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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Although Ellen is a minister... -- Joel 2:23-30 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Although Ellen is a minister in the unitarian universalist Church today, her journey into institutio
A new hospital chaplain reflected... -- Proverbs 9:8-12 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
A new hospital chaplain reflected on his training.
Two questions: First, what is... -- Proverbs 9:8-12 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
Two questions: First, what is a scoffer?
From a single sentence of... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C
From a single sentence of prayer, Walter C. Smith found in this passage an entire hymn.
There's a story about a... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C
There's a story about a runaway boy writing a letter home to his mother.
In my weaker moments, usually... -- 1 Timothy 1:12-17 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C
In my weaker moments, usually after a particularly stressful meeting in which opinions are argued, I
Henri Nouwen tells about a... -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C
Henri Nouwen tells about a man who meditated by the Ganges River.
H. B. Tristram wrote a... -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C
H. B. Tristram wrote a book titled Eastern Customs in Bible Lands.
Jesus sat quietly and thought... -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C
Jesus sat quietly and thought before he spoke. Memories flooded back from his 12th year.
H. H. Straton in his... -- Luke 15:1-10 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C
H. H.
In the mid-l9th century... -- Hosea 11:1-11 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
In the mid-l9th century, Rev.
The story is told of... -- Hosea 11:1-11 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
The story is told of a man who stole some money from a local variety store, got caught, arrested and
Leo Tolstoi, the great Russian... -- Hosea 11:1-11 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
Leo Tolstoi, the great Russian novelist, is celebrated as one of the very best novelists of all time
George Hunter tells the story... -- Hosea 11:1-11 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
George Hunter tells the story of a young mother who went to see a counselor.
The candidates had granted four... -- Proverbs 25:6-7 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
The candidates had granted four interviews while touring three different industrial sites during a b
On September 20, 1986, well... -- Proverbs 25:6-7 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
On September 20, 1986, well-known jockey Bill Shoemaker rode "Spectacular Bid" in the Woodward Stake
Who, given a chance, would... -- Proverbs 25:6-7 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
Who, given a chance, would not be a monarch and "stand in the place of the great?" But, dreaming asi
Semantitheraphy, that specialized school of... -- Proverbs 25:6-7 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - C
Semantitheraphy, that specialized school of counseling which puts extra emphasis on the inner-relate
I remember you in my... -- Philemon 1-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
"I remember you in my prayers," Paul said.
The Speaker's Lifetime Library... -- Philemon 1-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
The Speaker's Lifetime Library describes two events occurring on September 6 which are approp
I will not forget the... -- Philemon 1-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
I will not forget the story I heard about when a father trusted in his son's maturity.
A couple loved sailing and... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
A couple loved sailing and dreamed of owning their own sailboat on which they could go sailing at an
A man was hired by... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
A man was hired by the New Jersey Highway Department.
Counting the cost. After counting... -- Luke 14:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
Counting the cost.
No one has ever described... -- Luke 15:25-33 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
No one has ever described the dangers of cheap grace more eloquently than the Protestant theologian

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
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

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For November 16, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
Another natural disaster has flattened a number of coastal communities. Despite the weather and major television station warnings, and government disaster preparations, the dystopian destruction nightmare of Luke 21 has decimated another community. Also, it is reasonable to believe that this is not the last year for hurricanes, Tsunami’s, wild fires, mudslides and tornados. They will occur again. However as weary citizens are interviewed in one group of people with the background of homes in rubble and streets still draining flood waters, they will not leave. This is their home.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Isaiah 65:17-25 and Isaiah 12

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. (v. 25)

A week after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, country singer Toby Keith — who died Feb. 5, 2024 — wrote a patriotic ballad titled “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” It was filled with populist fighting rhetoric that matched the mood of a nation shaken by the shocking death and destruction of that day.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A blood pressure monitor. It is actually called a sphygmomanometer, and is pronounced “sfig·mow·muh·naa’·muh·tr”.

* * *

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
-- Isaiah 12:3

John W. Clarke
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world understands that Jesus is the hope of the world and that any teaching that leads away from that fact is a false teaching. No matter what, no matter when, Jesus will be there to give us life.

Scott Suskovic
Whoever does not work should not eat!
-- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT)

Wow! Kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it? Not a lot of ambiguity in that rule. "You don't work, you don't eat." For a religion based on grace, it seems a bit unyielding.

Mark Ellingson
Freedom is such a lovely word, a compelling image. What is freedom? How would you define it? What does it mean to you? Webster's New World Dictionary defines freedom as being exempt from control or from arbitrary restrictions. Freedom is said to be the ability to choose or determine one's own actions.

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