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Some of the greatest preachers in history were great at introducing and delivering sermons, but
poor at closing them. We preach Christ and we preach a Gospel that calls for commitment, so
powerful preaching presses for a verdict. veredicto
This is an area I spend a lot of time on when I’m preparing a message because a sermon
without a conclusion is a message without a purpose. Changed lives come from great
conclusions. John Stott said, “If there is no summons, there is no sermon.” llamamiento
Make it personal.
Every listener should feel that you are dealing directly with their heart as an individual, as if it is
just the two of you in the room. One of the best ways to do this is to write out in advance a
closing prayer that leads people in committing to the points of the message. Writing it out in
this way keeps you from saying the same thing every week.
Always offer an opportunity to receive Christ, and expect people to respond.
The Word of God really is powerful when it gets into the souls of your hearers. So be sure to
allow the Holy Spirit room to work by giving everyone an opportunity to choose to follow Jesus.
Then lead them in that commitment and expect that some will be saved. But as you do, avoid
using manipulative pressure tactics. Our goal is not to close the sale and get commitments. Our
goal is to help people begin a new life, transformed by God.
As you prepare your sermon for this coming weekend, plan the conclusion and don’t leave it to
chance. The decisions people make hang in the balance.