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Douglas B. Bailey

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Illustration

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Free Sermon Illustrations for May 30, 2010 from SermonStudio -- John 16:12-15, Romans 5:1-5, Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Psalm 8 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- 2010
Instead of the triune, self-giving God at the center of our lives, the self-seeking god we idolize a

Preaching

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Language tools in reference to our understanding of the nature of God -- Douglas B. Bailey -- 2001
A. The mystery of God as the Divine Spirit
Language tools in reference to the role of Jesus Christ as our Savior -- Douglas B. Bailey -- 2001
A. The birth of Jesus, Christmas, and the mystery of the incarnation
Language tools in reference to the process of redemption -- Douglas B. Bailey -- 2001
A. Our human predicament
Language tools in reference to the life of the Christian -- Douglas B. Bailey -- 2001
A. Prayer and our relationship with God
Language Skills For A Prophetic Ministry -- Douglas B. Bailey -- 2001
I hope this book's "clips and quips" not only will provide resources you find useful, but also will

Sermon

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A Prize Worth Waiting For - Or Worth Working For? -- Genesis 29:15-28 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2001
Is a wife worth waiting for or worth working for?
When It Hurts To Forgive -- Genesis 45:1-15 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 2001
How could Joseph possibly forgive his brothers after all they did to him?
I Really Am Who I Am! -- Exodus 3:1-15 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2001
Have you ever been driving down the road and seen something so irresistible that you ended up going
Saved Through The Blood Of The Lamb -- Exodus 12:1-14 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2001
Many times, especially during Lent, we hear that Jesus is the Lamb of God who shed his blood on the
Coming Through In The Clutch -- Exodus 14:19-31 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2001
The highest compliment that can be said about an athlete is that he or she can be counted on to come
Nothing Left But A Baby In A Basket -- Exodus 1:8--2:10 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2001
Every head of a family would like to do everything possible to make life better for the next generat
An Honest And Painful Wrestling Match -- Genesis 32:22-31 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2001
Jacob's wrestling match at Peniel is much different from the wrestling matches we see on television
Does God Help Those Who Help Themselves? -- Exodus 17:1-7 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2001
People can survive longer without food than they can survive without water.
When Life Is The Pits! -- Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A -- 2001
Joseph got thrown in a big hole by his brothers, and he quickly discovered what life is like down in
Living On One Day's Rations -- Exodus 16:2-15 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2001
Preparing for an outdoor adventure of hiking, camping, mountain climbing, or canoeing includes plann
When God Is Not "User Friendly" -- Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 -- Douglas B. Bailey -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 2001
Someone has suggested that if we simply posted the Ten Commandments on the wall in every school buil
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

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John Jamison
Object: This message is a role play. You can do this with only two children playing the parts of the two women, but if you have more children, you could have two more playing the parts of the children, another playing the part of the synagogue leader, and another playing the part of the country’s leader. You can also add any other roles you might want to add to make it interesting. Also, I have created places for your characters to speak, but you can add more of those to make it all more fun and memorable.

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The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
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Nazish Naseem
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For August 24, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
C. Knight Aldrich, a medical doctor and the first chairperson of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago (1955-1964), was a keen analyst of the motivations for our behaviors. He worked with the social services agencies of Chicago for a time, particularly spending hours with teenagers who had been arrested for shoplifting or other theft. Aldrich interviewed them to find out how they had come to this. He also talked with the parents, attempting to discover how they had handled the problem from the first time they knew about it.
Mark Ellingsen
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Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Psalm 77:1-6

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“We have questions about your conduct as our pastor,” Carl announced as soon as Pastor John sat down at the hastily called board meeting. “We have received complaints about you from the congregation.”

“Complaints?” Pastor John frowned. “From whom and about what?”

“Mrs. Finnigan saw you coming out of what she politely described as ‘A Gentleman’s Club’ last Thursday night when she was driving downtown.” Bruce scowled. “Do you deny this?”

“Not at all,” Pastor John said. “I did have to go to that place on Thursday evening.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus was aware of people's deepest needs and what prompted their actions. In our worship today let us consider how we can discover people's deepest needs and the motives for their actions.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we see only the surface and condemn without real understanding.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid to get sufficiently close to other people to see their inner needs.
Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
(See Epiphany 4/Ordinary Time 4, Cycle C, for an alternative approach.)

The old saying, "experience is the best teacher," could serve as a subtitle for this psalm. Written as a prayer for help in a time of distress or oppression, the psalm subtly hints at a recognition and awareness that only comes with time. There is a track record, so to speak, that the psalmist is aware of: God's record of dependability. Based on God's proven record of saving power and grace, the psalmist is able to pray for salvation, but at the same time celebrate the certainty of its arrival.
Lee Ann Dunlap
Carrie's1 high school guidance counselor noticed she had been acting out a bit in school recently. She had appeared depressed and had been having some authority issues over rules and such. The guidance counselor set Carrie up with a local pastor who had been volunteering a few hours each Friday after a teen suicide a few months before. Most of the other students who came to see the pastor just needed someone to listen to their usual teen issues and heartaches. But, shortly into their time together, Carrie began to open up about some real grown-up problems.
Kirk R. Webster
It's a typical Sunday morning at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida. The people file in and sit down in plush pews. Their attention is drawn to the chancel where they see choir members calmly seated, robed in dark blue and white. The mahogany altar table is draped with a silk parament. Two bronze candleholders stand guard at the table edges.
R. Robert Cueni
As was his custom, Jesus went that Sabbath morning to the synagogue for worship. As he was preaching and teaching, he happened to glance toward the fringe of the crowd where he saw a very crippled woman. She was bent over and was unable to stand up straight. When he inquired, Jesus was told the woman had been that way for eighteen years.
John H. Will
Call to Worship
Indeed, this is a day of rest and gladness.
This is God's Sabbath, created for our reflection and renewal.
Let us then not profane it, but keep it holy.
We do this as we honor God and commit ourselves to the well--being of God's creation.
Each of us individually needs a personal rejuvenation of spirit.
Together we seek a strengthening of community, a community that continues to build itself in love.
So do we come as one people to worship God, our Maker and our Sustainer.

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