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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bishop Sergio Mendez Arceo was... -- Luke 6:17-26 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C
Bishop Sergio Mendez Arceo was greatly loved by the people whom he served in the diocese of Cuernava
The Working Person's Beatitudesbr... -- Luke 6:17-26 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C
The Working Person's BeatitudesMary Margaret Sekerak
The Beatitudes remind us of... -- Luke 6:17-26 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C
The Beatitudes remind us of an initiating God who sustains.
How do you feel when... -- Genesis 45:3-11 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
How do you feel when you go to a class reunion?
There was a powerful play... -- Genesis 45:3-11 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
There was a powerful play produced on Broadway some years ago about John Merrick, The Elephant Ma
One of the approaches to... -- Genesis 45:3-11 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
One of the approaches to family counseling is a systems method which determines the role each person
Garrison Keillor of Prairie Home... -- 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
Garrison Keillor of Prairie Home Companion fame is one of America's great storytellers.
The story is told about... -- 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
The story is told about two men who made peanut butter.
David was the epitome of... -- 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13 , 22-23 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
David was the epitome of a warrior.
The Epiphany of our Lord... -- 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
The Epiphany of our Lord has been inspiration for countless numbers of stories and plays.
Picture a large group of... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
Picture a large group of radish seeds gathered at the cemetery for the committal service for a frien
Paul Johnson's book, Intellectuals... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
Paul Johnson's book, Intellectuals, tells of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who felt that he had a un
Several years ago we yielded... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
Several years ago we yielded to an advertisement in a gardening magazine and sent for several "fast-
In this passage, Paul attempts... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
In this passage, Paul attempts to give identifiable shape to the greatest event in all human history
Samuel Pisar in his book... -- Luke 6:27-38 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
Samuel Pisar in his book Of Blood and Hope recalls his experience as a young Jewish boy in a
I was driving down the... -- Luke 6:27-38 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
I was driving down the street the other day when I noticed that the car in front of me had one of th
The Golden Rule:B... -- Luke 6:27-28 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
The Golden Rule:"What is hateful to you, do not to others." Judaism
Were I limited to a... -- Luke 6:27-38 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C
Were I limited to a few sentences as a life guide, I would select Jesus' words in this passage from
In the movie, Robin... -- Sirach 24:1-4, 8-12 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C
In the movie, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, Marian and Robin have just enjoyed a festive tim
When Sirach speaks of wisdom... -- Sirach 24:1-4, 8-12 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C
When Sirach speaks of wisdom he understands that as the gift of God which makes it possible to disti
Why do we so often... -- Luke 4:21-30 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
Why do we so often get stuck on the marginal, the side-issue, the unimportant, and miss Christ?
Jesus was engaged in prophetic... -- Luke 4:21-30 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
Jesus was engaged in prophetic preaching.
During World War I, a... -- Luke 4:21 -30 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
During World War I, a Protestant chaplain with the American troops in Italy became a friend of a loc
One of the most famous... -- Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13) -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C
One of the most famous preachers of the 19th century was Charles H. Spurgeon.
In a small country church... -- Judges 6:11-24a -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C
In a small country church they still tell the story of a pastor of bygone years.

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

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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
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

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