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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mary Artemesia Lathbury (1841-1918), a... -- John 6:1-21 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 1997
Mary Artemesia Lathbury (1841-1918), a daughter of a Methodist preacher, showed promise even as a yo
Two hundred fifty years ago... -- Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 1997
Two hundred fifty years ago David Brainerd (1718-1747), a young missionary to Native Americans durin
One day when Francis of... -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 1997
One day when Francis of Assisi was 27 years old he was assisting a pastor at a little church in the
Sometimes God uses those who... -- Mark 6:14-29 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 1997
Sometimes God uses those who lack pedigree in order to fine-
When in 1996 religious columnist... -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 1997
When in 1996 religious columnist Mike McManus completed fifteen years of writing his column "Ethics
Living within the Body of... -- 1 Corinthians 12:27-31a -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 1997
Living within the Body of Christ works wonderfully in theory, until we're challenged with the unexpe
The critics of the church... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1997
The critics of the church have always had difficulty understanding what Christians believe and how t
To work for food that... -- John 6:24-35 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 1997
To work for food that perishes is to settle for the merely good instead of the truly inspired.
The American oil tycoon Jean... -- John 6:35, 41-51 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 1997
The American oil tycoon Jean Paul Getty once received a request from a British magazine for a short
Ann and Jim were just... -- Luke 2:22-40 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1997
Ann and Jim were just ordinary parents who recently were blessed with the gift of a little son.
Jesus` authority and the presence... -- Mark 1:14-20 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 1997
Jesus` authority and the presence of crippling sin in human life make clear that it takes a benevole
When you go to boil... -- Mark 1:4-11 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 1997
When you go to boil water, do you fill the pot with hot water or cold?
If we had been royalty... -- Matthew 2:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 1997
If we had been royalty, would we have gone to do homage to another?
Marquis de Lafayette, one of... -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 1997
Marquis de Lafayette, one of France`s contributions to the success of the American Revolution, could
During the Whitsuntide vacation in... -- Mark 8:31-38 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
During the Whitsuntide vacation in 1896 a young university student awakens at his home in Gunsbach i
One way to understand Jesus... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
One way to understand Jesus` temptation, and our own, is to say that the Evil One wants to change so
Catherine Marshall tells the story... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
Catherine Marshall tells the story of what their family decided to do one fall day.
Including no more than three... -- Mark 9:2-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 1997
Including no more than three close followers in his mountaintop epiphany may have been for Our Lord
In the second century, there... -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1997
In the second century, there was an actor who converted to the Christian faith.
This passage talks about the... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 1997
This passage talks about the natural effects of being in love with God.
God's word instructs us to... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 1997
God's word instructs us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, a
Jesus is the radiance of... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- 1997
Jesus is the radiance of the Father's glory. The Hebrew word for "glory" is kabad.
Why is it that every... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
Why is it that every time I go to buy laundry detergent, the bottle says, "New and Improved"?
Sometimes what we request from... -- Philippians 4:4-7 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
Sometimes what we request from God is not always what is best for us.
God is faithful to complete... -- Philippians 1:3-11 -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
God is faithful to complete the good work he began in you.

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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