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Mark J. Molldrem

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Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Proper 5 | OT 10 (2013) -- 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Galatians 1:11-24, Luke 7:11-17 -- Ron Love, Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2013
1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24)
NULL -- Hebrews 10:16-25 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Good Friday - C -- 2013
Archaeologists in the Holy Land and in other scattered Jewish settlements throughout the Middle East
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 26 | OT 31 (2013) -- Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12, Luke 19:1-10 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2013
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Without credentials it is hard... -- Galatians 1:11-24 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2013
Without credentials it is hard to get a job.
Sermon Illustrations for Easter Day (2013) -- Acts 10:34-43, 1 Corinthians 15:19-26, John 20:1-18 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen -- Easter Day - C -- 2013
Acts 10:34-43
An oracle... -- Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2013
An oracle (NRSV, NIV) is a pronouncement (tanakh) that the prophet Habakkuk "saw" (NRSV).
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 6 | OT 11 (2013) -- 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a, Galatians 2:15-21, Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2013
1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
NULL -- Acts 10:34-43 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Easter Day - C -- 2013
Before the days of texting and Twitter, people actually had to talk with one another.
Zacchaeus is a common... -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2013
Zacchaeus is a common Jewish name. It means innocent, clean.
Here is one of the many... -- 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2013
Here is one of the many crime scenes in the Bible.
NULL -- John 20:1-18 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Easter Day - C -- 2013
Mary -- first to arrive and last to leave. Two others also:
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 27 | OT 32 (2013) -- Haggai 1:5b--2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, Luke 20:27-38 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2013
Haggai 1:5b--2:9
It is often overlooked... -- Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2013
It is often overlooked and not talked much about how Jesus and the disciples were able to go about t
Sermon Illustrations for Maundy Thursday (2013) -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2013
Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14
In 1971, Carly... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2013
In 1971, Carly Simon sang "Anticipation," which made it to the pop charts and was sung everywhere.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 8 | OT 13 (2013) -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62 -- Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Scott A. Bryte -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2013
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
NULL -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2013
There are days to remember: birthdays, wedding anniversaries, Independence Day, tax day, election da
Sermon Illustrations for Thanksgiving Day (2013) -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Philippians 4:4-9, John 6:25-35 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2013
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Halo Nation is a video game... -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2013
Halo Nation is a video game franchise that has as a basis for its storyline a responsibility
NULL -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2013
It is said that mimicry is the highest form of flattery.
The Hebrew people were... -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2013
The Hebrew people were given instructions on how to conduct a harvest celebration with a spirit of t
Farmers know that you do not... -- Luke 9:51-62 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2013
Farmers know that you do not look back when you are plowing the field.
Sermon illustrations for Easter 2 (2013) -- Acts 5:27-32, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 20:19-31, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2013
Acts 5:27-32
"Sir, give us this... -- John 6:25-35 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2013
"Sir, give us this bread always." Were the disciples being a tad bit selfish? It's understandable.
NULL -- Hebrews 4:12-16 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2012
The history of swords is fascinating, spanning thousands of years and a multitude of cultures.

Sermon

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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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