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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

We do not want, as... -- Acts 2:42-47 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
We do not want, as the newspapers say, a church that will move with the world.
Jay was a bit of... -- 1 Peter 2:19-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
Jay was a bit of a misfit.
Our 7-year-old cocker... -- 1 Peter 2:19-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
Our 7-year-old cocker spaniel was accustomed to being on a leash when he was outside.
A 1998 cartoon in The... -- Acts 2:14a, 36-41 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
A 1998 cartoon in The Wall Street Journal showed a group of executives gathered around a table for a
An old cartoon by Goddard... -- Acts 2:14a, 36-41 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
An old cartoon by Goddard Sherman depicts a father, mother, and their young son on their way home fr
Bart had been outspoken, opposing... -- 1 Peter 1:17-23 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
Bart had been outspoken, opposing letting people from other racial and ethnic groups into the church
A woman writes of a... -- 1 Peter 1:17-23 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
A woman writes of a reoccurring dream:
William Henry Harrison, then Governor... -- 1 Peter 1:17-23 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
William Henry Harrison, then Governor of Indiana Territory, negotiated with Chief Tecumseh in 1810,
Love God and do as... -- 1 Peter 1:17-23 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
"Love God and do as you will," said Augustine, the fifth-century bishop and theologian.
When we moved into the... -- Luke 24:13-35 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
When we moved into the retirement center where we now live, we passed on the family pieces to our ch
Take, eatthe presence... -- Luke 24:13-35 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
Take, eatthe presence of Godin a loaf of life on a table
In the darkest days of... -- 1 Peter 1:3-9 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
In the darkest days of South Africa's struggle for freedom from the tyranny of apartheid there were
Vera had been ill for... -- 1 Peter 1:3-9 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
Vera had been ill for most of her adult life.
Michael Crichton, writer, producer, and... -- 1 Peter 1:3-9 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
Michael Crichton, writer, producer, and medical doctor, wrote an autobiography published in 1988 tit
Most of the major airports... -- 1 Peter 1:3-9 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
Most of the major airports around the world have chaplains.
You may remember that feature... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
You may remember that feature of newspapers in the past called "Believe It or Not." Robert Ripley wa
A parent speaks: My children... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
A parent speaks: "My children are losing their faith." A priest replies: "Perhaps it is your faith t
There's a place for healthy... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
There's a place for healthy disbelief, and a place for trust and acceptance.
A couple was all ready... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
A couple was all ready for the worship service.
When Dick Sheppard, one of... -- Acts 2:14a, 22-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
When Dick Sheppard, one of the great preachers of the English church, died, a London newspaper carri
In December, 2000, a man... -- Acts 2:14a, 22-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
In December, 2000, a man in Almaty, Kazakhstan, who was electrocuted and buried, shocked his friends
Several years ago in Texas... -- Acts 2:14a, 22-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2002
Several years ago in Texas, voters elected a dead man.
George Ives was the father... -- Acts 10:34-43 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2002
George Ives was the father of Charles Ives, American composer.
The family reunion was to... -- Matthew 3:13-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2002
The family reunion was to be held in the old family church.
John the Baptizer had his... -- Matthew 3:13-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - A -- 2002
John the Baptizer had his priorities right.

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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
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29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
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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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