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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

George Gershwin was one of... -- John 2:13-22 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
George Gershwin was one of the greatest of American composers, and "Rhapsody In Blue" is one of his
There comes a time when... -- John 2:13-22 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
There comes a time when people feel compelled to step up to bring about lasting change.
Jesus stormed into the temple... -- John 2:13-22 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Jesus stormed into the temple, overturned tables, ran people off.
Rubber snakes are a favorite... -- Numbers 21:4-9 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Rubber snakes are a favorite way to scare mothers, sisters, and girlfriends.
Walter Van Tilburg Clark's novel... -- Numbers 21:4-9 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Walter Van Tilburg Clark's novel The Ox-Bow Incident is a classic western.
The Back to Egypt Committee... -- Numbers 21:4-9 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
The "Back to Egypt Committee" is alive and well.
In March 2008, the mayor... -- Ephesians 2:1-10 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
In March 2008, the mayor of a village in southwest France threatened residents with severe punishmen
A family planned a weekend... -- Ephesians 2:1-10 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
A family planned a weekend in a large city.
Jake Cress is a master... -- Ephesians 2:1-10 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Jake Cress is a master craftsman who handcrafts furniture of very unusual styles.
If a building inspector comes... -- John 3:14-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
If a building inspector comes to your house, he's coming to condemn it.
William B. Breuer tells in... -- John 3:14-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
William B.
John 3:16 is probably the... -- John 3:14-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
John 3:16 is probably the best-known passage in scripture.
A promise is a sacred... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
A promise is a sacred thing. It is upon such things as promises that our reputations hang.
Terry suffers from problems with... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Terry suffers from problems with her eyesight.
Sometimes, no matter how much... -- Hebrews 5:5-10 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Sometimes, no matter how much he begs or screams, a six-year-old does not get that ice cream cone he
Perfection has been a central... -- Hebrews 5:5-10 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Perfection has been a central theme within various Christian groups and movements.
An only son, Jonathan, had... -- Hebrews 5:5-10 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
An only son, Jonathan, had been groomed all his life to take over the family business after graduati
An online ad for the... -- John 12:20-33 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
An online ad for the "Jesus Action Figure" contains this description:
Pam had spent 24 hours... -- John 12:20-33 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Pam had spent 24 hours fasting and praying in solitude.
Jesus' teaching about falling into... -- John 12:20-33 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2009
Jesus' teaching about falling into the earth like a seed and rising to new life is amply illustrated
An older teacher was giving... -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2009
An older teacher was giving advice to a new face on staff.
It's been said, The second... -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2009
It's been said, "The second kick of the mule won't teach anybody." Clearly, if one doesn't learn the
Isaiah's suffering servant underscores the... -- Isaiah 50:4-9a -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2009
Isaiah's suffering servant underscores the paradox that Jesus must suffer humiliation and physical p
The common mind of the... -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2009
The common mind of the people of God is not the mind of one person or few people dominant over the r
Laurie Beth Jones remembers her... -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2009
Laurie Beth Jones remembers her life-changing trip to the Holy Lands several years ago.

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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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