stairways and sermons

I am always on the lookout for ways to describe an effective sermon.

One that I have picked up from somewhere in my Langham work – and now expanded – is to imagine the biblical author in the front seat listening to the sermon I preach from the text. And then ask myself one question, ‘which way is the head nodding, as they listen to me?’

Is the nod from north to south and back again, communicating ‘yes, you’ve got exactly what I intended’?
OR
Is the nod from east to west and back again, communicating ‘no, you have little understanding about what I was writing’?
OR
Does the nod move involuntarily and waywardly southward, never to return north again, accompanied by slumber and snoring?

Well – take a look at this clip of one the great songs of my generation – Stairway to Heaven – being performed in front its original authors (Led Zepellin) at an evening held in their honour.

If I am not mistaken, the nodding among the authors is from north to south, accompanied by joy and a little rainfall as well. I love those glimpses of the original authors looking at each other and loving what they are hearing in the fresh performance for a new generation. That is the way it should be. Faithful, yet fresh. Today preachers are many generations adrift from the authors – not just one, as is the case here – but to draw forth a similar response is a feature of good preaching today.


Dear Jesus
By your Spirit, please help my preaching to draw forth similar nodding from those authors whom that same Spirit inspired so many generations ago. And as you do so, please help my sermons to provide stairways into heaven for listeners, taking them as worshipers right into your presence for whom all praise and glory (and standing ovations) are reserved.

nice chatting

Paul

Archive

Receive new posts to your inbox

I’d love to keep you updated with my latest news and posts.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

About Me

paul06.16

the art of unpacking

After a childhood in India, a theological training in the USA and a pastoral ministry in Southland (New Zealand), I spent twenty years in theological education in New Zealand — first at Laidlaw College and then at Carey Baptist College, where I served as principal. In 2009 I began working with Langham Partnership and since 2013 I have been the Programme Director (Langham Preaching). Through it all I've cherished the experience of the 'gracious hand of God upon me' and I've relished the opportunity to 'unpack', or exegete, all that I encounter in my walk through life with Jesus.

Posted in ,

4 Comments

  1. StephenB on June 15, 2013 at 11:49 am

    A great challenge here for our sermon preparation. Thanks my friend.

  2. the art of unpacking on June 16, 2013 at 7:25 am

    Yes indeed, Stephen.

    This morning I preach from Luke – next week from John and maybe the week after that from Paul. To have the three of them respond like these three – up 'in the gods' among the great crowd of witnesses – surely, that is one permissible goal and prayer in my preaching? I think Jesus would quite like it like that…

    paul

  3. Rhett on June 16, 2013 at 2:58 pm

    This was one of the best illustrations I've heard in ages.

    Just don't play the song backwards! 😉

  4. Hugh Kemp on September 15, 2014 at 3:07 pm

    … Yes to all, but if you tease out the meanings within the song itself – goto http://www.shmoop.com/stairway-to-heaven/meaning.html get one commentator's – and the very emotions it engenders within the audience/congregation (I got wet eyed myself watching the clip, perhaps finally giving myself permission to enjoy, ney experience it) because the song in-and-of-itself is both individualistic and communal, imminent and essential, stationary and moving, straight and ascending, immense and silent, divine and pagan, spirit and material … all at the same time. Surely the song itself is a sermon, not just an illustration of one?

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

true, but not true enough

February 5, 2025

“What is a Christian?” A ‘follower of Jesus’ is the standard response. And it is true, but it is not true enough. Let’s think about this for a minute. So I have this encounter with Jesus. Maybe at a camp of some kind. In the singing and the speaking he becomes so real. It is…

yay! it’s you

January 27, 2025

We had been on holiday in Queenstown. Barby had to come back early to go to work. I stayed on for a couple more days with our daughter, Alyssa, and her family. When I did fly back, Barby had the car and so the easiest thing for me was to get an Uber home—and so…

expect an exception

January 24, 2025

I know I’ve mentioned this one before, but I am not really a flag-in-church kinda guy. All those years ago, as a student in the USA, it was a shock to see the flag up there in the same neighbourhood as the pulpit, the Lord’s Table and the baptistry. “What is going on?” “Have I…

transforming friendship

January 15, 2025

Just when I thought that it could not be possible to have another first-hand account of the impact of John Stott’s life (d. 2011), along comes this book by his close friend, John Wyatt. I am always ready to learn more about John Stott, but also about friendship. It fascinates me. It keeps coming up…

handa leads the way

December 29, 2024

Reading stories to grandchildren over Christmas reminded me again of how powerful they can be. They are so compact and simple in presentation, and yet so clever in construction. There are just so many features at work in an effective story. It is some years since I taught narrative preaching, but when I did I’d…

elchristo, elmina—and beyond

December 19, 2024

Today is Day 56—and on Day 57 we board a flight for home. There has been so much to absorb as Barby and I have encountered the people of God in different places. el-christo, in bolivia A few days before we left NZ, I discovered that I had five sessions to give in Pakistan. Yikes.…

cadeca art

November 20, 2024

The little chapel at Cadeca Casa del Catequista, a retreat centre on the fringes of Cochabamba (Bolivia), caught my eye on an earlier visit in 2017. Lots of photos… I was thrilled to learn that there would be a return visit, this time with Barby—and with lots of video. Enjoy. A 360 view Some Old…

the emus

October 19, 2024

Apart from the eight years in which we were based overseas, Barby has been working at the Refugee Resettlement Center in Auckland since 2002. This year she is a ‘release teacher’, spending one day each week in three different classrooms, with three different age groups. Impressive—and demanding. One day is spent with 11-13 year olds—from…