Getting Your Readers' Attention: Do This (3 of 5)
T he next question from Andy Stanley’s pod cast deals with application . In teaching a Bible study, preaching a sermon or just speaking to potential book buyers, application is very important. We want people to take some kind of action, either change something in their lives or write out a check to pay for a book. But that’s non-fiction. What about fiction? What do they need to do? Jesus often taught using stories. He told of a traveler who was attacked along the road. As he lay there dying, two men respected by the men Jesus was speaking to looked at him and went on, not wanting to be bothered, but then a man despised by the Jews came and helped the man, even going above and beyond what was required. Turn from being self-righteous and pursue true righteousness, was the application, but Jesus didn’t say that in so many words. Instead, he revealed the application through contrast. You think you are righteous, but you aren’t even as good as a Samaritan is what he implied. They were fi...