Page 126 - Homiletics I Student Textbook

4. Plan your questions. Know when in your discussion you are going to pose the question and plan the
time it will take to bring the answer to some kind of conclusion.

5. Questions can lead to shared ignorance. For example, you present a verse in the Bible to the
students, then ask, “What do you think this verse means?” You might get 10 different answers with
varying opinions and perhaps none of them is correct. Be prepared to ANSWER the question, having
carefully studied the verse. Explain to them God’s meaning for the verse using careful exegetical
techniques.

Illustrating a Point

A very effective tool employed by the master teacher is to teach a concept,
then illustrate or give depth to the idea with an illustration, generally a story.
This is a very important tool if you want to become an effective teacher.

For example, an expert of the law, or today we would call him a lawyer, came to Jesus and asked him
what he must to do to obtain eternal life. Jesus answered him with a question which brought a
response from the lawyer. Jesus’ answer to his response brought another question from the lawyer. In
response, Jesus told the lawyer a story of the Good Samaritan which would illustrate who his neighbor
was. The story explained to the lawyer that his neighbor was perhaps one he did not care to associate
with. The illustration of the good Samaritan hit the lawyer at the heart level.

Sometimes when a teacher shares a new idea or concept, the learner cannot quite understand. If the
teacher will follow up with an illustration, the story will help bridge a gap and bring enlightenment to
the learner. After sharing the illustration, the new concept will then make sense. Illustrations help bring
understanding to the learner.

Why Use Illustrations?

1. They open the widows of understanding. If our challenge in preaching centers on our ability to help
people see, then the use of illustrations will greatly aid us. We can be faithful and clear in unpacking the
history, theological themes, and propositions of the text and still have many who don’t quite “get it.”
Like a window in an unfamiliar room the right illustration lets in some natural light to help them see.

2. An illustration piques the interest of the listener. It can be a tool to reset their attention span.

3. You can pack doctrinal truths in an illustration as you deliver the story to the students. It helps them
bridge a truth and delivers it in an emotional and realistic manner.

Some Cautions about Illustration.

1. Don’t use too many illustrations! A text in Scripture can get lost in the abundance of illustrations; the
sermon then becomes the illustrations rather than the text.

2. Make sure the illustration drives the point of the message home in the heart of the students. The
text is the master and the illustration is the servant. If you get these mixed up, illustrations will actually
harm rather than help your preaching or teaching.

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