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

Because the Sovereign Lord helps... -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Passion Sunday - C
"Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced ..." Life piles layer upon layer of va
A parent and a grandparent... -- Deuteronomy 32:36-39 -- Passion Sunday - C
A parent and a grandparent were talking about raising children.
In Mark Twain's play, I... -- Deuteronomy 32:36-39 -- Passion Sunday - C
In Mark Twain's play, Adam and Eve, Adam is depicted as arrogant and, at times, rather obnoxi
This Scripture passage describes the... -- Deuteronomy 32:36-39 -- Passion Sunday - C
This Scripture passage describes the attitude God takes toward a powerless and erring creation.
Glendon Harris reported a story... -- Deuteronomy 32:36-39 -- Passion Sunday - C
Glendon Harris reported a story from The New York Times (April 5, 1972).
Shortly after the beginning of... -- Isaiah 45:21-25 -- Passion Sunday - C
Shortly after the beginning of this century, Charles Pean went to Devil's Island, the famous French
Charles Spurgeon, the great English... -- Isaiah 45:21-25 -- Passion Sunday - C
Charles Spurgeon, the great English Baptist preacher of the 19th century, was fond of telling the st
An Episcopal, Leonel Mitchell, wrote... -- Isaiah 45:21-25 -- Passion Sunday - C
An Episcopal, Leonel Mitchell, wrote a book titled Liturgical Change: How Much Do We Need?, i
Paul speaks of Jesus having... -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Passion Sunday - C
Paul speaks of Jesus having "humbled himself." If anyone was ever justified in not being humble, it
Although we might ask some... -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Passion Sunday - C
Although we might ask some serious questions as to meter and tune, this passage of Scripture is an e
Barabbas got off scott free... -- Luke 22:14--23:56 -- Passion Sunday - C
Barabbas got off scott free.
While in Jerusalem our tour... -- Luke 22:14--23:56 -- Passion Sunday - C
While in Jerusalem our tour group went to the Garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus and his disciples were... -- John 2:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee, a town about four miles from N
Back in the fifties an... -- John 2:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Back in the fifties an English printing house published a charming little book titled, If Jesus C
Can you identify with the... -- Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Can you identify with the people who began to cry when they heard what the law required?
The new policy manual had... -- Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
The new policy manual had just been distributed to all the employees one week earlier.
Can you imagine? The entire... -- Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Can you imagine?
My friend Clyde is a... -- Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
My friend Clyde is a weeper. He weeps at weddings and at funerals.
Paul employs the image of... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Paul employs the image of the human body in order to stir loyalty and cooperation.
I used to think that... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
I used to think that toes weren't very important.
Discover One's Mission Martin Luther... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
"Discover One's Mission" Martin Luther King, Jr.
Those parts of the body... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
"Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are l
Seminaries often teach aspiring pastors... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Seminaries often teach aspiring pastors to take it easy the first three years in a new pastorate.
There is a wonderful story... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
There is a wonderful story told from the life of Beethoven.
He stood up to read... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
"He stood up to read the Scriptures and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah (Luke 4:17, TEV)."

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