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 popular reality TV shows... -- Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2011
Two popular reality TV shows deal with pawnshops.
Fred Craddock tells the story about a missionary family... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2011
Fred Craddock tells the story about a missionary family who served in China.
Two chalices -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Craig Kelly -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2011
I have noticed that in some churches there are two chalices present during communion.
When The Oprah Winfrey Show ended... -- Mark 1:21-28 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2011
After the close of The Oprah Winfrey Show, People magazine did a review of its 25 year
Martin Luther King Jr. tells of a low moment... -- Isaiah 40:21-31 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2011
In his book Strength to Love, Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. Carl Jung and a troubled clergyman... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2011
Dr. Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist, once had a troubled clergyman come to him for help.
Dignity therapy... -- 2 Kings 5:1-14 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2011
Hospice has introduced "dignity therapy" for terminally ill patients.
Comedian David "Sinbad" Adkins owed $8.15 million in back taxes -- Mark 1:40-45 -- Ron Love -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2011
Comedian David "Sinbad" Adkins owed $8.15 million in back taxes.
Sermon Illustrations for The Transfiguration (2011) -- 2 Kings 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, Mark 9:2-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2011
2 Kings 2:1-12
Author Herbert Tarr tells the story of a boy... -- 2 Kings 2:1-12 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2011
Author Herbert Tarr tells the story of a boy by the name of David whose parents died when he was ver
It's an old cliche... -- 2 Kings 2:1-12 -- Craig Kelly -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2011
It's an old cliche that the only certainties in life are death and taxes.
The movie Sarah's Key... -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- Ron Love -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2011
The movie Sarah's Key is based on the novel of the same title.
Whenever I read this passage... -- Mark 9:2-9 -- Craig Kelly -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2011
Whenever I read this passage, I always think of the phrase "true colors." The term refers to the ide
In one of my favorite Charlie Brown cartoons... -- Mark 9:2-9 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2011
In one of my favorite Charlie Brown cartoons Charlie is listening to Lucy, who confesses, "Sometimes
Sermon Illustrations for Ash Wednesday (2011) -- Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12), 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2011
Isaiah 58:1-12
When the armistice was signed... -- Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) -- Ron Love -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2011
When the armistice was signed that ended the Spanish-American War, which was fought in 1898, the Ame
Francis of Assisi grew up in a wealthy Italian family... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10 -- Richard A. Hasler -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2011
Francis of Assisi grew up in a wealthy Italian family.
How many times have we faced a situation where someone died suddenly... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10 -- Craig Kelly -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2011
How many times have we faced a situation where someone died suddenly?
In the early days of World War II... -- Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 -- Ron Love -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2011
In the early days of World War II, Ruth Handler and her husband Elliott designed plastic picture fra
Sermon Illustrations for Lent 1 (2011) -- Genesis 9:8-17, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 9:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2011
Genesis 9:8-17
I remember when my wife and I bought our first house... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- Craig Kelly -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2011
I remember when my wife and I bought our first house almost seven years ago.
The Pilgrims, even before they landed at Cape Cod... -- Genesis 9:8-17 -- Richard A. Hasler -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2011
The Pilgrims, even before they landed at Cape Cod in the winter of 1620 while still at sea, formed t
Jeret Peterson was a gifted freestyle skier... -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2011
Jeret Peterson was a gifted freestyle skier who seemed to defy the law of gravity, especially with h
In The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevski tells... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- Richard A. Hasler -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2011
In The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevski tells the terrifying parable of the "Grand Inquisition.
Life is full of tests... -- Mark 9:9-15 -- Craig Kelly -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2011
Life is full of tests, whether it's that chemistry final in high school, that driving test to get yo

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