Good preaching targets the hearts of the hearers. As Edwards says, “I should think myself in the way of my duty to raise the affections of my hearers as high as possibly I can, provided that they are affected with nothing but truth, and with affections that are not disagreeable to the nature of what they are affected with.” The reason why Edwards says this is that all the fruit of our lives, the external actions, come from the tree, whether good or bad. The tree will decide whether the external fruit is good or bad. “Make the tree good and its fruit will be good.” (pg. 85). Preaching cannot exclusively focus on the affections of the heart, however. Good preaching should kindle a flame in the heart through the truth of Scripture enlightening the mind. There can be no true and lasting heat without light. The only true affections are those that arise from the mind’s apprehension of biblical truth. “So the good preacher will make it his aim to give his hearers good reason and just ground for the affections he is trying to stir up.” (pg. 87). So, preachers cannot impart heat to the affections through the manipulation of emotions and mere emotional appeals, such as sappy, melodramatic, cutesy, happily-ever after illustrations. Thirdly, “Good preaching does not sit on Scripture like a basis and say other things. It oozes Scripture.” (pg. 88). We as preachers are entrusted with proclaiming the written word of God. It is a stewardship from God, not our own ministry, and thus we are to proclaim His message, not our own. If we delight more in airing our own opinions and telling our own stories in the pulpit, we are fools, and greatly mistaken concerning the task of preaching. If we cannot show our people the relationship between our words and the Bible by continually quoting the words of the text, can we be certain that we are preaching God’s words? We cannot quote Scripture and then continue to talk in our own words for five or ten minutes. If we are to preach the word, and the word alone, we must delight in the word, meditating on it day and night.
Fourthly, good preaching must “employ analogies and images” (pg. 90). Jonathan Edwards’ sermons “abound with images and analogies to give light to the understanding and heat to the affections.” (pg. 92). Finding analogies and images can be hard work, but we should not grudge it, because it is for the good of our people and the glory of God.
Fifthly, good preaching uses threat and warning. Jesus spoke about the horrors of hell more than anyone in the Bible. However, “Preaching about hell is never an end in itself. You can’t frighten anyone into heaven. Heaven is for people who love purity, not for people who simply loathe pain.” (pg. 93).
One of the most important directions for powerful, biblical preaching is to “yield to the Holy Spirit in prayer” (pg. 98). “The Holy Spirit fills the heart with holy affections and the heart fills the mouth.” (pg. 99). As Edwards says, “When a person is in a holy and lively frame in secret prayer, it will wonderfully supply him with matter and with expressions…(in) preaching.” (pg. 99). This is how Edwards counsels young men who are entering the ministry of the gospel: “Ministers, in order to be burning and shining lights, should walk closely with God, and keep near to Christ; that they may ever be enlightened and enkindled by him. And they should be much in seeking God, and conversing with him by prayer; who is the fountain of light and love.” (pg. 99). “Good preaching is born of good praying.” (pg. 100).
Good preaching also comes from one who is poor in spirit, meek, and mourning over his own sin (Matt. 5:3-5); “a spirit of brokenness and tenderness” (pg. 100). The gracious affections and fruit of the Spirit “do not tend to make men bold, forward, noisy, and boisterous; but rather to speak trembling” (pg. 101). Piper points out how important our example is as we shepherd the flock of God: “The spirit we long to see in our people must be in ourselves first. But that will never happen until, as Edwards says, we know our own emptiness and helplessness and terrible sinfulness” (pg. 101). Humility must be the aroma in all our labors.
Finally, be intense: “Good preaching gives the impression that something very great is at stake.” (pg. 103). “Lack of intensity in preaching can only communicate that the preacher does not believe or has never been seriously gripped by the reality of which he speaks” (pg. 103).
