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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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
How are you able to... -- Ephesians 3:14-21 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - B -- 1997
"How are you able to do it, Dorothy?"
When the Berlin Wall was... -- Ephesians 2:11-22 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - B -- 1997
When the Berlin Wall was constructed in the heat of the Cold War, there was left standing a simple c
In Peru, archaeologists have uncovered... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - B -- 1997
In Peru, archaeologists have uncovered a "portrait vessel of a ruler" from the time of the Moche cul
Saint Paul's famous struggle with... -- 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 -- Proper 9 | Ordinary Time 14 - B -- 1997
Saint Paul's famous struggle with his "thorn" in his flesh is a wonderful reminder that we must leav
Eventually the Christian faith leads... -- James 1:17-27 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - B -- 1997
Eventually the Christian faith leads the believer into a life that embraces the neighbor.
William E. Diehl, former Manager... -- Ephesians 6:10-20 -- Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21 - B -- 1997
William E.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a man... -- Ephesians 5:15-20 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - B -- 1997
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a man who knew how to "make the most of the time," as Paul writes, "always a
The apple may not fall... -- 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - B -- 1997
The apple may not fall so very far from the tree, but sometimes it drops with such impact that the t
Saint Paul writes about gifts... -- Ephesians 4:1-16 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - B -- 1997
Saint Paul writes about gifts that God gives the church to build up the Body of Christ.
A couple of years ago... -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 1997
A couple of years ago a severe earthquake rumbled through the city of Kobe in Japan.
God promises to help us... -- Hebrews 2:14-18 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1997
God promises to help us when we are tested, not to remove the test.
In rural Thailand there is... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 1997
In rural Thailand there is a lot of poverty, with many people living on the brink of starvation.
When you send in your... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - B -- 1997
When you send in your federal income tax form, there is a spot on the second page where you are aske
A new person moved into... -- Acts 19:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 1997
A new person moved into the neighborhood.
The Vista de la Montana... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- New Year's Day - B -- 1997
The Vista de la Montana United Methodist Church near Tucson, Arizona, is noteworthy in that it is co
Every morning there was a... -- Romans 4:13-25 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
Every morning there was a group of women who attended the 6 a.m. mass at a certain church.
In 1995, the Pennsylvania Department... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 1997
In 1995, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue offered people a chance to be made right.
When Noah finished building the... -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 1997
When Noah finished building the ark, he started to let the animals come on board two by two.
One Sunday morning at the... -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 1997
One Sunday morning at the end of the service, a little boy came up to the minister and handed him a
So often people find it... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 1997
So often people find it entertaining to see a problem and to see it get worse.
William Blake's Clod And The... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 1996
William Blake's "Clod And The Pebble" illustrates 2 kinds of love: "Love seeketh only self to please
Louisa May Alcott, author of... -- Matthew 4:12-23 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - A -- 1996
Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, wrote a poem titled, "My Kingdom." It contains these line
A couple from a congregation... -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 1996
A couple from a congregation I served one day visited another family in the congregation.
Whatever else might characterize God... -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - A -- 1996
Whatever else might characterize God, Frank was convinced that an outrageous sense of humor was one

Political Pulpit

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The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
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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
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160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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Thanksgiving
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80+ – Illustrations / Stories
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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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