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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

A man who was going... -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2009
A man who was going blind arranged the area outside his house so that he could get anywhere he wante
There is an Indian tale... -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2009
There is an Indian tale about a band of thieves.
An English schoolmaster was a... -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2009
An English schoolmaster was a strict disciplinarian.
It was a familiar site... -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2009
It was a familiar site in every village through which Jesus and his disciples walked: The conical cl
Myrtle is the oldest member... -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2009
Myrtle is the oldest member of the church who now resides in a nursing home.
From the mouth of babes... -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 2009
From the mouth of babes: Little Kimmy, aged five, was trying to deal with the death of her grandfath
Greg Mortenson’s group of mountain... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2009
Greg Mortenson’s group of mountain climbers failed ascending K2.
A little learning is a... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2009
A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow d
How often does God appear... -- 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2009
How often does God appear in a dream and ask us what wish we would prefer to have granted?
In a 2000 commencement address... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2009
In a 2000 commencement address at Villanova University, newspaper columnist Anna Quindlen had some w
Even though Roberto is in... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2009
Even though Roberto is in his early teens he attends worship every Sunday.
Dalton is an amazing man... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2009
Dalton is an amazing man.
Roberto’s family spent three evenings... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2009
Roberto’s family spent three evenings moving from one house to another while continuing to work full
Early Christians in Rome suffered... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2009
Early Christians in Rome suffered from persecution by the Romans.
The sacrament of holy communion... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 2009
The sacrament of holy communion was being celebrated.
Promises are for keeping. Every... -- 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
Promises are for keeping.
Julie was going through one... -- 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
Julie was going through one of those difficult times in her life.
Joanne went home with her... -- 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
Joanne went home with her college roommate.
The legend continues to be... -- Ephesians 6:10-20 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
The legend continues to be passed on that the armor of medieval knights weighed so much that the kni
Armor is made out of... -- Ephesians 6:10-20 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
Armor is made out of material we trust.
New hymnals appear about every... -- Ephesians 6:10-20 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
New hymnals appear about every 25 years, with a hymnal committee deciding which hymns to keep, what
The English painter J. M... -- John 6:56-69 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
The English painter J. M. W.
Steve was attending a business... -- John 6:56-69 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
Steve was attending a business meeting in New York City.
At first it seemed that... -- John 6:56-69 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 2009
At first it seemed that everyone was in favor of building the new church.
In Guy de Maupassant’s story... -- Song of Solomon 2:8-13 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 2009
In Guy de Maupassant’s story “In the Moonlight,” the priest, Marignan, believes he understands God p

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
30 – Sermons
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Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
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Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Tom Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
George Reed
Christopher Keating
For October 26, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Kalas
I am a scoreboard watcher. I follow a lot more games than I actually watch, but since technology makes it easy to check scores on a moment’s whim, I watch a lot of scoreboards of teams and games that I am at least mildly interested in. And as I check those scores, I find myself having immediate reactions: “Great!” “Oh, that's too bad.” “Excellent!” “Nuts.” And in the midst of that sports-fan roller coaster, I must continually remind myself that not all scores are final.
Bill Thomas
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Joel 2:22-32
Martin Luther sings the praises of God’s love revealed in this lesson. He wrote:

The love of God which lives in man loves sinners, evil persons, fools and weaklings in order to make them righteous, good, wise, and strong. Rather than seeking its own good, the love of God flows forth and bestows good. (Luther’s Works, Vol. 31, p.57)

John Wesley nicely summarizes the Spirit’s role in fighting the lure of our old sinful habits:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message is a role-play story. You will need two children to play the roles of the Pharisee and the tax collector. I usually ask two children if they will help me as they are all coming forward for the message, but you may select them however you choose.

* * *

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, but your commandments are my delight.
Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.
(vv. 143-144)

When I was an associate pastor in Janesville, Wisconsin one of my responsibilities was to give a lecture on spirituality once a month at a drug treatment facility. The students who attended were persons who had been convicted of drunk driving and were required to attend the class as a condition of their sentence. Attendance was always good.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

We all dislike people who blow their own trumpets, although sometimes we may be in awe of them. Jesus too deplored such behaviour and was never in awe of those who practised it. In our worship today let us open ourselves to Jesus, allowing him to see what is in our hearts.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we allow other people's behaviour to intimidate us.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we refuse to reach our own fullest potential because we are afraid.

SermonStudio

Schuyler Rhodes
Every morning when sleep leaves and waking comes there is cause for praising God. Caught up, as we are, in the currents and eddies of our lives, this is easy to forget. This wonderful psalm is a reminder. God's bounty and abundance spill into our lives like waters over a causeway. God's delight in creation explodes in a million different colors. In every moment there is reason to give God praise.
Robert R. Kopp
When I was a little boy growing up in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania's First Presbyterian Church, one of those Christian chalk artists with black light, neon colors, and black felt canvas who made pictures of Jesus look like those Elvis portraits for sale on the side of the road at the beach showed up as entertainment for a Sunday evening potluck dinner.
John E. Berger
Today's sermon begins with this little one-person drama.
Mark Ellingson
Have you ever felt that you were absolutely at the end of your rope, left without hope? Sometime during the years of 539 B.C. to 331 B.C. that is the way the people of Judah felt. It seems that their land had been ravaged by a plague of locusts which had had catastrophic consequences.

Once a harvest has been destroyed, you cannot repair it. If a building has burned to the ground, you cannot repair it. In those instances you need to start from scratch with a fresh start.

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