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Russell F. Anderson

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Preaching

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God enters the human family and leads us through suffering to salvation -- Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23 -- Russell F. Anderson -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Isaiah 63:7--9 (C, L)
Forgiveness -- Exodus 14:19-31, Romans 14:1-12, Matthew 18:21-35 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Exodus 14:19--31 (C)
Through the Incarnate Word, we are conceived in love and born anew as God's dear children. -- Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Jeremiah 31:7--14 (C, E)
God judges us not based on what we were but what we are -- Exodus 17:1-7, Philippians 2:1-13, Matthew 21:23-32 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Exodus 17:1--7 (C)
God's judgment on those who do not produce the fruits of righteousness -- Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20, Philippians 3:4b-14, Matthew 21:33-46 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Exodus 20:1--4, 7--9, 12--20 (C)
The importance of accepting God's gracious invitation to the feast of life -- Exodus 32:1-14, Philippians 4:1-9, Matthew 22:1-14 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Exodus 32:1--14 (C)
The rule of God -- Exodus 33:12-23, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Matthew 22:15-22 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Exodus 33:12--23 (C)
Loving God and the neighbor -- Deuteronomy 34:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Matthew 22:34-46 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Deuteronomy 34:1--12 (C)
Warning against religious hypocrisy -- Joshua 3:7-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13, Matthew 23:1-12 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Joshua 3:7--17 (C)
Living in readiness and anticipation of the Second Coming of Christ. -- Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Joshua 24:1--3a, 14--25 (C)
The grace of God -- Exodus 16:2-15, Philippians 1:21-30, Matthew 20:1-16 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONSLesson 1: Exodus 16:2--15 (C)
Victory Feast -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
The Attitude of Obedience -- Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
The Holy Spirit i -- Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23 -- Russell F. Anderson -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 1995
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
UPCOMING WEEKS
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Easter 4
28 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
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Easter 5
33 – Sermons
140+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
30 – Worship Resources
35 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
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Easter 6
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
23 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
5 – Pastor's Devotions
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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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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.
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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?

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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?”

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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
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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.
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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.
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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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