Login / Signup

Dennis Koch

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Prayer

SermonStudio

God's patience and punishment -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Dennis Koch -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:God's patience and punishmentGospel Note:
The value of Christmas nurture -- Luke 2:41-52 -- Dennis Koch -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:The value of Christmas nurtureGospel Note:
Lord versus the law -- Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 -- Dennis Koch -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:Lord versus the lawGospel Note:
The enlightening, enlivening Word -- John 1:1-18 -- Dennis Koch -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:The enlightening, enlivening WordGospel Note:
The rejected stone has become the head of the corner -- John 12:1-8 -- Dennis Koch -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:The rejected stone has become the head of the corner
The Communicating Word, the Illuminating Light -- John 1:1-14 -- Dennis Koch -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:The Communicating Word, the Illuminating Light
Symbolic food for a shared future -- Luke 22:7-20 -- Dennis Koch -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:Symbolic food for a shared futureGospel Note:
A birth bringing a blessing -- Luke 2:1-20 -- Dennis Koch -- 1994
Gospel Theme:A birth bringing a blessingGospel Note:
The compassion and the Passion of the Christ -- Luke 22:14--23:56 -- Dennis Koch -- Passion Sunday - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:The compassion and the Passion of the ChristGospel Note:
Status given versus status gained -- Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Dennis Koch -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:Status given versus status gainedGospel Note:
The pedagogy of the Paraclete -- John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Dennis Koch -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:The pedagogy of the ParacleteGospel Note:
The Christ's self-sacrifice -- John 18:1--19:42 -- Dennis Koch -- Good Friday - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:The Christ's self-sacrifice
The needy as neighbor, liberation as love -- Luke 10:25-37 -- Dennis Koch -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:The needy as neighbor, liberation as loveGospel Note:
The puzzling identity of Jesus -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Dennis Koch -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1993
Gospel Note: Mark constructs his narrative of this storm-stilling incident
Be prepared -- Mark 13:24-37 -- Dennis Koch -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 1993
Gospel Note: Having uttered two parables that urge watchfulness, Jesus here
Compassionate faith -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Dennis Koch -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1993
Gospel Note: Mark tells of a healing and a resurrection. The stories are
Confession and repentance, cleansing and renewal -- Mark 1:1-8 -- Dennis Koch -- Second Sunday of Advent - B -- 1993
Gospel Note: In this beginning to his Gospel, Mark uses (with some
Divine activity, demonstrable authority -- Mark 2:1-12 -- Dennis Koch -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - B -- 1993
Gospel Note: Mark here records Jesus' forgiveness of a paralytic as well as
Those who know Jesus best may know him least -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Dennis Koch -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 1993
Gospel Note: Mark places the rejection of Jesus by people in "his own
Waiting and witnessing -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Dennis Koch -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 1993
Gospel Note: These two passages are John's prose interpolations into the
All things made new in Christ -- Mark 2:13-22 -- Dennis Koch -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - B -- 1993
Gospel Note: The issue in this pericope is clearly fasting, but the real
The astonishing event of resurrection -- John 20:1-18 -- Dennis Koch -- Easter Day - B -- 1993
Gospel Note:

Free Access

The Christ's self-sacrifice -- John 18:1--19:42 -- Dennis Koch -- Good Friday - C -- 1994
Gospel Theme:The Christ's self-sacrifice

The Village Shepherd

Restrictive religion versus redemptive righteousness -- Mark 2:23--3:6 -- Dennis Koch -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B -- 1993
Note: There is no content for Proper 4 / OT 9 / Pentecost 2 from The Village Shepher
Self-serving versus self-giving -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Dennis Koch -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 1993
Note: This prayer fills a slot that is not currently filled by The Village Shepherd.

Worship

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Signup for FREE!
(No credit card needed.)
Easter 4
28 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 5
33 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
30 – Worship Resources
35 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 6
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Signup for FREE!
(No credit card needed.)

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.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL