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Bob Ove

Robert S. Ove is a retired Lutheran pastor who serves as interim pastor where and when needed. He has written for various publications, including Guideposts, Reminisce, and Lutheran Partners. A native of Wisconsin, Ove received his BA from Carthage College and did a year of graduate work at the University of Iowa. His first job was teaching on the Mescalero Apache reservation. Ove's first book, Geronimo's Kids, tells of this experience. Following a brief career in film and photography, he left his business to attend Hamma School of Theology at Wittenberg University for his M. Div., becoming a pastor. During his pastoral career, Ove has served churches in nine different states from New York to California and Canada. Upon "retirement," Bob served as a missionary to Nepal. His latest book, In the Shadow of Everest, relates many of his Nepalese adventures. He is a member of Christ the Ray of Hope Lutheran Church where he does some supply preaching, teaching, and writing.
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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Even though the Lord is merciful... -- Amos 7:7-17 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2013
Even though the Lord is merciful and loving, He still has his exact requirements for us.
Why was the whole countryside so excited about Jesus coming?... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Bob Ove -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2013
Why was the whole countryside so excited about Jesus coming? Was it because he gave good sermons?
This is almost everyone's favorite passage... -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Bob Ove -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2013
This is almost everyone's favorite passage whether we live it or not, and it should be embroidered a
"Desert" often... -- Isaiah 35:1-10 -- Bob Ove -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
"Desert" often referred to spiritual desolation.
We got our... -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- Bob Ove -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2013
We got our highfalutin' words of wisdom from seminary, but we had to translate them for the people i
Does that give you hope... -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2013
Does that give you hope? Even if your faith is small -- even miniscule!
NULL -- Revelation 7:9-17 -- Bob Ove -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
The Bible is full of visions. Some will look to psychiatrists to find out what really happened!
Even every confirmand... -- Luke 10:25-37 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2013
Even every confirmand could probably quote this passage or a list of other passages that he might be
Sermon Illustrations for Lent 5 (2013) -- Isaiah 43:16-21, Philippians 3:4b-14, John 12:1-8 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
Isaiah 43:16-21
Don't we like... -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- Bob Ove -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Don't we like to be sure? Was John an agnostic? Did he doubt who Jesus was?
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 7 (2014) -- Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23, Matthew 5:38-48 -- Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2013
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 23 | OT 28 (2013) -- Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2013
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Sermon illustrations for Ascension of the Lord (2013) -- Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 -- Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2013
Acts 1:1-11
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 11 | OT 16 (2013) -- Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42 -- Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2013
Amos 8:1-12
NULL -- Isaiah 43:16-21 -- Bob Ove -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
I'm sure the writer was thinking of Pharaoh's chariots, which drowned in the sea to save God's peopl
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 4 (2013) -- Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Isaiah 7:10-16
We are each responsible... -- 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23 -- Bob Ove -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2013
We are each responsible for building on the foundation in Christ.
Paul often repeats the basis... -- 2 Timothy 2:8-15 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2013
Paul often repeats the basis of our faith in Christ! It can't be stated often enough!
NULL -- Acts 1:1-11 -- Bob Ove -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2013
First we might question who Theophilus is.
You can't help but notice... -- Colossians 1:15-28 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2013
You can't help but notice that there is a purpose in each of Paul's letters.
NULL -- John 12:1-8 -- Bob Ove -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
Beware you church treasures!
A servant could... -- Romans 1:1-7 -- Bob Ove -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
A servant could mean a slave, or it could mean the messenger of a king -- a high officer in the roya
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany of Our Lord (2014) -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2013
Isaiah 60:1-6
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 24 | OT 29 (2013) -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2013
Jeremiah 31:27-34
NULL -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Bob Ove -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2013
In order to understand all the New Testament, we have to be familiar with the Old Testament also.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 10 | OT 15 | Pentecost 5
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 11 | OT 16 | Pentecost 6
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 12 | OT 17 | Pentecost 7
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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John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity.

Note: You will need to select six children to play roles in this activity. If you have a smaller group, you might ask some older youth or even adults to play the parts of the two attackers and the man being attacked. I will give suggestions for how they can play their roles, but feel free to help your children make the story as fun and memorable as you can. I have used boys and girls in the various roles, but you can change those however you want to change them.

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The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
For July 13, 2025:
  • Samaritans Among Us by Dean Feldmeyer based on Acts 2:1-21. Samaritans were despised and dismissed by the original audience who first heard Jesus tell this parable. Who are the Samaritans in our lives and how does this parable apply today?
  • Second Thoughts: The Helpers by Katy Stenta based on Amos 7:7-17.

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
I say, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals
    and fall like any prince….”
(vv. 6-7)

There have been any number of brother-sister acts that achieved a measure of fame. Take the Carpenters, famed for their singing, musicianship, and songwriting skills. Also worthy of mention are John and Joan Cusack who have acted together in over sixteen films.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
An ancient legend tells of a remote mountain village where people used to send their senior citizens out into the woods to die. The villagers had an eye to the future; they felt that those beyond a certain age would only slow down progress or use up valuable resources to no economically profitable end. Those who reached a certain age weren’t “put out to pasture” or “put out of their misery”; they were simply put out of other people’s way.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Amos 7:7-17 and Psalm 82
The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is more than 2,700 feet high—over half a mile tall. It has 160 floors and is twice as tall as the Empire State Building in New York City. It is home to the world’s fastest elevator which reaches speeds of forty miles an hour. The Burj Khalifa also hosts the world’s highest outdoor observation deck (on the 124th floor) and the world’s highest swimming pool (on the 76th floor).

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Mabel hummed a familiar hymn tune as she made her way to church. She always enjoyed her Sunday morning walk. It was one of the few times she felt safe to walk alone through the inner city, for she knew nobody would be up at 7.45 in the morning. Today was a particularly beautiful morning, with blue sky, warm sunshine, and the song of a few intrepid blackbirds who still inhabited the city.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Often, a distinction is made between the pastoral or priestly work of the church and the prophetic work. Pastoral care has to do with the care of souls, the offering of comfort in times of loss. The priestly character of pastoral work seeks to mediate the presence of God to those who are hurting.

Schuyler Rhodes
Trusting is never easy. Even in the best of relationships, people step into trust slowly. There is wariness -- questioning -- worry. What happens if trust is betrayed? What if this doesn't work? Sometimes it's like a dance. We step in and out of trust, moving to the rhythms of fear. For many, the routine is achingly familiar. Indeed, it's not easy to trust.
John Jamison
It was back in the days when the railroad was the most common mode of transportation. There were automobiles, and some airplanes, but the steam locomotive was the way most folks traveled and the way that most of the goods were distributed around the country. After dinner, people sat in the drawing room and listened to the radio programs, fading in and out from some faraway location, over the magical broadcasting signal.
Robert Leslie Holmes
Not many tourists to Washington, D.C., look for the Federal Bureau of Standards offices. It's the Capitol and the White House, the Supreme Court Building or the Smithsonian most of us want to see when we go there. Yet, at the Bureau of Standards offices something very important is stored, something that impacts your life and mine every single day. Have you ever bought the materials for a new project? When you did, most likely you purchased so many inches or feet or yards. Or, you stopped to buy gasoline for your car and purchased it at a certain price per gallon.
David O. Bales
I have the two best jobs in the world. I teach social studies at Leon Griffith Junior High School (a fairly small junior high) and I am Sunday School Superintendent at Calvary Presbyterian Church (an enormous church school). Each job is my vocation. I tell people that at school they'll find my room where the halls cross. At church they can look but probably won't find me. I'll be in someone's classroom. At each job I practice what I most deeply believe: it's how you see the world that determines how you respond to it. I'll give you an example, actually, two examples.
Erskine White
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
(Stuart K. Hine)

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