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Ron Love

Ronald H. Love was called into the ordained ministry from a career as a state trooper. He has served Methodist churches in rural, inner-city and suburban settings for 20 years, and also served for four years as an Army chaplain. Dr. Love has also been a corporate librarian for a Fortune 500 company and been a university professor for ten years, teaching history and theology. His writing experience includes denominational publications, magazine articles on religion, and a newspaper devotional column. He holds a bachelor's degree in sociology (Slippery Rock State College), master's degrees in library and information science (University of Pittsburgh), secondary education (Duquesne University), church history (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), and theology (Wesley Theological Seminary), as well as a doctorate in homiletics (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary). Dr. Love now resides in South Carolina.
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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 3 (2014) -- Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23 -- Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2013
Isaiah 9:1-4
Sermon Illustrations for Reformation Day (2013) -- Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, John 8:31-36 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 2013
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Dashiell Hammett, before... -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 -- Ron Love -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2013
Dashiell Hammett, before becoming a great American novelist, was a police detective for the Pinkerto
Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus, the son of Joseph. Jesus, the carpenter.... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2013
Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus, the son of Joseph. Jesus, the carpenter.
In Latin the word "pastor"... -- Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 -- Ron Love -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2013
In Latin the word "pastor" means "shepherd." It came from the same base that produced pascere
Sermon illustrations for Easter 3 (2013) -- Acts 9:1-6 (7-20), Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19 -- Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)
When the typewriter... -- Matthew 4:12-23 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2013
When the typewriter was first developed and used in business, its use was restricted to men.
Leona Helmsley was... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Ron Love -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 2013
Leona Helmsley was a real estate entrepreneur who was worth $8 billion when she was convicted in 198
A week after his public... -- Luke 16:19-31 -- Ron Love -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2013
A week after his public confession to Oprah Winfrey acknowledging his use of performance enhancing d
Mother Teresa, in her acceptance speech for the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2013
Let us both see and believe in the message of the triumph of God.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 10 | OT 15 (2013) -- Amos 7:7-17, Colossians 1:1-14, Luke 10:25-37 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Scott A. Bryte -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2013
A builder uses a plumb line to determine true vertical from the gravitational center of the earth, n
NULL -- Revelation 5:11-14 -- Ron Love -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
When George Washington retired from public service as President of the United States, he returned to
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 5 (2014) -- Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12), 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16), Matthew 5:13-20 -- Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2013
Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 (2013) -- Joel 2:23-32, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2013
Joel 2:23-32
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 22 | OT 27 (2013) -- Lamentations 1:1-6, 2 Timothy 1:1-14, Luke 17:5-10 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Scott A. Bryte -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2013
Lamentations 1:1-6
Seeing what you believe is not always the same as believing... -- Luke 4:21-30 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2013
Seeing what you believe is not always the same as believing what you see, and it took fifty years fo
Gregg Marshall is the basketball... -- Colossians 1:1-14 -- Ron Love -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2013
Gregg Marshall is the basketball coach for the Wichita State Shockers.
Sermon illustrations for Easter 5 (2013) -- Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, John 13:31-35 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
Acts 11:1-18
During the Crimean War... -- Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2013
During the Crimean War (1854-1856), Florence Nightingale organized a corps of nurses to tend to the
John Hancock was... -- Joel 2:23-32 -- Ron Love -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2013
John Hancock was president of the Continental Congress.
There is only a photograph... -- 2 Timothy 1:1-14 -- Ron Love -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2013
There is only a photograph of one person standing atop Mount Everest, and that is of Tenzing Norgay,
"Son of Man" was the most deliberately chosen title... -- Romans 10:8b-13 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
"Son of Man" was the most deliberately chosen title that Jesus selected for himself.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 11 | OT 16 (2013) -- Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42 -- Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2013
Amos 8:1-12
NULL -- Revelation 21:1-6 -- Ron Love -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
John Adams, the second president of the United States, told his son Johnny (who would become the six
With the advancement... -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2013
With the advancement of higher education and the need to specialize, the age of "professionalism" be

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
30 – Sermons
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30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
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and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
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For October 26, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
I am a scoreboard watcher. I follow a lot more games than I actually watch, but since technology makes it easy to check scores on a moment’s whim, I watch a lot of scoreboards of teams and games that I am at least mildly interested in. And as I check those scores, I find myself having immediate reactions: “Great!” “Oh, that's too bad.” “Excellent!” “Nuts.” And in the midst of that sports-fan roller coaster, I must continually remind myself that not all scores are final.
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Joel 2:22-32
Martin Luther sings the praises of God’s love revealed in this lesson. He wrote:

The love of God which lives in man loves sinners, evil persons, fools and weaklings in order to make them righteous, good, wise, and strong. Rather than seeking its own good, the love of God flows forth and bestows good. (Luther’s Works, Vol. 31, p.57)

John Wesley nicely summarizes the Spirit’s role in fighting the lure of our old sinful habits:

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John Jamison
Object: This message is a role-play story. You will need two children to play the roles of the Pharisee and the tax collector. I usually ask two children if they will help me as they are all coming forward for the message, but you may select them however you choose.

* * *

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, but your commandments are my delight.
Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live. (vv. 143-144)

When I was an associate pastor in Janesville, Wisconsin one of my responsibilities was to give a lecture on spirituality once a month at a drug treatment facility. The students who attended were persons who had been convicted of drunk driving and were required to attend the class as a condition of their sentence. Attendance was always good.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

We all dislike people who blow their own trumpets, although sometimes we may be in awe of them. Jesus too deplored such behaviour and was never in awe of those who practised it. In our worship today let us open ourselves to Jesus, allowing him to see what is in our hearts.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we allow other people's behaviour to intimidate us.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we refuse to reach our own fullest potential because we are afraid.

SermonStudio

Schuyler Rhodes
Every morning when sleep leaves and waking comes there is cause for praising God. Caught up, as we are, in the currents and eddies of our lives, this is easy to forget. This wonderful psalm is a reminder. God's bounty and abundance spill into our lives like waters over a causeway. God's delight in creation explodes in a million different colors. In every moment there is reason to give God praise.
Robert R. Kopp
When I was a little boy growing up in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania's First Presbyterian Church, one of those Christian chalk artists with black light, neon colors, and black felt canvas who made pictures of Jesus look like those Elvis portraits for sale on the side of the road at the beach showed up as entertainment for a Sunday evening potluck dinner.
John E. Berger
Today's sermon begins with this little one-person drama.
Mark Ellingson
Have you ever felt that you were absolutely at the end of your rope, left without hope? Sometime during the years of 539 B.C. to 331 B.C. that is the way the people of Judah felt. It seems that their land had been ravaged by a plague of locusts which had had catastrophic consequences.

Once a harvest has been destroyed, you cannot repair it. If a building has burned to the ground, you cannot repair it. In those instances you need to start from scratch with a fresh start.

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