Maybe you are saying, “Help! All my conclusions sound the same.”  Last week, we talked about falling into the peril of predictability in concluding your sermon.  What are some ways you can conclude your sermon?  Here are four types, with a few examples that may be helpful.

Illustrations

Brother Winkler had an effective illustration that fits well with excuses, salvation, or the judgment.  He would appeal to the listener, saying something similar to this: “What is your excuse for putting off responding to the invitation to become a Christian or to be restored? Could I ask you to do something tonight? Take a piece of paper and a writing utensil, then write down the reason why you will not be responding tonight. Then, take that excuse and fold it up, put it in your wallet or your purse.  Then, tomorrow, pull out that piece of paper and review why you did not respond. Do this each day. Then, some day, when you stand before our Lord in judgment, pull out that excuse and tell Him, ‘Lord, this is why I refused to do your will.’”  If teaching about building on the right foundation, you could appeal to any number of events from history or current events, like this: “On April 28, 2013, during morning rush hour in Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries of the world, Rana Plaza collapsed and killed well over 1000 people. It was the deadliest garment factory accident in history.  Why it happened is an outrage. It was built on swampy ground. Extra stories were constructed without proper authorization.  Costs were cut everywhere they could be. Because of this, a huge number of people paid the ultimate price. Did you know there were warnings? Cracks appeared in the walls the day before and the building was evacuated. But five garment factory owners who had space in the building ordered their employees to go back inside Rana Plaza on that fateful day.  This fact caused global outrage, spawned boycotts and led to calls for international sanctions. It was rightly considered unacceptable and inhumane for such conditions to continue to exist. Friend, what foundation are you building your life upon?”

Poetry

Several poems, whether about death, the certainly of God’s Word, the existence of God, the need for righteous living, and the like, can be found on illustration websites and poetry forums online.  Poetry books, especially those by religious writers, may also prove useful.

Quotations

Read or quote powerful, relevant passages of Scripture that drive home your point.  Maybe it is the text from which you drew your sermon.  Perhaps it is a passage you feel concisely sums up what you’ve spent your sermon saying.  Letting God speak to the people directly in your conclusion, through His Word, is powerful.

Personal References.

This can be effective, but should be used sparingly. It could be from the background of your experience, in the place where you currently preach, where you used to preach, where you grew up, or where you visited.  It could be about someone you knew or could even be something that happened to you.

Variety is helpful and these are some different types of ways to end the lesson. Avoiding predictability and mundanity will keep your listeners on their toes and tuned in to what you will say next until you are done “saying.”