Emphasis Contributors
Illustration Writers
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas
Mark Ellingsen
Fifth Sunday of Easter - B
David Kalas
In the sometimes-tiresome debate over science and scripture with respect to creation, it’s easy to become distracted. While the argument typically requires a focus on the how, we may lose sight of the what. And so, for just a moment, let me invite us to think for a moment about what God created.
If we posit that an all-powerful God would be able to make anything he wanted and in any way that he wanted it, then that suggests the revealing proposition that he specifically wanted it this way. In other words, he could have made things altogether differently. This — what is — therefore, must reveal something to us about his will.
Now we have to remove from the present equation sin and its effects, of course. But if we rewind the tape and focus on the creation account...
If we posit that an all-powerful God would be able to make anything he wanted and in any way that he wanted it, then that suggests the revealing proposition that he specifically wanted it this way. In other words, he could have made things altogether differently. This — what is — therefore, must reveal something to us about his will.
Now we have to remove from the present equation sin and its effects, of course. But if we rewind the tape and focus on the creation account...
Mark Ellingsen
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Bill Thomas
Acts 8:26-40
As a local church pastor, I was often asked if I would baptize a child whose family were not members of the church. Some churches rebelled against this, but I remember this scripture — the hunger for understanding and inclusion of the Eunuch and Philp’s response — to teach and share and baptize in the name of our God. How could we turn anyone away from the rite of baptism?
I recall an evening when I was concluding a meeting and we heard singing in the sanctuary. I wondered if a church member was rehearsing. What we found were two girls, one twelve and one ten, sisters who had come into the church and begun singing hymns. We greeted them and they asked us if they could be baptized. We called their family, received permission, included the...
As a local church pastor, I was often asked if I would baptize a child whose family were not members of the church. Some churches rebelled against this, but I remember this scripture — the hunger for understanding and inclusion of the Eunuch and Philp’s response — to teach and share and baptize in the name of our God. How could we turn anyone away from the rite of baptism?
I recall an evening when I was concluding a meeting and we heard singing in the sanctuary. I wondered if a church member was rehearsing. What we found were two girls, one twelve and one ten, sisters who had come into the church and begun singing hymns. We greeted them and they asked us if they could be baptized. We called their family, received permission, included the...
Lectionary Commentary and Sermon Illustrations
Emphasis Preaching Journal provides in-depth lectionary-based commentary on lectionary texts, plus thousands of sermon illustrations to help you create riveting sermons.For over 45 years, Emphasis has provided subscribers with scripturally sound, lectionary-based commentaries and sermon illustrations that connect with the people in the pews.
For each week, Emphasis writers delve into the heart of the lectionary readings, providing you with several fresh, solid ideas -- based squarely on the lectionary texts -- for creating sermons that speak powerfully to your audience. They look for overall themes that hold the readings together. Then, they zero in on the themes and the specific scripture links, suggesting directions for the sermon and worship service. Since a single idea each week may not provide what you are looking for at that particular time, writers suggest several, giving you the opportunity to select the one that matches your specific needs.
