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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

I know you! -- Acts 9:36-43, Revelation 7:9-17, John 10:22-30 -- Frank Ramirez -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
To know and to be known are important to our well-being.
Preparing our hearts for God -- Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44 -- Sandra Herrmann -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Happy New Year! No, I don’t have the date wrong.
The power of words and the Word -- Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, John 13:31-35 -- Frank Ramirez -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
The power of God’s word, spoken and written, is emphasized in several places in scripture.
After the storm -- Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
What difference does my life make for others around me? What difference does anyone’s life make?
Entrance points into new life -- Acts 16:9-15, Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5, John 14:23-29 -- David Coffin -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
By this time, Resurrection of Our Lord Sunday is way behind in the rearview mirror of many people’s
Easter in Advent -- Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11 -- Cathy Venkatesh -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
The third Sunday of Advent is traditionally one that emphasizes joy.
A community of joy -- Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 -- Sandra Herrmann -- Ascension of the Lord - C -- 2016
The feast of the Ascension is the ideal time for us to discuss the role of the Church in the world t
The right gift -- Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Some gifts we receive are simply add-ons to the polite niceties of the relationship.
Powerful prayer -- Acts 16:16-34, Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 2016
Dr. James Dobson tells a story about his son when he was just a little fellow.
The real world -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Frank Ramirez -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2016
For some the story of Christmas is a fantasy set in an idealized world where pregnant women get to r
Whoooosh! -- Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:14-17, John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Frank Ramirez -- Day of Pentecost - C -- 2016
Whoooosh!
This is where you come in -- Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Romans 5:1-5, John 16:12-15 -- David Kalas -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - C -- 2016
Is it blasphemy to preach about human beings on Trinity Sunday?
Response to the call -- 1 Kings 18:20-21 (22-29) 30-39, Galatians 1:1-12, Luke 7:1-10 -- David Coffin -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - C -- 2016
All three of this week’s texts address how a person of faith responds to a calling God has given him
The power of God made real -- 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Galatians 1:11-24, Luke 7:11-17 -- Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - C -- 2016
Does our modern faith leave room for miracles?
Healed for service -- Isaiah 40:21-31, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Mark 1:29-39 -- Cathy Venkatesh -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2015
When I was in seminary, I spent a summer working as a chaplain in a Roman Catholic hospital.
A time to step back -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46 -- David Coffin -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2015
New York Times columnist David Brooks has written a book titled The Road to Character
Recognizing the kingdom of God -- 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17, Mark 4:26-34 -- Cathy Venkatesh -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2015
God does not judge by appearances, but by the heart.
Response to mystery -- 2 Kings 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, Mark 9:2-9 -- David Coffin -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2015
Well, the “cat is out of the bag”!
The work of faith -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41 -- Sandra Herrmann -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2015
Two beloved stories are paired for our lection this Sunday.
Moksha -- Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ron Love -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2015
Evagrius Ponticus (also known as Evagrius the Solitary) was a Christian monk and ascetic who resi
Life-giving power -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43 -- David Coffin -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2015
One of the ongoing discussions within any denomination or non-denominational ministry is the use of
Baptism Pictures -- Genesis 9:8-17, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1:9-15 -- David Kalas -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2015
In some Christian traditions the expectation is that babies should be baptized.  In other Christi
A pair of kings, but not two of a kind -- 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29 -- David Kalas -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2015
The Old Testament historian of the divided monarchy era had a simple method for evaluating the kings
New Creations -- Exodus 20:1-17, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, John 2:13-22 -- Cathy Venkatesh -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2015
In each of our lessons today, we encounter God’s people starting over and finding their way into
Victory in spite of -- 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13 -- Frank Ramirez -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 2015
Each one of this week's scriptures can be viewed as victory as God's will is done, yet these stories

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 (2016) -- Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Luke 15:1-10 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C -- 2016
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 (2016) -- Jeremiah 8:18--9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, R. Robert Cueni, Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C -- 2016
Jeremiah 8:18--9:1
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 (2016) -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C -- 2016
Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 22 | OT 27 (2016) -- Lamentations 1:1-6, 2 Timothy 1:1-14, Luke 17:5-10 -- R. Robert Cueni, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 2016
Lamentations 1:1-6
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 23 | OT 28 (2016) -- Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, R. Robert Cueni, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 2016
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Sermons Illustrations for Proper 24 | OT 29 (2016) -- Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Luke 18:1-8 -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 2016
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 (2016) -- Joel 2:23-32, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14 -- Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates, R. Robert Cueni -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - C -- 2016
Joel 2:23-32
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 26 | OT 31 (2016) -- Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12, Luke 19:1-10 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, R. Robert Cueni, Frank Ramirez -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2016
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 27 | OT 32 (2016) -- Haggai 1:5b--2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, Luke 20:27-38 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2016
Haggai 1:15b--2:9
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 (2016) -- Isaiah 65:17-25, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-19 -- Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2016
Isaiah 65:17-25
Sermon Illustrations for Christ the King / Proper 29 (2016) -- Jeremiah 23:1-6, Colossians 1:11-20, Luke 23:33-43 -- R. Robert Cueni, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - C -- 2016
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Sermon Illustrations for Thanksgiving Day (2016) -- Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Philippians 4:4-9, John 6:25-35 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bill Thomas, Bonnie Bates, R. Robert Cueni, Frank Ramirez -- Thanksgiving Day - C -- 2016
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Sermon Illustrations for All Saints Day (2016) -- Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Ephesians 1:11-23, Luke 6:20-31 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, R. Robert Cueni -- All Saints Day - C -- 2016
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 1 (2016) -- Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Bob Ove, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- First Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Isaiah 2:1-5
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 2 (2016) -- Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bonnie Bates -- Second Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Isaiah 11:1-10
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 3 (2016) -- Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Bonnie Bates -- Third Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Isaiah 35:1-10
Sermon Illustrations for Advent 4 (2016) -- Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25 -- Bill Thomas, Frank Ramirez, Bob Ove, Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bonnie Bates -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A -- 2016
Isaiah 7:10-16
Sermon Illustrations for Christmas Day (2016) -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Bill Thomas, Ron Love, Frank Ramirez, Bonnie Bates -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2016
Isaiah 9:2-7
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 3 (2015) -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Mark 1:14-20 -- Ron Love, Mark Ellingsen, Bob Ove, Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2015
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Preaching can be defined as... -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2015
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
There are some who would eagerly sign up to kill Muslims... -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10 -- Bob Ove -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2015
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Philosopher Alain de Botton... -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2015
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
When Count Niclaus Ludwig von Zinzendrof, the founder of the Moravians, was ten years old... -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2015
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
John had done his job... -- Mark 1:14-20 -- Bob Ove -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2015
Mark 1:14-20
In a sermon that I wrote... -- Mark 1:14-20 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2015
Mark 1:14-20

Political Pulpit

Sermon

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

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A job description. I have attached a sample you can use if you wish. I have highlighted a few of the items that might be good to use as examples during the message, but feel free to pick the ones you want to use.

* * *

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
For June 8, 2025:

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
    may the Lord rejoice in his works—
 who looks on the earth and it trembles,
    who touches the mountains and they smoke.
 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
    I will sing praise to my God while I have being. (vv. 31-33)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
An older couple is given an eight-month eviction notice to leave their residence. They are living on a fixed income. After exploring an advertised senior living community in the next county, the news is grim. They cannot afford to live in such a community despite the extravagant advertising publicity they saw about amenities and community recreation on television. Both the man and woman have worked many jobs for decades with small pensions, lower wages in a roller coaster job market for a couple decades. The man calls a small-town pastor in the area.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Genesis 11:1-9

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

On the day of Pentecost, six weeks after Jesus had risen from death, when the disciples were gathered together in one place, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. As we gather together on the day of Pentecost, let us ask God that we too might be filled with his Holy Spirit.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, forgive us our sins and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, forgive us our apathy and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Schuyler Rhodes
Today is Pentecost. The creative power of God's Spirit (v. 30) flows today like no other day. The Spirit that is poured out on this day is the same Spirit that hovered over the waters (Genesis 1:2) at the dawn of creation. This is the same Spirit that possessed Gideon as he lifted up his horn (Judges 6:4). And it is the same Spirit that the risen Jesus told us would arrive as an advocate to accompany us (John 14:16) forever.
John Jamison
It wasn't their first fight. Like most fathers and sons they had their disagreements. But this time, something was different. A line had been crossed that had never been crossed before. They sat there, staring at each other, both realizing they were in new territory, neither of them sure that they really wanted to be there.

David R. Cartwright
That first Pentecost was a grand and glorious day. It was a new beginning. On that special day, God's people were reborn through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It was an extraordinary event.

Robert Leslie Holmes
A seminary student writing a term paper about confession of sin started to type, "When we confess, Christ takes away our guilt." However, he was a bit thick-fingered and hit the letter q instead of the letter g on his computer keyboard. Now his sentence read, "Christ takes away our quilt." He didn't notice his error but his professor did and wrote in the margin, "Fear not, little one, you'll not freeze for God has given us a Comforter!" Using his keen wit, the professor conveyed a profound spiritual truth that is at the heart of Pentecost. God has given us a Comforter.
Alex A. Gondola, Jr.
There's an old story about a man who found a pig. It seems that as this man was driving into the city in his station wagon, a stray hog suddenly ran out in front of him. The man stopped the car, jumped out, caught the pig, and put it in the back. Not knowing what to do with the animal, he flagged down the first policeman he saw, explained the situation and asked, "What should I do with this hog?"

"Take him to the zoo," was the officer's response.

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