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Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A

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Imagine you're in middle school... -- Exodus 14:19-31 -- Brian Hohmeier -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2011
Imagine you're in middle school, sitting in detention when another student whispers to you, "I have
Rabbi Yochanan bar Nafcha was... -- Exodus 14:19-31 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
Rabbi Yochanan bar Nafcha was considered the greatest teacher of his generation. He
The Israelites had just witnessed... -- Exodus 14:19-31 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
The Israelites had just witnessed the devastation of an enemy under whom they'd chafed
In the movie Ben-Hur... -- Exodus 14:19-31 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
In the movie Ben-Hur, there is a chariot race. Charlton Heston, representing the
The Greek-speaking church fathers... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
The Greek-speaking church fathers had a very useful word they used in situations of
Sally made some bad choices... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
Sally made some bad choices. She was arrested for driving under the influence of
The trouble began when Bob... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
The trouble began when Bob, a very charismatic and influential man, went to a
Kings and slaves were stock... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
Kings and slaves were stock characters in Semitic stories. So it's not hard to understand
How often should I forgive... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
"How often should I forgive?" Few questions are so pertinent. At least Peter asked. Some
In Matthew, Jesus tells the... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2008
In Matthew, Jesus tells the fascinating story of a man hiring people for a day's wage, and
A quote from C. S... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
A quote from C. S. Lewis: "The sins of the flesh are bad, but they are the least bad of all sins.
Elizabeth Conroy was pastor at... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
Elizabeth Conroy was pastor at one of the seven churches in Walkerton, Ontario, and chairperson of t
More than one sitcom has... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
More than one sitcom has been based on a simple premise.
A California psychiatrist named Richard... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
A California psychiatrist named Richard Harris came up with a psychological principle that he called
If I were living to... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
If I were living to myself, I'd consider defrauding an innkeeper without a conscience twang.
Her neighbors whispered, Mary is... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2002
Her neighbors whispered, "Mary is pregnant." "But Mary is not married!" "Well, I must say...." As th
This parable of the unmerciful... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1999
This parable of the unmerciful servant illustrates beautifully the "echo effect." The echo effect me
An article in US News... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1999
An article in US News and World Report told of Professor Robert Simon of Hamilton College in Clinton
There was a wise old... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1999
There was a wise old man who sat at the gate of an ancient city.
Anne was a true success... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1999
Anne was a true success story. She was a stockbroker with a major firm in New York City.
Monica couldn't stand it anymore... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1999
Monica couldn't stand it anymore.
Words have power. Words of... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1999
Words have power. Words of forgiveness have the power to forgive.
I haven't heard anybody come... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1999
I haven't heard anybody come to the end of their life and say that they wished they had spent more t
Our church family was in... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1999
Our church family was in the middle of an argument.

The Immediate Word

Deciding To Forgive -- Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 14:1-12, Exodus 14:19-31, Psalm 114 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2011
This coming Sunday offers a big challenge, as it will be impossible to avoid the fact that it will b

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 10 | OT 15 | Pentecost 5
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Proper 11 | OT 16 | Pentecost 6
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Proper 12 | OT 17 | Pentecost 7
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New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

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
Nazish Naseem
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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