Occasionally, I have been asked what commentaries I use when preparing for a sermon. There are several that are my favorites, but in this post I will focus on a set that has quickly become one of my favorites.
In The Four Steps of Sermon Preparation I discuss Kenton C. Anderson’s method of sermon development which considers the tension of the authority of God’s Word as well as the apprehension of the listeners. In my application of this method, I have typically spent some amount of time trying to dig up the cultural and historical background of the text in order to understand “The Story.” In my search to understand “The Problem”, I have typically listed possible questions or objections my listeners may have. Recently, however, I have taken a different approach to figuring out “The Problem” that I believe has enriched my messages.
