The Purpose of Illustrations

In preparation for a class on preaching that I am teaching, I came across this helpful discussion of the purposes of sermon illustrations although, I think some of the points could be combined.

1. Inform and instruct
2. Explain and clarify
3. Can help the preacher connect and identify and identify with his people
4. An aid to memorization and recall
5. Helps to capture and retain attention
6. Motivate, persuade, and convince
7. Allow for mental relaxation
8. Help people see the immediate relevance of the biblical text for their lives
9. Personalize and particularize the general/universal truths revealed in the Bible
10. Make biblical truth believable
11. Create interest
12. Explain biblical doctrine and personal duty in an understandable and compelling way.

Daniel Akin, Bill Curtis, and Stephen Rummage, Engaging Exposition (Nashville B&H Academic, 2011), 199-200 (with some modification).