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Fridays are For Illustrations

Select a Category Biblical Reflections Devotions Fridays are For Illustrations General Challenge General Preaching Resources Letters to West Franklin Preparing to Preach Table Talk Questions The Preaching Event Top Ten Quotes Uncategorized West Franklin West Franklin Talks

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December 2018

December 21, 2018

Last Minute Christmas Idea/Illustration (Repost)

If you're like me, you will take any ideas in order to make the final...

December 14, 2018

Sermon Illustration: How Do You Receive Jesus? (Repost)

Tim Keller has written an outstanding book titled Hidden Christmas. In chapter 1, he gives...

December 07, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Resistance

Okay, so this is more of a "quote" for a sermon than an illustration. Nevertheless,...

November 2018

November 30, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Waiting and Hastening

From Fleming Rutledge's Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ: Waiting and hastening!Â How...

November 22, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Pumpkin Pie and Missions

Did you know Thanksgiving first started with missionaries to America? I know, right? Here is...

November 16, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Healing Your Church Hurt

Tremendous quote from Stephen Mansfield's Healing Your Church Hurt: What to do When You Still...

November 09, 2018

Sermon Illustration: “Here Comes the Bride” & Fasting

Recently, while officiating a wedding, I learned one of the key reasons for fasting. The...

November 02, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Volunteer or Called?

Depending on who you read, Tennessee became known as the Volunteer State for one of...

October 2018

October 26, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Words Matter

A great illustration when discussing the power of affirmation, I found this from chapter 7...

October 19, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Tempted Not to Tithe

I am a 41 year old pastor and still get tempted not to tithe. I...

October 12, 2018

What Nickname Would YOU Receive?

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is...

October 05, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Welcome to College

Earlier this week, the New York Times posted an article entitled "Welcome to College. Your...

September 2018

September 28, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Nissan Pathfinder

Recently, my 2001 Honda Accord kicked the bucket. A couple of failed emission tests and...

September 21, 2018

Sermon Illustration: How to Murder Your Husband

Nancy Brophy, a sweet looking granny is in jail for murdering her husband. Yep. A...

August 2018

August 24, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Making Disciples (Football Edition)

If you're a dad of young children (particularly boys), you are making disciples. Trust me....

August 17, 2018

Sermon Illustration: All Inclusive

Recently, my wife and I had an incredible opportunity to get away for a week...

August 03, 2018

Sermon Illustration: What if You Stopped Believing in God?

I recently read this article from Relevant magazine about the Christian music group Gungor. A...

July 2018

July 13, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Poking and Prodding at Human Longings

In preparation for this week's message on Jesus feeding the 5,000 from John 6 (sign...

July 06, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Getting My Oil Changed

Confession: I HATE getting my oil changed. In fact, hatred isn't a strong enough word...

June 2018

June 29, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Recommitted?

Studying for this week's sermon on the Second Sign of Jesus from John 4:43-54, I...

June 22, 2018

Sermon Illustration: A Father’s Day Gift I Had Nothing to do With

To illustrate the point that we cannot love like Jesus on our own, I began...

June 15, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Social Media and Relationships

This Sunday, I will be wrapping up a series on healthy relationships. As with every...

June 01, 2018

Illustration of the Role of a Pastor: The Harpooner

I honestly cannot think of a better illustration of a pastor for his people.Â I found...

May 2018

May 25, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Yanny or Laurel?

To open a sermon on the definition of biblical marriage, I played the audio of...

May 18, 2018

Sermon Illustration: That’s Not Good!

To set up a sermon on the bizarre reality of God's declaration that it was...

May 11, 2018

Sermon Illustration: The Expositional Opening to a Topical Sermon

Last week, we began a topical sermon series on healthy relationships. I try to be...

May 04, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Using the Bible to Illustrate the Bible

Often the preacher doesn't have to go very far to find an illustration for his...

April 2018

April 27, 2018

Sermon Illustration: When a Quote Saves the Day

To begin a sermon from John 21:18-19, IÂ confessed my struggle with the text the previous...

April 20, 2018

Sermon Illustration: The Most Important Question

ToÂ begin a sermon on the conversation between Peter and Jesus in John 21, I started...

April 13, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Facebook and the Awkward Leak

In a recent sermon from John 21, I wanted to set up a situation to...