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

During the First World War... -- 2 Corinthians 4:5-12 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B -- 1991
During the First World War, the great German armies were making what they hoped would be a final ass
Why do we become discouraged... -- 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1991
Why do we become discouraged? Something in verse 16 that Paul said he never became?
The chairperson of the religious... -- Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 1991
The chairperson of the religious advisory committee to a state department of connections, an inter-r
An American decided to take... -- Mark 16:15-20 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 1991
An American decided to take a tour of Great Britain by car.
Sugar Ray Leonard, great middleweight... -- 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 1991
Sugar Ray Leonard, great middleweight boxer, once commented to the effect that "God gives all of us
The story is told of... -- 1 John 4:1-11 -- 1991
The story is told of a CEO who developed a particular test which was given to many engineers applyin
There are at least two... -- 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 -- 1991
There are at least two ways one becomes "a new creation" in Christ, "by perspiration" and "by inspir
William Barclay gave radio talks... -- 1991
William Barclay gave radio talks about Jesus' miracles.
There is an old saying... -- Ezekiel 31:1-6, 10-14 -- 1991
There is an old saying about the temptations of power and pride in government: "Power corrupts; and
In the old days, cancer... -- 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1991
In the old days, cancer used to be called, The Wasting Disease.
Upon entering through any door... -- Deuteronomy 6:4-9 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 1991
Upon entering through any door in Israel, a house's front door, a restaurant kitchen door, a bedroom
Paul in verse 8 speaks... -- 2 Corinthians 4:5-12 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B -- 1991
Paul in verse 8 speaks to virtually everyone who is a teenager or above.
Pentecost empowered the disciples to... -- Acts 2:1-21 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 1991
Pentecost empowered the disciples to go into all the world with courage and power.
A young minister had just... -- Acts 11:19-30 -- 1991
A young minister had just assumed the duties of his new parish when he was called upon to conduct th
Go into all the world... -- Mark 16:15-20 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 1991
"Go into all the world." This is the word of Jesus to his disciples. Go, bearing the good news.
Lamentations means tears. Often we... -- Lamentations 3:22-33 -- 1991
Lamentations means "tears." Often we see tears in the church -- tears of joy, tears of sorrow, tears
When we are children, it... -- Job 38:1-11 -- 1991
When we are children, it is difficult to figure out what our parents are up to.
A tender twig ... planted on... -- Ezekiel 17:22-24 -- 1991
"A tender twig ... planted on a high and lofty mountain ..." Who can tell what may come of it?
This is the first biblical... -- Genesis 3:9-15 -- Proper 5 | Ordinary Time 10 - B -- 1991
This is the first biblical version of the human penchant for passing the buck.
A New England university biology... -- Deuteronomy 5:12-15 -- Proper 4 | Ordinary Time 9 - B -- 1991
A New England university biology professor studying horseshoe crabs discovered something very intere
While visiting a very poor... -- Acts 2:1-21 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 1991
While visiting a very poor area of a Latin-American country, I was invited to speak to a large group
The seventh verse states that... -- Deuteronomy 6:4-9 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 1991
The seventh verse states that parents are supposed to teach their children to love God with all thei
H. V. Morton in his... -- Acts 11:19-30 -- 1991
H. V. Morton in his book, In the Steps of St.
The church which is his... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Ascension of the Lord - B -- 1991
"The church which is his [Christ's] body, the fullness of him who fills all in all" (v. 23).
Almost all of us, young... -- Lamentations 3:22-33 -- 1991
Almost all of us, young and old, are in a hurry.

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 13 | OT 18 | Pentecost 8
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 14 | OT 19 | Pentecost 9
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 15 | OT 20 | Pentecost 10
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: This message is a role play. You can do this with only two children playing the parts of the two women, but if you have more children, you could have two more playing the parts of the children, another playing the part of the synagogue leader, and another playing the part of the country’s leader. You can also add any other roles you might want to add to make it interesting. Also, I have created places for your characters to speak, but you can add more of those to make it all more fun and memorable.

* * *

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Nazish Naseem
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For August 24, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
C. Knight Aldrich, a medical doctor and the first chairperson of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago (1955-1964), was a keen analyst of the motivations for our behaviors. He worked with the social services agencies of Chicago for a time, particularly spending hours with teenagers who had been arrested for shoplifting or other theft. Aldrich interviewed them to find out how they had come to this. He also talked with the parents, attempting to discover how they had handled the problem from the first time they knew about it.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Psalm 77:1-6

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“We have questions about your conduct as our pastor,” Carl announced as soon as Pastor John sat down at the hastily called board meeting. “We have received complaints about you from the congregation.”

“Complaints?” Pastor John frowned. “From whom and about what?”

“Mrs. Finnigan saw you coming out of what she politely described as ‘A Gentleman’s Club’ last Thursday night when she was driving downtown.” Bruce scowled. “Do you deny this?”

“Not at all,” Pastor John said. “I did have to go to that place on Thursday evening.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus was aware of people's deepest needs and what prompted their actions. In our worship today let us consider how we can discover people's deepest needs and the motives for their actions.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we see only the surface and condemn without real understanding.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid to get sufficiently close to other people to see their inner needs.
Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
(See Epiphany 4/Ordinary Time 4, Cycle C, for an alternative approach.)

The old saying, "experience is the best teacher," could serve as a subtitle for this psalm. Written as a prayer for help in a time of distress or oppression, the psalm subtly hints at a recognition and awareness that only comes with time. There is a track record, so to speak, that the psalmist is aware of: God's record of dependability. Based on God's proven record of saving power and grace, the psalmist is able to pray for salvation, but at the same time celebrate the certainty of its arrival.
Lee Ann Dunlap
Carrie's1 high school guidance counselor noticed she had been acting out a bit in school recently. She had appeared depressed and had been having some authority issues over rules and such. The guidance counselor set Carrie up with a local pastor who had been volunteering a few hours each Friday after a teen suicide a few months before. Most of the other students who came to see the pastor just needed someone to listen to their usual teen issues and heartaches. But, shortly into their time together, Carrie began to open up about some real grown-up problems.
Kirk R. Webster
It's a typical Sunday morning at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida. The people file in and sit down in plush pews. Their attention is drawn to the chancel where they see choir members calmly seated, robed in dark blue and white. The mahogany altar table is draped with a silk parament. Two bronze candleholders stand guard at the table edges.
R. Robert Cueni
As was his custom, Jesus went that Sabbath morning to the synagogue for worship. As he was preaching and teaching, he happened to glance toward the fringe of the crowd where he saw a very crippled woman. She was bent over and was unable to stand up straight. When he inquired, Jesus was told the woman had been that way for eighteen years.
John H. Will
Call to Worship
Indeed, this is a day of rest and gladness.
This is God's Sabbath, created for our reflection and renewal.
Let us then not profane it, but keep it holy.
We do this as we honor God and commit ourselves to the well--being of God's creation.
Each of us individually needs a personal rejuvenation of spirit.
Together we seek a strengthening of community, a community that continues to build itself in love.
So do we come as one people to worship God, our Maker and our Sustainer.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL