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Matthew 24:36-44

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Which Armor Will We Wear? -- Matthew 24:36-44, Romans 13:11-14, Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122 -- Paul Bresnahan, Thom M. Shuman -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
In Romans, Paul admonishes us to "lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light" (Ro
Is Peace Possible? -- Isaiah 2:2-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44, Psalm 122 -- Carter Shelley -- First Sunday of Advent - A
November 28, 2004Advent 1 / Cycle A Dear Fellow Preachers,

Emphasis Preaching Journal

There is an old Hasidic... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- 2001
There is an old Hasidic story that says that when a child is conceived, God whispers to that child t
In the small town where... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- 2001
In the small town where I grew up, the B & O Railroad was extremely important.
Someone in a religious cult... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- 2001
Someone in a religious cult once warned Ralph Waldo Emerson that the world was going to end in 10 da
Here Jesus speaks to his... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 1998
Here Jesus speaks to his disciples about his return at the end of the age.
Sandra and Tom had just... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 1998
Sandra and Tom had just celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.
Predictions for the 1996 Olympics... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 1998
Predictions for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, placed Britain's reigning champion, Linford C
Katrina knew he would be... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- 1995
Katrina knew he would be waiting.
A group of young children... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- 1995
A group of young children were playing "Hide and Seek." One child would shut his eyes and count to 1
A small-town pastor in... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
A small-town pastor in the midwest earned a reputation for consistently visiting all his members on
In rural parts of the... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
In rural parts of the country, where farmers buy their gas in bulk, theft is always a concern.
On March 6th, 1991, a... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
On March 6th, 1991, a plane carrying country music star Reba McEntire's band and her tour manager cr
Remaining alert can keep us... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
Remaining alert can keep us out of trouble, and ready for what is sure to come upon us.
Sometimes nature reflects the unexpectedness... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
Sometimes nature reflects the unexpectedness of Christ's second coming.
The idea of readiness permeates... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
The idea of readiness permeates our lives.
You do not know the... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
You do not know the hour or the day. At any time a thief could break in.
God sometimes acts suddenly and... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- First Sunday of Advent - A
God sometimes acts suddenly and there seems to be little warning.

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The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For September 21, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
Well, it’s autumn, and by now the seeds we planted in the spring either took root and produced or else the weather, pests, rabbits, or our own laziness conspired to make this year’s garden less than a success. But at one point we had to get started and actually plant seeds for the future.

Jeremiah is looking back from the perspective of our spiritual well-being and laments than our spiritual harvest has all been for naught. He wonders if it is now too late for a recovery. Is there no healing, no balm in Gilead, to apply to our wounds?
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 8:18--9:1 and Psalm 79:1-9
In the spring as farmers and gardeners prepare to plant we are looking at a summer of possibilities. Hard work, to be sure, but also potential. What will happen? What will this season be like? At summer’s end there will be no more questions. We’ll know. Maybe it was a great season, and we have canned or frozen many vegetables. Maybe the farmers have brought in a bumper crop and they got a good price besides.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message will be based on a game you will play. See the note below.

NOTE: Ask three or more adults to come up and play the role of Simon for your group. Tell them to all speak at once, asking the children to do different things. The goal is to create a nice bit of confusion for the children to experience.

* * *

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

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Hey!” Annie waved at the woman standing next to the open doorway. “Can you come here?”

The woman made her way past the other nursing home residents and stood next to Annie’s wheelchair.

“What can I do for you?”

“You look familiar.” Annie squinted at her. “Do I know your name?”

“I’m Brenda.” The woman pointed at her name tag. “I work in the kitchen and sometimes help serve the meals when they are ready.”

“That’s right. I think we’ve met before.” Annie tapped her lips with her finger. “You have the nice smile.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much.” In our worship today let us remember the little things in our lives and ask God to help us to be utterly faithful in them.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we pretend that little sins don't matter.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we imagine that you don't notice little sins.

Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
This poignant prayer of lament and community grief gives expression to what it feels like to suffer as a person of faith. If we believe we are truly part of God's community, then the destruction of that community -- as was the case with Israel in 587 B.C. -- becomes a time for doubt, anger, and confusion. Furthermore, if we believe we are individual members of that community, our personal suffering also creates an opportunity for a crisis of faith: "Why didn't God protect me?" Of course, it does not take a national catastrophe to raise those sorts of questions.
Kirk R. Webster
If feedback is the breakfast of champions, perhaps we would do well to examine some of our prayer habits. If you have ever heard someone use The Just Really Prayer, you know exactly what problem we are talking about.

That prayer goes something like this, "Lord, we just really thank you for this day. We come before you and just really pray for mercy. We offer ourselves to you and just really ask that your will be done in our lives. Amen." I'm thankful this particular Just Really prayer was mercifully short, unlike the next example, The Good Guilt-Based Prayer.
John W. Wurster
Another season has come and gone. Promises that were made have not been fulfilled. Good intentions haven't yielded any tangible results. Dreams have not come true. High hopes have proven to be only wishful thinking. Nothing has really changed; nothing has really improved. The time keeps moving along, but we seem stuck in the same ruts. Old routines remain, prejudices persist, dullness and anxiety continue to be constant companions. Lingering in the air is that nagging sense that things aren't quite right, not as they could be, not as they should be.
R. Robert Cueni
In the scripture lesson for today Jesus tells a perplexing parable about a thoroughly dishonest employee who was praised for his dishonesty. In this story Jesus not only seems comfortable suggesting that it is acceptable to compromise with moral failings, but our Lord appears to commend his disciples to "go and do likewise." For centuries, preachers, commentators, and scholars have struggled to make sense of this outrageous tale.

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