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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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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For July 6, 2025:
  • Who Is My Neighbor? by Tom Willadsen based on 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20; Psalm 30.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

* * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
2 Kings 5:1-14
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Stan Purdum
Carlos Wilton
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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