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Serving What God?

Commentary
Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A
Genesis 22:1-14
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 10:40-42
David Coffin
How does one preach in the middle of the summer and vacation time, when God is possibly the last thing on people’s minds? Unless there is a summer weather disaster or tragic shooting incident at a populated tourist attraction, the whole topic of God, life, and death matters all seem distant if not morbid. This is still the season when the church does its mission. Matthew 28:16-20 still applies: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Greek: Ethne). This week’s texts provide opportunities to raise the question of what god we are serving in our actions.
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New & Featured This Week

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John Jamison
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (v. 25)

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
George Reed
For April 11, 2021:

StoryShare

C. David Mckirachan
Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Do not be faithless, but believing.’ That’s pretty rough when all he did was insist on proof. When I was growing up, I was taught to rely on the scientific method, a type of inductive reasoning — the bedrock of all of that is proof. When you discover something in an experiment, you’ve got to be able to repeat it, or it’s at best an interesting coincidence. Everything is suspect until you’ve got evidence, and it’s got to be good evidence. In debate, the easiest attack on your opponents is to question the solidity of their sources.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Historically, this is the first Sunday during which newly baptized members on Easter would be admitted into the fellowship as full members of the church, so this theme of community and unity is most appropriate.

Acts 4:32-35
Bill Thomas
Bonnie Bates
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Acts 4:32-35
This is the scripture we make excuses for or insist that the peculiar financial arrangement of the first disciples was for their time, not ours. We give examples from the Acts of the Apostles that demonstrate private ownership so we can state that this was a temporary state of affairs. It makes us uncomfortable, especially in this country where we have more than most people around the world. I’m not sure what to say to encourage you to challenge your congregation to work harder at mutual aid. Perhaps it begins by preaching your message in a mirror.

SermonStudio

John Jamison
It was Sunday evening. Easter morning had come and gone, and the disciples had spent the entire day talking about the fact that Jesus had actually been raised from the dead. They were all fired up and making plans for how they were going to go out and spread the word of God and continue the ministry that Jesus had taught them to perform. Right?

Not quite.
Elaine M. Ward
The psalmist says that God gives good gifts. There is an old Jewish story that tells of two beggars, people who beg for their food in order to live. Each day the beggars came to the king, and he would give them bread. One of them praised and thanked the king. The other did not. Instead he prayed, "Thank you, God, for blessing the king so that he can help others." The king said to that beggar, "It is I who give to you, and you thank someone else." The beggar replied, "If God did not bless you, you could not bless others."
Ron Lavin
A bully in a small town resented the man everyone looked up to as the wisest man in town. He decided to teach the wise man a lesson. He held a chicken behind his back and asked the wise man, "Is this chicken dead or alive?" Of course, if the wise man said, "Dead" the bully would show him a live chicken. If the wise man said, "Alive" the bully would strangle the chicken and show up the wise man by producing a dead chicken.

"Well," said the impatient bully, "Is the chicken dead or alive? Let's hear your answer."

Mark J. Molldrem
The most personal question anyone can ask is "Who am I?" It is the fundamental question of our human existence.

Who is this person whose face reflects in the mirror every morning? Who is this person who laughs and cries, who works and plays, who eats and drinks and goes to the bathroom? Who is this person who hears and sees, smells, tastes and touches the world around?

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

When Jesus appeared, he said "Peace be with you." Let us take hold of his peace today and share it with each other.

(The children could be encouraged to share the Peace at this point)

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we don't bother to think about you.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we we get things wrong.
Christ, have mercy.

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