Task 3: Fill in every section of the outline
Essence of the task
Fill in every section of the outline with the entire text that you will need to communicate each point and subpoint of the sermon in a clear and confident manner.
Detailed description
In some ways, there is not much to say about this task. You have an outline and it needs to be completed. If you plan to preach with an outline in a somewhat extemporaneous manner there will be less to do at this point. If you plan to preach with a complete manuscript, there is still work to be done. You will probably need to compose full paragraphs that flesh out what is only at the level of ideas in your outline right now.
You have to start writing. It will take time, so allow yourself an adequate amount of it.
To Do
You have to write.
There is no other way out.
To Keep in Mind
Take advantage, as much as possible, of any completed content from your initial exegesis. Perhaps much of it is still in a somewhat “raw” state. This is the time to polish it up definitively.
Whenever I am faced with painstaking work that requires several hours of sustained effort, it helps me to break it down into parts. In fact, for many years now, I have been working with the Pomodoro Method, where I concentrate for about 25 minutes without interruption and then rest for 5 minutes. I repeat this pattern in blocks of four, with a slightly longer break at the end of the fourth block. That is, the pattern ends up as follows: 25/5, 25/5 / 25/5, 25/15. After the 15-minute rest, I start with another block of 4×25/5. The breaks are very important. I use them to drink water, stretch my muscles, relax mentally, and take care of any personal or family needs I’ve put off during those 25 minutes of concentration. The amazing thing is how much these little breaks help me stay focused without significant distraction during work times. What’s more, there are many times when, if I find myself mentally “blocked” while writing, by taking the break and thinking about something less complicated for a few minutes, I suddenly come up with the idea I was looking for.
Maybe you prefer to do something similar, but in a more organic way. Instead of blocks of 25 and 5, you might want to set goals related to the sermon itself. For example, you could concentrate on writing a subpoint and then rest for a few minutes. Another subpoint and another break. So on and so forth until you finish.
The important thing is not the particular method. The important thing is to finish the task. Many times, this simply requires discipline and tenacity. Equally important is to ask the Lord for the strength to finish the task well!