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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

In the movie, Karate Kid... -- Luke 2:15-21
In the movie, Karate Kid, Part II, the old instructor has just allowed the arrogant instructo
What parent is not struck... -- Luke 2:15-21
What parent is not struck by the "mystery" of a newborn?
In 1984 the Lutheran church... -- Isaiah 61:1-4 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
In 1984 the Lutheran church and parsonage in Shishmaref, Alaska burned completely to the ground.
To bring good tidings to... -- Isaiah 61:1-4 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
To bring good tidings to the afflicted:
Citizens of different countries hold... -- Isaiah 61:1-4 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Citizens of different countries hold various ideas on happiness.
Following World War II, thanks... -- Isaiah 61:1-4 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Following World War II, thanks in great measure to the Marshall Plan, West Germany turned speedily t
Not infrequently we receive phone... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Not infrequently we receive phone calls from individuals who are quite ambiguous about what they wan
This is clearly a Servant... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
This is clearly a Servant Song outlining an agenda for leadership as commissioned by God. (vv.
In the baptism of Jesus... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
In the baptism of Jesus, God anointed Jesus for his special ministry on behalf of mankind.
In a Charles Schulz Peanuts... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
In a Charles Schulz "Peanuts" comic strip Lucy is at her lemonade-stand booth that advertises "Psych
When Leslie Weatherhead was pastor... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
When Leslie Weatherhead was pastor of City Temple in London, he would conduct Sunday evening interce
John the Baptizer had promised... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
John the Baptizer had promised those whom he baptized that the Christ would baptize with the
Jaroslav Pelikan's book, Jesus Through... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Jaroslav Pelikan's book, Jesus Through the Ages, is a careful study of the various images of
One January afternoon a young... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
One January afternoon a young teacher led twenty-six bundled-up first graders out into a gently fall
Luke presents the twelve-year... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C
Luke presents the twelve-year-old Jesus as precocious and inquiring.
This passage is replete with... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C
This passage is replete with familiar ideas and corresponding illustrations.
Back in the earlier days... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C
Back in the earlier days of television one of the most popular TV hosts was Art Linkletter.
The answer is Carbon 14... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C
The answer is "Carbon 14. Strontium 90."
A few days following the... -- Numbers 6:22-27
A few days following the preaching of a sermon on heaven, a layman commented, "You told me about hea
We have seen this scene... -- Numbers 6:22-27
We have seen this scene in dozens of movies or heard it described in various novels or writings.
Day One is Peter Wyden's... -- Numbers 6:22-27
Day One is Peter Wyden's account of the development of the atomic bomb.
Francine looked around at the... -- Numbers 6:22-27
Francine looked around at the other members of her adult Sunday church school class.
When Moses went up on... -- Exodus 34:1-8
When Moses went up on Mount Sinai he was ready. He had cut two tables of stone.
The Law. Oppressive? Guilt producing... -- Exodus 34:1-8
The Law. Oppressive? Guilt producing? A thing to be avoided? Inhibiting? Stultifying?
A tribe of people, Luyia... -- Exodus 34:1-8
A tribe of people, Luyia, in Bantu in western Kenya, have a prayer:

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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
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Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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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
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
Life can be frightening sometimes. Thus it is both comforting but disconcerting to find a giant of faith like Elijah to fear the future. On that matter Martin Luther once claimed:
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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