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Robert J. Elder

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Just Say The Word -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Robert J. Elder -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2008
Up until the modern era, with the advent of two-way radios, when generals needed to communicate with
Can Anything Good Come Out Of Our Town? -- John 1:43-51 -- Robert J. Elder -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2008
Well, good, old Nathaniel. In a way, he's the mystery disciple of the New Testament.
Time's A-Wasting -- Mark 1:14-20 -- Robert J. Elder -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2008
Just when everything seems as normal as can be ...
A Whole City At The Door -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Robert J. Elder -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
One of my all-time favorite church magazine cartoons pictures a physician in his office, speaking wi
Skin Game -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Robert J. Elder -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Let's think about skin for a minute. Skin is something very precious to us.
Jesus At Home -- Mark 2:1-12 -- Robert J. Elder -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - B -- 2008
When he [Jesus] returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.
Due For Renewal -- Mark 2:13-22 -- Robert J. Elder -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - B -- 2008
Every pastor, on occasion, feels the need to remind a congregation that we need not fear things that
Looking Up: Looking Out -- Mark 9:2-9 -- Robert J. Elder -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2008
This passage serves as a gift to the church as we prepare to enter into the season of Lent beginning
How To Know What To Know -- Mark 13:24-37 -- Robert J. Elder -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
But about that day or hour no one knows ...
When Did This Start? -- Part 1 -- Mark 1:1-8 -- Robert J. Elder -- Second Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ.-- Mark 1:1a
When Did This Start? -- Part 2 -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Robert J. Elder -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John ... they said to him, "Who are you?"
How Can This Be? -- Luke 1:26-38 -- Robert J. Elder -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
This is the irrational season When love blooms bright and wild.
Worth The Wait -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Robert J. Elder -- The Nativity of our Lord - B -- 2008
... I am bringing you good news of great joy for all people: to you is born this day ...
The Thoughts Of Our Hearts -- Luke 2:22-40 -- Robert J. Elder -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - B -- 2008
Luke wrote his gospel to a man we know only by name.
Grand Opening -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Robert J. Elder -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2008
Carefully the plans are laid.
I Went Down To The River To Pray -- Mark 1:4-11 -- Robert J. Elder -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2008
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgive
Can Teach, Can Do -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Robert J. Elder -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2008
Every time I have ever studied this passage with other people, it seems to me that we have been all
Pastor, It's Cornelius On The Line ... -- Acts 10:34-43 -- Robert J. Elder -- Easter Day - A -- 2001
There stood Peter, in the very position in which lots of believers have found themselves.
What Are They Saying About Us? -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 -- Robert J. Elder -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2001
Why should it be said among the peoples, "Where is their God?"
Looking Up, Looking Out -- Acts 1:1-11 -- Robert J. Elder -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2001
Alan Paton was a courageous South African author whose courage was manifest in his novels, written d
To Be Lord, To Be Messiah, To Be Crucified -- Acts 2:14a, 36-41 -- Robert J. Elder -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2001
Think of all the ways in which we hold ourselves at a distance from people and things that come near
All Things In Common Are Not All Common Things -- Acts 2:42-47 -- Robert J. Elder -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2001
Now here is what I often think of as a passage of scripture with high potential for use as a brick--
Covering Our Ears And Shouting -- Acts 7:54-60 -- Robert J. Elder -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2001
In the earliest experience of the church, the apostles soon discovered that their teaching and preac
How To Be Christian Without Being Religious -- Acts 17:22-31 -- Robert J. Elder -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2001
One thing about ancient Athens. It was a marketplace for new ideas.
Atonement: At--One--Ment -- Isaiah 52:13-53:12 -- Robert J. Elder -- Good Friday - A -- 2001
See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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...

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Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

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Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

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But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

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Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

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(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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