Login / Signup

Keith Wagner

Rev. Dr. Keith Wagner is the pastor of St. John's UCC in Troy, Ohio. He has served churches in Southwest Ohio for over three decades. He is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and has an M.Div. from Methodist Theological School, Delaware, Ohio, and a D.Min. from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has also been an adjunct professor at Edison Community College, Piqua, Ohio. He and his wife, Lin, live in Springfield, Ohio.
Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Stories

StoryShare

Jesus And Religious Know-It-Alls -- Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30, Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67, Romans 7:15-25a, Zechariah 9:9-12 -- David O. Bales, Keith Wagner -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A -- 2017
Contents "Jesus And Religious Know-It-Alls" by David O. Bales
Almost Heaven -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52, Psalm 119:129-136 -- Keith Wagner, Keith Hewitt -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2017
Contents "Almost Heaven" by Keith Wagner
Rock-Like Living -- Matthew 16:13-20, Romans 12:1-8, Exodus 1:8--2:10 -- Keith Wagner, Keith Hewitt -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2017
Contents "Rock-Like Living" by Keith Wagner
If You Don't Forgive -- Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 14:1-12, Psalm 114, Psalm 103:1-13 -- David O. Bales, Keith Wagner -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2017
Contents "If You Don’t Forgive" by David O. Bales
The Reassuring Word -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18, Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Keith Wagner -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C -- 2016
Contents "The Reassuring Word" by Keith Wagner
All You Need Is Love -- Luke 4:21-30, Jeremiah 1:4-10, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Psalm 71:1-6 -- Keith Wagner -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2016
Contents "All You Need is Love" by Keith Wagner
Living Our Beliefs -- Luke 13:31-35, Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Philippians 3:17--4:1, Psalm 27 -- Keith Wagner -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2016
Contents "Living Our Beliefs" by Keith Wagner
All For Christ -- John 12:1-8, Isaiah 43:16-21, Philippians 3:4b-14, Psalm 126 -- Peter Andrew Smith, Keith Wagner -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2016
Contents "All for Christ" by Peter Andrew Smith
Before There Can Be Resurrection There Must Be Death -- John 20:1-18, Acts 10:34-43, 1 Corinthians 15:19-26, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 -- Keith Wagner -- Easter Day - C -- 2016
Contents "Before there can be Resurrection there must be Death" by Keith Wagner
Living Outside The Box -- John 13:31-35, Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, Psalm 148 -- Keith Wagner, C. David Mckirachan -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
Contents "Living Outside the Box" by Keith Wagner
The Church Finally Got It -- John 14:8-17 (25-27), Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:14-17, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b -- Keith Wagner, C. David Mckirachan -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2016
Contents "The Church Finally Got It" by Keith Wagner
Free! -- Luke 7:11-17, 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Galatians 1:11-24, Psalm 146 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2016
Contents "Free!" by Keith Wagner
Those Who Reap What They Sow Are Servants -- Luke 10:1-11, 16-20, 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Psalm 30 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2016
Contents "Those who Reap what they Sow are Servants" by Keith Wagner
Call For Unity -- Luke 11:1-13, Hosea 1:2-10, Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19), Psalm 85 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2016
Contents "Call for Unity" by Keith Wagner
Moving Forward -- Luke 13:10-17, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Hebrews 12:18-29, Psalm 71:1-6 -- Keith Wagner, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2016
Contents "Moving Forward" by Keith Wagner "Living Unafraid" by Keith Wagner
Come, Join The Party! -- Luke 15:1-10, Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Psalm 14 -- Keith Wagner, Peter Andrew Smith -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2016
Contents "Come, Join the Party!" by Keith Wagner
Rebirth For Troubled Souls -- Luke 17:11-19, Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Psalm 66:1-12 -- Keith Wagner, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2016
Contents "Rebirth for Troubled Souls" by Keith Wagner
Growing Pains -- Luke 19:1-10, Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12, Psalm 119:137-144 -- Keith Wagner, Peter Andrew Smith -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2016
Contents "Growing Pains" by Keith Wagner
Who's The Boss? -- Luke 23:33-43, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Colossians 1:11-20, Luke 1:68-79 -- C. David Mckirachan, Keith Wagner -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2016
Contents "Who's the Boss?" by C. David McKirachan
Why Did He Ask? -- Matthew 11:2-11, Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Psalm 146:5-10 -- C. David Mckirachan, Keith Wagner -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Contents "Why did he ask?" by C. David McKirachan
Forgive And Forget -- Mark 12:38-44, Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17, Hebrews 9:24-28, Psalm 127 -- Keith Wagner -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2015
Contents "Forgive and Forget" by Keith Wagner
God Is Awesome -- Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Psalm 47 -- Keith Wagner -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2015
Contents "God is Awesome" by Keith Wagner
Heavenly Showers -- Mark 1:4-11, Psalm 29 -- Keith Wagner -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2015
Contents "Heavenly Showers" by Keith Wagner
Change Is Essential For Newness -- Mark 3:20-35, 1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15), 2 Corinthians 4:13--5:1 -- Keith Wagner, Peter Andrew Smith -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 2015
Contents "Change is Essential for Newness" by Keith Wagner
The Joy Of Giving -- Mark 5:21-43, 1 Samuel 1:1, 17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Psalm 130 -- Keith Wagner, Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2015
Contents "The Joy of Giving" by Keith Wagner
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Signup for FREE!
(No credit card needed.)
Easter 6
30 – Sermons
110+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
25 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Ascension
25 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
22 – Children's Sermons / Resources
18 – Worship Resources
23 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 7
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
25 – Worship Resources
27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Pentecost
29 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
28 – Worship Resources
32 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Trinity Sunday
27 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Signup for FREE!
(No credit card needed.)

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
George Reed
Bethany Peerbolte
For May 9, 2021:
  • One Nation Under God? by Tom Willadsen — What would the United States look like if we truly were “one nation under God?” What would it be like to live in a place where everyone was treated as one who has been “born of God?”
  • Dying Is Easy by Dean Feldmeyer — Dying is easy; living the gospel is hard.

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Frank Ramirez
Contents
“Waking Up to Racism” by John Sumwalt
“Twists and Turns” by Frank Ramirez

 
Waking Up to Racism
by John Sumwalt
Psalm 98

Let the floods clap their hands;
    let the hills sing together for joy
 at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming
    to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
    and the peoples with equity. (vv. 8-9)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
In the mid-1960s, a popular song declared, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just too little of.”1 It was an era of both national and international unrest. And the American landscape was reeling from the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement, and opposition to both. Amidst headlines so marked by unrest and division, therefore, the sentiment of the song struck a chord with an American audience. 
Bill Thomas
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Acts 10:44-48
Prejudice is always wrong. Nat King Cole is a well-known artist who was the first African American to host his own national television program. In 1948, he purchased a beautiful home in an exclusive Los Angeles neighborhood. When the local neighborhood association confronted him and informed him it didn’t want any undesirables to move in, Cole responded, “Neither do I. If I see any coming in here, I’ll be the first to complain.” He lived in that house until his death in 1965.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (vv. 9-12)

Hi, everyone! (Let them respond.)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus gave up his life for us. In our worship today let us explore how to love one another as he has loved us.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes our love for each other is thin and pale.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we pretend to love but fail to care.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we don't know how to love.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

John E. Sumwalt
Jo Perry-sumwalt
One evening, when I was 26 years old, beleagered by guilt for acknowledged sins, I was deep into an hour-long prayer of repentance. In despair, I grieved that I had broken the commandments and that I was not worthy of God's love.

Near me lay the Bible, unused and unfamiliar. I had never, ever read from the Bible. Yet my hands reached out and took the Bible to open it. I knew not where, nor why. But my hands knew the way. They opened to John 15:9-11 and as my eyes began to read, my mind knew the meaning with clarity. My eyes read verse 10 first:
Mark Ellingsen
Theme of the Day
God's love brings us together.

Collect of the Day
It is noted that God has prepared great joy for those who love Him. Petitions are then offered that such love may be poured into the hearts of the faithful so that they may obtain these promises. Justification as a reward for our deeds (love) is communicated by this prayer.

Psalm of the Day
Psalm 98
Stan Purdum
(See Christmas Day, Cycles A and B, for alternative approaches.)

Richard E. Gribble
Once upon a time a great and powerful king ruled over a vast territory. There was something very strange about this kingdom, however -- everything was the same. The people ate the same food, drank the same drink, wore the same clothes, and lived in the same type of homes. The people even did all the same work. There was another oddity about this place. Everything was gray -- the food, the drink, the clothes, the houses; there were no other colors.

Special Occasion