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Bob Ove

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Robert S. Ove is a retired Lutheran pastor who serves as interim pastor where and when needed. He has written for various publications, including Guideposts, Reminisce, and Lutheran Partners. A native of Wisconsin, Ove received his BA from Carthage College and did a year of graduate work at the University of Iowa. His first job was teaching on the Mescalero Apache reservation. Ove's first book, Geronimo's Kids, tells of this experience. Following a brief career in film and photography, he left his business to attend Hamma School of Theology at Wittenberg University for his M. Div., becoming a pastor. During his pastoral career, Ove has served churches in nine different states from New York to California and Canada. Upon "retirement," Bob served as a missionary to Nepal. His latest book, In the Shadow of Everest, relates many of his Nepalese adventures. He is a member of Christ the Ray of Hope Lutheran Church where he does some supply preaching, teaching, and writing.
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Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Maundy Thursday (2019) -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 2019
Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14
Sermon Illustrations for Good Friday (2019) -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Hebrews 10:16-25, John 18:1--19:42 -- Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bill Thomas -- Good Friday - C -- 2019
Isaiah 52:13--53:12
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 14 | OT 19 (2019) -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, Luke 12:32-40 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2019
Isaiah 1:1,10-20
Sermon Illustrations for Easter Day (2019) -- Acts 10:34-43, 1 Corinthians 15:19-26, John 20:1-18 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Easter Day - C -- 2019
Acts 10:34-43, John 20:1-18
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 15 | OT 20 (2019) -- Isaiah 5:1-7, Hebrews 11:29--12:2, Luke 12:49-56 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2019
Isaiah 5:1-7
Sermon illustrations for Easter 2 (2019) -- Acts 5:27-32, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 20:19-31, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2019
Acts 5:27-32
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 16 | OT 21 (2019) -- Jeremiah 1:4-10, Hebrews 12:18-29, Luke 13:10-17 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2019
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Sermon illustrations for Easter 3 (2019) -- Acts 9:1-6 (7-20), Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2019
Acts 9:1-6, 7-20
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 (2019) -- Jeremiah 2:4-13, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Ron Love -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2019
Jeremiah 2:4-13
Sermon illustrations for Easter 4 (2019) -- Acts 9:36-43, Revelation 7:9-17, John 10:22-30 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2019
Acts 9:36-43
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 (2019) -- Jeremiah 18:1-11, Philemon 1:1-21, Luke 14:25-33 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2019
Jeremiah 18:1-11
Sermon illustrations for Easter 5 (2019) -- Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, John 13:31-35 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2019
Acts 11:1-18
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 (2019) -- Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Luke 15:1-10 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2019
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Sermon Illustrations for Easter 6 (2019) -- Acts 16:9-15, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, John 14:23-29 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2019
Acts 16:9-15
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 (2019) -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2019
Jeremiah 8:18--9:1
Sermon illustrations for Ascension of the Lord (2019) -- Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2019
Acts 1:1-11
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 (2019) -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2019
Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
Sermon Illustrations for Easter 7 (2019) -- Acts 16:16-34, Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2019
Acts 16:16-34
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 22 | OT 27 (2019) -- Lamentations 1:1-6, 2 Timothy 1:1-14, Luke 17:5-10 -- Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2019
Lamentations 1:1-6
Sermon illustrations for Day of Pentecost (2019) -- Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:14-17, John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2019
Acts 2:1-21
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 23 | OT 28 (2019) -- Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2019
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Sermon Illustrations for Trinity Sunday (2019) -- Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Romans 5:1-5, John 16:12-15 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2019
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 7 | OT 12 (2019) -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a, Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39 -- Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2019
1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 24 | OT 29 (2019) -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2019
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 8 | OT 13 (2019) -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2019
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Ash Wednesday
20 – Sermons
100+ – Illustrations / Stories
23 – Children's Sermons / Resources
16 – Worship Resources
19 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Lent 1
31 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
39 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Lent 2
32 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
35 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: Two pairs of headphones. One should be a larger, more traditional pair, and the other a smaller, ‘ear bud’ pair.

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John Jamison
Object: A phone with a camera, a candy bar, and all kinds of noisemakers. You could use a real megaphone or make one by rolling up a piece of poster board. Other noisemakers could be bells, horns, whistles, pan lids to bang together, and anything else that can make a lot of noise.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
George Reed
Dean Feldmeyer
For March 9, 2025:
  • Lenten Resistance by Chris Keating. Rather than reducing Jesus' temptations to a series of personal challenges akin to surviving an obstacle course or American Ninja challenge, Luke calls us to see temptations as moments of clarifying our baptismal identities.
  • Second Thoughts: Ancient Future by Tom Willadsen based on Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Romans 10:8b-13, Luke 4:1-13, and Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Frank Ramirez
Ash Wednesday is a day for remembering our sins, asking for forgiveness, and resolving to change. In his essay “On Forgiveness,” C.S. Lewis made an important distinction between asking forgiveness for sins and excusing our sins. Instead of confessing fault, people make excuses for what they’ve done – not only to God, but to each other. How many times have you heard (or made) what seemed to be an apology, but which ended up as an excuse for which no blame was taken?
David Coffin
Around 1987, an aspiring young musician left the confines of his Midwest rural Indiana home to try to find fame and fortune in the streets of Los Angeles, California. He found the streets as a place to fight survival as he saw homelessness, ruthless predators taking advantage of people and he ended up living in a friend’s mother’s basement.
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Isaiah 58:1-12

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
   the Most High your dwelling place,
no evil shall befall you,
   no scourge come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
   to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
    so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. (vv. 9-12)
Peter Andrew Smith
Jonathan picked up the phone on the second ring. “Hello?”

“Hi, I’m calling from Blessings Outreach Ministry,” the voice on the other end said. “Am I speaking to Mr. Jonathan LeSalle?

“Yes, it is.”

“Mr. LeSalle, I’m Bethany from the donations committee. I’m calling to thank you for your extremely generous gift you made last week. You’ve made so many wonderful things possible.”

“You’re very welcome,” Jonathan said. “I’ve been supporting your efforts for years and finally had a year where I was able to make a sizeable donation to help out.”

SermonStudio

Bonnie Bates
As we enter the Lenten season, we reflect on the life of Jesus, his ministry, his sacrifice, and his love for us. Paul contrasted, in this letter, the concepts of righteousness to the law and to faith, accenting that righteousness that comes from faith is the more important. The word, God’s word, is not distant from us, rather it is near us, near our lips and our heart. Knowing Jesus and proclaiming our faith, these are what brings us into relationship with God.
Wayne Brouwer
Jesus was tempted.

We know the story is there, but it isn’t our favorite, is it? Somehow it tarnishes our ideas about Jesus. Was he as wimpy as we are, almost ready to step over the edge of whatever morality we might have left, at the first offer?
Mariann Edgar Budde
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.
-- Isaiah 58:11-12

See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!
-- 2 Corinthians 6:2c

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Carlos Wilton
Theme For The Day
The story of Jesus in the wilderness warns us against temptations to self-sufficiency, power, and invulnerability.

Old Testament Lesson
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Firstfruits
John N. Brittain
Mitchell (obviously not his real name) was a pillar of the church I served a quarter century ago and an inspiration to many. A firmly established independent business man, he was in one of those lines of work that depended on a good name, and a high reputation, and he had both. Every year Mitchell would be among the first to turn in his pledge card making whatever adjustment in commitment the finance committee had suggested; he was similarly enthusiastic about special projects.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
When Tracy was going on fifteen, her family decided to move to the city from the sleepy market town where Tracy had lived all her life. Tracy was so excited she could hardly wait. Nothing ever happened in the country. There was nothing to do, and along with all her friends, Tracy was usually bored. But things were so different in the city. There were cinemas and pubs and clubs. There was dancing and rock bands and bowling alleys. And there were buses!

Special Occasion

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