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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Some religious sects and some... -- Matthew 10:40-42 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 1996
Some religious sects and some telephone fund-raisers have a lot in common.
Sometimes we miss the picture... -- Matthew 10:40-42 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - A -- 1996
Sometimes we miss the picture of what Jesus meant when he spoke of giving a cup of cold water to a l
In a Sunday School class... -- 1 Peter 2:2-10 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1996
In a Sunday School class, the young children were asked to draw a picture of the manger scene.
In the classic movie, The... -- 1 Peter 2:2-10 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1996
In the classic movie, The Robe, there was a scene where Marcellus, the Roman soldier, is talking to
A team is an interdependent... -- 1 Peter 2:2-10 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 1996
A team is an interdependent group of people working together to accomplish a common goal.
A small child was building... -- Matthew 7:(15-20) 21-29 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 1996
A small child was building a sandcastle along the seashore one day.
In Okinawa, a Chinese youth... -- Matthew 7:(15-20) 21-29 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 1996
In Okinawa, a Chinese youth happened to see the three monkeys figurine for the first time.
Tent camping at the beach... -- Matthew 7:(15-20) 21-29 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 1996
Tent camping at the beach is tricky business. At first, it seems easy enough.
Every week the director of... -- Matthew 7:(15-20) 21-29 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - A -- 1996
Every week the director of the Better Business Bureau appears on a radio show to describe some scam
Surely, we must... -- Romans 5:1-8 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 1996
Surely, we must do something to achieve salvation, wholeness,
The death of Christ on... -- Romans 5:1-8 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 1996
The death of Christ on the cross was an event which has great meaning for each one of us.
Exhausted, Zeke collapsed on the... -- Romans 5:1-8 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 1996
Exhausted, Zeke collapsed on the sandy shore.
Think about all the signals... -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 1996
Think about all the signals that float through the sanctuary on Sunday morning.
The San Antonio Symphony Orchestra... -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 1996
The San Antonio Symphony Orchestra held a contest.
Some people are willing to... -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 1996
Some people are willing to take on the most difficult challenges.
A good personnel director will... -- Matthew 9:35--10:8 (9-23) -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - A -- 1996
A good personnel director will seldom interview a prospective employee without a good job descriptio
I was once doing some... -- Romans 6:1b-11 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 1996
I was once doing some counseling with a couple who was about to be married.
This time, Brenda knew she... -- Romans 6:1b-11 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 1996
This time, Brenda knew she was going to make it. She had tried to leave three times before.
Within the text we see... -- Romans 5:6-11 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 1996
Within the text we see God's love for all people -- a love which was revealed to us through Jesus Ch
My theology professor, Addison Leitch... -- Romans 5:6-11 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 1996
My theology professor, Addison Leitch, told of an event in Russia around 1870.
The tires made a crunching... -- Romans 5:6-11 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - A -- 1996
The tires made a crunching sound as the car rolled over the gravel of the driveway -- a sound that b
According to a recent survey... -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 1996
According to a recent survey, seventy percent of Americans say that the ability to read a map is an
Senator Howard Baker, Jr., liked... -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 1996
Senator Howard Baker, Jr., liked to tell stories about Sam Ervin.
Who am I? Who are... -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 1996
Who am I? Who are you? How committed am I to this relationship?
When a policeman puts on... -- Matthew 28:16-20 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - A -- 1996
When a policeman puts on a badge for the first time, he realizes the tremendous authority the commun

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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
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
34 – Sermons
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32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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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.

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