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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

A recent newspaper article covered... -- Ezekiel 17:22-24 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 1994
A recent newspaper article covered interviews with 25 people who had reached the age of 100.
The word sabbath has its... -- Deuteronomy 5:12-15 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1994
The word "sabbath" has its roots in the Hebrew verb shabbat, which means to "cease and desist." In D
Words! Words! Words! We are... -- Exodus 24:3-11 -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 1994
Words! Words! Words!
Ambition is a very dangerous... -- Hebrews 5:5-10 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
Ambition is a very dangerous thing!
Miss Fairy Chism was a... -- Zechariah 9:9-10 -- Passion Sunday - B -- 1994
Miss Fairy Chism was a missionary sponsored by the Church of the Nazarene and she served in Swazilan
Some ways of talking about... -- 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
Some ways of talking about God's actions in the world scare me. This passage is a case in point.
It was Canon Robert Bohaker... -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
It was Canon Robert Bohaker whom I first heard use the expression, "(Your problems) can be your stum
At the funeral, the word... -- 1 John 3:16-24 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
At the funeral, the word most often spoken about Doug was determination.
First of all, the chain... -- 1 John 3:1-7 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
First of all, the chain had come off the sprockets on his bicycle.
For years Americans have been... -- Acts 3:13-15, 17-26 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
For years Americans have been complaining about the need for change in our government.
In the 10th chapter of... -- Acts 10:34, 37-43 -- Easter Day - B -- 1994
In the 10th chapter of Acts, Peter learns a very important lesson that is contrary to his cultural a
Seven-year-old Chris was... -- Hebrews 10:16-25 -- Good Friday - B -- 1994
Seven-year-old Chris was overheard talking to his younger sister as she struggled unsuccessfully to
Verse 10 is a key... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 1994
Verse 10 is a key verse in this reading.
Knowledge puffs up, but love... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1994
"Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Paul is sharing his gospel in the epistle that love is
From Palo Alto we had... -- Jeremiah 3:21-4:2 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 1994
From Palo Alto we had driven south through great mountain ranges of California and then through some
The culture around us can... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 1994
The culture around us can well be described as neo-Corinthian. The sexual wilderness is here.
These ancient prophetic words about... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 1994
These ancient prophetic words about a servant who establishes justice still challenge us to move fro
It's a rocky place, a... -- Genesis 28:10-17 (18-22) -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
It's a rocky place, a place along the road between more important destinations, a place where a youn
Harold Kushner tells a story... -- Genesis 22:1-18 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
Harold Kushner tells a story in his book, When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough.
It is both an honor... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1994
It is both an honor and challenge to serve as an ambassador, to represent a nation, an organization,
Just a few hours after... -- Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 1994
Just a few hours after midnight one night, someone, using a powerful firecracker or a small explosiv
A woman who had to... -- Job 7:1-17 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 1994
A woman who had to work long hours to support herself and her children earned barely enough to pay t
The strength of great nations... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- 1994
The strength of great nations is rallied during times of great crisis and moral controversy.
Imagine the darkest place you... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 1994
Imagine the darkest place you have ever been.
Stephen W. Hawkins, the brilliant... -- Zephaniah 3:14-20 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 1994
Stephen W.

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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

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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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