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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

There is nothing like the... -- Jeremiah 28:1-9 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A
There is nothing like the truth to pave the way for a secure future.
Stories about false prophets abound... -- Jeremiah 28:1-9 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A
Stories about false prophets abound.
Silence is the perfectest herald... -- Jeremiah 28:1-9 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A
"Silence is the perfectest herald of joy," Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing.
Predictions are tricky business. They... -- Jeremiah 28:1-9 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A
Predictions are tricky business.
Simple SignsFrom... -- Jeremiah 18:1-11 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Simple SignsFrom the very startGod has blessed usWith simple signs
There is no such way... -- Jeremiah 23:23-29 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
There is no such way to gain admittance, or give defense, to strange and absurd doctrines, as to gua
This text contains four questions... -- Jeremiah 23:23-29 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
This text contains four questions for moon men.
Yes, I would say, 'Here... -- Jeremiah 23:23-29 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
"Yes, I would say, 'Here I am.' I am tired.
Powerful people do not like... -- Jeremiah 23:23-29 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Powerful people do not like to have others argue with them, for those who hold power tend very much
Sometimes our faith seems a... -- Wisdom 18:6-9 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Sometimes our faith seems a strange paradox, as this description of God at work among the people of
There is a priest in... -- Wisdom 18:6-9 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
There is a priest in Olinda and Recife in Brazil by the name of Dom Helder Camara.
If we don't make plans... -- Wisdom 18:6-9 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
If we don't make plans for departure from this life, we can be left in a predicament similar to that
The child had been born... -- Wisdom 18:6-9 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
The child had been born severely distressed, lungs and kidneys barely functioning.
Most of us worship in... -- Hebrews 12:1-13 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Most of us worship in sanctuaries with windows made of stained glass.
Some of the imagery used... -- Hebrews 12:1-13 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Some of the imagery used here is a bit difficult to translate into today's culture --such as illegit
Endurance is the name of... -- Hebrews 12:1-13 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Endurance is the name of the game. Perseverance is the key to success.
Over the years a lot... -- Hebrews 12:1-13 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Over the years a lot of different kinds of machinery has been invented that has greatly simplified a
Cohn Morris writes in Include... -- Luke 12:49-53 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Cohn Morris writes in Include Me Out, "Because the Gospel is simple, the judgment is immediat
Try preaching this text on... -- Luke 12:49-53 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Try preaching this text on the Festival of the Christian Home!
Mark Vonnegut, son of the... -- Luke 12:49-53 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
Mark Vonnegut, son of the author Kurt Vonnegut, has written a case history of his own experience of
During the civil rights movement... -- Luke 12:49-53 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - A
During the civil rights movement of the 1960s, a college student grew deeply impressed with the cour
Elisha, the holy man of... -- 2 Kings 13:14-20a -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A
Elisha, the holy man of Israel, was on his deathbed.
Four-year-old Marcus was... -- 2 Kings 13:14-20a -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A
Four-year-old Marcus was given a chance to bat at the annual Sunday School picnic.
Bishop L. Bevel Jones III... -- Colossians 3: (5-11) 12-17 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A
Bishop L.
When the crew of the... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - A
When the crew of the starship Enterprise would encounter an enemy ship which had activated it

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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
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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