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Mark J. Molldrem

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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Called to a different life -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10, Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2001
The summer of 2000 was a devastating one for the western United States.
Life with attitude -- Jeremiah 18:1-11, Philemon 1:1-21, Luke 14:25-33 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2001
We live in an ever-coarsening culture.
Always wanting more -- Joshua 5:9-12, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2001
With Augustine we can affirm that pride is the fundamental sin and concupiscence is its fundamental
Witness: suffering and rejoicing with hope -- Acts 5:27-32, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 20:19-31, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2001
Is the church living post-Christendom or post-Easter?
From lamentation to larceny -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2001
Our texts today take us over a varied landscape.

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

NULL -- Acts 11:1-18 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
There is a pastor in a large U.S. city who leads an eclectic Christian community.
Jeremiah found parables... -- Jeremiah 18:1-11 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2013
Jeremiah found parables for life in the common things of life.
NULL -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
The small West African country of Liberia experienced 14 years of devastating civil war from 1990 th
There are major proteins... -- Colossians 1:15-28 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2013
There are major proteins in most living organisms. One group is called laminins.
Paul encourages the... -- Colossians 1:11-20 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2013
Paul encourages the Colossians to be strong, endure everything, and give thanks.
NULL -- John 13:31-35 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
From Mother Teresa we hear these words exalting the command to love: "[God] cannot command the impos
Dietrich Bonhoeffer asks... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2013
Dietrich Bonhoeffer asks the pertinent question: "How can we live the Christian life in the modern w
NULL -- Luke 4:1-13 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
In one of Shakespeare's more unpleasant plays, Measure for Measure, Isabella learns that her
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 13 | OT 18 (2013) -- Hosea 11:1-11, Colossians 3:1-11, Luke 12:13-21 -- Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2013
Hosea 11:1-11
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 (2013) -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2013
Isaiah 65:17-25
Sermon illustrations for Easter 6 (2013) -- Acts 16:9-15, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, John 14:23-29 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
Acts 16:9-15
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 (2013) -- Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Luke 15:1-10 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem, Scott A. Bryte -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2013
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Sermon Illustrations for Lent 3 (2013) -- Isaiah 55:1-9, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
Isaiah 55:1-9
Scientists are always trying... -- Colossians 3:1-11 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2013
Scientists are always trying to unify observations into theories and then gather many theories into
A few years ago... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2013
A few years ago, Suzanne Collins wrote a popular trilogy that began with The Hunger Games.
NULL -- Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
The writer of Revelation has a vision of Jerusalem that does not necessarily coincide with the reali
Joshua Milton Blahyi... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2013
Joshua Milton Blahyi, a member of the Sarpo tribe in Liberia, was a high priest for the biggest god
NULL -- Isaiah 55:1-9 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
Water is life!
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 14 | OT 19 (2013) -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, Luke 12:32-40 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Scott A. Bryte, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2013
Isaiah 1:1, 10-20
Not one stone... -- Luke 21:5-19 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2013
"...
Sermon illustrations for Easter 7 (2013) -- Acts 16:16-34, Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
Acts 16:16-34
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 (2013) -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Scott A. Bryte, Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2013
Jeremiah 8:18--9:1
NULL -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
When the Twin Towers collapsed in New York City after the 9/11 terrorist attack, many were wondering
"Hands, hands, fingers, thumb... -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2013
"Hands, hands, fingers, thumb; dum ditty dum ditty dum dum dum!" Dr.
NULL -- Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
The planet Venus is called the Morning Star and also the Evening Star.

Sermon

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John Jamison
Object: You may present this message as a simple story, or have the children act it out as a role-play. I will show the role-play version, but you can ignore the acting pieces and just tell the story if you prefer.

Note: For the role-play version, you will need to select two girls and one boy to play the roles. You might also have a broom and a dust rag if you want to.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! Let’s get started.

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For July 20, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Amos 8:1-12, Psalm 52
Amos proclaims the word from God that punishes the people. The people are to be punished for their lack of faith, for their focus on practicing deceit, betraying honesty to their neighbors, and being impatient for the time after the Sabbath when they can focus on profit and selling their crops and wares. Oh, my! What a terrible message for people. You have been unfaithful so I will punish you. And then in the psalm, God is proclaimed to be the olive tree, that which brings blessing.
David Kalas
I have tried to find different ways of saying it so that my children don’t tire of hearing it. But the basic principle remains the same, and my kids have heard it a ton. “First things first.” They ask if they can do this or they start to do that, and I will endeavor to redirect them, saying, “Why don’t we make sure we’re doing first things first!”

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. (v. 24)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
One of Martha's earliest memories was of her little sister Mary singing and dancing in the middle of an admiring crowd of friends. Mary had always been a dancer, from the time she could walk. Privately, Martha thought she'd always been something of a show-off and ought to go on the stage, for Mary loved an audience.

SermonStudio

John E. Sumwalt
Jeanne Jones
Several years ago, before we moved to Wisconsin, I was an honorary nanny for our pastor's son, Jonathan. I took care of him from the time he was able to walk until our pastor moved, when Jonathan was about five. We had wonderful times together. One time, when I was at their house, and we had been doing some spiritual direction together, Pastor Michael asked me if I knew the name of my guardian angel.
James Evans
We are not surprised when we learn about crooks and robbers boasting about "mischief done against the godly" or "plotting destruction" all day long. The image we have in our minds about who "bad" people are, and how they conduct themselves, make such accusations completely plausible. We are less inclined to believe such things about leaders, especially respected leaders among us. We have difficulty believing someone with wealth and power would deliberately plot to do someone else harm.
Arley K. Fadness
Today's gospel from Luke 10 follows the parable of the good Samaritan. Luke positions the good Samaritan and the Mary-Martha story back to back for good reason. The parable and the story are examples of the Great Commandment "to love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself." The good Samaritan parable illustrates "love to neighbor," whereas the Mary-Martha story illustrates "love to God."
Kirk R. Webster
In the early 1990s, Wesley Nunley of Dallas completed a project he had dreamed of for decades. "I tell you, this could be a big thing," he explained. Wes then walked out to a concrete octagon in the middle of his backyard. With a beaming smile, arms raised up in excitement, the energetic retiree said, "This welcomes the UFO to land, which has never been done before."
John W. Wurster
It was the best of times. A time of prosperity and confidence, a time of relative peace, a time when most everything looked pretty good, a time when most everyone felt pretty good. It was a time maybe not unlike our own time.
H. Burnham Kirkland
Words Of Assurance
Our God is both wise and caring: afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.

Pastoral Prayer
God, we bow before you this morning, knowing that you hear every prayer. We know that in all of Creation, you are the source of life. You are the one who set the light swirling between the galaxies. The breath of your Spirit pulses through all life. You have even become flesh among us. We praise you, Lord, that in all your wonder, you have not forgotten us.

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