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Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

When our Bible study class... -- Philemon 1: (2-9) 10-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
When our Bible study class discussed Philemon, there was a lot of sympathy for the man.
Paul Tillich points out in... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Paul Tillich points out in The Shaking of the Foundations the dimensions of spiritual depth.
When the brilliant William Moon... -- Philemon 1:(2-9) 10-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
When the brilliant William Moon of England was at the height of his mental powers, his future looked
No matter how much wisdom... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
No matter how much wisdom and patience a parent has or no matter how much forbearance a child has, t
Do you ever go to... -- Philemon 1: (2-9) 10-21 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Do you ever go to auction sales?
Gary Wills captioned his study... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Gary Wills captioned his study of the Kennedy family, The Kennedy Imprisonment: A Meditation on P
... if human suffering were... -- Ezekiel 18:1-9, 25-29 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
...
The woman leading a group... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
The woman leading a group of seminary students on a weekend retreat asked them to meditate on the qu
In the first letter to... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
In the first letter to his young protege, Timothy, Paul focuses on the unique quality of mercy expre
Today if we mention racism... -- Ezekiel 18:1-9, 25-29 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Today if we mention racism and or discrimination in public, we hear comments like: "I didn't own sla
As a boy, he wanted... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
As a boy, he wanted to be a priest but, later, laziness and indifference kept him out of the seminar
Tourists in the Alps are... -- Ezekiel 18:1-9, 25-29 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Tourists in the Alps are cautioned at certain points by the guides not to yodel, sing, or even to sp
St. Francis of Assisi was... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
St. Francis of Assisi was once asked why and how he could accomplish so much.
Modern psychotherapy has grown up... -- Ezekiel 18:1-9, 25-29 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Modern psychotherapy has grown up a lot in the last twenty years or so.
Jesus never wished to gain... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Jesus never wished to gain disciples under false pretenses.
When Gordon Allport gave us... -- Proverbs 9:8-12 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
When Gordon Allport gave us his criteria for mature religion, he indicated that such religion is alw
On the outskirts of a... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
On the outskirts of a nearby town is an eyesore.
George was the type of... -- Proverbs 9:8-12 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
George was the type of fellow who was always an authority on everything and enjoyed letting others k
You shall love the Lord... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
"You shall love the Lord your God ...
Earning Pens Eason's Oor.br... -- Proverbs 9:8-12 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
"Earning Pens Eason's Oor."
Ezekiel's picture of the watchman... -- Ezekiel 33:1-11 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Ezekiel's picture of the watchman giving warning to his people of impending danger, reminded me of t
The late Bishop Gerald Kennedy... -- Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
The late Bishop Gerald Kennedy told about a museum in Vienna where a piano Beethoven played is displ
What responsibility is placed on... -- Ezekie l 33:1-11 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
What responsibility is placed on the prophet's head!
The way of wisdom seems... -- Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
The way of wisdom seems out of touch with so many realities of today.
Jesus commanded his followers to... -- Ezekiel 33:1-11 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Jesus commanded his followers to "watch and pray." To be on watch is not a passive activity.

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New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Quantisha Mason-Doll
Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Elena Delhagen
For October 1, 2023:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message will include a simple role-play activity.

Note: For the role-play, pick three children you believe can have some fun with their roles. You can read their parts for them, or for more fun, feed them their lines and have them repeat them. A little over-acting by the two sons makes it more memorable.

* * *

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

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
An ice storm on Saturday night! Everything was cancelled. Roads were closed and powerlines down.

Chad was the new pastor at Creekside Church. In fact, he was new to ministry leadership. His ordination service in this rural congregation happened only three months earlier.
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Frank Ramirez
Bill Thomas
Exodus 17:1-7

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? (v. 2)

The prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah both quote a popular proverb, homespun wisdom, if you will, to the effect that, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” And when you think about it, this can be true. When many of us watch someone take a bite of something sour, like lemons, we may have an intense physical reaction to something they’re doing, and we’re not.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus was not afraid of anyone because his inner authority was so strong. In today's worship, let us consider how we too can develop inner authority.

SermonStudio

Stan Purdum
(See Proper 27/Pentecost 25/Ordinary Time 32, Cycle A, or an alternative approach to vv. 1-7.)

This is one of the "Wisdom Psalms," and part of the wisdom it extols is the importance of telling our children about our faith (v. 4), including telling them of the glorious deeds of God in the past (as, for example, vv. 12-16) as evidence for what God continues to do in the present.

Robert J. Elder
Recently, in a weekly Bible study, the group poured over this Exodus passage, and someone remarked, "I am impressed by how contemporary this sounds." The Exodus story? Contemporary? Generally we think of it as anything but contemporary! Near the dawn of recorded human history a band of primitive Middle Eastern Bedouins, having fled from Egypt, now makes its way on foot through the savage desert wilderness.
Marilyn Saure Breckenridge
Operation Bootstrap Africa is making a difference. It is a Minnesota based non-profit organization established in the mid-sixties to raise money to build schools in poor third world countries. The organization was founded by a pastor and his wife who served as missionaries in Tanzania for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). They were determined to witness to their faith, not only with their words but also by their actions.
Tom M. Garrison
As we read the writings of the Apostle Paul, we begin to get a sense through the Spirit that we are given the privilege to overhear his heart and soul. Not only is he a dedicated disciple, but also a very confessional preacher. For Paul to stop and ask something from prison is not out of character for him. When Paul makes those personal requests, it is a red flag, signaling a time to pay close attention, for here is the heart of the matter. This is the key to understanding. Paul's statements of instruction are more than instructions. He will draw a line in the sand.
Amy C. Schifrin
Martha Shonkwiler
Litany
Divide the congregation into four voices.

I: Traveling to see friends,
traveling to see relatives,
II: show me your way, O Lord,
and teach me your paths.
III: To white-capped mountains,
and clear rushing streams,
IV: show me your way, O Lord,
and teach me your paths.
I: Sometimes in new neighborhoods,
sometimes in familiar homes,
II: show me your way, O Lord,
and teach me your paths.
III: Wherever we go, our path is the path of love;
our destination, your heart.

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