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

It was 1:30 p.m. and... -- 2 Peter 3:8-15a -- 1996
It was 1:30 p.m. and John was eager to go skiing with his dad.
The sun and the moon... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- 1996
The sun and the moon measure the seasons of time. Clocks measure the length of time.
I haven't told this to... -- Romans 16:25-27 -- 1996
"I haven't told this to anyone since it all began," Alex said, staring at the floor.
Irish author Samuel Beckett wrote... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 -- 1996
Irish author Samuel Beckett wrote a tragic/comedy titled, Waiting for Godot, in which the main chara
Before his conversion to the... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 1996
Before his conversion to the Christian faith, Augustine had been a promiscuous man.
Until children reach a certain... -- 2 Peter 3:8-15a -- 1996
Until children reach a certain age the only reality is now.
If I am a slave... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- 1996
If I am a slave in the time of Paul, I have nothing -- no rights, no property, and no freedom.
The mood of this ending... -- Romans 16:25-27 -- 1996
The mood of this ending to Paul's famous Epistle to the Romans is that of pure, unadulterated praise
Before computers were around it... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 -- 1996
Before computers were around it was quite maddening when you found you had finished a letter, but st
Most people today still believe... -- 2 Peter 3:8-15a -- 1996
Most people today still believe in hell.
Jack Welfield was a kindly... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 1996
Jack Welfield was a kindly old man at the age of 82.
There were five priests and... -- Romans 16:25-27 -- 1996
There were five priests and six nuns who were put into a prison in southern China.
Apollo 13 was one of... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- 1996
Apollo 13 was one of the most popular films of 1995.
During World War II, as... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 -- 1996
During World War II, as Hitler's armies raced across France, thousands of Allied troops dug in along
Over lunch, Joe and Terry... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
Over lunch, Joe and Terry were discussing the support staff
How great is the lack... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
How great is the lack of gratitude on the part of so many
My wife and I were... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
My wife and I were once invited to a party in the home of a
1. Ezra Goodman, in his... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
1. Ezra Goodman, in his book, the Fifty-year Decline and
A friend of mine was... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-4 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
A friend of mine was so impressed when he met our mayor for
People are, in their daily... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-4 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
People are, in their daily lives, "protected" by those in
At the Boise United Methodist... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-4 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
At the Boise United Methodist Church in Idaho, they recently
Praise God from Whom All... -- 1 Timothy 2:1-4 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow Yes, all blessings:
Letting GoIn solitude... -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
Letting GoIn solitude I sit to welcome dawnsensing in its soft illumination
It has been said that... -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
It has been said that a man's character can well be judged
A story is told of... -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 -- Thanksgiving Day - B -- 1996
A story is told of a minister who received a telephone call

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