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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

In US Navel Institute Proceedings... -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2008
In US Navel Institute Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute, Frank Koch illustrate
At this point in the... -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2008
At this point in the gospel of Mark, Jesus is a nobody for most people.
It may seem strange that... -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2008
It may seem strange that the man with an unclean spirit worships in the synagogue.
Walter Wink believes that for... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Walter Wink believes that for many, many people, violence is the real religion of our time.
Waiting for God is not... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep.
Walter Wink believes that for... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Walter Wink believes that for many, many people, violence is the real religion of our time.
Waiting for God is not... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep.
The purposes of God often... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
The purposes of God often develop slowly because his grand designs are never hurried.
According to a traditional Hebrew... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
According to a traditional Hebrew story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he sa
Eric was tired and sore... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Eric was tired and sore.
Arguably the greatest boxer of... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Arguably the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali was not known for his humility.
Christians often smother the Christian... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Christians often smother the Christian faith with their own characteristics.
A sightseeing bus was making... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
A sightseeing bus was making the rounds through Washington DC, and the driver was pointing out spots
According to a story in... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
According to a story in the Grand Rapids Press, the owner of a small foreign car had begun to
When the New Testament speaks... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
When the New Testament speaks of ministering to the saints, it means not primarily preaching to them
Image is brass, reputation is... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
"Image is brass, reputation is silver, character is gold." Paul becomes all things to all people, ch
Paul proudly declares that he... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Paul proudly declares that he has become all things to all people. "How can this be?" we ask.
Get lost! We've all heard... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
"Get lost!" We've all heard those words -- though, maybe not recently.
A one-legged schoolteacher from... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
A one-legged schoolteacher from Scotland came to J.
Some wish to live within... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Some wish to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a ya
Kenny could hardly wait for... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Kenny could hardly wait for the youth fellowship's winter retreat.
According to psychologist, Hara Estroff... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
According to psychologist, Hara Estroff Marano, one of the ways that humans can cope with the pressu
In the movie, Overboard, Joanna... -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
In the movie, Overboard, Joanna Stayton was a rich, spoiled heiress who fell "overboard" from
Abraham Lincoln's secretary of war... -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
Abraham Lincoln's secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, was angered by an army officer who accused him of
The great Italian conductor, Arturo... -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2008
The great Italian conductor, Arturo Toscanini, was legendary for his fits of rage.

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 28 | OT 33 | Pentecost 23
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Christ the King Sunday
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Thanksgiving
34 – Sermons
80+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
24 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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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, wildfires, 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 Sept. 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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