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Illustration
Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
Ron Love
Germany was so destitute in the 1930s from losing World War I and the economic depression that engulfed the world that when Adolf Hitler came to power many Germans saw him as the spirit of Jesus Christ moving across their land. German pastor Herman Gruner preached, "It is because of Hitler that Christ, God the helper and redeemer, has become effective among us." Gruner went on to preach, "Hitler is the way of the Spirit and the will of God for the German people to enter the Church of Christ." Messages similar to this were heard from the pulpits throughout Germany.

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For July 5, 2020:
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Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
When I was a boy, I heard a preacher remind his congregation about the true nature of the cross. He observed that we have turned the cross into both a lovely adornment in our sanctuaries and a piece of jewelry for our bodies. It is, for us, a smooth, attractive, gilded thing. But the original cross, he insisted, was nothing like that. The cross that Jesus bore -- and the cross, therefore, that we are invited to take up as his followers -- is harsh and heavy. It is rugged and bloody. It is heavy wood across the back, not silver or gold on a lapel or necklace.
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I think one of the best lessons I have learned in ministry is the lesson of win-win. Have you ever heard of win-win? In a world where win-lose situations seem to dominate our interactions, the discovery of the possibility of building scenarios where everyone can benefit, where everyone can, in effect, win, has been an incredible answer to prayer. In church, community, and family life it has been a powerful way forward on numerous occasions. Recently, an experience in negotiations in a sensitive church situation resulted in a win-win, and it was unbelievable.

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Good morning, boys and girls. Does anyone live on a farm or near a farm? (let them answer) What do farmers use today to plow fields and harvest the grain? (let them answer) That's right, tractors. Before farmers used tractors what did they use? (let them answer) That's right, horses. Did you know that farmers also used to use animals called oxen? These animals are like bulls that have horns and are very strong. They can pull a plow easily as long as they worked in pairs. If the oxen didn't work together, it was hard.

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