Hands-free narration of this study — good for the car.
Synopsis
In this interview, John Koessler insists the biblical text must be the controlling foundation of the sermon, since 2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares Scripture God-breathed and useful for equipping the believer. He names 'imposters' that displace the text: sermons where Scripture is merely an ornamental springboard abandoned after the introduction, and seeker-style talks that stay biblically consistent but never actually open the Bible, becoming motivational speeches rather than sermons. Even Paul adapted his approach to Jewish or Gentile hearers, yet always anchored his authority in biblical truth. Koessler identifies factors that pull preachers from the text: being overly application-driven so that application drifts from what the text actually says; over-familiarity that skips real exegesis; and 'riding a hobbyhorse,' using a text to address a pet issue it doesn't actually address — illustrated by his own experience preaching on legalism from Samuel's anointing of David. He also warns against 'preaching your illustration,' where a powerful story rather than the text becomes the sermon's true focus. Genuine text-driven preaching requires living with a text for days, resisting rushed exegesis, and pursuing both faithful interpretation and real application — since 'if you haven't applied the text, you haven't preached,' but application without the text is not preaching either.
Key points
- The sermon must grow out of the text, since Scripture itself is inspired and equips believers (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
- Two 'imposters' displace the text: Scripture as a mere springboard, and seeker talks that are biblically consistent but contain no explicit biblical content.
- Preachers drift from the text through application-drift, over-familiarity, or 'riding a hobbyhorse.'
- 'Preaching your illustration' happens when a story, not the text, becomes the sermon's real focus.
- Both text and application are essential: without application you haven't preached, but application without the text isn't preaching either.
Key texts
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17
From the course book
Appendix D — Getting the Gold from the Text · pp. 103-108 (reader pages 103-108) · Open the reader
- “The text has to be the foundation of the sermon. The sermon grows out of what the text says, so it's the controlling factor.” (p. 103)
- “When you remove the Bible from the sermon, you don't have a sermon anymore.” (p. 104)
- “If you haven't applied the text, you haven't preached. Now if you apply without the text, you haven't preached either.” (p. -1)
Put it into practice
- Before finalizing an illustration-driven point, check that your application still comes from the text, not just the story.
- Guard against riding a hobbyhorse — test whether the text you've chosen actually addresses the issue you want to raise.
- Live with your text for several days rather than doing exegesis the same week you preach it.
- Comprehension
1. Why does Koessler say the text must be the foundation of the sermon?
- Scripture
2. Describe the first 'imposter' Koessler names.
- Scripture
3. What is the second imposter, found often in seeker contexts?
- Doctrinal Clarity
4. How does Paul's example show sensitivity to audience without abandoning the text?
- Comprehension
5. What does Koessler mean by 'riding a hobbyhorse,' and what example does he give?
- Scripture
6. What does Koessler mean by 'preaching your illustration'?
- Contrast
7. Contrast application that's grounded in the text with application drifting away from it.
- Doctrinal Clarity
8. Why does Koessler warn against doing exegesis the same week as sermon preparation?
- Application
9. Recall a sermon you prepared where you were tempted to make the text say more than it does. What happened?
- Application
10. How will you build more time between your exegesis and your sermon delivery this week?