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Derl G. Keefer

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Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 3 (2014) -- Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Matthew 4:12-23 -- Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2013
Isaiah 9:1-4
My old Renault... -- Isaiah 9:1-4 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2013
My old Renault sputtered and died on my third attempt to get to college for my sophomore year.
Christ came calling... -- Matthew 4:12-23 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2013
Christ came calling people of his day to repentance for their sins.
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 5 (2014) -- Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12), 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16), Matthew 5:13-20 -- Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2013
Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)
Isaiah realized... -- Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) -- Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2013
Isaiah realized that the people of God had lost their impact upon society because they had misplaced
Disciples influence the world... -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2013
Disciples influence the world as salt affects food.
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 7 (2014) -- Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23, Matthew 5:38-48 -- Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2013
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18
NULL -- Galatians 1:11-24 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2010
Paul received a revelation … a vision … from none other than God!
NULL -- 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2010
Visiting Israel was one of the highlights of my pastoral ministry.
NULL -- Galatians 3:23-29 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2010
An apocryphal story is told about an agnostic who found himself in trouble.
NULL -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2010
I was in my sophomore year of high school in Kansas City when Lamar Hunt, owner of the Dallas franch
NULL -- Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2010
I became a Christian as a child.
NULL -- Amos 7:7-17 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2010
One of the oldest television game shows was, Truth or Consequences, aired on radio in 1940 an
NULL -- Luke 10:25-37 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2010
My wife and I moved to Michigan to pastor in 1983 where we served for 18 years.
NULL -- Hosea 1:2-10 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
My name is unique.
NULL -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
Technological advancement over the past decade ushered in many new systems to help support us.
Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote... -- Colossians 1:15-28 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2010
Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote that "Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime;
NULL -- Colossians 3:1-11 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
An anonymous author expressed what it means to come to Christ and discover the wonderful experience
NULL -- Hebrews 11:29--12:2 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2010
I visited Israel as a tourist several years ago.
NULL -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2010
As a youngster my parents did not attend church and were not Christians. A godly aunt asked them if
NULL -- Luke 13:10-17 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2010
H.G.B.
NULL -- Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2010
Our world is experiencing one tragedy after another ...
Thomas Costain's The Three Edwards, focuses on the life of... -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
Thomas Costain's The Three Edwards, focuses on the life of a fourteenth-century duke by the
It should not have happened!... -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
It should not have happened! The technology was the most advanced of the time.

Preaching

Sermon

Stories

SermonStudio

Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Smiles break out when mother comes.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Self-control
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Most moms are aware that happiness is a spot between too little and too much that their kids often v
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Discipleship
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mother
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Triumph
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Celebrate
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
The Holy Spirit is like Tide¨ soap, the deeper the stain, the deeper the cleansing.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Holy Spirit
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
A "yes" to God is a "no" to things that hurt His Holiness.
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
"The Holy Spirit makes us more aware of our lack of holiness to stimulate us to deeper yearning and
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
In this cold and lifeless world no one has so deep and strong a love except that which is found in a
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Giving
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Some children were asked if they knew anyone who was always good.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Service
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
The philosopher, Immanuel Kant, said that the dove might consider air resistance a problem, somethin
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Ego
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Mother's Day
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Unity
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Change
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Real leaders are ordinary people with extraordinary determination molded by the Spirit.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Homemaker
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Being a friend of God is the essence of holiness.
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
The carnal person is overcome by the world, while the holy person overcomes the world through the po
Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
The world needs true examples of holiness.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Christ the King Sunday
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Thanksgiving
14 – Sermons
80+ – Illustrations / Stories
18 – Children's Sermons / Resources
10 – Worship Resources
18 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Advent 1
30 – Sermons
90+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For November 16, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
Another natural disaster has flattened a number of coastal communities. Despite the weather and major television station warnings, and government disaster preparations, the dystopian destruction nightmare of Luke 21 has decimated another community. Also, it is reasonable to believe that this is not the last year for hurricanes, Tsunami’s, wildfires, mudslides and tornados. They will occur again. However, as weary citizens are interviewed in one group of people with the background of homes in rubble and streets still draining flood waters, they will not leave. This is their home.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez

Isaiah 65:17-25 and Isaiah 12

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. (v. 25)

A week after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, country singer Toby Keith — who died Feb. 5, 2024 — wrote a patriotic ballad titled “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” It was filled with populist fighting rhetoric that matched the mood of a nation shaken by the shocking death and destruction of that day.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A blood pressure monitor. It is actually called a sphygmomanometer, and is pronounced “sfig·mow·muh·naa’·muh·tr”.

* * *

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
-- Isaiah 12:3

John W. Clarke
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world understands that Jesus is the hope of the world and that any teaching that leads away from that fact is a false teaching. No matter what, no matter when, Jesus will be there to give us life.

Scott Suskovic
Whoever does not work should not eat!
-- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT)

Wow! Kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it? Not a lot of ambiguity in that rule. "You don't work, you don't eat." For a religion based on grace, it seems a bit unyielding.

Mark Ellingson
Freedom is such a lovely word, a compelling image. What is freedom? How would you define it? What does it mean to you? Webster's New World Dictionary defines freedom as being exempt from control or from arbitrary restrictions. Freedom is said to be the ability to choose or determine one's own actions.

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