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Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Anointed. Jesus was anointed, called... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Anointed.
Michael Lindvall tells of a... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Michael Lindvall tells of a book, an autobiographical memoir, that reports a family's experiences du
Mrs. Grace Hopper, Retired Rear... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Mrs.
Have you ever seen a... -- Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Have you ever seen a kite escape from its tether?
William Lamb Melbourne served as... -- Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
William Lamb Melbourne served as British prime minister in 1834, and again from 1835-41.
An ant crawling on the... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
An ant crawling on the hand of a human has no concept of the size or scope of that human.
The biggest swim meet of... -- Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
The biggest swim meet of the year was just a week away.
We live in a throw... -- Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
We live in a "throw-away" culture.
If one member is honored... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
"If one member is honored, all rejoice together...." Every community looks for an edge with which to
Law and order. Matt Dillon... -- Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Law and order. Matt Dillon brandishing a Colt .45 down the dusty streets of Dodge City. J.
We all seem to remember... -- Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
We all seem to remember Watergate, don't we?
The church becomes a Living... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
The church becomes a Living Body of Christ when the love of Christ is allowed to move through all th
Now you are the body... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." (v. 27)
In a series of lectures... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
In a series of lectures published under the title, "Churches the Apostles Left Behind," Father Raymo
A prisoner took his identical... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
A prisoner took his identical twin brother's place for several hours on death row in the Nebraska pe
I know a preacher who... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
I know a preacher who was in a difficult period of life that often is called a "faith crisis." He wa
There is an old story... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
There is an old story, which I am sure many of you have heard, about a young minister who was about
It happens all the time... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
It happens all the time in our Sunday morning worship.
St. Luke tells us that... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
St.
Watergate is a name that... -- Acts 9:1-6 (7-20) -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Watergate is a name that will be remembered. Watergate caused a U.S.
A Sunday school teacher once... -- Revelation 5:11-14 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
A Sunday school teacher once asked her students how they felt about their church.

The Immediate Word

Over The Line -- Luke 4:14-21, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a, Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10, Psalm 19 -- Scott Suskovic, Paul Bresnahan, Thom M. Shuman -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
When do we have enough? Who decides if we have enough?

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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
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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
and more...
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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