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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

We are urged to cast... -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 1997
We are urged to cast our concerns upon the Lord.
To be embraced by God's... -- Ephesians 2:4-10 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 1997
To be embraced by God's salvation as a free gift, we must first abandon all trust in ourselves, all
The difference between Law and... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 1997
The difference between Law and Grace is continually misunderstood.
Andre Gide, the French novelist... -- Mark 7:24-37 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 1997
Andre Gide, the French novelist, in a short story titled "The Pastoral Symphony," tells of a young g
Robert L. Edwards, in his... -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 1997
Robert L.
Jesus' advice to the rich... -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 1997
Jesus' advice to the rich young man focused on the disastrous consequences of substituting love of s
If it were possible that... -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 1997
If it were possible that you might be granted the fulfillment of a single wish, what would you wish
The remaining royalty in our... -- John 18:33-37 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 1997
The remaining royalty in our world are having a difficult time with publicity, power, and prestige.
The media is criticized for... -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 1997
The media is criticized for taking people whose accomplishments have dubious merit and making them c
Hasidim stories in the Jewish... -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 1997
Hasidim stories in the Jewish tradition often contain insights into human nature.
Jesus' raising of Lazarus illustrates... -- John 11:32-44 -- All Saints Day - B -- 1997
Jesus' raising of Lazarus illustrates that our Lord seemed at his best when responding to crises.
Several years ago in Rumania... -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1997
Several years ago in Rumania, there was a woman who fainted when she opened her front door and found
Gardner Taylor tells a story... -- John 6:56-69 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 1997
Gardner Taylor tells a story about a man who approached him following a Sunday service.
John Meister, in a sermon... -- John 1:1-14 -- 1997
John Meister, in a sermon titled: "When God Speaks," offers this homely illustration: A mother is ex
In Ceylon some years ago... -- 1 Peter 4:12-19 -- 1997
In Ceylon some years ago, a high-caste person believed that God had called him to serve with the out
A man traveling through Norway... -- Luke 2:1-20 -- 1997
A man traveling through Norway visited a certain church.
Pick a person whom you... -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- 1997
Pick a person whom you know intimately today. Recall how the relationship began.
A pastor and psychologist co... -- Luke 3:1-6 -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
A pastor and psychologist co-hosted a radio call-in counseling program.
A shopping service, trying to... -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
A shopping service, trying to make customers Christmas-
Morton Kelsey, who has written... -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 1997
Morton Kelsey, who has written eloquently on the subject of love, tells how one day he felt a sharp
Anne was a battered child... -- Ephesians 2:4-10 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 1997
Anne was a battered child.
Hearing Paul's words in 1... -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 1997
Hearing Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 reminds me of how Greek I am.
Harriet Tubman, like the Syrophoenician... -- Mark 7:24-37 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 1997
Harriet Tubman, like the Syrophoenician woman in this story, was an outcast.
After a while many biblical... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 1997
After a while many biblical and theological words become used so much that the sharpness is taken fr
It is a service world... -- Mark 10:35-45 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 1997
It is a service world today!

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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.

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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.

Special Occasion

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