The Great Chicago Fire
IllustrationAnalogyHistorical Account★★★★ON October 8, 1871, Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over the
lantern at 8:30 p.m. That led to the Great Chicago Fire. It left
100,000 people homeless, 17,500 buildings destroyed, 300
people dead, and 40 million dollars’ worth of damage done—all
because a cow kicked over a lantern.
One match can burn down a house. The tongue is like a
match. It sets things aflame.
The point
The Great Chicago Fire, started by one small spark, pictures how the tongue, like a lit match, can ignite immense and lasting destruction.
Scripture
James 3:5-6James 3:8
Audience
Adults
Tone
Warning · Sobering
To tell aloud
under a minute · 64 words