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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Debra F. Bruce relates an... -- Acts 4:8-12 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
Debra F.
One of the students who... -- Acts 4:8-12 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
One of the students who was active in the campus ministry student group at Whitewater, Wisconsin, in
Years ago I bought a... -- Acts 4:8-12 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
Years ago I bought a large quantity of hardware from a man's basement for seventy-five dollars.
If you take a pig... -- 1 John 3:1-7 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
If you take a pig from his mud-wallow in the farm yard, wash him, sprinkle on a little perfume, tie
In the original stage version... -- 1 John 3:1-7 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
In the original stage version of "Godspell," the Gospel spirit of love is beautifully conveyed.
The common expression is, Like... -- 1 John 3:1-7 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
The common expression is, "Like father, like son." When I am giving a children's sermon in church, I
A little boy was helping... -- 1 John 3:1-7 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
A little boy was helping his mother make gingerbread men.
You don't have to feel... -- John 2:1-5 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
You don't have to "feel like" loving somebody to love them; otherwise, as Paul Tillich once reminded
As his mother tucked him... -- John 2:1-5 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
As his mother tucked him into bed one night, the boy snuggled beneath the covers said, "Mom, would y
Luke's version of the Great... -- Luke 24:35-49 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
Luke's version of the Great Commission sends the disciples "to all nations" as "witnesses." If there
People show up in surprising... -- Luke 24:35-49 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
People show up in surprising situations.
Luke writes, ... and that repentance... -- Luke 24:35-49 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
Luke writes, "...
If you slide an empty... -- Luke 24:35-49 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B
If you slide an empty floppy disc into your home computer and call up its information to the screen,
Some preachers say, I do... -- Acts 4:8-12 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
Some preachers say, "I do not talk about healing because I do not want to create false hopes." My fr
In her autobiography, On... -- Acts 4:8-12 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
In her autobiography, On Reflection, Helen Hayes speaks about the necessity of faith.
Recently we had occasion to... -- Acts 4:8-12 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
Recently we had occasion to visit a company which makes equipment for the paper and pulp industry.
Have you ever wondered how... -- Acts 4:8-12 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
Have you ever wondered how David Copperfield does his magic tricks?
Sam Levenson relates some of... -- Acts 4:23-33 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
Sam Levenson relates some of his early family experiences in his book, Everything But Money.
Most of us have heard... -- Acts 4:23-33 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
Most of us have heard of the pogroms in Russia - Jews would be attacked in their homes, especially a
In July of 1656 Quakers... -- Acts 4:23-33 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
In July of 1656 Quakers began to arrive in Boston.
Prayer can shake one's life... -- Acts 4:23-33 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
Prayer can shake one's life.
A thunderstorm blew in during... -- 1 John 3:18-24 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
A thunderstorm blew in during the night.
All too often we tell... -- 1 John 3:18-24 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B
All too often we tell others we love them, but we often fail to show that love to them through thoug
The cross is the great... -- Acts 4:32-35 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
The cross is the great leveler, which means that the cross touches a common human denominator.
Helen Keller lived in a... -- Acts 3:13-15, 17-26 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
Helen Keller lived in a world of light.

Political Pulpit

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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
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29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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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
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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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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