week 5

· Make sure sermon ideas are clear and well worded

· Plant to balance support for your sermon ideas.

· Explore the common arenas of human experience.

· Go beyond your own limited personal experience.

· Distinguish between analogies and examples.

· Present analogies in a vivid and imaginative way.

This assignment involves the devising of illustrations for supporting sermon ideas through a process of exploring natural analogies. Complete the exercise with the following steps:

1. Write the division statement you are to illustrate. You may use the sermon idea for exploring analogies for the introduction and conclusion.

When life circumstances make ministry difficult, believers should be even more confident in proclaiming the Gospel. (vs. 12-14)

2. Circle the word or two in your statement that can be used to identify the generic idea in nontheological terms.

3. Brainstorm the arenas of life listed below for analogies that are natural expressions of your theological idea. Write as many as you can. Do not evaluate them now or second-guess your ideas.

· Family – death and joy

· Business – failure and refocus

· Animals – dog-training and companionship

· Athletics – team loss and team building

· Common objects

· World Affairs – Mid-East and God’s purpose

· Other

· Nature – seeds fall and new life

· Children – correction and maturity

· Education – short-term failure and long-term growth

· History – Failure of Christians and God’s sovereignty

· Travel

· Friendships

4. Check the best analogies from the list above on the basis of your subject, your audience, and your own ability to make particular ones work in the sermon.

Business – Failure and Re-focus.

5. Plan here how you will particularize the analogies you have chosen. You will want to present them in concrete, specific, imaginative language.

6. Write out one of your analogies on the back of the sheet as you might present it in your sermon.

Anyone who has ever started and owned a business understands heartbreak. Rarely have I known someone who has had success in business without failure. Those who “make it” it business understand that failure is part of the process. The failure presents opportunity for business to grow and become better. Have you ever watched how God can grow your faith in the midst of difficult situations. Paul was dealing with imprisonmennt, yet he rejoices as God builds the moment to advance the Gospel.