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David E. Leininger

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The Upper Room -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- David E. Leininger -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 2007
I've been there, the upper room, where this scripture is set.
Speaking Of God -- 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 -- David E. Leininger -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2007
Some things are difficult to talk about. Love, for example.
The Blame Game -- John 18:1--19:42 -- David E. Leininger -- Good Friday - A -- 2007
There is something in us that likes to assess blame. We like answers. We want conclusion.
Uncommon Laborers -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2007
Interesting collection of workers Jesus chose to accompany him -- the twelve.
Rolling Stones -- John 20:1-18 -- David E. Leininger -- Easter Day - A -- 2007
The story is certainly familiar.
How Not To Be The Father Of The Year -- Genesis 21:8-21 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 2007
It is somehow ironic that the lectionary presents this text around the time America celebrates Fathe
God's Ultimate Cosmic Joke -- 1 Peter 1:3-9 -- David E. Leininger -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
Many congregations have begun celebrating this second Sunday of Easter as Holy Humor Sunday.
East Of Easter -- Luke 24:13-35 -- David E. Leininger -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
Easter is past, and if you can think of that momentous event as midnight on a clock, the beginning o
The Second Worst Story In The Bible -- Genesis 22:1-14 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2007
What a horrible story, the second worst one in the entire Bible!
Christ Our Cornerstone -- 1 Peter 2:2-10 -- David E. Leininger -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
"Christ is our cornerstone!" That motto was chosen over a century ago for the congregation I now ser
Ask The Average Person -- Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A -- 2007
I have some questions for the "average person." First, "Which is more important, making money or bei
Attack Or Attract? -- Acts 17:22-31 -- David E. Leininger -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
It has been a few years since Dan Brown's novel, The Da Vinci Code (New York: Doubleday, 2003
Fertility Facts -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2007
Bible scholars tell us Matthew's gospel was compiled and distributed around 85 AD.
Clouded Vision -- Acts 1:1-11 -- David E. Leininger -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2007
There is an ancient apocryphal story about Jesus' arrival at the pearly gates following the ascensio
Who Do You Say That I Am? -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2007
Many years ago, in my seminary days, our first course in Systematic Theology dealt with basically th
Sounds Just Like Mom -- John 17:1-11 -- David E. Leininger -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
We reflected earlier on Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and its assertion that Jesus and Mary M
The Bush Is Still Burning -- Exodus 3:1-15 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2007
The burning bush, or more correctly, the unburning bush.
The Force -- Acts 2:1-21 -- David E. Leininger -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2007
"May the Force be with you." Everyone recognizes that as the prayer or benediction from the Star
I Am With You -- Genesis 28:10-19a -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2007
In all of scripture, and even in all of literature, you would be hard pressed to find a character mo
Remembering 9/11 -- Exodus 12:1-14 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2007
"This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festi
Under The Rainbow -- Genesis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A -- 2007
Noah and the ark. One of our earliest Sunday school memories.
Nevertheless -- Romans 8:26-39 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2007
In 1981, Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote When Bad Things Happen to Good People, not Why Bad
The Power To Change The Past -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2007
A fellow went to the hospital to visit his partner who had been taken strangely ill and was near dea
God's Not Done With Me Yet! -- Romans 4:13-25 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 2007
Abraham. No individual in history is more widely recognized and revered.
Bring Them To Me -- Matthew 14:13-21 -- David E. Leininger -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2007
The early church certainly liked this story -- it is the only miracle other than the resurrection th

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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:
  • Who Is My Neighbor? by Tom Willadsen based on 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20; Psalm 30.

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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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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

Janice B. Scott
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

James Evans
Stan Purdum
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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.

April Yamasaki
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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