Login / Signup

John M. Braaten

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

Sermon

SermonStudio

Marital Horticulture -- John M. Braaten -- 1997
____________ and ____________ we have gathered together this afternoon just for you.
One Husband's Counsel -- John M. Braaten -- 1997
____________ and ____________, what a marvelous day this is for us!
The Beauty Of Marriage -- John M. Braaten -- 1997
____________ and ____________, this is a very special day in your lives.
Two R-Rated Stories -- John 8:1-11 -- John M. Braaten -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C -- 1991
We are going to look at two R-rated stories from the life of Christ this morning.
That's Our God For You! -- Luke 19:28-40 -- John M. Braaten -- Passion Sunday - C -- 1991
Palm Sunday is an event in Christ's life that many people, particularly young people, enjoy.
Portrait Of A Powerful Servant -- John 13:1-15 -- John M. Braaten -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 1991
Jesus loved to paint portraits for the soul. He did it through his actions as well as his words.
The King Who Came To Die -- John 19:l6b-22 -- John M. Braaten -- Good Friday - C -- 1991
"The King of the Jews." That was the title which Pilate nailed above the cross where Jesus hung.
Beyond Togetherness -- John 17:20-26 -- John M. Braaten -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 1991
There's a story which many of you have heard and it is a fitting introduction for our text.
Safe With The Shepherd -- John 10:22-30 -- John M. Braaten -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 1991
Listening to a television talk-show one night I heard the cartoonist Jules Pfeiffer discussing a com
A Farewell Gift -- John 14:23-29 -- John M. Braaten -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 1991
I have never liked saying "goodbye," it always elicits feelings of finality.
A Strange Kind Of Glory -- John 13:31-35 -- John M. Braaten -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 1991
It is often difficult for Christians to get past the idea that those who have given themselves to th
The Pitfalls Of Practicing Piety -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- John M. Braaten -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 1991
I have never liked the word "beware." It always seems to be written in intimidating block letters wh
Good News From A Graveyard -- John 20:1-18 -- John M. Braaten -- Easter Day - C -- 1991
If wild applause was ever in order in the church, Easter is the time.
A Word For All Reasons -- John 20:19-31 -- John M. Braaten -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 1991
Easter has happened.
Act III, Scene 2 -- John 21:1-14 -- John M. Braaten -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 1991
Each year we in the church are involved in a great drama.
The Greatest Wonder Of All! -- John 20:19-23 -- John M. Braaten -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 1991
The celebration of Pentecost, with its mighty demonstration of power by the Holy Spirit, is a good t
Our Christian I.D. -- Luke 4:1-13 -- John M. Braaten -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 1991
Given that you and I are reasonably good people, it probably does not amaze you to read that Jesus w
Finding Our Roots -- Luke 9:28-36 -- John M. Braaten -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 1991
Ever since Alex Haley’s novel, Roots, hit the bookstands in the mid-70s, there has been an increasin
Planted For A Purpose -- Luke 13:1-13 -- John M. Braaten -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 1991
A hole is blown open in the cargo area of a 747 jumbo jet, and nine people are sucked out and killed
The Story Of The Scandalized Neighbors -- Luke 15:11-24 -- John M. Braaten -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 1991
I don't know what this world is coming to.
Except We Become Like Children Death of a Twelve-year-old Boy -- Matthew 18:1-5 -- John M. Braaten, Anthology -- 1989
Preached at the funeral of a twelve-year-old boy who died of a congenital heart defect.
Never Separated Death of an Alzheimer's Victim -- Romans 8:31-39 -- John M. Braaten, Anthology -- 1989
Who shall separate us from the love of God?
Marital Horticulture -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name) we have gathered together this afternoon just for you.
An Offer from God -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name), you haven't exactly had what would be called a whirlwind romance.
The Crisis of Marriage -- John M. Braaten -- 1987
(Name) and (name), I rejoice with you today, and I know your families are pleased, too - glad that y
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
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
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For November 2, 2025:
Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For November 2, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message involves roleplay. You will need a chair for Zach to stand on, unless it is ok for him to stand on a front pew. For the best fun, you will also want to have an adult volunteer play the role of Jesus and walk in when it is time. Whether he is in costume is up to you.

* * *
John Jamison
Object: You will need one or more pictures of people recognized as saints. You may find some pictures by Googling “public domain pictures of saints” and printing images from the results.

* * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 and Psalm 119:137-144
Walter Elwell in the Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook notes of righteousness that it is, “Right standing, specifically before God. Among the Greeks, righteousness was an ethical virtue. Among the Hebrews it was a legal concept; the righteous man was the one who got the verdict of acceptability when tried at the bar of God’s justice.” God is a righteous God, even when is people are not righteous.
Frank Ramirez
One of the features of synagogue worship is the Shema. The Hebrew word is “Hear!” and is the opening for Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” God’s people are commanded to “hear” these words. They come from the Lord. And these three scriptures invite us to hear God and each other, something that is lacking in our society today.
Wayne Brouwer
Fred Craddock tells of a vacation encounter in the Smokey Mountains of eastern Tennessee years ago that moved him deeply. He and his wife took supper one evening in a place called the Black Bear Inn. One side of the building was all glass, open to a magnificent mountain view. Glad to be alone, the Craddocks were a bit annoyed when an elderly man ambled over and struck up a nosey conversation: “Are you on vacation?” “Where are you from?” “What do you do?”
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 and Psalm 149

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, but your commandments are my delight. Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live. (vv. 143-144)

When I was an associate pastor in Janesville, Wisconsin one of my responsibilities was to give a lecture on spirituality once a month at a drug treatment facility. The students who attended were persons who had been convicted of drunk driving and were required to attend the class as a condition of their sentence. Attendance was always good.
Frank Ramirez
Call them the good old days. Call it the Golden Age. It’s not unusual for people to look back in their youth, or to the youth of their country, as somehow more perfect, honorable, or simpler. C.S. Lewis was always skeptical about claims that chocolate was better in one’s youth. It wasn’t better. Our taste buds were stronger and more receptive.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
The Roman Catholic Church's canonisation of Edith Stein some years ago, fuelled considerable controversy. Edith Stein was born and bred into a Jewish family, becoming a Roman Catholic Christian at the age of 31. She was also a leading German intellectual in the early thirties, during the run-up to World War 2, although she gave up that career in order to become a Carmelite nun. But she didn't deny her Jewish roots, for in 1933 she petitioned the Pope, Pious XI to write an encyclical in defence of the Jews.
Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus didn't reject anyone, even those who were liars and cheats. By a simple act of friendship Jesus turned Zaccheus' life around. In our worship today let us consider friendship and all that it means.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, there are some people I don't like.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, there are some people I reject.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, there are some people I keep out of my circle of friends.
Lord, have mercy.


Reading:

SermonStudio

Carlos Wilton
Theme For The Day
The world offers many blessings, but none of these things will save us: only the blessing of God in Jesus Christ can do that.

Old Testament Lesson
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Daniel's Apocalyptic Dream
Perry H. Biddle, Jr.
Comments on the Lessons
John W. Clarke
This chapter of Luke brings us ever closer to the end of Jesus' public ministry. Jesus enters Jericho, just fifteen miles or so from the holy city of Jerusalem. It is here that Jesus transforms the life of Zacchaeus, the tax collector. This is one of the few stories that is peculiar to Luke and is a wonderful human-interest story. The fact that Zacchaeus is willing to climb a tree to see Jesus is a clear indication that he really wanted to see and meet the carpenter from Nazareth. His eagerness to see Jesus is rewarded in a very special way.
Scott A. Bryte
Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
Mark Ellingson
This is a story written for people who had been or were about to be persecuted, if not enslaved. (The book of Daniel was probably written in the mid-second century B.C. during a period of Seleucid [Syrian] domination in Palestine.) It tells them and us how their ancestors had once faced a similar slavery under the oppression of the Babylonians centuries earlier. The implication was that if these ancestors could endure and overcome such bondage, so could they and so can we.
Gary L. Carver
Ulysses S. Grant fought many significant battles as commander of the Union forces in the War Between the States. He also served as President of the United States where he probably engaged in as many battles as he did while he was a general. Toward the end of his life he fought his toughest battle -- with cancer and death.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL