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John 20:19-31

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Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Living on purpose -- John 20:19-31, 1 John 1:1-2:2, Acts 4:32-35 -- Wayne Brouwer -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 2018
Note: This installment is from the Emphasis archives.
Witnessing -- Acts 5:27-32, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 20:19-31, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C
One thing is common in all our lessons for this Sunday, witnessing.
Now it's time to preach -- Acts 2:14a, 22-32, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31 -- David Kalas -- Second Sunday of Easter - A
The Sunday after Easter is an unenviable time for preachers in many churches.

Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

A congregation that had been... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 2000
A congregation that had been very slow to change was just adding the passing of the peace.
Do you dislike buying shoes... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 1998
Do you dislike buying shoes? How about dress shoes that are stiff, expensive and high maintenance?
Do not touch! We see... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
"Do not touch!" We see the "Wet Paint" sign, but we still have to test it.
John Maxwell, west coast pastor... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
John Maxwell, west coast pastor, has a sermon titled, "Feed Your Faith, Starve Your Doubts!" Doubtin
Shortly after the Civil War... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 1997
Shortly after the Civil War ended two former Union army officers met by chance on a train.
Jesus was resurrected, but the... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A
Jesus was resurrected, but the disciples had a hard time understanding what had happened.
George and Mary were married... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A
George and Mary were married for thirty years.
A number of years ago... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A
A number of years ago, the well-known preacher Henry Drummond preached a classic sermon titled "The
Doubters have always been with... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A
Doubters have always been with us, Thomas being the most infamous.
We can only imagine the... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C
We can only imagine the astonishment and surprise that washed over the Apostle Thomas when he realiz
Fred Craddock, preaching professor at... -- John 20:19-31 -- Day of Pentecost - C
Fred Craddock, preaching professor at Candler Seminary, tells the story of the group of professors t
Dick Gregory, the comedian, reflecting... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
Dick Gregory, the comedian, reflecting on the 1968 demonstrations at the Democratic convention in Ch
Dorothy L. Sayers, in her... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C
Dorothy L.
It was her first year... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C
It was her first year in college.
There's an old story about... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
There's an old story about a group of prisoners who have lived together on the same cell block for m
As a young, intelligent, arrogant... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
As a young, intelligent, arrogant, recent university graduate with an advanced physics degree, Arlen
Betsy Ann is a loving... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
Betsy Ann is a loving mother and grandmother who always put her family first.
Do not touch! We see... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B
"Do not touch!" We see the "Wet Paint" sign, but we still have to test it.
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

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For July 6, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

* * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
2 Kings 5:1-14
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Stan Purdum
Carlos Wilton
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

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