Seven Shakespeare lines to quote in your sermon this Sunday—plus a few choice insults…

Tomorrow, Saturday 23rd April, will be the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. But his writing endures—mainly because of his uncanny skill for capturing the depths of the human psyche. He vividly portrays timeless emotions in all their rawness.

So, in honour of the great Bard, here are seven Shakespeare quotes that would make great sermon illustrations this Sunday (and good conversation starters at Sunday lunch…)

1. On the hopelessness of the world without God

Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
– Macbeth in Macbeth
Bible refs: Ephesians 2 v 12; Ecclesiastes

2. On the need to act on what you’ve heard in a sermon

Talking isn't doing. It is a kind of good deed to say well; and yet words are not deeds.
– King Henry VIII in King Henry VIII
Bible refs: James 1 v 23-24

3. On the agony of living with a guilty conscience

Out, damned spot! Out, I say! …
Here’s the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, Oh, Oh! …
What’s done cannot be undone.
– Lady Macbeth in Macbeth
Bible refs: Psalm 51, Romans 2 v 15

4. On the dangers of excusing or covering up your sin

And oftentimes excusing of a fault

Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse,

As patches set upon a little breach

Discredit more in hiding of the fault

Than did the fault before it was so patch'd.
– Pembroke in The Life and Death of King John
Bible refs: 1 John 1 v 8-10, 1 Samuel 13 v 1-15

5. On the temptation to use power and acclaim to forge a “lasting” reputation for ourselves

Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Immortal longings in me.
– Cleopatra in Anthony and Cleopatra
Bible refs: Matthew 20 v 25-27

6. On the shortness of our lives in this age

O gentlemen, the time of life is short!

To spend that shortness basely were too long,

If life did ride upon a dial's point,

Still ending at the arrival of an hour.
– Hotspur in Henry IV, part 1
Bible refs: Ephesians 5 v 15-17, Revelation 3 v 11

7. On our human inclination towards jealousy

But Oh, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes. By so much the more shall I tomorrow be at the height of heart-heaviness, by how much I shall think my brother happy in having what he wishes for.
– Orlando in As You Like It
Bible refs: Romans 12 v 5; Exodus 20 v 17

Of course, if you are in ranty preaching mode you could always throw in a few Shakespearean insults as well—our personal favourites are:

• “There’s no more faith in thee than in a stewed prune.” (Henry V)
• “Methink’st thou art a general offence and every man should beat thee.”  (All’s Well That Ends Well)
• “You scullion! You rampallian! You fustilarian! I’ll tickle your catastrophe!” (Henry IV, Part 2)

If you have any other suggestions, do share them below...