Login / Signup

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

In his book It's... -- Romans 5:1-5 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2001
In his book It's Not About the Bike, Lance Armstrong relates his rocky journey from world cha
I have a good friend... -- Philippians 4:4-9 -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2001
I have a good friend who once served as a college chaplain.
The Holy Eucharist is expressed... -- John 6:25-35 -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2001
The Holy Eucharist is expressed in many different rituals within the world-wide Christian community.
When my brothers and I... -- John 6:25-35 -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2001
When my brothers and I were teenagers, our Monday-to-Friday afternoon ritual rarely varied.
The Wadi Quelt is a... -- John 6:25-35 -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2001
The Wadi Quelt is a dry ravine running from Jerusalem toward Jericho. For hundreds of years, St.
If you find the poem... -- Colossians 1:11-20 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2001
If you find the poem suggested in the commentary too violent, here is an alternative:
I am a white seminary... -- Colossians 1:11-20 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2001
I am a white seminary student in the deep South but have a long northern Presbyterian tradition.
In this past year's Olympic... -- Colossians 1:11-20 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2001
In this past year's Olympic games we were reminded of the extraordinary endurance of certain athlete
Despite all the soldiers who... -- Colossians 1:11-20 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2001
Despite all the soldiers who have shed their blood on battlefields -- from the Mongol warriors to th
In 1633, John Donne penned... -- Luke 23:33-43 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2001
In 1633, John Donne penned his famous sonnet on Death.
A Sunday school teacher was... -- Luke 23:33-43 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2001
A Sunday school teacher was doing a lesson about the crucifixion.
In the movie Anna... -- Luke 23:33-43 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2001
In the movie Anna and the King, one of the king of Siam's favorite wives leaves him to join a
The kids in Amy's seventh... -- Luke 6:20-31 -- All Saints Day - C -- 2001
The kids in Amy's seventh-grade class made fun of her. They called her names because she was fat.
Jesus turns the world upside... -- Luke 6:20-31 -- All Saints Day - C -- 2001
Jesus turns the world upside down in the proclamation of the Beatitudes.
In what is often characterized... -- Luke 6:20-31 -- All Saints Day - C -- 2001
In what is often characterized as a "dog eat dog" world, Hagar the Horrible (of comic-page fame) ins
Con artists target our seniors... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2001
Con artists target our seniors in many get-rich quick and other schemes.
Paul attempts here to provide... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2001
Paul attempts here to provide some instruction concerning the Second Coming.
Brian Mardsen, director of the... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2001
Brian Mardsen, director of the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams at the Smithsonian Astrophy
For one week in January... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2001
For one week in January 1925, the nation held its breath waiting to hear if a supply of life-saving
When kids are growing up... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2001
When kids are growing up, they often test their peers to see how they will react to outrageous quest
Pastor, Elaine began, my mother... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2001
"Pastor," Elaine began, "my mother wants to know who she will be married to when she dies and goes t
In the John Grisham novel... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2001
In the John Grisham novel, The Firm, the lead character faces a very difficult quandary.
Do you remember those dreaded... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2001
Do you remember those dreaded word problems from math class?
Here is a proverb I... -- 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2001
Here is a proverb I discovered in an old school reader dating from the 1930s.
There is an ancient Chinese... -- 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2001
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says, "A man can stand for a long time with his mouth open

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 28 | OT 33 | Pentecost 23
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
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
34 – Sermons
80+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
24 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For November 16, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
Another natural disaster has flattened a number of coastal communities. Despite the weather and major television station warnings, and government disaster preparations, the dystopian destruction nightmare of Luke 21 has decimated another community. Also, it is reasonable to believe that this is not the last year for hurricanes, Tsunami’s, wildfires, mudslides and tornados. They will occur again. However, as weary citizens are interviewed in one group of people with the background of homes in rubble and streets still draining flood waters, they will not leave. This is their home.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez

Isaiah 65:17-25 and Isaiah 12

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. (v. 25)

A week after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, country singer Toby Keith — who died Feb. 5, 2024 — wrote a patriotic ballad titled “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” It was filled with populist fighting rhetoric that matched the mood of a nation shaken by the shocking death and destruction of that day.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A blood pressure monitor. It is actually called a sphygmomanometer, and is pronounced “sfig·mow·muh·naa’·muh·tr”.

* * *

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
-- Isaiah 12:3

John W. Clarke
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world understands that Jesus is the hope of the world and that any teaching that leads away from that fact is a false teaching. No matter what, no matter when, Jesus will be there to give us life.

Scott Suskovic
Whoever does not work should not eat!
-- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT)

Wow! Kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it? Not a lot of ambiguity in that rule. "You don't work, you don't eat." For a religion based on grace, it seems a bit unyielding.

Mark Ellingson
Freedom is such a lovely word, a compelling image. What is freedom? How would you define it? What does it mean to you? Webster's New World Dictionary defines freedom as being exempt from control or from arbitrary restrictions. Freedom is said to be the ability to choose or determine one's own actions.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL