Login / Signup

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Anthropologists find on occasion that... -- Exodus 34:1-8
Anthropologists find on occasion that when they come to a new tribe of primitive people they are giv
The hymn writer John Newton... -- Philippians 2:9-13
The hymn writer John Newton (of "Amazing Grace" fame) wrote another wonderful hymn which matches thi
When our son arrived from... -- Philippians 2:9-13
When our son arrived from Korea he came bearing a whole new identity.
Someone has estimated that the... -- Philippians 2:9-13
Someone has estimated that the average individual has as many as 700 occasions to speak during a bus
What's in a name? A... -- Philippians 2:9-13
What's in a name?
Most pre-school children display... -- Galatians 4:2-3, 4-6, 8
Most pre-school children display what D. W.
On Whit Monday in 1828... -- Galatians 4:2-3, 4-6, 8
On Whit Monday in 1828, a sixteen-year-old strange lad appeared in Nuremberg.
As was her habit the... -- Galatians 4:2-3, 4-6, 8
As was her habit the mother sat on the side of the bed as her son read a paragraph from the New Test
Mr. Pip, a young lad... -- Galatians 4:2-3, 4-6, 8
Mr.
Any book on parenting that... -- Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
Any book on parenting that does not include at least one chapter on the skill of cutting a pie so th
The theme of God's impartiality... -- Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
The theme of God's impartiality and equitable judgment is stressed here --even "in the case of a poo
The owner of a pet... -- Jeremiah 14: (1-6) 7-10, 19-22 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
The owner of a pet store was startled when a boy peered over the counter and asked if he could buy t
The thirsty earth soaks up... -- Jeremiah 14: (1-6) 7-10, 19-22 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
The thirsty earth soaks up the rain,And drinks, and gapes for drink again.
Two of the best remembered... -- Jeremiah 14: (1-6) 7-10, 19-22 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
Two of the best remembered pieces of the Reformation are associated with two of the most painful per
Few phrases are more poignant... -- Jeremiah 14: (1-6) 7-10, 19-22 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
Few phrases are more poignant, and more devastating, than the phrase, "It's too late to do anything
We are bound to give... -- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
"We are bound to give thanks to God always for you ..."
Clarence Jordan was reported as... -- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
Clarence Jordan was reported as having been invited to a dedication service for a beautiful n
By the latter half of... -- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
By the latter half of the first century A.D., Christians were persecuted as a policy of the Roman Em
Zacchaeus announced that he would... -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
Zacchaeus announced that he would give one-half of his possessions to the poor.
The other day I attempted... -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
The other day I attempted to put a rather hefty thread through the eye of my needle.
One Sunday night D. L... -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
One Sunday night D. L.
Come on down! Those may... -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - A
"Come on down!" Those may be the most familiar words on daytime television as announcer Johnny Oleso
Bruce Chatwin in In Patagonia... -- Jeremiah 31:10-13 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C
Bruce Chatwin in In Patagonia* talks about the Yamana tribe of Tierra del Fuego.
They shall languish no more... -- Jeremiah 31:10-13 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C
"They shall languish no more." (31:12)
After she decided to join... -- Jeremiah 31:10-13 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C
After she decided to join the Catholic Church, Clare Booth Luce recalled an early experience when sh

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

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

* * *

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.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL