are
needed, relevant sermons are near the top. To speak to
people about God is serious business and touches
eternity. So, what sets aside a sermon as one that does
the work it should do?
With these questions in mind, I suggest that there are four
things to consider that sets a sermon apart:
1. First it is memorable.
Let's face it, if after the final "Amen!" is spoken, everyone
forgets what was said, then what was said was not that
impressive. An audience has a hard time applying a

2. message from one Sunday to the next, if they cannot
remember what it was.
2. Secondly, it connects on three levels.
The sermon should be reasonable and make sense. It
should connect intellectually. A sermon on faith can
stretch a man's natural mind, yet make sense that God
would work in such a way since God is a spiritual being
whose ways and thoughts are beyond ours. In other
words, it makes sense that we cannot always understand
God. But to bathe a sermon in ignorance of context,
history, good exegesis, and bad exposition can be a
hindrance to the hearer. It is amazing how Jesus taught in
a way that common people could easily understand his
illustrations, yet were tremendously stretched by his
application.
The sermon should connect emotionally. Aim at the heart
and those "gut" feelings will begin to be stirred within your
hearers. Aiming only at the mind without regard to the
heart is equally foolish. The heart level is where life

3. change occurs. Preaching should be done within the
crucible where real life occurs. Pain is real. Lust is real.
Temptation is real. Desperation is real. A message may
work in a mental lab and fall flat on its face on the street
corner of the real world. This is where a sermon becomes
relevant.
The last aspect of connecting has to do with the will. It
should connect volitionally. God made us with a will and
we use it constantly. Your audience is continually deciding
to tune in further or change the channel on you. Aim at the
will. Target why what you are sharing is important. An old
adage says, "A man persuaded against his will is of the
same opinion still." You may get the mind, and the heart,
but the will is the decision maker. A good message
answers the question, "Why does this matter?" This is the
jugular of the will. Jesus did this, "Repent or you will
perish!"
3. The third mark of a sermon that works is
that it is true.
For the preacher to build any sermon on a foundation that
will not rest upon the eternal truth of Scripture is to plan to
fail. Not only will the sermon fail but the people who apply
it will as well. Truth is established. It has been set in place
by God Himself through His Word. Build on what He has
said, not what someone else has said. Known and applied
truth still sets men free.

4. 4. The last mark of such a sermon is that it
is incarnational.
Now, that's a big theological word that simply means, in is
delivered through a human being. The man or woman
somewhat becomes the message. It is not delivered apart
from the personality through which it is being presented.
The truth of the Gospel is that God became a man to
deliver us. Through the art of preaching, truth is to brought
to men as the Spirit of God bears witness. Passion and
concern mark the man who has been marked by the
message.
Certainly there are other elements to consider, but these
four are important and I believe a part of sermons that
work.
There are tons of sermons that work available on
SermonSeedbed.com which is a wonderful and free
resource site for pastors and Bible teachers.