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First Sunday of Advent - A

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Eagerly awaiting -- 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you like popcorn?
Waking up and getting started -- Romans 13:11-14 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep.
Keeping secrets -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Fa

The Immediate Word

Is Peace Possible? -- Isaiah 2:2-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44, Psalm 122 -- Carter Shelley -- First Sunday of Advent - A
November 28, 2004Advent 1 / Cycle A Dear Fellow Preachers,

Children's Story

Devotional

Drama

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Back on November 19, 2002... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Back on November 19, 2002, the New York Times ran an article under the ominous headline: "Ast
Thirteen years ago, a concert... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Thirteen years ago, a concert musician, Barry Faldner, and Chip Altholz, a manager and promoter for
Katie collected information about families... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Katie collected information about families in the school district who were struggling financially.
At a recent neighborhood watch... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
At a recent neighborhood watch meeting, the police presented several important ideas on how to secur
The late Fred Rogers was... -- Isaiah 2:1-5 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
The late Fred Rogers was a beloved children's television personality and also a minister.
I have a new hobby... -- Isaiah 2:1-5 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
I have a new hobby of making leather belts. I put an announcement in the church bulletin
Alison and her mother always... -- Isaiah 2:1-5 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Alison and her mother always seemed to be at odds, never quite getting along, not
When one looks at the... -- Isaiah 2:1-5 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
When one looks at the St. Elias mountain range, which borders Alaska, northern British
The choir director and pastor... -- Romans 13:11-14 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
The choir director and pastor were feuding. The pastor announced his sermon,
Put on the Lord Jesus... -- Romans 13:11-14 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."
Although the passage does not... -- Romans 13:11-14 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Although the passage does not speak specifically of grace and mercy, it certainly does in
Back on November 19, 2002... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Back on November 19, 2002, the New York Times ran an article under the
Thirteen years ago, a concert... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Thirteen years ago, a concert musician, Barry Faldner, and Chip Altholz, a manager and
Katie collected information about families... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Katie collected information about families in the school district who were struggling
At a recent neighborhood watch... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
At a recent neighborhood watch meeting, the police presented several important ideas on
Illustrations for December 2, 2007 from Emphasis -- Matthew 24:36-44, Romans 13:11-14, Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Preaching The PsalmPsalm 122
The late Fred Rogers was... -- Isaiah 2:1-5 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
The late Fred Rogers was a beloved children's television personality and also a minister.
I have a new hobby... -- Isaiah 2:1-5 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
I have a new hobby of making leather belts.
Alison and her mother always... -- Isaiah 2:1-5 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
Alison and her mother always seemed to be at odds, never quite getting along, not agreeing on much o
When one looks at the... -- Isaiah 2:1-5 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
When one looks at the St.
The choir director and pastor... -- Romans 13:11-14 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
The choir director and pastor were feuding.
Nathan was afraid. The complication... -- Romans 13:11-14 -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 1998
Nathan was afraid.
In an April 1968 issue... -- Romans 13:11-14 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
In an April 1968 issue of Aerospace Medicine, a NASA researcher on a space activity suit publ

The Immediate Word

Which Armor Will We Wear? -- Matthew 24:36-44, Romans 13:11-14, Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122 -- Paul Bresnahan, Thom M. Shuman -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
In Romans, Paul admonishes us to "lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light" (Ro
Is Peace Possible? -- Isaiah 2:2-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44, Psalm 122 -- Carter Shelley -- First Sunday of Advent - A
November 28, 2004Advent 1 / Cycle A Dear Fellow Preachers,

Poems

Preaching

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The Promise of Peace -- Isaiah 2:1-5 -- Thomas E. Ridenhour, Sr. -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 1986
The Irish seem constantly at war, seeking to kill each other for religious goals.

The Immediate Word

Is Peace Possible? -- Isaiah 2:2-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44, Psalm 122 -- Carter Shelley -- First Sunday of Advent - A
November 28, 2004Advent 1 / Cycle A Dear Fellow Preachers,

The Village Shepherd

Light In Our Darkness -- Isaiah 2:1-5 -- Janice B. Scott -- First Sunday of Advent - A
Rosemary was 33 years old.
Is It Getting Up Time Yet? -- Romans 13:11-14 -- Janice B. Scott -- First Sunday of Advent - A
Are you a night person or a day person?
How Does God Come To Us? -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- Janice B. Scott -- First Sunday of Advent - A
Those words about the flood in today's gospel reading, are particularly poignant in light of thi

Stories

Worship

SermonStudio

Peace in God's Kingdom -- Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14 -- Heth H. Corl -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 1986
Call to WorshipPastor:
ADVENT 1 -- Psalm 122 -- Norman A. Beck -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 1986
Among the four texts chosen for this occasion in Series A of the lectionary we are using, perhaps Ps

The Immediate Word

Is Peace Possible? -- Isaiah 2:2-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44, Psalm 122 -- Carter Shelley -- First Sunday of Advent - A
November 28, 2004Advent 1 / Cycle A Dear Fellow Preachers,
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 10 | OT 15 | Pentecost 5
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
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4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 11 | OT 16 | Pentecost 6
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 12 | OT 17 | Pentecost 7
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

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John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity.

Note: You will need to select six children to play roles in this activity. If you have a smaller group, you might ask some older youth or even adults to play the parts of the two attackers and the man being attacked. I will give suggestions for how they can play their roles, but feel free to help your children make the story as fun and memorable as you can. I have used boys and girls in the various roles, but you can change those however you want to change them.

* * *

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
For July 13, 2025:
  • Samaritans Among Us by Dean Feldmeyer based on Acts 2:1-21. Samaritans were despised and dismissed by the original audience who first heard Jesus tell this parable. Who are the Samaritans in our lives and how does this parable apply today?
  • Second Thoughts: The Helpers by Katy Stenta based on Amos 7:7-17.

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
I say, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals
    and fall like any prince….”
(vv. 6-7)

There have been any number of brother-sister acts that achieved a measure of fame. Take the Carpenters, famed for their singing, musicianship, and songwriting skills. Also worthy of mention are John and Joan Cusack who have acted together in over sixteen films.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
An ancient legend tells of a remote mountain village where people used to send their senior citizens out into the woods to die. The villagers had an eye to the future; they felt that those beyond a certain age would only slow down progress or use up valuable resources to no economically profitable end. Those who reached a certain age weren’t “put out to pasture” or “put out of their misery”; they were simply put out of other people’s way.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Amos 7:7-17 and Psalm 82
The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is more than 2,700 feet high—over half a mile tall. It has 160 floors and is twice as tall as the Empire State Building in New York City. It is home to the world’s fastest elevator which reaches speeds of forty miles an hour. The Burj Khalifa also hosts the world’s highest outdoor observation deck (on the 124th floor) and the world’s highest swimming pool (on the 76th floor).

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Mabel hummed a familiar hymn tune as she made her way to church. She always enjoyed her Sunday morning walk. It was one of the few times she felt safe to walk alone through the inner city, for she knew nobody would be up at 7.45 in the morning. Today was a particularly beautiful morning, with blue sky, warm sunshine, and the song of a few intrepid blackbirds who still inhabited the city.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Often, a distinction is made between the pastoral or priestly work of the church and the prophetic work. Pastoral care has to do with the care of souls, the offering of comfort in times of loss. The priestly character of pastoral work seeks to mediate the presence of God to those who are hurting.

Schuyler Rhodes
Trusting is never easy. Even in the best of relationships, people step into trust slowly. There is wariness -- questioning -- worry. What happens if trust is betrayed? What if this doesn't work? Sometimes it's like a dance. We step in and out of trust, moving to the rhythms of fear. For many, the routine is achingly familiar. Indeed, it's not easy to trust.
John Jamison
It was back in the days when the railroad was the most common mode of transportation. There were automobiles, and some airplanes, but the steam locomotive was the way most folks traveled and the way that most of the goods were distributed around the country. After dinner, people sat in the drawing room and listened to the radio programs, fading in and out from some faraway location, over the magical broadcasting signal.
Robert Leslie Holmes
Not many tourists to Washington, D.C., look for the Federal Bureau of Standards offices. It's the Capitol and the White House, the Supreme Court Building or the Smithsonian most of us want to see when we go there. Yet, at the Bureau of Standards offices something very important is stored, something that impacts your life and mine every single day. Have you ever bought the materials for a new project? When you did, most likely you purchased so many inches or feet or yards. Or, you stopped to buy gasoline for your car and purchased it at a certain price per gallon.
David O. Bales
I have the two best jobs in the world. I teach social studies at Leon Griffith Junior High School (a fairly small junior high) and I am Sunday School Superintendent at Calvary Presbyterian Church (an enormous church school). Each job is my vocation. I tell people that at school they'll find my room where the halls cross. At church they can look but probably won't find me. I'll be in someone's classroom. At each job I practice what I most deeply believe: it's how you see the world that determines how you respond to it. I'll give you an example, actually, two examples.
Erskine White
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
(Stuart K. Hine)

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