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Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

A philanthropist approached an organization... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1994
A philanthropist approached an organization which operated a home for a number of disabled persons a
Some still call him the... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1994
Some still call him the King.
People came to her frequently... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1994
People came to her frequently for advice, sometimes commenting on her reputation for wisdom.
As Ron waits to count... -- 1 Kings 2:1O-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1994
As Ron waits to count down the seconds of each of his wife's labor pains, he quietly prays for his w
A certain lawsuit ended up... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1994
A certain lawsuit ended up at the United States Supreme Court in the summer of 1993.
Several college students were discussing... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
Several college students were discussing the sacrament of the Lord's supper in an interdenominationa
Irma Dovey wrote of her... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
Irma Dovey wrote of her thoughts as she recently received the sacrament of holy communion in a churc
When C. S. Lewis gave... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
When C. S.
Always and for everything giving... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
"... Always and for everything giving thanks ..."
A Philadelphia hotel clerk gave... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
A Philadelphia hotel clerk gave his room to an elderly man and his wife when there were no other roo
Wisdom is something deeper than... -- Proverbs 9:1-6 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
Wisdom is something deeper than the genetic ability to memorize all sorts of quotations, calculation
These words are the opposite... -- Proverbs 9:1-6 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
These words are the opposite of what we generally hear, that is, we are generally told that we shoul
Someone said, Life is what... -- Proverbs 9:1-6 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
Someone said, "Life is what happens when you've planned something else." Wisdom can be what happens
I had often ministered to... -- 2 Samuel 18:24-33 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
I had often ministered to Ruth and Larry. Their son, Bill, had been a terrible disappointment.
In Charles Williams' novel, Descent... -- 2 Samuel 18:24-33 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
In Charles Williams' novel, Descent into Hell (1937), the characters eventually become schooled in t
Another man running ... He also... -- 2 Samuel 18:24-33 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
"... Another man running ...
At the age of 93... -- 2 Samuel 18:24-33 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1991
At the age of 93, she received word that her son had just died following a long struggle with cancer
I stand by the beds... -- John 6:60-69 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
I stand by the beds of my two sleeping children. Melanie is seven years old and John is nine.
Have you ever heard a... -- John 6:55-69 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Have you ever heard a black person or a Polish person or a Swedish person tell a joke on themselves?
In the days before yeast... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
In the days before yeast was available in foils packets at the supermarket, it had to be
The disciples did not respond... -- John 6:55-69 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
The disciples did not respond well to hard words from Jesus, and neither do we.
Many of us have been... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Many of us have been guilty of taking some pretty remarkable things for granted, simply
A certain novelist was once... -- Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
A certain novelist was once called a "toy socialist," because he spoke eloquently about the movement
Choose this day whom you... -- Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
"Choose this day whom you will serve," said Joshua to the Israelites.

The Immediate Word

Null -- 1 Kings 2 10-12; 3:3-14, Ephesians 5:15-20, John 6:51-58 -- Carlos Wilton -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Dear Fellow Preacher,

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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
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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