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

Ninety percent of Americans support... -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 1999
Ninety percent of Americans support the concept of organ donation.
The power of this parable... -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 1999
The power of this parable and its interpretation lies in the production of a crop, the good soil whi
You can't fake love. That... -- 12:9-21 Romans -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1999
You can't fake love. That was the basic message of Reverend Brown in sermon after sermon.
For what will it profit... -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1999
"For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?" Hector was
Recently (1996) the Laotian government... -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1999
Recently (1996) the Laotian government circulated arrest warrants for Christians, threatening to rem
Neil Postman, onetime director of... -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1999
Neil Postman, onetime director of the National Religious Broadcasters Association, summed up in an a
Jesus tells the disciples that... -- Matthew 16:21-28 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1999
Jesus tells the disciples that suffering, death, and resurrection will be a part of his life, and Pe
Knowing the identity of Jesus... -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 1999
Knowing the identity of Jesus is like using a plumb line to build a straight wall.
Sometimes we would like to... -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 1999
Sometimes we would like to be the flies on the wall, hearing what people really think about us witho
Who do we say Christ... -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 1999
Who do we say Christ is?
Antoninus said: The best sort... -- Romans 12:9-21 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1999
Antoninus said: "The best sort of revenge is not to be like him who did the injury." It is easy to
I had been meeting with... -- Romans 12:9-21 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1999
I had been meeting with Ann for fifteen months.
Michael Kirwan, a 52-year... -- Romans 12:9-21 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1999
Michael Kirwan, a 52-year-old Washington, D.C., man, has given his life to befriending and helping t
The 1981 publication by Philip... -- Romans 12:1-8 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 1999
The 1981 publication by Philip Kopper, Volunteer! O Volunteer!
Dr. A. B. Mackey was... -- Romans 12:1-8 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 1999
Dr. A. B.
Tom, a publisher, needed a... -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 1999
Tom, a publisher, needed a successor.
One after another, the rulers... -- Luke 1:46b-55 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
One after another, the rulers of this age fall.
Our prosperous times create problems... -- Luke 1:46-55 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
Our prosperous times create problems at gift-giving times such as birthdays and holidays.
Mary's beautiful song stresses the... -- Luke 1:46b-55 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
Mary's beautiful song stresses the mighty acts of God.
Do you want your son... -- Romans 12:1-8 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 1999
Do you want your son or daughter to grow up to be a garbageman, a janitor, a sewer worker?
It was a beautiful Sunday... -- Romans 12:1-8 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - A -- 1999
It was a beautiful Sunday morning. The sun was shining brightly.
A confirmation class was discussing... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
A confirmation class was discussing Exodus 20:7: "You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the
Search and Rescue Dogs of... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
Search and Rescue Dogs of Colorado (SARDOC) train hundreds of hours a year.
The things that come out... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
"The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' " Obsce
Aunt Helen was a beloved... -- Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A -- 1999
Aunt Helen was a beloved aunt of mine. Her trademark was to play jokes on us at Christmastime.

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