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By IFL Staff

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Chuck Swindoll is a master at applying the truths of Scripture to our lives.

Being practical and relevant is just a part of his personality, and it comes out in his sermons. He’s always thinking, How is this truth from God important to us?

But while practicality is natural to who he is, he still follows a method for crafting sermon applications. So in this article, we want to help you understand what that method is, and then we’ll read a portion of a model sermon where he executes it effectively.

Where Chuck Puts His Application

Now, for application, Chuck reserves the bulk of it for the conclusion. His conclusion makes up about 20–25 percent of his sermon. In general, Chuck uses his conclusions to offer a few applications based on his exposition, share a closing story to inspire listeners to act on the truth they’ve heard, and call those who haven’t trusted Christ to put their faith in Him.

Here, we’re focusing only on the closing application part because it’s the conclusion where Chuck typically does most of his application for the sermon. He’ll do some during exposition. But his applications during exposition frequently anticipate how he will more fully apply the passage later on at the end.

Chuck’s Method

So what is his method? Here it is:

Translate your theological truths and principles into action.

For example, if the truth is “Humans need water to survive,” then the application is “Drink water every day so you can live.”

During exposition, Chuck is teaching people key truths from a biblical passage or set of passages. Then, he converts those truths into specific statements that help people act on them.

The Truths Behind This Model Sermon

Now, let us give you the key truths from this model sermon before we read his closing applications. The sermon is called “The Cross We Proclaim,” and this article is actually part three in our look at it. First, we focused on his introduction. Second, we focused on his exposition. Now, we’re focused on his closing application.

Chuck is preaching on 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5. In it, Paul is correcting the Corinthians because they have adopted the value systems of the world and incorporated them into church and ministry. Paul uses the way of the cross to redirect the Corinthians back onto the right path.

What were their problems? Well, the Corinthians valued special wisdom, special rhetorical skills, and people in power. The Jews wanted power. The Greeks wanted wisdom. Neither valued God’s power and wisdom as He displayed them through the cross. There was a culture of pride and status and flashiness and boasting in human achievement.

In 1:26–29, Paul wrote this:

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

Chuck’s Three Closing Applications

With that bit of context, let’s now read the way Chuck crafted his closing applications:

Now then, I have three things I close with that I’d like you to write down somewhere. If you have the outline, you could use that, maybe an open page in your Bible. These are three statements I’d like you to take to your grave. I’d like you to repeat them. I’d like you to teach them to your kids. I’d like you to remind your grandkids of them. I’d like you to model them. More important than what I would like, I would encourage you to realize what God wants. If you want to keep running in the right direction, these three simple things we should never forget will help.

Number one, remember the pit. Remember the pit. The prophet puts it this way, “Remember the pit from which you were dug.” Remember it. Oh, it may have been a big city, it may have been a slick city. It may have been Las Vegas or Los Angeles. It may have been Chicago or Boston or Dallas or Oklahoma City or Miami or Atlanta. It may have been a big city, but you’re from a pit. Your nature, your drive, your old self, it’s a pit. Remember the pit.

We are not influential or famous. We have not set a lot of records. We have not found some miracle cure. Nobody in this church has. We have certainly not come from powerhouse backgrounds. Are you kidding? We’re all amazed that anybody listens when we talk. I’m surprised anybody reads anything I write. I’m amazed folks stay through a whole sermon. I’m not saying they stay awake, but they stay through the whole sermon. You know why? Because they never forget the pit. When you fail to remember the pit, you’ll run in the wrong direction. You can put her down because you’ll start thinking you’re something on a stick. You’ll forget you’re catfish. You’ll forget that if the enemy had his way, he’d drag you down just to where he’s going. And if that doesn’t do it for you, just look at the pit of your life. How’d you like for a whole display of your past 10 years to be put on a screen? Oop, don’t even go any further; that’s enough for you to get the message. You know why? Because there’s a lot of pit there. There’s a lot of mess, a lot of sin, a lot of failure, a lot of depravity, a lot of explosions of temper, perhaps. A lot of wrong decisions. There’s a lot of sin in all our lives, a lot of mess. Remember the pit. But through the grace of God and the cross, you’re rescued. Remember the pit.

Second, refuse the praise, refuse the praise. Few things are a greater turnoff in life than conceit. An arrogant Christian is bad news for the body of Christ and the world at large. There’s no place for that. I don’t care how popular you’ve gotten.

Years ago, I was asked to be a part of a television program that was done in a panel, and they invited several of us, one of us a pastor, that’s me. Another came as a teacher, another came who was an administrator at a school, happened to be a president of a little school, and the other one was in the media, Christian in the media. We were all a part of the panel of this program. And the man who was putting it all together said to two of us, “By the way, would you mind going to the airport and picking up a man who’s going to join our panel? He is Dr. so-and-so.” And I said, “Okay. Good. I don’t know him, but I’ll be glad to go.” And I said, “Can you tell me what he looks like?” He said, “Oh, you’ll know him.” So, we knew him. He got off, had a hat on, had a tied tie and a starched shirt, real stern face, like, Where’s the car? And I walked up, I said, “Do you happen to be so-and-so? Dr. so-and-so?” “Uh, yes, Dr. so-and-so.” I said, “Well I thought maybe you were. You kind of look like the president of a school.” He says, “Here are my bags.” “Oh, okay.” So, Frank picked up that bag, and I picked up this bag, and we’re walking along with Dr. so-and-so and so-and-so. He said, “Tell me, oh what was your name?” And I told him.

He said, “Tell me, what does the president look like?” I wanted to say, “A JERK! You look like a JERK. You sound like a JERK.” He was a jerk. What on earth happened to that man? He forgot the pit. Spent too much time in front of a mirror. Can you believe it? In the middle of the night, somebody from our group ordered beer and pretzels and had them sent to his room. Who would do something like that? Who would ever do something like that to Dr. Jerk—uh, Dr. whatever?

When you fail to refuse the praise, you’re running in the wrong direction. Wrong way, Christian; wrong way, Christian. You look like a jerk. You have bad advertisement for Christ. Nobody’s impressed. You’re a turnoff. I tell the guys at the seminary, “Keep the television cameras out of your church. You’re not there for the world. Minister to your flock. Cameras will get in your way. Furthermore, you’re not that good. People in front of cameras are good in front of cameras, and those of us who are hiding behind a cross look dumb in the eyes of the camera. We’re here to deliver the goods and then get out of the way.” You could have heard a pin drop when I said that. It was like ekkkk! You know why? Because we’re so enamored of the entertainment world that preaching has become entertaining. And feeding you from the Scriptures—that’s what dinosaurs do.

Please, remember the pit. Refuse the praise.

Here’s the third one: Rely on the power. Rely on the power. Rely on the power. I can’t tell you how low I was when I woke up this morning, about a number of things. I would love to have been a thousand miles away. Head was bursting, I don’t know why. It wasn’t a hangover. I’d been with Cynthia the night before so you can be sure of that, it wasn’t a hangover. I don’t know, pressure whatever, disappointment, discouragement. And you probably think, Why, he never goes . . . I go through that a lot. Mondays are terrible days for me. I always think through what I said on Sunday and I always think, Why in the world did anybody stay and listen to that?

Then I turn to the power. O God, somebody’s got to be there for that first and second service in a little while and I’m Your man. So if You want to say things through me, I’d be very grateful, but if You don’t, I haven’t got anything to say. And He’s done it again. Remember the words of Jesus, John 15:5, “. . . apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Apart from Me you can do nothing. Say that with me. “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Change it to “I.” Here we go. “Apart from Him I can do nothing.” Nothing. Nothing. NOTHING! I will continually run in the wrong direction! I will continually score for the wrong side. I’ll continually operate in the flesh, because that’s the kind of nature I have, until I shift into His power and I say, “Lord, it’s Your message, it’s not mine. It’s Your Book. I didn’t write it. It’s Your truth, I couldn’t come up with anything nearly that good. It’s Your gifts and I’m in Your hands. It’s about You, Lord, please. Do it. And I’m available. Thank You for changing me.”

Why These Applications Work

Isn’t that great? His three closing applications are these: remember the pit, refuse the praise, rely on the power.

Each directive is perfectly in line with Scripture—you can see how they stand upon the truth Paul wrote to the Corinthians. Each directive is relevant for us to put into action today. They’re brief. They’re accurate. They’re memorable.

They help people draw closer to Jesus. They help people live on mission for Jesus. They help people embrace the abundant life that Jesus has invited us into.

Narrowing down your sermon to key theological truths and then crafting compelling applications based on those truths is no easy task. It takes time. It takes discipline and intentionality and effort. More importantly, it takes prayer and a deep love for your people.

But as you throw yourself into the task of sermon preparation and you give listeners applications like these, God’s people will be eternally grateful for it. It’s good work that is worth pouring your soul into.

If you’d like to hear the full sermon, we highly recommend it. It’s called “The Cross We Proclaim,” from his series titled How Great Is Our God!

Additional Resources

First, sign up for our Chuck’s Insights on Ministry email where we bring you his best thoughts on preaching, leadership, and ministry each week. By signing up, you’ll instantly receive a one-page checklist with 20 preaching insights from Chuck. See this page’s sidebar.

Second, check out our new Preach the Word articles and video series on YouTube where we’re teaching Chuck’s best insights on this important calling.

Third, listen to Chuck’s messages to those in ministry through our Seminary Chapels page. For decades, he offered students at Dallas Theological Seminary his best thoughts on church leadership and ministry. Now, we have put them at your fingertips. Also, you can find them through this YouTube playlist we created for you.

Fourth, if you don’t own a copy of Chuck’s book on preaching, Saying It Well, we highly recommend you add it to your library. It’s his preaching memoir that is also like a practical preaching manual. You won’t be able to put it down.

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