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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

What a thrill, watching athletes... -- Romans 5:1-8 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2002
What a thrill, watching athletes perform in the Olympics!
The Rodney King trial in... -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2002
The Rodney King trial in Los Angeles sparked some horrible riots.
Sharon, Dianne and I had... -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2002
Sharon, Dianne and I had been invited to St.
Often people just need some... -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2002
Often people just need some sense of awareness that with faith comes authority as well as a charge.
The boss of a big... -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 2002
The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem with one of th
Just as God's grace does... -- Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 (29-31) -- 2002
Just as God's grace does not signify our deservedness, neither does good fortune.
A man asked his pastor... -- Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 (29-31) -- 2002
A man asked his pastor if he could speak with her.
The child watched her father... -- Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 (29-31) -- 2002
The child watched her father driving the huge tractor when all of a sudden he swooped her up onto th
All parents have lived through... -- Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 (29-31) -- 2002
All parents have lived through the "Do I hafto" period with their children.
The Jerusalem church was led... -- Matthew 7:21-29 -- 2002
The Jerusalem church was led by Jesus' closest friends: Peter, John and James.
Jessica was ecstatic. Her favorite... -- Matthew 7:21-29 -- 2002
Jessica was ecstatic. Her favorite band was playing at a club in a nearby community.
When Gina saw the sale... -- Matthew 7:21-29 -- 2002
When Gina saw the sale, she couldn't believe her eyes.
Our church was discussing the... -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Our church was discussing the Heifer Project, a creative mission that allows people to purchase anim
I have heard of your... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2002
"I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints ...
Once a great conductor was... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2002
Once a great conductor was rehearsing the orchestra in preparation for a concert.
Paul prays the Spirit will... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2002
Paul prays the Spirit will give us wisdom.
On the television game show... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2002
On the television game show Jeopardy!
There was once a famine... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2002
There was once a famine in Lithuania and the poor left the cities and swarmed over the countryside i
Matthew makes it clear that... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2002
Matthew makes it clear that the faithful are to take responsibility for the downtrodden.
Some years ago, a little... -- Matthews 25:31-46 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2002
Some years ago, a little known woman named Natalie died in St. Louis.
A young boy was with... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2002
A young boy was with his parents as they walked downtown in a large city.
Ask any volunteer and they'll... -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2002
Ask any volunteer and they'll tell you that they are given more than they give.
Seen on a church sign... -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2002
Seen on a church sign:
Thanksgiving is not a religious... -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2002
Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday. It is a national holiday.
A cartoon shows a man... -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2002
A cartoon shows a man standing at the heavenly gates talking to Jesus.

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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
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
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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...

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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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