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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

When they were interviewed on... -- Numbers 21:4-9 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
When they were interviewed on various television talk shows and news programs, the family appeared o
Eager to use the church's... -- Exodus 20:1-7 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
Eager to use the church's new video camera in her classroom, the Sunday school teacher asked her cla
A Chicago chain of book... -- Acts 4:8-12 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
A Chicago chain of book stores recently reported what book is the most shoplifted from its store.
The Western Pennsylvania church is... -- Acts 4:23-33 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
The Western Pennsylvania church is a 200-member congregation in Washington, D.C.
I can remember back when... -- Acts 4:32-35 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 1994
I can remember back when I was serving a large suburban congregation as one of two associate pastors
In the play Othello, William... -- Isaiah 52:13-53:12 -- Good Friday - B -- 1994
In the play Othello, William Shakespeare writes: "The robb'd that smiles steals something from the t
The top box office movie... -- Isaiah 25:6-9 -- Easter Day - B -- 1994
The top box office movie of all time is the 1982 film E.T., with E.T.
At night, in cities across... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 1994
At night, in cities across our country, the glow from streetlights and the lights from homes and bus
Preachers and prophets, prophets and... -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1994
Preachers and prophets, prophets and preachers; the Word comes through human agents.
The book of Jonah tells... -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 1994
The book of Jonah tells a story of a man's journey: first, to avoid responsibility and then, to reex
Four-year-old Heather had... -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 1994
Four-year-old Heather had never answered the phone before.
One day while he was... -- Genesis 1:1-15 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 1994
One day while he was president, George Bush paid a visit to an elementary school.
John was a person who... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
John was a person who had grown up in the church but suddenly because of several family problems he
God established with Abram a... -- Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 1994
God established with Abram a covenant for all time, a promise not to be altered by the passing of th
You would probably be hard... -- Joel 2:12-18 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1994
You would probably be hard pressed to name five products in your home that do not have warning label
The story of the assumption... -- 2 Kings 2:1-12 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 1994
The story of the assumption of Elijah is told in a style of the loftiest poetry, with an imagination
Put forth wings -- run -- walk... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 1994
"Put forth wings -- run -- walk. Is the order correct?
During the last several years... -- Matthew 23:34-39 -- 1993
During the last several years, Tom Clancy has been one of the nation's best-selling authors.
And when the time came... -- Luke 2:22-40 -- 1993
"And when the time came for purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerus
During the Christmas season of... -- John 1:1-14 -- 1993
During the Christmas season of 1991, John Field was a department store Santa Claus in New Zealand.
A legend tells us that... -- Luke 2:1-14 -- 1993
A legend tells us that members of a church in Mexico brought great quantities of flowers to the alta
What must Mary have been... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- 1993
What must Mary have been feeling then?Thoughts all jumbled, mixed together, upside down,
Almost all cultures have ritual... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- 1993
Almost all cultures have ritual passages in which members move from childhood to adulthood.
A man had taken over... -- Hebrews 1:1-9 -- 1993
A man had taken over a defunct grain elevator in my little hometown.
Even in a convent, where... -- John 1:6-8, 19-28 -- 1993
Even in a convent, where liturgical services are a part of everyday life, we have to have choir prac

Political Pulpit

Sermon

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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