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First Sunday in Lent - B

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Alice was one of the... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Alice was one of the many shut-ins in the church. She was 82 years old.
Tradition has it that George... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Tradition has it that George Friderick Handel was so overwhelmed and awed by his reading of the book
In the space of seven... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
In the space of seven verses Jesus is baptized, temped by Satan, hears of John the Baptist's death,
A pastor in Texas tells... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
A pastor in Texas tells about a spiritual reality that affects most Christians.
John and Sarah had been... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
John and Sarah had been married for over 25 years.
Rainbows have been the object... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Rainbows have been the object of contemplation, questions, and stories from the beginning of time.
Charles has not attended church... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Charles has not attended church for a number of months.
The story of Noah and... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
The story of Noah and the ark has been the source of many jokes, like, "Why couldn't Noah play cards
I once heard it said... -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
I once heard it said that in our day we have lost sight of the "once for all" dimensions of life.
I attended a mass at... -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
I attended a mass at the large cathedral in San Salvador in which they recently held the martyred Bi
Viktor Frankl is well known... -- Romans 8:31-39 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Viktor Frankl is well known for his book, Man's Search For Meaning.
As a university professor she... -- Romans 8:31-39 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
As a university professor she had taught many people who were now famous artists.
At one time, said Martin... -- Romans 8:31-39 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
"At one time," said Martin Luther, "I was sorely vexed and tried by my own sinfulness, by the wicked
A pastor friend of mine... -- Romans 8:31-39 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
A pastor friend of mine reported on a visit he made to the Soviet Union.
It is remarkable how many... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
It is remarkable how many of God's prophets have come to us after spending time in the wilderness.
Surely Jesus knew the consequences... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Surely Jesus knew the consequences.
Brenda spoke to the Administrative... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Brenda spoke to the Administrative Board with a quavering voice, filled with emotion.
When Newton Minnow made his... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
When Newton Minnow made his now-famous remark about commercial television programming, it resonated
How slow we were to... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
How slow we were to realize that we must build a monument to the veterans of Vietnam.
God's covenants sometimes hold great... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
God's covenants sometimes hold great surprises not immediately visible.
I stood one afternoon several... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
I stood one afternoon several years ago watching the soft colors of a rainbow arch over an open fiel

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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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