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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

England's King George II once... -- John 6:1-21 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 1997
England's King George II once stopped at a village inn for a brief meal.
Film actress Joan Crawford, greeted... -- Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 1997
Film actress Joan Crawford, greeted with an especially bright and sunny day, made a sudden decision
A labyrinth is like a... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 1997
A labyrinth is like a maze. But the difference is that a maze has many dead ends.
Wrong-way Corrigan got his... -- Mark 6:1-13 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 1997
"Wrong-way Corrigan" got his nickname by acting on the maxim, "It's easier to get forgiveness than p
There is a change in... -- Ephesians 6:10-20 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 1997
There is a change in the atmosphere around Buckingham Palace these days.
It is what comes out... -- Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 1997
It is what comes out of a person's heart that defiles, not what goes in.
Over time just about any... -- Ephesians 4:24-5:2 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 1997
Over time just about any watch will either run fast or slow.
The famous Italian painter Giovanni... -- John 6:51-58 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1997
The famous Italian painter Giovanni Francesco Caroto established a reputation for realistic, sometim
I recently attended a seminary... -- Ephesians 4:1-16 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 1997
I recently attended a seminary class where a rabbi was one of the students.
You don`t understand me... -- Hebrews 2:14-18 -- 1997
You don`t understand me! Those words have been a cry of people from one generation to the next.
Can you sense the urgency... -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 1997
Can you sense the urgency in Paul`s seventh chapter in 1 Corinthians? Time is of the essence.
He believed in AA because... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 1997
He believed in AA because it saved his life.
On the second day in... -- Acts 19:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 1997
On the second day in our new home, she appeared on our front door with a welcome cake.
Saint Paul was a prisoner... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 1997
Saint Paul was a prisoner because he had aroused the hostility of the Jews by advocating the equalit
Most people think of heaven... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- New Year's Day - B -- 1997
Most people think of heaven as some lush garden paradise.
A fever to gain the... -- Mark 8:31-38 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
A fever to "gain the whole world is early caught.
The need to practice one... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
The need to practice one`s piety publicly suggests a need for pompous display (no doubt masking one`
He descended into Hell are... -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
"He descended into Hell are the words we confess on a regular basis in the Apostles` Creed.
I`m just proclaiming the... -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 1997
"I`m just proclaiming the message, so don`t kill the messenger.
He never hesitated to tell... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1997
He never hesitated to tell me that he was a good Christian.
A father and son were... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 1997
A father and son were testing the springtime winds with a brand-new kite.
We shall fight on the... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- 1997
"We shall fight on the beaches; we shall fight on the streets; we shall fight in the hills; we will
Reverend Phillips Brooks wrote the... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 1997
Reverend Phillips Brooks wrote the Christmas carol, "O Little Town Of Bethlehem." On another occasio
The mockingbird is known for... -- Philippians 4:4-7 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
The mockingbird is known for its joyous song.
In 1939, a German professor... -- Philippians 1:3-11 -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
In 1939, a German professor left Union Seminary in New York to return to war-torn Germany.

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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