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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Here's an interesting question to... -- Philippians 4:4-7 -- Third Sunday of Advent - C -- 1997
Here's an interesting question to ask a worship committee: "What one feeling or emotion would you wa
In recent years, clergy burnout... -- Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 1997
In recent years, clergy burnout has been a key issue in effective pastoral leadership.
A pastor tells of attending... -- Ezekiel 2:8-3:11 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 1997
A pastor tells of attending, some years ago, a seminar in Basel, Switzerland, conducted by the famou
I never thought about it... -- Isaiah 35:4-7a -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - B -- 1997
I never thought about it before until I read about it, but being able to read Braille means that one
The tongue can stain the... -- James 3:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 1997
The tongue can stain the whole body according to James 3:6. Our mouths can bless or curse.
I heard Norman Vincent Peale... -- Jeremiah 31:31-34 -- Reformation Sunday - B -- 1997
I heard Norman Vincent Peale tell about a man who came to him for counseling. Dr.
W. E. Sangster has told... -- Isaiah 53:4-12 -- Proper 24 | Ordinary Time 29 - B -- 1997
W. E.
The prophet instructed the people... -- Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 -- Proper 23 | Ordinary Time 28 - B -- 1997
The prophet instructed the people that they were to "hate evil and love good." What kind of evil do
The biblical understanding is that... -- Genesis 2:18-24 -- Proper 22 | Ordinary Time 27 - B -- 1997
The biblical understanding is that men and women are two halves of one being. Adam was alone.
Timothy has an urgent message... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-7 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1997
Timothy has an urgent message for "everyone"; for "all" people in the first seven verses of chapter
George Gallup, the founder of... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- All Saints Day - B -- 1997
George Gallup, the founder of the American Institute of Public Opinion, conducted one of his famous
A contemporary Latin American memorial... -- Daniel 12:1-3 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 1997
A contemporary Latin American memorial service for Christian martyrs who have died for their faith s
A friend of mine has... -- Romans 8:12-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 1997
A friend of mine has raised his stepson for five of his eight years of life.
It's so easy as pastors... -- 1 John 5:9-13 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
It's so easy as pastors to try to change people for the Gospel.
There were a lot of... -- Romans 8:22-27 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 1997
There were a lot of questions about the new service I introduced, "The Blessings of the Animals." Ma
How comfortable has the church... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 1997
How comfortable has the church become in her being called the "body of Christ"?
The main negotiating for an... -- 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 1997
The main negotiating for an end to the war in Bosnia occurred at the Wright Patterson Air Force Bas
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Russia's great nineteenth... -- 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 1997
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Russia's great nineteenth century novelist, as a young man was cast into prison
The apostle reminds us that... -- 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 1997
The apostle reminds us that we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and at that time
When you think back to... -- 2 Corinthians 4:13--5:1 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1997
When you think back to the tragedy that occurred in Oklahoma City in 1995, what picture comes to you
Saint Paul uses the example... -- 2 Corinthians 4:5-12 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B -- 1997
Saint Paul uses the example of common pottery in 2 Corinthians 4:7.
The Walt Disney film The... -- Hebrews 5:5-10 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
The Walt Disney film The Lion King was the fourth biggest money-making movie of all time.
In the World Almanac, I... -- 1 John 4:7-21 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
In the World Almanac, I recently counted at least 152 different Christian denominations in the Unite
The Butterball Turkey Company offers... -- 1 John 3:16-24 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
The Butterball Turkey Company offers a hotline so that consumers can call in and ask questions about
Although many churches have suffered... -- 1 John 1:1--2:2 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
Although many churches have suffered over the years from scandals, one denomination always seems to

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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
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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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