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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

When the great Dutch artist... -- Revelation 1:4b-8 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 1997
When the great Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh was hospitalized in 1889, he created a striking paintin
There are certain events in... -- Hebrews 9:24-28 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 1997
There are certain events in history that can be considered turning points.
Every national holiday we are... -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 1997
Every national holiday we are urged to be watchful of our hard-won freedoms.
Thornton Wilder, in the play... -- John 11:32-44 -- All Saints Day - B -- 1997
Thornton Wilder, in the play Our Town, asks deeper questions about the quality of one's life.
An advocate with authority is... -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 -- 1997
An advocate with authority is what we need most desperately.
Jesus' prayer for his followers... -- John 17:6-19 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
Jesus' prayer for his followers linked their living in the Truth (in Christ) with protection from th
Charles Townsend Copeland, beloved Harvard... -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 1997
Charles Townsend Copeland, beloved Harvard University professor of English, was well known for his e
Jesus regularly used natural emergencies... -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1997
Jesus regularly used natural emergencies to bring the faithful closer to God.
To touch or be touched... -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1997
To touch or be touched by Jesus is to be given new life.
When the Lord's Day, or... -- Mark 2:23--3:6 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B -- 1997
When the Lord's Day, or any other gift from God, becomes an occasion for idolatry, we succeed in mis
Following Jesus is a challenge... -- John 2:13-22 -- 1997
Following Jesus is a challenge.
The subject is courage. John... -- Mark 6:14-29 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 1997
The subject is courage. John the Baptist was a prophet with the courage of his convictions.
Jesus was very wise in... -- John 6:56-69 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 1997
Jesus was very wise in his use of metaphors with which to explain himself.
Dependency in relationships in recent... -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 1997
Dependency in relationships in recent years has become a sign of weakness to be avoided at all cost
If you were to take... -- John 6:24-35 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 1997
"If you were to take the sum total of all the authoritative articles ever written by the most quali
We always want new people... -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 1997
We always want new people in our midst.
All he had worked for... -- Mark 1:14-20 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 1997
All he had worked for was going to pieces now that John was going to prison.
What team are you on... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- New Year's Day - B -- 1997
What team are you on? Or what team do you root for? Whose side are you on?
He said to me, Here... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
He said to me, "Here is a map for the journey ahead.
Elisabeth Elliot, in her book... -- 1 Peter 4:12-19 -- 1997
Elisabeth Elliot, in her book The Savage, My Kinsman, relates the massacre of her husband and
Some seminary students are required... -- John 1:1-14 -- 1997
Some seminary students are required to take a New Testament Greek reading course in which class memb
The birth of a child... -- Luke 2:1-20 -- 1997
The birth of a child can be an awesome event in the life of any person. It was 12:05 a.m.
It is almost impossible for... -- Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) -- 1997
It is almost impossible for people not to express the joy and happiness that exists deep within thei
A new member of a... -- Luke 3:7-18 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
A new member of a synod staff was leading a worship service in one of the congregations of the Syno
One of the most inspiring... -- Luke 3:1-6 -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
One of the most inspiring songs in the musical Godspell is the marvelous opening lyric titled

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 28 | OT 33 | Pentecost 23
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Christ the King Sunday
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Thanksgiving
34 – Sermons
80+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
24 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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, wildfires, 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 Sept. 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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