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R. Craig Maccreary

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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Has it dawned on you? -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12, Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2022
Note: This installment was originally published in 2007.
Don't miss out on the coming reformation -- Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, John 8:31-36 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2011
Reformation Day always seemed to me to be the odd day out on the church calendar.
Ride on in majesty? -- Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24, Ephesians 1:15-23, Matthew 25:31-46 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2011
As the ship made her way down the channel, there was hardly a dry eye among those watching.
Passionate about the passion -- Isaiah 50:4-9a, Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 26:14--27:66, Psalm 31:9-16 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2008
I suspect that most preachers will not be looking for ways to dive headlong into
All things to all people? -- Acts 10:34-43, Colossians 3:1-4, John 20:1-18, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Easter Day - A -- 2008
What does the territory ahead look like as you chart your way through what is
Charting the course without the chart -- Acts 2:42-47, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10, Psalm 23 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
People have all sorts of travel styles. I am constantly amazed at those who can just pick
Standing on the promises -- Genesis 12:1-9, Romans 4:13-25, Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26, Psalm 33:1-12 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 2008
If you want to know how to get me to sing, though of course I am not sure that
The grand national preach-off -- Genesis 22:1-14, Romans 6:12-23, Matthew 10:40-42, Psalm 13 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2008
Nowadays it is hard for any television viewer to avoid the reality show genre where "real
Don't blow your inheritance -- Genesis 28:10-19a, Romans 8:12-25, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
I suppose all of us have particular objects of our venom and disgust. Whenever said
Gotcha! -- Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28, Romans 10:5-15, Matthew 14:22-33, Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A -- 2008
The longer I go in life the more I become fascinated with words: how we use them, where
Choose your weapon -- Exodus 3:1-15, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 16:21-28, Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2008
Weapon: "1) something (as a club, knife, or gun) used to injure, defeat, or destroy; 2) a
So who will you be voting for? -- Exodus 16:2-15, Philippians 1:21-30, Matthew 20:1-16, Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2008
Needless to say, I suspect that I have captured your attention at this point. Most of the
What you are not responsible for -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46, Psalm 8 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2007
'Tis the season to measure up, sum up, and own up. While most sanctuaries will not be
Locked in a room with open doors -- Acts 16:16-34, Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26, Psalm 97 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
About 25 years ago, Ernest Campbell, former preaching minister at New York's
Christianity, the basic course -- Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19, Psalm 66:1-12 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2007
A survey of Christian education resources reveals a trend toward an increasing number of
What's new? -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19, Psalm 98 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
Life can be quite onerous depending on the answer given to this question. Many of
Keeping up appearances -- Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42, Psalm 40:1-11 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2007
One of my favorite British situation comedies is Keeping Up Appearances. It
What's carved above your church door? -- Song of Solomon 2:8-13, James 1:17-27, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2006
There is a certain irony here as we approach the Sunday before Labor Day and the
Any questions -- show of hands -- Proverbs 31:10-31, James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a, Mark 9:30-37, Psalm 1 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
"Any questions?" The words hang in the air at the end of the teacher's lecture as the
Do you really want to be in that number? -- Isaiah 25:6-9, Revelation 21:1-6a, John 11:32-44, Psalm 24 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- All Saints Day - B -- 2006
I have to admit that Monty Python's Flying Circus is an acquired taste. Yet,
Propping up or opening up -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20, Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25, Mark 13:1-8, 1 Samuel 2:1-10 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
It is never a good place to be when you feel that you are loosing it. When clearly marked
Primal urge -- Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a, Luke 4:14-21, Psalm 19 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
The texts set before us all have to do with encountering the primal and basic core of
Getting started on the right foot -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Romans 10:8b-13, Luke 4:1-13, Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 2006
We now set sail for Jerusalem, the events of holy week, and the hope of Easter morning.
Prisoners for love -- John 15:9-17, 1 John 5:1-6, Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B
In a scene from the current hit Broadway show, The Producers, a chorus of

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Don't miss out on the coming reformation -- Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, John 8:31-36 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2011
Reformation Day always seemed to me to be the odd day out on the church calendar.
UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 11 | OT 16 | Pentecost 6
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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4 – Pastor's Devotions
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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.

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

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For July 20, 2025:

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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.
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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

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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.

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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