Login / Signup

The Nativity of our Lord - A

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

Children's Activity

Commentary

Children's bulletin

Children's sermon

Devotional

Drama

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

There are those who believe... -- Isaiah 52:7-10 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
There are those who believe the prophet Isaiah overstated the case for God when announcing that the
Jesus is the exact imprint... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Jesus is the "exact imprint of God's being." That sounds remarkably like reproductive cloning, doesn
Many of us, when we... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Many of us, when we were younger, liked to read comic books.
Some of you may remember... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Some of you may remember that when Ike was president of the United States he never liked to give a s
The subject of discussion for... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
The subject of discussion for the adult Sunday school class was "The Positive Impact of Childhood Me
and he is named Wonderful... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
"...
Robert Raines, Director of Kirkridge... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Robert Raines, Director of Kirkridge, a retreat and study center in the mountains of eastern Pennsyl
I would like a show... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
I would like a show of hands by those who feel that today's second lesson, Titus 2:11-14, is their f
This passage is the summary... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
This passage is the summary of the few verses that come before it in the chapter; the moral of the s
When we were children, my... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
When we were children, my sisters and I looked forward to wearing our most elegant dresses to church
Bill W. and Dr. Bob... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Bill W. and Dr.
Christ's birth reminds us of... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Christ's birth reminds us of God's purpose in an area where we have often failed.
Mary treasured all these words... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
"Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart." Which words from the beginning of t
History is full of examples... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
History is full of examples of the church prospering under persecution.
It is like the story... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
It is like the story of six-year-old Michelle who found she had a new baby brother.

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

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
Well, it’s autumn, and by now the seeds we planted in the spring either took root and produced or else the weather, pests, rabbits, or our own laziness conspired to make this year’s garden less than a success. But at one point we had to get started and actually plant seeds for the future.

Jeremiah is looking back from the perspective of our spiritual well-being and laments than our spiritual harvest has all been for naught. He wonders if it is now too late for a recovery. Is there no healing, no balm in Gilead, to apply to our wounds?
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 8:18--9:1 and Psalm 79:1-9
In the spring as farmers and gardeners prepare to plant we are looking at a summer of possibilities. Hard work, to be sure, but also potential. What will happen? What will this season be like? At summer’s end there will be no more questions. We’ll know. Maybe it was a great season, and we have canned or frozen many vegetables. Maybe the farmers have brought in a bumper crop and they got a good price besides.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message will be based on a game you will play. See the note below.

NOTE: Ask three or more adults to come up and play the role of Simon for your group. Tell them to all speak at once, asking the children to do different things. The goal is to create a nice bit of confusion for the children to experience.

* * *

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

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Hey!” Annie waved at the woman standing next to the open doorway. “Can you come here?”

The woman made her way past the other nursing home residents and stood next to Annie’s wheelchair.

“What can I do for you?”

“You look familiar.” Annie squinted at her. “Do I know your name?”

“I’m Brenda.” The woman pointed at her name tag. “I work in the kitchen and sometimes help serve the meals when they are ready.”

“That’s right. I think we’ve met before.” Annie tapped her lips with her finger. “You have the nice smile.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much.” In our worship today let us remember the little things in our lives and ask God to help us to be utterly faithful in them.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we pretend that little sins don't matter.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we imagine that you don't notice little sins.

Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
This poignant prayer of lament and community grief gives expression to what it feels like to suffer as a person of faith. If we believe we are truly part of God's community, then the destruction of that community -- as was the case with Israel in 587 B.C. -- becomes a time for doubt, anger, and confusion. Furthermore, if we believe we are individual members of that community, our personal suffering also creates an opportunity for a crisis of faith: "Why didn't God protect me?" Of course, it does not take a national catastrophe to raise those sorts of questions.
Kirk R. Webster
If feedback is the breakfast of champions, perhaps we would do well to examine some of our prayer habits. If you have ever heard someone use The Just Really Prayer, you know exactly what problem we are talking about.

That prayer goes something like this, "Lord, we just really thank you for this day. We come before you and just really pray for mercy. We offer ourselves to you and just really ask that your will be done in our lives. Amen." I'm thankful this particular Just Really prayer was mercifully short, unlike the next example, The Good Guilt-Based Prayer.
John W. Wurster
Another season has come and gone. Promises that were made have not been fulfilled. Good intentions haven't yielded any tangible results. Dreams have not come true. High hopes have proven to be only wishful thinking. Nothing has really changed; nothing has really improved. The time keeps moving along, but we seem stuck in the same ruts. Old routines remain, prejudices persist, dullness and anxiety continue to be constant companions. Lingering in the air is that nagging sense that things aren't quite right, not as they could be, not as they should be.
R. Robert Cueni
In the scripture lesson for today Jesus tells a perplexing parable about a thoroughly dishonest employee who was praised for his dishonesty. In this story Jesus not only seems comfortable suggesting that it is acceptable to compromise with moral failings, but our Lord appears to commend his disciples to "go and do likewise." For centuries, preachers, commentators, and scholars have struggled to make sense of this outrageous tale.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL