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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Only eight years after Christopher... -- 2 Timothy 2:8-15 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 1998
Only eight years after Christopher Columbus proved it could be done, Francisco de Bobadilla sailed f
Be diligent to present yourself... -- 2 Timothy 2:8-15 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 1998
"Be diligent to present yourself approved unto God." Think of your life as a house.
It probably goes without saying... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 1998
It probably goes without saying that drugs and alcohol are problems in just about every school distr
Ezra Goodman, in his book... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 1998
Ezra Goodman, in his book The 50-Year Decline and Fall of Hollywood, talks frankly about prim
A pastor had just resigned... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 1998
A pastor had just resigned from his parish after fifteen years of service and had accepted another p
His frightening appearance from an... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 1998
His frightening appearance from an eye disease kept people at a generous distance.
Several weeks ago I sat... -- 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - C -- 1998
Several weeks ago I sat in the church office on a sluggish Monday morning with little to do.
The Mosaic law clearly states... -- 2 Timothy 1:1-14 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - C -- 1998
The Mosaic law clearly states that "anyone hung on a tree is under God's curse" (Deuteronomy 21:23).
In this passage Paul describes... -- 2 Timothy 2:8-15 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - C -- 1998
In this passage Paul describes Jesus in two ways: raised from the dead and a descendant of David.
Each year Phillips Brooks touches... -- John 1:1-14 -- 1998
Each year Phillips Brooks touches countless lives through the words of his lovely Christmas carol, "
In Mere ChristianityI... -- John 1:1-14 -- 1998
In Mere Christianity, C. S.
The room was far too... -- John 1:1-14 -- 1998
The room was far too quiet for the first class of a new course.
Prisms are interesting little instruments... -- John 1:1-14 -- 1998
Prisms are interesting little instruments.
Christmas Day! The day for... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- 1998
Christmas Day! The day for which we have prepared.
Whether it is an international... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- 1998
Whether it is an international event like the death of Princess Diana or a mere local event such as
The Hubble telescope, which modern... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- 1998
The Hubble telescope, which modern technology has hurtled into space, is announcing daily the wonder
God looked around. The hosts... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- 1998
God looked around. The hosts in heaven were in angelic array; the servants were far away.
In a former pastorate two... -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- 1998
In a former pastorate two of my elders used to call me the "Nazarene." I suppose that came from the
Thanksgiving in New York City... -- Luke 2:1-20 -- 1998
Thanksgiving in New York City. Basketball at Madison Square Garden and a concert in Carnegie Hall.
Grady was a superb athlete... -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- 1998
Grady was a superb athlete and student in his high school.
Every lad likes to tell... -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- 1998
Every lad likes to tell stories about his granddad. Granddads are special, it seems.
Tim tells about his friend... -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- 1998
Tim tells about his friend Jim, who nearly always came to Irvine in the summer to visit.
On December 28, 1996, Gary... -- Luke 2:1-20 -- 1998
On December 28, 1996, Gary Lewis, 33, of Denver, Colorado, was under his car changing the transmissi
In July 1953, Dan Keenan... -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- 1998
In July 1953, Dan Keenan spotted a little child, George (named after the sentry who had first found
Garrison Keillor, author and originator... -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- 1998
Garrison Keillor, author and originator of the popular radio show, A Prairie Home Companion,

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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

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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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