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Merle G. Franke

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I Am -- John 10:1-10, 1 Peter 2:19-25, Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23 -- C. David Mckirachan, Merle G. Franke -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Contents What's Up This Week "I Am" by C. David McKirachan

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A Woman Had Two Daughters ... -- Luke 15:11-32 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Erick Nielson became acquainted firsthand with the Great Depression of the 1930s on a farm in North
Blind In One Eye ... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
The Downtown Club was an old and well-established bastion for the shakers and movers in Dallas, Texa
Impatient Planter -- Matthew 13:1-23 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Parallel Parable: Matthew 13:1-23The Sower
A Question Of Identity -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
The Weeds Among The Wheat
Role Model Ignored -- Matthew 18:23-35 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Parallel Parable: Matthew 18:23-35The Unforgiving Servant
The Bishop And The Lady -- Luke 7:36-50 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Parallel Passage: Luke 7:36-50A Sinful Woman Forgiven
The Contractor"s Choice -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Parallel Parable: Matthew 20:1-16The Laborers In The Vineyard
Midas -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Parallel Parable: Luke 12:13-21The Rich Fool
I've Heard That Song Before -- Luke 14:16-24 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Parallel Parable: Luke 14:16-24The Great Dinner
Impatient Planter -- Matthew 13:1-23 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
''I guess I wanted to be a preacher from the time I was a little kid.'' It was the newly-ordained Ca
A Woman Had Two Daughters ... -- Luke 15:11-32 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Erick Nielson became acquainted firsthand with the Great Depression of the 1930s on a farm in North
Blind In One Eye ... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
The Downtown Club was an old and well-established bastion for the shakers and movers in Dallas, Texa
Perfect In Every Way -- Luke 18:9-14 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Karl Schmidt loved to sing, and for good reason.
A Question Of Identity -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Ginger Jorgenson was an eager young Lutheran pastor just six years out of seminary.
Role Model Ignored -- Matthew 18:23-35 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
What is it that leads a person to lie or cheat or steal in order to accumulate more -- more of anyth
The Bishop And The Lady -- Luke 7:36-50 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
''Say, that's quite an enterprise so near to your church,'' the bishop kidded his host pastor.
Midas -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
The spirit of the 1980's had penetrated far deeper into the life style of Americans than even most e
I've Heard That Song Before -- Luke 14:16-24 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
''I suppose you're aware of the fact that Uncle Henry's annual bash is coming up soon,'' Chad said t
The Contractor's Choice -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
George Gustafson had been a builder in central Texas nearly 40 years.
Which Ones Were Lost? -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
The first time I set eyes on that grand old church building was in the cool of a January evening.
Neighbor To The Man -- Luke 10:25-37 -- Merle G. Franke -- 1993
Minneapolis is a cool city to live in. In more than one sense is it cool.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Easter 2
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 3
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 4
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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For May 25, 2025:

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Object: A mat, like an exercise mat, or a blanket.

Note: You can do this all by yourself, but if you want to have more fun, help your children role-play the story. Select one child to be the sick man, and a few children to be the crowd. I usually play the role of Jesus so I can easily guide things. As you tell the story, have the sick man try to crawl, and have a group of children be the crowd blocking him, and then after Jesus helps him, have the man stand up, roll the mat up under his arm, and walk away smiling. Have fun with it!

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
(This particular installment of StoryShare is adapted from a review of “Seven Psalms” that I wrote for Messenger, our denominational magazine.)

During the night, Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” (v. 9)

It all began with a dream.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
The church is a work in progress — and we are expected to be a critical part of that church’s work. In the absence of synagogue worship, Lydia and her fellow believers meet anyway at the riverside. Their faithfulness leads to Paul’s dream which helps create something where there was nothing. The passage from Revelation creates a target for us to aim for, and to work for, even as we wait for its perfect fulfillment.
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Acts 16:9-15
John Calvin claimed that this is a text to stir up our commitments to reach out to those in need, especially in this time of intolerance towards immigrants and the poor. A 2024 Gallup poll indicates that 56% of Americans favor mass deportation. And in the most recent poll on the subject of the poor, (a 2002 NPR/Kaiser poll), 52% of Americans found the poor not to have a proper work ethic. It is unlikely we have outgrown that prejudice. In response, the reformer of Geneva wrote:

SermonStudio

Wayne Brouwer
During World War II, many members of the Lutheran church in Germany lost their faith because Hitler seduced them into ways of living that kept them from practicing their faith. But there was one man whom Hitler could not compromise. His name was Martin Niemöller. During World War I, Niemöller had been a great hero in the German military but when the Second World War came, he refused to bow to the authorities. He was marching to a different drumbeat. And march he did.
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After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Stephen P. McCutchan
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us....
-- Psalm 67:1

Steven E. Albertin
(Sing the first verse and chorus of "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic.")

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.

Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
Glory, glory! Hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
1

Charles D. Reeb
Life has a way of presenting us with defining moments. I remember facing a defining moment in my ministry. I went to see a man in the hospital who was dying. He was not active in the church I pastored, but I knew who he was. When I entered his hospital room, his whole family was standing in a semi-circle around his bed. They greeted me, and then the man told his family that he wanted a moment alone with me. So they left us alone.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said to the paralysed man, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." In our worship today let us explore all that paralyses us, then let us respond to Jesus' command to stand up and walk.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of ridicule that I keep my head down.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I'm so afraid of doing the wrong thing that I do nothing at all.
Christ, have mercy.

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