UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 16 | OT 21 | Pentecost 14
31 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 17 | OT 22 | Pentecost 15
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 16
32 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
21 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
21 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
New & Featured This Week
CSSPlus
John Jamison
Object: A drawing or photo of lips and a drawing or photos of a heart.
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!
* * *
Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!
The Immediate Word
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For September 1, 2024:
- The Letter of The Law by Dean Feldmeyer based on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23.
- Second Thoughts: How Do We Handle Bullies? by Katy Stenta based on James 1:17-27.
- Sermon illustrations by Mary Austin and Chris Keating.
- Worship resources by George Reed.
Emphasis Preaching Journal
David Kalas
I was a young man and fairly new to the ministry. I was feeling stung by some criticism that I had received, and so I was talking to my parents about it because they knew the person involved. And along the way, my mother said to me, “Well, you’ve got to consider the source.”
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
StoryShare
Peter Andrew Smith
“It’s just wrong,” Martha whispered. “He needs to take off his hat in church.”
John looked up from reading the Sunday bulletin. “Who has to take off his hat?”
“That young man.” She pointed to the other side of the church. “He’s up there near the front.”
“Henry? That’s not a hat, he’s just changed his hair color again.” John shook his head. “I swear that lad changes the color more than I change my socks.”
Martha sighed. “You need new glasses. I don’t mean Henry but to the left of him.”
“Oh, the one with the Yankees cap?”
John looked up from reading the Sunday bulletin. “Who has to take off his hat?”
“That young man.” She pointed to the other side of the church. “He’s up there near the front.”
“Henry? That’s not a hat, he’s just changed his hair color again.” John shook his head. “I swear that lad changes the color more than I change my socks.”
Martha sighed. “You need new glasses. I don’t mean Henry but to the left of him.”
“Oh, the one with the Yankees cap?”
The Village Shepherd
Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Invitation to Confession:
In our worship today let us open our hearts to Jesus, asking him to help us to be clean and pure within.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, we are not always fully aware of our inner selves.
Lord, have mercy.Jesus, sometimes we appear better on the outside than we are inside.
Christ, have mercy.Jesus, help us to become the same inside as outside.
Lord, have mercy.
SermonStudio
Mark A. Hultquist
Items necessary for the treatment of a cold or flu such as: blanket, pillow, hot water bottle, thermometer, sweater, aspirin, vitamin C, container of orange juice.
Carlos Wilton
"There's Jackson, standing like a stone wall." Those words, spoken at the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), secured the reputation of Confederate officer Thomas Jonathan Jackson. Forever after, he has been known as Stonewall Jackson -- the courageous general who could not be moved, even as the bullets whistled by him.
Schuyler Rhodes
Leaders of all stripes have always had sycophants in abundance to sustain their delusion of power. Doting tongues to puff up the king are nothing new. From Elizabethan jesters to plaster-faced, neck-tied staffers in oval offices, it seems a constant theme. But here we find a caveat of sorts. Sure, the king is a "handsome man." Let us be clear, however, about where real power is to be found.
Robert L. Salzgeber
When I was a camp director the rules of long established and understood games were constantly being changed in order to incorporate a larger sphere of players. For the same reason Jesus said, "You have a clever way of rejecting God's law in order to uphold your own teaching." Jesus had a knack for constantly changing the rules of the game of life in order to incorporate a larger sphere of people in his kingdom net.
Stephen M. Crotts
The Hebrew word for love, awhab or awrag, means "to pant, to long for, to breathe heavily after." Psalm 41:1 says, "As a deer pants for the waters so my soul longs after you." In John 3:16, the idea is that God so loved the world, so breathed heavily after you and me, that he gave his only Son....
God is passionate for you. His breathing is labored. He loves you.
There is a book in the Old Testament that is full of heavy breathing. It is titled, "Song of Solomon," or "The Song of Songs." And it deals forthrightly with sexual passion, courtship, and matrimony.
God is passionate for you. His breathing is labored. He loves you.
There is a book in the Old Testament that is full of heavy breathing. It is titled, "Song of Solomon," or "The Song of Songs." And it deals forthrightly with sexual passion, courtship, and matrimony.
