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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

People throughout history have said... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
People throughout history have said they wanted peace. So many people have stated their
Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Bethlehem, which in Hebrew means "house of bread," was indeed a small town. But
Micah, scholars tell us, was... -- Micah 5:2-5a -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Micah, scholars tell us, was a younger contemporary of Isaiah. The world of God's people
Some years ago, when the... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Some years ago, when the Duke University men's basketball team won back-to-back
In March 1917, under great... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
In March 1917, under great duress, Czar Nicolas II abdicated the Russian throne. A
It was a Saturday night... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
It was a Saturday night Darrel would not forget. He had been out drinking with some
What's your heaven strategy? One... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
What's your heaven strategy? One friend told me he was confident of going based on his
Elizabeth would give birth to... -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Elizabeth would give birth to John the Baptist and Mary to Jesus. Their meeting while
The little story about Mary... -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
The little story about Mary and Elizabeth seems pleasant enough, doesn't it? Imagine the
Here is the story that... -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 2006
Here is the story that never grows old. An angel came to a little wisp of a girl and told her
Trying to explain salvation, Wendell... -- Isaiah 62:6-12 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Trying to explain salvation, Wendell Berry tells a parable about a hunter who falls down
Julene's cubicle at work was... -- Isaiah 62:6-12 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Julene's cubicle at work was directly under the cold air duct. Julene welcomed the air-
Volunteers from several area churches... -- Isaiah 62:6-12 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Volunteers from several area churches enjoyed delivering hot meals to the elderly in their
No person's behavior ever received... -- Isaiah 62:6-12 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
No person's behavior ever received that much attention. Millions thought him innocent.
Christmas Day: Carols are sung... -- Titus 3:4-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Christmas Day: Carols are sung, scripture read, presents opened -- presents we give to
An idealistic young man once... -- Titus 3:4-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
An idealistic young man once asked a pastor how to achieve salvation. The pastor told
Titus turns us to the... -- Titus 3:4-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Titus turns us to the heart of Christmas. The secular world would have us forget the
Silas Marner, by George Eliot... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Silas Marner, by George Eliot, is the story of a bitter old man, unlucky in love
Barb was considering a call... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Barb was considering a call to another congregation -- a difficult decision. Her college-
Christmas Eve never really entered... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Christmas Eve never really entered Andy's thoughts. While he attended Sunday school as
Every year at Yule time... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Every year at Yule time, it's missing in many homes. Its absence causes disappointment
Dedicating our own lives to... -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Dedicating our own lives to God is one thing. Dedicating someone else's life is a different
In today's lectionary text, we... -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
In today's lectionary text, we skip from Jesus' birth to his twelfth year. Last Sunday, we
The Japanese are fond of... -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
The Japanese are fond of cultivating Bonsai trees: dwarf trees that stand no more than a
The boy Samuel served a... -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
The boy Samuel served a faithful apprenticeship at the shrine at Shiloh, without seeking

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 28 | OT 33 | Pentecost 23
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Christ the King Sunday
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Thanksgiving
34 – Sermons
80+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
24 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For November 16, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
Another natural disaster has flattened a number of coastal communities. Despite the weather and major television station warnings, and government disaster preparations, the dystopian destruction nightmare of Luke 21 has decimated another community. Also, it is reasonable to believe that this is not the last year for hurricanes, Tsunami’s, wildfires, mudslides and tornados. They will occur again. However, as weary citizens are interviewed in one group of people with the background of homes in rubble and streets still draining flood waters, they will not leave. This is their home.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez

Isaiah 65:17-25 and Isaiah 12

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. (v. 25)

A week after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, country singer Toby Keith — who died Feb. 5, 2024 — wrote a patriotic ballad titled “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” It was filled with populist fighting rhetoric that matched the mood of a nation shaken by the shocking death and destruction of that day.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A blood pressure monitor. It is actually called a sphygmomanometer, and is pronounced “sfig·mow·muh·naa’·muh·tr”.

* * *

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
-- Isaiah 12:3

John W. Clarke
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world understands that Jesus is the hope of the world and that any teaching that leads away from that fact is a false teaching. No matter what, no matter when, Jesus will be there to give us life.

Scott Suskovic
Whoever does not work should not eat!
-- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT)

Wow! Kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it? Not a lot of ambiguity in that rule. "You don't work, you don't eat." For a religion based on grace, it seems a bit unyielding.

Mark Ellingson
Freedom is such a lovely word, a compelling image. What is freedom? How would you define it? What does it mean to you? Webster's New World Dictionary defines freedom as being exempt from control or from arbitrary restrictions. Freedom is said to be the ability to choose or determine one's own actions.

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