Illustrations from History II

This is the second book of illustrations from history.  I believe that these books contain the very best of the stories, anecdotes, and quotations culled from my files compiled from over forty years of reading and preaching—and obsessive collecting.

Most of them are fresh. That is, you may not find them in other collections of illustrations. The ones that do appear elsewhere have been deemed so good that it would be wrong to leave them out.

The use of a fitting illustration is a joy in itself. All speakers and teachers know this well: the delight of seeing the light of recognition in the hearers’ eyes, indicating that they are with you; the pleasure of refocusing the listeners’ attention on the truth being expounded; and the satisfac­tion of knowing that the truth of God’s Word is being served. It is a humbling joy to realize that one has been used to help others plainly see the truth of God’s Word. And this is the sole purpose of this book. May you find fresh expressions and windows through which to commu­nicate God’s truth.

The way to benefit from all of my illustration books  is to spend an evening browsing and getting to know the con­tents. I promise, it will be profitable! Many of the epigrams and famous lines will lodge in your mind for future reference. Read an entire section, say, on love or sin because that will give you a sense of the book’s range on crucial subjects.

 

The Why Of Illustrations

 

There are vital reasons why illustrations are a must. The first, of course, is because Jesus indulged in them. It has been calculated that one—half of Jesus’ public instruction was given in the form of parables and comparisons and that there are 164 metaphors in the synoptic Gospels, with 56 in the Sermon on the Mount alone. Our Lord communicated the grand truths of salvation in terms that were familiar to the people.

Second, stories and illustrations make truth arresting. Preaching or speaking is far more difficult today than it was at the turn of the century, due to the modern culture’s glut of words. Billions of words are spoken every second. And sometimes, it seems, they are all assaulting us through TV, radio, VCRs, and the multiple conversations around us. We are a distracted people. Our attention span has been short­ened so that many have difficulty listening to reasoned dis­course—apart from anecdotes and graphic images.

Third, illustrative materials can help to make truth con­crete for hearers. For example, Paul’s admonition in Colossians 3:14, “And over all these virtues put on love,” has immense practical application that can be brought home with great power with a story like the one about the man who loved his wife enough to take her punishment. (see section on love).

And fourth, illustrations serve to clarify the truth. Illustra­tions access the mental processes of the hearers. Abstractions (and many theological realities are abstract!) will fly by most hearers unless they are attached to concrete references and experiences of life. Illustrations serve to make the crucial connections.

 

The How of Illustrations

 

Communicators must understand that there is no such thing as a “good illustration.” There are only good illustrations of what one is saying. An illustration is valuable only to the extent that it calls attention to the point being made and contnbutes to the momentum, clarity, and force of what is being said. If the illustration does not precisely illustrate the point, don’t use it—no matter how gripping it may be. Resist the temptation that comes after reading or hearing a powerful story to think, 14/hat a great illustration! Now I’ve got to find a place to use it!

This becomes an intensely ethical matter when opening God’s Word. Bottom line: If the illustration doesn’t clarify and focus the truth of God’s holy Word, forget it. Better to preach a sermon with no illustrations than to employ misleading or inaccurate illustrations. The more powerful an illustration is, the more careful one must be. In fact, a given illustration may perfectly illustrate the point of the text but be so dynamic that it overpowers the text. If so, it should not be employed.

Similarly, if an illustration becomes the message, it has gone awry. Praise God for the powerful story ofJim Elliot’s love for the Auca Indians, but his love and death for them is not gospel. The gospel is the good news of Christ.

We must also keep before us the understanding that

when people remember an illustration but not the truth it

illustrates, we have failed.

Strive to employ illustrations naturally. They cannot be inserted ready-made into a message like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The craft of illustration demands that they be woven into the flow of the discourse. In this respect, an illustration that requires explanation is worthless. As J. H. Jowett said, “Illustrations are like streetlamps, scarcely noticed, but throwing floods of light upon the road.”

Wisdom for Illustrations

 

• If you are presenting the illustration as true, make sure it is!

• Avoid hackneyed, overused illustrations like Hawthorne’s “The Great Stone Face” or “He’s not heavy; he’s my brother” or “You should have seen this garden when only the Lord was working in it.”

• Never begin an illustration with an apology—”If you will pardon the personal illustration…

• Don’t be predictably clichéd in introducing illustra­tions—”A story is told . .

• Refrain from personal anecdotes that demonstrate your own spirituality and accomplishments, “for we do not

preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:5).

• Quote only poetry that is readily comprehensible to the average hearer.

• Commit your illustrations to memory so that they can be told with eye contact and involvement with your hearers.