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

In Lloyd Douglas' novel, The... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 1995
In Lloyd Douglas' novel, The Robe, there is a scene in which Marcellus, a Roman soldier, has returne
If they had lived in... -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- 1995
If they had lived in another place, they would have been safe.
Important relationships shape our lives... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 1995
Important relationships shape our lives.
A legend says that Mary... -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- 1995
A legend says that Mary and Joseph stopped at an inn on their way to Egypt.
A woman and her husband... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 1995
A woman and her husband were stuck in the middle of a big traffic jam in a large midwestern city, w
A couple of years ago... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 1995
A couple of years ago, the price of IBM stock declined dramatically, falling by more than 50 percen
Billy Graham tells the story... -- Matthew 2:13-23 -- 1995
Billy Graham tells the story about the Reverend John Paton and his wife, who were missionaries in th
The phrase, When the time... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- 1995
The phrase, "When the time has fully come," has much deeper meaning than one is apt to grasp, unless
There are many ways of... -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- 1995
There are many ways of naming children practiced in different regions of the globe.
To think that Jesus points... -- 1995
To think that Jesus points to John the Baptist and proclaims him the greatest individual ever born!
Invitations can add much joy... -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- 1995
Invitations can add much joy to life.
I once knew a student... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- 1995
I once knew a student in college who greatly neglected his studies, spending very little time in his
A few years ago, a... -- 1995
A few years ago, a bourbon company, seeking to entice new customers during the holiday season, displ
Some choose to remain in... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- 1995
Some choose to remain in slavery.
Dr. Julian Price, a pediatrician... -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- 1995
Dr.
One of my favorite poems... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- 1995
One of my favorite poems is T.S.
On a Gunsmoke episode years... -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- 1995
On a Gunsmoke episode years ago, the State of Kansas experienced a long, dry spell.
During his childhood and youth... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- 1995
During his childhood and youth, Henry had often questioned his parents' motives in adopting him and
Jonathan was usually on a... -- Matthew 1:18-25 -- 1995
Jonathan was usually on a pretty even keel, but during the last few days he had really been struggli
Barbara had just met the... -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- 1995
Barbara had just met the new director of the retreat center, but after only ten minutes of conversat
Brenda tied off the final... -- Matthew 3:1-12 -- 1995
Brenda tied off the final knot of the hand-stitched hem and held up her new, completed jumper.
Katrina knew he would be... -- Matthew 24:36-44 -- 1995
Katrina knew he would be waiting.
A father took his son... -- Galatians 4:4-7 -- 1995
A father took his son to college.
In 1994 Christmas fell on... -- 1995
In 1994 Christmas fell on a Sunday.
In 1993 the church I... -- Matthew 11:2-11 -- 1995
In 1993 the church I was serving took a group of teenagers to Pittsburgh to attend the Billy Graham

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
1 Kings 19:1-4 (5-7) 8-15a
Life can be frightening sometimes. Thus it is both comforting but disconcerting to find a giant of faith like Elijah to fear the future. On that matter Martin Luther once claimed:
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