But I still do some topical preaching because I believe that sometimes the church and those we want to reach need it. Either the church needs to focus on a particular topic in a comprehensive way, or the interplay of the text and the hearers requires that we broaden the theological playing field if the text is to have its way. That is, the beliefs and lifestyles of hearers may require that I address things that are not in my main text.

So it was as I came to Ephesians 4:2 and the monumentally important subjects of humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearance. Pastorally I felt that each required a full sermon, with a primary focus on application. We needed to explore why we don't always live this way. That meant saying a lot about life as I have observed and experienced it.

Is this biblical preaching? I think it can be. I think it comes under the category of application. What do you think?

My last sermon was on gentleness. I didn't think the major need of hearers was to know what gentleness is, but rather why we may not regard gentleness highly even though when Paul talks about walking worthy of our calling, he first mentions humility and second gentleness. This must be important.

My message grew out of my asking the question, why would someone not be gentle and not want to be gentle?

I went after the subject in four moves.

1. Introductory thoughts on why gentleness is important
2. Further thought on the consequences of roughness
3. What we don't like about gentleness
4. Situations where we need to be especially aware of the need for gentleness

In moves one and two, I sought to show the appeal of gentleness. I began with an example of roughness that no one could endorse: an out-of-control parent who shakes a crying infant to death. I moved to less extreme examples of abusive treatment that nevertheless hurt people emotionally. Then I made the first key principle. Rough, abusive treatment causes pain, and if persisted in it destroys closeness and eventually relationships. Gentleness therefore is all about love. I concluded this move establishing the gentleness of Jesus (Matthew 11:29) and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit as a dove (Matthew 3:16).

And so, my thinking in moves one and two was essentially theological.

In move three, having shown that gentleness is a very good thing, we looked within at why we may have no use for this good thing.

1. Gentleness may feel weak.
2. We may not get our way. Gentleness may not get the results we want.
3. Gentleness requires self-control.
4. We may have a wrong idea of what gentleness is.
5. For men, gentleness may seem feminine.

Finally, I focused on situations that call for extra attention to gentleness, such as conflict.

All in all, I think this message was true to Scripture and true to life, though we spent less time looking at Scripture than I typically do. What do you think? Too much application?