Really Bad and Really Good News in the Mail

We’ve just shipped 300 Illustrations for Preachers. Veteran pastor and homiletics professor Jim Wilson provides stories, statistics, and more to help preachers connect with their congregations in a fresh way. All illustrations are edited for maximum storytelling effect and tagged with preaching themes and Scripture references, making them easy to find in Logos. Here are a few examples.

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Couple Receives Mixed Messages about Watering Their Lawn

Matthew 22:15–22; Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:20–26; Acts 4:18–19; 5:27–29; Romans 13:1–7; 1 Peter 2:13–17

Preaching Themes: Discipleship, Government, Obedience

During a severe drought, a couple in Glendora, California, received mixed messages from two levels of government. The city threatened to fine them up to $500 if they didn’t begin watering their lawn, whereas the state threatened to fine residents up to $500 for wasting water on outdoor use. The couple didn’t know what to do. If you’re fined if you do and fined if you don’t, decision making can be difficult.

When Peter and John received conflicting commands, one of the commands came from God. The command from local authorities went unheeded.

—Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

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Not Bothering to Read the Good News

Romans 10:14

Preaching Themes: Evangelism, Gospel

The 2008 housing crisis devastated many homeowners, making their mortgages impossible to pay. When the FDIC took control of Indy Mac Bank, a California savings and loan institution, they took steps to help troubled homeowners by lowering interest rates and offering loan extensions up to 40 years. Only about half of the offers even received a reply. FDIC officials speculate that many of those receiving letters long ago stopped opening mortgage-related mail. If they are right, these homeowners never got the good news because they didn’t bother to read it. What a tragedy.

In sending Christ, God made an offer that seems too good to be true, yet there are those who have not accepted it. I wonder how many of them haven’t rejected the offer; they just haven’t heard it yet.

—Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

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Pick up your copy of 300 Illustrations for Preachers today!