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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

The Story Continues -- Acts 5:27-32, John 20:19-31, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Frank Ramirez -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2025
Sometimes movies end with the “happily ever after moment.” Finally — Hooray!
Reflex Hammers for the Soul -- Jeremiah 2:4-13, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- David Kalas -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2025
When one of our children was young, she pretended to throw something at me from close range, and the
Redirected Life -- Acts 9:1-6 (7-20), Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19 -- David Coffin -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2025
A medical worker is working long, hard, stress filled hours in an urban hospital setting.
If God Has It All Planned What Can We Do About It? -- Jeremiah 18:1-11, Philemon 1:1-21, Luke 14:25-33, Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2025
Jeremiah 18:1-11
Miracles -- Acts 9:36-43, Revelation 7:9-17, John 10:22-30 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2025
Tinkerbell is the delightful sprite in Peter Pan who drifts between the world of senses and
Persistent Grace -- Luke 15:1-10, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28 -- David Coffin -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2025
All three of today’s texts can be viewed as good news that God never gives up on God’s people.
To Know Him -- Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, John 13:31-35 -- David Kalas -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2025
The old idiom claims of certain people, “To know them is to love them.” A variation on the saying mi
Planting Seeds -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13 -- Frank Ramirez -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2025
Well, it’s autumn, and by now the seeds we planted in the spring either took root and produced or el
Do You Want to Be Made Well? Make it Happen! -- Acts 16:9-15, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, John 5:1-9 -- Frank Ramirez -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2025
The church is a work in progress — and we are expected to be a critical part of that church’s work.
Investment Portfolio -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2025
The president of the college I attended was the kind of man who always said what was on his mind.
The Heavenly Power and Cosmic Presence of Christ -- Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2025
Acts 1:1-11
Suffering Servants -- Lamentations 1:1-6, 2 Timothy 1:1-14, Luke 17:5-10 -- David Kalas -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2025
Not all suffering is equal.
The Best Ending -- Acts 16:16-34, Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26 -- David Kalas -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2025
Our family watched a movie together recently that left us feeling a bit mixed.
Live Courageously Against the Grain of the World -- Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2025
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Rebuilding Hope -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8 -- David Coffin -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2025
What happens when one’s past life narrative or goals in life have drastically shifted or collapsed?
Not All Scores Are Final -- Luke 18:9-14, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Joel 2:23-32 -- David Kalas -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2025
Not all suffering is equal.
Who Belongs Here? -- Matthew 2:1-12, Ephesians 3:1-12, Isaiah 60:1-6 -- David Coffin -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2025
An upper middle-aged man is politely led out of the factory where he works by both the union and man
We Wish You a Merry Baptism? -- Isaiah 43:1-7, Acts 8:14-17, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- David Kalas -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C -- 2025
In the logic of the church year, we have spent four weeks anticipating the coming of the Lord, follo
God Makes It Happen -- Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2025
Isaiah 62:1-5
Becoming Healthy -- Luke 4:14-21, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a, Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2025
It seems everybody knows about Victor Hugo’s greatest novel, even if few have actually read it.
Messenger's Message -- Luke 4:21-30, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- David Coffin -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2025
Imagine an aging church leader or preacher who has seen one technology tool after another change the
Who? Me? -- Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13), 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Luke 5:1-11 -- Frank Ramirez -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C -- 2025
I occasionally include short clips from a movie in order to illustrate a point.
Under Attack -- 2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a, Ephesians 4:1-16, John 6:24-35 -- David Kalas -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 2024
I asked the folks in my congregation once whether they struggled with sin.
Reaching -- 2 Samuel 19:5-9, 15, 31-33, Ephesians 4:25--5:2, John 6:35, 41-51 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2024
In Hendrik Ibsen’s famous drama Peer Gynt, the hero of the story tries to find the meaning
Community Priorities -- Mark 1:21-28, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- David Coffin -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2024
During this time of the Epiphany season, we might be seeking voices or signs as to what priorities G

Communicating God's Love

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Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon illustrations for Ascension of the Lord (2025) -- Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2025
Acts 1:1-11
Sermon Illustrations for Easter 7 (2025) -- Acts 16:16-34, Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2025
Acts 16:16-34
Sermon Illustrations for Day of Pentecost (2025) -- Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:14-17, John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2025
Genesis 11:1-9
Sermon Illustrations for Trinity Sunday (2025) -- Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Romans 5:1-5, John 16:12-15 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2025
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Psalm 8
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 7 | OT 12 (2025) -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a, Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2025
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a and Psalm 42-43
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 8 | OT 13 (2025) -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2025
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 and Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 9 | OT 14 (2025) -- 2 Kings 5:1-14, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20, Psalm 30 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2025
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 10 | OT 15 (2025) -- Amos 7:7-17, Colossians 1:1-14, Luke 10:25-37 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2025
Amos 7:7-17 and Psalm 82
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 11 | OT 16 (2025) -- Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2025
Amos 8:1-12, Psalm 52
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 12 | OT 17 (2025) -- Hosea 1:2-10, Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19), Luke 11:1-13 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2025
Hosea 1:2-10 and Psalm 85
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 13 | OT 18 (2025) -- Hosea 11:1-11, Colossians 3:1-11, Luke 12:13-21 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2025
Hosea 11: 1-13
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 14 | OT 19 (2025) -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16, Luke 12:32-40 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2025
Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 and Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 15 | OT 20 (2025) -- Isaiah 5:1-7, Hebrews 11:29--12:2, Luke 12:49-56 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 2025
Isaiah 5:1-7
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 16 | OT 21 (2025) -- Jeremiah 1:4-10, Hebrews 12:18-29, Luke 13:10-17, Psalm 71:1-6 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - C -- 2025
Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Psalm 77:1-6
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 (2025) -- Jeremiah 2:4-13, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16, Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - C -- 2025
Jeremiah 2:4-13
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 (2025) -- Jeremiah 18:1-11, Philemon 1:1-21, Luke 14:25-33 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C -- 2025
Jeremiah 18:1-11 and Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 (2025) -- Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Luke 15:1-10, Psalm 14 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2025
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 (2025) -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13, Psalm 79:1-9 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2025
Jeremiah 8:18--9:1 and Psalm 79:1-9
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 (2025) -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31, Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2025
Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 22 | OT 27 (2025) -- Lamentations 1:1-6, 2 Timothy 1:1-14, Luke 17:5-10 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2025
Lamentations 1:1-6; Lamentations 3:19-26 or Psalm 137
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 24 | OT 29 (2025) -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2025
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 (2025) -- Joel 2:23-32, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14 -- Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2025
Joel 2:22-32
Sermon Illustrations for New Year's Day (2024) -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46 -- Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen -- New Year's Day - B -- 2024
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany of the Lord (2024) -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2024
Isaiah 60:1-6
Sermon Illustrations for Baptism of Our Lord (2024) -- Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2024
Genesis 1:1-5

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In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
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and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Tom Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
George Reed
Christopher Keating
For October 26, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
Not all suffering is equal.

We know, of course, that some pain is worse than other pain and some suffering is more difficult to endure. I have discovered, for example, that I classify some troubles as “headaches” while other troubles are “heartaches.” The “headache” type of suffering is a nuisance, no doubt, but it is not nearly so painful to me as the “heartache” type of suffering. Troubles at work are headaches; troubles at home are heartaches.
Bill Thomas
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Joel 2:22-32
Martin Luther sings the praises of God’s love revealed in this Lesson. He wrote:

The love of God which lives in man loves sinners, evil persons, fools and weaklings in order to make them righteous, good, wise, and strong. Rather than seeking its own good, the love of God flows forth and bestows good. (Luther’s Works, Vol.31, p.57)

John Wesley nicely summarizes the Spirit’s role in fighting the lure of our old sinful habits:

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John Jamison
Object: This message is a role-play story. You will need two children to play the roles of the Pharisee and the tax collector. I usually ask two children if they will help me as they are all coming forward for the message, but you may select them however you choose.

* * *

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, but your commandments are my delight.
Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.
(vv. 143-144)

When I was an associate pastor in Janesville, Wisconsin one of my responsibilities was to give a lecture on spirituality once a month at a drug treatment facility. The students who attended were persons who had been convicted of drunk driving and were required to attend the class as a condition of their sentence. Attendance was always good.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

We all dislike people who blow their own trumpets, although sometimes we may be in awe of them. Jesus too deplored such behaviour and was never in awe of those who practised it. In our worship today let us open ourselves to Jesus, allowing him to see what is in our hearts.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we allow other people's behaviour to intimidate us.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we refuse to reach our own fullest potential because we are afraid.

SermonStudio

Schuyler Rhodes
Every morning when sleep leaves and waking comes there is cause for praising God. Caught up, as we are, in the currents and eddies of our lives, this is easy to forget. This wonderful psalm is a reminder. God's bounty and abundance spill into our lives like waters over a causeway. God's delight in creation explodes in a million different colors. In every moment there is reason to give God praise.
Robert R. Kopp
When I was a little boy growing up in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania's First Presbyterian Church, one of those Christian chalk artists with black light, neon colors, and black felt canvas who made pictures of Jesus look like those Elvis portraits for sale on the side of the road at the beach showed up as entertainment for a Sunday evening potluck dinner.
John E. Berger
Today's sermon begins with this little one-person drama.
Mark Ellingson
Have you ever felt that you were absolutely at the end of your rope, left without hope? Sometime during the years of 539 B.C. to 331 B.C. that is the way the people of Judah felt. It seems that their land had been ravaged by a plague of locusts which had had catastrophic consequences.

Once a harvest has been destroyed, you cannot repair it. If a building has burned to the ground, you cannot repair it. In those instances you need to start from scratch with a fresh start.

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