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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

My grandfather was a... -- Luke 21:25-36 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2003
My grandfather was a watcher. He watched nature for signs of what was to come.
Dr. Joseph B. Slowinski... -- Luke 21:25-36 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2003
Dr. Joseph B. Slowinski was an expert on venomous snakes.
Watchfulness for the coming... -- Luke 21:25-36 -- First Sunday of Advent - C -- 2003
Watchfulness for the coming kingdom is a central theme for Advent.
What's that? Debbie asked... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2003
"What's that?" Debbie asked as she watched her grandma at the kitchen counter preparing supper
In the 2000 film... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2003
In the 2000 film, Chocolat (among those nominated for Best Picture), a mysterious stran
In the early 1970s... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2003
In the early 1970s, a psychology professor at Stanford University named David L.
I remember the first... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2003
I remember the first tuxedo I ever wore (junior prom in high school), the most important day w
Seated among the learned... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2003
Seated among the learned rabbis in the temple, the young Jesus displays a remarkable awareness
Jesus' parents came to... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2003
Jesus' parents came to the rescue of the temple teachers just in time.
On his visit to... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2003
On his visit to the Temple, Jesus amazed the Jewish teachers with his intelligent answers, and
Losing a child is... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2003
Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare.
There is power in... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
There is power in prayer. Hannah experienced it. So did Julee.
We live in a... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
We live in a world that exploits children -- from child labor to pornography to entertainment
Paul Sponheim, a contemporary... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
Paul Sponheim, a contemporary theologian, in his chapter "The God of Prayer" in the book A
Hannah dedicates her son... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
Hannah dedicates her son to the Lord and will raise him accordingly.
Bob stood over his... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
Bob stood over his wife's exhausted body, proud as punch at seeing his newborn son rest upon h
When the writer to... -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
When the writer to the Hebrews encourages getting together and exhorting one another, he is re
In June 1919, Germany... -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
In June 1919, Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles formally ending World War I.
Remember the Ten Boom... -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
Remember the Ten Boom family in the Netherlands who secretly hid Jews in their home during Wor
Prevenient grace is the... -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
Prevenient grace is the understanding that in our relationship with God, God comes to us befor
Nobody could believe it... -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
Nobody could believe it when Jesus predicted the solid structure of the Jerusalem Temple, down
In the year 1648... -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
In the year 1648, Sabbetai Zevi shocked the Jewish world by speaking God's name YHWH, as writt
The movie Catch... -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
The movie Catch Me If You Can tells the story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., a brash, intellig
Excessive confidence in humanity's... -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2003
Excessive confidence in humanity's creations has always posed a theological challenge.
The last words of... -- 2 Samuel 23:1-7 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 2003
The last words of David reflect his confidence that his efforts in the realm of governing the

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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, wild fires, 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 September 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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