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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.
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Commentary

Children's sermon

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Charles Darwin remains a controversial individual... -- 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 -- Ron Love -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 2011
Charles Darwin remains a controversial individual because of his theory of evolution.
NULL -- John 14:15-21 -- Ron Love -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2011
Mark Twain would not allow his autobiography to be released until 100 years after his death.
Carol Burnett was struggling financially... -- Matthew 22:34-46 -- Ron Love -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2011
Carol Burnett was struggling financially to remain at UCLA as a drama student.
NULL -- John 17:1-11 -- Ron Love -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2011
Dr.
One of the earliest problems with microscopy... -- Deuteronomy 34:1-12 -- Ron Love -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2011
One of the earliest problems with microscopy was the fact that only one person at a time could look
At local taverns, pubs, and bars... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 -- Ron Love -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 2011
At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized containers.
NULL -- 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 -- Ron Love -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2011
William Prusoff applied to Yale.

The Immediate Word

Mattress, Credit Union, Or World? -- Matthew 25:14-30, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Mary Austin, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2011
The parable of the talents is one of those scriptural passages that is so familiar -- particularly g
Guide Rails -- Isaiah 40:1-11, Mark 1:1-8, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 -- Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed -- Second Sunday of Advent - B -- 2011
The lectionary's assigned passage from Isaiah for the Second Sunday of Advent tells us that we are t
Good News! Good News! -- John 1:1-14, Luke 2:1-20 -- George Reed, Mary Austin, Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love -- The Nativity of our Lord - B -- 2011
For many people the news may have seemed arcane, but for scientists a recent update on the status o
Worshiping Christmas -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18, Ephesians 1:3-14, Jeremiah 31:7-14, Psalm 147:12-20 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2011
This first Sunday of the new calendar year finds those who follow the lectionary with a choice -- wh
Suffering And Serving, One And All -- John 1:29-42, Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Psalm 40:1-11 -- Mary Austin, Ron Love, George Reed -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2011
We have all been stunned and horrified by the shooting rampage this past weekend in Arizona, which l
Abram's Journey With God -- And Ours -- John 3:1-17, Romans 4:1-5, 13-17, Genesis 12:1-4a, Psalm 121 -- Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 2011
It's difficult to watch the unfolding news from Japan and not be humbled by the overwhelming power o
Assurance But Not Insurance -- Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 5:1-11, John 4:5-42, Psalm 95 -- Ron Love, Roger Lovette, Mary Austin -- Third Sunday in Lent - A -- 2011
This week's lectionary passage from the Hebrew scriptures describes the intense frustration of the I
The Final Four -- John 18:1--19:42 -- Ron Love, George Reed -- 2011
Holy Week offers such a wide range of texts and approaches that for this installment of The Immed
Where Is Emmaus? -- Luke 24:13-35, Acts 2:14a, 36-41, 1 Peter 1:17-23, Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19 -- Roger Lovette, Ron Love, George Reed, Dean Feldmeyer -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2011
Our lectionary gospel text this week brings us the familiar story from Luke of two disciples encount
Who Can You Really Trust? -- John 14:1-14, 1 Peter 2:2-10, Acts 7:55-60, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 -- Roger Lovette, Ron Love, George Reed -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2011
The lectionary texts for the Fifth Sunday of Easter share several common threads.
The Unknown Gods Of Righteousness -- John 14:15-21, Acts 17:22-31, 1 Peter 3:13-22, Psalm 66:8-20 -- Ron Love, Mary Austin, George Reed -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2011
The Sixth Sunday of Easter falls this year on Memorial Day weekend in America, which provides an int
The Joy Conundrum -- Luke 24:44-53, Ephesians 1:15-23, Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 47 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2011
On the final Sunday preceding Pentecost, many congregations will be observing Ascension Sunday, usin
Imagine -- John 20:19-23, 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13, Acts 2:1-21 -- Roger Lovette, Ron Love, George Reed -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2011
It's interesting that we observe Pentecost Sunday during the spring graduation and marriage season.
When Good-Bye Is Not Good-Bye -- Matthew 28:16-20, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, Genesis 1:1--2:4a, Psalm 8 -- George Reed, Ron Love, Dean Feldmeyer -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2011
This Sunday of the church year the lectionary focuses on the doctrine of the Trinity -- a complex th
What Are We Going To Do With The Weeds? -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Romans 8:12-25, Genesis 28:10-19a, Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24 -- Roger Lovette, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2011
At first the reaction across the country was incredulous disbelief -- then as the reality of the Cas
You Give Them Something To Eat -- Matthew 14:13-21, Romans 9:1-5, Genesis 32:22-31, Psalm 17:1-7, 15 -- Roger Lovette, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2011
As August 3rd approaches, our government leaders are locked in a struggle over how to keep America f
What Will People Say? -- Matthew 16:13-20, Romans 12:1-8, Exodus 1:8--2:10, Psalm 124 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2011
This past weekend's "straw poll" in Iowa -- complete with breathless coverage from the cable news ch
Deciding To Forgive -- Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 14:1-12, Exodus 14:19-31, Psalm 114 -- Dean Feldmeyer, Ron Love, George Reed -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 2011
This coming Sunday offers a big challenge, as it will be impossible to avoid the fact that it will b

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For July 6, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
2 Kings 5:1-14
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Stan Purdum
Carlos Wilton
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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