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Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B

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The fair was coming to... -- Hebrews 9:11-14 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
The fair was coming to town and with it came the midway -- rides, cotton candy, and
The pastor noticed a middle... -- Hebrews 9:11-14 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
The pastor noticed a middle-aged man kneeling near the altar following his first Sunday
He was an agnostic, and... -- Hebrews 9:11-14 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
He was an agnostic, and his wife an atheist. After receiving a direct-mail flier from our
When constructing a building, it... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
When constructing a building, it must be plumb and level. It must be perfectly vertical
Some Bible scholars believe Jesus... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
Some Bible scholars believe Jesus was the first to combine Deuteronomy 6:4 with
There was a human-interest... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
There was a human-interest story in The New York Times several years ago that
Teilhard de Chardin wrote: Someday... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
Teilhard de Chardin wrote: "Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the
One preacher tells the story... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
One preacher tells the story that comes from Mark Twain's writings. He was dealing with
Norman was driving through the... -- Hebrews 9:11-14 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
Norman was driving through the mountains of Tennessee.
Once, as a child, I... -- Hebrews 9:11-14 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
Once, as a child, I was taken to visit a family farm.
The words of verses four... -- Deuteronomy 6:2-6 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
The words of verses four through nine are on a small parchment scroll inside the mezuzah, a small ca
Thurber Cornell and his son... -- Deuteronomy 6:2-6 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
Thurber Cornell and his son-in-law Tom Sharp once took me deer hunting.
Keep these words that I... -- Deuteronomy 6:2-6 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
"Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.
Some laws are immutable: The... -- Deuteronomy 6:2-6 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
Some laws are immutable: The laws of gravity. The laws of magnetism. The laws of electricity.
One California insurance company is... -- Ruth 1:1-18 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
One California insurance company is now offering policies to cover wedding ceremonies.
Dr. Joseph Sittler made the... -- Ruth 1:1-18 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
Dr. Joseph Sittler made the following statement in his book Grace Notes And Fragments.
Large was his bounty, and... -- Ruth 1:1-18 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
"Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,Heaven did a recompense as largely send:
Naomi was perhaps a very... -- Ruth 1:1-18 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
Naomi was perhaps a very conventional Israelite woman -- she saw her place as being with her people
Teilhard de Chardin wrote: Someday... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
Teilhard de Chardin wrote: "Someday, if we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides, and gravit
In his book, Congregational Evangelism... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
In his book, Congregational Evangelism: A Pastor's View, Maxie Dunnam tells the story of a young wo
Crunch! The dry leaves announced... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
Crunch! The dry leaves announced each step she took down the wooded path.
The Pharisee who came to... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
The Pharisee who came to learn something from Jesus is like a certain pastor who was interviewed by
At the close of a... -- Hebrews 9:11-14 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
At the close of a service an intelligent-looking man came to the minister and said, "I do not see an
In the Civil War battle... -- Hebrews 9:11-14 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
In the Civil War battle of Gettysburg Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was the Union Commander assigned
(L, P)br... -- Deuteronomy 6:1-9 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1982
(L, P)

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Taking It Literally -- Deuteronomy 6:1-9 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B
There is a famous story about an old priest and his cat in which the two were so close that the cat
Did The Cross Really Work? -- Hebrews 9:11-14 -- Janice B. Scott -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B
In any daily newspaper there are always catalogues of horrific

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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
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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
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Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 13
34 – Sermons
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32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Tom Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
George Reed
Christopher Keating
For September 14, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A sheep stuffy or toy.

* * *

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

Did you know that Jesus traveled around and hunted for people who were doing something illegal and breaking the laws? (Let them respond.) He really did.And when he found someone who was doing something illegal, do you know what he did with them? (Let them respond.)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Our text tells us that we are skilled in doing evil (v.22). An anonymous late medieval treatise titled German Theology tells us why:

It is the nature and property of the creature to seek itself and its own things, and this and that, here and there, and in all that it does and leaves undone as desire is to its own advantage and benefit. (Varieties of Mystic Experience, p.162)

Martin Luther King, Jr. offers an alternative to this vision:
David Coffin
All three of today’s texts can be viewed as good news that God never gives up on God’s people. This is despite their resistance to repent or simple straying from the community of faith. We can observe family and loved ones at various points of their faith journey through the lens of each of these texts. Jeremiah 4 informs the people their neglect of honoring their covenant with God is about to result in disastrous consequences. Paul recalls in 1 Timothy 1 how he thought he was falling God’s will until he had his literal come to Jesus moment!

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (vv. 6-7)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus told stories to illustrate to the people God's gladness whenever anyone turned to him and chose life. There is still rejoicing in heaven whenever any one of us turns to God.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes I think I'm too insignificant for you to bother with me.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I don't bother with you.

Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes I don't bother with other people, but only with myself.

SermonStudio

James Evans
(See Proper 12/Pentecost 10/Ordinary Time 17, Cycle B, for an alternative approach.)

The psalm writer has an interesting perspective on the origin of injustice in our world. He begins this psalm with the assertion that those who do not believe in God are "fools." He goes on to accuse them of corruption and of being incapable of doing good. Later on he writes, "Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the Lord?" (v. 4).

Elizabeth Achtemeier
"Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them" (v. 12). Ours is a society that does not accept that as the Word of God. Many people do not believe that God judges anyone. Rather, the Lord is a forgiving God, a kindly deity who overlooks all wrong. As in the Gospel lesson for the morning, the Lord searches for the one lost sheep and returns it gently to the fold, or he hunts for the one lost coin until he finds it. God accepts the lost as they are, we think, overlooking Jesus' teaching about repentance and transformation of life.
Scott Suskovic
We usually don't spend too much time thinking about our own sinfulness. On occasion, of course, our feelings of guilt overwhelm us. We can't stop thinking about our sinfulness. If we are in that situation, we may need to talk that out with someone. Apart from times like that, we don't think much about our own sinfulness. We have ways of getting around that.

R. Robert Cueni
Back before the ways of the Taliban became common knowledge, there was a fascinating little article about how they jailed barbers when they didn't do culturally correct haircuts.1 The newspaper reported that young men in Kabul, Afghanistan, have started wearing their hair the way the actor Leonardo DiCaprio wears his. Long, not only on the sides, but so long in the front that hair can drop over the eyes. They call the style, "the Titanic," named for the blockbuster movie starring DiCaprio about the 1912 sinking of the cruise ship by that name.

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