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

Joey sat tall as he... -- 1 Peter 2:19-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1999
Joey sat tall as he waited for his name to be called.
Cecil and Dorothy Dye lived... -- 1 Peter 2:19-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1999
Cecil and Dorothy Dye lived victorious lives in the face of terror and tragedy.
Fearful that the Chinese government... -- 1 Peter 2:19-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1999
Fearful that the Chinese government was about to arrest him, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 under
Paul reminds us that Christ... -- 1 Peter 2:19-25 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1999
Paul reminds us that Christ endured unjust suffering, and if we find ourselves in those circumstance
Ron is naturally cheerful. His... -- Hebrews 10:16-25 -- Good Friday - A -- 1999
Ron is naturally cheerful. His smile lights up any room he enters.
Garrett is only eight years... -- Hebrews 10:16-25 -- Good Friday - A -- 1999
Garrett is only eight years old, yet he "provoked" a community of a quarter million people "to love
The Associated Press reported on... -- Hebrews 10:16-25 -- Good Friday - A -- 1999
The Associated Press reported on Don Gorske's love of Big Macs, the well-known sandwich available at
Good Friday is misnamed. It... -- Hebrews 10:16-25 -- Good Friday - A -- 1999
"Good Friday" is misnamed.
Baseball is a great team... -- John 18:1-19:42 -- Good Friday - A -- 1999
Baseball is a great team game.
The congregation entered the church... -- John 18:1-19:42 -- Good Friday - A -- 1999
The congregation entered the church that Good Friday not quite knowing what to expect.
Kirsty Duncan recently headed an... -- John 18:1-19:42 -- Good Friday - A -- 1999
Kirsty Duncan recently headed an expedition to Longyearbyen, a tiny mining town in Svalbard, a huge
His name was Harlan Sanders... -- John 18:1-19:42 -- Good Friday - A -- 1999
His name was Harlan Sanders. It is hardly a household name outside of his home state of Kentucky.
A new Christian, Chris sought... -- Colossians 3:1-4 -- Easter Day - A -- 1999
A new Christian, Chris sought to live a life that would honor a God who sent his only son to die for
It is not true that... -- Colossians 3:1-4 -- Easter Day - A -- 1999
It is not true that these who are so heavenly minded are no earthly good.
An old Hagar the... -- Colossians 3:1-4 -- Easter Day - A -- 1999
An old Hagar the Horrible comic strip has the family dog listening to the howl of the wolves
Paul describes a whole new... -- Colossians 3:1-4 -- Easter Day - A -- 1999
Paul describes a whole new way to live!
A very important part of... -- John 20:1-18 -- Easter Day - A -- 1999
A very important part of a NASCAR race is the pit stop.
A visitor to Okinawa observed... -- John 20:1-18 -- Easter Day - A -- 1999
A visitor to Okinawa observed 71-year-old widow Shizu Arikaaki lay out bowls of soup, fish, rice, an
In my hometown one had... -- John 20:1-18 -- Easter Day - A -- 1999
In my hometown one had to look hard for new experiences.
Professor Lewis Smedes turned to... -- 1 Peter 1:3-9 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 1999
Professor Lewis Smedes turned to us and smiled. He knew he had our attention -- as usual.
The great concert violinist Isaac... -- 1 Peter 1:3-9 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 1999
The great concert violinist Isaac Stern described her with "affectionate respect." Jean Sibelius, Fi
Dale looked around the room... -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 1999
Dale looked around the room. He felt uncomfortable.
Joseph Cardinal Bernardin wrote a... -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 1999
Joseph Cardinal Bernardin wrote a book, The Gift of Peace, in his last year of life, with the
The Hopi people of the... -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 1999
The Hopi people of the Northern Arizona mesas have faced many challenges to their traditions and cul
For many, many years I... -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Maundy Thursday - A -- 1999
For many, many years I had a German shepherd named Isis. She was MY dog.

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