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They shall name him Emmanuel...

Illustration
Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
Matthew 1:18-25
"They shall name him Emmanuel, which means 'God is with us.' " I know and you know family and friends who are facing Alzheimer's and other types of mental breakdown. In those needs, Jesus comes to our Bedlam or Bethlehem. Interestingly, the terms Bethlehem and Bedlam are semantically related. Several centuries ago, a hospital in London for housing the mentally ill went by the name St. Mary's of Bethlehem. Through changes in the following years, the name became Bethlehem, and through corruption, Bethlehem became known just as Bedlam. Jesus comes as friend, and helper, and healer

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Ron Love
George Reed
Bethany Peerbolte
For December 16, 2018:
  • Joice Again! by Tom Willadsen -- Rejoice! I can’t hear you, rejoice!! Joice again. “Joice” isn’t a verb in English, but “rejoice” is. Oh, and rejoicing is commanded. Just take a look at the Philippians reading.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Bob Ove
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Frank Ramirez
Ron Love
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Wow, how can things get any better. God has not only taken our punishment, he has turned back our enemy. What more can we ask. We shouldn’t have to fear anything. God says this to Jerusalem. Can this apply to America also?

Isn’t it love that takes away our worry? When we were little kids we didn’t worry about anything as long as our parents were near us. God is bigger and more powerful.

David Kalas
My wife, who thrives on organization, has a motto: “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” It’s an expression of her passion for keeping a room, a house, or a garage orderly. But I think the principle extends still further. It goes beyond just physical spaces. For what is true of cupboards and closets is even more profoundly true of a human life.

StoryShare

David O. Bales
Contents
“A Rainy Road To The Jordan” by David O. Bales
“A Freshman Experience” by David O. Bales


A Rainy Road To The Jordan
by David O. Bales
Luke 3:7-18

CSSPlus

Arley K. Fadness
“...but one who is more powerful than I is coming..” (V. 16a)

Good morning girls, good morning boys!

My, it’s so fun to see you today.  Happy Advent! Know why I (say, sing, shout, chant) Happy Advent? (children may respond)

Advent means “a coming.” Something or somebody is coming. Just around the corner. Know what it is? (children respond)

Yep. It’s Christmas, and John the Baptist is here to help. (show sketch)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
I've had many reports of the Remembrance Sunday service held at Dickleburgh (in Norfolk, England) this year, mostly about the preacher. Since Dickleburgh has a historic connection with the Americans from the time of Second World War, they always invite the American Air Base at Mildenhall in Suffolk to join them for the service, and always invite the current American air force chaplain to preach.

SermonStudio

Robert S. Crilley
On the Sunday afternoon following Thanksgiving, when I was in seventh grade, it began to snow. It started slowly and undramatically -- much like any number of other snows I had experienced growing up in Detroit. The sky turned the shade of dirty wool and the flakes danced through the wind as in one of those glass balls that you invert. Little by little the sidewalks whitened, and soon the neighborhood was alive with the rasping sound of shovels. Before long the roads were filled and you could no longer see the curb.

Special Occasion