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Psalm 119:97-104

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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Patience -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Wayne Brouwer, Schuyler Rhodes -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
Patience is a tough virtue, slipping from our grasp in the moment of demand.
The easiest way to lose -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104 -- David Kalas -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2007
Most televised sporting events now feature some pre-game analysis by the commentators.
Farmer, teacher, judge -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
I have always thought that it is more accurate to say what God isn't than what God is.

Children's sermon

The Immediate Word

Challenging Intractable Injustice -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Nazish Naseem, Dean Feldmeyer, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2025
For October 19, 2025:
Nag, Nag, Nag -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121 -- Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Katy Stenta -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2022
For October 16, 2022:
Nevertheless, He Resisted -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2019
For October 20, 2019:
Persisting In The Struggle -- Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Christopher Keating, Beth Herrinton-Hodge, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2016
The key themes in this week’s lectionary epistle and gospel texts are the value and necessity of pat
Oh, How I Love Your Law! -- Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, Leah Lonsbury, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2013
Judges and the law are a prominent theme in this week’s lectionary texts, with Jesus telling a p
Free Illustrations For October 17, 2010 -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Ron Love, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
Click here fo
Spiritual Wanderlust -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
All Of Life's A Stage -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Thom M. Shuman, Barbara Jurgensen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2007
How do you guide someone down a road you have never walked yourself?

Devotional

SermonStudio

Proper 24 / Pentecost 22 / Ordinary Time 29 -- Psalm 119:97-104 -- Stephen P. McCutchan -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2009
Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all day long.-- Psalm 119:97

Illustration

The Immediate Word

Challenging Intractable Injustice -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Nazish Naseem, Dean Feldmeyer, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2025
For October 19, 2025:
Nag, Nag, Nag -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121 -- Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Katy Stenta -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2022
For October 16, 2022:
Nevertheless, He Resisted -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2019
For October 20, 2019:
Persisting In The Struggle -- Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Christopher Keating, Beth Herrinton-Hodge, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2016
The key themes in this week’s lectionary epistle and gospel texts are the value and necessity of pat
Oh, How I Love Your Law! -- Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, Leah Lonsbury, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2013
Judges and the law are a prominent theme in this week’s lectionary texts, with Jesus telling a p
Free Illustrations For October 17, 2010 -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Ron Love, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
Click here fo
Spiritual Wanderlust -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
All Of Life's A Stage -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Thom M. Shuman, Barbara Jurgensen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2007
How do you guide someone down a road you have never walked yourself?

Preaching

The Immediate Word

Challenging Intractable Injustice -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Nazish Naseem, Dean Feldmeyer, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2025
For October 19, 2025:
Nag, Nag, Nag -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121 -- Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Katy Stenta -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2022
For October 16, 2022:
Nevertheless, He Resisted -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2019
For October 20, 2019:
Persisting In The Struggle -- Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Christopher Keating, Beth Herrinton-Hodge, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2016
The key themes in this week’s lectionary epistle and gospel texts are the value and necessity of pat
Oh, How I Love Your Law! -- Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, Leah Lonsbury, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2013
Judges and the law are a prominent theme in this week’s lectionary texts, with Jesus telling a p
Free Illustrations For October 17, 2010 -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Ron Love, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
Click here fo
Spiritual Wanderlust -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
All Of Life's A Stage -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Thom M. Shuman, Barbara Jurgensen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2007
How do you guide someone down a road you have never walked yourself?

SermonStudio

Psalm 119:97-104 -- Psalm 119:97-104 -- Schuyler Rhodes -- 2009
A devotee of the writings of the apostle Paul might look at such a psalm as this and shake his head
Proper 24 / Pentecost 19 / Ordinary Time 29 -- Psalm 119:97-104 -- James Evans -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2006
Psalm 119 is well-known as the longest chapter in the Bible.

Sermon

The Immediate Word

Challenging Intractable Injustice -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Nazish Naseem, Dean Feldmeyer, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2025
For October 19, 2025:
Nag, Nag, Nag -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121 -- Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Katy Stenta -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2022
For October 16, 2022:
Nevertheless, He Resisted -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2019
For October 20, 2019:
Persisting In The Struggle -- Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Christopher Keating, Beth Herrinton-Hodge, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2016
The key themes in this week’s lectionary epistle and gospel texts are the value and necessity of pat
Oh, How I Love Your Law! -- Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, Leah Lonsbury, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2013
Judges and the law are a prominent theme in this week’s lectionary texts, with Jesus telling a p
Free Illustrations For October 17, 2010 -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Ron Love, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
Click here fo
Spiritual Wanderlust -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
All Of Life's A Stage -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Thom M. Shuman, Barbara Jurgensen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2007
How do you guide someone down a road you have never walked yourself?

Stories

StoryShare

A Certain Level Of Comfort -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Keith Hewitt, John Fitzgerald -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2016
Contents "A Certain Level of Comfort" by Keith Hewitt
To Care Or Not To Care -- Luke 18:1-8, Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Frank Ramirez, Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2013
Contents"To Care or Not to Care" by Frank Ramirez
The Decision -- Luke 18:1-8, Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Craig Kelly, C. David Mckirachan -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
Contents"The Decision" by Craig Kelly "Growing Up" by C. David McKirachan
The Ultimate Super Hero -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Fanny Lee Seville, Sandra Herrmann, John E. Sumwalt -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2007
ContentsWhat's Up This Week "The Ultimate Super Hero" by Fanny Lee Seville
Keep Sharp -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Psalm 119:97-104 -- John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C
Contents What's Up This Week A Story to Live By: "Keep Sharp"

Worship

The Immediate Word

Challenging Intractable Injustice -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Katy Stenta, Mary Austin, Nazish Naseem, Dean Feldmeyer, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2025
For October 19, 2025:
Nag, Nag, Nag -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 121 -- Mary Austin, Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer, Quantisha Mason-Doll, Katy Stenta -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2022
For October 16, 2022:
Nevertheless, He Resisted -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Christopher Keating, Thomas Willadsen, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2019
For October 20, 2019:
Persisting In The Struggle -- Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Christopher Keating, Beth Herrinton-Hodge, Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2016
The key themes in this week’s lectionary epistle and gospel texts are the value and necessity of pat
Oh, How I Love Your Law! -- Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31:27-34 -- Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, Leah Lonsbury, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2013
Judges and the law are a prominent theme in this week’s lectionary texts, with Jesus telling a p
Free Illustrations For October 17, 2010 -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Ron Love, Dean Feldmeyer -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
Click here fo
Spiritual Wanderlust -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2010
All Of Life's A Stage -- Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Thom M. Shuman, Barbara Jurgensen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2007
How do you guide someone down a road you have never walked yourself?

SermonStudio

Proper 24 / Ordinary Time 29 / Pentecost 22 -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:97-104 -- Julia Ross Strope -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2009
If we love the Lord with all our hearts, minds, and strength,
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New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For October 19, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 31:27-34
John Calvin makes very clear why a new covenant is needed according to this text. He observes:

… the fault was not to be sought in the law that there was need of a new covenant, for the law was abundantly sufficient, but that fault was in the levity and the unfaithfulness of the people. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.X/2, p.130)
David Coffin
What happens when one’s past life narrative or goals in life have drastically shifted or collapsed? How do they rebuild hope? For Israel, they lost their land, monarchy, and national identity. In the days of the New Testament,they could easily be identified as living in the “fourth world” country. That is, existing in substandard conditions in one’s own native land?

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
Rose sat back in her chair and opened her magazine. She heard the thump of the stairs and caught a glimpse of her daughter and son in the corner of her eye. She turned her head as they put water bottles in their backpacks.

“What are you two doing?” she looked over at the clock. “Don’t you have homework?”

“All done,” Paul and Linda announced at the same time.

Rose ignored Linda but locked eyes with Paul. He met her gaze for a few moments and then sighed.

“Okay, I’m almost done but still have some math questions,” he admitted.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus told us that we should always pray and not lose heart, for God is on our side. In our worship today let us pray to the Lord for the needs of others and for all our own needs.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes you don't seem to be there when I pray and I feel like I'm talking to myself.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes my prayers seem so dry and boring that I give up.

Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Psalm 119 is well-known as the longest chapter in the Bible. The poem is actually an extended, and extensive, meditation on the meaning of the law. Given the sterile connotations often associated with "law" and "legalism," it's hard sometimes to appreciate the lyrical beauty of these reflections. One thing is for certain, the writer of this psalm does not view the law as either sterile or void of vitality.

Schuyler Rhodes
There is perhaps no better feeling than knowing that someone "has your back." Having someone's back is a term that arose from urban street fighting where a partner or ally would stay with you and protect your back in the thick of the fray. When someone has your back, you don't worry about being hit from behind. When someone has your back you can concentrate on the struggle in front of you without worrying about dangers you cannot see. When someone has your back you feel protected, secure, safe.
David Kalas
I wonder how many of us here are named after someone.

Chances are that a good many of us carry family names. We are named for a parent, a grandparent, an uncle, or an aunt somewhere on the family tree. Others of us had parents who named us after a character in the Bible, or perhaps some other significant character from history.

All told, I expect a pretty fair number of us are named after someone else.

John W. Clarke
Our reading today from the prophet Jeremiah is one in which the Hebrew people, not knowing what else to do in terms of addressing their predicament, decide to blame it all on God. They believed their problems to be the result of their sins and the sins of their fathers. Of course, one person's sin does indeed affect other people, but all people are still held personally accountable for the sin in their own lives (Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:2).
Donna E. Schaper
As usual, the epistle is a little more graphic than we can quite grasp. Itchy ears: what a concept just in physical terms. Experience it for a minute. You itch, you scratch, you sort of know you shouldn't scratch because it will only make the itch worse. But still you scratch, while wondering how the itch ever got started in the first place. What a concept: itchy ears as a vehicle for spiritual truth.

John E. Berger
Did Jesus ever do comedy? Indeed he did, and the Parable of the Unjust Judge is partly comic monologue. The routine began with a probate judge so ridiculously dishonest that he announced, "... I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone...." (There must have been a gasp of disbelief from Jesus' audience.)

The Unjust Judge was nagged by a widow, however, who had every right to nag, because she had been cheated by somebody in the community. A good judge would have helped the widow, but remember, this judge "neither feared God nor had respect for people."

CSSPlus

And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? (v. 7)

Good morning, boys and girls. Yesterday, I was riding in my car and I kept hearing this noise. I call it a squeak. Do you know what a squeak sounds like? (let them answer) Squeaks are very annoying. It is hard to find a squeak in your car, so it is still squeaking.

I also have a chair that has a squeak and I brought it in with me today because it is

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