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Richard A. Hasler

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Jesus used the opening words of this passage... -- Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
Jesus used the opening words of this passage as his "mission statement" when he spoke in his hometow
NULL -- Matthew 14:22-33 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A -- 2011
Kathleen Norris in Amazing Grace tells of a low time in her life when her husband became seri
One day Branch Rickey, the general manager... -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Third Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
One day Branch Rickey, the general manager of the then Brooklyn Dodgers major league baseball team,
NULL -- Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 2011
Lewis Smedes tells of his early days as a seminary professor when he ran into trouble with the more
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow could write poetically... -- Romans 16:25-27 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow could write poetically about "my gospel," even as Paul did in his conclud
NULL -- Romans 12:9-21 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 2011
In the April 5, 2011 issue of the Christian Century magazine, Sarah Hinlicky Wilson has an ar
In the classic Christmas movie Miracle on 34th Street... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- Richard A. Hasler -- The Nativity of our Lord - B -- 2011
In the classic Christmas movie Miracle on 34th Street, which usually appears on television th
Gregory Knox Jones tells the story... -- Exodus 1:8--2:10 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2011
Gregory Knox Jones tells the story of an unusual golf course in Calcutta, India.
In The House of the Dead, Dostoevsky, the great... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Richard A. Hasler -- The Nativity of our Lord - B -- 2011
In The House of the Dead, Dostoevsky, the great Russian writer describes a Christmas day in a
In C.S. Lewis' work The Silver Chair... -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2011
In C.S.
Dorothy Day, the social activist who later became... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- Richard A. Hasler -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - B -- 2011
Dorothy Day, the social activist who later became a devout Roman Catholic and continued to reach out
Writing about relationships in the church... -- Matthew 18:15-20 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2011
Leonard Sweet, writing about relationships in the church, contends that to say "relationship" is to
A few years ago I attended lectures at the Chautauqua Institute... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Richard A. Hasler -- New Year's Day - B -- 2011
A few years ago I attended lectures at the Chautauqua Institute in western New York.
The story of visiting an old woman... -- Exodus 12:1-14 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 2011
Peter Gomes tells the story of visiting an old woman in a nursing home who had to downsize her posse
There is a time and season for everything... -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 -- Richard A. Hasler -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2011
There is a time and season for everything.
The lack of civility in our churches and in our nation... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2011
The lack of civility in our churches and in our nation as a whole is a mark of our time.
If you have seen the movie Amadeus... -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2011
If you have seen the movie Amadeus about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, you probably re
The mystery of the plan... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2011
The mystery of the plan that the gospel might be spread beyond the covenant people to the whole Gent
In 1988 Arthur Rooney Sr. died... -- Exodus 16:12-15 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2011
In 1988 Arthur Rooney Sr. died.
When Helmut Thielicke, the great German Lutheran pastor and theologian... -- Genesis 1:1-5 -- Richard A. Hasler -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2011
When Helmut Thielicke, the great German Lutheran pastor and theologian, indicated that he proposed t
When Wayne Muller was ordained he invited Henri Nouwen to preach... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2011
When Wayne Muller was ordained he invited Henri Nouwen to preach his ordination sermon.
Walker Percy as a young college student... -- Mark 1:4-11 -- Richard A. Hasler -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2011
Walker Percy as a young college student emulated the spirit of John when he said, "The one who is mo
In our own time... -- Matthew 21:33-46 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 2011
"Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that pro
In the year 1520 Martin Luther... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2011
In the year 1520 Martin Luther, the German reformer, wrote his small treatise titled The Freedom
There is an old story about a bandit... -- Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 2011
There is an old story about a bandit in the Far East who was badly injured and taken to a Christian

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
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Lent 3
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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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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