300 Illustrations for Preachers

Jim L. Wilson

Elliot Ritzema

Editor

Lexham Press, 2015

300 Illustrations for Preachers

Copyright 2015 Jim L. Wilson

Lexham Press

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the Lexham English Bible (leb), copyright 2013 by Lexham Press. Lexham is a registered trademark of Faithlife Corporation.

Digital ISBN 978-1-57-799635-4

Lexham Editorial Team: Lynnea Fraser

Cover Design: Jim LePage

Dedication

To my students,

May you stay out of the way of the text and always find creative ways to shine a light on its meaning.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Rodger Russell, Jim Sandell, and my students and readers who contributed to the first draft of many of these illustrations.

Introduction

I believe in the power of preaching. As people listen to God’s Word, their faith grows (see Romans 10:17). When they apply it, they renew their minds, and God transforms their lives (see Romans 12:1–2).

Preachers must work hard to ensure that their sermons are faithful to the ancient biblical text while communicating the message to their contemporary audiences. After determining the meaning of the text, preachers are not finished with their task of sermon preparation. They must then devote themselves to finding fresh, relevant ways to help people understand and apply their message.

That’s the purpose of fresh sermon illustrations.

Fresh sermon illustrations are tools that preachers use to shine a bright light on the transformative truth of the Scripture. They help listeners understand and apply the truth to their lives. The best illustrations do not need long setups, but are about familiar people, events, and things that already reside in the congregational consciousness.

This collection of illustrations is based upon current events or quotes from recent news stories, books, or movies. The purpose in using them is not to be trendy or cutting edge for its own sake. Rather, the purpose is to proclaim timeless truths using events and stories that resonate with a contemporary audience.

My hope is that you will use these illustrations to bring glory to God as you help the people you serve better understand and apply the Bible to their lives.

—Jim L. Wilson

Bible

The Changing Standard of Le Grand K

Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 6:17–20

Preaching Themes: Revelation, Scripture

On the outskirts of Paris, an underground vault holds a platinum cylinder known as Le Grand K. This carefully guarded object sits under three glass domes. Three different people have three different keys that are all needed to open the vault. Since 1889, this object has been the standard for the kilogram. It is the measure against which all other weights are measured in the metric system.

But there is a problem with Le Grand ...