Login / Signup

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

I worked for Mr. Herbert... -- Deuteronomy 8:1-10 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 1994
I worked for Mr. Herbert Orchard all of one summer, having been sent there by my (wise?) parents.
Harry Daniels was my friend... -- John 8:31-36 -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 1994
Harry Daniels was my friend from the time we met as next-door neighbors.
A young man who had... -- Numbers 11:25-29 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 1994
A young man who had overcome physical handicaps and become a champion on his school swimming team wa
The Peace and Conflict Studies... -- James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 1994
The Peace and Conflict Studies Seminar had spent over an hour presenting the whole theory about the
The relative size and importance... -- James 3:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 1994
The relative size and importance of the tongue to the whole body can be compared to an element in th
In the Civil War battle... -- Hebrews 9:11-14 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
In the Civil War battle of Gettysburg Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was the Union Commander assigned
In Stories for the Journey... -- Isaiah 59:(1-4) 9-19 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 1994
In Stories for the Journey, William R. White relates this story of sin and forgiveness.
Although he was a son... -- Hebrews 5:1-10 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 1994
"Although he was a son, he learned obedience."
A young doctor was offered... -- Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 1994
A young doctor was offered a job as an associate in a successful practice.
A church publishing house was... -- Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 1994
A church publishing house was selling a desk plaque with the words "Jesus, Jesus, only Jesus," writt
A drill sergeant has to... -- Deuteronomy 8:1-10 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1994
A drill sergeant has to take a group of very different people and mold them into a unit that can act
A Protestant minister and his... -- Revelation 1:4b-8 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 1994
A Protestant minister and his friend, a rabbi, were discussing the coming of the Messiah.
We had lived in the... -- Daniel 12:1-13 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 1994
We had lived in the house 18 years and the accumulated stuff would make a mountain.
A videotape of a nine... -- Isaiah 26:1-4, 8-9, 12-13, 19-21 -- All Saints Day - B -- 1994
A videotape of a nine-year-old girl drowning while scores of onlookers stood by idly became a nation
As in the Mohammedan mosque... -- Exodus 3:1-6 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 1994
As in the Mohammedan mosque today, a sign of reverance and awe: Put off thy shoes from thy feet.
The Holy Spirit was given... -- Galatians 5:16-25 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 1994
The Holy Spirit was given by God to keep the people of God close to God and to empower them for serv
There are moments in our... -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 1994
There are moments in our lives that we will cherish forever.
When Dr. Martin Luther King... -- Acts 11:9-30 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
When Dr.
There are those who say... -- Deuteronomy 15:7-11 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1994
There are those who say they do not read the Bible because it is a difficult book to understand.
In one of the many... -- 1 John 4:7-21 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
In one of the many philosophies he had explored during his college years he had come across the idea
Dr. Bernie Siegel has devoted... -- 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1994
Dr.
In Walter Brueggemann's book, The... -- Ezekiel 31:1-6, 10-14 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 1994
In Walter Brueggemann's book, The Prophetic Imagination, he talks about the difference between the t
Butchart Gardens, near Victoria, British... -- Genesis 3:(1-7) 8-21 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1994
Butchart Gardens, near Victoria, British Columbia, is a living masterpiece, delighting visitors wit
Among his many teachings, Gandhi... -- 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (18-21) -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 1994
Among his many teachings, Gandhi included the following principle: that it is impossible for someone
American civil religion is the... -- Isaiah 45:21 -- Passion Sunday - B -- 1994
American civil religion is the aspect of American life that calls its citizens to a certain spiritua

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

* * *

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.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL