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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Signs beside the highway are... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
Signs beside the highway are scattered across the western United States informing
The author of 1 Timothy... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
The author of 1 Timothy urges us to pray for those in authority. The Episcopal church
There is a funny story... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
There is a funny story about Harry who was on his deathbed. He turned to his wife, Ethel,
George McDonald gives us something... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
George McDonald gives us something to ponder at Thanksgiving. "Let me, if I may, be
The writer, Annie Dillard, in... -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
The writer, Annie Dillard, in one of her short but powerful books, tells the story of the ill-
The writer, Annie Dillard, in... -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
The writer, Annie Dillard, in one of her short but powerful books, tells the story of the ill-
Babies cry for any number... -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
Babies cry for any number of reasons. They might be colicky -- a condition that leaves
Anne invited her family to... -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
Anne invited her family to her home for Thanksgiving. It was a huge undertaking -- her
What a day. I tried... -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 2006
What a day. I tried to find our septic tank lid. The former owner of our acreage told me
Fads rise and fade away... -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
Fads rise and fade away in clothing, housing, and car design -- also in scholarship. The
One of two accounts of... -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
One of two accounts of King David's last words is found in this lesson. The passage
Last words are important. It... -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
Last words are important. It might be interesting to track down the last occurrences and
Joe Hale must be ranked... -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
Joe Hale must be ranked as, technically, one of the worst Sunday school teachers ever
In Wittenberg-Lutherstadt they told... -- Revelation 1:4b-8 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
In Wittenberg-Lutherstadt they told me a story about a large statue of Christ in front of
John writes that Jesus is... -- Revelation 1:4b-8 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
John writes that Jesus is coming on the clouds and every eye will see him. In April 2005,
Debbie grew up in the... -- Revelation 1:4b-8 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
Debbie grew up in the church and later, when she had her own family, she still attended
We saw a Hollywood friend... -- Revelation 1:4b-8 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
We saw a Hollywood friend while watching a television feature film. He portrayed a
Children do it more obviously... -- John 18:33-37 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
Children do it more obviously. Spouses practice it more subtly: selective hearing. People
Pontius Pilate was never noted... -- John 18:33-37 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
Pontius Pilate was never noted for his religious sensitivity. In fact, his lack of insight into
J. Winston Pearce has a... -- John 18:33-37 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
J. Winston Pearce has a wonderful story in his old book, I Believe [(Nashville:
In the Disney animated film... -- John 16:33-37 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
In the Disney animated film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, there is a scene
Leonardo da Vinci knew the... -- John 16:33-37 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2006
Leonardo da Vinci knew the centrality of Christ. The vanishing point of his painting of
Anyone who's ever booked a... -- Jeremiah 33:14-16 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Anyone who's ever booked a vacation is familiar with travel brochures. Sometimes the
It is generally known that... -- Jeremiah 33:14-16 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
It is generally known that when you chop down a tree, the roots stop growing causing the
Why Jesus? What makes him... -- Jeremiah 33:14-16 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Why Jesus? What makes him different? How is he unlike every other person? Why

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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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