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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

The movie PattonI... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 1999
The movie Patton tells the story of the great American general, George Patton.
Ben was a person with... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - A -- 1999
Ben was a person with the Midas touch. Every business venture he tried ended up being successful.
In an October 1996 I... -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
In an October 1996 National Geographic article on Morocco, four of the fifteen pictures accom
One of the most vivid... -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
One of the most vivid memories of my childhood involves the years of World War II.
The cult called Heaven's Gate... -- 2 Peter 1:16-21 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
The cult called Heaven's Gate got much publicity when 39 of their members decided to "leave their ea
In the ancient world, there... -- 2 Peter 1:16-21 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
In the ancient world, there were philosophical myths that devised clever understandings about God.
A young man came in... -- 2 Peter 1:16-21 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
A young man came in to talk with a pastor one day.
We are reminded in these... -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
We are reminded in these passages that the testimonies of the early mothers and fathers of the faith
Mary had a severe stroke... -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
Mary had a severe stroke. It left her unable to do even the simplest of tasks.
Magazines and newspapers regularly feature... -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
Magazines and newspapers regularly feature prominent people and the fame and honor they have achieve
The Golden Arches are a... -- Matthew 17:1-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - A -- 1999
The Golden Arches are a part of our everyday lives.
Tommy had a pronounced speech... -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
Tommy had a pronounced speech impediment. But he wanted to sing.
Henry was the hardest of... -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
Henry was the hardest of the hardened.
In February 1960, four young... -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
In February 1960, four young African-American college students decided to integrate a segregated Woo
We have available to us... -- 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
We have available to us a "secret wisdom" Paul tells us, a wisdom of the Spirit that the world does
Modern medicine tells us there... -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
Modern medicine tells us there are advantages to a low salt diet.
As a child in Sunday... -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 1999
As a child in Sunday church school, most of the songs we learned were songs learned by our teachers
When you are an heir... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
When you are an heir to an inheritance, it can be a complicated thing.
Agnes and William had been... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
Agnes and William had been married sixty years.
Corla Hawkins of Chicago had... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
Corla Hawkins of Chicago had a dream that God wanted her to rescue children who were rejected.
Today's text has to do... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
Today's text has to do with living in the Spirit.
Leah and Don did their... -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
Leah and Don did their best.
I don't buy that! John's... -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
"I don't buy that!" John's words stopped all chatter in the group.
Perhaps you have met (or... -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
Perhaps you have met (or been) one of those novice gardeners who saw those first green sprouts in a
Jesus reminds us in this... -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 1999
Jesus reminds us in this parable that God's truth has a power of its own, and God's truth is going t

Political Pulpit

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The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
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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
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Christ the King Sunday
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160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
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Thanksgiving
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80+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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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, 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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