Login / Signup

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Did you know that there... -- John 20:1-2, 11-18 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
Did you know that there have been more than 900 burial caves from around the time of Jesus that have
The importance of good soil... -- Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19) -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2001
The importance of good soil is driven home to me every time I go into my back yard.
Will Rogers once commented, I... -- Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19) -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2001
Will Rogers once commented, "I get a little bored hearing about the good old days.
Ants never get lost. In... -- Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19) -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2001
Ants never get lost. In the wild, they cannot rely on scent trails as they do in a kitchen.
If you've ever tried to... -- Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19) -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2001
If you've ever tried to remove a stump from your yard, you know what strength deep roots have.
The Sunday school class was... -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2001
The Sunday school class was discussing how to be good stewards in the community.
Annette was born with a... -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2001
Annette was born with a hole in her heart.
It is unthinkable to desire... -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2001
It is unthinkable to desire that which is anything other than for the good of our children.
Sometimes the choices we make... -- Luke 10:38-42 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
Sometimes the choices we make are not immediately recognized as correct.
What is the polite thing... -- Luke 10:38-42 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
What is the polite thing to do when one has a houseguest?
Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author of... -- Luke 10:38-42 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, author of The Book of Jewish Values: A Day-By-Day Guide to Ethical Living
According to a New... -- Luke 10:38-42 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
According to a New York Times article by Marlisle Simons, the world's radio astronomers are n
Jesus valued women and women... -- John 20:1-2, 11-18 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
Jesus valued women and women valued him.
A bereavement support group was... -- John 20:1-2, 11-18 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
A bereavement support group was talking about the hardest things they had done since their loved one
There is an extraordinary power... -- John 20:1-2, 11-18 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
There is an extraordinary power in the calling of someone by name.
A Yale psychology professor published... -- Colossians 1:15-28 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
A Yale psychology professor published a study titled "The Psychological, Interpersonal and Social Ef
For 14 days last year... -- Colossians 1:15-28 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
For 14 days last year, President Bill Clinton tried to mediate a peace settlement between Israeli Pr
At the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon... -- Colossians 1:15-28 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
At the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon, along with the excitement of the grueling race, there are always so
Some folks are impossible to... -- Acts 13:26-33a -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
Some folks are impossible to convince.
As children, Wendy and I... -- Acts 13:26-33a -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
As children, Wendy and I had been sure that nothing would ever separate us.
Sometimes it is awfully difficult... -- Acts 13:26-33a -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
Sometimes it is awfully difficult to "see" something when it is out of its accustomed place.
On his first missionary tour... -- Acts 13:26-33a -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2001
On his first missionary tour, Paul, with his companion Barnabas, was simply doing what the 1971 chil
At the Pontiac Silverdome, April... -- Colossians 1:1-14 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2001
At the Pontiac Silverdome, April 15, 2000, former president Gerald Ford challenged a gathering of so
Every year, the Hawaii Ironman... -- Colossians 1:1-14 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2001
Every year, the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon is broadcast sometime during the winter.
Two young Catholic priests left... -- Luke 10:25-37 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - C -- 2001
Two young Catholic priests left work at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, very weary as th

Political Pulpit

Sermon

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
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...

New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

* * *

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
Bonnie Bates

1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a and Psalm 42-43
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.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL