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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Slate: a fine-grained sedimentary... -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Slate: a fine-grained sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash. It is easy to split
It would be Alice and... -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
It would be Alice and Robb's first Christmas as a married couple. Both had children from
Did you ever have a... -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Did you ever have a minister call you and fellow audience members "venomous snakes"?
People throughout history have said... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
People throughout history have said they wanted peace. So many people have stated their
Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means "house of bread," was indeed a small town. But
Micah, scholars tell us, was... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Micah, scholars tell us, was a younger contemporary of Isaiah. The world of God's people
Some years ago, when the... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Some years ago, when the Duke University men's basketball team won back-to-back
In March 1917, under great... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
In March 1917, under great duress, Czar Nicolas II abdicated the Russian throne. A
It was a Saturday night... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
It was a Saturday night Darrel would not forget. He had been out drinking with some
What's your heaven strategy? One... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
What's your heaven strategy? One friend told me he was confident of going based on his
Elizabeth would give birth to... -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Elizabeth would give birth to John the Baptist and Mary to Jesus. Their meeting while
The little story about Mary... -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
The little story about Mary and Elizabeth seems pleasant enough, doesn't it? Imagine the
Here is the story that... -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Here is the story that never grows old. An angel came to a little wisp of a girl and told her
Trying to explain salvation, Wendell... -- Isaiah 62:6-12 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Trying to explain salvation, Wendell Berry tells a parable about a hunter who falls down
Julene's cubicle at work was... -- Isaiah 62:6-12 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Julene's cubicle at work was directly under the cold air duct. Julene welcomed the air-
Volunteers from several area churches... -- Isaiah 62:6-12 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Volunteers from several area churches enjoyed delivering hot meals to the elderly in their
No person's behavior ever received... -- Isaiah 62:6-12 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
No person's behavior ever received that much attention. Millions thought him innocent.
Christmas Day: Carols are sung... -- Titus 3:4-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Christmas Day: Carols are sung, scripture read, presents opened -- presents we give to
An idealistic young man once... -- Titus 3:4-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
An idealistic young man once asked a pastor how to achieve salvation. The pastor told
Titus turns us to the... -- Titus 3:4-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Titus turns us to the heart of Christmas. The secular world would have us forget the
Silas Marner, by George Eliot... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Silas Marner, by George Eliot, is the story of a bitter old man, unlucky in love
Barb was considering a call... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Barb was considering a call to another congregation -- a difficult decision. Her college-
Christmas Eve never really entered... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Christmas Eve never really entered Andy's thoughts. While he attended Sunday school as
Every year at Yule time... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Every year at Yule time, it's missing in many homes. Its absence causes disappointment
Dedicating our own lives to... -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Dedicating our own lives to God is one thing. Dedicating someone else's life is a different

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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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