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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Go ahead and smoke, why... -- Mark 9:38-50 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 1997
"Go ahead and smoke, why don't you?" "You are such a goody-
Four generations of the Higginson... -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 1997
Four generations of the Higginson family were all gathered for the annual reunion.
The pleasant waitress arrived, and... -- Mark 7:24-37 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 1997
The pleasant waitress arrived, and the customer said: "I'll have the special for today, and a cup of
It's the law! No one... -- Romans 3:19-28 -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 1997
It's the law! No one seems to be getting as much bad press as police officers, not even attorneys!
Jesus learned obedience through what... -- Hebrews 5:1-10 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 1997
Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered.
Donald McGavran, father of the... -- Mark 10:17-31 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 1997
Donald McGavran, father of the Church Growth movement in America, developed his principles of church
That children may be born... -- Mark 10:2-16 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 1997
"That children may be born and nurtured in families, and trained in Godliness, and that human societ
It was an ancient Christian... -- Matthew 6:25-33 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1997
It was an ancient Christian who advised, "Love God and do as you please." Jesus seemed to advocate a
The night is pitch dark... -- Revelation 1:4b-8 -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - B -- 1997
The night is pitch dark. There is no moon. The city lights are far away.
George Gershwin, the famous U.S... -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 1997
George Gershwin, the famous U.S.
The Santa Claus myth gets... -- Hebrews 9:24-28 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 1997
The Santa Claus "myth" gets more difficult to carry on as children become older.
William Sloane Coffin, former pastor... -- John 11:32-44 -- All Saints Day - B -- 1997
William Sloane Coffin, former pastor of Riverside Church in New York City and prominent social acti
The promise of the Spirit... -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 -- 1997
The promise of the Spirit is that He will lead us into the truth. Lynne V.
To be born from above... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 1997
To be born from above means to make a clean and complete break with one's past and to start a brand
Saint Paul was not always... -- John 17:6-19 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
Saint Paul was not always a fascinating preacher to listen to.
A current critic of the... -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 1997
A current critic of the Church remarked that religious faith is more often a "dull habit rather tha
Emperor Cyrus II, sometimes called... -- 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1997
Emperor Cyrus II, sometimes called "Cyrus the Great," became an emperor to be feared after rising fr
There is debate over whether... -- Mark 4:26-34 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 1997
There is debate over whether Jesus used parables to conceal or to reveal the truth.
I find it difficult to... -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1997
I find it difficult to be critical of the disciples for their terror in the midst of the storm's wa
Sometimes no answer is the... -- Mark 3:20-35 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1997
Sometimes no answer is the best answer.
Much anguish is caused by... -- Mark 2:23--3:6 -- 1997
Much anguish is caused by people who value precepts to the neglect of persons.
The liner notes to the... -- John 12:20-33 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
The liner notes to the compact disc say, "Listen for the special instrumental solo in the middle of
It is sometimes claimed that... -- John 2:13-22 -- 1997
It is sometimes claimed that the driving out of the money changers was the last straw that broke the
The wedding music was to... -- John 15:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
The wedding music was to be provided by a previously recorded tape.
Allen Meck would paint this... -- John 10:11-18 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
Allen Meck would paint this word picture for his listeners: "Sheep are walking across a beautiful gr

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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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