sermon Hear it!

sermon Definition

ser·mon (sʉr′mən)

noun

  1. a speech given as instruction in religion or morals, esp. by a priest, minister, or rabbi during services, using a text from Scripture
  2. any serious talk on behavior, responsibility, etc., esp. a long, tedious one

Etymology: OFr < LL(Ec) sermo < L, a talk, discourse < IE base *swer-, to speak > swear

sermon Related Forms
ser·mon′ic (-män′ik) adjective
sermon Synonyms

sermon

n.

discourse, address, exhortation, lesson, doctrine, lecture; see also speech 3. See syn. study at speech.

sermon Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • preach: He preached several sermons at court, which are still extent.
  • hear: I heard a curious sermon, of which I was the unworthy subject.
  • deliver: The text of the sermon delivered by the Revd David Jenkins at Sunday morning's communion service.
  • prepare: I understand that your silence is because you are preparing the sermon for tomorrow.
  • publish: In a later edition of the sermons published in 1812, the title was changed to Sermons attributed to Samuel Johnson 2.

Preposition: on

  • mount: I am speaking particularly of the Beatitudes, sermon on the mount / plain, and the parables.

Adjective modifier

  • expository: I have been preaching expository sermons for 32 years.
  • funeral: Whitehead also preached John Wesley's funeral sermon in City Road Chapel.
  • evangelistic: An evangelistic sermon delivered within the context of Sunday morning worship is very different from an evangelistic sermon delivered on a street corner.
  • fiery: His fiery sermons had the opposite effect to that he intended.
  • evangelical: Too many Evangelical sermons are laced with exhortation at the expense of grace.

Modifies a noun

  • outline: You will find them on the sermon outline at the back of the service sheet.
  • illustration: That's the start of a very, very old sermon illustration.
  • transcript: Their ' Sermons From Ulster ' page contains a selection of sermon transcripts from various Baptist Pastors.
  • preparation: We hope these transcripts will inspire you and ease your own sermon preparation this Christmas season!
  • series: Well tonight we continue our sermon series in the Psalms.

Noun used with modifier

  • Pentecost: There is no reason to assume that women and children were not present for Peter's Pentecost sermon.
  • gospel: At the first gospel sermon preached after the pouring forth of the Spirit, Acts ii.
  • morning: Rev Bryan Rippin, who is now retired, gave the Sunday morning sermon.
sermon Quotes

Her funeral sermon (which was long And followed bya sacred song) Mentioned her virtues, it is true, But dwelt upon her vices too.

—Belloc, (Joseph) Hilaire Pierre

A good honest and painful sermon.

—Pepys, Samuel

Mr Mercaptan went on to preach a brilliant sermon on that melancholy sexual perversion known as continence.

—Huxley, Aldous Leonard

We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount.

—Bradley, Omar Nelson

As Sir Roger is landlord to the whole congregation, he keepsthem invery good order, and will suffer nobody to sleep in it [the church] besides himself; for if by chance he has been surprised into a short nap at sermon, upon recovering out of it, he stands up, and looks about him; and if he sees anybody else nodding, either wakes them himself, or sends his servant to them.

—Addison,Joseph

Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon.Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.

—Forster, E(dward) M(organ)