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Wayne Brouwer

Wayne Brouwer is a pastor of the Christian Reformed Church in North America and is an Associate Professor of Religion at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, as well as a member of the faculty of Western Theological Seminary. Brouwer has been the lead pastor in three different congregations. He is a graduate of Dordt College and holds degrees from Calvin Theological Seminary and McMaster University. Over 700 of his articles have been published as well as over a dozen books. Previous CSS Publishing titles by Pastor Bouwer include Political Christianity and Humming Till the Music Returns. He has been a consistent contributor to Emphasis: A Preaching Journal since 2004 and is one of several authors featured in Navigating the Sermon. Pastor Brouwer resides in Holland, Michigan, with his wife Brenda and they are the parents of three daughters.
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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Only the grateful believe -- Deuteronomy 8:7-18, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2011
A schoolteacher asked her students to make a list of the things for which they were thankful.
Greatness finding itself -- Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12 -- Wayne Brouwer -- All Saints Day - A -- 2011
Erik Erikson's book about the early years of Martin Luther is called Greatness Finding Itself
Clothes make the man -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-10, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
Gottfried Keller's short story Kleider machen Leute was translated into English as Clothes
First family -- Isaiah 61:10--62:3, Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:22-40 -- Wayne Brouwer -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - B -- 2011
Whenever a new president is elected, tabloids and journals bump sales by profiling the arrival of th
Initiation -- Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 -- Wayne Brouwer -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2011
Children are often naively honest, as a friend of mine found one day.
Prophet -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Mark 1:21-28 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2011
In 330 BC, the Greek philosopher Aristotle said that by observing a person walking he could tell som
A mountaintop experience -- Exodus 24:12-18, 2 Peter 1:16-21, Matthew 17:1-9, Psalm 2 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 2011
One of the cable networks has created a strange hit series.
What's new? -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46 -- Wayne Brouwer -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2011
There is something strange about New Year's celebrations, if you think about it.
Radioactive glow -- 2 Kings 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, Mark 9:2-9 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2011
It was a night to remember! Five school buddies at a friend's home overnight.
Are you thirsty? -- Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 5:1-11, John 4:5-42, Psalm 95 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Third Sunday in Lent - A -- 2011
Here's a parable by a cartoonist named Saxon. It's about a fellow who has just reached retirement.
Believing is seeing -- 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41, Psalm 23 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2011
Sometimes we see people who are wide-eyed with wonder.
A good meal -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35, Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 2011
When traveling through a strange town many years ago, we stopped a pedestrian and asked her, "Where
Homecoming -- Acts 2:14a, 36-41, 1 Peter 1:17-23, Luke 24:13-35, Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2011
Ian Maclaren tells the story of a young woman in his book Beside the Bonnie Briar Bush.
Game plan -- Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53, Psalm 47 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2011
During the 1978 British firefighters strike, the army was enlisted to cover emergency services.
Defined by choices -- Genesis 22:1-14, Romans 6:12-23, Matthew 10:40-42, Psalm 13 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2011
Robert Maynard once told how he became a writer.
Belonging -- Genesis 29:15-28, Romans 8:26-39, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52, Psalm 105:1-11, 45b -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2011
When I was in high school a new music teacher came to town.
Mistaken identity -- Exodus 1:8--2:10, Romans 12:1-8, Matthew 16:13-20, Psalm 124 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2011
Appearances can be deceiving.
Somebody has to pay! -- Exodus 14:19-31, Romans 14:1-12, Matthew 18:21-35, Psalm 114 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2011
Anger is like a volcano. Deep in many of us there is a lake of pain, pure molten hurt.
Are you satisfied? -- Exodus 16:2-15, Philippians 1:21-30, Matthew 20:1-16, Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2011
When my wife was younger, her father typically ended meal times by declaring loudly that he was "suf
New -- Isaiah 43:16-21, Philippians 3:4b-14, John 12:1-8, Psalm 126 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2010
In 1954, Marcelle Maurtette penned his play Anastasia.
Why did Jesus have to die? -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Hebrews 10:16-25, John 18:1--19:42, Psalm 22 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Good Friday - C -- 2010
While Don Richardson was a student at Prairie Bible Institute in the 1950s his heart burned in antic
Visions -- Acts 9:1-6 (7-20), Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19, Psalm 30 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
Giuseppe Tartini's Devil's Trill Sonata is a spectacular piece of music.
The road ahead -- Acts 16:9-15, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, John 14:23-29, Psalm 67 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2010
When the Danish novelist, George Brandes, was a young man, he looked up to Henrik Ibsen.
No Fear -- Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:14-17, John 14:8-17 (25-27), Psalm 104:24-34, 35b -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2010
A woman struggling through the difficulties of the Great Depression went to the front desk of an ins
By their fruits -- 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a, Galatians 2:15-21, Luke 7:36--8:3, Psalm 5:1-8 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2010
Margaret Mead, the world-renowned anthropologist, was speaking at a university and one student asked

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Advent 3
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120+ – Illustrations / Stories
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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The Immediate Word

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Nazish Naseem
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Mary Austin
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George Reed
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For December 14, 2025:

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Today I have rolled out the red carpet for you.  We are not famous people, movie stars or royalty, so maybe you have not had this kind of fancy treatment. But often for very important people, red carpet is actually put down for them to walk on.

You would think Jesus, the Son of God, would have had the red carpet prepare the way before Him. Do you know what He had instead? He had a man named John the Baptist. It says in Mathew 11:19,

I will send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you.

Good morning, boys and girls. What am I holding? (Let them answer.) That's right, a loaf of bread. Did any of you eat toast for breakfast this morning? Or did any of you have wheat cereal? (Let them answer.) Bread and (name a wheat cereal) are made from wheat.

Let me ask you another question. Are any of you anxious to see what might be in some of your Christmas presents under your tree? (Let them answer.) You must have great patience to wait until Christmas when you may open them.

That's why I brought this loaf of bread this morning. I want
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Object: a department store magazine/catalog (or clothing store magazine/catalog)

What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. (v. 8)

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There wasn't much that Adrian was good at, except swimming. He learned to swim when he was little more than a baby, and he loved it. When he was seven he joined a swimming club. It was there that he first met Mr Stevens, the swimming coach.

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Contents
"Truckin'" by C. David McKirachan
"Heretic or Saint?" by Frank Ramirez


* * * * * * * * *


Truckin'
C. David McKirachan
Isaiah 35:1-10

SermonStudio

Elizabeth Achtemeier
This passage has many affinities with the prophecies of Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55), and it has often been attributed to him. But there are differences. In Isaiah 40:3, the "way" is for the Lord, here it is for the redeemed and ransomed (vv. 9-10). In Isaiah 51:11, the reference is to the return from Babylonian exile. Here in verse 10, that context is missing, and those who are returning to Zion are the members of Israel dispersed throughout the ancient Near East. Thus, this text is probably from a time after Second Isaiah and sometime after 538 B.C.
Russell F. Anderson
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Isaiah 35:1--10 (C, E, L); Isaiah 35:1--6, 10 (RC)
Paul E. Robinson
Christmas has a way of bringing back memories. One that came to my mind as I was preparing this message was when my family would be driving home at night in the car and my father would lead us in singing a song. To all of us family members who remember those fun, cozy journeys toward home, there are many layers of meaning to the words. The song goes like this:

There's a long, long trail awinding,
Into the land of my dreams,
Where the nightingales are singing
And the white moon beams.
There's a long, long night of waiting
Dallas A. Brauninger
E-mail
From: KDM
To: God
Subject: Be Patient
Message: In the meantime, God.... Lauds, KDM

E-mail from KDM to God. Subject: Be patient. Message: In the meantime, God.... Lauds, KDM.
Susan R. Andrews
It was a painful experience for both of us. Jane was a young mother about my age. She had been on the pastor nominating committee that called us to New Jersey. And we had shared much laughter and friendship through the years. She also was on the session - and that cold November night she seemed edgy and distant. I soon found out why. Following the meeting, she waited for me out in the parking lot. And after I locked the church door, she simply lit into me. "How dare you!" she said. "How dare you push your own political viewpoints down our throats, and abuse your privilege as a pastor!
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Leader: To those wandering in darkness,
People: Christ came as the Light of the World.
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People: Christ is the Prince of Peace.
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People: Christ is Emmanuel, God with us.
All: Come, let us anticipate the advent of our Lord.

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(Distribute this sheet to the readers.)

Date:

Reader A:

Reader B:

Introit
(As the introit is being sung, Readers A and B come forward and stand by the Advent wreath until the music is finished.)

Litany
Reader A: Please turn to the Advent litany in your bulletins.
(Pause as they do so.)
Let all who take refuge in God be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
O God, spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

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Inevitably it happens to any adult or any church leader toward the end of the year, or the time their driver's license expires. Despite the well-intended efforts to try to settle it through the mail, we end up in a long line at the local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office. Typically there is a little box with numbers one is supposed to take so they may be identified when the clerk calls for that number's turn in line. The wait can be very tedious. The workers and customers are both tired and anxious with each unique personal vehicle issue.

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