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Wayne Brouwer

Wayne Brouwer is a pastor of the Christian Reformed Church in North America and is an Associate Professor of Religion at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, as well as a member of the faculty of Western Theological Seminary. Brouwer has been the lead pastor in three different congregations. He is a graduate of Dordt College and holds degrees from Calvin Theological Seminary and McMaster University. Over 700 of his articles have been published as well as over a dozen books. Previous CSS Publishing titles by Pastor Bouwer include Political Christianity and Humming Till the Music Returns. He has been a consistent contributor to Emphasis: A Preaching Journal since 2004 and is one of several authors featured in Navigating the Sermon. Pastor Brouwer resides in Holland, Michigan, with his wife Brenda and they are the parents of three daughters.
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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Beginnings -- Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 -- Wayne Brouwer -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2018
In 1954, Marcelle Maurtette wrote a play called Anastasia.
Transfiguration transition -- 2 Kings 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, Mark 9:2-9 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2018
While the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) seem at first glance to have little obvious lit
The Crisis That Changed Everything -- Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 5:5-10, John 12:20-33 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2018
One of the German army prison camps during World War II was divided into two sections.
Do You Understand? -- Acts 8:26-40, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-8 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2018
“If you don’t know where you are going,” says an ancient source, “any road will get you there.”
Glory -- Isaiah 6:1-8, Romans 8:12-17, John 3:1-17, Psalm 29 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2018
Victor Hugo called his masterpiece Misérables, a religious work. So it is.
Security -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43, Psalm 130 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2018
Some years ago, Newsweek magazine carried a little article about a fortune-tellers’ convent
Parents and Children -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33, Ephesians 4:25--5:2, John 6:35, 41-51 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2018
In one of the “Peanuts” cartoons, Charlie Brown sits in his father’s barber shop and describes his r
Winsome Wisdom -- Proverbs 31:10-31, James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a, Mark 9:30-37, Psalm 1 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2018
In H. G. Wells’ tale “The Queer Story of Brownlow’s Newspaper,” it is November 10, 1931, when Mr.
An Upside-Down World -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17, Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 10:17-31, Psalm 22:1-15 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2018
Søren Kierkegaard once wrote of a strange break‑in at a large store in his native Denmark where the
Turn of Fortune -- Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2018
In 1954, Marcelle Maurtette wrote a play called Anastasia.
Leaning Into an Unknown Future -- Baruch 5:1-9, Philippians 1:3-11, Luke 3:1-6 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2018
Advent reminds us of the power in Jesus’ words to his disciples.
Following Jesus -- Acts 2:42-47, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2017
Thomas Long told about the examination of ministerial candidates in a North Carolina presbytery.
The Lamb Of God -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 2017
George MacDonald helps us understand the heart-tug of grace in his children’s tale known as “Papa’s
The Faith Of Abraham -- Genesis 12:1-4a, Romans 4:1-5, 13-17, John 3:1-17 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 2017
Faith that would become stronger must become not only a public faith, but a faith that makes commitm
Curses And Blessings -- Deuteronomy 30:15-20, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Matthew 5:21-37 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2017
Maurice Boyd remembers one incident that sealed the impact of his father on his life forever.
Refocus -- Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - A -- 2017
The only way to defeat pride is to make it irrelevant.
Optical Illusion? -- Genesis 1:1--2:4a, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, Matthew 28:16-20 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 2017
Walking through a carnival midway at the county fair, a man met his neighbors, a young couple with t
Changed -- Genesis 25:19-34, Romans 8:1-11, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2017
Having outgrown its old and limiting facilities, a large church finally managed to build a magnifice
Mistaken identity -- Exodus 1:8--2:10, Romans 12:1-8, Matthew 16:13-20 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 2017
Appearances can be deceiving.
Declarations -- Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20, Philippians 3:4b-14, Matthew 21:33-46 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 2017
The year was 1934.
Servants -- Joshua 3:7-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13, Matthew 23:1-12 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A -- 2017
In Robert Bolt's play A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More stands at a moral crossroads.

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Beginnings -- Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 -- Wayne Brouwer -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2018
In 1954, Marcelle Maurtette wrote a play called Anastasia.
Glory -- Isaiah 6:1-8, Romans 8:12-17, John 3:1-17, Psalm 29 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2018
Victor Hugo called his masterpiece Misérables, a religious work. So it is.
Winsome Wisdom -- Proverbs 31:10-31, James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a, Mark 9:30-37, Psalm 1 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2018
In H. G. Wells’ tale “The Queer Story of Brownlow’s Newspaper,” it is November 10, 1931, when Mr.
Leaning Into an Unknown Future -- Baruch 5:1-9, Philippians 1:3-11, Luke 3:1-6 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2018
Advent reminds us of the power in Jesus’ words to his disciples.

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Baptism of Our Lord
29 – Sermons
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120+ – Illustrations / Stories
39 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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Epiphany 3 | OT 3
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Praxis, the pixie whose skin changes colour according to his mood, was bright, bright blue. He was feeling very fed up. All by himself with nobody to play with, he had nothing to do but get into mischief. His mother was annoyed with him for eating all the jelly she had ready for tea, and she had ordered him out of the toadstool.

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Contents
"The Way to God" by Peter Andrew Smith
"Looking Up" by David O. Bales


* * * * * * * *


The Way to God
by Peter Andrew Smith
Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)

In his story "The Way to God," Peter Andrew Smith tells of a people seeking to know God in their lives who discover the answer is not about what they do but about how they live.

* * *

SermonStudio

Carlos Wilton
This is a dangerous psalm -- dangerous, because it is so open to misinterpretation.

"Happy are those who fear the Lord...." Well, who could quarrel with that? Yet this psalm goes on to describe, in concrete terms, exactly what form that happiness takes: "Their descendants will be mighty in the land.... Wealth and riches are in their houses" (vv. 2a, 3a).

Power? Wealth? Are these the fruits of a godly life? The psalmist seems to think so.

John R. Brokhoff
THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Isaiah 58:1--9a (9b--12) (C); Isaiah 58:7--10 (RC)
John N. Brittain
I had a much-loved professor in seminary who confessed to some of us over coffee one day that he frequently came home from church and was so frustrated he had to go out and dig in the garden, even in the middle of winter. Robert Louis Stevenson once recorded in his diary, as if it were a surprise, "I went to church today and am not depressed." Someone has said, "I feel like unscrewing my head and putting it underneath the pew every time I go to church." Thoughts like these are often expressed by people who have dropped out of church, especially youth and young adults.
Charles L. Aaron, Jr.
Sometimes when we read a passage of scripture, we may need to pay careful attention to who in the text is speaking. Our understanding of the words themselves may change, depending on whose mouth they come from. If we are reading Job, we need to know which character is speaking in the passage. If Job's friends are talking, we know their words cannot be trusted. They are too self-righteous. Sometimes, we are not sure who is speaking. Job 28 is a beautiful poem extolling the virtue of wisdom, but we can't be sure who delivers this elegant piece.
William B. Kincaid, III
Of all the pressing questions of the day, a sign on one person's desk asks, "How much can I sin and still go to heaven?" The question seems amusing until we stop to think about it. Inherent in this question is a bold-faced confession that there is no interest at all in pursuing a life shaped wholly by the spirit of God, but at the same time we do not want to be so recklessly sacrilegious that we forfeit completely the rewards of the hereafter.
Robert A. Beringer
A Japanese legend says a pious Buddhist monk died and went to heaven. He was taken on a sightseeing tour and gazed in wonder at the lovely mansions built of marble and gold and precious stones. It was all so beautiful, exactly as he pictured it, until he came to a large room that looked like a merchant's shop. Lining the walls were shelves on which were piled and labeled what looked like dried mushrooms. On closer examination, he saw they were actually human ears.
John T. Ball
When pastors retire they have a chance to check out some of the Sunday morning religious television before going off to worship, presuming they don't succumb to the Sunday paper. One retired colleague who has the leisure to monitor Sunday morning television says that churchy television fixes mostly on the personal concerns of the viewers. Anxiety, depression, grief - all important and life--threatening matters - make up much of Sunday morning religious television.
Beverly S. Bailey
Hymns
Hail To The Lord's Anointed (LBW87, CBH185, NCH104, UM203)
When I Survey The Wondrous Cross (PH100, 101, CBH259, 260, NCH224, UM298, 299, LBW482)
Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light (CBH203, NCH140, PH26, UM223)
God Of Grace And God Of Glory (CBH366, NCH436, PH420, UM577)
You Are Salt For The Earth (CBH226, NCH181)
This Little Light Of Mine (CBH401, NCH524, 525, UM585)
Ask Me What Great Thing I Know (NCH49, UM192, PH433)
There's A Spirit In The Air (NCH294, UM192, PH433)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

One of the difficulties that confronts us who drive our vehicles is forgetting to turn off the lights and returning to the car after some hours only to discover a dead battery. I have found that the problem occurs most often when I have been driving during a storm in daytime and had to turn on headlights in order to be seen by other drivers. By the time I get to my destination the rain has often ceased, and the sun is shining brightly. The problem happens, too, when we drive into a brightly lighted parking lot at night.
Wayne Brouwer
Schuyler Rhodes
Some years ago Europa Times carried a story in which Mussa Zoabi of Israel claimed to be the oldest person alive at 160. Guinness Book of World Records would not print his name, however, simply because his age could not be verified. Mr. Zoabi was older than most records-keeping systems. Whatever his true age, Mussa Zoabi believed he knew the secret of longevity. He said, "Every day I drink a cup of melted butter or olive oil."

CSSPlus

Good morning, boys and girls. I brought some salt with me this morning. (Show the salt.) What do we use salt for? (Let them answer.) We use it for flavoring food. How many of you put salt on your popcorn? (Let them answer.) What else do we use salt for? (Let them answer.) We put salt on the sidewalks in winter to keep us from slipping. We put salt in water softeners to soften our water.

In this morning's lesson Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth. What do you think he meant by that? (Let them answer.) In Jesus' time salt was very important. It was used to keep food
Good morning! Once Jesus told a whole crowd of people who
had come to hear him preach that they couldn't get into Heaven
unless they were more "righteous" than all the religious leaders
of that day. Does anyone know what that word means? What does it
mean to be righteous? (Let them answer.) It means to be good, to
be fair, and to be honest. Now, what do you think he meant by
that? Was he telling people that they had to do everything
perfectly in this life in order to get into Heaven? (Let them
answer.)
Good morning! How many of you own your own Bible? (Let them
answer.) When you read the Bible, do you find some things that
are hard to understand? (Let them answer.) Yes, I think there are
some tough things to comprehend in the Bible. After all, the
Bible is God's Word, and it's not always easy to understand God.
He is so much greater than we are and much more complex.

Now, I brought a New Testament with me this morning and I
want someone to read a verse for us. Can I have a volunteer? (Let
Teachers and Parents: The most common false doctrine, even
among some who consider themselves strong Christians, is that we
can earn our way into Heaven by our own works. Our children must
learn the basic Christian truth that Heaven is a gift of God and
that there is no way to be righteous enough to deserve it. We
must rely on the righteousness of Christ for our ticket into
Heaven.

* Make white paper ponchos with the name JESUS written in
large letters on each one. (A large hole for the head in a big

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