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Derl G. Keefer

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Dr. Tom Barnard wrote... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2013
Dr.
Christ came into... -- Romans 13:11-14 -- Derl G. Keefer -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Christ came into the world to forgive sin.
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 (2014) -- Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2013
Isaiah 49:1-7
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 2 (2013) -- Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Isaiah 11:1-10
Ever wonder what God... -- 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2013
Ever wonder what God looks like?
According to... -- Isaiah 11:1-10 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
According to Prairie Overcomer the story is told of Crowfoot, chief of the Blackfoot confeder
The renegade... -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
The renegade prophet/preacher used his human voice to articulate a message from God.
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 3 (2013) -- Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11 -- Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Isaiah 35:1-10
Most people... -- James 5:7-10 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Most people I know do not have the virtue known as patience.
Children are... -- Isaiah 7:10-16 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Children are an important part of the scriptures.
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 4 (2013) -- Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
Isaiah 7:10-16
Sermon Illustrations for Christmas Day (2013) -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2013
Isaiah 9:2-7
God's grace... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Derl G. Keefer -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2013
God's grace has appeared in Jesus Christ to offer salvation (God's forgiveness) to all people accord
Sermon Illustrations for Christmas 1 (2013) -- Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
Isaiah 63:7-9
Recently my wife... -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- Derl G. Keefer -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
Recently my wife came home from a ladies Bible study and related this story of mistaken compassion.
William McCumber says... -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- Derl G. Keefer -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
William McCumber says that the men in this section of the scripture are "unwise men." These religiou
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
Redemption stimulates... -- Jeremiah 31:7-14 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2013
Redemption stimulates joy in the heart.
According to Paul... -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2013
According to Paul Harvey, a farmer heard an irregular thumping sound against his kitchen window duri
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
Often one thinks... -- Isaiah 42:1-9 -- Derl G. Keefer -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2013
Often one thinks of service as needing to be a big event, but service is simply giving of one's self
Hearing voices from... -- Matthew 3:13-17 -- Derl G. Keefer -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2013
Hearing voices from the sky is sometimes viewed as a psychological problem where the person is in ne
Sermon Illustrations for New Year's Day (2014) -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2013
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
Suffering is not... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- Derl G. Keefer -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2013
Suffering is not something that we seek, but it does come to all people at times in life.
This passage... -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2013
This passage deals with the entrance of the Savior on the planet earth.

Preaching

Sermon

Stories

SermonStudio

Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
No touch is like a mother's touch.
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mothers of the world can help produce an upsurge of vital, God-centered, intelligently grounded powe
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Democracy
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Trials "Great hearts can only be made by great troubles." (G. H. Spurgeon)
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Blessing
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
The Holy Spirit has come to make peace for us.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Salvation
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
The true believer in the Holy Spirit is the person who sees the light from the lighthouse and avoids
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mother
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
"Holiness is not a series of do's and don'ts, but a conformity to God's character in the very depths
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
"Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life." (Sophocles)
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Giving
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Holiness "Holiness apart from Christlikeness is hollowness." (E. Stanley Jones)
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
I believe that the angels speak in soft tones when they speak the name of "Mother."
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Prejudice is the mother of ignorance and the sister of hate.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Discipleship
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Trials "Afflictions color your life, but you choose the color." (John Maxwell)
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Caution
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Effective service to God is accomplished through a holiness lifestyle.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Satan
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
The Holy Spirit speaks of a deeper life found to be richer, fuller, and spiritually satisfying to th
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mother
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
A "yes" to God is a "no" to things that hurt His Holiness.
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
"The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world." (William Wallace)
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Giving "Those who give most are least concerned about returns." (The Lunn Log)
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...

New & Featured This Week

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John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity.

Note: You will need to select six children to play roles in this activity. If you have a smaller group, you might ask some older youth or even adults to play the parts of the two attackers and the man being attacked. I will give suggestions for how they can play their roles, but feel free to help your children make the story as fun and memorable as you can. I have used boys and girls in the various roles, but you can change those however you want to change them.

* * *

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
For July 13, 2025:
  • Samaritans Among Us by Dean Feldmeyer based on Acts 2:1-21. Samaritans were despised and dismissed by the original audience who first heard Jesus tell this parable. Who are the Samaritans in our lives and how does this parable apply today?

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
I say, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals
    and fall like any prince….”
(vv. 6-7)

There have been any number of brother-sister acts that achieved a measure of fame. Take the Carpenters, famed for their singing, musicianship, and songwriting skills. Also worthy of mention are John and Joan Cusack who have acted together in over sixteen films.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
An ancient legend tells of a remote mountain village where people used to send their senior citizens out into the woods to die. The villagers had an eye to the future; they felt that those beyond a certain age would only slow down progress or use up valuable resources to no economically profitable end. Those who reached a certain age weren’t “put out to pasture” or “put out of their misery”; they were simply put out of other people’s way.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Amos 7:7-17 and Psalm 82
The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is more than 2,700 feet high—over half a mile tall. It has 160 floors and is twice as tall as the Empire State Building in New York City. It is home to the world’s fastest elevator which reaches speeds of forty miles an hour. The Burj Khalifa also hosts the world’s highest outdoor observation deck (on the 124th floor) and the world’s highest swimming pool (on the 76th floor).

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Mabel hummed a familiar hymn tune as she made her way to church. She always enjoyed her Sunday morning walk. It was one of the few times she felt safe to walk alone through the inner city, for she knew nobody would be up at 7.45 in the morning. Today was a particularly beautiful morning, with blue sky, warm sunshine, and the song of a few intrepid blackbirds who still inhabited the city.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Often, a distinction is made between the pastoral or priestly work of the church and the prophetic work. Pastoral care has to do with the care of souls, the offering of comfort in times of loss. The priestly character of pastoral work seeks to mediate the presence of God to those who are hurting.

Schuyler Rhodes
Trusting is never easy. Even in the best of relationships, people step into trust slowly. There is wariness -- questioning -- worry. What happens if trust is betrayed? What if this doesn't work? Sometimes it's like a dance. We step in and out of trust, moving to the rhythms of fear. For many, the routine is achingly familiar. Indeed, it's not easy to trust.
John Jamison
It was back in the days when the railroad was the most common mode of transportation. There were automobiles, and some airplanes, but the steam locomotive was the way most folks traveled and the way that most of the goods were distributed around the country. After dinner, people sat in the drawing room and listened to the radio programs, fading in and out from some faraway location, over the magical broadcasting signal.
Robert Leslie Holmes
Not many tourists to Washington, D.C., look for the Federal Bureau of Standards offices. It's the Capitol and the White House, the Supreme Court Building or the Smithsonian most of us want to see when we go there. Yet, at the Bureau of Standards offices something very important is stored, something that impacts your life and mine every single day. Have you ever bought the materials for a new project? When you did, most likely you purchased so many inches or feet or yards. Or, you stopped to buy gasoline for your car and purchased it at a certain price per gallon.
David O. Bales
I have the two best jobs in the world. I teach social studies at Leon Griffith Junior High School (a fairly small junior high) and I am Sunday School Superintendent at Calvary Presbyterian Church (an enormous church school). Each job is my vocation. I tell people that at school they'll find my room where the halls cross. At church they can look but probably won't find me. I'll be in someone's classroom. At each job I practice what I most deeply believe: it's how you see the world that determines how you respond to it. I'll give you an example, actually, two examples.
Erskine White
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
(Stuart K. Hine)

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