Choosing a Theme from a Bible Passage to Preach Upon


1 "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him." 8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. 12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; 14 if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. (John 14:1-14, RSV).

This month let us study the above passage to see how many different themes we can see and decide on one theme to preach upon. This passage is used in the Revised Common Lectionary for the 5th Sunday of Easter.

The first 4 verses speak about the place that the Father has prepared for his children. Most pastors are familiar with these verses as verses to use for a funeral sermon. But how do you use them on a regular Sunday sermon? What is the theme here? One theme might be that Jesus is assuring his disciples that though He will be leaving them soon, the ascension is coming in the tradition of the church year, and He will be going to the Father, but the Father has prepared many rooms, or mansions for the believers.

The copyright of the article Choosing a Theme from a Bible Passage to Preach Upon in Homiletics/Preaching is owned by Tim Zingale. Permission to republish Choosing a Theme from a Bible Passage to Preach Upon in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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