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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

In a filmstrip, Men (today... -- 2 Timothy 4:5-11 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
In a filmstrip, "Men (today, they would be called 'People') for Others," the essence of the text is
Doing the work of an... -- 2 Timothy 4:5-11 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
Doing the work of an evangelist is often a task that many Christians do not feel equipped to accompl
The following application could be... -- 2 Timothy 4:5-11 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
(The following application could be used by pastors to target seniors in their congregations.
There is a tendency among... -- Luke 18:1-8 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
There is a tendency among some to regard prayer as requiring specialized knowledge and skills.
Where there is a will... -- Luke 18:1-8 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
Where there is a will there is a way.
A doctor liked to do... -- Luke 18:1-8 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
A doctor liked to do magic tricks for the children on the pediatrics ward.
God is unlike this judge... -- Luke 18:1-8 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
God is unlike this judge. He is quick to answer and desiring to hear from us.
Back around the tenth century... -- Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
Back around the tenth century was the time when they were building those massive cathedrals in Europ
A man stood looking into... -- Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
A man stood looking into a store window. A little boy stood next to him, also looking in.
A program developer for a... -- Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
A program developer for a synod was invited to do a presentation on evangelism.
In August 1997, former South... -- Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53 -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 1998
In August 1997, former South African President F. W.
Every afternoon during the years... -- 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 1998
Every afternoon during the years of my childhood I would wave good-bye to my father.
I've been thinking about the... -- 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 1998
I've been thinking about the Energizer Bunny commercials.
I have fought the good... -- 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 1998
"I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith." By 7:00 p.m.
In early 1997 there was... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 1998
In early 1997 there was a headline in the newspaper that read: "Madonna's baby will read the Bible."
How valuable is familiarity with... -- 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
How valuable is familiarity with the scriptures?
Debbie was a good woman... -- 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 -- Reformation Sunday - C -- 1998
Debbie was a good woman in the worst sense of the word.
If you are reading this... -- 2 Timothy 1:1-14 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 1998
If you are reading this illustration in Emphasis you are undoubtedly a fan of CSS Publishing
An old Calvin and... -- 2 Timothy 1:1-14 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 1998
An old Calvin and Hobbes cartoon shows Calvin and his imaginary friend Hobbes, a stuffed tige
So many of our people... -- 2 Timothy 1:1-14 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 1998
So many of our people are timid in sharing the faith.
The San Jose State University... -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 1998
The San Jose State University football team was not doing so well during the 1996 season.
There lived a woman in... -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 1998
There lived a woman in England whose house stood at the foot of two ugly hillocks, which prevented t
While serving as a chaplain... -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 1998
While serving as a chaplain in a Clinical Pastoral Education program, one student had done an outsta
Dave is president of a... -- Luke 17:5-10 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 1998
Dave is president of a huge retail electronics corporation.
Despite being a prisoner of... -- 2 Timothy 2:8-15 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 1998
Despite being a prisoner of Rome, Paul was free to proclaim the true gospel of the risen Lord.

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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...

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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.

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