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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

My father's dad was rather... -- Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
My father's dad was rather a failure.
The rich and the poor... -- Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
"The rich and the poor meet together." (Proverbs 22:2)
What is the value of... -- Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
What is the value of a good name?
A good name is the... -- Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
A good name is the fruit of a life of integrity, dignity, self-respect, and service to others.
This third of the Servant... -- Isaiah 50:4-9 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
This third of the Servant Songs emphasizes obedience, endurance even under persecution.
President Calvin Coolidge was a... -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
President Calvin Coolidge was a man of few words, for which he acquired the nickname, "Silent Cal."
Here in Isaiah 50 we... -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
Here in Isaiah 50 we have expression of the attitude of one who would serve, the philosophy of a ser
Resolve, energy, and integrity contribute... -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
Resolve, energy, and integrity contribute much to accomplishment.
When Jesus spoke of his... -- Mark 8:27-35 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
When Jesus spoke of his forthcoming death and resurrection, Peter rebuked him for speaking of such t
What does it profit a... -- Mark 8:27-38 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
"What does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his own life?" How much is a life wo
Peter had the right answer... -- Mark 8:27-35 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
Peter had the right answer, but the wrong insight. His answer was right, but he didn't know why.
Thousands of years ago the... -- Mark 8:27-38 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B
Thousands of years ago the aim of the primitive nation-tribes was to conquer their neighbors by succ
Wernher Von Braun was a... -- Job 28:20-28 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B
Wernher Von Braun was a scientist skilled enough to be the genius behind the mighty Saturn rocket.
A minister, buffeted and weary... -- Job 28:20-28 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B
A minister, buffeted and weary of the world, after confessing that he was afraid he had not helped b
At some point in time... -- Job 28:20-28 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B
At some point in time we all sit around and ask ourselves the great questions of life.
Have you ever experienced a... -- Wisdom 2:12, 17-20 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B
Have you ever experienced a time when your own righteousness was "inconvenient" for someone?
In his best-selling novel... -- Proverbs 2:1-8 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
In his best-selling novel, published in 1973, Richard Bach presents Jonathan Livingston Seagull as o
For months the land and... -- Isaiah 35:4-7 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
For months the land and people had been at the mercy of the hot sun.
A small boy, underb... -- Isaiah 35:4-7 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
A small boy, under the guidance of his mother, had spent several days in the process of memor
Isaiah said, Be strong, fear... -- Isaiah 35:4-7 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
Isaiah said, "Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God ...
Two Taoist philosophers were arguing... -- Isaiah 35:4-7 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
Two Taoist philosophers were arguing. One said, "I have a tree that is very large but useless.
I used to think when... -- James 2:1-5, 8-10, 14-18 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
"I used to think when I was a child, that Christ might have been exaggerating when he warned about t
Appearance doesn't matter in the... -- James 2:1-5 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
Appearance doesn't matter in the kingdom of God; only the condition of the heart matters.
In Southwestern Virginia some years... -- James 2:1-5, 8-10, 14-18 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
In Southwestern Virginia some years ago, a small prison was used regularly by area ministers as a pr
Jesus is moving and working... -- Mark 7:31-37 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B
Jesus is moving and working among the Gentiles.

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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...

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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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