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John N. Brittain

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All About Me? -- Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 (29-31) -- John N. Brittain -- 2007
Since we all know that one of life's cardinal rules in the twenty-first century is that "it's all ab
With Our Own Eyes -- 2 Peter 1:16-21 -- John N. Brittain -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 2007
Leslie D.
No Partiality -- Acts 10:34-43 -- John N. Brittain -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2007
You may be looking at the most fortunate person on the face of the earth. Let me explain.
A Disconcerting Sight -- 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 -- John N. Brittain -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2007
I once had a student whose dad was a pilot for a major airline who told me this true story.
Dare To Be Different -- Romans 13:11-14 -- John N. Brittain -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
A true story tells how the two sons of a ninety-year-old Fort Worth, Texas, woman were worried about
Headed In The Right Direction -- Romans 15:4-13 -- John N. Brittain -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
If you don't know that Christmas is a couple of weeks away, you must be living underground.
Set Apart At Christmas -- Romans 1:1-7 -- John N. Brittain -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
I am so old that I can actually remember when there was a difference between the number of "shopping
Are We There Yet? -- James 5:7-10 -- John N. Brittain -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2007
"Are we there yet?
A Little Theology At Christmas -- Titus 2:11-14 -- John N. Brittain -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2007
Scholars who study such things are quick to tell anyone who will listen that Christmas is much overr
Not What You Expected -- Hebrews 2:10-18 -- John N. Brittain -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2007
Some years ago, my wife and I took a group of students on a short-term mission trip to Belize, the o
The Vastness Of Relationships -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- John N. Brittain -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2007
At this time of year, the Christmas and Epiphany seasons, various preachers, teachers, and Sunday sc
Showing Up -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- John N. Brittain -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2007
We lived in Florida for a while in the 1980s and it was then that we learned about Tarpon Springs.
Caught In The Middle -- 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 -- John N. Brittain -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2007
It has become very popular to talk about how stressed out we are because we (both individually and c
Small-Minded Christians In A Big World -- 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 -- John N. Brittain -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 2007
How familiar Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1 sound!
The Way Things Are -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 -- John N. Brittain -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 2007
The other day I stumbled onto a Discovery Channel show about underwater archaeology (not basket weav
Hidden In Plain Sight -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- John N. Brittain -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2007
I had a much-loved professor in seminary who confessed to some of us over coffee one day that he fre
Will It Last? -- 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23 -- John N. Brittain -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2007
A quarter-century ago, the little college at which I worked offered a scholarship for one year of st
By Whose Standards? -- 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 -- John N. Brittain -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - A -- 2007
As the current century dawned, Time magazine placed Einstein on the front cover as the Person
Living Vertically -- Luke 24:44-53 -- John N. Brittain -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2000
Some years ago I attended a conference on the East Coast which concluded on Saturday but to save air
Belief Becoming -- John 20:1-18 -- John N. Brittain -- Easter Day - C -- 2000
It is the universal witness of the Gospels that it was women who came and discovered the fulfilled p
Believing Is Seeing -- John 20:19-31 -- John N. Brittain -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2000
I attended graduate school at St.
Back Where It All Began -- John 21:1-19 -- John N. Brittain -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2000
Here we are, after the resurrection, after a couple of dramatic appearances to some of the disciples
The Father And I Are One -- John 10:22-30 -- John N. Brittain -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2000
The year my son was in the eighth grade he came home with all kinds of stories about the class bully
Rebecca's Creed -- John 13:31-35 -- John N. Brittain -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2000
A couple of summers ago my wife and I took a twenty-fifth anniversary trip to visit friends in New M
How Can They Do That? -- John 14:23-29 -- John N. Brittain -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2000
On February 5, 1597, a group of Christian missionaries became the first martyrs in Japan.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Lent 5
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Passion/Palm Sunday
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Maundy Thursday
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160+ – Illustrations / Stories
18 – Children's Sermons / Resources
11 – Worship Resources
18 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Good Friday
20 – Sermons
150+ – Illustrations / Stories
18 – Children's Sermons / Resources
10 – Worship Resources
18 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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Object: A small pillow or cushion, a bowl, and a jar.

NOTE: This is a simple role-play story. You will need one boy to play the role of Jesus, and one girl to play the role of Mary. Since these are not speaking roles, this may be an opportunity to have a child help who might be hesitant to do a more involved role.

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

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This is not the same old thing. This is something new. Isaiah tells us to forget the old standards of life and truth. Our God conquers, so no longer judge the old way. Paul in prison says pretty much the same thing. And in the first supper, which takes place in the home of Martha, with Mary, Jesus, and the newly resurrected Lazarus in attendance, we see the world turned upside down as well. Something new. Something new.

Isaiah 43:16-21
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Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” (vv. 7-8)

The first time I saw one of the “He Gets Us” Jesus ads during the Super Bowl two years ago, I sat up and said to my wife, Jo, “This is great! I wonder who is sponsoring this.” When I found out who, and what their motives were, I was deeply disappointed.

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Call to worship:

When Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus' feet with oil, the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. As we worship God today, may this whole church be filled with the fragrance of our prayers.

Invitation to confession:

Jesus, sometimes we fail to notice or appreciate beauty.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we resent the actions of others and are spiteful towards them.

Christ, have mercy.

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For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own. (vv. 8b--12)
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Theme For The Day
Worship is a blessed waste of time.

Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 43:16-21
A New Thing
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In our spiritual voyages, surprises -- sometimes outlandishly -- come to us. We scratch our heads and wonder if what we are experiencing is fact or fiction. It may or may not be a time of inspiration. However, it may be one of instruction, as we view it in retrospect. You and I are to remember that every occurrence may very well be a teaching event.

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In December of every year, the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City awards the coveted Heisman Trophy. Voted on by over 800 media members, the Heisman is awarded to the most outstanding college football player during that season. Past recipients have included such notables as Roger Staubach, Marcus Allen, and Barry Sanders. It is a great honor, and it represents the broad and non-partisan recognition of a player's outstanding season.
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You shall pass judgment on yourself. That is the hardest thing of all ...
If you succeed in judging yourself, it is because you are truly wise.
(The king on a planet to the prince)
-- Saint Exupery, The Little Prince

Call To Worship
Leader: You're here! Winter seems displaced by the new growth of spring. This is the fifth Sunday in Lent -- with one more to come: Palm Sunday.

(Candles counting the Sundays in Lent can be lighted.)

Special Occasion

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