Login / Signup

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Pentecost Sale - Save $131!
Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mystery and revelation -- Exodus 3:1-15, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C
The revelation of God, as described in the call of Moses, still leaves a great deal unexplained.
Respons ... ibility -- Ezekiel 33:1-11, Luke 14:25-33, Philemon 1-20 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
Listen to most people talk about responsibility and you will soon hear them speaking of duty and obl
Righteousness -- Isaiah 43:16-21, Philippians 3:8-14, John 12:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - C
Speak the word "righteousness" in almost any congregation and immediately the hearers will translate
Appearance -- Acts 5:17-32, John 20:19-31, Revelation 1:4-18 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C
At first, just the word that someone had seen him was enough. The eyewitnesses were present.
God Is Watching -- Psalm 121, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5, Psalm 121 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A
I wonder what we think when we hear this phrase: "God is watching." For all too many, I suspect that
Spiritual chinook -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15, Romans 8:22-27, Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b -- Wayne Brouwer -- Day of Pentecost - B
In northern parts of the United States winter weather reports include phrases like "cold
An urgent word from our brother, Dives -- Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - C
In choosing from the scripture listings for this Sunday, a number of compelling reasons suggest the
The right lens, "A or B" -- Isaiah 40:21-31, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Mark 1:29-39 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B
One thing that I don't look forward to is the periodic visit to the optometrist.
In Transition -- Job 7:1-7, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B
February is for the church a month of transition from the Epiphany theme of showing forth the life,
Farewells are for the future -- Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53, Psalm 93
What do we include with our good-byes? Almost always, we include the future.
Rejoicing -- Psalm 126, Philippians 1:3-11, Luke 3:1-6 -- Second Sunday of Advent - B
Sometimes one can listen to the Christian community as it conducts its life, witness and worsh
Transfiguration -- Psalm 99, Deuteronomy 34:1-12, 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C
There is a mighty difference between the self-made perfectionist who is certain that by his perfecti
Moving on -- Acts 14:8-18, John 13:31-35, Revelation 21:1-6 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C
One of John's contributions is his writing from the viewpoint of a later early Christian.
It's who knows you that counts! -- Deuteronomy 10:12-22, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C
The "street-wise" will tell you, "It's who you know that counts!" It's "drag," or "pull," that gets
The God of New Beginnings -- Psalm 104:24-34, Genesis 11:1-9, John 14:8-17 (25-27) -- Day of Pentecost - C
Listen to some people talk these days and you get the idea that they worship a God who is interested
Lent -- Genesis 9:8-17, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Surely most readers know that the original meaning of the word "Lent" is associated with springtime
Midterm exams -- Judges 4:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Matthew 25:14-30 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A
At the college where I teach in the religion department, we are just past midterm exams.
He's hyper -- Jeremiah 18:1-11, Philemon 1:1-21, Luke 14:25-33, Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - C
"I worry about him," my wife said as the credits rolled for Bowling for Columbine, referring
Prisoners for love -- John 15:9-17, 1 John 5:1-6, Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98 -- R. Craig Maccreary -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B
In a scene from the current hit Broadway show, The Producers, a chorus of
Idol-rife -- Acts 17:22-31, 1 Peter 3:13-22, John 14:15-21, Psalm 66:8-20 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - A
In Garret Kreizer's novel, God of Beer (2002), the high school social studies teacher tells t
Faith and Works -- Psalm 15, Ezekiel 18:1-9, 25-29, Luke 14:1, 7-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A
One would think that one of these days the continuing discussion of these two matters would go away.
The Trinity -- Romans 8:12-17, John 3:1-17, John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B
Few, in their right minds, would address this subject if they could get out of it; yet it does need
Between acts -- Acts 7:55-60, 1 Peter 2:2-10, John 14:1-14 -- David Kalas -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A
What do you do between Act 2 and Act 3 of a performance? That depends upon who you are.
God is Where We See Him -- 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Mark 6:1-6, Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B
Joy -- 1 Kings 21:1-3, 17-21, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C
There is these days a proper concern for the restoration of the element of joy to our Christian fait

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 (2012) -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41), Hebrews 5:1-10, Mark 10:35-45 -- Mark J. Molldrem, Cynthia E. Cowen, Ron Love, Bob Ove, Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
Job 38:1-7 (34-41)
NULL -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41) -- Ron Love -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
In the comic strip The Born Loser, Brutus Thornapple is staring at his computer console.
NULL -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41) -- Cynthia E. Cowen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
The book of Job shows us the face of suffering.
NULL -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41) -- Bob Ove -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
When I was a kid I thought I knew everything, so I was always complaining when my folks thought they
NULL -- Job 38:1-7 (34-41) -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
If we were to paraphrase these words in today's parlance, it would sound like this: "Who do you thin
NULL -- Hebrews 5:1-10 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
We are awed by war stories of heroes who took a bullet for a friend.
NULL -- Hebrews 5:1-10 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
In the Hebrew Talmud is an old legend that goes as follows: Rabbi Yoshua ben Levi came upon Elijah t
NULL -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
There were many hikers who came to Nepal to challenge the tallest mountains in the world.
NULL -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Ron Love -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
J.
NULL -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Cynthia E. Cowen -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
When I hear the word "servant" I think of Alice the maid in The Brady Bunch or the butlers Je
NULL -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 2012
In the popular reality TV show The Apprentice, candidates vie for the privilege to be selecte
Sermon Illustrations for Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 (2012) -- Job 42:1-6, 10-17, Hebrews 7:23-28, Mark 10:46-52 -- Mark Ellingsen, Richard A. Hasler, Cynthia E. Cowen, Bob Ove, Mark J. Molldrem, Ron Love -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
NULL -- Job 42:1-6, 10-17 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
Job's encounter with God left him speechless, silenced him regarding all his previous questions and
NULL -- Job 42:1-6, 10-17 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
Wesley C.
NULL -- Hebrews 7:23-28 -- Ron Love -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
Oftentimes new technology becomes so commonplace that we fail to realize its revolutionary social ch
NULL -- Hebrews 7:23-28 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
In 70 AD, General Titus (destined to become Caesar) brought the Roman Legions to Jerusalem to quell
NULL -- Hebrews 7:23-28 -- Bob Ove -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
We often hear about soldiers who sacrificed for our country but seldom hear about the one who sacrif
NULL -- Hebrews 7:23-28 -- Cynthia E. Cowen -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
The British poet Lord Byron wrote, "They never fail who die in a great cause." Over the centuries ma
NULL -- Mark 10:46-52 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
A Russian pilgrim in the nineteenth century wandered into a church service and heard the pastor prea
NULL -- Mark 10:46-52 -- Mark Ellingsen -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2012
Martin Luther suggests that Bartimaeus represents all of us who want a closer walk with God: "The bl
Sermon Illustrations for Reformation Day (2012) -- Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 3:19-28, John 8:31-36 -- Ron Love, Bob Ove, Cynthia E. Cowen, Mark J. Molldrem, Richard A. Hasler, Mark Ellingsen -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2012
Jeremiah 31:31-34
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Cynthia E. Cowen -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2012
On Valentine's Day romantics old or young have the opportunity to declare their love.
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Bob Ove -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2012
Don't we really want that new contract!
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Mark J. Molldrem -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2012
John was furious! "Jane, how could you have done this?" Jane was mortified.
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Ron Love -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 2012
Alecia Beth Moore, whose stage name is Pink, wrote an essay on her admiration for the singing talent

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Ascension of the Lord
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Easter 7
20 – Sermons
170+ – Illustrations / Stories
26 – Children's Sermons / Resources
24 – Worship Resources
20 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Pentecost
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 job description. I have attached a sample you can use if you wish. I have highlighted a few of the items that might be good to use as examples during the message, but feel free to pick the ones you want to use.

* * *

The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
For June 8, 2025:

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
    may the Lord rejoice in his works—
 who looks on the earth and it trembles,
    who touches the mountains and they smoke.
 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
    I will sing praise to my God while I have being. (vv. 31-33)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
An older couple is given an eight-month eviction notice to leave their residence. They are living on a fixed income. After exploring an advertised senior living community in the next county, the news is grim. They cannot afford to live in such a community despite the extravagant advertising publicity they saw about amenities and community recreation on television. Both the man and woman have worked many jobs for decades with small pensions, lower wages in a roller coaster job market for a couple decades. The man calls a small-town pastor in the area.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Genesis 11:1-9

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

On the day of Pentecost, six weeks after Jesus had risen from death, when the disciples were gathered together in one place, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. As we gather together on the day of Pentecost, let us ask God that we too might be filled with his Holy Spirit.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, forgive us our sins and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, forgive us our apathy and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Schuyler Rhodes
Today is Pentecost. The creative power of God's Spirit (v. 30) flows today like no other day. The Spirit that is poured out on this day is the same Spirit that hovered over the waters (Genesis 1:2) at the dawn of creation. This is the same Spirit that possessed Gideon as he lifted up his horn (Judges 6:4). And it is the same Spirit that the risen Jesus told us would arrive as an advocate to accompany us (John 14:16) forever.
John Jamison
It wasn't their first fight. Like most fathers and sons they had their disagreements. But this time, something was different. A line had been crossed that had never been crossed before. They sat there, staring at each other, both realizing they were in new territory, neither of them sure that they really wanted to be there.

David R. Cartwright
That first Pentecost was a grand and glorious day. It was a new beginning. On that special day, God's people were reborn through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It was an extraordinary event.

Robert Leslie Holmes
A seminary student writing a term paper about confession of sin started to type, "When we confess, Christ takes away our guilt." However, he was a bit thick-fingered and hit the letter q instead of the letter g on his computer keyboard. Now his sentence read, "Christ takes away our quilt." He didn't notice his error but his professor did and wrote in the margin, "Fear not, little one, you'll not freeze for God has given us a Comforter!" Using his keen wit, the professor conveyed a profound spiritual truth that is at the heart of Pentecost. God has given us a Comforter.
Alex A. Gondola, Jr.
There's an old story about a man who found a pig. It seems that as this man was driving into the city in his station wagon, a stray hog suddenly ran out in front of him. The man stopped the car, jumped out, caught the pig, and put it in the back. Not knowing what to do with the animal, he flagged down the first policeman he saw, explained the situation and asked, "What should I do with this hog?"

"Take him to the zoo," was the officer's response.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL