Login / Signup

Fifth Sunday in Lent - C

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

Children's Activity

Commentary

Children's bulletin

Children's Liturgy and Story

Children's sermon

Children's Story

Devotional

Drama

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

It has been rightly noted... -- John 12:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
It has been rightly noted that Christians should often do the opposite: when everyone else is celebr
Anointing Jesus with the ointment... -- John 12:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
Anointing Jesus with the ointment was an act of extravagant faith.
In this parable we see... -- Luke 20:9-19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
In this parable we see the Jewish Leaders becoming angry at Jesus when they understood that he was t
Perhaps at no time has... -- John 12:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
Perhaps at no time has a society been more self-critical of its lust for affluence as our present ge
We can't afford that. Arden... -- John 12:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
"We can't afford that." Arden looked rather sullen.
This is one of the... -- Luke 20:9-19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
This is one of the most grim parables Jesus ever told.
So often it is the... -- John 12:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
So often it is the small acts of extravagance that lift the world.
Where love is real its... -- John 12:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
Where love is real its extravagance considers no sacrifice too great to be borne.
Taylor Caldwell's book, The... -- John 12:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
Taylor Caldwell's book, The Listener, describes a town which is bequeathed a lovely garden an
One of the best commentaries... -- Luke 20:9-19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
One of the best commentaries on this passage is Isaiah 5:1-7.
On the excellent television program... -- John 12:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
On the excellent television program, Hill Street Blues, was the story of three drug-crazed ju
In William Golding's novel I... -- Luke 20:9-19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
In William Golding's novel The Spire he relates the story of a dean of a cathedral in medieva
Being a volunteer umpire for... -- John 8:1-11 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
Being a volunteer umpire for a little league baseball game can be hazardous to your health.
When great civilizations begin to... -- Luke 20:9-19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
When great civilizations begin to decline they pull in every resource to preserve themselves.
There is an old story... -- Luke 20:9-19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
There is an old story told of a man who was dreaming that he was witnessing the crucifixion.
Some things are written on... -- John 8:1-11 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
Some things are "written on the wind," which means they vanish as soon as they are created.
When You Care Enoughbr... -- Luke 20:9~19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
When You Care Enoughto Send the Very Best(a story)
Ben Friedman, a Jewish businessman... -- Luke 20:9-19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
Ben Friedman, a Jewish businessman, scholar and participant in Jewish-Christian dialogues, has writt
P. D. James, in the... -- Luke 20:9-19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
P. D.
On April 5, 1887, in... -- John 8:1-11 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
On April 5, 1887, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, Anne Sullivan experienced a real breakthrough when Helen Ke
The young man entered the... -- Luke 20:9-19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
The young man entered the store armed with a club and a gun.
Jesus would not let them... -- John 8:1-11 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
Jesus would not let them punish the woman, neither would he condemn her.
doing in the figure of... -- Luke 20:9-19 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
"... doing in the figure of a lamb the feats of a lion
I have always wondered about... -- John 8:1-11 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
I have always wondered about the quality of that adulterous woman's life after the Master told her t
In the first decade of... -- John 8:1-11 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
In the first decade of this century, a woman in a small community came to see her pastor.

Intercession

Prayer

Preaching

Sermon

Stories

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