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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

The story is told of... -- Revelation 7:9-17 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
The story is told of a despairing philosopher in London in the late nineteenth century.
How do you get into... -- Revelation 7:9-17 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
How do you get into the party that ends all parties? Getting ready for a party, the husband
A friend tells of her... -- Revelation 7:9-17 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
A friend tells of her experience on a sheep farm. She had no farm knowledge, so she
In the fourth century when... -- Revelation 7:9-17 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
In the fourth century when the Roman Empire was crumbling and the foundation of all
I was talking to somebody... -- John 10:22-30 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
I was talking to somebody not long ago who said, "You know, I used to believe in God;
David was a confused young... -- John 10:22-30 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
David was a confused young boy. He was caught in a web of family violence which he
Ruth and her mother began... -- John 10:22-30 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Ruth and her mother began talking by phone when she was away at college. Mother and
Our neighbor's two-story house... -- John 10:22-30 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Our neighbor's two-story house featured wide eaves. Birds loved to build nests in their
An English officer by the... -- Acts 5:27-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
An English officer by the name of Payne Best, captured by the Nazis during World War
Martin Luther King Jr. was... -- Acts 5:27-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Martin Luther King Jr. was an example of a man who believed one must obey God rather
For over a year, Kate... -- Acts 5:27-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
For over a year, Kate heard stories of devastation following Hurricane Katrina. People
Few Christians seem to realize... -- Acts 5:27-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Few Christians seem to realize they have a constant companion. He arrives at our baptism
John begins, as was the... -- Revelation 1:4b-8, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
John begins, as was the custom of ancient letter writing, by placing the return address in
The titles we give people... -- Revelation 1:4b-8, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
The titles we give people are very important. They communicate power, authority,
During the Civil War, Sherman... -- Revelation 1:4b-8, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
During the Civil War, Sherman was making progress in his march to Atlanta. General
Many things happen because of... -- Revelation 1:4b-8, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Many things happen because of Easter. Lions lie down with lambs. Swords are turned
No doubt, the resurrection was... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
No doubt, the resurrection was a spectacular miracle. But who says all miracles have to
When Greg MacAleese, a police... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
When Greg MacAleese, a police officer in Albuquerque, came up with his idea of having
Roy and Andrea had just... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Roy and Andrea had just joined the church. They were new to the community and found
If you ask most believers... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
If you ask most believers about how they express their faith, they usually mention that
Once upon a time, the... -- Acts 11:1-18 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Once upon a time, the colors of the world started to quarrel. All claimed to be the best,
In many churches, holy communion... -- Acts 11:1-18 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
In many churches, holy communion is served from the "common cup" rather than or in
Neighborhood teenagers began hanging out... -- Acts 11:1-18 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Neighborhood teenagers began hanging out on the weekends on the steps of a city
Our world suffers color, ethnic... -- Acts 11:1-18 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Our world suffers color, ethnic, and racial divisions. The early church faced prejudice
We're used to infomercials with... -- Revelation 21:1-6 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
We're used to infomercials with their "But wait..." Before television, marketers printed

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 18
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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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