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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

For the one who sanctifies... -- Hebrews 2:10-18 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
"For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father.
A proud grandmother was showing... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
A proud grandmother was showing off photos of her new grandchild at a church potluck.
Art Linkletter tells about his... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
Art Linkletter tells about his all-time favorite religious encounter with a child.
A little boy was visiting... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
A little boy was visiting his aunt and uncle.
C. P. Snow in his... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
C. P.
While we like to think... -- Colossians 3:12-21 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
While we like to think that we are a people, a society more advanced, more cultured than our ancesto
Once upon a time in... -- Colossians 3:12-21 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
Once upon a time in a land not so far away, a movie actress was asked to be the spokesperson for the
For more than a year... -- Colossians 3:12-21 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
For more than a year, the nation has been convulsed by the arrest and beating of Rodney King in Cali
Natural scientist Aldo Leopold once... -- Colossians 3:12-21 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
Natural scientist Aldo Leopold once studied the inter-relationships of rabbits, lady-slippers, deer
In this account it seems... -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
In this account it seems about all the baby Jesus did was hide out by being moved from spot to spot.
Paul felt called to be... -- Romans 1:1-7 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
Paul felt called to be an apostle, a witness, to the gentiles, people not fully acceptable to the fa
The birth of a child... -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
The birth of a child is both a special and anxious occasion in most families, even when everything g
The birth of a baby... -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
The birth of a baby usually solicits hope for the future.
A minister was sharing his... -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
A minister was sharing his children's message on a Sunday in the Advent season.
In the play, Shadowlands... -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
In the play, Shadowlands, by William Nicholson, about the life of C. S.
Some of you may remember... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Some of you may remember that when Ike was president of the United States he never liked to give a s
The subject of discussion for... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
The subject of discussion for the adult Sunday school class was "The Positive Impact of Childhood Me
and he is named Wonderful... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
"...
Robert Raines, Director of Kirkridge... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Robert Raines, Director of Kirkridge, a retreat and study center in the mountains of eastern Pennsyl
I would like a show... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
I would like a show of hands by those who feel that today's second lesson, Titus 2:11-14, is their f
This passage is the summary... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
This passage is the summary of the few verses that come before it in the chapter; the moral of the s
When we were children, my... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
When we were children, my sisters and I looked forward to wearing our most elegant dresses to church
Bill W. and Dr. Bob... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Bill W. and Dr.
Christ's birth reminds us of... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
Christ's birth reminds us of God's purpose in an area where we have often failed.
Mary treasured all these words... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
"Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart." Which words from the beginning of t

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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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