Login / Signup

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Two old friends went bear... -- Luke 10:17-20 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1996
Two old friends went bear hunting together. They both boasted of prowess as bear hunters.
It's easy to become confused... -- Luke 10:17-20 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1996
It's easy to become confused in life about what really matters.
Jesus has an interesting reaction... -- Luke 10:17-20 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1996
Jesus has an interesting reaction to the disciples' joy and their newly-acquired authority.
From childhood school days I... -- Romans 13:1-10 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1996
From childhood school days I recall the deep impression made upon me by a certain poem by J. H. L.
Therefore one must be subject... -- Romans 13:1-10 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1996
"Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience" (Romans 13
Have you ever seen children... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1996
Have you ever seen children, or even adults for that matter, playing a game when part way into the g
Remember the trickle down theory... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1996
Remember the "trickle down theory" so popular during the Reagan presidency?
The circus came to town... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1996
The circus came to town, and Clem could not resist the call of the smell of the greasepaint and the
A friend recently told me... -- Matthew 18:21-35 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - A -- 1996
A friend recently told me how much better he felt after years of carrying around an old grudge.
During the Dark Ages, a... -- Philippians 1:21-30 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 1996
During the Dark Ages, a savage tribe of Franks was baptized in mass.
Paul's entire purpose in life... -- Philippians 1:21-30 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 1996
Paul's entire purpose in life was to be filled with Christ, being like Christ as much as possible, c
It wasn't the first paradox... -- Philippians 1:21-30 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 1996
It wasn't the first paradox Kristin had encountered and, no doubt, would not be the last.
At Christmas time, we toss... -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 1996
At Christmas time, we toss a couple of quarters in some bell ringer's kettle, and we figure that we
What's fair? And what's unfair... -- Matthew 20:1-16 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 1996
What's fair? And what's unfair? As children, we seemed to think that life should be fair.
One of the most frustrating... -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - A -- 1996
One of the most frustrating moments for an employer is that time when the government determines that
One man was having a... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1996
One man was having a very bad day on the golf course.
Jim Crane wrote a cartoon... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1996
Jim Crane wrote a cartoon book, On Edge.
Many people have received world... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1996
Many people have received world acclaim from the multitudes. The list is almost endless.
For JoyWe know... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1996
For JoyWe know we cannot live unless we die,
The scandal of the Christian... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 1996
The scandal of the Christian church has been its divisiveness.
I, Nathan, take you, Katherine... -- Matthew 16:13-20 -- Proper 17 | Ordinary Time 22 - A -- 1996
"I, Nathan, take you, Katherine, to be my wife. And I promise ...
During 1995, we marked the... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 1996
During 1995, we marked the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
To bear up under loss... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 1996
"To bear up under loss, to fight the bits of grief, to be victor over anger, to smile when tears are
Martha's labor pains had begun... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 1996
Martha's labor pains had begun only an hour earlier. They were regular, twenty minutes apart.
A policeman in Cincinnati recently... -- Romans 13:8-14 -- Proper 18 | Ordinary Time 23 - A -- 1996
A policeman in Cincinnati recently was arrested as a bank robber and narcotics distributor.

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
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
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

* * *

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

Wildcard SSL