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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Saint Paul wrote about modeling... -- Philippians 3:17--4:1 -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Saint Paul wrote about "modeling" the faith. A billboard at a church that I saw one day
When Russell Conwell left Yale... -- Philippians 3:17--4:1 -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
When Russell Conwell left Yale to fight in the Civil War, a youthful admirer, Johnny
Paul wrote to a very... -- Philippians 3:17--4:1 -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Paul wrote to a very troubled congregation. No earth-shaking problems but just little
My first prayer was about... -- Luke 13:31-35 -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
My first prayer was about Jerusalem. The first lullaby my mother used to sing me was
Jesus likened himself to a... -- Luke 13:31-35 -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Jesus likened himself to a broody hen when he said he longed to gather Jerusalem under
Several people from church began... -- Luke 13:31-35 -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Several people from church began serving meals to people in the community. They
My friend spoke of the... -- Luke 13:31-35 -- Second Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
My friend spoke of the many young women he'd observed over the years who came to
Past performance does not guarantee... -- Isaiah 55:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Past performance does not guarantee future returns. This statement is necessary to
When Christians gather for Sunday... -- Isaiah 55:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
When Christians gather for Sunday worship, it often seems we have arrived for a
Have you ever really been... -- Isaiah 55:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Have you ever really been thirsty? Today in the USA almost every community large and
Many scholars think that Isaiah... -- Isaiah 55:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Many scholars think that Isaiah 55 was written during the end of the terrible years of
If you feel God has... -- 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
If you feel God has gone away on vacation and left you on your own, go straight to him.
The children of Israel experienced... -- 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
The children of Israel experienced hard times as they trekked from Egypt to the promised
Bill and Tom are cousins... -- 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Bill and Tom are cousins born only ten days apart. Growing up they became best friends
It's an assumption we make... -- 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
It's an assumption we make often. We're standing firm. We know we're right and God's
A Christian said to a... -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
A Christian said to a suffering person, "God must have a reason." Such speculation ranks
Hope -- I was visiting a... -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Hope -- I was visiting a patient one day at the hospital following a major setback
In Luke 13, Jesus answers... -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
In Luke 13, Jesus answers a question everyone struggles with. Are disasters God's way of
Since the book of Job... -- Luke 13:1-9 -- Third Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Since the book of Job, people have been pointing fingers at the sufferer. The old Jewish
If you could do it... -- Joshua 5:9-12 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
If you could do it, I suppose it would be a good idea to live your life in a straight line --
Pioneers tell similar stories. When... -- Joshua 5:9-12 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Pioneers tell similar stories. When they first settled the western plains, they had nothing.
Ashley enjoys hiking and usually... -- Joshua 5:9-12 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Ashley enjoys hiking and usually plans vacations around places where she would like to
That Sunday evening I knew... -- Joshua 5:9-12 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
That Sunday evening I knew that life would never be the same. It was the last service that
Science teachers interest and entertain... -- 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Science teachers interest and entertain even bored students when they turn on the black
Do you know that Jesus... -- 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - C -- 2007
Do you know that Jesus really loves you? Have you experienced that feeling of total love

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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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
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.

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