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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

In the '70s one of... -- Acts 8:26-40 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
In the '70s one of the greatest running backs of all time played professional football for the Buffa
As the first game of... -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1994
As the first game of the World Series was almost ready to start, a fan noticed that the seat next to
A few years ago Duke... -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1994
A few years ago Duke University made it to the finals of the NCAA basketball tournament.
The late Dr. Charles Gilkey... -- 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 1994
The late Dr. Charles Gilkey was dean of the chapel at the University of Chicago some 40 years ago.
One of my best friends... -- 1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15) -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1994
One of my best friends held the head high school basketball coaching position for two years.
There is a certain strength... -- Exodus 24:3-11 -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 1994
There is a certain strength in mutual affirmation.
How often does anger speak... -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Passion Sunday - B -- 1994
How often does anger speak and love keep silent? We live in a litigious society.
I have learned a lesson... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
I have learned a lesson about forgiving and forgetting from my computer.
During one of the worst... -- 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
During one of the worst snow-winters in Marine City, Michigan, the snow came with both force and qua
Jesus had told them that... -- Acts 4:23-33 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
Jesus had told them that one day they would stand before councils, judges and governors and would be
Names can be a sensitive... -- Exodus 20:1-7 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
Names can be a sensitive issue.
Concerning the Holy Spirit, Frederick... -- Acts 4:8-12 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
Concerning the Holy Spirit, Frederick Buechner writes in his book Wishful Thinking the following: "T
Nothing brings people closer together... -- Acts 4:32-35 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
Nothing brings people closer together than a shared tragedy.
In Wishful Thinking, Frederick Buechner... -- Isaiah 25:6-9 -- Easter Day - B -- 1994
In Wishful Thinking, Frederick Buechner writes the following: "When you are with somebody you love,
The doctrine of the vicarious... -- Isaiah 52:13-53:12 -- Good Friday - B -- 1994
The doctrine of the vicarious atonement is one of the oldest teachings in Christendom.
It was too dark to... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 1994
It was too dark to get up! Why did he have to go to school anyway?
Our generation has been treated... -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1994
Our generation has been treated on several occasions to the kind of false prophet the writer of Deut
The pleas turn and return... -- Jeremiah 3:21-4:2 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 1994
The pleas "turn" and "return" are repeated time and again in these early oracles of Jeremiah address
One of my theology professors... -- Genesis 1:1-5 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 1994
One of my theology professors once said, "God's Word creates what it declares." The writer of Genesi
She had been gone for... -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 1994
She had been gone for nearly a week.
Is it any wonder that... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
Is it any wonder that so much has been said about rainbows? They are rare quirks of nature.
The Bible school teacher was... -- Genesis 28:10-17 (18-22) -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
The Bible school teacher was anxious to see how the children would respond to the assignment.
In the last book of... -- 2 Kings 2:1-12 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 1994
In the last book of The Chronicles Of Narnia series The Last Battle, there is a scene where a group
Shakespeare said, Repentance is the... -- Joel 2:12-18 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1994
Shakespeare said, "Repentance is the heart's sorrow, and a clear life ensuing." American psycholo
Have you ever seen an... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 1994
Have you ever seen an eagle playing on the wind? It's an amazing sight.

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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
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Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
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27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
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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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