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Ash Wednesday - B

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

In the midst of drought... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2008
In the midst of drought, famine, and starvation, the prophet Joel calls us to fast and turn toward G
Karl Barth once said: Look... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
Karl Barth once said: "Look at the face of a criminal and you will see what God sees when he looks a
A small Presbyterian college in... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
A small Presbyterian college in the Midwest received a letter from an attorney telling them that a g
Executives who travel a lot... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
Executives who travel a lot and want to cheat on a spouse, but can't find a convention to attend so
Frithjof Meidell, a Norwegian immigrant... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
Frithjof Meidell, a Norwegian immigrant who sought his fortune in the California Gold Rush, found a
The recent international crisis with... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
The recent international crisis with Iraq has involved United Nations weapons inspectors.
When I was growing up... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
When I was growing up, I was very proud to be a member of "The Clean Plate Club." I'm sure my mother
Everyone likes a story in... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
Everyone likes a story in which people change places.
Paul considered himself a servant... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
Paul considered himself a servant of Christ and, consequently, cared nothing for recognitions and ti
Former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder is... -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
Former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder is an example of how repentance, which means "turning around," ca
Humility never comes easily, especially... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2000
Humility never comes easily, especially for those with a lot to lose.
A cowboy rode into town... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2000
A cowboy rode into town and stopped at the saloon for a drink.
Religious faith is not only... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2000
Religious faith is not only a private matter.
Nearly everyone had loved Jane... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2000
Nearly everyone had loved Jane.
Ambassadors in the Roman Empire... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2000
Ambassadors in the Roman Empire were understood to be the personal representatives of the Emperor hi
An old fable tells of... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2000
An old fable tells of Jesus stepping into human history to be born in Bethlehem.
It is almost a crime... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2000
It is almost a crime against Christ, the tendency to narrow the meaning of the biblical word "salvat
If you are like most... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2000
If you are like most people, every once in a while you get a piece of mail that tells you that you h
An old adage says: What... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
An old adage says: "What you don`t know won`t hurt you.
William Jennings Bryan was not... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
William Jennings Bryan was not exactly the religious bigot that he was pictured to be in accounts o
Catherine Marshall tells the story... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
Catherine Marshall tells the story of what their family decided to do one fall day.
The need to practice one... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
The need to practice one`s piety publicly suggests a need for pompous display (no doubt masking one`
Do as I say, not... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
"Do as I say, not as I do is an often quoted humorous response given by parents when caught in cont
During my university days I... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
During my university days I recall a conversation I had with a fellow student who used to ride the s
In 1995, the Pennsylvania Department... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
In 1995, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue offered people a chance to be made right.

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New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: You may present this message as a simple story, or have the children act it out as a role-play. I will show the role-play version, but you can ignore the acting pieces and just tell the story if you prefer.

Note: For the role-play version, you will need to select two girls and one boy to play the roles. You might also have a broom and a dust rag if you want to.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! Let’s get started.

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For July 20, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Amos 8:1-12, Psalm 52
Amos proclaims the word from God that punishes the people. The people are to be punished for their lack of faith, for their focus on practicing deceit, betraying honesty to their neighbors, and being impatient for the time after the Sabbath when they can focus on profit and selling their crops and wares. Oh, my! What a terrible message for people. You have been unfaithful so I will punish you. And then in the psalm, God is proclaimed to be the olive tree, that which brings blessing.
David Kalas
I have tried to find different ways of saying it so that my children don’t tire of hearing it. But the basic principle remains the same, and my kids have heard it a ton. “First things first.” They ask if they can do this or they start to do that, and I will endeavor to redirect them, saying, “Why don’t we make sure we’re doing first things first!”

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. (v. 24)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
One of Martha's earliest memories was of her little sister Mary singing and dancing in the middle of an admiring crowd of friends. Mary had always been a dancer, from the time she could walk. Privately, Martha thought she'd always been something of a show-off and ought to go on the stage, for Mary loved an audience.

SermonStudio

John E. Sumwalt
Jeanne Jones
Several years ago, before we moved to Wisconsin, I was an honorary nanny for our pastor's son, Jonathan. I took care of him from the time he was able to walk until our pastor moved, when Jonathan was about five. We had wonderful times together. One time, when I was at their house, and we had been doing some spiritual direction together, Pastor Michael asked me if I knew the name of my guardian angel.
James Evans
We are not surprised when we learn about crooks and robbers boasting about "mischief done against the godly" or "plotting destruction" all day long. The image we have in our minds about who "bad" people are, and how they conduct themselves, make such accusations completely plausible. We are less inclined to believe such things about leaders, especially respected leaders among us. We have difficulty believing someone with wealth and power would deliberately plot to do someone else harm.
Arley K. Fadness
Today's gospel from Luke 10 follows the parable of the good Samaritan. Luke positions the good Samaritan and the Mary-Martha story back to back for good reason. The parable and the story are examples of the Great Commandment "to love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself." The good Samaritan parable illustrates "love to neighbor," whereas the Mary-Martha story illustrates "love to God."
Kirk R. Webster
In the early 1990s, Wesley Nunley of Dallas completed a project he had dreamed of for decades. "I tell you, this could be a big thing," he explained. Wes then walked out to a concrete octagon in the middle of his backyard. With a beaming smile, arms raised up in excitement, the energetic retiree said, "This welcomes the UFO to land, which has never been done before."
John W. Wurster
It was the best of times. A time of prosperity and confidence, a time of relative peace, a time when most everything looked pretty good, a time when most everyone felt pretty good. It was a time maybe not unlike our own time.
H. Burnham Kirkland
Words Of Assurance
Our God is both wise and caring: afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.

Pastoral Prayer
God, we bow before you this morning, knowing that you hear every prayer. We know that in all of Creation, you are the source of life. You are the one who set the light swirling between the galaxies. The breath of your Spirit pulses through all life. You have even become flesh among us. We praise you, Lord, that in all your wonder, you have not forgotten us.

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