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Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

A legend says that Sarah... -- Philemon 1-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 1998
A legend says that Sarah Sheppard tried to kill herself in the Cumberland River in 1847.
The text deals with seeking... -- Philemon 1:1-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 1998
The text deals with seeking the genuine welfare of brothers and sisters in the faith.
An election was held in... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 1998
An election was held in a remote county in Kansas in April of 1997.
A pastor asked his young... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 1998
A pastor asked his young people's communicant's class to define what a Christian is.
It is always disturbing to... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 1998
It is always disturbing to a person to be a victim of false or misleading advertising.
An ancient legend tells about... -- Luke 13:22-30 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
An ancient legend tells about the origin of humanity.
In a small seminary the... -- Jeremiah 18:1-11 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
In a small seminary the graduate students were required to participate in a "most original sermon" c
Vince Lombardi in Run... -- Hebrews 12:1-7 (8-10) 11-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
Vince Lombardi in Run To Daylight wrote a chapter on running backs that contains a lesson on
If you ever have the... -- Jeremiah 18:1-11 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
If you ever have the chance to work at a potter's wheel, take it.
Barry Curran (story from I... -- Ezekiel 33:1-11 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
Barry Curran (story from ID Illustration Digest, May, June, July 1990, page 1) hurried to wor
God has a wonderful way... -- Jeremiah 18:1-11 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
God has a wonderful way using seemingly simple, everyday things to convey to us profound messages be
Sentry duty is not popular... -- Ezekiel 33:1-11 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
Sentry duty is not popular or pleasant.
A man came to see... -- Wisdom 9:13-18 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
A man came to see the pastor of a large congregation. This man was not a member of the church.
Who are the warning people... -- Ezekiel 33:1-11 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
Who are the "warning people?" Some are described as alarmists.
Mickey Thomas was a young... -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
Mickey Thomas was a young architect who had worked diligently toward excellence throughout his years
In his play An... -- Ezekiel 33:1-11 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
In his play An Inspector Calls, J. B.
The English mathematician and physicist... -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
The English mathematician and physicist Isaac Newton was one of the great minds of history.
The ways of God are... -- Wisdom 9:13-18 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
The ways of God are beyond our knowledge; we cannot understand many things in life, but we have the
How would you describe wisdom... -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
How would you describe wisdom? The writer of this text gives wisdom a feminine characteristic.
The baby eagle is totally... -- Wisdom 9:13-18 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
The baby eagle is totally dependant on its mother.
It is an accepted phenomenon... -- Deuteronomy 30:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
It is an accepted phenomenon that people who are on their deathbeds "choose" the time of their death
Herman Melville says in his... -- Wisdom 9:13-18 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
Herman Melville says in his introduction to Moby Dick, that a great book requires a great the
Life, what a beautiful choice... -- Deuteronomy 30:15-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
"Life, what a beautiful choice."
T. E. Lawrence, better known... -- Wisdom 9:13-18 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
T. E.

The Immediate Word

Life's Farthest Limits -- Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 -- George L. Murphy -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
Dear Fellow Preachers,

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New & Featured This Week

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
In the sometimes-tiresome debate over science and scripture with respect to creation, it’s easy to become distracted. While the argument typically requires a focus on the how, we may lose sight of the what. And so, for just a moment, let me invite us to think for a moment about what God created.
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas
Acts 8:26-40
As a local church pastor, I was often asked if I would baptize a child whose family were not members of the church. Some churches rebelled against this, but I remember this scripture — the hunger for understanding and inclusion of the Eunuch and Philp’s response — to teach and share and baptize in the name of our God. How could we turn anyone away from the rite of baptism?

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Dad, I think you worked a miracle.” Rolf slowly walked around the tree. “After that windstorm, I assumed this tree was as good as gone.”

“We just needed to give the branches time to heal and come back,” Michael replied.

 “I know, but so many of them were battered and broken I figured that it couldn’t recover. Now though it looks just like it did before the storm.” Rolf paused. “Do you think it will bear any fruit this summer?”

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A live plant that produces fruit, and a broken branch from that plant. I used a tomato plant from a local greenhouse. Ideally, find a plant with blossoms or small fruit already growing. If you use a different kind of fruit-producing plant, just change the script to fit.

* * *

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

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Elena Delhagen
Dean Feldmeyer
Quantisha Mason-Doll
For April 28, 2024:
  • On The Way To Gaza by Chris Keating based on Acts 8:26-40. On the way to Gaza, Philip discovers the startling ways the Spirit of God moves across borders, boundaries, customs, and traditions.
  • Second Thoughts: Abiding by Katy Stenta based on John 15:1-8.
  • Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin, Tom Willadsen, Elena Delhagen, Dean Feldmeyer.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. In our service today, let us absorb from the vine all the nourishment we need.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes our branches become cut off from the vine.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes our branches are withered.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we fail to produce good fruit.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Stan Purdum
We will meet Psalm 22 in its entirety on Good Friday, but here the lectionary designates just verses 23-31. The lectionary psalms generally illuminate the week's First Lesson, which in this case is about the covenant initiated by God with Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 17. The nine verses from this psalm, while not inappropriate, nonetheless leave us looking for an obvious connection with the First Lesson.

John S. Smylie
I think some people are natural-born gardeners. Our Lord grew up in a society that was familiar with agriculture. The images that he used to explain the ways of his Father in heaven are familiar to his audience. Growing up, my closest experience to agriculture was living in, "the Garden State." Most people, when they pass through New Jersey, are surprised to see that expression on the license plates of vehicles registered in New Jersey. Most folks traveling through New Jersey experience the megalopolis, the corridor between New York City and Washington DC.
Ron Lavin
A pastor in Indiana went to visit an 87-year-old man named Ermil, who was a hospital patient. A member of his church told the pastor about this old man who was an acquaintance. "He's not a believer, but he is really in need," the church member said. "I met him at the county home for the elderly. He's a lonely old man with no family and no money."

Paul E. Robinson
"Love is a many splendored thing...." Or so we heard Don Cornwall and the Four Aces sing time and again. Of course you or I might have other words to describe love, depending on our situation.

Love. "I love you." "I love to play golf." "I just love pistachio lush!" "It's tough to love some people." "Jesus loves me, this I know."

Love.

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