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Richard A. Jensen

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Resurrection Of The Lord -- Luke 24:1-12 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
Luke 24:1-12 is the text assigned for both the Vigil of Easter and Easter Day.
Proper 5 -- Luke 7:11-17 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
In Chapter 14 we referred to David Tiede's understanding that Luke 7 is a kind of "Christological dr
Proper 6 -- Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
The lectionary at this point omits the material in Luke 7:18-35.
Proper 8 -- Luke 9:51-62 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
Scholars have recognized for a long time that the material in Luke 9:51„19:27 is unique in the Synop
Proper 9 -- Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
Chapters 9 and 10 of Luke are much occupied with the disciples.
Proper 10 -- Luke 10:25-37 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
We come this week to one of the great Lukan stories that have found their way into the consciousness
Proper 12 -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
One of the basic agendas "on the way to Jerusalem" is instruction of the disciples.
Proper 13 -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
"God has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty" (Luke 1:53).
Proper 14 -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
This week's text begins with a clear statement of the Gospel message. "Do not be afraid ...
Proper 15 -- Luke 12:49-56 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
"I came to bring fire to the earth...." "I have a baptism with which to be baptized...." Je
Proper 16 -- Luke 13:10-17 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
We have seen that the material in the Travel Narrative consists primarily of Jesus' giving instructi
Proper 17 -- Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
Chapter 14 in Luke's Gospel consists of a series of discourses in the setting of a banquet.
Proper 18 -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
In this week's text Jesus fixes his gaze on the multitudes who have followed him and calls them to d
Proper 19 -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because ...
Proper 20 -- Luke 16:1-13 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
We have made reference to these verses in Chapter 11 and in Chapter 24.
Proper 21 -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
The assigned Lukan text for this week is another uniquely Lukan story which is so very well known.
Proper 28; Pentecost 27 -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1996
In his work on Mark's Gospel, A Master of Surprise, Donald Juel joins an earlier argument made by R.
Proper 3; Pentecost 2 -- Mark 2:13-22 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1996
We may need to refresh our memory by noting that today's gospel text is one of four controversy stor
Proper 5; Pentecost 4 -- Mark 3:20-35 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1996
Most commentators note that there is a break in the flow of Mark's story following our last pericope
Proper 6 -- Mark 4:26-34 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1996
We come now to the Sunday of the "great omission." Lectionary Cycle B skips over the first 25 verse
Proper 7; Pentecost 6 -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1996
In the overall structure of Mark's Gospel we now move into material that follows the Parable of the
Proper 8; Pentecost 7 -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1996
The revised lectionary cycle serves us well by putting the intercalated stories of the healing of th
Proper 9 -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1996
Our text for this week records a sudden change of context.
Transfiguration -- Mark 9:2-9 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1996
The Markan text appointed for these Sundays stands at the very heart of Mark's Gospel.

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Lent 4 -- Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 -- Richard A. Jensen -- 1997
We come now to the story in Luke in which the heart of the Christian faith is explicated in story fo

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John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity.

Note: You will need to select six children to play roles in this activity. If you have a smaller group, you might ask some older youth or even adults to play the parts of the two attackers and the man being attacked. I will give suggestions for how they can play their roles, but feel free to help your children make the story as fun and memorable as you can. I have used boys and girls in the various roles, but you can change those however you want to change them.

* * *

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
For July 13, 2025:
  • Samaritans Among Us by Dean Feldmeyer based on Acts 2:1-21. Samaritans were despised and dismissed by the original audience who first heard Jesus tell this parable. Who are the Samaritans in our lives and how does this parable apply today?
  • Second Thoughts: The Helpers by Katy Stenta based on Amos 7:7-17.

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
I say, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals
    and fall like any prince….”
(vv. 6-7)

There have been any number of brother-sister acts that achieved a measure of fame. Take the Carpenters, famed for their singing, musicianship, and songwriting skills. Also worthy of mention are John and Joan Cusack who have acted together in over sixteen films.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
An ancient legend tells of a remote mountain village where people used to send their senior citizens out into the woods to die. The villagers had an eye to the future; they felt that those beyond a certain age would only slow down progress or use up valuable resources to no economically profitable end. Those who reached a certain age weren’t “put out to pasture” or “put out of their misery”; they were simply put out of other people’s way.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Amos 7:7-17 and Psalm 82
The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is more than 2,700 feet high—over half a mile tall. It has 160 floors and is twice as tall as the Empire State Building in New York City. It is home to the world’s fastest elevator which reaches speeds of forty miles an hour. The Burj Khalifa also hosts the world’s highest outdoor observation deck (on the 124th floor) and the world’s highest swimming pool (on the 76th floor).

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Mabel hummed a familiar hymn tune as she made her way to church. She always enjoyed her Sunday morning walk. It was one of the few times she felt safe to walk alone through the inner city, for she knew nobody would be up at 7.45 in the morning. Today was a particularly beautiful morning, with blue sky, warm sunshine, and the song of a few intrepid blackbirds who still inhabited the city.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Often, a distinction is made between the pastoral or priestly work of the church and the prophetic work. Pastoral care has to do with the care of souls, the offering of comfort in times of loss. The priestly character of pastoral work seeks to mediate the presence of God to those who are hurting.

Schuyler Rhodes
Trusting is never easy. Even in the best of relationships, people step into trust slowly. There is wariness -- questioning -- worry. What happens if trust is betrayed? What if this doesn't work? Sometimes it's like a dance. We step in and out of trust, moving to the rhythms of fear. For many, the routine is achingly familiar. Indeed, it's not easy to trust.
John Jamison
It was back in the days when the railroad was the most common mode of transportation. There were automobiles, and some airplanes, but the steam locomotive was the way most folks traveled and the way that most of the goods were distributed around the country. After dinner, people sat in the drawing room and listened to the radio programs, fading in and out from some faraway location, over the magical broadcasting signal.
Robert Leslie Holmes
Not many tourists to Washington, D.C., look for the Federal Bureau of Standards offices. It's the Capitol and the White House, the Supreme Court Building or the Smithsonian most of us want to see when we go there. Yet, at the Bureau of Standards offices something very important is stored, something that impacts your life and mine every single day. Have you ever bought the materials for a new project? When you did, most likely you purchased so many inches or feet or yards. Or, you stopped to buy gasoline for your car and purchased it at a certain price per gallon.
David O. Bales
I have the two best jobs in the world. I teach social studies at Leon Griffith Junior High School (a fairly small junior high) and I am Sunday School Superintendent at Calvary Presbyterian Church (an enormous church school). Each job is my vocation. I tell people that at school they'll find my room where the halls cross. At church they can look but probably won't find me. I'll be in someone's classroom. At each job I practice what I most deeply believe: it's how you see the world that determines how you respond to it. I'll give you an example, actually, two examples.
Erskine White
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
(Stuart K. Hine)

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