3 Sermon Illustrations on Preaching with Passion

3 illustrations

3 sermon illustrations on preaching with passion — stories, anecdotes and meditations from classic illustration collections, each credited to the book it came from.

A Funny Preacher

A preacher's wit can attract attention but may distract from spiritual impact.

A popular preacher, after a pulpit exhibition of his wit to a country congregation, had particularly attracted the attention of a boy who was present. On going home to his mother, he exclaimed, "Well, mother, I shall never forget that preacher—he is the best of all I ever heard!" "Why so, my boy?" "Oh, mother, because he was so very funny!" This anecdote, though short, may be a useful hint to ministers who are in the habit of indulging their natural levity in the pulpit.

Crying In The Wrong Place

A preacher mistakenly cried at wrong sermon points, confusing his congregation.

I remember, (says Foster, in speaking of Robert Hall,) at the distance of many years, with what vividness of the ludicrous he related an anecdote of a preacher long since deceased, of some account in his day and connection. He would, in preaching, sometimes weep, or seem to weep, when the people wondered why, as not perceiving in what he was saying any cause for such emotion, in the exact places where it occurred. After his death one of his hearers happening to inspect some of his manuscript sermons, exclaimed, "I have found the explanation; we used to wonder at the good doctor's weeping with so little reason sometimes as it seemed. In his sermons, there is written here and there on the margins, 'cry here.' Now I really believe the doctor sometimes mistook the place, and that was the cause of what appeared so unaccountable."

Sermon For Dr. Manton

Preaching must be understandable to truly benefit the hearers' souls.

Dr. Harris relates, that while Dr. Manton was minister at Covent Garden, he was called on to preach before the lord mayor, and the companies of the city, at St. Paul's. He studied for the occasion an elaborate discourse, and was heard by the most intelligent part of his congregation with great admiration. But, as he was returning home in the evening, a poor man pulled the sleeve of his gown, and asked if he was the gentleman who had preached before the lord mayor in the morning. On the doctor's replying in the affirmative, the man added, "Sir, I came with the hope of getting some good for my soul, but I was greatly disappointed; for I could not understand a great deal of what you said; you were quite above me." The doctor wept, and replied, "Friend, if I did not give you a sermon, you have given me one; and, by the grace of God, I will never again play the fool, in preaching before my lord mayor in such a manner."

Evangelical Preaching

by A.W. Pink

A true evangelical ministry is characterized by a heart for souls, love for Christ, and fervour in preaching the gospel.