The sermon division statements347 make up the core of the CGES methodology and are one of the most important elements in sermon structure.348 The divisions of a sermon are the sections of the sermon body where the main treatment of the sermon idea is presented.349 Each of the divisions is related to the sermon idea as a logical aspect of its truth.350 Sermon division
345 According to James Braga, “The transitional sentence always contains a key word that will be a
distinguishing feature of the main headings of the outline. The key word is a useful homiletic device that makes it possible to classify the main divisions of the outline in the transitional sentence. There must, of course, be structural unity in the outline, for without it there can be no key word to connect the transitional sentence to each main division and the main deivisions to each other. Therefore, a good test of structural unity in an outline is to see if you can apply the same key word to each of the main divisions.” James Braga, How to Prepare Bible Messages
(Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah Books, 2005), 144-146.
346 McDill confirms, “The key word is a plural, abstract noun that names a category to classify the sermon
division statements. The question you have attached to your sermon idea to make the interrogative will usually lead you easily to the appropriate key word. The key word identifies a set of ideas by classifying them as principles, advantages, certainties, changes, disciplines, evidences, evils, faults, and so on. Each of your division statements (your sermon points) is matched to the others as a principle, a certainty, or some other plural abstract noun. So, your division statements will be a set. Like a set of tires or a set of dishes, they will match. They will all complete the sermon idea and be stated in a similar fashion.” Ibid., 111.
347 According to McDill, “The divisions of the sermon are the sections of the sermon body where the main
treatment of the sermon idea is presented. Each of the divisions is related to the sermon idea as a logical aspect of its truth.” Ibid., 101.
348 McDill highlights, “The subject answers the question, ‘What is the writer talking about?’ The modifier
answers the question, ‘How does the writer limit the scope of what he is talking about?’ Finally, the predicates answer the question, ‘What is the writer saying about what what he is talking about?’ The word predicate is a grammatical term referring to that part of a sentence that expresses the being or action of the subject.” Ibid.
349 According to McDill, “The divisions of the sermon are the sections of the sermon body where the main
treatment of the sermon idea is presented. Each of the divisions is related to the sermon idea as a logical aspect of its truth.” Ibid., 101.
350 McDill again confirms, “The division statements are sentences that express the idea to be treated in that
section. These statements, like the sermon idea, are complete sentences in the present tense that express universal theological truths. Division statements reflect the text writer’s treatment of his subject. They complete the text-to- sermon bridge by expressing the predicates of the sermon idea as they are revealed in the text.” Ibid., 101.
statements can be written in any number of ways. They can be questions. They can be
commands. They can be short phrases or complete sentences. They can be mixed so that they do not seem to belong together. But these various forms are not all of equal value.351 Once the sermon division statements and the sermon divisions have been established, preachers then move into the explanation and illustration phase. Explanation is sermon development that aims for an understanding of biblical and homiletical concepts by using background and interpretation material. Illustration is the function of sermon development that illuminates the sermon idea for the imagination of the hearer, giving the biblical truth a familiar enough image that the listener can see it in his mind.352
The persuasive elements within the explanation and illustration sections of the CGES help the listener to conceptualize the ideas within the body of the sermon, in order to help persuade them to action. Division statements need explaining, and you will want to explain how your text is the basis for the principles you state in your outline.353 Illustration serves to clarify the textual truth in the mind of the hearer with images that appeal to the imagination.354 Once these persuasive elements have been established, the preacher is then able to craft as many of these combinations as necessary to create the complete CGES outline.
In the examples given in the Appendix, several different sermon division statements, sermon divisions, explanations, illustrations, and transitional sentences are used. The examples
351 McDill, “Kinds of Division Statements,” 103-110. 352 Ibid., 125.
353 According to McDill, “You may also want to explain further what you mean by your statement. You
will go to the text and point to significant words and phrases. You will give historical background and other fruit of your textual study. You may resketch the narrative of your text. All of this is explanation. It is aimed at establishing the basic concepts in the mind of your hearer.” Ibid., 126.
354 McDill further explains, “The word illustration is from Latin, lustrare, to illuminate. It means ‘to throw
light on an idea, to illuminate it.’ A sermon illustration is any word picture that gives the biblical truth a familiar enough image that the listener can see it in his mind.” Ibid., 126-127.
given are in order to help the preacher get a better idea of how this methodology looks and operates. Restating the transitional sentence once again (at the end of the body of the sermon) helps to move the sermon to the Conclusion, Argumentation, and Application. The preacher does not need to work up a new transitional sentence, he simply needs to restate the original
transitional statement in the CGES outline.