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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

NULL -- 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2010
Visiting Israel was one of the highlights of my pastoral ministry.
NULL -- Galatians 2:15-21 -- Timothy Smith -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2010
Verna along with her mother was shopping at local specialty shops in a revitalized downtown area of
NULL -- Galatians 2:15-21 -- Craig Kelly -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2010
One of my all-time favorite movie scenes is in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.
NULL -- Galatians 2:15-21 -- Ron Love -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2010
In the year 1510, Martin Luther made a pilgrimage to Rome.
NULL -- Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2010
Persepolis is an autobiographical graphic novel about Marjane Satrapi, a woman who grew up in Iran a
NULL -- 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a, Galatians 2:15-21, Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 2010
Illustrations1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a
NULL -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a -- Craig Kelly -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2010
In certain Hollywood movies, such as Oh, God! and Bruce Almighty, the writers had God
NULL -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a -- Ron Love -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2010
"That was a miracle." Ronald Reagan was 11 years old in the winter of 1921-1922.
NULL -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a -- Timothy Smith -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2010
Lynn recalls seeing a cartoon in a magazine with a small child asking, "Do caterpillars know they're
NULL -- Galatians 3:23-29 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2010
As a beginning piano student, you get used to your teacher correcting you at every step.
NULL -- Galatians 3:23-29 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2010
An apocryphal story is told about an agnostic who found himself in trouble.
NULL -- Luke 8:26-39 -- Tim Smith -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2010
It had been several years since Patricia had been in contact with any of her family.
NULL -- Luke 8:26-39 -- Ron Love -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2010
Bill had soldiered through the ravages of World War I.
NULL -- Luke 8:26-39 -- Craig Kelly -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2010
While one might think that most important aspect of running a business or a corporation is accountin
NULL -- 1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a, Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - C -- 2010
Illustrations1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
NULL -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2010
The musical Side Show is about Violet and Daisy, Siamese twins from a freak show.
NULL -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2010
I was in my sophomore year of high school in Kansas City when Lamar Hunt, owner of the Dallas franch
NULL -- Galatians 5:1, 13-25 -- Craig Kelly -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2010
When a massive earthquake hit the impoverished nation of Haiti some time back, the response to the c
NULL -- Galatians 5:1, 13-25 -- Tim Smith -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2010
Tensions were running high among members of the family.
NULL -- Galatians 5:1, 13-25 -- Ron Love -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2010
George Burns and Gracie Allen moved to a new residence in Hollywood.
NULL -- Luke 9:51-62 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2010
Charlotte and Nancy's friend Tess was a fashion disaster.
NULL -- 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - C -- 2010
Illustrations2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
NULL -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Ron Love -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2010
It had been almost a year since the diving accident that left her a quadriplegic.
NULL -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Craig Kelly -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2010
How many times do we get little inklings from God to do something?
NULL -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Timothy Smith -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - C -- 2010
Shawn almost forgot about a meeting he said he would attend at his church.

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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