Login / Signup

Ron Love

Ronald H. Love was called into the ordained ministry from a career as a state trooper. He has served Methodist churches in rural, inner-city and suburban settings for 20 years, and also served for four years as an Army chaplain. Dr. Love has also been a corporate librarian for a Fortune 500 company and been a university professor for ten years, teaching history and theology. His writing experience includes denominational publications, magazine articles on religion, and a newspaper devotional column. He holds a bachelor's degree in sociology (Slippery Rock State College), master's degrees in library and information science (University of Pittsburgh), secondary education (Duquesne University), church history (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), and theology (Wesley Theological Seminary), as well as a doctorate in homiletics (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary). Dr. Love now resides in South Carolina.
Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Commentary

Children's sermon

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

NULL -- Philippians 3:4b-14 -- Ron Love -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2013
The honesty and integrity of George Washington is often associated with the story that after he chop
The European... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Ron Love -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2013
The European countries in the late 1800s needed colonies.
When John Deere introduced... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Ron Love -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2013
When John Deere introduced its home lawn tractor in 1963, they were promoted as "freedom machines,"
Colin Powell, as Secretary of State... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2013
Colin Powell, as Secretary of State, tried to negotiate peace between Palestine and Israel.
A group of veterans... -- Hebrews 12:18-29 -- Ron Love -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2013
A group of veterans goes to various churches around the country and asks permission to place America
NULL -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Ron Love -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2013
To be empowered and inspired in our Christian lives, we must identify with the name of Jesus.
Sermon Illustrations for Palm/Passion Sunday (2013) -- Isaiah 50:4-9a, Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 22:14--23:56 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem -- Passion Sunday - C -- 2013
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Sermon Illustrations for Christmas 1 (2013) -- Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
Isaiah 63:7-9
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 24 | OT 29 (2013) -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2013
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens enlisted in the Navy... -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2013
Currently seated Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens enlisted in the Navy several hours before t
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 (2013) -- Jeremiah 2:4-13, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Mark Ellingsen, Scott A. Bryte, Ron Love, Bob Ove -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2013
Jeremiah 2:4-13
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 4 | OT 9 (2013) -- 1 Kings 18:20-21 (22-29) 30-39, Galatians 1:1-12, Luke 7:1-10 -- Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem, Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - C -- 2013
1 Kings 18:20-21 (22-29) 30-39
NULL -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Ron Love -- Passion Sunday - C -- 2013
Dennis and Peter Gaffney wrote a book titled The Seven-Day Scholar: The Presidents, in which
When the United States... -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
When the United States occupied the Philippines in the 1890s, Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem that prom
Helen Hayes, the great actress... -- 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5 -- Ron Love -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2013
Helen Hayes, the great actress, was addressing a group of elderly individuals when she was asked how
Ariel Castro was sentenced... -- Jeremiah 2:4-13 -- Ron Love -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2013
Ariel Castro was sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years for his abduction, enslavement, and ph
Though the Seventh-Day Adventists... -- Galatians 1:1-12 -- Ron Love -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - C -- 2013
Though the Seventh-Day Adventists have a strong and uncompromising belief in Jesus, many consider th
NULL -- Luke 22:14--23:56 -- Ron Love -- Passion Sunday - C -- 2013
George Washington's father died when he was eleven.
The war between... -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
The war between Austria and Piedmont, which erupted in April 1859, was one of the bloodiest ever rec
Sermon Illustrations for All Saints Day (2013) -- Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Ephesians 1:11-23, Luke 6:20-31 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- All Saints Day - C -- 2013
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
In the election of 1888... -- Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Ron Love -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2013
In the election of 1888, Benjamin Harrison was most concerned about the results from his home state
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 5 | OT 10 (2013) -- 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Galatians 1:11-24, Luke 7:11-17 -- Ron Love, Scott A. Bryte, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2013
1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24)
Sermon Illustrations for Good Friday (2013) -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Hebrews 10:16-25, John 18:1--19:42 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Mark J. Molldrem, Bob Ove -- Good Friday - C -- 2013
Isaiah 52:13--53:12
Sermon Illustrations for Christmas 2 (2014) -- Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ephesians 1:3-14, John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2013
Jeremiah 31:7-14
It happened... -- Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 -- Ron Love -- All Saints Day - C -- 2013
It happened. An atomic bomb fell on America.

Preaching

Sermon

Worship

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Easter 2
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 3
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 4
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
33 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

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.

SermonStudio

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.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL