# "Let Me Give You An Illustration..."



## KMK (Aug 21, 2007)

I have been incorporating a little more illustration into my sermons and it has born very good fruit. The hearers are understanding my main points and aplications better. Chappell recommends in "Christ Centered Preaching" setting up an illustration data base. Do any of you have something like that?

Also, how do you feel about fictional illustrations? I have used them sometimes because you can tailor the illustration most effectively. What do y'all do?


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## Calvibaptist (Aug 21, 2007)

There are a few websites out there that have illustrations on them. Some of them I find useful, some of them junk. I tend to illustrate the New Testament from stories in the Old Testament.


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## BobVigneault (Aug 21, 2007)

I never use illustrations. Using illustrations would be like a pretty lady explaining to a skeptic crowd that she had the most beautiful ward robe. No one believed her until she opened her suitcase and unpacked it and modeled each article of clothing.


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## Puritan Sailor (Aug 21, 2007)

I find many frm just ordinary life. If you have a congregation that is influenced by one particular profession or industry or even a common hobby (like hunting here in Mississippi) you could find some illustrations there. I also find many just from reading other folks. J.C. Ryle is wonderful for gathering useful illustrations. He uses them all the time in his writings.


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## Calvibaptist (Aug 21, 2007)

BobVigneault said:


> I never use illustrations. Using illustrations would be like a pretty lady explaining to a skeptic crowd that she had the most beautiful ward robe. No one believed her until she opened her suitcase and unpacked it and modeled each article of clothing.




Nice illustration!


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## Bandguy (Aug 21, 2007)

Calvibaptist said:


> BobVigneault said:
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> 
> > I never use illustrations. Using illustrations would be like a pretty lady explaining to a skeptic crowd that she had the most beautiful ward robe. No one believed her until she opened her suitcase and unpacked it and modeled each article of clothing.
> ...


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## KMK (Aug 21, 2007)

Calvibaptist said:


> There are a few websites out there that have illustrations on them. Some of them I find useful, some of them junk. I tend to illustrate the New Testament from stories in the Old Testament.



I do as well, when I can.

I think the ability to do this is the mark of a mature preacher. My favorite preachers (like John Weaver, Morecraft, Waldron etc) are very good at using the OT to illustrate their main points. I hope to have that kind of wisdom and knowledge of the OT some day. In the meantime, when my lack of maturity prevents me from finding just the right OT illustration, I am forced to use something else and that is the thrust of my OP.


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## caddy (Aug 21, 2007)

Once again: I'm slayed and _almost _speechless_._

_*** _AND Shameless I might add: I'm stealing this one Bawb.





BobVigneault said:


> I never use illustrations. Using illustrations would be like a pretty lady explaining to a skeptic crowd that she had the most beautiful ward robe. No one believed her until she opened her suitcase and unpacked it and modeled each article of clothing.


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## BobVigneault (Aug 21, 2007)

Feel free to steal brother Steven, it's an honor to be robbed by you.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 21, 2007)

Charles Spurgeon has several chapters on the use of illustrations and anecdotes in the pulpit in _Lectures to My Students_ that are worth reading.


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## panta dokimazete (Aug 21, 2007)

I really, REALLY struggle with extra-biblical illustrations - not sure why - my family are all storytellers...over a nice big beer, I do GREAT!


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## KMK (Aug 21, 2007)

VirginiaHuguenot said:


> Charles Spurgeon has several chapters on the use of illustrations and anecdotes in the pulpit in _Lectures to My Students_ that are worth reading.



Where's the link Andrew???? C'mon, ya gotta give me a link!!!


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 21, 2007)

KMK said:


> VirginiaHuguenot said:
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> > Charles Spurgeon has several chapters on the use of illustrations and anecdotes in the pulpit in _Lectures to My Students_ that are worth reading.
> ...



 Ok, here you go! You can also purchase it at Amazon (and there is also an APM book review here).


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## KMK (Aug 22, 2007)

VirginiaHuguenot said:


> KMK said:
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Phew! You almost made me look it up on Amazon myself! Actually, Rev McMahon's review was helpful and I ordered my copy today! (I don't have the patience to print out 200+ pages myself) Thanks, Andrew.


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## KMK (Aug 22, 2007)

jdlongmire said:


> I really, REALLY struggle with extra-biblical illustrations - not sure why - my family are all storytellers...over a nice big beer, I do GREAT!



I would imagine you are like me and prefer awesome, earth-shattering preaching that uses sublime biblical illustrations to drive home major points! But I am not always able to find that OT passage that perfectly suits my purpose. It is then that I resort to 'extra-biblical illustrations'.


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## Semper Fidelis (Aug 22, 2007)

I thnk illustrations illustrate whether people grasp something or not. The danger for some is that they think that everything must be simplified to one illustrationin order to be understood and so they will create an illustration that is partly true and leave the listener with the impression that the illustration captures the entire idea.

For especially complex ideas, it's probably good to have multiple illustrations because they can bring forward multiple perspectives that will help the listener grasp what is being said.

Studying Galatians and Romans in some depth over the past couple of years, I've noticed that Paul was a master at illustration in his doctrines. Galatians is primarily addressing a single point but look how he keeps hammering away at it from many different angles to ensure the readers really get it. Look how even though Romans 3 is pretty clear that nobody is saved by works, he illustrates in Romans 4 how even Abraham is in the same boat.


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## PastorFaulk (Aug 22, 2007)

In my sermons I tend to illustrate all the major points- one with a (secular) Illus, and one scriptural illus. The scripture is either a corresponding text or a story out of the OT. You will have to ask rich if it actually works. With the "secular illustrations" I don't keep a file because I've noticed illustrations that are not mine just appear stale when told.


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## Puritan Sailor (Aug 22, 2007)

KMK said:


> jdlongmire said:
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> > I really, REALLY struggle with extra-biblical illustrations - not sure why - my family are all storytellers...over a nice big beer, I do GREAT!
> ...



You could also use illustrations from Church History. Our people today are usually so ignorant of our history. You can be teaching them their history and illustrating doctrine at the same time.


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## Calvibaptist (Aug 22, 2007)

Puritan Sailor said:


> KMK said:
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And because they are so ignorant, you could just make up some of those historical illustrations and they would never know the difference.


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## KMK (Aug 22, 2007)

PastorFaulk said:


> In my sermons I tend to illustrate all the major points- one with a (secular) Illus, and one scriptural illus. The scripture is either a corresponding text or a story out of the OT. You will have to ask rich if it actually works. With the "secular illustrations" I don't keep a file because I've noticed illustrations that are not mine just appear stale when told.



What do you mean 'ilustrations that are not mine'. Do you mean the secular illustrataions you use are from your own life and experiences, or do you mean that they are 'authored' by you?


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## BJClark (Aug 22, 2007)

KMK;



> I have been incorporating a little more illustration into my sermons and it has born very good fruit. The hearers are understanding my main points and aplications better. Chappell recommends in "Christ Centered Preaching" setting up an illustration data base. Do any of you have something like that?
> 
> Also, how do you feel about fictional illustrations? I have used them sometimes because you can tailor the illustration most effectively. What do y'all do?



I realize I'm not a pastor, but I do use illustrations at times with my kids, and others when sharing the Gospel.

For example: 

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..

An illustration that could be used for this..is a house or building that has been condemned and ready to be destroyed, and how the new owner (Christ) comes in and begins renovations...

Or why it's oft times difficult to let go of some sins...and the pain of sanctification..as Christ
works to change our heart.

If you garden or know anything about gardening/landscaping, and how with some weeds or trees the roots are deep in the ground and need to be dug out and ground up so that something new can be planted.

Or sin being like a deep infection that has pus oozing out, spreading into the rest of body that needs to be healed. So they go into surgery and the doctor begins to drain out the pus (and at times when that happens hurts and pain caused by other people need to be addressed--relationships can either be reconciled or ended as they go to the person and talk about how things they said or did hurt them) and until they address those things the infection continues to spread, be it in the physical body, or the body of the church as a whole. And with sin, bandaid fixes just don't work...

So yes, illustrations can be useful..and many times real life examples that people are familiar with work best..


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## Calvibaptist (Aug 22, 2007)

KMK said:


> PastorFaulk said:
> 
> 
> > In my sermons I tend to illustrate all the major points- one with a (secular) Illus, and one scriptural illus. The scripture is either a corresponding text or a story out of the OT. You will have to ask rich if it actually works. With the "secular illustrations" I don't keep a file because I've noticed illustrations that are not mine just appear stale when told.
> ...



Not to assume anything from PastorFaulk, but he is probably referring to those illustrations you can get online or out of books of illustrations. They are usually sorted by topic on the websites and can appear stale.


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## toddpedlar (Aug 22, 2007)

jdlongmire said:


> I really, REALLY struggle with extra-biblical illustrations - not sure why - my family are all storytellers...over a nice big beer, I do GREAT!



Well all you have to do is hide that beer under your Geneva gown when preaching, and you're all set!


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## toddpedlar (Aug 22, 2007)

Calvibaptist said:


> KMK said:
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Especially when you hear the same illustration used by three different pastors.


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## KMK (Aug 22, 2007)

toddpedlar said:


> Calvibaptist said:
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That drives me crazy! Have you ever been to pastors.com/Saddleback nation? That is why i agree with those who like to use 'their own'.

To BJ's point, I have heard it said that gardners and farmers understand the gospel better than anyone. (Maybe this is a case for Christian Agrarianism)


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## py3ak (Aug 22, 2007)

Here is some classic advice on illustrations, from Hugh F. Pyle:


> _For illustrations_ use not only the papers and news magazines but such Christian papers as THE SWORD OF THE LORD and other spiritual papers and magazines.
> _Our Daily Bread_ from the Radio Bible Class, Box 22, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49555, will have a lot of good anecdotes but so many of our fundamental churches use this for the devotions of their people now that they may appear secondhand to many of the people if you use them much. There are good books of illustrations, of course, but I would not use too many of these, some of which are from the distant past, unless they are tremendous illustrations. Events from right around us today may be more pertinent, and they will be fresher.


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## PastorFaulk (Aug 22, 2007)

toddpedlar said:


> Calvibaptist said:
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illus that are not mine are ones that do not come out of my personal experience. I feel often with them I have to make a leap to apply them to the point, its much easier to let illus come from every day experience.


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## KMK (Aug 25, 2007)

VirginiaHuguenot said:


> KMK said:
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I received my copy today and was totally humbled as I began to read the chapter on sermon illustrations. To Spurgeon, illustrating truths was like breathing to the rest of us. He cannot help himself. He is the Mozart of the preaching world and were it not a woe for me to do so, I would give up preaching right now knowing that I will never reach such homiletics.

Thanks for depressing me Andrew...


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## bookslover (Aug 25, 2007)

KMK said:


> I have been incorporating a little more illustration into my sermons and it has born very good fruit. The hearers are understanding my main points and aplications better. Chappell recommends in "Christ Centered Preaching" setting up an illustration data base. Do any of you have something like that?
> 
> Also, how do you feel about fictional illustrations? I have used them sometimes because you can tailor the illustration most effectively. What do y'all do?



I remember John MacArthur saying that the longer he's in the ministry, the fewer sermon illustrations he uses; and the ones he does use tend to be almost exclusively from Scripture.

When I was in seminary, my homiletics professor (a local Baptist preacher) was, shall we say, totally committed to the concept of sermon illustrations. At the beginning of the course, he gave all of us a sheet with a list of ten topics. Each person's sheet had a different set of topics. Our assignment was to find ten illustrations for each of the ten topics. In other words, we had the semester to find 100 sermon illustrations anywhere we could find them: books, magazines, sermon tapes (heh), etc. Then, at the end of the semester, we each received a copy of all the other students' illustrations. There were, I think, six students in that course so, at the end of the semester, we all ended up with 600 illustrations - more than you could use in a lifetime of preaching! 

Oddly, the homiletics professor was against the use of sermon illustration books. He felt that they contained "canned" illustrations, and that illustrations should be "fresh." I remember a couple of us students saying to each other (when the professor was not around), "Well, if we cut an illustration out of a magazine and put it in a file folder, does that not then become a 'canned' illustration? What's the difference?" 

I remember, at the end of the course, throwing all those 600 illustrations away. I think a lot of those other guys did, too.

Also, I think the Banner of Truth is on the verge of re-publishing Spurgeon's _Lectures to My Students_ once again (including his _Commenting and Commentaries_).


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## caddy (Aug 25, 2007)

^
Interesting Richard


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## reformedman (Aug 25, 2007)

VirginiaHuguenot said:


> Charles Spurgeon has several chapters on the use of illustrations and anecdotes in the pulpit in _Lectures to My Students_ that are worth reading.



He lists a few books dedicated to illustrations and gives his own opinion on how he ranks each. I believe one name he mentioned was Spencer, I might be wrong but it is worth checking because he says that the resource of that book will cut so much work out the strain on the message by clearly making the matter visually simple for the hearers. He strongly pushes that work, and says it is a must have for all preachers.


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## Herald (Aug 25, 2007)

Being from Jersey, the majority of my illustrations center around concrete shoes and Jimmy Hoffa. Illustraing the wages of sin in Romans 6:23 may sound like this:

"This passage reminds me of the time when Vinny the Moocher crossed up Joey Two Thumbs. You know, Vinny was wrong and had to pay. Joey had him stuffed into a violin case and buried under the Fenwick rest stop on the Toinpike."

I've found these type of illustrations communicate well.

Forgedabodit.


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## bookslover (Aug 25, 2007)

The tricky part of illustrations, of course, is making sure that they do their job correctly; that is, if those who hear the sermon remember the illustration but not the point the illustration was supposed to highlight, then it was a bad illustration. Sometimes, an illustration can be _too_ well done, and that's all that people remember.


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## Calvibaptist (Aug 25, 2007)

BaptistInCrisis said:


> Being from Jersey, the majority of my illustrations center around concrete shoes and Jimmy Hoffa. Illustraing the wages of sin in Romans 6:23 may sound like this:
> 
> "This passage reminds me of the time when Vinny the Moocher crossed up Joey Two Thumbs. You know, Vinny was wrong and had to pay. Joey had him stuffed into a violin case and buried under the Fenwick rest stop on the Toinpike."
> 
> ...



The problem with an illustration like this though, Bill, is that I would be sitting through the entire sermon wonder which exit Fenwick was off the Toinpike and how much it would cost me to get there.


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## Herald (Aug 25, 2007)

Calvibaptist said:


> BaptistInCrisis said:
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> > Being from Jersey, the majority of my illustrations center around concrete shoes and Jimmy Hoffa. Illustraing the wages of sin in Romans 6:23 may sound like this:
> ...



You miss the point. If matters got to that point you wouldn't care where the exit was and the enforcers would be happy to pay the toll for you.


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