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The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C

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Ask any pilot. He or... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2006
Ask any pilot. He or she will tell you that there are times when its difficult to know which
Steve walked into the airline... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2006
Steve walked into the airline terminal to meet Gary. Together they'd have four days at the
Brennan Manning tells the story... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2006
Brennan Manning tells the story of an 80-year-old Roman Catholic priest and his
Can you imagine anyone finding... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2006
Can you imagine anyone finding good, or singing praise to God while your house is on
Weeks ago, we stood by... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2006
Weeks ago, we stood by the manger and heard the singing of angels. They told of good
In the civil war in... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2001
In the civil war in Russia that followed the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, literally millions of pea
Fire under control has a... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2001
Fire under control has a purifying effect.
The people in Hollywood know... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2001
The people in Hollywood know a good story when they hear one.
On the television program, I... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2001
On the television program, Antique Roadshow, January, 2000, a man from Birmingham, Alabama, w
Events in the gospels are... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1998
Events in the gospels are often backward from what the reader might expect.
On July 2, 1776, the... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1998
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted Richard Henry Lee's Resolution for Independence
John said, One is coming... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1998
John said, "One is coming who is mightier than I ...
Simon the magician wanted to... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1998
Simon the magician wanted to purchase spiritual power and wisdom for himself.
As Christians we are grateful... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1998
As Christians we are grateful that God reveals himself in the person of the Holy Spirit.
Everything was going too well... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1998
Everything was going too well in the huge steel plant.
Do we really want the... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1998
Do we really want the Holy Spirit to come?
All of us like, and... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1995
All of us like, and maybe even need, to know that we're doing a good job.
As a very young man... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1995
As a very young man I can remember an extremely vivid display of the aurora borealis, or northern li
There were about 100 guests... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1995
There were about 100 guests -- family and friends of the physician who was retiring after 50 years o
Ask most Christians when and... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1995
Ask most Christians when and where they were baptized and -- most of the time -- you receive a respo
Spirit of God descend upon... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1995
"Spirit of God descend upon my heart ..." Strains from the familiar hymn ran through Theodore's thou
During the Civil War, during... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1995
During the Civil War, during the bloodiest fighting in the history of this nation, the Presbyterians
Howard had secretly resented his... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1995
"Howard" had secretly resented his younger brother since childhood.
There once was a woman... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1995
There once was a woman who was consumed by fear.
John Updike's novel Roger's Version... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 1995
John Updike's novel Roger's Version is the story of a theological professor engaged in an extended d

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The Immediate Word

Answering The Call -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22, Acts 8:14-17, Isaiah 43:1-7, Psalm 29 -- Carlos Wilton, Stephen P. McCutchan, Thom M. Shuman -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
In the time of year when daylight is the least, the brightest gift came to us, our Lord, Jesus Chris

The Village Shepherd

God's Protection -- Isaiah 43:1-7 -- Janice B. Scott -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
I was once in a group for something or other where we were offered a pile of photographs.
Baptism Of Fire -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- Janice B. Scott -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Many years ago, when Ian and I were first married, we lived in a house without central heating.
Baptism In The Spirit -- Acts 8:14-17 -- Janice B. Scott -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
I was very disturbed to read in the papers recently about those two teenage girls who both died, a

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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
and more...
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
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31 – Commentary / Exegesis
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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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