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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

A local church produced a... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2000
A local church produced a brochure about itself with the caption, "The Church with the open doors."
People magazine likes... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2000
People magazine likes to run photo columns on "The Worst Dressed" and "The Best Dressed" indi
In the late nineteenth century... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- 2000
In the late nineteenth century, Sir Francis Galton proposed that the human fingerprint could be used
Angie was a typical teenager... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 2000
Angie was a typical teenager. She liked boys; she liked to flirt.
Never underestimate the importance of... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2000
Never underestimate the importance of a body willing to sacrifice itself for others.
The Communist authorities in a... -- Philippians 4:4-7 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 2000
The Communist authorities in a Chinese prison commanded the prisoners to shout back, "Prison is good
Giang A Ca, a North... -- Philippians 1:3-11 -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 2000
Giang A Ca, a North Vietnam Hmong tribesman, was sentenced to three years imprisonment (1997).
It was the beginning of... -- 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2000
It was the beginning of the end of Nazi totalitarianism in Europe, ushered in on D-Day with nights a
Taming the tongue is not... -- James 3:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2000
Taming the tongue is not an easy task.
When James calls Christians to... -- James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2000
When James calls Christians to resist the devil, he means that we ought to fight the prince of darkn
The writer of James knows... -- James 1:17-27 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2000
The writer of James knows the damage an irresponsible tongue can do -- including a tongue at work in
There is a constant and... -- James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 2000
There is a constant and unending temptation to bend our behavior to honor the wealthy.
Jesus, now exalted above the... -- Hebrews 7:23-28 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2000
Jesus, now exalted above the heavens, destroyed the empire of evil in order to present us blameless
God's willingness to sympathize with... -- Hebrews 4:12-16 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2000
God's willingness to sympathize with us in our weakness can teach us to do so on behalf of others.
Jesus suffered for our sake... -- Hebrews 5:1-10 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2000
Jesus suffered for our sake. Our lives are, consequently, redeemed.
The wisdom in this text... -- James 5:13-20 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2000
The wisdom in this text surely includes the truth that Christians can best help one another simply b
The Christian is called to... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2000
The Christian is called to make prayer a regular part of daily life.
When young Alexander, who later... -- Revelation 1:4b-8 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2000
When young Alexander, who later conquered the known world and secured the title "The Great," was a y
The writer of Hebrews reminds... -- Hebrews 9:24-28 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2000
The writer of Hebrews reminds the faithful that there are two distinct possibilities for those who d
Coming before God with a... -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2000
Coming before God with a sincere heart implies acceptance of God's will for us, rather than the chur
I was never much of... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- All Saints Day - B -- 2000
I was never much of an athlete.
In police work there is... -- 1 John 5:1-6 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
In police work there is a phrase used -- "the thin blue line." What this means is that a small numbe
Even before my son was... -- 1 John 4:7-21 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
Even before my son was born, I loved him.
Stephen Carter in The Culture... -- 1 John 3:16-24 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
Stephen Carter in The Culture of Disbelief explores the ramifications of a culture that was raised n
One time a couple asked... -- 1 John 3:1-7 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
One time a couple asked me, as their pastor, to speak to their son.

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
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
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Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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29 – Commentary / Exegesis
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Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
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31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

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, wild fires, 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 September 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.

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