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Sermons Illustrations for Proper 13 | OT 18 (2022)

Illustration
Hosea 11:1-11, Psalm 107:1-9, 43
A.W. Tozer wrote, “Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines him to bestow benefits upon the undeserving. Its use to us sinful men is to save us and make us sit together in heavenly places to demonstrate to the ages the exceeding riches of God’s kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

Timothy Paul Jones, co-author of the book, Proof: Finding Freedom through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace tells the story of taking his adopted daughter to Disney World. By the time Jones and his family had adopted the little girl, she was eight years old. Her former family had been to Disney before but had never taken her. She’d always had to stay with a family friend. Timothy and his wife announced to the whole family that they were going to Disney. What happened next startled them. Their adopted daughter began to act out. Jones relates how he was thankful he didn’t resort to the threat, “If you don’t start behaving, you won’t go.”  He simply asked her if this trip was something they were doing as a family. When he asked, she nodded. He then said, “you’re going.”  According to Jones, her behavior did not improve until the night of the first day at Disney in the hotel. That night his little girl said to him, ““Daddy, I finally got to go to Disney World. But it wasn’t because I was good; it’s because I’m yours.”

Not because they were good, but because they were his. That’s the story of God’s children, too. We see it plainly in these verses.  May we find comfort and peace in his grace.
Bill T.

* * *

Hosea 11:1-11, Psalm 107:1-9, 43
Both this chapter and Hosea and this thanksgiving Psalm 107 reference the exodus, and God’s continuing steadfast love. Hosea laments the people’s faithlessness, after the wonders of their liberation,they turned to other gods, but like a parent, God has not given up hope for change. God will restore what we have lost. And Psalm 107 talks about the years of wandering in the desert, along with many other times of trial and tribulation, some of our doing, but demonstrates how again and again and again God remembers and restores the people!
Frank R.

* * *

Colossians 3:1-11
A 2021 poll conducted by Real Faith found that a near majority of Americans (45%) think that most Christians are hypocrites.  And yet a 2017 Gallup poll indicated that 55% of us believe that religion can answer all of today’s problems.  How can this tension exist?  Our lesson answers this question in making clear that the Christian life is hidden, that sin remains in Christians so in that sense they are hypocrites and may as well admit it.  Martin Luther had a lot to say on this subject:

Therefore I am at the same time a sinner and a righteous man, for I do evil and I   hate the evil which I do.  (Luther’s Works, Vol. 25, p. 63)

From all this is it evident that sin remains in the baptized and the saints as long as they are flesh and blood and live on earth.  (Luther’s Works, Vol. 32, p. 20)

... our life is hidden in God... finding in ourselves nothing but sin, foolishness, death, and hell...  (Luther’s Works, Vol. 31 p. 41)

When you see nothing in your life but sin, you can’t help but pay more attention to God in Christ, because then you know that he is the only source of goodness in life.
Mark E.

* * *

Luke 12:13-21
Landon Parvin in the “Leaders” section of Readers Digest (May 1996) wrote a humous anecdote that connects with this text.

A miserly man was called on by the chairman of the community charity. “Sir,” said the fund-raiser, “our records show that despite your wealth, you’ve never once given to our drive.”

 “Do your records show that I have an elderly mother who was left penniless when my father died? fumed the tightwad. “Do your records show that I have a disabled brother who is unable to work? Do your records show I have a widowed sister with small children who can barely make ends meet?”

“No, sir,” replied the volunteer. “Our records don’t show that.”

Without missing a beat, the man answered, “Well, I don’t give to any of them, so why should I give anything to you?”

God has words for those who hoard up wealth for themselves. “‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So, it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God” (vs. 20-21).
Bill T.

* * *

Luke 12:13-21
The words of life spoken by Jesus in the leadup to this passage inspires one listener to ask himself, “How can I use this guy to my personal advantage?” This individual sees a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of Jesus’s expertise to pad his pockets. “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” Now this person may have a legitimate case here, but that’s beside the point. This causes us to ask the question: “Is the purpose of the church to increase my bottom line?” Or, “What’s in it for me?” I have heard of people leaving one church to attend another not because of a theological question, but because their child’s coach attends there, and this may increase the child’s playing time. Some choose a church in order to network for business purposes. They see more potential customers at one church instead of another. They want to pin their business card on the bulletin board. Me. Me. Me.

Which leads Jesus into the parable of the rich fool. Me. Me. Me.
Frank R.
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John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity.

Note: You will need to select six children to play roles in this activity. If you have a smaller group, you might ask some older youth or even adults to play the parts of the two attackers and the man being attacked. I will give suggestions for how they can play their roles, but feel free to help your children make the story as fun and memorable as you can. I have used boys and girls in the various roles, but you can change those however you want to change them.

* * *

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
For July 13, 2025:
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StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
I say, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals
    and fall like any prince….”
(vv. 6-7)

There have been any number of brother-sister acts that achieved a measure of fame. Take the Carpenters, famed for their singing, musicianship, and songwriting skills. Also worthy of mention are John and Joan Cusack who have acted together in over sixteen films.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
An ancient legend tells of a remote mountain village where people used to send their senior citizens out into the woods to die. The villagers had an eye to the future; they felt that those beyond a certain age would only slow down progress or use up valuable resources to no economically profitable end. Those who reached a certain age weren’t “put out to pasture” or “put out of their misery”; they were simply put out of other people’s way.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Amos 7:7-17 and Psalm 82
The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is more than 2,700 feet high—over half a mile tall. It has 160 floors and is twice as tall as the Empire State Building in New York City. It is home to the world’s fastest elevator which reaches speeds of forty miles an hour. The Burj Khalifa also hosts the world’s highest outdoor observation deck (on the 124th floor) and the world’s highest swimming pool (on the 76th floor).

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Janice B. Scott
Mabel hummed a familiar hymn tune as she made her way to church. She always enjoyed her Sunday morning walk. It was one of the few times she felt safe to walk alone through the inner city, for she knew nobody would be up at 7.45 in the morning. Today was a particularly beautiful morning, with blue sky, warm sunshine, and the song of a few intrepid blackbirds who still inhabited the city.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Often, a distinction is made between the pastoral or priestly work of the church and the prophetic work. Pastoral care has to do with the care of souls, the offering of comfort in times of loss. The priestly character of pastoral work seeks to mediate the presence of God to those who are hurting.

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Trusting is never easy. Even in the best of relationships, people step into trust slowly. There is wariness -- questioning -- worry. What happens if trust is betrayed? What if this doesn't work? Sometimes it's like a dance. We step in and out of trust, moving to the rhythms of fear. For many, the routine is achingly familiar. Indeed, it's not easy to trust.
John Jamison
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Robert Leslie Holmes
Not many tourists to Washington, D.C., look for the Federal Bureau of Standards offices. It's the Capitol and the White House, the Supreme Court Building or the Smithsonian most of us want to see when we go there. Yet, at the Bureau of Standards offices something very important is stored, something that impacts your life and mine every single day. Have you ever bought the materials for a new project? When you did, most likely you purchased so many inches or feet or yards. Or, you stopped to buy gasoline for your car and purchased it at a certain price per gallon.
David O. Bales
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Erskine White
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
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Thy power throughout the universe displayed,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
(Stuart K. Hine)

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