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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

Sermon Illustrations for Proper 26 | OT 31 (2016) -- Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12, Luke 19:1-10 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, R. Robert Cueni, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2016
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Sermon illustrations for Easter 3 (2016) -- Acts 9:1-6 (7-20), Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19 -- R. Robert Cueni, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 27 | OT 32 (2016) -- Haggai 1:5b--2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, Luke 20:27-38 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2016
Haggai 1:15b--2:9
Sermon illustrations for Easter 4 (2016) -- Acts 9:36-43, Revelation 7:9-17, John 10:22-30 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
Acts 9:36-43
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 (2016) -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2016
Isaiah 65:17-25
Sermon illustrations for Easter 5 (2016) -- Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, John 13:31-35 -- R. Robert Cueni, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
Acts 11:1-18
Sermon Illustrations for Christ the King / Proper 29 (2016) -- Jeremiah 23:1-6, Colossians 1:11-20, Luke 23:33-43 -- R. Robert Cueni, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2016
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Sermon Illustrations for Thanksgiving Day (2016) -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Philippians 4:4-9, John 6:25-35 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, R. Robert Cueni, Frank Ramirez -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2016
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Sermon illustrations for New Year's Eve/Day (2015/2016) -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46 -- Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2016
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
Sermon Illustrations for All Saints Day (2016) -- Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Ephesians 1:11-23, Luke 6:20-31 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- All Saints Day - C -- 2016
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Sermon illustrations for Transfiguration Sunday, Cycle C (2016) -- Exodus 34:29-35, 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2, Luke 9:28-36 (37-43a) -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, R. Robert Cueni, Frank Ramirez -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 2016
Exodus 34:29-35
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 1 (2016) -- Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Isaiah 2:1-5
Sermon illustrations for Easter 2 (2016) -- Acts 5:27-32, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 20:19-31, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
Acts 5:27-32
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 2 (2016) -- Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Isaiah 11:1-10
Sermon illustrations for Easter 6 (2016) -- Acts 16:9-15, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, John 14:23-29 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, R. Robert Cueni, Mark Ellingsen -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
Acts 16:9-15
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 3 (2016) -- Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Isaiah 35:1-10
Sermon illustrations for Easter 7 (2016) -- Acts 16:16-34, Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
Acts 16:16-34
Sermon Illustrations for Christmas Day (2016) -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2016
Isaiah 9:2-7
Sermon illustrations for Day of Pentecost (2016) -- Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:14-17, John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, R. Robert Cueni, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2016
Acts 2:1-21
Sermon Illustrations for Trinity Sunday (2016) -- Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Romans 5:1-5, John 16:12-15 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, R. Robert Cueni, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2016
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 4 | OT 9 (2016) -- 1 Kings 18:20-21 (22-29) 30-39, Galatians 1:1-12, Luke 7:1-10 -- R. Robert Cueni, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - C -- 2016
1 Kings 18:20-21 (22-29) 30-39
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 The Nativity of Our Lord (2015) -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2015
Isaiah 9:2-7
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 4 (2015) -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Mark 1:21-28 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2015
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Sermon Illustrations for First Sunday after Christmas Day (2015) -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26, Colossians 3:12-17, Luke 2:41-52 -- Ron Love, R. Robert Cueni, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2015
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
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...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

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For October 12, 2025:

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Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Mark Ellingsen
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StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
As he entered a village, ten men with a skin disease approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (vv. 12-13)

“I wouldn’t touch that with a ten-foot pole.”

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message is a role-play story. If you have enough children, you could have them play the roles of the ten lepers. However, for the most fun, I suggest planning ahead and recruiting ten adults from your congregation to play the roles.

* * *

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott

Call to Worship:

Jesus healed ten sick people, but nine of them were only interested in themselves and their own condition. Just one was able to look beyond his own concerns and say thank you. In our worship today let us look beyond ourselves and see God.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we are consumed by ourselves and fail to really care about other people.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we focus so intently on ourselves that we forget to say thank you.
Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
(See Easter 6, Cycle A for an alternative approach to vv. 8-20.)

Schuyler Rhodes
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (v. 10). "Perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). These two powerful statements reveal for us the inadequacies of the translation process of the English language. These two juxtaposing passages reveal only a tiny fraction of the contradictions and conflicts found within our holy Word. No wonder people have trouble reading and understanding.
Scott Suskovic
"... suffer as I do" (2 Timothy 1:12).

It was in 1965 that the Rolling Stones recorded the song, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction." Even today, over forty years later, we are still saying the same words and feeling the same emptiness of trying and trying, but getting no satisfaction. Commercials promise it with whiter teeth and fresher breath. Wall Street promises it with higher returns. Soap operas promise it with a dynamic love life. Yet those who have conquered each of those summits come up with the same cry, "I can't get no satisfaction." Can you?

Stephen M. Crotts
Have you ever had this experience? You walk into a dark room to do something, flick on the light switch, and nothing happens. I suspect a lot of our Thanksgivings are like that. Thursday late in November rolls around and suddenly it's Thanksgiving! So everybody gives thanks! But quite often the gratitude is just not there. Like the light switch, we reach for it at the appropriate time and it won't work. It's burned out.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
Once there was a wise king who died. His son, who was young and rather brash, came to the throne and after only two months ordered a review all of his father's appointments. He called in the royal secretary, the royal treasurer, and the viceroy for interviews. He found them all to be unworthy and sent them into exile with only the shirts on their backs. Next he decided to interview the local bishop. A courier was sent to the bishop's residence with this message: "You are to report to the palace and answer the following three questions: 1) What direction does God face? 2) What am I worth?

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