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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

We who are privileged to... -- Hebrews 5:1-10 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2003
We who are privileged to be ministers in the church serve in a long line of preachers, pastors, prie
In his book, Flags... -- Hebrews 5:1-10 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2003
In his book, Flags of our Fathers, James Bradley told how General Holland M.
In the heat of war... -- Hebrews 5:1-10 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2003
In the heat of war, horrors happen.
Humanity has always been lifting... -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41) -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2003
Humanity has always been lifting its voice to the clouds, seeking to harness the forces of nature.
Foundation, base, cornerstone: structures of... -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41) -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2003
Foundation, base, cornerstone: structures of the universe.
If Job only had a... -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41) -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2003
If Job only had a sense of the measurements God was asking about, he would have conceded his argumen
During the 2000 Sydney Olympics... -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
During the 2000 Sydney Olympics Games, a young man from Guinea named Eric Moussambani became an unli
Few passages are so provocative... -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
Few passages are so provocative as this one in proclaiming the cost of discipleship.
Joseph Kennedy, the father of... -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
Joseph Kennedy, the father of President John F.
How come some things that... -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
How come some things that look so easy to do turn out to be impossible?
I grew up in a... -- Hebrews 4:12-16 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
I grew up in a household that contained many Bibles.
As a young adult, I... -- Hebrews 4:12-16 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
As a young adult, I had my tonsils removed.
About two years ago, U.S... -- Hebrews 4:12-16 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
About two years ago, U.S. Representative Floyd D. Spence from South Carolina died.
Research is being conducted in... -- Hebrews 4:12-16 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
Research is being conducted in many places (Emory University in Atlanta, the Wadsworth Center of the
Job couldn't find God on... -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
Job couldn't find God on any of the four sides around him - forward, backward, left or right.
Job experiences God as hidden... -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
Job experiences God as hidden. "He hides ...
Job has confidence that if... -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
Job has confidence that if he could only make his case before God, God would listen.
One of the characters in... -- Job 23:1-9, 16-17 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 2003
One of the characters in Elie Wiesel's play The Trial of God, voices a Jobian protest against
Ten-year-old Jason wanted... -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2003
Ten-year-old Jason wanted one thing for Christmas - a new X-Box videogame system.
A child's perspective always creates... -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2003
A child's perspective always creates new possibilities for seeing and understanding.
Whoever does not receive the... -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2003
Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child cannot enter it.
Our church has just finished... -- Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2003
Our church has just finished a new building program, virtually doubling the size of our facility.
Among the phenomenal developments of... -- Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2003
Among the phenomenal developments of the telephone, we can add all sorts of things like call waiting
Jesus has been the subject... -- Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2003
Jesus has been the subject of about a 100 films. Some portray him with reverence.
On the eve of the... -- Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 2003
On the eve of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams, one of our nation's foundi

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...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let’s get started!

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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