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Derl G. Keefer

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

I have a friend named... -- Romans 12:1-8 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2014
I have a friend named Jim.
A blind man who... -- John 9:1-41 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
A blind man who was healed faced adversity from the Pharisees, who questioned him multiple times and
Oystein Brinch of Oslo, Norway... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2014
Oystein Brinch of Oslo, Norway, wrote a devotional for the Upper Room on May 18, 2014.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 -- Exodus 3:1-15, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 16:21-28 -- Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2014
Exodus 3:1-15
An illustration concerning... -- Romans 8:6-11 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
An illustration concerning the Holy Spirit caught my attention as I was reading an old illustration
Sermon Illustrations for Thanksgiving Day (2014) -- Deuteronomy 8:7-18, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2014
Deuteronomy 8:7-18
Our Daily Bread carried... -- Exodus 3:1-15 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2014
Our Daily Bread carried an illustration about a dying elderly Christian man.
Sermon Illustrations for Maundy Thursday (2014) -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 2014
Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14
Sermon Illustrations for Christ The King (Proper 29) (2014) -- Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24, Ephesians 1:15-23, Matthew 25:31-46 -- Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2014
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
William Barclay writes that... -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2014
William Barclay writes that one of the early interpretations of this section is from the Christian t
Sermon Illustrations For Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 (2014) -- Deuteronomy 30:15-20, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Matthew 5:21-37 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2014
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Sermon Illustrations for Lent 5 (2014) -- Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45 -- Scott A. Bryte, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2014
Ezekiel 37:1-14"Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones..."
Sermon Illustrations for All Saints Day (2014) -- Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12 -- Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- All Saints Day - A -- 2014
Revelation 7:9-17
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 -- Exodus 14:19-31, Romans 14:1-12, Matthew 18:21-35 -- Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2014
Exodus 14:19-31
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 (2014) -- Exodus 17:1-17, Philippians 2:1-13, Matthew 21:28-32 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2014
Exodus 17:1-7
Bishop William Quayle... -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 2014
Bishop William Quayle (1860-1925) of the Methodist Episcopal church attended a communion service wit
In the Sermon on the Mount... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- Derl G. Keefer -- All Saints Day - A -- 2014
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains the root of authentic sainthood.
When our children were small... -- Exodus 14:19-31 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2014
When our children were small and a fierce thunderstorm rained down its thunder and lightning, they w
Sermon Illustrations for Good Friday (2014) -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Hebrews 10:16-25, John 18:1--19:42 -- Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove -- Good Friday - A -- 2014
Isaiah 52:13--53:12
William Law is credited with... -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2014
William Law is credited with saying that the greatest saint in the world is not the person who prays
Love is an overused word... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2014
Love is an overused word in the English language.
We do not know what drove Peter... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2014
We do not know what drove Peter to question Jesus about the act of forgiveness, but in Matthew 18:21
Another senseless killing... -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Good Friday - A -- 2014
Another senseless killing of an innocent person happened at a school in the eastern part of the Unit
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 1 (2014) -- Isaiah 64:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:24-37 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2014
Isaiah 64:1-9
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 -- Exodus 12:1-14, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 18:15-20 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove, Scott A. Bryte -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2014
Exodus 12:1-14

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Sermon

Stories

SermonStudio

Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Money
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Attitude
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
A holy life has a voice.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Gratitude
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
The noblest mother is the public good.
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
There is no heartbeat like the heartbeat of a mother.
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Our assurance, comfort, hope, and joy is in the complete holiness of the Father.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Friendship
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
"Mothers ...
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Ridicule
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Death
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Thought
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Who fills life afresh by directing both the heart and mind into doing what God loves?
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mortality
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Beauty
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
"He who has the Holy Spirit in his heart and the Scripture in his hands has all he needs." (Alexande
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Happiness
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
"Summer camps -- those places where little boys go for mother's vacation." (Jacob Braude)
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
No language can express a mother's hope.
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
God cannot help but act in a consistent manner with His holy character.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Friendship
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mothers help set the morals that develop character in their children.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Sacrifice
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Decision
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Thoughts
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.

* * *

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

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
Carlos Wilton
(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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