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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

What does it take to... -- Luke 21:25-36 -- First Sunday of Advent - C
What does it take to motivate you to "keep the faith" in the face of suffering, unfulfilled dreams,
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said... -- Luke 21:25-36 -- First Sunday of Advent - C
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said of the Second Coming, "When Christ appears in the clouds he will sim
People of all generations have... -- Luke 21:25-36 -- First Sunday of Advent - C
People of all generations have looked forward with mixed feelings of hope and fear to the coming of
A few years ago I... -- 1 Samuel 3:1-10 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
A few years ago I served a church in a major city that hosted three large teaching hospitals.
In a temple of God... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
In a temple of God, like the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, a corner of the building would not be an appr
Whether one goes to the... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
Whether one goes to the movie theatre, watches TV, reads a novel or magazine, one has to cope with a
Remember the last time you... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
Remember the last time you were blazing angry?
Today is the age of... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
Today is the age of the human body. We are obsessed with the way the body looks.
In 1914 the Communist Party... -- John 1:35-42 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
In 1914 the Communist Party in China had less than twenty members, one of whom was Mao Tse-tung.
Once you can get a... -- John 1:35-42 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
Once you can get a person to do what you want them to do, it is much easier, then, to get them to be
Some things are very difficult... -- John 1:35-42 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
Some things are very difficult to describe.
If the former interrupts, distorts... -- John 1:35-42 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
If the former interrupts, distorts or replaces the latter, what is merely "good" can become the grea
In a special youth service... -- John 1:43-51 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
In a special youth service, the evangelist had preached a penetrating, pointed message to the youth
What's your favorite symphony? he... -- John 1:43-51 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
"What's your favorite symphony?" he asked me. "Handel's Water Music," I replied.
I love to go to... -- John 1:43-51 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
I love to go to the circus when it is in town.
Nazareth was a cloud of... -- John 1:43-51 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B
Nazareth was a cloud of unpredictability hanging like a menance over Jerusalem.
In the comic strip, Hagar... -- Jonah 3:5, 10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B
In the comic strip, "Hagar, the Horrible" is pictured on the bow of his viking ship leading his band
Four men spent a week... -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B
Four men spent a week together in a hospital ward. They grew to know the aides and nurses well.
Many wise people claim that... -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B
Many wise people claim that the only thing worse than not getting what we want is to get it.
When I was attending seminary... -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B
When I was attending seminary a distinguished black theology professor from a prominent seminary in
A pastor, who had been... -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B
A pastor, who had been something of a hellion in his youth, returned toserve his boyhood congregatio
In a recent Bible study... -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B
In a recent Bible study class we were discussing the "second coming" of Christ -- whether or not suc
For the past few weeks... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B
For the past few weeks, several volunteers from the church have been participating in a Bible study
Superman has had a long... -- Isaiah 42:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B
Superman has had a long life.
The Baptism of John is... -- Acts 19:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B
"The Baptism of John is the Baptism of Repentance, of emptying ourselves of evil and sin.

Political Pulpit

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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
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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