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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

There was a time, not... -- Mark 15:1-39 (40-47) -- Passion Sunday - B
There was a time, not so long ago, when the communist governments of Eastern Europe thought they had
One summer, some kids from... -- Mark 15:1-39 (40-47) -- Passion Sunday - B
One summer, some kids from vacation Bible school were running up and down the church sanctuary aisle
On the surface, it appeared... -- Mark 15:1-39 (40-47) -- Passion Sunday - B
On the surface, it appeared that everything went wrong all at once.
Brad was still pouting and... -- Acts 10:34-43 -- Easter Day - B
Brad was still pouting and crying in his beer at the local bar one year later, after he lost his job
Rosa Parks died last year... -- Acts 10:34-43 -- Easter Day - B
Rosa Parks died last year (2005) and the United States lost a great person who helped change the lan
Buddha once said, He who... -- Acts 10:34-43 -- Easter Day - B
Buddha once said, "He who experiences the unity of life sees his own self in all beings, and all bei
Verse 4 of John of... -- Acts 10:34-43 -- Easter Day - B
Verse 4 of John of Damascus' ancient and beloved Easter hymn, "The Day of Resurrection," proclaims:
There's not much that's new... -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 -- Easter Day - B
There's not much that's "new" about New College, Oxford; it was founded in 1379.
In his book, The Resurrection... -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 -- Easter Day - B
In his book, The Resurrection of the Son of God (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2003), on pa
A pastor tells of going... -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 -- Easter Day - B
A pastor tells of going to the local mall to replace a watchband.
The risen Lord showed himself... -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 -- Easter Day - B
The risen Lord showed himself to a variety of people in a variety of times and places.
Mark's Gospel leaves the church... -- Mark 16:1-8 -- Easter Day - B
Mark's Gospel leaves the church community fleeing from the tomb, "for they were afraid" (Mark 16:8b)
The Bible study class had... -- Mark 16:1-8 -- Easter Day - B
The Bible study class had been together for over five years.
In November 2005, students at... -- Mark 16:1-8 -- Easter Day - B
In November 2005, students at Austin High School and young people and congregation members at First
The most common emotion reported... -- Mark 16:1-8 -- Easter Day - B
The most common emotion reported on the first Easter was fear: "The guards shook and became like dea
Thomas Long tells the story... -- Acts 4:32-35 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
Thomas Long tells the story of a father and son who went jogging in an urban neighborhood.
Curtis always tried to get... -- Acts 4:32-35 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
Curtis always tried to get on the good side of every new boss in the company.
A comfortable, suburban church wanted... -- Acts 4:32-35 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
A comfortable, suburban church wanted to be more involved in local missions.
I don't need any church... -- 1 John 1:1-2:2 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
"I don't need any church!" exclaimed old Charlie.
There was a television commercial... -- 1 John 1:1-2:2 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
There was a television commercial for an insurance company that opened by showing a simple wooden ch
Elsie was a woman with... -- 1 John 1:1-2:2 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
Elsie was a woman with a lot of tales to tell.
Several years ago, there was... -- 1 John 1:1-2:2 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
Several years ago, there was a newspaper article about a group of businessmen in Bellingham, Washing
There's an old story about... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
There's an old story about a group of prisoners who have lived together on the same cell block for m
As a young, intelligent, arrogant... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
As a young, intelligent, arrogant, recent university graduate with an advanced physics degree, Arlen
Betsy Ann is a loving... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
Betsy Ann is a loving mother and grandmother who always put her family first.

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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