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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

There's an old Hasidic Jewish... -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
There's an old Hasidic Jewish story about a rabbi who's walking through his village late
Anne returned to her hometown... -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Anne returned to her hometown for the first time in years; something she vowed she
In this season of the... -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
In this season of the church, the loving father named David reminds us that God as our
Chad and Teresa wanted to... -- Ephesians 4:25--5:2 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Chad and Teresa wanted to get married at Old Grace church because it had a beautiful
Most churches have at least... -- Ephesians 4:25--5:2 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Most churches have at least one member who believes it is his or her job to tell the pastor
The old adage says, Imitation... -- Ephesians 4:25--5:2 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
The old adage says, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Some birds are renowned
Anger seems enough, doesn't it... -- Ephesians 4:25--5:2 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Anger seems enough, doesn't it? Dad comes home, angry with his boss and yells at Mom.
We are involved now in... -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
"We are involved now in a profound failure of imagination. Most of us cannot imagine
Every once in a while... -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Every once in a while, someone of note says something that completely baffles most
Sometimes, people miss out because... -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Sometimes, people miss out because some past experience prevents them from taking
Kyle was disappointed that his... -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B
Kyle was disappointed that his dreams of becoming a Hollywood star would never come
What does one do when... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
What does one do when the old patriarch or matriarch of the family or organization dies?
Every year at Christmas, a... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Every year at Christmas, a local funeral homes sends out a catalog, to all of the pastors in
In the movie, Because of... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
In the movie, Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal, a preacher's daughter, finds herself
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whose 100th birth... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whose 100th birth anniversary we celebrate this year, wrote in
In the summer of 2003... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
In the summer of 2003, there was a major power failure that affected large parts of the
When the persecution of Christians... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
When the persecution of Christians was at its peak in Rome, there were many people who
Being careful how we live... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Being careful how we live as a people of God is one major theme of Ephesians. We are
Denise was hurt! She was... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Denise was hurt! She was attending a church-affiliated college. She was very devout in
Nutritional requirement guidelines change from... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Nutritional requirement guidelines change from time to time. Whether they're sponsored
In the days before yeast... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
In the days before yeast was available in foils packets at the supermarket, it had to be
Many of us have been... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B
Many of us have been guilty of taking some pretty remarkable things for granted, simply
How far would we go... -- 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B
How far would we go to keep a promise? In 1999, a certain man went very far indeed.
People in the church knew... -- 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B
People in the church knew for several years that they had outgrown their building. A
One hot summer night, the... -- 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B
One hot summer night, the church council told the pastor that the giving was down,

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 28 | OT 33 | Pentecost 23
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Christ the King Sunday
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Thanksgiving
34 – Sermons
80+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
24 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For November 16, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
Another natural disaster has flattened a number of coastal communities. Despite the weather and major television station warnings, and government disaster preparations, the dystopian destruction nightmare of Luke 21 has decimated another community. Also, it is reasonable to believe that this is not the last year for hurricanes, Tsunami’s, wildfires, mudslides and tornados. They will occur again. However, as weary citizens are interviewed in one group of people with the background of homes in rubble and streets still draining flood waters, they will not leave. This is their home.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez

Isaiah 65:17-25 and Isaiah 12

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. (v. 25)

A week after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, country singer Toby Keith — who died Feb. 5, 2024 — wrote a patriotic ballad titled “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” It was filled with populist fighting rhetoric that matched the mood of a nation shaken by the shocking death and destruction of that day.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A blood pressure monitor. It is actually called a sphygmomanometer, and is pronounced “sfig·mow·muh·naa’·muh·tr”.

* * *

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
-- Isaiah 12:3

John W. Clarke
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world understands that Jesus is the hope of the world and that any teaching that leads away from that fact is a false teaching. No matter what, no matter when, Jesus will be there to give us life.

Scott Suskovic
Whoever does not work should not eat!
-- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT)

Wow! Kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it? Not a lot of ambiguity in that rule. "You don't work, you don't eat." For a religion based on grace, it seems a bit unyielding.

Mark Ellingson
Freedom is such a lovely word, a compelling image. What is freedom? How would you define it? What does it mean to you? Webster's New World Dictionary defines freedom as being exempt from control or from arbitrary restrictions. Freedom is said to be the ability to choose or determine one's own actions.

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