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Third Sunday of Advent - B

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Full Body Experience -- John 1:6-8, 19-28, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, Psalm 126 -- C. David Mckirachan, Paul E. Flesner -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
Contents "Full Body Experience" by C. David McKirachan
Blinding Light Or Illuminating Light? -- John 1:6-8, 19-28, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, Psalm 126 -- Dallas A. Brauninger, John E. Sumwalt, Paul E. Flesner -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
Contents What's Up This Week

Emphasis Preaching Journal

The Spirit of the Lord... -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
The Spirit of the Lord is upon the prophet. He's ecstatic with his vocation as the Lord's prophet.
Do you remember your family... -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
Do you remember your family going somewhere special when you were a child?
It is that time of... -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
It is that time of year when family members whom we don't often see will soon return home for the ho
Jamie was trying out for... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
Jamie was trying out for a part in the Christmas play.
It had been a rough... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
It had been a rough year for the Rogers family.
Sports drinks are the rage... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
Sports drinks are the rage these days.
The conductor, author, and composer... -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
The conductor, author, and composer, Leonard Bernstein, was also a teacher.
There was once a town... -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
There was once a town overrun by squirrels. They were everywhere, especially the churches.
John the Baptist is a... -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
John the Baptist is a popular preacher, having followers of his own.
Illustrations b... -- John 1:6-8, 19-28, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
IllustrationsIsaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Preaching The Psalmbr... -- John 1:6-8, 19-28, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, Psalm 126 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
Preaching The PsalmPsalm 126
Large and small organizations, businesses... -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Large and small organizations, businesses, churches, and groups spend a lot of time and effort devel
The scene is typical: a... -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
The scene is typical: a woman is being asked to taste a brand of peanut butter, a piece of sausage,
It's truly amazing what surgeons... -- Isaiah 61:1-3, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
It's truly amazing what surgeons are doing for the human body.
As long as anyone could... -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
As long as anyone could remember, the adult Sunday school class collected school supplies and clothi
Death, where is thy Victory... -- Isaiah 61:1-3, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Death, where is thy Victory?
Chuck worked in a small... -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Chuck worked in a small, inner-city machine shop.
For just a moment imagine... -- Isaiah 61:1-3, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
For just a moment imagine you are looking out over a vast landscape of seemingly happy people.
As the budget problems worsened... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
As the budget problems worsened and family population shifts were causing an exit out of one urban a
Many years ago my mother... -- Isaiah 61:1-3, 8-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Many years ago my mother told of a young man who lived in her community and graduated from medical s

The Immediate Word

God's Oil Change: From Mourning To Gladness -- John 1:6-8, 19-28, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, Psalm 126 -- George Reed, Stephen P. McCutchan -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2008
(Originally published December 14, 2008)
Marketing The Messiah -- John 1:6-8, 19-28, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, Psalm 126 -- Chris Ewing, Stephen P. McCutchan, Carlos Wilton, George L. Murphy, Carter Shelley -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2005
(Originally published December 11, 2005)
Anticipation Or The Best Christmas Present Ever -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28, Psalm 126 -- Carter Shelley -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Dear Fellow Pastors,

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Send Me! -- Isaiah 6:1-4, 8-11 -- Frederick C. Edwards -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 1993
Certain events -- often cataclysmic ones --stand out in bold
Good News! -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Curtis Lewis -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
For a period of time there was an emphasis on good news/bad news stories.

The Immediate Word

Anticipation Or The Best Christmas Present Ever -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28, Psalm 126 -- Carter Shelley -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Dear Fellow Pastors,

The Village Shepherd

Who Needs Rescuing? -- Isaiah 61:1-4; 8-11 -- Janice B. Scott -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
There seems to be something of an outbreak of modern slavery throughout the world. In the UK in
On Whose Authority? -- John 1:6-8; 19-28 -- Janice B. Scott -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Recently, we had a moving and impressive confirmation service at a local church.
Be Joyful Always... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 -- Janice B. Scott -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Years ago when I was at college, there was a strong Christian movement in our year.

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Witnessing - Bearing witness to the light of the world -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 1990
Invitation to the Corporate CelebrationOne pastor began this way:
Witnessing and Previewing -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Wayne H. Keller -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
The Community Readies Itself For The Coming MessiahChoral Invitation

The Immediate Word

Anticipation Or The Best Christmas Present Ever -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8, 19-28, Psalm 126 -- Carter Shelley -- Third Sunday of Advent - B
Dear Fellow Pastors,
UPCOMING WEEKS
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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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