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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

If we're alive in this... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
If we're alive in this world, we know that at times we're going to have to go through some
Ron was blessed to have... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
Ron was blessed to have two children. His oldest son, David, just turned six. His
Creation groans. According to the... -- Romans 8:12-25 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
Creation groans. According to the World Wildlife Federation's (WWF) 2002 "The Living
The best definition of self... -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
The best definition of self-righteous I can offer is "a fat person who just lost twenty
Most people grasp the meaning... -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
Most people grasp the meaning of Jesus' parable of the sower. Jesus clarified it well. He
Many people carry with them... -- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - A -- 2008
Many people carry with them a mustard seed as we know them, a small light-colored
At a gloomy time in... -- Genesis 29:15-28 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
At a gloomy time in his life, when he was near bankruptcy after a vain attempt at
You know the old saying... -- Genesis 29:15-28 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
You know the old saying, "What goes around comes around."
Pam was at a turning... -- Genesis 29:15-28 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
Pam was at a turning point in her life. She signed up for an in-depth Bible study at a
Geoffrey Chaucer told a marvelous... -- Genesis 29:15-28 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
Geoffrey Chaucer told a marvelous tale of a trickster getting tricked. Actually, he had the
A friend told me of... -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
A friend told me of a perfect prayer he'd heard. His congregation was experiencing strife.
Over our fifty-plus years... -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
Over our fifty-plus years of marriage, my wife has prepared many great meals. She's
For many, their favorite verse... -- Romans 8:26-39 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
For many, their favorite verse in the Bible is Romans 8:28: "We know that all things
An antiques dealer is making... -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
An antiques dealer is making the rounds of the garage sales, looking for merchandise.
About thirty years ago, a... -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
About thirty years ago, a farmer in Xian (SHEE-on), China, was plowing his field when
Jane was running late one... -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
Jane was running late one afternoon for an appointment and as she drove into the church
The mustard seed, though tiny... -- Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 -- Proper 12 | Ordinary Time 17 - A -- 2008
The mustard seed, though tiny, produces a plant that can accommodate many birds. The
We might expect religion to... -- Genesis 32:22-31 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2008
We might expect religion to make our life with God easier. That wasn't the religion of
The famous black pitcher, Satchel... -- Genesis 32:22-31 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2008
The famous black pitcher, Satchel Paige, became famous for saying, "Don't look back.
Have you ever tried to... -- Genesis 32:22-31 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2008
Have you ever tried to sleep using a stone for a pillow? No wonder Jacob had some
Mel Gibson's film, The Passion... -- Romans 9:1-5 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2008
Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ, attracted a great deal of
Last week we talked about... -- Romans 9:1-5 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2008
Last week we talked about the amazing "Terra Cotta Army," the rows and rows of life-
Fred shared with his study... -- Romans 9:1-5 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2008
Fred shared with his study group an email he had received from an acquaintance. The
The pastor sat in the... -- Romans 9:1-5 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2008
The pastor sat in the living room of the grieving parents. Just a few hours ago, their son,
On my first Sunday as... -- Matthew 14:13-21 -- Proper 13 | Ordinary Time 18 - A -- 2008
On my first Sunday as pastor in Myrtle Point, Oregon, Casey and Louise Jones drove

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Proper 20 | OT 25 | Pentecost 15
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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 September 21, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Frank Ramirez
Well, it’s autumn, and by now the seeds we planted in the spring either took root and produced or else the weather, pests, rabbits, or our own laziness conspired to make this year’s garden less than a success. But at one point we had to get started and actually plant seeds for the future.

Jeremiah is looking back from the perspective of our spiritual well-being and laments than our spiritual harvest has all been for naught. He wonders if it is now too late for a recovery. Is there no healing, no balm in Gilead, to apply to our wounds?
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Jeremiah 8:18--9:1 and Psalm 79:1-9
In the spring as farmers and gardeners prepare to plant we are looking at a summer of possibilities. Hard work, to be sure, but also potential. What will happen? What will this season be like? At summer’s end there will be no more questions. We’ll know. Maybe it was a great season, and we have canned or frozen many vegetables. Maybe the farmers have brought in a bumper crop and they got a good price besides.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This message will be based on a game you will play. See the note below.

NOTE: Ask three or more adults to come up and play the role of Simon for your group. Tell them to all speak at once, asking the children to do different things. The goal is to create a nice bit of confusion for the children to experience.

* * *

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

StoryShare

Peter Andrew Smith
“Hey!” Annie waved at the woman standing next to the open doorway. “Can you come here?”

The woman made her way past the other nursing home residents and stood next to Annie’s wheelchair.

“What can I do for you?”

“You look familiar.” Annie squinted at her. “Do I know your name?”

“I’m Brenda.” The woman pointed at her name tag. “I work in the kitchen and sometimes help serve the meals when they are ready.”

“That’s right. I think we’ve met before.” Annie tapped her lips with her finger. “You have the nice smile.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:

Jesus said, “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much.” In our worship today let us remember the little things in our lives and ask God to help us to be utterly faithful in them.



Invitation to Confession:

Jesus, sometimes we pretend that little sins don't matter.

Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, sometimes we imagine that you don't notice little sins.

Christ, have mercy.

SermonStudio

James Evans
This poignant prayer of lament and community grief gives expression to what it feels like to suffer as a person of faith. If we believe we are truly part of God's community, then the destruction of that community -- as was the case with Israel in 587 B.C. -- becomes a time for doubt, anger, and confusion. Furthermore, if we believe we are individual members of that community, our personal suffering also creates an opportunity for a crisis of faith: "Why didn't God protect me?" Of course, it does not take a national catastrophe to raise those sorts of questions.
Kirk R. Webster
If feedback is the breakfast of champions, perhaps we would do well to examine some of our prayer habits. If you have ever heard someone use The Just Really Prayer, you know exactly what problem we are talking about.

That prayer goes something like this, "Lord, we just really thank you for this day. We come before you and just really pray for mercy. We offer ourselves to you and just really ask that your will be done in our lives. Amen." I'm thankful this particular Just Really prayer was mercifully short, unlike the next example, The Good Guilt-Based Prayer.
John W. Wurster
Another season has come and gone. Promises that were made have not been fulfilled. Good intentions haven't yielded any tangible results. Dreams have not come true. High hopes have proven to be only wishful thinking. Nothing has really changed; nothing has really improved. The time keeps moving along, but we seem stuck in the same ruts. Old routines remain, prejudices persist, dullness and anxiety continue to be constant companions. Lingering in the air is that nagging sense that things aren't quite right, not as they could be, not as they should be.
R. Robert Cueni
In the scripture lesson for today Jesus tells a perplexing parable about a thoroughly dishonest employee who was praised for his dishonesty. In this story Jesus not only seems comfortable suggesting that it is acceptable to compromise with moral failings, but our Lord appears to commend his disciples to "go and do likewise." For centuries, preachers, commentators, and scholars have struggled to make sense of this outrageous tale.

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