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Richard A. Hasler

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 (2012) -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17, Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 10:17-31 -- Mark Ellingsen, Richard A. Hasler, Cynthia E. Cowen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2012
Job 23:1-9, 16-17
Jesus in his debate with the scribes... -- Mark 3:20-35 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 2012
Jesus in his debate with the scribes showed how absurd their claim was that he is associated with Sa
NULL -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2012
At one time C.S.
John Killinger tells the story of a man deeply depressed... -- 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2012
Paul writes: "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; se
NULL -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2012
Unlike the rich man in our biblical text, Francis of Assisi was willing to give up all his riches fo
Frank Graeff, the Methodist minister who wrote the hymn... -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2012
Frank Graeff, the Methodist minister who wrote the hymn, "Does Jesus Care?" normally was an upbeat p
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 (2012) -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41), Hebrews 5:1-10, Mark 10:35-45 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Cynthia E. Cowen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
Job 38:1-7 (34-41)
Bryan Mattimore, a creativity expert, tells the story... -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2012
Bryan Mattimore, a creativity expert, tells the story of Leonardo da Vinci preparing a shield for hi
NULL -- Hebrews 5:1-10 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
In the Hebrew Talmud is an old legend that goes as follows: Rabbi Yoshua ben Levi came upon Elijah t
Julia Ward Howe, the composer of... -- 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2012
Julia Ward Howe, the composer of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" once asked the abolitionist leade
Martin Luther King Jr. tells of a low moment... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2011
In his book Strength to Love, Martin Luther King Jr.
Marcus Borg, in his provocative book... -- Matthew 22:15-22 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 2011
Marcus Borg, in his provocative book simply titled Jesus, gives us a radically different inte
NULL -- 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2011
Novelist Sue Miller also has written a biography titled The Story of My Father: A Memoir.
Dr. Carl Jung and a troubled clergyman... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2011
Dr. Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist, once had a troubled clergyman come to him for help.
Preaching professor Tom Long... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2011
Preaching professor Tom Long tells a story about shopping in a grocery store one day.
NULL -- Acts 2:1-21 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2011
In one of the great scenes in George Bernard Shaw's play Saint Joan, Joan of Arc, the peasant
The novelist Thomas Wolfe... -- Joshua 3:7-17 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 2011
The novelist Thomas Wolfe who wrote the classic You Can't Go Home Again, wrote the following
NULL -- John 20:19-23 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2011
When the risen Christ appeared to his disciples in the evening of the first day of the week, he said
Author Herbert Tarr tells the story of a boy... -- 2 Kings 2:1-12 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2011
Author Herbert Tarr tells the story of a boy by the name of David whose parents died when he was ver
John Ambrose Wood... -- Matthew 23:1-12 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 2011
John Ambrose Wood, father of author Catherine Marshall, was a pastor who served mostly rural churche
NULL -- 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2011
Although the word "Trinity" is not mentioned in the Bible, yet 2 Corinthians 13:13 is a Trinitarian
In one of my favorite Charlie Brown cartoons... -- Mark 9:2-9 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2011
In one of my favorite Charlie Brown cartoons Charlie is listening to Lucy, who confesses, "Sometimes
NULL -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2011
N.T.
NULL -- Genesis 22:1-14 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 2011
The very difficult story about God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac and then at the las
Francis of Assisi grew up in a wealthy Italian family... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2011
Francis of Assisi grew up in a wealthy Italian family.

Sermon

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...

New & Featured This Week

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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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