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Mark Ellingsen

Mark Ellingsen, a minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), has been a professor of Church History at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, since 1993. He graduated magna cum laude from Gettysburg College (Pennsylvania) and Yale University, from which he received three master's degrees in divinity, arts, and philosophy, as well as his Ph.D. He has authored 26 books including his latest, Dialoguing With Critical Race Theory: Constitutional and Christian Links (Vernon Press). He and his wife have three grown children. When he is not writing or teaching, Ellingsen enjoys discussing politics, sports, and playing guitar.
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Commentary

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Trinity Sunday (2014) -- Acts 2:1-21, 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13, John 20:19-23 -- Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2014
Acts 2:1-21
Sermon Illustrations for Easter 3 -- Acts 2:14a, 36-41, 1 Peter 1:17-23, Luke 24:13-35 -- Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 (2014) -- Deuteronomy 30:15-20, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Matthew 5:21-37 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2014
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Racial and gender imbalances... -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2014
Racial and gender imbalances continue to plague our nation.
Over 46 million Americans... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Mark Ellingsen -- New Year's Day - B -- 2014
Over 46 million Americans live in poverty.
Americans have this habit of... -- Exodus 33:12-23 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 2014
Americans have this habit of making God into their own image. When we do that, we get it wrong.
The great Reformer... -- 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2014
The great Reformer John Calvin claimed that this text testifies to "how great is the blindness of th
This lesson's call... -- 1 Peter 1:17-23 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
This lesson's call to holy living seems to put more pressure on us.
The ultimate meaning... -- 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2014
The ultimate meaning and goal in modern life is to care more about being envied than what is accompl
U.S. Census Bureau statistics... -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2014
U.S.
Jesus' words in this lesson could... -- Matthew 22:15-22 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 2014
Jesus' words in this lesson could be taken as a biblical authorization for the separation of church
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 (2014) -- Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67, Romans 7:15-25a, Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 -- Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer, Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A -- 2014
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Sermon Illustrations for Easter 4 (2014) -- Acts 2:42-47, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10 -- Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
Acts 2:42-47
Sermon Illustrations for Transfiguration Sunday (2014) -- Exodus 24:12-18, 2 Peter 1:16-21, Matthew 17:1-9 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Scott A. Bryte -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 2014
Exodus 24:12-18
Sermon Illustrations for Fourth Sunday of Advent (2014) -- 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16, Romans 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38 -- Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2014
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 -- Deuteronomy 34:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Matthew 22:34-46 -- Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2014
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
We do not like to acknowledge... -- Romans 7:15-25a -- Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - A -- 2014
We do not like to acknowledge our sin.
The latest IRS statistics... -- Acts 2:42-47 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2014
The latest IRS statistics indicate that the gap between rich and poor in America reached levels in 2
The author of our... -- 2 Peter 1:16-21 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 2014
The author of our lesson warns against myths when thinking about Christ's glory.
Paul claims that the incarnation... -- Romans 16:25-27 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2014
Paul claims that the incarnation has long been kept a mystery. It still is hard to believe.
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 2 (2015) -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20), 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, John 1:43-51 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2014
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
Paul speaks of his gentleness... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2014
Paul speaks of his gentleness with the Thessalonians.
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 (2014) -- Genesis 25:19-34, Romans 8:1-11, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Scott A. Bryte, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2014
Genesis 25:19-34
God wants us to prosper... -- Genesis 25:19-34 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2014
God wants us to prosper.
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 (2014) -- Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, Matthew 5:1-12 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 2014
Micah 6:1-8

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Advent 3
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A Time for Everything
Larry Winebrenner
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

Henry didn't like Jack.

Oh, he loved him like a brother. He would die for his friend. But oh, the arrogance. He always thought he was right. And he would always use authority, authority of some kind, to support his claims.

SermonStudio

Mark Wm. Radecke
This season, the boundaries of darkness are pushed back. A light shines in the darkness and the darkness is powerless to extinguish it.

Darkness has always been a potent metaphor for those things in life that oppress and enthrall us, frighten and intimidate us, cause us worry and anxiety and leech the joy from our lives.

We know darkness in our physical lives when illness is close at hand, when we lack the basic necessities of life -- food, shelter and clothing.
Paul E. Robinson
Early in January in northern Canada the sun peeks above the horizon for the first time after six weeks of hiding. An important dawn for Canada. Imagine how the lives of people in the northern latitudes would be different if they got used to the darkness and never even expected that a dawn would ever lighten their horizon again.
John N. Brittain
We lived in Florida for a while in the 1980s and it was then that we learned about Tarpon Springs. Not a large city, it has the highest percentage of Greek Americans of any place in the US. This dates back to the 1880s, when Greek immigrants moving into the area were hired as sponge divers, a trade they had plied back in the old country. Today Tarpon Springs' main claim to fame is the Greek Orthodox Church's Epiphany celebration, which is held every January 6, with the blessing of the waters and the boats.
Charles L. Aaron, Jr.
Early January always feels like a fresh start. The Christmas whirlwind has settled down. We still have a fighting chance to keep our resolutions for the new year. Cartoons always depict the New Year as a baby, full of possibilities and innocence. We hope that with a new year we can leave the baggage behind us, stretching toward a brighter future.

Stephen M. Crotts
Many things are written with all of the excitement of some fresh truth recently received. Other things are written from anger. And there is much these days in any pastorate to make one mad. Still other messages are delivered from depression. I'm convinced that the majority of preachers I know are over the edge into burnout. And what of this particular study? Where am I coming from? Today, I'm writing from a broken heart, a heart shattered by a fallen comrade.
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Did you notice that bad things did not stop happening through the holidays? And is any warning necessary that bad things will happen in every season of this year? Surely there is better news than that, but we ought to be honest about the bad news. Not even the holidays generate enough good will to stop people from blowing up airplanes and destroying people's reputations and abusing children and selling drugs to teenagers and gunning down their neighbors.
Robert A. Beringer
"So, what's new?" he asked. It happens all the time. You meet someone on the street you have not seen for awhile. "What's new?" "Oh, nothing much, really.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

(Myrna and Robert Kysar are the co-authors of "Charting The Course." Myrna is pastor of Christ Lutheran Church [ELCA], Oakwood, Georgia. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. She is the co-author with her husband of three books.
Mark J. Molldrem
Schuyler Rhodes
These are the longest hours of darkness. Although the winter solstice is passed, the darkness lingers for many more weeks. The season becomes a symbol for the longing of the human spirit to "see the light." It becomes difficult to catch sight of the light, however, when so many shadows lurk at every turn of a corner we make. We claim to be an enlightened people; yet settle for clap-trap on television and spend countless hours absorbing it like a sponge under a dripping faucet. We call athletes heroes for nothing more than being good at what they do.
Cathy Venkatesh
In many countries, January 6 is a public holiday with parades, parties, and festivities celebrating the visit of the wise men. For some Christian churches, the main celebration of Christ's incarnation occurs on this day. But in the United States, Monday, January 6, 2014, is nothing special in the public sphere. For most of us, this day marks the beginning of our first full week back at work or school after the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

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Teachers: Most youngsters (and many adults) have a misconception of the wise men. The Bible does not state that the wise men visited Jesus at the manger. Even so, our tradition of gift giving at Christmas may relate to the wise men's gifts. The church celebrates the arrival of the wise men's visit to Jesus 12 days after Christmas. This event is called "Epiphany."

Take a moment to explain to your students the significance of Epiphany, the wise men, and Jesus. The lesson from Matthew states three gifts that the wise men gave Jesus: gold, frankincense and
Today we are going to be like the wise men from the East who looked for baby Jesus. They were told the wonderful story about a promised Messiah who would save the world. He was the "king of the Jews" and would be king of all people. They traveled a great distance. They wanted to see the baby. They had to see the baby! So they left and ended up in Jerusalem. There they asked about the promised king.

The man who was king became very jealous. Even though they were looking for a spiritual king -- a king of our hearts, minds,
Teachers or Parents: Have an Epiphany pageant to close off the Christmas season and the twelve days of Christmas with the children of your church. Have people stationed in various parts of the home or church building where you might go to ask the question, "Are you the Messiah?" They will, of course, say, "No." The first group might add, "Look for the star." Involve as many children as possible. Let them ask the question. Let them get into the role of wise men from the East. Help them relive the story and see that Jesus is more than king of the Jews or king of

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