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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

In the first months of... -- Isaiah 6:1-8 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2009
In the first months of walking my Labradoodle pup (they’re great dogs!), I finally understood his su
Ask a roomful of kindergarteners... -- Isaiah 6:1-8 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2009
Ask a roomful of kindergarteners for a volunteer, and almost every hand will shoot up in the air.
Isaiah was a prophet in... -- Isaiah 6:1-8 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2009
Isaiah was a prophet in a time of crisis for God’s people.
In a certain village the... -- Romans 8:12-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2009
In a certain village the school bell rang at 8:30 a.m. to call the children to class.
It seemed to Sherry that... -- Romans 8:12-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2009
It seemed to Sherry that everything that could go wrong, did.
According to CardWeb.com, the average... -- Romans 8:12-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2009
According to CardWeb.com, the average American household with at least one credit card has credit ca
The high school’s open house... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2009
The high school’s open house hustled us parents through an evening’s abbreviated schedule of what ou
In the Bible, night and... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2009
In the Bible, night and darkness are often symbols for ignorance and evil.
I never cease to be... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2009
I never cease to be amazed at the number of people, even non-Christians, who can quote John 3:16, ye
It was probably lost on... -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2009
It was probably lost on most of the movie-going public, but there is an anointing in the animated fi
When Don was growing up... -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2009
When Don was growing up he had the reputation of always being in trouble.
We seem to be inundated... -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2009
We seem to be inundated with “Reality TV.” Much of the fare deals with beauty, physical stamina, tal
Because of a funeral, the... -- 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2009
Because of a funeral, the pastor arrived Saturday night, a day late to the high school retreat, and
We like to be the... -- 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2009
We like to be the home team. The home team knows the field.
When Europeans first came to... -- 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2009
When Europeans first came to Australia, they found many new creatures that they had never seen befor
Some biblical scholars think Jesus... -- Mark 4:26-34 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2009
Some biblical scholars think Jesus’ mustard plant is what the botanists call “black mustard” — more
A beautiful maple tree is... -- Mark 4:26-34 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2009
A beautiful maple tree is in Patty’s backyard.
One would suspect that the... -- Mark 4:26-34 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - B -- 2009
One would suspect that the seedlings used in the reforestation of the Douglas Fir would be relativel
Why do Sunday school teachers... -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2009
Why do Sunday school teachers glory in this incident, blithely making spiritual points about armor t
Marsha’s college friends had set... -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2009
Marsha’s college friends had set her up for a date, and now they fluttered around her, helping her w
Picture with me David putting... -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2009
Picture with me David putting on King Saul’s armor and then trying in vain to walk.
The Greek word for the... -- 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2009
The Greek word for the deepest, most meaningful experience of time is xairos.
Linda and Peter have moved... -- 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2009
Linda and Peter have moved ten times in 36 years of marriage.
A college psychology professor indicated... -- 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2009
A college psychology professor indicated that she would only accept her students’ midterm papers fro
Novelist Harry Brown shared an... -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2009
Novelist Harry Brown shared an Oscar as a screenwriter.

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 21
30 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
29 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 22
31 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
34 – Children's Sermons / Resources
22 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 23
32 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
21 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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New & Featured This Week

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A football, a hand-held microphone, a camera, a stack of play money bills. These are the objects I used, but you can use any objects that might symbolize “success”.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great!

The Immediate Word

Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
Katy Stenta
Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
For October 20, 2024:

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. (v. 4)

The outhouse on the farm where I grew up was beside the ash pile, at the end of a well-worn path, under a boxelder tree about fifty yards from the back door of the house. It was a two-seater – cold in winter, smelly and hot in summer. There was always a Sears and Roebuck catalogue on the floor in the corner, which served as both reading and wiping material.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Bill Thomas
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
Frank Ramirez
Job 38:1-7 (34-41)
Most people assume God’s answer to Job, showing him the depth and breadth of the universe is meant to cow Job’s resistance, leading him, now broken, to repent, abjectly saying “...therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes (42:6).”
Mark Ellingsen
All the lessons testify to the theme that it’s not at all about you and me; it’s all about God!

Job 38:1-7 (34-41)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said, "What is it you want me to do for you?" In our worship, let us explore what we want Jesus to do for us today.

Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, we are sometimes selfish in our requests to you.
Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, we are sometimes unreasonable in our requests to you.
Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, help us to make you the centre of our world.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

David E. Leininger
The story of Job is familiar to all of us -- a man whose world was spinning merrily along with everything falling into place is suddenly confronted with one misery after another ... disaster, death, disease, and despair. In some of the most moving poetry ever written, chapter after chapter attempts to deal with the age-old question of why, so often, life is unfair.

Schuyler Rhodes
The voice of praise rings beautifully through this psalm as each verse gives poetic color to the glories of creation and its maker. It is something to be read and re-read as we contemplate the wonders of God.
Steven Molin
There is a candy shop in the city of Keystone, South Dakota, just a few hundred yards down the mountain from that infamous Mount Rushmore monument. I can't tell you the name of that candy store, but I can certainly recall the sign on the counter that stands at just about eyeball-level for the average seven-year-old. The sign says this: "If Mom says, 'No,' ask Grandma!"

Harold C. Warlick, Jr.
An elementary principle in the business world is the law of supply and demand. When supplies outrace the demand for a product, prices are low. We call that a "buyer's market." On the other hand, when there are more buyers demanding a product than there are supplies of the product, prices are high. We call that situation a "seller's market."

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