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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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.
Paul reminds us that in... -- Philippians 4:4-7 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
Paul reminds us that in Jesus Christ we have peace which passes all human understanding.
The author of Hebrews quotes... -- Hebrews 10:5-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 40 in our passage.
Americans live life on the... -- Philippians 1:3-11 -- Second Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
Americans live life on the run. A cartoon shows the picture of a frustrated young man.

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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