Daniel L Akin: 12 Reasons for Using Sermon Illustrations

Few things are more difficult for a preacher than finding the right illustration, using it in the right way, and telling it at the right time. However, few things will yield greater fruit. In Lectures to My Students, Charles Spurgeon rightly noted,

“You may build up laborious definitions and explanations and yet leave your hearers in the dark as to your meaning; but a thoroughly suitable metaphor [illustration] will wonderfully clear the sense.”

Many people see preaching as dull, boring and irrelevant. The ideas are complex, theological jargon is unclear, and little if any specific direction is provided for commitment and action. A good illustration can mean the difference between an average sermon and an outstanding sermon. It may be the difference between a sermon that changes lives and one that does not.

Good illustrations serve several important purposes. These purposes fall into both theological and practical categories. It is not surprising to find some overlap with sermon introduction and conclusions. In fact, illustrations are often the key to the effectiveness of both. Keep reading

Also read
Peyton Jones: Don’t Bore People. Master the Lost Art of Illustration.