Login / Signup

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Rich enjoys teaching the middle... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2008
Rich enjoys teaching the middle-school-age Sunday school class each Sunday.
Cal attended church every Sunday... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2008
Cal attended church every Sunday, taught the high school Sunday school class, and sat on the church
Robert Ekvall was a translator... -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2008
Robert Ekvall was a translator between the North Koreans and the United Nations forces in negotiatio
In US Navel Institute Proceedings... -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2008
In US Navel Institute Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute, Frank Koch illustrate
At this point in the... -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2008
At this point in the gospel of Mark, Jesus is a nobody for most people.
It may seem strange that... -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2008
It may seem strange that the man with an unclean spirit worships in the synagogue.
Walter Wink believes that for... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Walter Wink believes that for many, many people, violence is the real religion of our time.
Waiting for God is not... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep.
Walter Wink believes that for... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Walter Wink believes that for many, many people, violence is the real religion of our time.
Waiting for God is not... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep.
The purposes of God often... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
The purposes of God often develop slowly because his grand designs are never hurried.
According to a traditional Hebrew... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
According to a traditional Hebrew story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he sa
Eric was tired and sore... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Eric was tired and sore.
Arguably the greatest boxer of... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Arguably the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali was not known for his humility.
Christians often smother the Christian... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Christians often smother the Christian faith with their own characteristics.
A sightseeing bus was making... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
A sightseeing bus was making the rounds through Washington DC, and the driver was pointing out spots
According to a story in... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
According to a story in the Grand Rapids Press, the owner of a small foreign car had begun to
When the New Testament speaks... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
When the New Testament speaks of ministering to the saints, it means not primarily preaching to them
Image is brass, reputation is... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
"Image is brass, reputation is silver, character is gold." Paul becomes all things to all people, ch
Paul proudly declares that he... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Paul proudly declares that he has become all things to all people. "How can this be?" we ask.
Get lost! We've all heard... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
"Get lost!" We've all heard those words -- though, maybe not recently.
A one-legged schoolteacher from... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
A one-legged schoolteacher from Scotland came to J.
Some wish to live within... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Some wish to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a ya
Kenny could hardly wait for... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
Kenny could hardly wait for the youth fellowship's winter retreat.
According to psychologist, Hara Estroff... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2008
According to psychologist, Hara Estroff Marano, one of the ways that humans can cope with the pressu

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

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...

New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

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
Bonnie Bates

1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a and Psalm 42-43
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.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL