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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

History is full of examples... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
History is full of examples of the church prospering under persecution.
It is like the story... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- The Nativity of our Lord - A
It is like the story of six-year-old Michelle who found she had a new baby brother.
Theodore Roethke begins his poem... -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
Theodore Roethke begins his poem, "In A Dark Time" with these words: "In a dark time, the eye begins
I recently purchased a computer... -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
I recently purchased a computer.
In a Georgia town back... -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
In a Georgia town back in the 1920s a baby was born in the house where the Hunters lived.
Because of his love for... -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
Because of his love for them he rescued them.
Andrew could not help but... -- Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
Andrew could not help but notice a homemade wooden plaque hanging in his grandfather's garage.
The other day as I... -- Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A
The other day as I was visiting with a friend, she began to speak about her mother who is dying of c
How many times some little... -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- Second Sunday of Advent - A
How many times some little foreshadowings of information are used to get our attention for the more
There had been a terrible... -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- Second Sunday of Advent - A
There had been a terrible fire in the grain elevator.
In the midst of death... -- Isaiah 35:1-10 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
In the midst of death and exile, we find hope and the desire to live.
Anna Primavesi writes persuasively of... -- Isaiah 35:1-10 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
Anna Primavesi writes persuasively of how the well-being of humanity and the well-being of the creat
Once a wife decided not... -- Isaiah 35:1-10 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
Once a wife decided not to drop hints about their anniversary to her forgetful husband.
The story is told of... -- Isaiah 35:1-10 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
The story is told of a man and his family who rented a cottage in the country in order to enjoy thei
A Friend told about finding... -- James 5:7-10 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
A Friend told about finding the perfect gift for a family member who was a camping enthusiast and a
Someone once said, What happens... -- James 5:7-10 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
Someone once said, "What happens to us matters little, but our reaction to what happens to us matter
A minister went into a... -- James 5:7-10 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
A minister went into a drug store a couple of weeks before Christmas.
Dying people, suffering people, don't... -- James 5:7-10 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
... "Dying people, suffering people, don't lie. They tell the truth.
If you have ever stayed... -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
If you have ever stayed up and watched any of the late night talk shows you may have flipped through
How could it be? John... -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
How could it be?
Congresswoman Margaret Welker was preparing... -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
Congresswoman Margaret Welker was preparing to campaign for a third term of service.
Prison invariably takes its toll... -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- Third Sunday of Advent - A
Prison invariably takes its toll on even the most devout person.
It seems as if Ahaz... -- Isaiah 7:10-16 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
It seems as if Ahaz was a tough nut.
According to this passage from... -- Isaiah 7:10-16 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
According to this passage from Isaiah, the Lord would give a sign to the reluctant King Ahaz.
I have a friend, Veronica... -- Isaiah 7:10-16 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - A
I have a friend, Veronica, who is from Missouri.

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
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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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