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Arthur H. Kolsti

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The Strange Tactics Of God -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 1996
Some of you will remember Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark, a film released several ye
A Habitat For Humanity -- 2 Samuel 7:1-14a -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 1996
The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live i
Here Is Where It Happens -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B -- 1996
Here is where it happens. Where is here? Here is right here, among us.
Day of Pentecost -- Acts 2:1-21, Ezekiel 37:1-14 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 1996
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lor
When Saints Go Marching Forth -- 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 1996
Sometimes when reading you come across words that just leap off the page and grab you.
Acquaintances Or Friends? -- 1 Samuel 17:57--18:5, 10-16 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1996
Let's begin by thinking about the difference between an acquaintance and a friend.
Another Kind Of Success -- 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 1996
Rags-to-riches stories have been popular in every time and place.
R.S.V.P. -- Isaiah 6:1-8 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 1996
Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?-- Isaiah 6:8b
Saul, The Tormented King -- 1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15) -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1996
He was like a meteor.
Lyrics For The Centuries -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1996
When David received the report of the battlefield deaths of Saul and Jonathan, he expressed his sorr
The Running Man -- Mark 10:17-30 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 1993
"And as he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him ..." There is an intensit
Where Do We Stand? -- John 18:33-37 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 1993
This is the last Sunday of the church year.
Good Powers Wonderfully Hidden -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1993
Our gospel lesson is part of the Sermon on the Mount.
No Short Cuts To Glory -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 1993
The disciples were not good listeners. But then, neither are we.
Seeing And Not Seeing -- Mark 10:46-52 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 1993
Think about your eyes. What mysterious, wonderful instruments they are.
Less Important Does Not Mean Unimportant -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1993
This meeting between Jesus and the unnamed scribe recounted in the gospel lesson for today catches o
Dwarfed By Comparison -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 1993
Mark is fond of drawing comparisons as he tells the story of Jesus.
Living Between Beginnings -- Mark 13:1-13 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 1993
The 13th chapter of Mark's gospel is positioned by him to serve as the last discourse of Jesus with
Caught By The Hook -- John 8:31-36 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- 1993
This is Reformation Sunday and it is fitting that we start with a quote from Martin Luther.
Will Someone Please Notice Martha? -- John 11:32-44 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- All Saints Day - B -- 1993
Martha is an overlooked and underrated saint.
Spectators Or Sentinels? -- Mark 13:24-32 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 1993
The gospel reading for this day is bracketed by the command to keep alert, to watch.
It's Time To Rediscover The Beatitudes -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- Arthur H. Kolsti -- All Saints Day - B -- 1993
The committee responsible for the wording of the New Revised Standard Version did not replace the fa
A Time For Thanksgiving -- Mark 15:21 -- Anthology, Arthur H. Kolsti -- 1989
This meditation was delivered at a memorial service for a young man of nineteen whose death was caus
God Has a Purpose Death Where Divorce Has Intruded -- Matthew 1 -- Arthur H. Kolsti, Anthology -- 1989
We can expect an increasing number of services involving families whose relationships have been stai
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 20 | OT 25 | Pentecost 15
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 21 | OT 26 | Pentecost 16
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 22 | OT 27 | Pentecost 17
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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Object: This message will be based on a game you will play. See the note below.

NOTE: Ask three or more adults to come up and play the role of Simon for your group. Tell them to all speak at once, asking the children to do different things. The goal is to create a nice bit of confusion for the children to experience.

* * *

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

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Peter Andrew Smith
“Hey!” Annie waved at the woman standing next to the open doorway. “Can you come here?”

The woman made her way past the other nursing home residents and stood next to Annie’s wheelchair.

“What can I do for you?”

“You look familiar.” Annie squinted at her. “Do I know your name?”

“I’m Brenda.” The woman pointed at her name tag. “I work in the kitchen and sometimes help serve the meals when they are ready.”

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The Village Shepherd

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Call to Worship:

Jesus said, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much.” In our worship today let us remember the little things in our lives and ask God to help us to be utterly faithful in them.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we pretend that little sins don't matter.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we imagine that you don't notice little sins.

Christ, have mercy.

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James Evans
This poignant prayer of lament and community grief gives expression to what it feels like to suffer as a person of faith. If we believe we are truly part of God's community, then the destruction of that community -- as was the case with Israel in 587 B.C. -- becomes a time for doubt, anger, and confusion. Furthermore, if we believe we are individual members of that community, our personal suffering also creates an opportunity for a crisis of faith: "Why didn't God protect me?" Of course, it does not take a national catastrophe to raise those sorts of questions.
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If feedback is the breakfast of champions, perhaps we would do well to examine some of our prayer habits. If you have ever heard someone use The Just Really Prayer, you know exactly what problem we are talking about.

That prayer goes something like this, "Lord, we just really thank you for this day. We come before you and just really pray for mercy. We offer ourselves to you and just really ask that your will be done in our lives. Amen." I'm thankful this particular Just Really prayer was mercifully short, unlike the next example, The Good Guilt-Based Prayer.
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Another season has come and gone. Promises that were made have not been fulfilled. Good intentions haven't yielded any tangible results. Dreams have not come true. High hopes have proven to be only wishful thinking. Nothing has really changed; nothing has really improved. The time keeps moving along, but we seem stuck in the same ruts. Old routines remain, prejudices persist, dullness and anxiety continue to be constant companions. Lingering in the air is that nagging sense that things aren't quite right, not as they could be, not as they should be.
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In the scripture lesson for today Jesus tells a perplexing parable about a thoroughly dishonest employee who was praised for his dishonesty. In this story Jesus not only seems comfortable suggesting that it is acceptable to compromise with moral failings, but our Lord appears to commend his disciples to "go and do likewise." For centuries, preachers, commentators, and scholars have struggled to make sense of this outrageous tale.

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