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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

NULL -- Matthew 5:13-20 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - A -- 2010
In an old fairy tale, a king asks his three daughters how much they love him.
Sermon Illustrations for Epiphany 6 (2011) -- Deuteronomy 30:15-20, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Matthew 5:21-37 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2010
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
A while back... -- Deuteronomy 30:15-20 -- Craig Kelly -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2010
A while back I volunteered at a pregnancy crisis center here in my hometown.
The Andersons are Catholic... -- 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2010
The Andersons are Catholic, and they are very fond of the priest in their parish.
Do we still dwell in the shadows... -- 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2010
Do we still dwell in the shadows of Billy Sunday?
Sin can be very deceptive... -- Matthew 5:21-37 -- Craig Kelly -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - A -- 2010
Sin can be very deceptive.
Sermon illustrations for Epiphany 7 (2011) -- Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23, Matthew 5:38-48 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2010
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18
Charlize doesn't get along with her dad... -- Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2010
Charlize doesn't get along with her dad.
Reginald Heber (783-1826) was a bishop in the Church of England... -- Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2010
Reginald Heber (783-1826) was a bishop in the Church of England.
St. Peter's basilica in Rome is... -- 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23 -- Craig Kelly -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2010
St. Peter's basilica in Rome is the result of a massive building effort by many contributors.
Frederick Douglass approached the front door... -- Matthew 5:38-48 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2010
Frederick Douglass approached the front door of the White House, seeking admission into Abraham Linc
In the 1992 film Last of the Mohicans... -- Matthew 5:38-48 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - A -- 2010
In the 1992 film Last of the Mohicans, Daniel Day-Lewis stars as Hawkeye, an Englishman adopt
NULL -- Isaiah 49:8-16a, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, Matthew 6:24-34 -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - A -- 2010
Isaiah 49:8-16a
NULL -- Isaiah 49:8-16a -- Craig Kelly -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - A -- 2010
It is hard to believe that a mother would ever abandon her child.
NULL -- 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - A -- 2010
Lorraine puts her foot in her mouth at every opportunity, or so it seems to her.
NULL -- 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - A -- 2010
Archbishop Fulton J.
NULL -- Matthew 6:24-34 -- Craig Kelly -- Epiphany 8 | Ordinary Time 8 - A -- 2010
We live in an anxious society.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 br... -- Matthew 25:31-46, Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2009
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
Jeremiah 31:7-14 br... -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18, Ephesians 1:3-14, Jeremiah 31:7-14 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - B -- 2009
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Isaiah 60:1-6 br... -- Matthew 2:1-12, Ephesians 3:1-12, Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 2009
Isaiah 60:1-6
Genesis 1:1-5 br... -- Mark 1:4-11, Acts 19:1-7, Genesis 1:1-5 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2009
Genesis 1:1-5
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20... -- John 1:43-51, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2009
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
Deuteronomy 18:15-20 br... -- Mark 1:21-28, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2009
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Isaiah 40:21-31 br... -- Mark 1:29-39, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2009
Isaiah 40:21-31
2 Kings 5:1-14br... -- Mark 1:40-45, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2009
2 Kings 5:1-14

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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