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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

What do people do when... -- James 5:13-20 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
What do people do when they realize the error of their ways and want to make up for it
The women's group watched a... -- James 5:13-20 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
The women's group watched a video about making Jesus and the church a higher priority
Larry Dossey, M.D., has written... -- James 5:13-20 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
Larry Dossey, M.D., has written a bestseller called Healing Words: The Power of
Mike and Sue had three... -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
Mike and Sue had three children and were minimally involved in the church. As the kids
Salt is good; but if... -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
"Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in
It was a cold, wintry... -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
It was a cold, wintry night when an older lady was on her deathbed. There were no
The temperature hit the low... -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
The temperature hit the low 100s for the third day in succession. Kelsey sat listlessly on
It is easy to be... -- Job 1:1; 2:1-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
It is easy to be a Christian when life is going well. Denny was a Christian who was
Patty had been through so... -- Job 1:1; 2:1-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
Patty had been through so much, she survived a scare with cancer, undergoing radiation
Job is a man who... -- Job 1:1; 2:1-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
Job is a man who "walks in his integrity." That word "integrity" is a rich one. Literally,
The Lord told me.... That's... -- Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
"The Lord told me...." That's a favorite line by many pastors and especially televangelists.
A powerful movie came out... -- Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
A powerful movie came out in 1993 titled A River Runs Through It, based on a
On a snowy day, a... -- Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
On a snowy day, a young boy asked his dad why the family goes to church. After all,
As kids growing up, Barry... -- Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
As kids growing up, Barry and Doug were inseparable. One of their favorite projects was
One of the harder issues... -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
One of the harder issues that many church leaders continue to face is when couples get
Sam is just thirteen years... -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
Sam is just thirteen years old but has not had an easy time with frequent moves to new
When it comes to the... -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2006
When it comes to the sort of love that sustains marriage, a celibate Roman Catholic nun -
Jerry wanted his day in... -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2006
Jerry wanted his day in court. He was convinced there was no way the state trooper could
Years ago, a newspaper printed... -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2006
Years ago, a newspaper printed an article about professional complainers you could hire
Claudia is a woman in... -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2006
Claudia is a woman in her mid-fifties who lost her job just as serious arthritic problems
Harold was in trouble. The... -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2006
Harold was in trouble. The case of new baseballs was missing. Harold had been the last
Many commentators agree that Hebrews... -- Hebrews 4:12-16 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2006
Many commentators agree that Hebrews is written to a tired congregation who grows
Marlo Thomas wrote The Right... -- Hebrews 4:12-16 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2006
Marlo Thomas wrote The Right Words at the Right Time, that tells how one
The world breaks everyone, wrote... -- Hebrews 4:12-16 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2006
"The world breaks everyone," wrote Ernest Hemingway in A Farewell To Arms,
The Apprentice, the television show... -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2006
The Apprentice, the television show with Donald Trump, caught America's

Political Pulpit

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The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Ascension of the Lord
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 7
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Pentecost
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 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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