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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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.
A young girl showed her... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 1994
A young girl showed her Christmas list to her father before sending it to Santa.
We all know many stories... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- 1994
We all know many stories of people of "great expectations," of whom much was expected.
How can we grasp the... -- Zephaniah 3:14-20 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 1994
How can we grasp the sheer joy of the day of the Lord?
Cassie had been outside all... -- Malachi 3:1-4 -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 1994
Cassie had been outside all morning, playing with her cat, and having a tea party in her mother's ga
In the movie Indecent Proposal... -- 2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 1994
In the movie Indecent Proposal a rich man, who has everything, makes a proposal to a young couple.
In 1968 the Cincinnati Bengals... -- 2 Samuel 7:1-14a -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 1994
In 1968 the Cincinnati Bengals began playing in the NFL as an expansion team.
Some historians have suggested that... -- 2 Samuel 11:1-15 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 1994
Some historians have suggested that the United States lost her innocence because of the Watergate Sc
Bill Emery was a star... -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 1994
Bill Emery was a star athlete in our little high school, and he was also the star debater.
Billy Soya lived with his... -- Song of Solomon 2:8-13 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 1994
Billy Soya lived with his grandparents two doors down the street from our place when we were in grad
In this beautiful prayer of... -- 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 1994
In this beautiful prayer of dedication we are able to catch a glimpse of what God is like for the wi
Some still call him the... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1994
Some still call him the King.
In Frederick Buechner's book, Peculiar... -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 1994
In Frederick Buechner's book, Peculiar Treasures, he writes the following:
Some years ago, a young... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 1994
Some years ago, a young girl living in a remote village in the Philippines began to see visions of C
There are many songs that... -- Proverbs 31:10-31 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 1994
There are many songs that have been written about the tasks that make a woman into a good wife.

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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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