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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Diane has a heart for... -- Matthew 22:15-22 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 2008
Diane has a heart for mission. She asked if she might have a "Mission of the Month" that
Joanne was a thoughtful, energetic... -- Matthew 22:15-22 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - A -- 2008
Joanne was a thoughtful, energetic woman. She worked in the church as a Sunday school
Moses led the Hebrews in... -- Deuteronomy 34:1-12 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
Moses led the Hebrews in their escape from Egypt. The Hebrews had always lived in
Moses came to the juncture... -- Deuteronomy 34:1-12 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
Moses came to the juncture many Christian leaders reach. At what point do they turn over
As Moses looked into the... -- Deuteronomy 34:1-12 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
As Moses looked into the holy land, not being able to enter it, he had many memories.
Who steals my purse steals... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
Who steals my purse steals trash -- 'tis something -- nothing,
It's all too easy for... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
It's all too easy for us to think that it's too hard for us to be the witnesses to our
Sara took a course on... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
Sara took a course on spiritual practices. While she was not majoring in religion she
At a Veteran's Day event... -- 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
At a Veteran's Day event at an elementary school, a student asked the aged soldier why
On a tall stack of... -- Matthew 22:34-46 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
On a tall stack of large boxes at the pharmacy each box carried a huge red sign: Bend
Recently I met with a... -- Matthew 22:34-46 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
Recently I met with a group of people from another church who wanted to query me
Abou Ben Adhem Abou... -- Matthew 22:34-46 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - A -- 2008
Abou Ben Adhem Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Christian novelist, Walter Wangerin, tells... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
Christian novelist, Walter Wangerin, tells of an incident from his own life: from his
To have a happy and... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
To have a happy and fulfilling life, we all need to live our lives in relationship with
West End Fellowship is celebrating... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
West End Fellowship is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. The vision was to
In legal terms, an internal... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
In legal terms, an internal law can mean several things. It can mean the rules, policies,
Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides is about US Army Rangers and Philippine
For many years, I taught... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
For many years, I taught a Bible class at a home for unwed girls in Los Angeles. The
How do we bring others... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
How do we bring others to hunger and thirst for righteousness in such a way that they
Our text expresses the central... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
Our text expresses the central lesson of Paul's spiritual experience. This student of the
Marriage is a relationship based... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
Marriage is a relationship based on commitment. In America, most people marry because
The value of opinion in... -- John 8:31-36 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
The value of "opinion" in our society has been so corrupted as to have taken on sinful
Sometimes we see a famous... -- John 8:31-36 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
Sometimes we see a famous saying over the doors of libraries and various college and
It was another grim Sunday... -- John 8:31-36 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
It was another grim Sunday school teachers' meeting. There were no young children
James Lee Woodward was convicted... -- John 8:31-36 -- Reformation Sunday - A -- 2008
James Lee Woodward was convicted of murdering his girlfriend in 1980 in Dallas,

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

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
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 19
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 20
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31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
George Reed
For October 19, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 31:27-34
John Calvin makes very clear why a new covenant is needed according to this text. He observes:

… the fault was not to be sought in the law that there was need of a new covenant, for the law was abundantly sufficient, but that fault was in the levity and the unfaithfulness of the people. (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol.X/2, p.130)
David Coffin
What happens when one’s past life narrative or goals in life have drastically shifted or collapsed? How do they rebuild hope? For Israel, they lost their land, monarchy, and national identity. In the days of the New Testament,they could easily be identified as living in the “fourth world” country. That is, existing in substandard conditions in one’s own native land?

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
Rose sat back in her chair and opened her magazine. She heard the thump of the stairs and caught a glimpse of her daughter and son in the corner of her eye. She turned her head as they put water bottles in their backpacks.

“What are you two doing?” she looked over at the clock. “Don’t you have homework?”

“All done,” Paul and Linda announced at the same time.

Rose ignored Linda but locked eyes with Paul. He met her gaze for a few moments and then sighed.

“Okay, I’m almost done but still have some math questions,” he admitted.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus told us that we should always pray and not lose heart, for God is on our side. In our worship today let us pray to the Lord for the needs of others and for all our own needs.


Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes you don't seem to be there when I pray and I feel like I'm talking to myself.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes my prayers seem so dry and boring that I give up.

Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Psalm 119 is well-known as the longest chapter in the Bible. The poem is actually an extended, and extensive, meditation on the meaning of the law. Given the sterile connotations often associated with "law" and "legalism," it's hard sometimes to appreciate the lyrical beauty of these reflections. One thing is for certain, the writer of this psalm does not view the law as either sterile or void of vitality.

Schuyler Rhodes
There is perhaps no better feeling than knowing that someone "has your back." Having someone's back is a term that arose from urban street fighting where a partner or ally would stay with you and protect your back in the thick of the fray. When someone has your back, you don't worry about being hit from behind. When someone has your back you can concentrate on the struggle in front of you without worrying about dangers you cannot see. When someone has your back you feel protected, secure, safe.
David Kalas
I wonder how many of us here are named after someone.

Chances are that a good many of us carry family names. We are named for a parent, a grandparent, an uncle, or an aunt somewhere on the family tree. Others of us had parents who named us after a character in the Bible, or perhaps some other significant character from history.

All told, I expect a pretty fair number of us are named after someone else.

John W. Clarke
Our reading today from the prophet Jeremiah is one in which the Hebrew people, not knowing what else to do in terms of addressing their predicament, decide to blame it all on God. They believed their problems to be the result of their sins and the sins of their fathers. Of course, one person's sin does indeed affect other people, but all people are still held personally accountable for the sin in their own lives (Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:2).
Donna E. Schaper
As usual, the epistle is a little more graphic than we can quite grasp. Itchy ears: what a concept just in physical terms. Experience it for a minute. You itch, you scratch, you sort of know you shouldn't scratch because it will only make the itch worse. But still you scratch, while wondering how the itch ever got started in the first place. What a concept: itchy ears as a vehicle for spiritual truth.

John E. Berger
Did Jesus ever do comedy? Indeed he did, and the Parable of the Unjust Judge is partly comic monologue. The routine began with a probate judge so ridiculously dishonest that he announced, "... I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone...." (There must have been a gasp of disbelief from Jesus' audience.)

The Unjust Judge was nagged by a widow, however, who had every right to nag, because she had been cheated by somebody in the community. A good judge would have helped the widow, but remember, this judge "neither feared God nor had respect for people."

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And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? (v. 7)

Good morning, boys and girls. Yesterday, I was riding in my car and I kept hearing this noise. I call it a squeak. Do you know what a squeak sounds like? (let them answer) Squeaks are very annoying. It is hard to find a squeak in your car, so it is still squeaking.

I also have a chair that has a squeak and I brought it in with me today because it is

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