The benefits of expository preaching are numerous, this is because it is the Word of God, the Bible, that the Holy Spirit uses to build up and sanctify believers (John 17:17). Some of those benefits can be summarized under the three following headings, explaining what expository preaching exemplifies, teaches, and produces.

1. What Expository Preaching Exemplifies

It models for the church congregation the great importance of faithful and diligent Bible study, it also shows them how they are to approach and interpret the Bible correctly. It exemplifies to them a righteous reverence and submission to the Word of God. It exemplifies that our thoughts and understanding about God cannot be based on our own ideas or even the pastor’s own ideas, but rather they need to be grounded in Scripture. It exemplifies a reliance on the ultimate author of Scripture, the Holy Spirit, who gives understanding to believers when they diligently and prayerfully study the Word of God.

2. What Expository Preaching Teaches

What it teaches a congregation is more that just the interpretation of specific Bible verses, it also teaches great overarching truths about God, the church, life and doctrine. When faithful expository preaching is practiced it teaches the congregation that Christ is the head of the church, not the pastor or anyone else. It is not the pastor’s own ideas that are being taught, rather it is the word of Christ that is expounded and preached. When the Bible is being preached, it teaches the congregation that the Word of God is the highest authority, not human ideas or preferences. When the Scriptures are faithfully expounded and applied to the listeners it shows how biblical doctrine and everyday life are intrinsically connected, it show that God has revealed all we need to live in a way that pleases and honors him.

3. What Expository Preaching Produces

What it produces is the work of the Holy Spirit who uses the Word of God to achieve his purposes. The Spirit uses the faithful proclamation of his Word to convict people of sin and convert them to Christ. The Spirit also uses the Word to sanctify believers in the truth.

Faithful teaching and proclamation of God’s Word will produce converted people in the congregation, according to the will of God. If a pastor preaches his own ideas instead of the Bible he might be able to emotionally manipulate and affect people to some degree, but whatever the result, it is in the end of no eternal value in the eyes of God. But when the preacher seeks to faithfully teach and preach the Word of God to his congregation, this is what God uses to achieve his purposes that will result in the Holy Spirit using the Word of God to convict and convert people to Christ.

Faithful biblical exposition will also continue to teach and mature those believers who have been converted by the Spirit of God. They will hear God’s truth and grow in their understanding of divine truth and how to rightly think and live according to the will of God. This maturity is also expressed in their continuing sanctification by the Word of truth and growing in the likeness of Christ.

A congregation that hears consistent faithful expository preaching will be a strong church that understands the will of God and seeks to walk in submission to his Word. The example of a faithful expositor will also help produce future church leaders in the congregation. When people sit under the clear exposition of God’s Word, being mentored and taught both by the content and example of the pastor, this will help them to see what they are to strive for and imitate their pastor in faithfully serving Christ and accurately preaching his Word.