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DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE SERMON CONCLUSION

Many preachers understand how to take off but don’t know how to land the sermon plane effectively. they circle the runway, looking for a place to land, because they put little thought into how they will get out of the sermon.
 
The last words always lasts the longest. What you say last, particularly in an oral medium, lasts longest in people’s minds, memories, and impressions.

They can introduce a sermon but struggle with providing an effective conclusion. I will describe three characteristics of an effective conclusion and offer several approaches you can incorporate into your preaching.

1. Effective conclusions are a surprise.
2. Effective conclusions are brief.
3. Effective Conclusions are direct.

Get into the habit of listening for the takeaway.

What does this sermon require?
What does this sermon demand?
What will the takeaway look like in real life?

Here are some possible conclusions you could employ:

Summarize the sermon
Choose to give a specific application
You can anticipate objections
You can return to the original idea in your sermon’s introduction
You can vision cast

Thoughts on creating an effective conclusion.
Always point back to Jesus Christ - Jesus is center stage. The goal of preaching is not to get people to fall in love with you as the preacher but to get them to fall in love with Jesus. Since the Bible is the story of Jesus’ redemptive work, every sermon should draw people to the cross and the Resurrection of Christ.

End with emotional intensity - The conclusion should be the emotional high point of the sermon—the crescendo. The target of your preaching should shift from the hearer’s head to their heart. I’m not suggesting we use emotions to manipulate, but rather that we persuade a person’s will to respond.

Ask for a specific response - A sermon’s conclusion isn’t dynamic until it’s specific. The conclusion of a sermon should always answer the question, “Okay, now what?” And if you ask people to do too many things in response to the message, you’ve asked them to do nothing. Determine what one actionable challenge you should offer at the end of this message.

Make it personal - Every listener should feel that you are dealing directly with their heart as an individual.

Sound the alarm - Warn them of the consequences of disobedience. Don’t hesitate to be bold. If you have preached a salvation sermon, do not be afraid to warn them of avoiding Hell.

Make it convicting - Arouse moral indignation and then turn it on them. A good example is the story of Nathan and David (2 Samuel 12). You are not the Holy Spirit. He does the drawing and the saving. Avoid any manipulative language that might cause some to make a false profession.

Be encouraging - Be sure to tell the congregation that they can implement and live out the call to action in the sermon through God’s power and the help of the Holy Spirit.

Be expectant - Offer an opportunity to believe in Christ and the gospel with the expectation that some will respond. 

The Word of God is powerful when it gets into the souls of your hearers. Lead them in that commitment and expect that some will be saved. Avoid using manipulative pressure tactics. Our goal is not to close the sa

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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)