Login / Signup

First Sunday in Lent - B

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Children's Activity

Commentary

Children's bulletin

Children's Liturgy and Story

Children's sermon

Children's Story

Devotional

Drama

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Alice was one of the... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Alice was one of the many shut-ins in the church. She was 82 years old.
Tradition has it that George... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Tradition has it that George Friderick Handel was so overwhelmed and awed by his reading of the book
In the space of seven... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
In the space of seven verses Jesus is baptized, temped by Satan, hears of John the Baptist's death,
A pastor in Texas tells... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
A pastor in Texas tells about a spiritual reality that affects most Christians.
John and Sarah had been... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
John and Sarah had been married for over 25 years.
Rainbows have been the object... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Rainbows have been the object of contemplation, questions, and stories from the beginning of time.
Charles has not attended church... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Charles has not attended church for a number of months.
The story of Noah and... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
The story of Noah and the ark has been the source of many jokes, like, "Why couldn't Noah play cards
I once heard it said... -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
I once heard it said that in our day we have lost sight of the "once for all" dimensions of life.
I attended a mass at... -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
I attended a mass at the large cathedral in San Salvador in which they recently held the martyred Bi
Viktor Frankl is well known... -- Romans 8:31-39 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Viktor Frankl is well known for his book, Man's Search For Meaning.
As a university professor she... -- Romans 8:31-39 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
As a university professor she had taught many people who were now famous artists.
At one time, said Martin... -- Romans 8:31-39 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
"At one time," said Martin Luther, "I was sorely vexed and tried by my own sinfulness, by the wicked
A pastor friend of mine... -- Romans 8:31-39 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
A pastor friend of mine reported on a visit he made to the Soviet Union.
It is remarkable how many... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
It is remarkable how many of God's prophets have come to us after spending time in the wilderness.
Surely Jesus knew the consequences... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Surely Jesus knew the consequences.
Brenda spoke to the Administrative... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Brenda spoke to the Administrative Board with a quavering voice, filled with emotion.
When Newton Minnow made his... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
When Newton Minnow made his now-famous remark about commercial television programming, it resonated
How slow we were to... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
How slow we were to realize that we must build a monument to the veterans of Vietnam.
God's covenants sometimes hold great... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
God's covenants sometimes hold great surprises not immediately visible.
I stood one afternoon several... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
I stood one afternoon several years ago watching the soft colors of a rainbow arch over an open fiel

Intercession

Poems

Prayer

Preaching

Sermon

Stories

Worship

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Signup for FREE!
(No credit card needed.)
Easter 4
28 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 5
33 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
30 – Worship Resources
35 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 6
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Signup for FREE!
(No credit card needed.)

New & Featured This Week

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
In the sometimes-tiresome debate over science and scripture with respect to creation, it’s easy to become distracted. While the argument typically requires a focus on the how, we may lose sight of the what. And so, for just a moment, let me invite us to think for a moment about what God created.
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas
Acts 8:26-40
As a local church pastor, I was often asked if I would baptize a child whose family were not members of the church. Some churches rebelled against this, but I remember this scripture — the hunger for understanding and inclusion of the Eunuch and Philp’s response — to teach and share and baptize in the name of our God. How could we turn anyone away from the rite of baptism?

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Dad, I think you worked a miracle.” Rolf slowly walked around the tree. “After that windstorm, I assumed this tree was as good as gone.”

“We just needed to give the branches time to heal and come back,” Michael replied.

 “I know, but so many of them were battered and broken I figured that it couldn’t recover. Now though it looks just like it did before the storm.” Rolf paused. “Do you think it will bear any fruit this summer?”

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A live plant that produces fruit, and a broken branch from that plant. I used a tomato plant from a local greenhouse. Ideally, find a plant with blossoms or small fruit already growing. If you use a different kind of fruit-producing plant, just change the script to fit.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Elena Delhagen
Dean Feldmeyer
Quantisha Mason-Doll
For April 28, 2024:
  • On The Way To Gaza by Chris Keating based on Acts 8:26-40. On the way to Gaza, Philip discovers the startling ways the Spirit of God moves across borders, boundaries, customs, and traditions.
  • Second Thoughts: Abiding by Katy Stenta based on John 15:1-8.
  • Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Tom Willadsen, Elena Delhagen, Dean Feldmeyer.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. In our service today, let us absorb from the vine all the nourishment we need.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes our branches become cut off from the vine.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes our branches are withered.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we fail to produce good fruit.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Stan Purdum
We will meet Psalm 22 in its entirety on Good Friday, but here the lectionary designates just verses 23-31. The lectionary psalms generally illuminate the week's First Lesson, which in this case is about the covenant initiated by God with Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17. The nine verses from this psalm, while not inappropriate, nonetheless leave us looking for an obvious connection with the First Lesson.

John S. Smylie
I think some people are natural-born gardeners. Our Lord grew up in a society that was familiar with agriculture. The images that he used to explain the ways of his Father in heaven are familiar to his audience. Growing up, my closest experience to agriculture was living in, "the Garden State." Most people, when they pass through New Jersey, are surprised to see that expression on the license plates of vehicles registered in New Jersey. Most folks traveling through New Jersey experience the megalopolis, the corridor between New York City and Washington DC.
Ron Lavin
A pastor in Indiana went to visit an 87-year-old man named Ermil, who was a hospital patient. A member of his church told the pastor about this old man who was an acquaintance. "He's not a believer, but he is really in need," the church member said. "I met him at the county home for the elderly. He's a lonely old man with no family and no money."

Paul E. Robinson
"Love is a many splendored thing...." Or so we heard Don Cornwall and the Four Aces sing time and again. Of course you or I might have other words to describe love, depending on our situation.

Love. "I love you." "I love to play golf." "I just love pistachio lush!" "It's tough to love some people." "Jesus loves me, this I know."

Love.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL