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Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany -- Isaiah 58:3-9a, Matthew 5:13-20 -- George M. Bass -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Proper 20 -- Exodus 32:1-14, Matthew 20:1-16 -- George M. Bass -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany -- Isaiah 49:8-13, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23, Matthew 5:27-37 -- George M. Bass -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Proper 10 -- Exodus 2:11-22, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- George M. Bass -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
The Epiphany of Our Lord -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 -- George M. Bass -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Proper 13 -- Exodus 12:1-14, Romans 8:31-39, Matthew 14:13-21 -- George M. Bass -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Fifth Sunday in Lent -- Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 8:6-11 -- George M. Bass -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Proper 17 -- Exodus 19:1-9, Matthew 16:21-28 -- George M. Bass -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1989
Exodus 19:1-9Romans 12:1-13Matthew 16:21-28
Fifth Sunday of Easter -- Acts 7:55-60, 1 Peter 2:1-10, John 14:1-14 -- George M. Bass -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
First Sunday of Advent -- Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44 -- George M. Bass -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Proper 16 -- Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 11:33-36, Matthew 16:13-20 -- George M. Bass -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
First Sunday of Lent -- Genesis 2:4b-9, 15-17, 25-3:7, Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11 -- George M. Bass -- First Sunday in Lent - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Proper 6 -- Genesis 25:19-34, Romans 5:6-11, Matthew 9:35-10:8 -- George M. Bass -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany -- Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, Matthew 5:1-12 -- George M. Bass -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
The Holy Trinity -- Deuteronomy 4:32-40, 2 Corinthians 13:5-14, Matthew 28:16-20 -- George M. Bass -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Fourth Sunday of Advent -- Isaiah 7:10-17, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25 -- George M. Bass -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
The Nativity of Our Lord -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-20 -- George M. Bass -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Good Friday -- Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Hosea 6:1-6, Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9, John 18:1-19:42 -- George M. Bass -- Good Friday - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Proper 11 -- Exodus 3:1-12, Romans 8:18-25, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- George M. Bass -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Second Sunday in Lent -- Genesis 12:1-4a (4b-8), John 3:1-17 -- George M. Bass -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 1989
The arrangement of the lessons for the second through the fifth Sundays in Lent is rather confusing;
Proper 4 -- Genesis 12:1-9, Romans 3:21-28, Matthew 7:21-29 -- George M. Bass -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Fourth Sunday in Lent -- 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41 -- George M. Bass -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Proper 19 -- Exodus 20:1-20, Matthew 18:21-35 -- George M. Bass -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1989
The church year theological clue
Lent 2 -- Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Philippians 3:17--4:1, Luke 13:31-35 -- Perry H. Biddle, Jr. -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 1988
Comments on the Lessons
Epiphany 2 -- Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11 -- Perry H. Biddle, Jr. -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 1988
Comments on the Lessons

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Loaned Or Owned? -- 2 Samuel 12:18-23 -- Anthology -- 1998
for an infantOle Winter
Been There, Done That -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- William B. Kincaid, III -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 1998
We can thank Mountain Dew for throwing one more cliché on the heap of cutesy phrases.
On The Twenty-fourth Day -- Haggai 2:10 -- Frank Ramirez -- 1998
Haggai works his way to this crucial question, and so shall we.
Make Good Use Of Your Injustice -- Philippians 2:1-11 -- Richard E. Zajac -- 1998
... he emptied himself taking the form of a slave...
Easter: A Time For Higher Things -- Colossians 3:1-4 -- Frank Luchsinger -- Easter Day - A -- 1998
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Food For Hungry People -- Matthew 14:13-21 -- Robert A. Stanley -- 1998
There is no story in all of the Bible that more graphically demonstrates the dilemma of biblical int
The Mandate: Positive And Purposeful -- Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 -- William A. Jones -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 1998
No other God, no graven images, no taking of the name of the Lord in vain, no work on the Sabbath, n
Inherit The World -- Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 -- Frank Luchsinger -- Second Sunday in Lent - A -- 1998
"The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come throug
The Community Of Life -- Acts 1:6-14 -- Richard E. Gribble, CSC -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 1998
Unity and disunity -- these words are more than mere opposites.
The Marvelous Style Of Jesus: Truth And Love -- Matthew 22:1-14 -- Joseph M. Freeman -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 1998
Jesus' use of parables is his way of communicating a striking truth with significant love.
God Promises, Promises! -- John 14:2-3 -- Anthology -- 1998
a funeral meditationJohn R. Brokhoff
Overcoming Spiritual Anemia -- John 6:51-58 -- Wayne H. Keller -- 1998
Webster, the famous dictionary author, defines anemia as a "condition in which the red corpuscles of
In The Flesh -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- William B. Kincaid, III -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 1998
"And the Word became flesh."
Is There Any Seed Left In The Barn? -- Haggai 2:19 -- Frank Ramirez -- 1998
About eight years ago I first considered moving from Los Angeles to northern Indiana, from the city
Bad Habits -- Mark 9:38-43, 47-48 -- Richard E. Zajac -- 1998
... if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out...
The Tie That Binds -- Mark 14:12-21 -- Robert A. Stanley -- 1998
For centuries the question has been debated among Christians: When did the Church begin?
When God Says, "Let Me Alone" -- Exodus 32:1-14 -- William A. Jones -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 1998
Poor Moses, poor Aaron, poor people. I label all of them poor, but for different reasons.
Enter Your Pax Word A Lenten Lexicon -- Romans 5:1-11 -- Frank Luchsinger -- Third Sunday in Lent - A -- 1998
Enter your password -- flashed up on the computer screen.
Freely Sharing The Burden -- Isaiah 52:13--53:12 -- Richard E. Gribble, CSC -- Good Friday - A -- 1998
Once in a far-off land there was a great king whose dominion extended far and wide.
Discernment Is Better Than Keeping Your Guard -- Matthew 22:15-22 -- Joseph M. Freeman -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 1998
Over the course of one's life, one knows those persons/groups who think the worst of you and who are
Death Shows No Partiality -- Anthology -- 1998
for a little childJames W. Robinson
The Temptation Of His Life -- Matthew 4:1-11 -- Thomas A. Pilgrim -- First Sunday in Lent - A -- 1998
Robert Penn Warren wrote a novel called All The King's Men.
Zapped By The Spirit: No Post-Easter Slump -- John 20:19-23 -- Wayne H. Keller -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 1998
Pentecost -- the "religious holiday" ignored by the mass media. Thank God!
Presents And The Gift Of Presence -- Luke 2:1-20 -- William B. Kincaid, III -- 1998
Some of you may have opened gifts before you came here tonight, others may do so later tonight or to
For I Have Chosen You! -- Haggai 2:20-23 -- Frank Ramirez -- 1998
When I was a kid the night before Christmas was the longest night in the world.

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Jesus' calming of the sea: the disciples' fear and awe -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationOne pastor did this:
A teaching with authority - A summary of Jesus' teaching ministry -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationConsider this:
Jesus' healing of the woman with a flow of blood and the ruler's daughter -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationSuggestion:
The preaching ministry -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationSuggestion:
Announcement - You're the one, Mary! You're the ones, church! -- Luke 1:26-38 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - B -- 1990
Invitation to the Corporate CelebrationOne pastor began this way:
Jesus' healing of the leper -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationTry this:
Jesus' inability to do any mighty works in his own community because of the peoples' disbelief -- Mark 6:1-6 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationTry this:
Jesus healing the bed-ridden -- Mark 2:1-12 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - B -- 1990
Theme: Jesus healing the bed-ridden, followed by the hostility of the scribes.
Jesus calling the disciples and sending them out two by two -- Mark 6:7-13 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationOne pastor did this:
Watchfulness -- Mark 13:32-37 -- First Sunday of Advent - B -- 1990
Suggested quotes at the beginning and end of the order of worship:
Jesus' invitation to the disciples to leave the crowd and to rest -- Mark 6:30-34 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationSuggestion:
The Transfiguration of Jesus -- Mark 9:2-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationSuggestion:
Jesus' attempt to be alone with his disciples -- John 6:1-15 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationConsider this:
The Baptism, Temptation, Message of Jesus -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationOne pastor began this way:
Jesus, the Bread of Life -- John 6:24-35 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationOne pastor began this way:
Jesus' awareness of the cost of discipleship -- Mark 8:31-38, Mark 9:2-10 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationOne pastor began this way:
The cleansing of the temple; the promise of Jesus' resurrection. -- John 2:13-25 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationSuggestion:
Jesus' response to, his critics, and his reiteration of the Bread of Life theme -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationOne pastor began this way:
God's love for the world to which the son came to bring light and judgment. -- John 3:14-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationConsider this:
Jesus' insights into his body and blood -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1990
Order of Worship HeadingsConsider this:
Jesus' moving toward his death and glorification; the call to die in order to live -- John 12:20-33 -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationTry this:
Jesus, the living Bread and Wine -- John 6:55-69 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationOne pastor did this:
The final events of Jesus' life -- Mark 14:1--15:47 -- Passion Sunday - B -- 1990
The idea for this Holy Week celebration came from an idea suggested by a pastor in a church periodic
Jesus' insight into his death because of the people's attitudes -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationTry this:
Jesus' entry into Jerusalem -- 1990
Pastoral Invitation to the CelebrationConsider this:

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Youth Resources

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Christ the King Sunday
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Thanksgiving
14 – Sermons
80+ – Illustrations / Stories
18 – Children's Sermons / Resources
10 – Worship Resources
18 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Advent 1
30 – Sermons
90+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For November 30, 2025:
  • Time Change by Chris Keating. The First Sunday of Advent invites God’s people to tell time differently. While the secular Christmas machine keeps rolling, the church is called to a time of waiting and remaining alert.
  • Second Thoughts: What Time Is It? by Tom Willadsen based on Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
According to Martin Luther our thanksgiving is brought about only by justification by grace:

But bringing of tithes denotes that we are wholly given to the service of the neighbor through love…  This, however, does not happen unless, being first justified by faith. (Luther’s Works, Vol.9, p.255)

The Reformer also wants us to be happy, what with all the generous gifts we have been given.  He wrote:
Wayne Brouwer
A schoolteacher asked her students to make a list of the things for which they were thankful. Right at the top of Chad’s list was the word “glasses.” Some children resent having to wear glasses, but evidently not Chad! She asked him about it. Why was he thankful that he wore glasses?

“Well,” he said, “my glasses keep the boys from hitting me and the girls from kissing me.”

The philosopher Eric Hoffer says, “The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings!” That’s true, isn’t it?
William H. Shepherd
Christianity is, among other things, an intellectual quest. The curriculum to know God truly. The lesson plans interact creatively with other aspects of faith: worship is vain if not grounded in truth, while service is misguided if based on faulty premises. While faith certainly cannot be reduced to knowledge, it cannot be divorced from it, either.

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (v. 6)

We just received word about the passing of our friend, Rosmarie Trapp. We had lost touch with her in recent years, so I was shocked when I stumbled onto her obituary in The New York Times from May 18, 2022.
David E. Leininger
John Jamison
Contents
What's Up This Week
"The Reason for the Season" by David Leininger
"Time's Up" by John Jamison


What's Up This Week

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: The activity for this message is the Be Thank You! game.

* * *

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Rosemary was 33 years old. She'd been married to James for four years and they had two children, Sam who was two and the baby, Elizabeth, who was just three weeks old. Apart from the baby blues and extreme fatigue, both of which got her down a bit when James was at work, Rosemary was happy. They had recently moved to the London suburbs and James commuted each day by train.

SermonStudio

Carlos Wilton
This brief psalm is among the most familiar in the psalter, but that is primarily because its verses have been excerpted in so many hymns and liturgical texts. There is something to be gained from looking at Psalm 100 in its entirety, and trying to recover its ancient liturgical context.

James Evans
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (v. 6). What better way could there be for us to begin the Advent season than by focusing our prayers on peace? The word, shalom, translated "peace," means much more than the mere absence of conflict. And of course, it is not only Jerusalem that is in need of peace; the whole world needs the shalom that the psalmist dreams about. So perhaps we should expand the breadth of this prayer, and deepen it with our awareness of the various meanings of the Hebrew idea of peace.

John R. Brokhoff
THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Isaiah 2:1--5 (C, RC, E)
Tony S. Everett
A popular skit at church camps involves about a dozen folks lined up side-by-side, looking anxious and frustrated facing the audience. Each person rests a left elbow on the right shoulder of their neighbor. Then, from left to right, each member asks, "Is it time yet?" When the question arrives at the end of the line, the last person looks at his/her wristwatch and responds, "No." This reply is passed, one-by-one each with bored sighs, back to the first questioner. After a few moments, the same question is passed down the line (left elbows remaining on the right shoulders).
Linda Schiphorst Mccoy
Just a few days before writing this message, I conducted a memorial service for a 60-year-old man who was the picture of health until three months before his death. He was active, vibrant, only recently retired, and looking forward to years of good life with his wife and family and friends. Nonetheless, pancreatic cancer had done its work, and quickly, and he was gone. It was the general consensus that it was too soon for his life to end; he was too young to die.
John W. Clarke
In this the sixth chapter of John's Gospel, Jesus begins to withdraw to the east side of the Sea of Galilee. He has fed the 5,000, and he has walked on water. The press of the crowds had become all consuming and he needs some solitude to prepare himself for what lay ahead. Considering that the crowds that followed him more than likely knew of the feeding of the 5,000, and some may even have heard of the miraculous walking on water, it is difficult to explain why in these verses, they would doubt anything he had to say -- but they do.
Robert R. Kopp
My favorite eighth grader just confessed his aspiration for becoming President of the United States.

When I foolishly asked the inspiration of his lofty goal, he replied, "Bill Clinton." Then my hormone-raging adolescent proceeded to list perceived presidential perks that have nothing to do with God or country.

My prayer list has been altered.

And my attitude about prayer in public schools has changed too.

I used to be against prayer in public schools.
John E. Berger
Thanksgiving, according to one newspaper columnist, has kept its original meaning better than any other holiday. That original meaning, he wrote, was family reunions around large dinner tables.

In contrast, Christmas has changed into Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Easter has come to emphasize new spring clothes and the Easter bunny. Even our national holidays -- Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day -- have become cook-outs and summer travel get-aways.
Mark Ellingson
Thanksgiving: How do we say thanks authentically and not lapse into the platitudes so often associated with this holiday? There are several dangers associated with the holiday. Ever since it was instituted as a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln, and even before when various state governors instituted it in their states, Thanksgiving has not been a strictly Christian holiday. There has been a lot of nationalism and self-congratulations associated with this day. What is the distinctively Christian way to give thanks to God for all the good things that we have?

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