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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

In our sophisticated, technological world... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
In our sophisticated, technological world, it's refreshing to know that God hasn't changed the way f
King Croesus, the fabled ruler... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
King Croesus, the fabled ruler of Lydia who was noted for his great wealth, had a lively interest in
before you were born, I... -- Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
"... before you were born, I consecrated you."
Let us underscore the fact... -- Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
Let us underscore the fact that God equips whom he calls.
Of all the things Paul... -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
Of all the things Paul chose to say about love in this great chapter, perhaps none is more important
A group of demons were... -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
A group of demons were out in the desert trying to tempt the holy man.
John of Ephesus is, according... -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
John of Ephesus is, according to tradition, the author of three little gems, 1 John, 2 John, and 3 J
You don't see lepers in... -- Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
You don't see lepers in America.
Written large in the scriptures... -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
Written large in the scriptures is the affirmation that what we human beings need most desperately i
Gert Behanna, the author of... -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
Gert Behanna, the author of The Late Liz, tells about a daughter of a New York millionaire w
It was Dale Wasserman who... -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
It was Dale Wasserman who gave us the musical version of Don Quixote, Man of LaMancha.
Have you ever watched a... -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
Have you ever watched a good verbal fight between two people?
Helen Keller is revered as... -- 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
Helen Keller is revered as one of the great women of this century.
In Fiddler On The Roof... -- 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
In "Fiddler On The Roof" the big opening musical number is called "Tradition!" Tevye sings of the co
I once knew an individual... -- 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
I once knew an individual who had a very curious, even bizarre, habit.
The humanity of Jesus was... -- 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
The humanity of Jesus was the removal of the veil over the face of God.
When Ronald Reagan and Walter... -- 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
When Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale debated one another on national television last fall, it was s
J. S. Bach, whose 300th... -- 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
J. S.
It's an old story but... -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
It's an old story but it still illustrates the point: The pastor in a dust-bowl congregation announc
Some people have nicknamed the... -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
Some people have nicknamed the Mormon restoration at Nauvoo, Illinois, "the Williamsburg of the West
How slow we were to... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
How slow we were to realize that we must build a monument to the veterans of Vietnam.
God's covenants sometimes hold great... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
God's covenants sometimes hold great surprises not immediately visible.
I stood one afternoon several... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
I stood one afternoon several years ago watching the soft colors of a rainbow arch over an open fiel
The minister was talking to... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
The minister was talking to a group of young people ranging in age twelve through high school.
Abraham's faith is demonstrated in... -- Genesis 22:1-18 -- First Sunday in Lent - B
Abraham's faith is demonstrated in his act of radical obedience to the demand God placed upon him.

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
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, 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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