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Bill Thomas

Bill Thomas is a professor at St. Louis Christian College and on staff at First Christian Church in Washington, Missouri. He's authored three Bible studies for CSS Publishing and is a contributor to Emphasis Online. He's also written two novellas and a young adult book.
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Bible Study

Drama

Easter

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Christ The King (Proper 29) (2017) -- Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24, Ephesians 1:15-23, Matthew 25:31-46 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2017
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Sermon Illustrations For Epiphany 5 (2017) -- Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12), 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16), Matthew 5:13-20 -- Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2017
Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)
Sermon Illustrations For Presentation Of The Lord (2017) -- Malachi 3:1-4, Hebrews 2:14-18, Luke 2:22-40 -- Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez -- 2017
Malachi 3:1-4
Sermon Illustrations for Thanksgiving Day (2017) -- Deuteronomy 8:7-18, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2017
Deuteronomy 8:7-18
Sermon Illustrations For Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 (2017) -- Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2017
Isaiah 49:1-7
Sermon Illustrations For Epiphany 3 (2017) -- Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2017
Isaiah 9:1-4
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 1 (2017) -- Isaiah 64:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:24-37 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2017
Isaiah 64:1-9
Sermon Illustrations For Epiphany 4 | Ot 4 (2017) -- Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, Matthew 5:1-12 -- Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 2017
Micah 6:1-8
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 2 (2017) -- Isaiah 40:1-11, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Mark 1:1-8 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez -- Second Sunday of Advent - B -- 2017
Isaiah 40:1-11
Sermon Illustrations For Day Of Pentecost (2017) -- Acts 2:1-21, 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13, John 20:19-23 -- Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2017
Acts 2:1-21
Sermon Illustrations for Third Sunday of Advent (2017) -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2017
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 5 | OT 10 (2016) -- 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Galatians 1:11-24, Luke 7:11-17 -- Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2016
1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24)
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 6 | OT 11 | Pentecost 4 (2016) -- 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a, Galatians 2:15-21, Luke 7:36--8:3 -- R. Robert Cueni, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2016
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 7 | OT 12 (2016) -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a, Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, R. Robert Cueni, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2016
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 15 | OT 20 (2016) -- Isaiah 5:1-7, Hebrews 11:29--12:2, Luke 12:49-56 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2016
Isaiah 5:1-7
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 8 | OT 13 (2016) -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62 -- R. Robert Cueni, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2016
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany of Our Lord (2016) -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 -- Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2016
Isaiah 60:1-6
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 9 | OT 14 (2016) -- 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, R. Robert Cueni, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2016
2 Kings 5:1-14
Sermon Illustrations for Baptism of Our Lord -- Isaiah 43:1-7, Acts 8:14-17, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, R. Robert Cueni -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2016
Isaiah 43:1-7
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 10 | OT 15 (2016) -- Amos 7:7-17, Colossians 1:1-14, Luke 10:25-37 -- R. Robert Cueni, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2016
Amos 7:7-17

Free Access

Sermon Illustrations for Christmas 1 (2017) -- Isaiah 61:10--62:3, Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:22-40 -- Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - B -- 2017
Isaiah 61:10--62:3
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 (2017) -- Exodus 3:1-15, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 16:21-28 -- Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2017
Exodus 3:1-15
Sermons Illustrations For Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 (2017) -- Exodus 12:1-14, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 18:15-20 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2017
Exodus 12:1-14
Free Sermon Illustrations for Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 (2017) -- Exodus 32:1-14, Philippians 4:1-9, Matthew 22:1-14 -- Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 2017
Exodus 32:1-14
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 (2017) -- Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2017
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Ascension of the Lord
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 7
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Pentecost
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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CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffie.

* * *

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

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For June 22, 2025:

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But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,  for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.  As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (vv. 25-28)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
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1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
Life can be frightening sometimes. Thus it is both comforting but disconcerting to find a giant of faith like Elijah to fear the future. On that matter Martin Luther once claimed:
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We’re not far from the 4th of July. And while for so many Americans, it seems that the holiday has become more about long weekends, cookouts, and fireworks shows, the theme of freedom is still there at least in the background. We might take advantage of that, therefore, and give some thought to the theme of freedom as it is revealed in our assigned texts for this week.

The Village Shepherd

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Call to Worship:

The madman cried out to Jesus, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" In our worship today let us explore what Jesus has to do with us and invite him to heal our brokenness.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, we often find ourselves thinking, saying and doing things that we quickly regret.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Constance Berg
When Jill was five, she began to have headaches. The headaches were so severe she would throw up. Sometimes she would pass out. They usually came once a month. Jill could be playing, resting, or watching television when the headaches would come. Her only warning was a sudden pain in her head, then a blinding light would appear, and she would be rocked with pain. In her teenage years, they became debilitating, causing Jill to be in bed for three days at a time.
Stan Purdum
I'm not sure when the term "burn out" ceased being only a description of what happened to a campfire when you ran out of firewood to a term describing the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest, usually coming immediately after an extended period of overwork, but the expression seems to fit that later situation, doesn't it? Exhaustion, deep weariness, all used up, nothing more to give, wiped out, burned out -- call it what we will, its symptoms are all too familiar to many of us.
April Yamasaki
In the classic movie, Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews plays a no-nonsense, yet delightful, nanny to two young children. As a nanny to a wealthy family, she is part teacher, part parent, and part disciplinarian. She gets the children up in the morning, puts them to bed at night, supervises their many adventures, and guides them in many ways. While they are in her care, she is responsible for their overall safety and well-being.

Julia Ross Strope
Zoos are no longer in people's good graces.
Religion faces the same problem.
Certain illusions about freedom plague them both.
-- Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Call To Worship
Leader: I'm so glad you're here! There are seats for everyone; there's slight air movement; the windows engender tranquility and imagination and words will stimulate fresh thoughts.

People: It's good to be here, in sanctuary. We're glad for opportunities to gather and to express our gratitude to God and our appreciation for one another.

Special Occasion

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