Classic Sermon Outlines: Over 100 Sermon Outlines by 3 of the Best Known Preachers of All Time

Matthew Henry (1662-1714) has been known and loved for three centuries for his devotional commentary on the Bible. It has not been generally known that he was also a distinguished preacher. He began preaching at twenty-four years old and held pastorates until his death. The greatness of his sermons consists in their scriptural content, lucid presentation, practical application, and Christ-centeredness. George Whitefield (1714-1770) was a dynamic English preacher who spent a number of years in America at the invitation of John and Charles Wesley. In his very first sermon, in his hometown, he preached with such fervor that a complaint was made to the bishop that he had driven fifteen people mad. Others may have been more learned, but none were more eloquent or more moving. J.C. Ryle claimed, "No preacher has ever retained his hold on his hearers so entirely as he did for thirty-four years." Alexander Maclaren (1826-1910) has been known for generations as the "prince of preachers." He was born in Scotland and lived much of his life in England. His abilities to dissect a passage and to use analogies from nature and life have long been imitated. His sermons reveal his passion, spiritual insight, and intellectual power.