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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

When Salem Lutheran Church in... -- 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
When Salem Lutheran Church in Wooster, Ohio, reversed the direction of its sanctuary in the 1960s, i
One of the great miracles... -- 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
One of the great miracles of modern medicine is cataract surgery.
Ben Chavis, National Director of... -- 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
Ben Chavis, National Director of the NAACP, relates the story of how hope sustained him as a politic
Two brothers were arguing over... -- Luke 6:27-38 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
Two brothers were arguing over how the younger brother, a Bible toting, church going Christian, alwa
Ruth had been afraid of... -- Luke 6:27-38 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
Ruth had been afraid of Steven from the moment she was first introduced to him.
Often people's attention gets focused... -- Exodus 34:29-35 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
Often people's attention gets focused on the messenger instead of on God.
Several years ago, I had... -- Exodus 34:29-35 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
Several years ago, I had dinner with a ten-year-old in the congregation I was serving.
Bob was 18 when he... -- Exodus 34:29-35 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
Bob was 18 when he was asked to be a counselor at a church camp for junior highs, and it was a tough
Mount Sinai has been properly... -- Exodus 34:29-35 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
Mount Sinai has been properly memorialized as the site where Moses covenanted with God for the peopl
Paul was 43 years old... -- Sirach 27:4-7 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
Paul was 43 years old. He'd been happily married for 20 years.
Comedian Flip Wilson's character, Geraldine... -- Sirach 27:4-7 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
Comedian Flip Wilson's character, Geraldine, was fond of excusing her improprieties by saying, "The
A sieve is a device... -- Sirach 27:4-7 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
A sieve is a device with meshes or perforations that allows finer materials to be separated from coa
In the chancel of the... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
In the chancel of the University Chapel, the Gospel Ensemble begins to sing quietly, "Be ye steadfas
We are all aware that... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
We are all aware that when we plant seeds in the ground, a kind of death must occur.
One of the most surprising... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
One of the most surprising best-sellers of recent years was Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Tim
A five-year-old boy... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
A five-year-old boy tried to get his grandmother to go down the slide at the local swimming pool, bu
All Saints Church in Toledo... -- Luke 6:27-38 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
All Saints Church in Toledo, Ohio, has published for years an extra mile club in its newsletter, nam
Newly-elected President Abraham Lincoln... -- Luke 6:27-38 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
Newly-elected President Abraham Lincoln was searching for the right person to name to his cabinet as
Huge family reunions are noteworthy... -- Genesis 45:3-11, 15 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
Huge family reunions are noteworthy these days.
Worship was over. Mary and... -- 1 Samuel 26:7-9, 12-13, 22-23 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
Worship was over.
The television evening news recently... -- 1 Samuel 26:7-9, 12-13, 22-23 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
The television evening news recently pictured the graphic horror of African villagers being massacre
What a day! How could... -- 1 Samuel 26:7-9, 12-13, 22-23 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
What a day! How could one little child cause so much trouble? Every neighbor had a complaint.
When we are children we... -- 1 Samuel 26:7-9, 12-13, 22-23 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
When we are children we come quickly to recognize how much our educational growth depends on underst
Jim was exhausted. He'd wanted... -- Luke 6:17-26 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C -- 1995
Jim was exhausted. He'd wanted to be a doctor all his life.
During stage performances there is... -- Genesis 45:3-11, 15 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 1995
During stage performances there is a group that works backstage with the lights and sound and scener

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The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Ascension of the Lord
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 7
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Pentecost
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffie.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let’s get started!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For June 22, 2025:

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,  for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.  As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (vv. 25-28)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
Life can be frightening sometimes. Thus it is both comforting but disconcerting to find a giant of faith like Elijah to fear the future. On that matter Martin Luther once claimed:
David Kalas
We’re not far from the 4th of July. And while for so many Americans, it seems that the holiday has become more about long weekends, cookouts, and fireworks shows, the theme of freedom is still there at least in the background. We might take advantage of that, therefore, and give some thought to the theme of freedom as it is revealed in our assigned texts for this week.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

The madman cried out to Jesus, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" In our worship today let us explore what Jesus has to do with us and invite him to heal our brokenness.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, we often find ourselves thinking, saying and doing things that we quickly regret.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Constance Berg
When Jill was five, she began to have headaches. The headaches were so severe she would throw up. Sometimes she would pass out. They usually came once a month. Jill could be playing, resting, or watching television when the headaches would come. Her only warning was a sudden pain in her head, then a blinding light would appear, and she would be rocked with pain. In her teenage years, they became debilitating, causing Jill to be in bed for three days at a time.
Stan Purdum
I'm not sure when the term "burn out" ceased being only a description of what happened to a campfire when you ran out of firewood to a term describing the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest, usually coming immediately after an extended period of overwork, but the expression seems to fit that later situation, doesn't it? Exhaustion, deep weariness, all used up, nothing more to give, wiped out, burned out -- call it what we will, its symptoms are all too familiar to many of us.
April Yamasaki
In the classic movie, Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews plays a no-nonsense, yet delightful, nanny to two young children. As a nanny to a wealthy family, she is part teacher, part parent, and part disciplinarian. She gets the children up in the morning, puts them to bed at night, supervises their many adventures, and guides them in many ways. While they are in her care, she is responsible for their overall safety and well-being.

Julia Ross Strope
Zoos are no longer in people's good graces.
Religion faces the same problem.
Certain illusions about freedom plague them both.
-- Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Call To Worship
Leader: I'm so glad you're here! There are seats for everyone; there's slight air movement; the windows engender tranquility and imagination and words will stimulate fresh thoughts.

People: It's good to be here, in sanctuary. We're glad for opportunities to gather and to express our gratitude to God and our appreciation for one another.

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