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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

As Ron waits to count... -- 1 Kings 2:1O-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1994
As Ron waits to count down the seconds of each of his wife's labor pains, he quietly prays for his w
David was a great military... -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 1994
David was a great military leader, and by and large, a great king.
It was the most magnificent... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 1994
It was the most magnificent rainbow either of them had ever seen.
This poem at the end... -- Proverbs 31:10-31 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 1994
This poem at the end of the book of Proverbs speaks of the characteristics of a perfect wife.
Days of celebration often mark... -- Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 1994
Days of celebration often mark events of freedom.
We do not often have... -- Proverbs 1:20-33 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 1994
We do not often have occasion to hear a town crier, but a few years ago I was visiting in Boston whe
Naomi was perhaps a very... -- Ruth 1:1-18 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 1994
Naomi was perhaps a very conventional Israelite woman -- she saw her place as being with her people
When a man or woman... -- Job 42:1-6, 10-17 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 1994
When a man or woman decides to go to Alcoholics or Overeaters Anonymous, they are presented with a p
The gloom mentioned by Job... -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 1994
The gloom mentioned by Job is not the kind of darkness and gloom that can be lessened by any candle
She was a teacher. That's... -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41) -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 1994
She was a teacher. That's all she had ever wanted to be.
In C. S. Lewis' The... -- Job 1:1; 2:1-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 1994
In C. S.
Amnesty International is an organization... -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 1994
Amnesty International is an organization that spends its time shining lights into the darkest closet
It was in Hannah's faith... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 1994
It was in Hannah's faith that God willed to change her circumstances -- God was the one who could co
Acts... -- 2:1-21 The Holy Spirit is probably one of the most misunderstood components of the Christian faith. And the challenge on Pentecost is to help the people see what the Holy Spirit is and what it is not. A worship service in a small Mexican church ended t -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 1994
Acts
An important book about the... -- Isaiah 6:1-8 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 1994
An important book about the church's role in a changing world is called The Frog In The Kettle.
One Sunday morning, a beloved... -- Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
One Sunday morning, a beloved pastor announced to his congregation that he would be leaving after mo
In one of her many... -- Acts 1:1-11 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 1994
In one of her many poems about death, poet Emily Dickinson used the phrase "awful leisure" to charac
Pastor Harry is a retired... -- Acts 8:26-40 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
Pastor Harry is a retired minister who is working with me as our associate pastor.
Loyalties to friends can be... -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1994
Loyalties to friends can be difficult to maintain.
It's a basic learning step... -- 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 1994
It's a basic learning step, to discern larger from smaller, more from less.
I once read in a... -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1994
I once read in a letter from a UCC minister to his congregation that children are not learning to li
I remember as a teenager... -- 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15) -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1994
I remember as a teenager saving my allowance so that I could buy a wool sweater -- one just like my
Jimmy Graveline was about two... -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14 -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 1994
Jimmy Graveline was about two years old when I lived with him and his parents.
A question often asked in... -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Passion Sunday - B -- 1994
A question often asked in the ranks of professional caregivers -- medical doctors, nurses and techni
Vern Jacobi had the Graham... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
Vern Jacobi had the Graham-Paige automobile agency in our little town during the 1930s and he ran a

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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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