Lesson Goal
I hope to encourage the preaching of sermons using an analogy.
Lesson Intro
Jesus is our prime model of good preaching. He used analogy continually. Many of his parables are analogies. Yet, his analogies are not limited to his parables. Jesus is the door, the bread, the light, the Good Shepherd, the resurrection, the life, the way, the vine, and the root. Many good sermons can be created using Bible analogies, by explaining how something that was relevant to an ancient culture is still relevant today. There is also nothing wrong with taking this example and using similar, suitable modern analogies to preach the same timeless truths.
Lesson Plan
This chapter explains what an analogy is, how an analogy is structured, how to discern between good and bad analogies, and gives an example sermon.
Lesson Body
Analogs
An analog (or analogue) clock is one where the positions of hands on a circular dial are compared to real time. If two things (X and Y) are similar, we can say that X is an analog of Y. Or we could say that X and Y are analogous. Another way to say it is that X is to A like Y is to B. In the case of the analog clock, minutes of linear time are to an hour like the position of the minute hand is to a 360° circle. This is often written as
X:A::Y:B
or (in our example)
minute:hour::minute-hand:circle
Analogy
Analogy then, is a comparison of different contexts, such as X and Y which contain something similar. This is one way to overcome the difficulty of presenting two sections of scripture from two different contexts ? showing where they are similar and where they are different. Analogies make us think. For example, Paul compared a preacher's income to cattle feed when he said, don't muzzle the ox (1 Timothy 5:18). In the analogy, an ox (X) is being used to work grain (A), and a preacher (Y) is being used to work hard on the Gospel from which he receives remuneration (B). These are two totally different contexts, two different reward systems, but one very important unifying reward principle - just compensation.
In analogies using a comparison of two situations, the two contexts are called the source and the target. In the example of not muzzling the ox, the ox:grain (X:A) scenario is the source, and the gospel preacher:preacher's pay (Y:B) scenario is the target. The source is usually a familiar experience and the target is a less familiar experience. It can be argued that the source sets a precedent. The precedent is transferred from one context to another. The analogy can therefore be an argument for applying the precedent of everyday common sense to an unfamiliar situation. This analogy could be written as the ox is to the grain like a preacher is to the income from preaching the gospel. It uses our analogy structure X:A::Y:B as follows:
ox:grain::preacher:pay
Most of Jesus' analogies were common experience 2,000 years ago. Hence when we explain his teachings and bring the lesson forward to our day, it is also good to include a modern example or equivalent analogy, so that we get the point of a logical transfer from our familiar experiences to the same lesson that Jesus was teaching. In this case, when Jesus is saying that the source X of his analogy has a similar principle to Y the target, we can explain this by using a secondary, modern source X2 which has the same target Y. For instance, we could say that a Seeing Eye dog needs to be rewarded with treats in order to work best. Just as the first analogy is not meant to demean a preacher, but to show how much better we sometimes treat an animal than a human being doing the most important job on earth, so too we could create a secondary analogy, similar to the first (X2:A2::Y:B).
dog:treats::preacher:pay
Caution
Carrying the analogy too far is a common problem. What a waste of everyone's time is a comparison that dances all over the place with fanciful inventions that are pulled out of thin air and for which God receives the blame. I have heard many lay people exclaim that such a bizarre piece of rubbish was a wonderful sermon, when it was actually junk food, that didn't teach anything of earthly or heavenly good. For instance, we could say, like Paul that we should not muzzle the ox. However, we could not necessarily go on to list a whole heap of other characteristics of oxen which match those of preachers. For instance, oxen are often adult castrated males. Most preachers are not; even if your wife wishes it were so. Oxen have a limited vocabulary, such as up, whoa, gee (go right), and haw (go left). Most preachers have above average vocabularies, except perhaps when repairing the family car. Oxen are usually larger breeds of cattle. Many preachers are not large people.
So, don't say that X teaches us to apply A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H to situation Y, if the Bible only teaches us about principle A. When an analogy is given in scripture, the comparison is usually simple. Often one principle is given. Don't use this as an excuse to embellish the Word of God and give an analogy the treatment that you think the author failed to give it. He didn't fail to do anything. The Bible usually limits an analogy to one or two simple, logical principles. Stick with the parameters given within the context and you will be safe. Carrying any analogy too far stretches it beyond its elastic limits.
Bad Analogies
Don't use analogies that are weird, dim-witted, offensive or otherwise not logical. Surfing the internet, I found some really bad analogies similar to these: He fell from the building and hit the pavement like a plastic rubbish bag filled with vegetable soup. He was as tall as a 2 meter tree. The boat drifted across the smooth pond just like a bowling ball would not.
When analogies are a logical fallacy, they fall into three categories:
The straw man: Attacking B when A is the real argument. Example, "People who want contemporary music are worldly minded, and we don't want the world taking over the church." Worldliness (B) is not the real argument, and another argument about contemporary music (A) would be needed to prove anything.
The inaccurate comparison: X has a certain property A, therefore Y has the same property A. i.e. X:A::Y:A. For example, "A watch cannot put itself together, therefore chemicals cannot, and so God must have created everything." I believe that God did create everything, but this analogy does not prove it. Watches do not have the same characteristics as chemicals. Springs and wheels do not jump together into a logical sequence, but atoms and molecules do to form other chemicals. When the two things A and B are radically different, we have a false analogy.
Circular reasoning: A says B, B says A, so both must be true. A contention is alleged to be true without any evidence outside contention itself. For instance, "Marianism is true because the pope says so, and the pope is true because he preaches Marianism." The reasoning is illogical. This can be solved if we prove that either A or B is independently true, regardless of B or A.
Simply put, an illogical analogy is a phony comparison.
Good Analogies
A good analogy is where the similarities are authentic. There are also many analogies in between good and bad that are doubtful. Good preachers will avoid either bad or doubtful analogies and concentrate on those that are clear, obviously good. Analogies must be consistent, expected, and contain a genuine precedent. Finally, it must be said that analogies by themselves do not necessarily prove much, but only lend weight to other proofs. Good analogies are most useful for making a difficult or new concept clearer.
Example Sermon
The following example gives an analogy from Christ and a modern example: -
Title: "The Vine"
Goal
To understand what it means to be attached to Christ.
Intro
A lot of people today are planting grape vines to grow over an arbor or pergola. This provides a valuable Bible-in-your-backyard lesson for us all.
Plan
We will examine the analogy of a vine and its branches found in John 15. We will see who is what in God's vineyard, why fruit is important and who the source of that fruit is.
Body
1. Who is What?
We are the branches. Jesus is the vine (John 15:5). The Father is the vintner. Why do we act as if we are the source of our own energies, wisdom, salvation or hope? What really is a "self-made man?" What really is fruit?
2. Bearing Fruit or Not?
When we look at this analogy, we see that a self-made man will be a failure in God's eyes. That the only source of the fruit we need in our lives is Jesus.
3. What is the Source?
vine:fruit::Jesus:spiritual fruit in us
Real success is not money, cars, homes and a big name. Real success is being in heaven. The Father will harvest on that day, only those branches that bear fruit. The source of nourishment for that fruit is in the vine. Jesus is the source of our spiritual fruit. We must remain in him.
4. The Greenhouse
grid:power::Jesus:spiritual fruit in us
Imagine owning a hydroponic greenhouse, automatically growing tomatoes for your livelihood. You need power to open temperature-controlled vents for cooling and to operate heating fans during the night. If lightning strikes the grid and you are detached from electric power for too long, it could ruin your whole tomato crop. No power, no fruit. Just as the greenhouse owner relies on continual attachment to electricity to produce his fruit, so we need continual attachment to Jesus to produce far more important spiritual fruit in our lives.
Outro
We have examined the analogy of a vine and its branches found in John 15. We saw who is what in God's vineyard, why fruit is important and who the source of that fruit is. A self-made man is a failure in God's eyes, because the fruit that will last for eternity can only be made by God.
Suggested Assignment
Choose a concept that works well as an analogy, either from the Bible or from your own imagination. Check that it is a good analogy, that it will withstand logical scrutiny and organize it into a sermon.
Lesson Outro
This chapter explained what an analogy is, how an analogy is structured, how to discern between good and bad analogies, and gave an example. Jesus used analogy liberally, but limited the analogies to a simple and logical comparison. A good analogy can show precedence and greatly help people understand a difficult concept.
