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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

How often God uses some... -- Exodus 3:1-6 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 1994
How often God uses some apparently unrelated event or sign to get our attention for something more i
A district justice in Pendleton... -- Mark 16:15-20 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 1994
A district justice in Pendleton, Oregon, got himself into some hot water.
Bob was a very successful... -- 1 John 4:1-11 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
Bob was a very successful business person, excelling in his job, moving up the corporate ladder of s
Irene Robel lived across the... -- 1 John 3:18-24 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
Irene Robel lived across the street from me when we were youngsters in grade school, and we want all
Paul's statement that those who... -- 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1994
Paul's statement that "those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for
Horace has been bedridden now... -- 2 Corinthians 4:13--5:1 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1994
Horace has been bedridden now for over a year.
Many prayers had been uttered... -- 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 1994
Many prayers had been uttered as preparations for this meal were made.
The outlook wasn't brilliant for... -- Isaiah 45:21-25 -- Passion Sunday - B -- 1994
"The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day" are familiar first words to the class
In the 1600s the astronomer... -- John 3:14-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
In the 1600s the astronomer Galileo was branded as a heretic and excommunicated from the church.
In Bruce Catton's book The... -- John 12:20-33 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
In Bruce Catton's book The Civil War, he tells of the accidental encounter which took place in the s
Several years ago there was... -- Romans 7:13-25 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
Several years ago there was a promising young major leaguer who was touted as one of the next genera
The mother had to be... -- John 10:11-18 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
The mother had to be restrained from rushing into the burning building, where one of her children wa
In one of the episodes... -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
In one of the episodes of MASH, the sophisticated shell, inside which Major Winchester protects him
Bertrand Russell on the subject... -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 -- Easter Day - B -- 1994
Bertrand Russell on the subject of faith: "We may define faith as a firm belief in something for whi
He tried to imagine what... -- 1 John 1:1--2:2 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
He tried to imagine what it would be like to have never known the light of day.
As unlikely as it may... -- John 18:1-19:42 -- Good Friday - B -- 1994
As unlikely as it may seem, sometimes in the midst of great suffering and pain, our minds may be fl
Occasionally you will find a... -- 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1994
Occasionally you will find a race horse with blinders on.
In the movie Good Morning... -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 1994
In the movie Good Morning Vietnam the main character played by Robin Williams continually offends hi
A recent study found that... -- 1 Corinthians 7:17-23 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 1994
A recent study found that men and women navigate differently but do equally well in finding their de
Like these disciples, many of... -- Acts 19:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 1994
Like these disciples, many of us have no idea that we are to receive the Holy Spirit, and are suspic
In the movie Field Of... -- John 1:43-51 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 1994
In the movie Field Of Dreams, the main character, Ray Kinsella, played by Kevin Costner, hears a vo
One of the few rays... -- Romans 5:1-11 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
One of the few rays of hope to come from the midst of the war in Bosnia is of a soldier's action to
A Jewish wisdom myth finds... -- Sirach 24:1-2, 8-12 -- 1994
A Jewish wisdom myth finds expression in these words. Wisdom takes up residence in Jerusalem.
A woman made an appointment... -- Romans 8:31-39 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
A woman made an appointment with her pastor. She needed to talk with someone.
New oil fields were discovered... -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 1994
New oil fields were discovered in central Michigan in the 1930s and great tracts of land lying north

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 16 | OT 21 | Pentecost 11
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 17 | OT 22 | Pentecost 12
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 18 | OT 23 | Pentecost 13
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

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For September 7, 2025:

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?  Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him…. (vv. 28-29)

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A pair of heavy gloves you might use to protect your hands when you are working or gardening.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! But I need to warn you that this story can be really tough to understand, so let’s see if we can figure it out.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Jeremiah 18:1-11
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 18:1-11 and Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said that we must be utterly committed to him, even to facing danger and pain, if we want to follow him. In our worship today, let us ask him for help in this formidable task.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we are scared to stand up for you.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we love other things more than you.

Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we are more concerned with our own image than with you.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.
-- Psalm 139:1-2

Schuyler Rhodes
It would be an easy thing to read through this psalm and nod in assent before moving on to the next. It all seems pretty obvious. "Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread...." It is tantamount to what the young people refer to as a "no-brainer." Much of this bad advice could be avoided by turning off our televisions. And the sinner's well-worn walkways? They too seem fairly apparent. Yet somehow they continue to be well worn.
Paul E. Robinson
Another world, another day, another time. The bright sun cast its long dark shadows along streets filled with carts and animals, never once falling on automobile, trolley or McDonald's litter in the gutter.
Lee Ann Dunlap
What would you do if you opened your mailbox one day to find a letter from the city or county announcing that you have to move? That land your grandparents worked so hard to till, or for which you struggled so long to purchase is deemed the best land available for a new shopping mall. The appraisers will soon be checking out your home to determine its fair market value and you are expected to vacate.
Rick McCracken-Bennett
I remember as I was growing up, before gas became more precious than gold, that our family would go on buggy rides, as we called them, on Sunday afternoons after church and dinner. It was a great time for the entire family to be together, to wander back roads aimlessly, and to talk about just about anything you could imagine.
Gary L. Carver
The old man is about to retire for the evening. Closely he clutches a collection of correspondence as he replaces the worn letter he had read back into the bundle. It is the most treasured possession that he owns. As he hits his knees, he shakes his head in wonder and amazement at what God had done in his life. Only God could have taken him from where once he was to where he is now. And his prayer is one of gratitude.

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