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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

1 Samuel 16:1-13br... -- 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Illustrations for March 9... -- Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - A -- 2008
Illustrations for March 9Ezekiel 37:1-14
Acts 2:14a, 22-32... -- John 20:19-31, 1 Peter 1:3-9, Acts 2:14a, 22-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Acts 2:14a, 22-32
Acts 2:14a, 36-41br... -- Acts 2:14a, 36-41, 1 Peter 1:17-23, Luke 24:13-35 -- Third Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Acts 2:42-47 A... -- Acts 2:42-47, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Acts 2:42-47
Acts 7:55-60 The... -- John 14:1-14, 1 Peter 2:2-10, Acts 7:55-60 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Acts 7:55-60
We'd lived in Miles City... -- Acts 1:1-11 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
We'd lived in Miles City, Montana, a few months when a man in Billings (two hours
The apostles asked Jesus the... -- Acts 1:1-11 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
The apostles asked Jesus the question: "Is this the time when you will restore the
Many have scoffed at the... -- Acts 1:1-11 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
Many have scoffed at the idea of the ascension of the Lord Jesus as told about in Acts
In the spring of 2005... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
In the spring of 2005, students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology organized the
It was a great and... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
It was a great and marvelous thing that Jesus did when he came to our earth and showed
Like many in her generation... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
Like many in her generation, Holly stopped attending church when she was seventeen
Martin and Olga emigrated to... -- Ephesians 1:15-23 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
Martin and Olga emigrated to the United States after World War II. Strangers to a new
By the age of eight... -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
By the age of eight years, Phil had figured out that memorizing and quoting the Bible was
Some people never doubt the... -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
Some people never doubt the Bible's veracity. I have. In different stages of my life, I've
A man living on a... -- Luke 24:44-53 -- Ascension of the Lord - A -- 2008
A man living on a small, run-down farm died penniless, or so they thought. When a road
Ben Campbell Johnson used to... -- Acts 1:6-14 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Ben Campbell Johnson used to be a professor of evangelism at Columbia Theological
The disciples didn't get it... -- Acts 1:6-14 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
The disciples didn't get it.
Gail and Patty have been... -- Acts 1:6-14 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Gail and Patty have been friends for many years, dating back to their days in high school.
Jack tells the story of... -- Acts 1:6-14 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Jack tells the story of his limp in this way: I suppose if we knew the outcome of our
Many Christians in Germany suffered... -- 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Many Christians in Germany suffered for resisting the idolatry of Nazism. Theologian
Unconventional! Crazy! Unworkable! That's probably... -- 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
"Unconventional! Crazy! Unworkable!" That's probably what Peter thought the first time
I believe the writer here... -- 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
I believe the writer here is pointing out that persecution is inevitable. It is not easy to be a
Anthony de Mello tells this... -- John 17:1-11 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Anthony de Mello tells this story.
Everyone knows John 3:16: For... -- John 17:1-11 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - A -- 2008
Everyone knows John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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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
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Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 23
32 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
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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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