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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

It's easy in the life... -- 2 Kings 2:1 -1 2a -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
It's easy in the life of faith to get caught up in the great time-wasters.
Most summer camps have a... -- 2 Kings 2:1-12a -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
Most summer camps have a "buddy system" for people who go swimming.
The story of Elijah and... -- 2 Kings 2:1 -1 2a -- Transfiguration Sunday - B
The story of Elijah and Elisha models for us stages into the ministry.
All of us have probably... -- John 2:1-12 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
All of us have probably arrived at our own, personal Cana during our lifetimes.
We live in a throw... -- Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
We live in a "throw-away" culture.
Law and order. Matt Dillon... -- Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
Law and order. Matt Dillon brandishing a Colt .45 down the dusty streets of Dodge City. J.
We all seem to remember... -- Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
We all seem to remember Watergate, don't we?
Benjamin Franklin observed that Laws... -- Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Benjamin Franklin observed that "Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed." Wh
The church becomes a Living... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
The church becomes a Living Body of Christ when the love of Christ is allowed to move through all th
Now you are the body... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." (v. 27)
In a series of lectures... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
In a series of lectures published under the title, "Churches the Apostles Left Behind," Father Raymo
A prisoner took his identical... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
A prisoner took his identical twin brother's place for several hours on death row in the Nebraska pe
I know a preacher who... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
I know a preacher who was in a difficult period of life that often is called a "faith crisis." He wa
There is an old story... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
There is an old story, which I am sure many of you have heard, about a young minister who was about
It happens all the time... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
It happens all the time in our Sunday morning worship.
St. Luke tells us that... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C
St.
Remember those operator-assisted long... -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
Remember those operator-assisted long distance phone calls?
The word Epiphany comes from... -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
The word "Epiphany" comes from a Greek word which means "to show, to reveal, to make manifest." Jesu
The newspaper announcement said: The... -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
The newspaper announcement said: "The Clairvoyant Society meeting has been canceled until further no
I am neither a prophet... -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
"I am neither a prophet nor a prophet's son," my seminary liturgics professor liked to say when conf
Trip him? Some hard lessons... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
Trip him?
If you've ever driven in... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C
If you've ever driven in New England, you know the roads are narrow, hilly, winding and very busy.
In speaking to Cornelius and... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
In speaking to Cornelius and his family, Peter recounts Jesus' story and the events that started his
This year, for the first... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
This year, for the first time, our country is officially celebrating a national holiday in honor of
Finding the proper hymn for... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Finding the proper hymn for the proper occasion is often easier said than done.

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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