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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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Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

A lamb was slaughtered... -- John 1:29-42 -- Bob Ove -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2013
A lamb was slaughtered in remembrance of the escape from Egypt.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 15 | OT 20 (2013) -- Isaiah 5:1-7, Hebrews 11:29--12:2, Luke 12:49-56 -- Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2013
Isaiah 5:1-7
It is so easy... -- Galatians 1:11-24 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2013
It is so easy coming out of seminary to bring to our people a message that our professors made up.
Sermon Illustrations for Easter Day (2013) -- Acts 10:34-43, 1 Corinthians 15:19-26, John 20:1-18 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen -- Easter Day - C -- 2013
Acts 10:34-43
If we are suffering... -- Hebrews 2:10-18 -- Bob Ove -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
If we are suffering in any way, it can help to know that God's only son was sent to suffer for us.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 26 | OT 31 (2013) -- Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12, Luke 19:1-10 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2013
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
We underestimate the power... -- Hebrews 11:29--12:2 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2013
We underestimate the power of faith.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 6 | OT 11 (2013) -- 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a, Galatians 2:15-21, Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2013
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
NULL -- Acts 10:34-43 -- Bob Ove -- Easter Day - C -- 2013
We like that God doesn't show favoritism, but too often we do.
Sermon Illustrations for Christmas 2 (2014) -- Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ephesians 1:3-14, John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2013
Jeremiah 31:7-14
That's a hard passage... -- Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2013
That's a hard passage to take, though it is a very common one and can make some realize that they ar
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 7 | OT 12 (2013) -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a, Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39 -- Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2013
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
It sounds like modern... -- 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a -- Bob Ove -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2013
It sounds like modern politics!
NULL -- John 20:1-18 -- Bob Ove -- Easter Day - C -- 2013
It was a woman who first made contact with the risen Lord.
Some preachers seem... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Bob Ove -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2013
Some preachers seem to preach more hell and damnation in order to scare people back to the Lord.
How determined are we... -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2013
How determined are we to see our Lord? Is it worth the pain of being faithful to our church?
The law is not our schoolmaster... -- Galatians 3:23-29 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2013
The law is not our schoolmaster. It leads us to our teacher, who is Christ.
Jesus ate with anyone... -- Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2013
Jesus ate with anyone, Democrat or Republican, sinners or righteous (self-righteous?), rich or poor.
Sermon Illustrations for Maundy Thursday (2013) -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2013
Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14
Sermon Illustrations for Baptism of Our Lord (2014) -- Isaiah 42:1-9, Acts 10:34-43, Matthew 3:13-17 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2013
Isaiah 42:1-9
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 27 | OT 32 (2013) -- Haggai 1:5b--2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, Luke 20:27-38 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2013
Haggai 1:5b--2:9
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 12 | OT 17 (2013) -- Hosea 1:2-10, Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19), Luke 11:1-13 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Scott A. Bryte -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2013
Hosea 1:2-10
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 8 | OT 13 (2013) -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62 -- Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Scott A. Bryte -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2013
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
NULL -- Exodus 12 1-4 (5-10) 11-14 -- Bob Ove -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2013
Whenever we see a lamb mentioned in the Old Testament, we think of Jesus, the lamb of God who was in
When we think... -- Acts 10:34-43 -- Bob Ove -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2013
When we think that we have the only avenue of truth, it may come as a surprise to find out that God
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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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The Immediate Word

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For July 6, 2025:

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John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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2 Kings 5:1-14
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2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

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Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

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(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

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A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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