40 (more) Foci for Preaching

Around this time last year I was reflecting on my preaching ministry at the FreeWay and posted this list of the focus statements of my first forty sermons at the FreeWay.  The "homiletical focus," as I said back then, is a concise statement that distills the point of the text and anchors the theme of the sermon in a single compelling, (hopefully) vivid sentence.  I'm at-or-around sermon #80 now, and feeling a little retrospetive, so I compiled this list of the focus statements of my last forty sermons at the FreeWay.

1. Romans 8:22-27: God’s Spirit labours in our weakest prayers

2. 1 Peter 2:4-10: God’s building a living cathedral made out of transformed people.

3. John 8:12-20: As God is my witness, I light the way.

4. John 6:34-51: I’m the food that will feed you forever.

5. John 10:1-10: I’m your doorway to God; and I’m God’s doorway to you.

6. John 10:11-21: I’m the God who gives his own life to give life to his own.

7. John 11:17-27: I’m the next life, happening now.

8. John 15:1-11: I’m the tree, you’re the branches, God’s the gardener, love’s the fruit.

9. John 8:49-59: Jesus is the I AM God.

10. Romans 1:14-17: The Gospel is the power of God at work.

11. Colossians 4:2-6: Pray and prepare for God to open a word door.

12. Acts 16:11-15: The Gospel stands at the crossroads with God.

13. Acts 17:22-32. I know the name of your unknown God.

14. Hebrews 10:15-18. Our God has remembered to forget.

15. Isaiah 11:1-10: The perfect son of Jesse brings us perfect knowledge of God.

16. Isaiah 9:1-7: God meets our greatest expectations through the great humility of a child.

17. Isaiah 2:1-5: The peace of God will reign in the end.

18. Luke 2:10-14: Don’t be afraid.

19. John 1:14: The glorious word of God has taken on our fragile flesh.

20. Matthew 2:1-12: Who has seen the child who upsets the status quo?

21. Matthew 4:1-11: So Jesus: what kind of Messiah are you, anyways?

22. Ecclesiastes 1:1-10: Nothing’s worth the effort in a world where nothing’s ever new.

23. Ecclesiastes 2:1-11: Filling up on pleasure only leaves you empty in the end.

24. Luke 8:26-39: The cure is sitting at Jesus’ feet.

25. Ecclesiastes 2:17-26: God can redeem the rat race.

26. Ecclesiastes 3:1-14: Everlasting God gives a season for everything and everything for a season.

27. Romans 6:1-11: Baptism shows the world I’m dead to sin and alive to God.

28. Ecclesiastes 4:1-3: I’d rather not live, in a world with no one to comfort the exploited.

29. Ecclesiastes 4:7-12: Togetherness is God’s best for us.

30. Matthew 21:12-17: The vulnerable see in Jesus what the self-sufficient never can.

31. 1 John 4:1-4: Love is a sacred choice.

32. John 19:31-37: Tonight your perfect Passover lamb is slain; his blood is on the doorpost of the world.

33. John 20:11-18: Let go of what was crucified; step into new creation.

34. John 20:19-23: Receive the Holy Spirit and let God unlock the door.

35. Proverbs 31:10-31: The King’s ideal Bride is the picture of perfect wisdom.

36. Philippians 4:9-11: Practice all the time for God’s peace (in your marriage).

37. Nehemiah 1:1-11: When the walls are broken down, that’s our call to fast and pray.

38. Matthew 28:16-20: I’m heaven’s authority on earth now—now go be my disciple-making disciples.

39. Acts 2:42-47: The Spirit-filled community overflows with life for the world.

40. Acts 20:7-12: Hey Eutychus: Wake up! Get up! And come to the table.