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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

The English painter J. M... -- John 6:56-69 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
The English painter J. M. W.
Steve was attending a business... -- John 6:56-69 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
Steve was attending a business meeting in New York City.
At first it seemed that... -- John 6:56-69 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
At first it seemed that everyone was in favor of building the new church.
In Guy de Maupassant’s story... -- Song of Solomon 2:8-13 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
In Guy de Maupassant’s story “In the Moonlight,” the priest, Marignan, believes he understands God p
When we think of Puritans... -- Song of Solomon 2:8-13 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
When we think of Puritans, we tend to think of the Bible-thumping, strict, “you’re-destined-for-hell
An older couple walked slowly... -- Song of Solomon 2:8-13 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
An older couple walked slowly hand in hand along the beach.
Angry words are among the... -- James 1:17-27 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
Angry words are among the most destructive.
Bob was a loyal member... -- James 1:17-27 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
Bob was a loyal member of his church for well over fifty years.
Johnny was a talker, and... -- James 1:17-27 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
Johnny was a talker, and even though his talk often got him into trouble, he didn’t seem to learn.
I grew up knowing about... -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
I grew up knowing about pests in the house: flies, moths, ants, and mosquitoes.
Consider the bag of potato... -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
Consider the bag of potato chips. It’s marvelous, really.
Winston Churchill told the story... -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
Winston Churchill told the story of a man who dived into a river to save a drowning child, only to h
Some people never doubt the... -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
Some people never doubt the Bible's veracity. I have.
Sometimes God uses those who... -- Mark 6:14-29, Ephesians 1:3-14, 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19, Psalm 24 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 2009
Sometimes God uses those who lack pedigree in order to fine-tune our attention and our focus.
Isaiah 50:4-9a Lt... -- Matthew 26:14--27:66, Philippians 2:5-11, Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Passion Sunday - A -- 2008
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Preaching The Psalmbr... -- Matthew 2:1-12, Ephesians 3:1-12, Isaiah 60:1-6, Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2008
Preaching The PsalmPsalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Preaching The Psalmbr... -- Matthew 17:1-9, 2 Peter 1:16-21, Exodus 24:12-18, Psalm 2 -- 2008
Preaching The PsalmPsalm 2
It's hard to imagine a... -- 1 Samuel 16:1-13 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
It's hard to imagine a candidate running for president today without a veritable army of
When I worked with churches... -- 1 Samuel 16:1-13 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
When I worked with churches searching for a new pastor, they were often tempted to go
Erica seemed like an ordinary... -- 1 Samuel 16:1-13 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
Erica seemed like an ordinary person who attended church each week. She did not
The cliché is well known... -- 1 Samuel 16:1-13 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
The cliché is well known: "You can't judge a book by its cover." But how about this one:
Allen Carr (1934-2006) smoked for... -- Ephesians 5:8-14 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
Allen Carr (1934-2006) smoked for 31 years. He tried many times to stop, but, he usually
We live in the country... -- Ephesians 5:8-14 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
We live in the country. Occasional farm lights flicker in the distance, but our trees hide
Living in the light took... -- Ephesians 5:8-14 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
Living in the light took on a whole new dimension for me in 1942 when the electricity
The story of how Annie... -- John 9:1-41 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
The story of how Annie Sullivan taught Helen Keller (who lacked the ability to see and

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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