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Richard L. Sheffield

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Preaching

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Why Sheep? -- John 10:1-10 (Luke 16:19-31) -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
Why sheep?
Fairy Tale Or God's Word? -- Matthew 7:21-29 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A -- 2007
When we ordain elders and deacons and ministers in the Presbyterian church we ask a number of questi
Listen To Yourself -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2007
Sometimes the best way to start reading your Bible is with the footnotes.
How Many Times? -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2007
I received a piece of mail not too long ago that brought a rather disconcerting message.
Did You Hear What Jesus Said? -- Matthew 21:33-46 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 2007
Did you hear what Jesus said?
Explanations Or Truth? -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2007
So, what's that all about?
More Than Fair! -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 2007
I ran across a website a while back that said something that we all know, intuitively: "A roll of th
Think! -- Matthew 21:23-32 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2007
So, what do you think?
Salt And Light -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2007
Sometimes I think preachers would do best by getting out of Jesus' way.
Storytelling -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2007
Jesus loved to tell stories. Much of his teaching was in the form of stories we call parables.
Party Time -- Matthew 22:1-14 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 2007
What kind of story was that? The one Jesus told about the wedding reception?
Faith Like Fanny's -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2007
I have a little book titled, You Are What You Believe in my library.
Narrow Love? -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2007
Okay -- I confess.
What We Have Left Undone -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2007
There is a mistake in my Bible. Actually, I found two mistakes in the gospel reading this week.

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Think! -- Matthew 21:23-32 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2007
So, what do you think?
Why Sheep? -- John 10:1-10 (Luke 16:19-31) -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2007
Why sheep?

Sermon

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He Ascended Into Heaven -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 1998
I want to take the text seriously this morning.
Lent To Life -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 1998
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent.
The Lord Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed! He Really Is! -- John 20:1-18 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Easter Day - A -- 1998
The Lord is risen!He is risen indeed!The Lord is risen!
The Last Beatitude -- John 20:19-31 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 1998
What the disciples of Jesus reported to their fellow disciple Thomas they had seen seemed unbelievab
People Die! -- Luke 24:13-35 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 1998
"People die.
This Is Certain -- John 14:1-14 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1998
Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled.
I Will Not Leave You Alone -- John 14:15-21 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1998
There's an old saying about the way you get people to hear what you're saying, that goes something l
What Jesus Prayed For -- John 17:1-11 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 1998
What do you pray for? Maybe the question should be: "Do you pray?!"
Where, In This Hell, Is The Holy? -- John 18:1--19:42 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Good Friday - A -- 1998
I am convinced that few of us are really convinced that this Good Friday really leads to the first d
Lint -- Matthew 4:1-11 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- First Sunday in Lent - A -- 1998
The topic this morning was not a misprint in the newspaper nor in your bulletin.
Water, Water, Everywhere -- John 4:5-42 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Third Sunday in Lent - A -- 1998
Reading the Gospel lesson this week a snatch of poetry I learned somewhere along the way kept runnin
Upon Those In The Tombs Bestowing Life -- John 11:1-45 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 1998
In the Orthodox Church, Easter worship includes the singing of a hymn that goes:
Go Love! -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 1998
Blind Driveways -- John 9:1-41 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 1998
King George VI, addressing his subjects at the beginning of a new year, said in his annual message:
Where Is God When I Need Him? -- Matthew 26:14--27:66 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Passion Sunday - A -- 1998
"Truly, this man was God's Son!" (Matthew 27:54 NRSV).
Why Sheep? -- John 10:1-10 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1998
Why sheep?
The Stealth Disciple -- John 3:1-17 -- Richard L. Sheffield -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 1998
In the "Science & Technology," section of a recent issue of Business Week magazine, there was an
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Easter 2
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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John Jamison
Object: This message is a role-play for your children and requires no additional objects.

Note: You can use this role-play with a large or very small group. You will want one child to play Thomas, one child to play Jesus, and the rest of the children to play the disciples. When I have had only had one or two children, I have “volunteered” an adult or two to help out.

* * *

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

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For April 27, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Acts 5:27-32
The Acts of the Apostles begins with the ascension of Jesus, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit who galvanizes them to begin the spread of the Good News of Jesus the Christ. It is not long, despite signs and wonders, that the apostles find themselves facing real opposition. Arrest and threats. However, in the leadup to this passage, they ignore these threats and continue to share the Good News. The news about this comes to the religious leaders while they’re debating what to do about them.
Frank Ramirez
Sometimes movies end with the “happily ever after moment.” Finally — Hooray! Sometimes movies begin with the “happily ever after moment.” Roll up your sleeves. The real fun is just beginning.

Acts 5:27-32

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
Every eye will see him…. (v. 7)

The speed of news is not quite instantaneous. There’s this traffic cop called the speed of light that strictly enforces that 186, 242 mile per second speed limit built into our universe. If there’s a way around that limitation it remains the stuff of speculation — out of this world speculation.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Thomas had never seen his friends so excited. Peter's eyes were shining, and he could hardly contain his impatience. John was always quieter than Peter, but even he seemed full of barely suppressed eagerness. They were both tugging at Thomas, while at the same time dancing round him.

Thomas reluctantly agreed to go to the cave with them, although he continued to think they were mad. "If there was nothing there last week, how can it have changed now?" he kept asking.

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Schuyler Rhodes
Anyone can throw a party. It's easy to jump up and down and shout loud "alleluias." Pay the DJ, set out the drinks and the buffet table, and that's about it. At first, it's a blast! Whirling bodies and pulsing rhythms fill the night. Laughter and clinking glasses seem like an endless and joyful dialogue. But, by midnight it all starts to get a little old. People get tired of shouting and dancing and head home because they have to work the next day. The DJ was only hired for a few hours and he, perhaps, has another gig at an after-hours club across town.
Richard E. Zajac
... Unless I see... I will not believe...

I must credit the Reverend R. Maurice Boyd for this talk. Many of its ideas stemmed from "Consequences of Candor," a chapter in his book Corridors of Light.1

__________
David Kalas
When the curtain opens on Scene Two, we see a familiar scene. It is the austere, official chamber where the Sanhedrin hold court. The room is cold and intimidating. It feels even more so when the first characters begin to arrive on stage.

These are the members of the Sanhedrin: the leaders in the land who form the ruling council for the Jews of first-century Palestine. They are a distinguished looking group. They are well-dressed, well-manicured, and well-to-do. Their faces betray the seriousness of the purpose for which they have gathered.
Henry F. Woodruff
No cavalry rode to the rescue; this time the savior was technology. Here is how it happened. Longing for more intimate communication between preacher and congregation, the church purchased and installed a wireless microphone system. With an FM receiver in place and wearing a lapel microphone, the preacher could get out from behind the pulpit or lecturn and roam about, even into the midst of the congregation.

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