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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

NULL -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- Craig Kelly -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2010
It is easy to take light for granted until you don't have it anymore.
NULL -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Ron Love -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2010
At the university of Notre Dame there is a mural that has come to be called "Touchdown Jesus." The "
NULL -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Leah Thompson -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2010
Perhaps the most famous role model for patience is a woman from Greek mythology.
NULL -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Craig Kelly -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2010
It is amazing to see how God works through people who don't even know or worship him to accomplish h
NULL -- Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2010
Isaiah 63:7-9
NULL -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2010
As a young vaudeville actor Bob Hope found himself alone each Christmas.
NULL -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- Leah Thompson -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2010
Mothers, this is for you.
NULL -- Hebrews 2:10-18 -- Craig Kelly -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2010
There is a common expression about "walking a mile in someone else's shoes." It even found its way i
NULL -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2010
"So you understand the roaring wave of fear that swept through the greatest city in the world just a
NULL -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- Leah Thompson -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2010
In Matthew's text today, however, Joseph seems to do a lot based on dreams.
NULL -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13, Revelation 21:1-6a, Matthew 25:31-46 -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2010
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
NULL -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 -- Craig Kelly -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2010
Growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada, I was introduced to the idea of "summerfallowing." The
NULL -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- Leah Thompson -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2010
Joan Osborne's 1995 pop single "One of Us" asks questions that we don't want to know the answers to.
NULL -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- Ron Love -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2010
Steve Martin, reflecting on his recently published autobiography, Born Standing Up, said in a
NULL -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Craig Kelly -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2010
You can learn a lot about someone by their priorities.
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:7-14 -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2010
Seventeen-year-old Joni Eareckson dived off a floating dock into the shallow water of the Chesapeake
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:7-14 -- Leah Thompson -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2010
Before Europeans discovered America's shores, Native Americans built societies out of the rugged bea
NULL -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Craig Kelly -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2010
In 2009, Forbes magazine came out with a list of the top billionaire art collectors (
NULL -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Leah Thompson -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2010
Adults who were adopted as children sometimes spend time, money, and other resources to try and loca
NULL -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Ron Love -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2010
At the conclusion of the sermon, distribute to everyone in the congregation a wallet-size picture of
NULL -- Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ephesians 1:3-14, John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- Second Sunday after Christmas - A -- 2010
Jeremiah 31:7-14
NULL -- Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2010
Isaiah 60:1-6
NULL -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Craig Kelly -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2010
Part of me has always wanted to live in Alaska or the Yukon.
NULL -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Leah Thompson -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2010
Paul's 'mystery' in Ephesians was understood by the framers of the Declaration of Independence.
NULL -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany of the Lord - A -- 2010
Why is it that we practice a religion that has so little room for others?

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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

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Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Excellent! Let’s get started!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For June 22, 2025:

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,  for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.  As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (vv. 25-28)

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
Life can be frightening sometimes. Thus it is both comforting but disconcerting to find a giant of faith like Elijah to fear the future. On that matter Martin Luther once claimed:
David Kalas
We’re not far from the 4th of July. And while for so many Americans, it seems that the holiday has become more about long weekends, cookouts, and fireworks shows, the theme of freedom is still there at least in the background. We might take advantage of that, therefore, and give some thought to the theme of freedom as it is revealed in our assigned texts for this week.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

The madman cried out to Jesus, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" In our worship today let us explore what Jesus has to do with us and invite him to heal our brokenness.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, we often find ourselves thinking, saying and doing things that we quickly regret.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

Constance Berg
When Jill was five, she began to have headaches. The headaches were so severe she would throw up. Sometimes she would pass out. They usually came once a month. Jill could be playing, resting, or watching television when the headaches would come. Her only warning was a sudden pain in her head, then a blinding light would appear, and she would be rocked with pain. In her teenage years, they became debilitating, causing Jill to be in bed for three days at a time.
Stan Purdum
I'm not sure when the term "burn out" ceased being only a description of what happened to a campfire when you ran out of firewood to a term describing the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest, usually coming immediately after an extended period of overwork, but the expression seems to fit that later situation, doesn't it? Exhaustion, deep weariness, all used up, nothing more to give, wiped out, burned out -- call it what we will, its symptoms are all too familiar to many of us.
April Yamasaki
In the classic movie, Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews plays a no-nonsense, yet delightful, nanny to two young children. As a nanny to a wealthy family, she is part teacher, part parent, and part disciplinarian. She gets the children up in the morning, puts them to bed at night, supervises their many adventures, and guides them in many ways. While they are in her care, she is responsible for their overall safety and well-being.

Julia Ross Strope
Zoos are no longer in people's good graces.
Religion faces the same problem.
Certain illusions about freedom plague them both.
-- Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Call To Worship
Leader: I'm so glad you're here! There are seats for everyone; there's slight air movement; the windows engender tranquility and imagination and words will stimulate fresh thoughts.

People: It's good to be here, in sanctuary. We're glad for opportunities to gather and to express our gratitude to God and our appreciation for one another.

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