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Teresa L. Major

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Children's sermon

SermonStudio

Stain Remover -- 1 John 1:9 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Do you know what this is? (Children respond. Offer help if needed.) It's stain remover.
Don't Forget Jesus -- Luke 2:10-11 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
In my family, we love to decorate for Christmas.
Trouble -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Can you read this word? (Children read from the game.) Trouble.
Tug-Of-War -- Ephesians 4:1-3 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
I need a few helpers this morning.
Too Close To The Edge -- Proverbs 4:14-15 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
I have a story for you today.
Discrimination -- Galatians 3:28 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Hmm, let me look you over this morning. Here, you don't have blonde hair, you can have a present.
Pieces And Parts -- 1 Corinthians 12:14-21 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
(Display pictures one at a time, or if you have enough children, have four of them stand in front an
Change -- Isaiah 43:19 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Do you notice anything different this morning? Has anything been changed?
God Looks At The Heart -- 1 Samuel 16:7 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
The Bible tells us a story about a time when Israel needed a new king.
Serendipity! -- Matthew 6:33 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
There are some words in the English language that are just plain fun to say and hear.
Judge Not -- Matthew 7:1-5 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
I would like to tell you a story this morning about a brother and a sister, Mary and Jack.
Expectations -- Romans 15:7 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
How many of you love to go to school? Raise your hands. Suppose you loved to go school.
Something To Hang On To -- 2 Corinthians 12:9a -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Have you ever seen any of these? (Display poles.) Do you know what they are used for?
Gifts For Mom -- Proverbs 31:28 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Today is a special day for us. Who knows what today is?
The Inside And The Outside -- 1 Corinthians 15:50 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Let's see what we've got in here. A bar of soap, what do we do with this?
Thanks, Dad -- Exodus 20:12 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
There are many special days in a year and today is one of those days. Who knows what today is?
The Right Answer -- Lamentations 3:24 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
You are going to have to think this morning in order to help me with our lesson.
Remembering Something Important -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Have you ever taken a picture of someone or something?
Nothing Is Impossible With God -- Luke 1:37 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
I know it's not Christmastime, but this morning we are going to talk about the very beginning of the
Rise Again! -- Matthew 28:5-6 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
I want you to watch my hands as I talk this morning. Are you watching?
Where Do Our Words Come From? -- Matthew 12:34b -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Where do words come from? When you say something, where do you get the words? (Children respond.
The Messenger -- Luke 2:8-14 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Christmas is coming! You can feel it in the air.
Spice It Up -- Matthew 5:13 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
What kinds of foods do you like to put salt on? (Children respond.
I'm Somebody! -- Luke 2:8-11 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
Look at my little shepherd friend here.
Sharing The Warmth -- 1 John 4:21 -- Teresa L. Major -- 1998
When you have been out in the snow building a snowman and you come inside with wet mittens and a red

Illustration

The Immediate Word

Word Keepers Needed -- John 14:23-29, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, Acts 16:9-15, Psalm 67 -- Thom M. Shuman, Teresa L. Major -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C
Jesus tells his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "those who love me will keep my word"

Preaching

The Immediate Word

Word Keepers Needed -- John 14:23-29, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, Acts 16:9-15, Psalm 67 -- Thom M. Shuman, Teresa L. Major -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C
Jesus tells his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "those who love me will keep my word"

Sermon

The Immediate Word

Word Keepers Needed -- John 14:23-29, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, Acts 16:9-15, Psalm 67 -- Thom M. Shuman, Teresa L. Major -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C
Jesus tells his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "those who love me will keep my word"

Worship

The Immediate Word

Word Keepers Needed -- John 14:23-29, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, Acts 16:9-15, Psalm 67 -- Thom M. Shuman, Teresa L. Major -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C
Jesus tells his disciples in this Sunday's gospel reading that "those who love me will keep my word"
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
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30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
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

The Immediate Word

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George Reed
For November 2, 2025:
Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
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George Reed
For November 2, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message involves roleplay. You will need a chair for Zach to stand on, unless it is ok for him to stand on a front pew. For the best fun, you will also want to have an adult volunteer play the role of Jesus and walk in when it is time. Whether he is in costume is up to you.

* * *
John Jamison
Object: You will need one or more pictures of people recognized as saints. You may find some pictures by Googling “public domain pictures of saints” and printing images from the results.

* * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4 and Psalm 119:137-144
Walter Elwell in the Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook notes of righteousness that it is, “Right standing, specifically before God. Among the Greeks, righteousness was an ethical virtue. Among the Hebrews it was a legal concept; the righteous man was the one who got the verdict of acceptability when tried at the bar of God’s justice.” God is a righteous God, even when is people are not righteous.
Frank Ramirez
One of the features of Synagogue worship is the Shema. The Hebrew word is “Hear!” and is the opening for Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” God’s people are commanded to “hear” these words. They come from the Lord. And these three scriptures invite us to hear God and each other, something that is lacking in our society today.
Wayne Brouwer
Fred Craddock tells of a vacation encounter in the Smokey Mountains of eastern Tennessee years ago that moved him deeply. He and his wife took supper one evening in a place called the Black Bear Inn. One side of the building was all glass, open to a magnificent mountain view. Glad to be alone, the Craddocks were a bit annoyed when an elderly man ambled over and struck up a nosey conversation: “Are you on vacation?” “Where are you from?” “What do you do?”
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 and Psalm 149

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.
Frank Ramirez
Call them the good old days. Call it the Golden Age. It’s not unusual for people to look back in their youth, or to the youth of their country, as somehow more perfect, honorable, or simpler. C.S. Lewis was always skeptical about claims that chocolate was better in one’s youth. It wasn’t better. Our taste buds were stronger and more receptive.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
The Roman Catholic Church's canonisation of Edith Stein some years ago, fuelled considerable controversy. Edith Stein was born and bred into a Jewish family, becoming a Roman Catholic Christian at the age of 31. She was also a leading German intellectual in the early thirties, during the run-up to World War 2, although she gave up that career in order to become a Carmelite nun. But she didn't deny her Jewish roots, for in 1933 she petitioned the Pope, Pious XI to write an encyclical in defence of the Jews.
Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus didn't reject anyone, even those who were liars and cheats. By a simple act of friendship Jesus turned Zaccheus' life around. In our worship today let us consider friendship and all that it means.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, there are some people I don't like.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, there are some people I reject.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, there are some people I keep out of my circle of friends.
Lord, have mercy.


Reading:

SermonStudio

Carlos Wilton
Theme For The Day
The world offers many blessings, but none of these things will save us: only the blessing of God in Jesus Christ can do that.

Old Testament Lesson
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Daniel's Apocalyptic Dream
Perry H. Biddle, Jr.
Comments on the Lessons
John W. Clarke
This chapter of Luke brings us ever closer to the end of Jesus' public ministry. Jesus enters Jericho, just fifteen miles or so from the holy city of Jerusalem. It is here that Jesus transforms the life of Zacchaeus, the tax collector. This is one of the few stories that is peculiar to Luke and is a wonderful human-interest story. The fact that Zacchaeus is willing to climb a tree to see Jesus is a clear indication that he really wanted to see and meet the carpenter from Nazareth. His eagerness to see Jesus is rewarded in a very special way.
Scott A. Bryte
Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
Mark Ellingson
This is a story written for people who had been or were about to be persecuted, if not enslaved. (The book of Daniel was probably written in the mid-second century B.C. during a period of Seleucid [Syrian] domination in Palestine.) It tells them and us how their ancestors had once faced a similar slavery under the oppression of the Babylonians centuries earlier. The implication was that if these ancestors could endure and overcome such bondage, so could they and so can we.
Gary L. Carver
Ulysses S. Grant fought many significant battles as commander of the Union forces in the War Between the States. He also served as President of the United States where he probably engaged in as many battles as he did while he was a general. Toward the end of his life he fought his toughest battle -- with cancer and death.

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