Video Transcript: Session 27 Make it memorable illustrations
All right, we're talking about how to present your sermon in a memorable day way making your message memorable. We've looked at several things. Today we're going to look about using illustrations. Now, when I was a teenager, I had a pastor who refuse to use any illustrations refused to use any gestures. In fact, he came in I was, I was mid teen, when he came to the church from which my family that my family attended. And the way he would preach is simply standing up and holding a big Bible. And he never used gestures would never use an illustration. Well, one time, small group of us teenagers were invited to meet with him in his study, we were involved in youth ministry there and writing leadership roles as students. And somebody invited us to come and talk. And in the process, I don't remember who asked him the question, but how did you adopt the style of preaching that you do? And he said, he determined he would never use an illustration he said, because people would remember the illustration instead of the word of God. I gotta tell you, that guy was my pastor for a lot of years. And I don't remember a single sermon that he preached, at least with an illustration you give them something to remember. So. So today, we're going to look briefly at why should you use illustrations? Why, and then what kind of illustrations should you use? And then thirdly, where do you get these illustrations? Why should you use illustrations? Well, it's a biblical principle. If you look at anywhere in the Bible, you'll find that the speakers spoke in a way that gave illustrations Isaiah chapter 40. One of my favorite passages is, you know, even if you are rundown, so even you grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they'll run and not be weary, they'll walk and not faint. Now, we talked a couple of sessions ago about a word pictures about using picture language. This is wonderful picture language. But it's also an illustration, if you say they soar on wings, like eagles, if you read anything about how Eagle soars is that it looks for updraft, and it has a sense of where they are. And so eagle can go a long time, just soaring without hardly flapping its wings, hardly exerting any energy, just catching the air that's there. Well, you know, what a wonderful illustration of what it means to have a life where you've experienced God lifting you up. Isaiah used illustrations, Moses in the first books of the Bible, Genesis, chapter 4, he comes, and he talks to Cain, the one who murdered his brother Abel. And he warns him, he says, sin is crouching at the door. Now, that's another wonderful picture language thing, but it's also an illustration of how sin is waiting to destroy us, and devour us as people. That's a powerful illustration that you can jump off from in your message. You know, when I was thinking about that, for this lecture, I thought of a friend of mine, who is an alcoholic, and he was so devastated in his life by alcoholism, that he ended up losing everything. And I remember when I first met him, and hearing his story said, you know, I didn't start out to lose everything. And what he lost was his family. He lost his job, and then he lost his family. His family wife
divorced him, he had a daughter who had nothing to do with him. He ended up losing his house and all of his possessions, he ended up being homeless for for a lengthy period of time where he lived out of an old beat up car. And that's how he lived. And that was his experience. He said, but I didn't start out thinking, oh that's where I'm going to end up. That's where I want to be. But sin was crouching in his life, waiting to devour him. And it did. Now thank God through the power of the Holy Spirit and some good programs. He got sober, and he's rebuilt his life in a wonderful way. So sin crouching at the door, boy, you can make something out of that. There's all kinds of illustrations you can build off that illustration. But here's, he's using an illustration of how sin acts toward us how Satan acts toward us crouching, ready to jump. soon as there's a sign of weakness as soon as you're within range. See, the writers used illustrations of Jesus probably best known for that in the Bible. Wow. You know, your picture of the parable of the sower. A sower went out to sow seed, what an illustration of how the Word of God is being spread in the world. And the son of man, Jesus is the spreader of the Word of God and it falls on these different kinds of soil. You know, they're the ones that fall on the rocky soil, and so it can't find any place. to root and then it's on the shallow soil so, so it can root quickly, but it grows up and then that doesn't have a place to root deeply. So it withers away. And then it's in the thorns and the thistles. And so it starts to grow up. But the cares of this world as Jesus explained that begin to snuff out the word of God. And then there's the fruitful soil. That's all just an illustration that he's giving of how people respond to the word. And you don't have to think long before you can think of people who've responded and just those kinds of ways. And so that becomes an illustration that the people then are saying, Yeah, I know that. It's believed that Jesus, as he was walking around preaching and teaching would be even pointing to people say, Well, look at the sower over there, see how he's operating? Or boy, have you considered the birds of the air, how they don't sow or reap, they don't store up in barns, and yet your your heavenly Father feeds them. Those are all illustrations, all illustrations. So we use illustrations, because the models we have in Scripture use them, including the Lord, just read the parables, one after another after another, just grand illustrations of a bigger point. So we use them because author in the Bible is use them, we use them because they open windows for us. They allow us to see inside the word and inside the mind of Christ I like like the picture of seeing inside a window. Because you know, when you're outside, and you're looking from a distance, all you see is the side of a house. But if you're going to look in a window, you'd begin to see what's going on in there. Well, illustrations do that with the Scriptures, they open a window on the scriptures for us, they, they make it become real for us. Now I've got just a brief video here that I want to show you. Again, this one is about a man who used a pottery, a breaking of a pottery to make a point, and how it became a powerful illustration that planted itself in the
minds of his listeners. And so he's just going to explain it. And I'll come back afterwards. And we'll talk about it a little more. Everybody, Paul Turner here from the discipleproject.net here with a simple sermon illustration from II Corinthians 4:7, where it talks about Jars of Clay, right, we have this treasure in jars of clay that we should know that the surpassing power that is within us is not from ourselves, but it's from God. And so we're going to talk about this today. And I'm going to just give you a simple illustration that I'm going to create in front of you as to how to make it and all that kind of good stuff. And then just share a few other ideas and how I'm going to be using this in my message. Let's get to it. All right. So I'm doing this live on camera here, just so you can see the process of the breakage and what it's gonna look like. So let's hope it gets into big pieces versus small pieces. The whole goal of breaking this is so that there'll be cracks in it. So when we put it back together, there'll be holes of these spots, and all that kind of good stuff, where we're going to be having some light shine through it. So it's going to give it a shot here, see how this works. You want to keep the base intact, because you want to be able to stand it up. So really is want the the sides and maybe get it about halfway down if possible. So I'm going to try and see what happens. It's pretty good. Not bad, some big some big pieces there. I may go ahead and perfect. Okay. So I think that would be sufficient. So let me go ahead. As you can see that all the pieces here. Now, when you're doing this, you may do this as an illustration, and actually break the pot in front of the students say, look, life can break us, right, there's things that can break us death, divorce, physical problems, relationships, everything can break us in some way. And you may want to have a part already broken, that actually maybe has some of those pieces written on the actual pieces of the pottery. Another thing you can do with this as part of a reflection piece, if you take one and you break them into smaller pieces such as these, you can actually put these in front of a student or a student can come up as part of the altar time and actually be able to write their name on a broken piece of of the pottery here to say look, here's my name, that means that I am broken, I'm willing to humble myself and say, Listen, that I am broken, sin has broken me, life has broken me all these various things and I'm gonna put my name on this and maybe have some sort of cross. You know, you could do it as a cross pattern. And then people could take their pieces with their names and actually put it as part of the cross pattern to make almost like a mosaic of various pieces so you can choose to use pottery you may even choose to use other kinds have different colored ceramic if you choose. But I've chosen the pot here, simply because it's easiest. And this cost of maybe a buck 25 at your local big box store. So Alright, so let's go on to the other piece here where I'm going to put this back together and see if I can't make it work. You see, even in putting this together, it's not going to quite fit exactly the way it was before. It's in you know what, and many times when we're broken and something happens in our lives, it doesn't always come back
together the way it was, in fact, the apostle Paul says, Look, I'm making all things new again. So that which is put back together is the way God wants to put us back together wants to put us back into a state where we're best functioning for him to where we can shine the light out of our lives. Okay, so as you can see, here, I have put this back together, you see, there are some pieces leftover, that don't quite fit the way the way they used to. And so that's not necessarily a bad thing. Because sometimes our brokenness, you know, pieces that we don't need, you know, God knows what we don't need in our lives. These could be anything, these can be habits, they can be sins, they can be mindsets, they can be all kinds of things that we don't need anymore. And so God says, Well, you get rid of those, we'll put those away. And also, what we'll do here is we'll give it a little test run here, we're just going to take a little light, we're going to put it in here, and and then see what happens, we can also make a comparison between this. And a regular old pot, right? The pot, we started with the perfect pot, perfect, perfect, right, the perfect pot versus the broken pot. And we can make that as an example. So I'm going to turn the lights off and show you what I mean. And there you go. While on the comparison, so here's what they say. But what is the what is the major difference here? Well, the illustration I would make is this is that yes, you may have an outstanding outside, everything on the outside is perfect and God may be able to see your light he may see from this vantage point. Yes, the light is on. I see it but what God sees what we try to perfect what we try to show other people as a perfectness that doesn't exist. You see, vertically, God sees the light says, Yep, I sure see it, your light is lit, I get it, he says but if you want to be effective in the world, I'm going to say that you should show your brokenness because you can see here even in these little cracks right here that light is shining through. Here's a big old hole right there. So you know that's where that's where God sees and where the rest of the world gets to see what is inside of us that people know that in spite of our brokenness. The Light of Christ is in there. They know that it's not us. They know it's not us here people that say oh, that's you look at your perfect life. Look at your money. Look at your everything look at you have the perfect life and reality. That's not true. Right? That's we know that's not true. But the point of the light and the point of a broken pottery, is it so other people can see the light inside of us. Okay, so let me step back. I'll come back with you in just a second. All right, guys. That's it for today. I appreciate you guys hanging out. Hopefully you liked the illustration. Feel free to leave your comments down below. How might you use something like this illustration in your youth ministry, I'd love to hear about it. Maybe you've done something similar. What I'd like you to do if you're brand spanking new by the way, thanks for checking out the channel appreciate you being here. Be sure to click on my hand over here somewhere like that and you will subscribe to this channel and that way you can click on the little bell down below there as well. And click Notifications you'll get videos like this in your
inbox when I upload something. Also if you're a regular thank you for hanging out appreciate you guys being here. Don't forget I'm gonna be at the National Youth Workers Conference upcoming 17th 18th and 19th of November I would love to connect with you if you're going to be there. Be sure to hit the thumbs up on this video like the video you want more of them and until next video. I'll catch you guys later. Have a good day everybody. Did you see how all of a sudden you know we have this treasure In clay pots, all of a sudden that became real, and the pots are cracked, but the light shines through what a powerful illustration that people go home and are very visual society with this planted in their mind when he used that, or when you're talking about being broken pots before God, or all the ways that that's that clay pot could be used as an illustration, I'm going to share one in our later session about that too. That's been very powerful for me. So, illustration, open windows for us, they help us to see and understand what's going on in the mind and the heart of God. They also move us toward obedience. In other words, when we hear a scripture, the illustrations help us get context and understanding to what that scripture require us. So you have a scripture such as seek the kingdom, and his righteousness to seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you. So what does it mean to seek His kingdom? While many people might interpret that right? Well, I'm going to read the Bible more, I'm going to go to church more often than be faithful in my church attendance. So that might be one interpretation of it. But what does it mean to seek His kingdom where I am? Well, it means that affects my decisions. The kingdom of God affects my decision, I'm offered a job somewhere else, is that God's will for me, well, how does that allow me to seek His kingdom? And his righteousness? Where do I go, you know, that's going to define how I spend my time if I'm seeking His kingdom, and his righteousness. I'm going to watch you know, what, what movies I watch on television, because I'm seeking righteousness. And so I'm going to be very careful. And I have a man with whom I'm in an accountability partnership relationship, but we regularly talk about what have you been watching on TV? Because that's an important guide for me to live out that command to seek His kingdom and His righteousness? And where am I engaging, not just negative? What am I not doing, but what am I doing positively, to build the kingdom of God. And I can come up with all kinds of illustrations about people I know, who are engaged in work in the kingdom, you know, some of them are volunteering, mentoring, some kids who are at risk of not graduating from high school, and they're an elementary school students are there with elementary students, school students, and mentoring them. So hopefully, that doesn't happen. They're, they're seeking the Kingdom of God in this world, are the ones who are involved in some of the agencies around where we are, we have a medical clinic in my town, that wouldn't run it wasn't for people who are seeking the Kingdom of God, who were seeking with those who can't afford
medical care, to have a place where they can go, and you know, illustration, illustration, and you can move us toward obedience. Because we understand what it means through the illustrations, and the questions that can be asked. And you can tell stories that you may know about that. So they also hold attention. That's why we do it. In fact, you can notice that sometimes when you're preaching and you'll start a story, and you'll all of a sudden, have people's attention again, they'll come back, as you create an illustration they'll all of a sudden, have attention again, they'll be giving attention to you. So that's why authors in the Bible have used it. They open windows for us on the mind, in the heart of God, they move us toward obedience, and they hold our the attention of your audience. So what then do you use as an illustration, there are all kinds of things you can use. Stories are very, very positive. Personal stories are good. Again, the warning that you can't be the hero of your own story and be effective very often, you do that once or twice. But this is not a time that it's about you. It's about God. And so make sure that that comes through a stories that you hear or read. When I was entering ministry, I went to my brother who was six years older than I, and was actually in pastoral ministry at that time. He went into mission shortly thereafter. But I went to him. I said, Okay, what, what's the secret of being successful as a preacher? He said, Read, read, read, read, read, read. And so I read a great deal back then Well, now, there's all sorts of things available on the internet that you could read. There's all sorts of places you can turn that will give you further insight into a certain truth in scripture or things that will become part of what's in your mind. So that when you're thinking about a passage and you think how can I bring this truth home to the my listeners, all of a sudden you'll think I remember or I read or I heard this solicited stories are good, sometimes ask for stories. As I have told you before, I used to have, for a brief time, a sermon preparation group that we'd get together. On Wednesday before the Sunday I was going to preach. And I would give a brief exegesis of the passage that I was going to preach on and say, Tell me what what do you have to make this real? What are the stories that you give, that you can give me to use and then I will get sometimes get very good story. I did this for a long time. And pastors groups, in fact, one time had a dream of writing a book about funny things that happened in ministries. And so anytime I was part of the pastor's group, I would ask the question, what's the funniest thing that's ever happened to you? And I've got this trove of great stories, some of them wonderfully humorous. And I've been occasionally able to use them, but one I haven't used yet. So you're the first ones to hear it. It came from a Presbyterian pastor, I was part of a class on becoming a transitional pastor, between pastors for a church. And I asked this question, there's about eight of us sitting around a table. It's okay, what's the funniest thing that's ever happened to the Ministry of one man told a story about communion in his church, Presbyterian Church, and said, The woman who usually prepared communion was sick, and so one of the
elders wives volunteered to prepare the communion. And so she went in and didn't know where stuff was, but he eventually found it comes to Sunday, and he begins to introduce communion. And as often happens, he's holding a cup. And he's pouring out as he's saying, you know, and after supper, Jesus took the cup, he said, you know, drink this, it's a new covenant in my blood, Do this in remembrance of me. But he said, he noticed as it was pouring, the liquid didn't look a whole lot like wine, it looked rather Brown. And so he was concerned. But in the Presbyterian tradition, he couldn't quite break out of the mold to say, Well, hold on, something's wrong. They passed out the trays with all these little glasses of juice. And when they came to the point of eating the bread and drinking the juice, everybody went down, like, in the old church, turned out that there's an unmarked bottle that the woman thought was the wine for communion that was prune juice in the refrigerator, all for communion that day, they all drank prune juice. But then he said, that's not the end of the story. Later, the woman was diagnosed with cancer, and it was terminal. She got very, very sick. She went to live with her sister for her daughter for a period of time, so that her daughter could care for her. And then just a short time, two weeks before she died, she came back to this church, to say goodbye to people. And as she was there, said they, in celebration of her and her dedication to the kingdom, they all had prune juice with their communion that morning, and what a wonderful illustration to us about the body of Christ, and how it can come together, and how how something that looks like disaster can be turned into something of beauty. So solicit story, ask people and say, Wow, I'm going to do this. Other things you can use other than story is you can use humor. Humor is a wonderful thing, if you can find it in a variety of places. Here's a cartoon that I use once I was preaching on prayer, and the fact that we don't think prayer is very important. Apparently, in the United States, the average person in the United States Christian in the United States spends about six minutes a day in prayer. And it's always interrupted. So I had this cartoon, it was from leadership magazine, where the pastor is kneeling. In his study, he's praying, and the Secretary comes in and says, Oh, good, you're not busy. You see, if you're, you're praying, you're not doing something important. And so you can be interrupted. And so that became a wonderful illustration. There are all kinds of powerful ways you can be involved in humorous situations or hear of humorous stories, or use cartoons or all kinds of things like that. Observation and metaphors. Another way, Pastor I'm working with right now, it's just really terrific at that we were talking about sometimes in life, you just feel like, you can't get traction. And he described as you know, you're in shallow water in a lake here in Michigan, and often the muddy bottoms and you've put a foot down and it's stuck and you try to take a step and you got to kind of pull the foot out and move forward. And so you're just kind of slogging through and what a powerful illustration of being at points in your life and if you describe that in a meaningful
way, people will understand what that's like. So, observation, what you observe in life metaphor, all kinds of opportunities and television and movies. In fact, now there are even some, there are even some services like sermonspice.com, where you can get sermon, sermon illustrations that are movies I used one this past week I preached on worship in church, and talking about how worship is to God, you know, come, let us, let us sing for joy to the Lord let a shout aloud to the rock of our salvation, let's come before him with music and song, et cetera, et cetera. And I was saying that worship is about God, not about, you know, what we want or whether we like the song or not like the song, I got a clip, which was entitled me church where someone just made a spoof on this idea. What if I made all the rules in church? All kinds of those things are available. Now, where do you get them, or you can get them in commentaries, or you can get them out of people's sermons. And I've given you that sermon Central, that's just one of many, many good websites that have people sermons on them, not a word about plagiarism, before we go any further, and that is it is wrong. And in fact, in the United States is illegal for you to use someone else's work, and pass it off as your own. I had this discussion with a man I was mentoring, he felt a call to preach. And so I was mentoring him in preaching. And I arranged for him to preach from the church I was serving at the time out in California, and evening service. And he preached as he's pretending and heard this before. I've heard it before. And sure enough, I got on some websites, and I found that he almost preached word for word, certainly idea for IDEA, the sermon of another person, the sermon was on this website. And so we had to have a talk about plagiarism. And that is, I can't do that I can't use somebody else's ideas. Not just because it's illegal. It's, it's, it's attacks my integrity. And so I've got to say, you know, I've been really helped by this person. And this is something they said, and I want to share it with you today. Or I've read this story in this situation, this book, this, this person's story, or this person's idea, and I want to share it with you today. So be aware, plagiarism is a very real thing and needs to be battled. And so we're talking about how to make your message memorable. One of the great ways to do it is use illustrations. And people will tie in now not like the pastor that I grew up under as a teen. They may remember the illustration but hopefully by the power of the Holy Spirit's the illustration will help them remember the point. So use illustrations make your messages memorable.