The Making of a Preacher -Prep

The Pencil Sketch of the Story

I. Matthew Marks Starts the Sermon, "Faith Comes by Hearing The Word of God." (Romans 10:17, KJV) Exposition: Setting the scene.
----A. Matthew Marks is the pastor of Leaning Arms Fellowship.
----B. Matt describes his childhood as the son of a Baptist preacher.
-------1. Matt starts life at a very early age.
-------2. Matt is befriended by Lazarus Watyudid.
-------3. Matt's public school career is a series of good and bad events.
----C. Matthew Marks meets Jesus and is saved at age six.
-------1. Being saved is far from being perfect.
-------2. Being saved makes the pain of doing wrong, acute.
-------3. Being saved is a life of hills and valleys, literally & figuratively.
----D. "Hearing The Word of God" started for Matt at birth with John 3:16 & "Jesus Loves Me."

II. The Internal Battle between Good & Evil Gets Physical. Rising action: Building the tension.
----A. Lazarus weaves a web of sins throughout Matt's first two decades, making him feel unfit for the ministry.
----B. Matt's battles with Lazarus become so physical that he breaks his arm, hitting a block wall.
----C. Matt's parents become alarmed that he "sees" that they can't see, taking him to see a counselor.
----D. Lazarus manifests as a new kid in town, Andy Attelpate, who plays mind-games with Matt and others around him.

III. The Beginning of Matthew Marks' Ministry is Clouded by Accusations of Lack of Doctrinal Integrity & Moral Impropriety. Climax: The exciting bit.
----A. Matt ascends the pulpit of his first pastorate, based solely on the character and subsequent death of his father.
-------1. Dad urges the Pulpit Committee to ordain Matt as one of his assistant pastors.
-------2. Dad dies on the way to invite a local farmer to a revival meeting, due to a train accident.
----B. Matt married Artista Carpenter, and they start ministry together.
----C. Matt is accused by three of the women in his congregation for "being too personal."
----D. Matt apologies for spurious intent and for crossing the line by counseling the opposite sex, one-on-one, realizing that his wife would have
been better suited for such counseling sessions.
----E. Matt's character has been so blackened that he jumps at the chance to start over on a new planet.
----F. The Lord steps in on ZoNed4 to bring Matt to the end of himself, which is, also, the end of Lazarus Watyudid & Andy Attelpate, Matt's very
confusing alter egos.

IV. A Man May Change His Address, but His Character and His Problems Remain His Bedfellows. (Numbers 32:23, KJV)
Falling action: Tidying up loose ends.
----A. "A man can't outrun his problems because his problems are his shadows. They match him stride for stride." (Winston Middlesbrough)
----B. "A man must be honest with the man in the mirror before he can be honest with God." (Winston Middlesbrough)
----C. "Saving faith is only possible when a man stops and gives up trying to save himself." (Winston Middlesbrough)
----D. "Admitting who I am as a flawed human being, forsaking my reliance on self, and falling into the arms of God, redeems me both now and
forever." (Matthew Marks)

V. Matthew Marks Ends the Sermon, "Faith Comes by Hearing The Word of God." (Romans 10:17, KJV) Resolution: Ending the story.
----A. "Would you like to The Lord to change your life like He changed mine, for now, and forever?" (Matthew Marks)
----B. "Stop running. Fall into this altar. Admit, who you are to The One, Who already knows. Accept the Salvation that He offers as a Gift." (John 3:16) (Matthew Marks)
----C. "From the point of Salvation throughout the rest of your life, Life will not be perfect, but The Lord Jesus Himself will be transforming the
person you are in reality into the eternal person that you already are in His Eyes." (Matthew Marks)
----D. "Perfection is not required to be perfect in God's Eyes. Admission of imperfection is." (Winston Middlesbrough)