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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

The church was stately, exquisitely... -- Acts 10:34-38 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
The church was stately, exquisitely appointed, and symbolically precise.
Luke's portrait of John the... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Luke's portrait of John the Baptist is carefully drawn.
Clearly, the Baptism of Jesus... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Clearly, the Baptism of Jesus was his identification with the ministry of John, and the confirmation
Great expectations. Dreams of the... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
Great expectations. Dreams of the everyday housewife. Phantoms of future redemption.
This baptismal scene makes me... -- Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - C
This baptismal scene makes me think of that which is reverent and holy -- quiet and, in a sense, "pa
Like Jerusalem of the prophet's... -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Like Jerusalem of the prophet's day, so the church of our day often seems shrouded by apathy, indiff
Think back only a few... -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Think back only a few years ago to that situation known in all the newspapers and TV news reports as
In this passage, Isaiah prophesied... -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
In this passage, Isaiah prophesied hope to the people.
One of the charming Christmas... -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
One of the charming Christmas customs, observed in Sweden, is connected with the day of St.
Fifteen years ago a man... -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Fifteen years ago a man on board ship between California and Hawaii wrote a love letter to his wife,
Like the Isaiah 61:10--62:3... -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Like the Isaiah 61:10--62:3 Christmas 2 passage, this is a continuing commentary on Christmas.
Marriage, in biblical days, was... -- Isaiah 62:1-5 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Marriage, in biblical days, was more a matter of economics than of romance.
A woman approached her pastor... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
A woman approached her pastor and asked him if he'd ever spoken in tongues.
Sometimes people are gifted in... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Sometimes people are gifted in ways we don't expect, while gifts we might expect to see in them don'
A woman who had sat... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
A woman who had sat in the pew for six months listening to the volunteer parish choir stumble along
As a working concept among... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
As a working concept among us, the Priesthood of Believers has not fared well since the Reformation.
Our text tells us about... -- John 2:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
Our text tells us about a time when Jesus went to a marriage feast.
The poet, Richard Crashaw (c... -- John 2:1-12 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
The poet, Richard Crashaw (c.
As I started a recent... -- John 2:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C
As I started a recent trip I stopped by the bookstand at the airport to pick up something to help wh
A little boy once asked... -- Sirach 24:1-4, 8-12 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C
A little boy once asked his mother to hang stretch-socks over the fireplace for Christmas.
There is an old proverb... -- Sirach 24:1-4, 8-12 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C
There is an old proverb that reads, "When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt." Throughout
Wisdom was considered a highly... -- Sirach 24:1-4, 8-12 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C
Wisdom was considered a highly prized gift by the people of Israel.
Paul gives thanks for the... -- Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C
Paul gives thanks for the qualities shown by members of the congregation at Ephesus.
In his recent book, The... -- Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C
In his recent book, The Outsider, Howard Fast describes a scene where a young Jewish r
The relationship between fathers and... -- Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - C
The relationship between fathers and sons in 19th-century England was rather formal, so when a young

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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
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Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
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27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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29 – Commentary / Exegesis
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Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
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31 – Commentary / Exegesis
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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, 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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