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On July 3, 1988, a...

Illustration
Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B
1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-39
On July 3, 1988, a pastor was at his family reunion. It was a Sunday, and his family and his brother's family had attended church a block and a half from the house. Of the 30 people there, they were the only ones who went to church. Some of the relatives couldn't understand why the brother and his family went. They thought they understood the pastor's professional interest -- gathering notes from that pastor's sermon to use in his own sermons. Actually none of the six churchgoers tried to explain why, because their audience was family.
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John Jamison
Object: The object of the lesson is a gesture you will teach the children.

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Call to Worship:

Jesus warned against with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God. Through our worship today let us pledge ourselves to seek our treasure only in God.

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Jesus, sometimes we envy others because of all they possess.
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Jesus, sometimes we desire all that money can buy.
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For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things.... Let those who are wise give heed to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
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Thomas A. Renquist
This story begins with gift -- with blessed gift -- with miraculous, blessed giftedness. And I will even tell you now the theme of the story: if you keep your eye on the giftedness of everything, then you yourself can be a gift, you can be a giver, rather than a hoarder.
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