Login / Signup

David R. Cartwright

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Sermon

The Village Shepherd

Does Anybody Tell the Truth Anymore? -- Mark 3:20-35 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 2011
Note: There is no content for Proper 5 / OT 10 / Pentecost 3 from The Village Shephe

SermonStudio

Holy Spirit: Guide and Guarantee -- John 15:26-27, John 16:4b-15 -- David R. Cartwright -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2011
"Listen, Galileo! The science of the world was built on the pillars of Aristotelian wisdom.
Eyes of Faith -- Mark 4:26-34 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2011
Those of us in the church are especially good at being busy Christians instead of faithful ones.
When Things Turn Sour -- Mark 6:1-13 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2011
Sometimes things get off to a good start but then turn sour. Why?
Promising Too Much -- Mark 6:14-29 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2011
There are some commercials on TV right now that trouble me.
Marks of a Good Leader -- Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 2011
Some things never seem to change.
Satisfied in Christ -- John 6:1-21 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 2011
A comment during a conversation I had not long ago has stuck in my mind.
Does Anybody Tell the Truth Anymore? -- Mark 3:20-35 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 2011
I was watching an interview on television concerning the ENRON scandal -- a scandal that stole the l
The Teacher Who Wanted to Learn -- John 3:1-17 -- David R. Cartwright -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2011
It's about time we stopped being so hard on Nicodemus.
When All Else Fails -- Mark 5:21-43 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2011
When all else fails, what do you do? When you are up against it, where do you turn?
What Good Is Doubt? -- Mark 4:35-41 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2011
Doubt has been around for a long time. At least as long as faith and trust.
A New Continuing -- John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- David R. Cartwright -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2006
That first Pentecost was a grand and glorious day. It was a new beginning.
Guided By The Spirit -- John 16:12-15 -- David R. Cartwright -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2006
There are two main ways to go about teaching someone something.
What Outsiders Can Teach Us -- Luke 7:1-10 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - C -- 2006
Those of us ministers actively engaged in congregational worship don't get many opportunities to vis
Compassion Can Do More Than You May Think -- Luke 7:11-17 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2006
A teacher was fond of asking students in his counseling classes this question: "What can you know ab
The Extravagance Of Love -- Luke 7:36--8:3 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2006
If there was anything Jesus despised, it was stinginess, especially the holding back of oneself.
Reactions To Rejection -- Luke 9:51-62 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2006
Jesus knew what rejection felt like.
A Samaritan Took Care Of Him -- Luke 10:25-37 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2006
The situation was this: A young Jewish lawyer wanted to reassure himself that he was doing the right
How Not To Become Distracted -- Luke 10:38-42 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2006
We live in what has been called the "Information Age." We have more information at our disposal than
Ministering When You're Not Welcome -- Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2006
Jesus knew what to do all the time, and he knew how to go about it.
What Happens When You're Not Prepared For What Happens -- Luke 8:26-39 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2006
How do you handle what happens when you're not prepared for what happens?

Free Access

When All Else Fails -- Mark 5:21-43 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2011
When all else fails, what do you do? When you are up against it, where do you turn?
Satisfied in Christ -- John 6:1-21 -- David R. Cartwright -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 2011
A comment during a conversation I had not long ago has stuck in my mind.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 16 | OT 21 | Pentecost 11
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 17 | OT 22 | Pentecost 12
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 13
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

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For August 31, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
When one of our children was young, she pretended to throw something at me from close range, and then she cheerfully declared, “Ha! Made you flinch!” I remember from my own elementary years that that was always regarded as something of an achievement — to make someone blink or to make someone flinch. In reality, of course, it is little more than a test of one’s reflexes. It’s my reflex to blink or to brace when I think something is coming at me, and the reflex is a good one.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 2:4-13
Regarding verses 6-7 of the lesson John Calvin observes:

… there is nothing more common than for the ungodly when they are proved guilty, to have recourse to this subterfuge, that they acted with good intention, when they gave themselves up to their own superstitions. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.IX/1, p.78)

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. (v. 2)

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children. You will want a container of some kind of treat to give to all of the children.

Note: This is a fairly brief message as presented, but that may help keep an emphasis on the simplicity of the message if you stress it.

* * *

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

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus knew the importance of humility and used a banquet to teach people about it. As we feast on him today, let us make sure we come to him with unassuming spirits.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we are unaware of our own arrogance.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we spot other people's haughtiness but fail to recognise it in ourselves.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are so humble that we become victims of inverted pride.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
-- Hebrews 13:1-2

James Evans
The writer of Psalm 81 employs a most interesting mixed metaphor. It is not mixed, however, because the psalmist was careless and neglected his subject matter. On the contrary, it is because of an important insight into human nature that the psalmist has us "eating with our ears."

Verse 10 rehearses what was, and is, the most basic confession of faith for followers of the Lord. God speaks and says, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth and I will fill it."

Ron Lavin
There are three words I hope you will take home from church today. The words are "Only The Lonely." As you think about these words, the assurances of God's Word will comfort and strengthen you. But I'm getting ahead of my story. Before we get to these three words, we need to look at the full text of Luke 14:1, 7-14. That involves looking at three other words: humility, hospitality, and hope.

Humility
Chrysanne Timm
It is never a pleasant prospect to deal with someone who has a complaint with you. As a new pastor, and a very young one at that, one of the things I struggled with most was the experience of conflict with members. I remember as if it were yesterday a significant misunderstanding that developed between the congregation's "matriarch" and me very early in my time there. I prayed about the difficulty we were having, and I knew that I needed to go to her home and ask for the opportunity to talk things out.
H. Burnham Kirkland
Words Of Assurance
In this be confident: that the grace of God is active enough to forgive, and the love of God is powerful enough to transform.

Pastoral Prayer

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL