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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

John Wesley used a phrase... -- Matthew 22:15-22 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 1999
John Wesley used a phrase called "plundering the Egyptians." It came from the account of the Exodus
Buck Brannaman of Sheridan, Wyoming... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 1999
Buck Brannaman of Sheridan, Wyoming, an advocate of horse-
Each year our local funeral... -- Philippians 3:4b-14 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 1999
Each year our local funeral home holds a Memorial Tree Planting Service for the families and friends
Minnie and Ruby had been... -- Philippians 4:1-9 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - A -- 1999
Minnie and Ruby had been neighbors for 45 years. Their husbands were boyhood friends.
Pastor Dick had served the... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 1999
Pastor Dick had served the Church of the Good Shepherd since it started as a mission church 25 years
How can you stand there... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 1999
"How can you stand there and talk about God?" sneered Jim.
Jean was badly in need... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 1999
Jean was badly in need of a friend. Her father had died nearly ten years ago.
Our church family was in... -- Romans 14:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1999
Our church family was in the middle of an argument.
If you had met Ronnie... -- Philippians 1:21-30 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 1999
If you had met Ronnie on the street, your first impression would have been that you needed to protec
Our confirmation class was asked... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1999
Our confirmation class was asked to do four things. 1.
It was a stirring moment... -- Philippians 3:4b-14 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 1999
It was a stirring moment when Kerri Strug ran limping down the runway for her final gymnastics vault
Forgetting what is behind and... -- Philippians 3:4b-14 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1999
"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the
Before too long we will... -- Philippians 3:4b-14 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 1999
Before too long we will start thinking about New Year's resolutions. Many of us make them.
The people of Nueva Esperanza... -- Matthew 21:33-46 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 1999
The people of Nueva Esperanza -- "New Hope" -- are special.
When the tenants killed the... -- Matthew 21:33-46 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 1999
When the tenants killed the son, hoping to get his inheritance, they thought that they would become
Some psychologists theorize that violence... -- Matthew 21:33-46 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 1999
Some psychologists theorize that violence is a learned response to pain.
This is an interesting parable... -- Matthew 21:33-46 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - A -- 1999
This is an interesting parable because it is an example of what you would expect any normal landowne
Why is Christmas more celebrated... -- Luke 2:1-20 -- 1999
Why is Christmas more celebrated than Good Friday, the pivotal day in Christian history, or even Eas
As children begin to grow... -- Luke 2:22-40 -- 1999
As children begin to grow they accept carte blanche what they are told by others.
One day, after many threatening... -- John 1:1-14 -- 1999
One day, after many threatening phone calls, Dr.
I visited a newborn baby... -- Luke 1:26-38 -- 1999
I visited a newborn baby in the hospital.
Folks in a small town... -- Luke 2:1-20 -- 1999
Folks in a small town will never forget the Christmas program the year Denny played the part of the
The bride was from Pakistan... -- Luke 2:22-40 -- 1999
The bride was from Pakistan, and the groom from India.
Many of us have a... -- John 1:1-14 -- 1999
Many of us have a deep desire to visit the Holy Land, to "walk where Jesus walked." The pages of th
The very first performance of... -- Luke 1:26-38 -- 1999
The very first performance of Handel's Messiah took place in Dublin in April, 1742.

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.

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