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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Proper 11 | OT 16 (2010) -- Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 2010
IllustrationsAmos 8:1-12
NULL -- Hosea 1:2-10 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
My name is unique.
NULL -- Hosea 1:2-10 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
"If you talk the talk, you have to walk the walk." We want our role models to practice what they pre
NULL -- Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19) -- Timothy Smith -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
It was one of those Sunday mornings we all have from time to time.
NULL -- Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19) -- Craig Kelly -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
I can still remember studying Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in my first-year English class in c
NULL -- Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19) -- Ron Love -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
The mystery of the blue lines was the topic of discussion among the television audience of the 2010
NULL -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
Technological advancement over the past decade ushered in many new systems to help support us.
NULL -- Luke 11:1-13 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
In a traditional retelling of the story Beauty and the Beast, the Beast asks Beauty the same
NULL -- Hosea 1:2-10, Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19), Luke 11:1-13 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - C -- 2010
IllustrationsHosea 1:2-10
NULL -- Hosea 11:1-11 -- Timothy Smith -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
Several years ago Jackie was traveling with her two young children to visit her parents who lived an
NULL -- Hosea 11:1-11 -- Ron Love -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
Fred Rogers was invited to be the baccalaureate speaker for Boston University's class of 1992.
NULL -- Hosea 11:1-11 -- Craig Kelly -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
One of the most traumatic experiences a family can have is when a child runs away.
NULL -- Colossians 3:1-11 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
An anonymous author expressed what it means to come to Christ and discover the wonderful experience
NULL -- Colossians 3:1-11 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
In the classic musical My Fair Lady, Professor Henry Higgins bets a friend that he can transf
NULL -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Ron Love -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
John D. Rockefeller Jr. believed in the United Nations.
NULL -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Craig Kelly -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
I remember when I was younger hearing the story of Howard Hughes, one of the richest men of his day.
NULL -- Luke 12:13-21 -- Timothy Smith -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
Eric will admit that he is a collector who hates to throw anything away, even if the clothes no long
NULL -- Hosea 11:1-11, Colossians 3:1-11, Luke 12:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - C -- 2010
IllustrationsHosea 11:1-11
Thomas Costain's The Three Edwards, focuses on the life of... -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
Thomas Costain's The Three Edwards, focuses on the life of a fourteenth-century duke by the
Have you ever been in a bad argument with someone? -- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
Have you ever been in a bad argument with someone?
Margaret Lee suffered from asthma... -- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 -- Ron Love -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
Margaret Lee suffered from asthma, so her husband, Sam Houston, the US Senator from Texas, decided t
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police... -- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 -- Craig Kelly -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
I recently got the opportunity to see the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Heritage Centre in Re
Joanne had been away from the church for too many years... -- Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 -- Timothy Smith -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
Joanne had been away from the church for too many years.
It should not have happened!... -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Derl G. Keefer -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
It should not have happened! The technology was the most advanced of the time.
Expecting parents have to be careful... -- Luke 12:32-40 -- Leah Thompson -- Proper 14 | Ordinary Time 19 - C -- 2010
Expecting parents have to be careful when it comes near their child's due date.

Political Pulpit

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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...

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John Jamison
Object: A pig stuffed animal.

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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.

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