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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

The idea of The Day... -- Malachi 4:1-2a -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A
The idea of "The Day of the Lord" has stretched the poetic and musical expression of many in attempt
Several animals, such as crabs... -- 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A
Several animals, such as crabs, oysters, lizards, earthworms, and starfish are able to regrow amputa
Magician, Doug Henning, says that... -- Exodus 3:1-6 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
Magician, Doug Henning, says that the basic goal of his performances is to create wonder!
Fear paralyzes and binds a... -- Romans 8:12-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
Fear paralyzes and binds a person; love liberates and frees a person.
We live in the midst... -- Romans 8:12-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
We live in the midst of a very mechanically-minded world.
It would be great to... -- Romans 8:12-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
It would be great to say I owe no one and no one owes me. But, life isn't like that.
Phillips Brooks possessed the gift... -- Romans 8:12-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
Phillips Brooks possessed the gift of putting things in proper perspective.
Nicodemus came to Jesus at... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.
In this remarkable conversation of... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
In this remarkable conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus, one truth comes through as crystal clear: w
To walk in the dark... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
To walk in the dark is always dangerous.
A man from Portland, Oregon... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
A man from Portland, Oregon, tried an old-fashioned way to woo his lady.
The commandment of Jesus to... -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
The commandment of Jesus to the disciples was, "Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my
When I was a young... -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
When I was a young seminarian, I heard a professor of Far Eastern religions make the following state
The church has always regarded... -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
The church has always regarded as members those who have been validly baptized with water in the nam
The Word remains. This is... -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
"The Word remains. This is the great comfort of one who preaches.
There is a distinction made... -- Haggai 2:1-9 -- All Saints Day - A
There is a distinction made in building and in art between restoration and renovation.
Evidently Zerubbabel and his associates... -- Haggai 2:1-9 -- All Saints Day - A
Evidently Zerubbabel and his associates were intimidated by the challenge of rebuilding the Temple,
Joshua had been promised a... -- Haggai 2:1-9 -- All Saints Day - A
Joshua had been promised a bicycle for his eighth birthday.
When Haggai spoke (520 B.C... -- Haggai 2:1-9 -- All Saints Day - A
When Haggai spoke (520 B.C.), the people had returned from exile and had lived in Jerusalem f
There was a college... -- 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 -- All Saints Day - A
There was a college student who said she did not believe in God.
A few years ago the... -- 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 -- All Saints Day - A
A few years ago the posters of Sister Corita were nearly ubiquitous around the church in publication
Pope John Paul II created... -- 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 -- All Saints Day - A
Pope John Paul II created a stir with his encyclical, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (Social Concer
In the dry and desolate... -- John 7:37-39a -- Day of Pentecost - B
In the dry and desolate region alongside the Dead Sea -- a place of rock and salt and dust -- one co
If any one thirst, let... -- John 7:37-39a -- Day of Pentecost - B
"If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink." (v. 37b)
John records Jesus' first words... -- John 20:19-23 -- Day of Pentecost - B
John records Jesus' first words after the resurrection: "Peace ... peace ...

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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...

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.

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