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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

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
Service to God cannot be offered in a dirty container.
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Discipleship
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Smiles break out when mother comes.
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
"The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world." (William Wallace)
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Celebrate
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
Mother
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Unity
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
Giving
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 Holy Spirit makes us more aware of our lack of holiness to stimulate us to deeper yearning and
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Ego
Mom Is More Than A 3-Lettered Word -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Some children were asked if they knew anyone who was always good.
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
Change
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
Mother's Day
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Motivation
Open Doors: Illustrations, Quotes, And Quips -- Derl G. Keefer -- 2001
Unwanted
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Lent 2
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Lent 3
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Lent 4
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
27 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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John Jamison
Object: A rock about the size of a tennis ball, baseball, or even a softball.

* * *

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

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
For March 30, 2025:

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
Paul reread the parable again and sighed. Why had he agreed to lead the Bible study this week? When Pastor Luke asked him, he had been all excited and enthusiastic. He knew the parable of the prodigal son inside and out having read commentaries and stories about it before. He had actually preached a sermon on the passage when Pastor Luke was away and received great feedback from the congregation.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Joshua 5:9-12
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Joshua 9:5-12

SermonStudio

Bonnie Bates
It is a well-known cliché that “God never gives us more than we can handle”, but I have sometimes found that not to be so. When my youngest brother died of brain cancer at age five, it was more than I could handle. When my first husband was emotionally and physically abusive, it was more than I could handle. When my second husband and I lost our twin sons at birth, it was more than I could handle. The COVID pandemic was more than we could handle. Wars and violence are often more than we can handle. Homelessness, poverty, grief, and loss are often more than we can handle.
John N. Brittain
I suppose we are all a little bit nervous about the prospect of a sermon on a Bible story as familiar and sometimes as overworked as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. "What can I possibly say that hasn't been said before?" And I know what's going through your minds: "Are we going to be subjected to the same old sermon yet another time?" Confronting a familiar Bible passage like this mid-Lent really serves to address the discipline of reading Scripture as part of our devotional life, particularly passages that are very familiar.
Charles D. Reeb
A. A. Milne, the creator of Winnie the Pooh, wrote a simple, yet telling poem in his work, Now We Are Six:

When I was One, I had just begun.
When I was Two, I was nearly new.
When I was Three, I was hardly Me.
When I was Four, I was not much more.
When I was Five, I was just alive.
But now I am Six, I'm as clever as ever.
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.1

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to worship:

 While the Prodigal Son was still far off, his father saw him, ran to him, put his arms around him and kissed him. In our worship today, let us turn to God so that he may run to us, put his arms around and kiss us.

Invitation to confession:

 Jesus, for the times when we run away from you,

Lord, have mercy.

 Jesus, for the times when we have wasted our inheritance on dissolute living,

Christ, have mercy.

 Jesus, when we return to you,

Lord, have mercy.

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