Login / Signup

The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Children's Activity

Commentary

Children's bulletin

Children's Liturgy and Story

Children's sermon

Children's Story

Devotional

Drama

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Water is the understood symbol... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Water is the understood symbol in baptism.
Ray was a college classmate... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Ray was a college classmate of mine.
In 1984 the Lutheran church... -- Isaiah 61:1-4 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
In 1984 the Lutheran church and parsonage in Shishmaref, Alaska burned completely to the ground.
The prophet uses the image... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
The prophet uses the image of a flickering candle.
To bring good tidings to... -- Isaiah 61:1-4 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
To bring good tidings to the afflicted:
We do not move into... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
We do not move into the future as empty people.
Citizens of different countries hold... -- Isaiah 61:1-4 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Citizens of different countries hold various ideas on happiness.
In his book, Remember... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
In his book, Remember Who You Are, Dr.
Following World War II, thanks... -- Isaiah 61:1-4 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Following World War II, thanks in great measure to the Marshall Plan, West Germany turned speedily t
The famous Italian sculptor, Michelangelo... -- Isaiah 43:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
The famous Italian sculptor, Michelangelo Buonarroti, was especially proud of his Pieta, the
Not infrequently we receive phone... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Not infrequently we receive phone calls from individuals who are quite ambiguous about what they wan
Sue stood on the beach... -- Isaiah 43:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Sue stood on the beach in the pre-dawn glow and fussed with her swim goggles as she nervously survey
This is clearly a Servant... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
This is clearly a Servant Song outlining an agenda for leadership as commissioned by God. (vv.
One discussion in today's medical... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
One discussion in today's medical community surrounds the benefits of therapeutic touch.
In the baptism of Jesus... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
In the baptism of Jesus, God anointed Jesus for his special ministry on behalf of mankind.
Helen Keller suffered a serious... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Helen Keller suffered a serious illness at the age of 18 months, which destroyed her sight and heari
In a Charles Schulz Peanuts... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
In a Charles Schulz "Peanuts" comic strip Lucy is at her lemonade-stand booth that advertises "Psych
Eighteen-year-old Kim had... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Eighteen-year-old Kim had been attending our youth group but was otherwise unchurched.
When Leslie Weatherhead was pastor... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
When Leslie Weatherhead was pastor of City Temple in London, he would conduct Sunday evening interce
A couple of seasons ago... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
A couple of seasons ago, when Larry Bird was its coach, the Indiana Pacers basketball team was one o
John the Baptizer had promised... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
John the Baptizer had promised those whom he baptized that the Christ would baptize with the
Farming has progressed a long... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Farming has progressed a long way from the winnowing fork.
Jaroslav Pelikan's book, Jesus Through... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Jaroslav Pelikan's book, Jesus Through the Ages, is a careful study of the various images of
Though I am always in... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
"Though I am always in haste, I am never in a hurry." So wrote John Wesley, in Letters (1831)
One January afternoon a young... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
One January afternoon a young teacher led twenty-six bundled-up first graders out into a gently fall

Intercession

Prayer

Preaching

Sermon

Stories

Worship

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 16 | OT 21 | Pentecost 11
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 17 | OT 22 | Pentecost 12
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 13
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Tom Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
George Reed
Christopher Keating
For September 14, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A sheep stuffy or toy.

* * *

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

Did you know that Jesus traveled around and hunted for people who were doing something illegal and breaking the laws? (Let them respond.) He really did.And when he found someone who was doing something illegal, do you know what he did with them? (Let them respond.)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Our text tells us that we are skilled in doing evil (v.22). An anonymous late medieval treatise titled German Theology tells us why:

It is the nature and property of the creature to seek itself and its own things, and this and that, here and there, and in all that it does and leaves undone as desire is to its own advantage and benefit. (Varieties of Mystic Experience, p.162)

Martin Luther King, Jr. offers an alternative to this vision:
David Coffin
All three of today’s texts can be viewed as good news that God never gives up on God’s people. This is despite their resistance to repent or simple straying from the community of faith. We can observe family and loved ones at various points of their faith journey through the lens of each of these texts. Jeremiah 4 informs the people their neglect of honoring their covenant with God is about to result in disastrous consequences. Paul recalls in 1 Timothy 1 how he thought he was falling God’s will until he had his literal come to Jesus moment!

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (vv. 6-7)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus told stories to illustrate to the people God's gladness whenever anyone turned to him and chose life. There is still rejoicing in heaven whenever any one of us turns to God.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes I think I'm too insignificant for you to bother with me.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I don't bother with you.

Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I don't bother with other people, but only with myself.

SermonStudio

James Evans
(See Proper 12/Pentecost 10/Ordinary Time 17, Cycle B, for an alternative approach.)

The psalm writer has an interesting perspective on the origin of injustice in our world. He begins this psalm with the assertion that those who do not believe in God are "fools." He goes on to accuse them of corruption and of being incapable of doing good. Later on he writes, "Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the Lord?" (v. 4).

Elizabeth Achtemeier
"Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them" (v. 12). Ours is a society that does not accept that as the Word of God. Many people do not believe that God judges anyone. Rather, the Lord is a forgiving God, a kindly deity who overlooks all wrong. As in the Gospel lesson for the morning, the Lord searches for the one lost sheep and returns it gently to the fold, or he hunts for the one lost coin until he finds it. God accepts the lost as they are, we think, overlooking Jesus' teaching about repentance and transformation of life.
Scott Suskovic
We usually don't spend too much time thinking about our own sinfulness. On occasion, of course, our feelings of guilt overwhelm us. We can't stop thinking about our sinfulness. If we are in that situation, we may need to talk that out with someone. Apart from times like that, we don't think much about our own sinfulness. We have ways of getting around that.

R. Robert Cueni
Back before the ways of the Taliban became common knowledge, there was a fascinating little article about how they jailed barbers when they didn't do culturally correct haircuts.1 The newspaper reported that young men in Kabul, Afghanistan, have started wearing their hair the way the actor Leonardo DiCaprio wears his. Long, not only on the sides, but so long in the front that hair can drop over the eyes. They call the style, "the Titanic," named for the blockbuster movie starring DiCaprio about the 1912 sinking of the cruise ship by that name.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL