5. Biblical examples: Often the best illustrations are found in the Bible. For example, I preached Galatians 5 on Sunday, but my ending sermon illustration was the woman caught in adultery in John 8. Biblical illustrations help your listeners connect the dots between stories in the Bible, between the Old Testament and the New Testament, between the law and the gospel, between the many different genres of Scripture.
What about jokes? I rarely tell them, but on occasion, I’ll use one if I know I can land it well. Even then, they often fall flat. In reality, few pastors can pull off comedic relief in sermons. I don’t recommend anyone ending with a joke. I’ve never heard a sermon in which it worked.
It’s one thing to tell people truth. It’s another thing to illustrate it for them. The truth is most important, but helping people connect to the truth is also necessary.
This article originally appeared here.
