David Murray writes that, back in the Scottish Highlands, preachers tended to offer in their sermons ‘what the Lord had laid on their hearts’.  Such sermons were expository, but consecutive expository preaching was regarded with some suspicion.

Coming to the USA, David Murray says, he has grown to appreciate the value of extended sermon series that work through a section – often, an entire book – of the Bible.

Murray finds the following advantages in such consecutive preaching:

• The pastor and congregation are ‘stretched’ to preach on and hear about subjects that would not be normally chosen;
• The preacher and hearers are immersed in one book of the Bible for many weeks and months;
• It helps to keep passages in context;
• It teaches people how to read and study their Bibles;
• It provides a balanced diet and prevents pastors from sticking to their ‘hobby horses’;
• The pastor does not need to agonize over his choice of text each week;
• There does not need to be so much introduction and background given each week;
• The overall argument or narrative of the book is better grasped and understood;
• It helps people to see the overall plan of Scripture;
• It encourages people to prepare ahead by reading and thinking about the passage;
• It emphasizes the centrality and authority of Scripture.

Expository preaching:

1. does justice to the biblical material which makes it clear that God works through his word to change people’s lives—as it ‘uncages the lion’ and allows God’s word to speak.
2. acknowledges that it is God alone, through the Spirit, who works in people’s lives, and that it is not our job to change people through clever or inspiring communication.
3. minimizes the danger of manipulating people, because the text itself controls what we say and how we say it.

Walter L. Liefeld suggests that an expository message:

1. deals with one basic passage of Scripture.  One passage of Scripture (or a very few, I would suggest) is accorded central place in the sermon.  The sermon is not a ‘string of pearls’, consisting of a diverse texts.
2. has hermeutical integrity.  It presents the gist of the chosen passage, consistent with its original meaning and emphases.  The sermon must be true to the genre, original purpose, flow of narrative or argument, intended meaning and application of the text.