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Norman A. Beck

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PROPER 12 -- Psalm 105:1-11, Exodus 3:13-20, Romans 8:26-30, Matthew 13:44-52 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 1986
"Wisdom from God" is the major unifying motif in all of these texts except the Common selections Psa
PROPER 13 -- Exodus 12:1-14, Romans 8:31-39, Matthew 14:13-21 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 1986
The proclamation of God's free, abundant, loving grace is the dominant theme of all of these texts.
ADVENT 1 -- Psalm 122 -- Norman A. Beck -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 1986
Among the four texts chosen for this occasion in Series A of the lectionary we are using, perhaps Ps
PROPER 14 -- Exodus 14:19-31, Romans 9:1-5, Matthew 14:22-33 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A -- 1986
Perhaps the unifying factor that all six of these texts have in common is that the human condition i
ADVENT 2 -- Psalm 72:1-8 -- Norman A. Beck -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 1986
This psalm is a prayer to God in behalf of an Israelite king and even more in behalf of the people o
PROPER 15 -- Romans 11:13-1 6, 29-32, Matthew 15:21-28, Exodus 16:2-15, Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1986
The emphasis in all of these texts except the Common selections Exodus 16:2-15 and Psalm 78:1-3, 10-
ADVENT 3 -- Psalm 146:5-10, Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11 -- Norman A. Beck -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 1986
This psalm sharply contrasts the inadequacy of all human rulers with the total adequacy of the Lord
ASCENSION DAY -- Psalm 47, Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:46-53 -- Norman A. Beck -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 1986
The Ascension accounts in Luke-Acts (Luke 24:44-53 and Acts 1:1-11) and in Matthew 28:16-20 accompli
PROPER 16 -- Psalm 95, Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 11:33-36, Matthew 16:13-20 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 1986
The first factor that is common to most of the texts selected for this occasion is interest in God's
Epiphany 1 -- Psalm 29, Isaiah 42:1-9, Acts 10:34-43, Matthew 3:13-17 -- Norman A. Beck -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 1986
There are no texts within the Old Testament Scriptures that point specifically to the "Baptism of ou
PROPER 17 -- Matthew 16:21-28, Psalm 114, Exodus 19:1-9 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1986
In most of these texts, persons who are trying to serve God are depicted as engaged in intense strug
CHRISTMAS 1 -- Psalm 111, Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18, Isaiah 63:7-9 -- Norman A. Beck -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 1986
The emphasis in most of the texts selected for this occasion is on the responsibilities of God as Fa
PROPER 19 -- Exodus 20:1-20, Psalm 19:7-14, Matthew 18:21-35 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1986
God's forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of others clearly dominates the thought of most of the t
CHRISTMAS 2 -- Jeremiah 31:7-14, Psalm 147:12-20, Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18, John 1:1-18 -- Norman A. Beck -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 1986
The most significant concept within these texts is probably the concept of the word of God objectifi
PROPER 21 -- Exodus 33:12-23, Psalm 99, Matthew 21:28-32, Philippians 2:1-13 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1986
In order to trace the progression of thought through these texts, perhaps we should start outside of
CHRISTMAS EVE/DAY -- Psalm 96, Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-20 -- Norman A. Beck -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 1986
The birthday of Jesus is celebrated more than any other birthday in the world.
PROPER 22 -- Matthew 21:33-43, Numbers 27:12-23, Psalm 81:1-10, Philippians 3:12-21 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 1986
"God Will Prevail!" is the basic message of the parable of the renters in the vineyard of Matthew 21
EASTER 2 -- Psalm 16:5-11, Acts 2:14a, 22-32, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31 -- Norman A. Beck -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 1986
The primary theme of these texts selected for Easter 2 is appropriately, implicitly or explicitly, t
PROPER 23 -- Matthew 22:1-14, Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Philippians 4:1-9 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 1986
The message conveyed in the Matthew 22:1-14 parable is basically that "When God invites, if you are
EASTER 3 -- Psalm 116:12-19, Acts 2:14a, 36-41, 1 Peter 1:17-23, Luke 24:13-35 -- Norman A. Beck -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 1986
In the three New Testament texts chosen for Easter 3, Series A, the message that God raised Jesus fr
PROPER 24 -- Ruth 1:1-19a, Psalm 146, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Matthew 22:15-22 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 1986
Through the use of these texts we are guided to perceive God in universal terms, as the One who has
EASTER 4 -- Psalm 23, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10, Acts 2:42-47 -- Norman A. Beck -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1986
The beautiful Easter theme of "The Lord is Our Shepherd," alluded to in the John 10:1-10 analogies a
PROPER 25 -- Ruth 2:1-13, Psalm 128, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Matthew 22:34-46 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 1986
When Hans Kung in On Being a Christian reflects on the ways in which the Jesus of history depicted l
EASTER 5 -- Psalm 31:1-8, Acts 7:55-60, 1 Peter 2:2-10, John 14:1-14 -- Norman A. Beck -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1986
The Gospel reading for Easter 5 begins the transition from Easter to Ascension and Pentecost activit
PROPER 20 -- Exodus 32:1-14, Matthew 20:1-16 -- Norman A. Beck -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 1986
The goodness of God is the dominant theme in the First Lesson texts, in the Psalms readings, and in
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

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For August 24, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

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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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