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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

A good shoe will take... -- 1 John 4:7-21 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
A good shoe will take on the unique form of the foot that wears it.
The young curate lived alone... -- 1 John 3:16-24 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
The young curate lived alone in an apartment.
Nobody liked Corey. He was... -- 1 John 1:1--2:2 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
Nobody liked Corey. He was a bully par excellence.
When I was in Egypt... -- Ephesians 3:14-21 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 1997
When I was in Egypt in 1995 on a mission trip, the things that we saw each day were just overwhelmin
Before we buy a product... -- 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 1997
Before we buy a product, we like to know if it has been tested to do what it is supposed to do.
Barnetts Creek Baptist Church is... -- Ephesians 2:11-22 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 1997
Barnetts Creek Baptist Church is an all-white congregation in Thomasville, Georgia.
Colorado was kicking around the... -- James 1:17-27 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 1997
Colorado was kicking around the idea of passing a new state law.
When Alfredo arrived at school... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 1997
When Alfredo arrived at school nobody really befriended him except Mark.
There is a story about... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1997
There is a story about a man who spent his whole life telling other people about the castle that he
A very amusing incident at... -- Ephesians 4:25--5:2 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 1997
A very amusing incident at a church music camp was hearing the rules of the laundry shack sung to An
The pastoral team of three... -- Ephesians 4:1-16 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 1997
The pastoral team of three at St.
Beulah Lund is a Washington... -- Hebrews 2:14-18 -- 1997
Beulah Lund is a Washington state farm wife who embarked on a scary experience.
Imagine a child custody case... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 1997
Imagine a child custody case where two parents are fighting one another for sole custody of their jo
The plot of the movie... -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 1997
The plot of the movie is this: There is only one hour left in the life of planet Earth.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a great German... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 1997
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a great German theologian martyred by the Nazis in 1945, wrote powerful letters
In Jesus` teaching he talks... -- Acts 19;1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 1997
In Jesus` teaching he talks about one sowing, but another reaping (John 4:37).
It is true that those... -- Romans 4:13-25 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
It is true that those who are the risk takers by acting on faith and little certainty have often loo
There are people who read... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- New Year's Day - B -- 1997
There are people who read thriller novels who just can`t wait to get to the end in order to find out
The little child is voicing... -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
The little child is voicing the usual fear about graveyards.
Do as I say, not... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
"Do as I say, not as I do is an often quoted humorous response given by parents when caught in cont
Doctors who smoke; police officers... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1997
Doctors who smoke; police officers who ignore the seat-belt laws; veterinarians who hunt and kill an
In Britain during the darkest... -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 1997
In Britain during the darkest days of WW2, blackout was practiced.
Our passage is one of... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 1997
Our passage is one of the first references to singing in the context of Christian worship.
In chapter one of the... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- 1997
In chapter one of the Epistle to the Hebrews the author uses scriptural citations to prove the super
Watch your words. Words can... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 1997
Watch your words. Words can be wonderful or worrisome. Words can win or wound.

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

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
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29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
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27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
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32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

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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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