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PREACHING BIBLICAL NARRATIVESPABLO A. JIMÉNEZ WWW.DRPABLOJIMENEZ.NET

INTRODUCTION

The narrative-storytelling sermon may be conveyed through different sermon patterns or forms. In this presentation we will explore some of the different options available to contemporary preacher.

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BASIC PATTERNSTHERE ARE TWO BASIC NARRATIVE PATTERNS.

THE DEDUCTIVE OUTLINE

• Introduction

• Body (2 to 5 points) – First episode or scene – Second episode or scene – Third episode or scene, etc.

• Conclusion

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THE INDUCTIVE OUTLINE

Inductive sermons may use the narrative outline as a guideline for its design.

• Setting

• Plot (may be divided in scenes or episodes)

• Climax

• Resolution

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NARRATIVE BIBLICAL FORMSYOU MAY USE THE FORM AND THE LITERARY STRUCTURE OF YOUR TEXT AS A PATTERN FOR YOUR SERMON.

THE SAGA: DEFINITION

Most of the biblical stories found in the OT are “sagas”. The saga is a narrative that preserves and transmits the folklore and self-understanding of a given community. There are three main types of sagas in the Bible: primeval, family and heroic.

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THE SAGA: FORM

Sagas usually follow the basic form of the short story.

• Setting

• Plot (may be divided in episodes)

• Climax

• Resolution

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SAGA: CHARACTERISTICS

• Primeval sagas explain the origins of the world, of a group, of a place, or of an specific practice.

• Family & heroic sagas usually have two main characters: a protagonist and an antagonist.

• They have many literary “layers” because they were transmitted orally for a long time.

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THE PROPHETIC CALL: DEFINITION

• The prophetic call is a narrative that describes how a specific biblical character was commissioned as a spoke person for God. Although they are appear mostly in the OT prophetic books, they are also found in Exodus 3 (the call of Moses) and in the NT (mostly in Luke & Acts).

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THE “PROPHETIC” CALL: FORM

• Introduction • Confrontation between the divine person and the

“prophet” • Commission: The divine agent issues the call to ministry • Reaction or protest: The “prophet” tries—in vain—to

resist the call • Reassurance: The divine agent answers—and invalidates

—the objections, restating the call. This section may include a salvation oracle (¨fear not…¨).

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THE MIRACLE STORY: DEFINITION

The Miracle Story is a narrative that describes God’s salvific intervention in human history on behalf of a particular person, group or place. There are four basic miracle stories:

• Healing • Exorcism • Miracle of Nature • Miracle with controversy

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THE MIRACLE STORY: FORM

• Statement of the need

• Encounter with the divine agent (In the OT is usually a prophet. In the NT such agent is usually Jesus).

• The miraculous event (healing, casting out demons, a miracle of “nature”, etc.)

• Evidence that the miracle has occurred

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THE PARABLE: DEFINITION

• Parables are didactic stories whose main purpose is to challenge and shatter the world view of the audience. They have surprising elements, such as an outrageous setting, incredible events or a reversal at the end. As a rule, they collapse the latter elements of a short story (climax and resolution) into a surprising ending.

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THE PARABLE: FORM

• Setting • Plot (may be divided into episodes) • Surprising ending

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ADVANCED NARRATIVE FORMSYOU MAY ALSO USE THE FOLLOWING ADVANCED PATTERNS WITH EITHER BIBLICAL OR NON-BIBLICAL STORIES.

THE LOWRY LOOP

• Upsetting the equilibrium, Oops!

• Analyzing the discrepancy, Ugh!

• Finding the clue to the resolution, Aha!

• Experiencing the Gospel, Wee!

• Anticipating the consequences, Yeah!

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TIME AND STORY

Lowry also suggests forms that vary according to the timing of the story:

• Running the story

• Delaying the story

• Suspending the story

• Alternating the story

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OTHER NARRATIVE FORMS

These options may be used sparsely. • Sermons in the first person. • A pastoral letter. • A historical sermon

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DEVELOP YOUR OWN!

• Use your creativity in the development of forms, patterns and structures for narrative preaching. You may mix and match the story with elements such as literature, song, or argumentation, among others.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

• James Earl Massey, Designing the Sermon, pp. 35-49

• Lowry, The Lowry Loop, Doing Time in the Pulpit, How to Preach a Parable, The Sermon: Dancing at the Edge of Mistery

• Robinson, Journeys to Narrative Preaching • Steimle, et. al, Preaching the Story

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