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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Deuteronomy 18:15-20 br... -- Mark 1:21-28, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2009
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Isaiah 40:21-31 br... -- Mark 1:29-39, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2009
Isaiah 40:21-31
2 Kings 5:1-14br... -- Mark 1:40-45, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2009
2 Kings 5:1-14
2 Kings 2:1-12 “Don’t step... -- Mark 9:2-9, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, 2 Kings 2:1-12 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2009
2 Kings 2:1-12 “Don’t step on the crack, or you’ll break your mother’s back!” No wonder children are
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 As a... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21, 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10, Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2009
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 As a boy living in the country, Sonny thought his grandfather was some kind of w
Genesis 9:8-17br... -- Mark 1:9-15, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Genesis 9:8-17
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16... -- Mark 8:31-38, Romans 4:13-25, Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
Exodus 20:1-17br... -- John 2:13-22, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, Exodus 20:1-17 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Exodus 20:1-17
Numbers 21:4-9br... -- John 3:14-21, Ephesians 2:1-10, Numbers 21:4-9 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Numbers 21:4-9
Jeremiah 31:31-34br... -- John 12:20-33, Hebrews 5:5-10, Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Why did Jesus bother to... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2009
Why did Jesus bother to "heal many" when even many more were never healed by him?
Isaiah 50:4-9abr... -- Mark 14:1--15:47, Philippians 2:5-11, Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2009
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10... -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14 -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2009
Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14
Isaiah 52:13--53:12... -- John 18:1--19:42, Hebrews 10:16-25, Isaiah 52:13--53:12 -- Good Friday - B -- 2009
Isaiah 52:13--53:12
Acts 10:34-43br... -- John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Isaiah 25:6-9 -- Easter Day - B -- 2009
Acts 10:34-43
Acts 4:32-35br... -- John 20:19-31, Acts 4:32-35 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
Acts 4:32-35
Acts 3:12-19br... -- Luke 24:36b-48, 1 John 3:1-7, Acts 3:12-19 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
Acts 3:12-19
Acts 4:5-12br... -- John 10:11-18, 1 John 3:16-24, Acts 4:5-12 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
Acts 4:5-12
Acts 8:26-40br... -- John 15:1-8, 1 John 4:7-21, Acts 8:26-40 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
Acts 8:26-40
Acts 10:44-48br... -- John 15:9-17, 1 John 5:1-6, Acts 10:44-48 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
Acts 10:44-48
Acts 1:1-11br... -- Luke 24:44-53, Ephesians 1:15-23, Acts 1:1-11 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 2009
Acts 1:1-11
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26... -- John 17:6-19, 1 John 5:9-13, Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 2009
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
Acts 2:1-21br... -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15, Romans 8:22-27, Acts 2:1-21 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2009
Acts 2:1-21
Fred Buechner has this to... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Fred Buechner has this to say about this simple, timeworn story of Noah and his covenant with God:
Art and Marci had only... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Art and Marci had only been in their new home a couple of months when a hurricane was forecasted to

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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...

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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

* * *

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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