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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Illustration

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sermon Illustrations for Christmas Day (2013) -- Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Bob Ove, Mark Ellingsen, Derl G. Keefer, Ron Love -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2013
Isaiah 9:2-7
The people... -- Isaiah 9:2-7 -- Bob Ove -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2013
The people who walked in darkness are the outsiders who have no faith and are not the favored ones.
God's grace... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Derl G. Keefer -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2013
God's grace has appeared in Jesus Christ to offer salvation (God's forgiveness) to all people accord
Twentieth-century... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Mark Ellingsen -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2013
Twentieth-century Anglo-American novelist Taylor Caldwell compellingly captured the meaning of Chris
The European... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- Ron Love -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2013
The European countries in the late 1800s needed colonies.
This passage... -- Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) -- Bob Ove -- The Nativity of our Lord - A -- 2013
This passage presents a problem for some. How literally should we take every passage in scripture?
Sermon Illustrations for Christmas 1 (2013) -- Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23 -- Mark Ellingsen, Ron Love, Derl G. Keefer, Bob Ove -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
Isaiah 63:7-9
When the United States... -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- Ron Love -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
When the United States occupied the Philippines in the 1890s, Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem that prom
Recently my wife... -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- Derl G. Keefer -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
Recently my wife came home from a ladies Bible study and related this story of mistaken compassion.
The Sunday after... -- Isaiah 63:7-9 -- Mark Ellingsen -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - A -- 2013
The Sunday after Christmas is calculated to be a bit of a "downer" compared to the Christmas festiva

Commentary

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Famine in the midst of plenty -- Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42 -- Proper 11 | Ordinary Time 16 - C -- 1995
"One does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God" (Deuteronomy
Contrasting scenes -- Jezebel to Joanna -- 1 Kings 21:1-10, (11-14), 15-21a, Galatians 2:15-21, Luke 7:36--8:3 -- Proper 6 | Ordinary Time 11 - C -- 1995
One of the great stories of the Old Testament greets us in the first reading for this Sunday.
The written word and the living word -- Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a, Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 1995
Out of the Old Testament reading for this day verse eight of the eighth chapter of Nehemiah leaps ou
Sounds like a job for Superman or Wonder Woman -- Jeremiah 1:4-10, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 4:21-30 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 1995
See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
The seeing and hearing of God -- Exodus 34:29-35, 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2, Exodus 34:29-35 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 1995
Some commentaries and many sermons treat the narrative of the transfiguration as a literal and fleet
The passion according to Luke -- Luke 23:1-49 -- Passion Sunday - C -- 1995
Some of us will remember when the fifth Sunday in Lent was called Passion Sunday.
That old time religion -- Acts 16:16-34, Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26 -- Seventh Sunday of Easter - C -- 1995
That old time religionGive me that old time religion,that old time religion.
In the form of a servant -- Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10, 11-14), 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Maundy Thursday - C -- 1995
The evening service on Maundy Thursday can be one of the most moving of the church year.
The pathfinder -- Isaiah 5:1-7, Isaiah 5:1-7 -- Proper 15 | Ordinary Time 20 - C -- 1995
The Old Testament reading sets before us the familiar biblical appellation of Israel as the vineyard
Keeping the dimension of mystery -- Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6, John 13:31-35 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 1995
The reading from Acts this day is the closing scene in a story that begins in Acts 10:1.

Political Pulpit

Communicating God's Love

The Political Pulpit

Guest column

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The Immediate Word

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For November 1, 2026:
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For November 1, 2026:

CSSPlus

Wesley T. Runk
The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Good morning boys and girls. Does anyone here remember someone saying, “I am the greatest?” I remember hearing it many times by a prize fighter named Ali. Does anyone here remember Muhammed Ali? He used to say a lot of things and he was a very good boxer. He told everyone that he saw that he was “the greatest of all time.” Wow! Not many people say those kind of things about themselves.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sandra Herrmann
What is a saint?

According to the Roman Catholic church, a saint is a holy person who has been elevated by God to heaven, there to pray for those of us who need their help. There is a three-step process: the request by those who knew the person in life, and who attest to their holiness; a witness by at least two people that they asked the candidate to pray for them and their prayer was granted in a miraculous way; and an investigation by the Vatican into all this evidence. The declaration is made by the pope.

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the people how they could be blessed by God and experience God's kingdom. In our worship today let us explore the Sermon on the Mount.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes I'm full of pride instead of being poor in spirit.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I'm overbearing and pushy, instead of being meek.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes I'm not exactly pure in heart.
Lord, have mercy.

Reading:

StoryShare

John S. Smylie
Keith Hewitt
Bryan Meadows
Frank Ramirez
Contents
What's Up This Week
"The Fifth Gospel" by John Smylie
"The Burden" by Keith Hewitt
"Up Stream" by Bryan Meadows
"A Magical Little Poem" by Frank Ramirez


What's Up This Week
John S. Smylie
Keith Hewitt
Bryan Meadows
Frank Ramirez
Contents
What's Up This Week
"The Fifth Gospel" by John Smylie
"The Burden" by Keith Hewitt
"Up Stream" by Bryan Meadows
"A Magical Little Poem" by Frank Ramirez


What's Up This Week
Keith Hewitt
Larry Winebrenner
Peter Andrew Smith
Constance Berg
Sandra Herrmann
Contents
"New Leadership" by Sandra Herrmann
"Lost" by Keith Hewitt
"Three Paths for the End of October" by Larry Winebrenner
"Ahmad's Final Lesson" by Larry Winebrenner
"Freedom to Live" by Peter Andrew Smith
"The Fullness of Life" by Constance Berg


* * * * * * * *


New Leadership
by Sandra Herrmann
Joshua 3:7-17
Keith Hewitt
Larry Winebrenner
Peter Andrew Smith
Constance Berg
Sandra Herrmann
Contents
"New Leadership" by Sandra Herrmann
"Lost" by Keith Hewitt
"Three Paths for the End of October" by Larry Winebrenner
"Ahmad's Final Lesson" by Larry Winebrenner
"Freedom to Live" by Peter Andrew Smith
"The Fullness of Life" by Constance Berg


* * * * * * * *


New Leadership
by Sandra Herrmann
Joshua 3:7-17

SermonStudio

Mary S. Lautensleger
"Surprise! You're adopted!" If you were to hear those words from a trusted relative, surprise would be an understatement, I'm sure. Total shock would probably be more descriptive terminology for your emotional state as you examined the official court record and your original birth certificate. "Adopted" does describe each of us though, because we have been adopted by God into God's family. How do we know? The Bible tells us so.
James L. Killen, Jr.
When we put together the collection of things that we can believe, we need to ask a question about the person in the middle of the inquiry. What can we believe about ourselves? We don't often ask that question but it is a very important one. Some people are oppressed by low self-esteem. Others are led astray by exaggerated images of themselves. It is important to get a realistic understanding of who we are -- and of who we can be. The Bible has something to say on the subject that may surprise you. Are you ready? Hold on to your hat. The Bible says you were created and called to be saints.
Argile Smith
At an office meeting, Ben got the official news that he would become the manager of one of the most influential departments in the company. His colleagues admired him because of his tireless work, and they respected him as a dependable person in whom they could place their trust. They were glad when they found out that he had gotten the promotion. In order to celebrate the news with him, they bought him a gift. Well, it was actually more like a gag-gift, the kind that he would place on his shelf and chuckle over every time he saw it.
Joseph M. Freeman
Maybe both the best and the worst of us in humanity are far better preachers than we are doers and deliverers of what we preach and teach. And maybe maturity has everything to do with our genuine willingness to bring a greater congruity between our esteemed words and those actions compatible with, not contradictory of, those words. Jesus, fully divine and fully human, loved and valued not just the right deeds, but also the right motives and attitudes.
Mary Sue Dehmlow Dreier
Commotion At The Communion Rail

Tommy didn't budge.

When everyone else got up to leave the communion rail, he stayed kneeling. His folded hands were perched on the rail, and his little head was bowed so far down that his forehead was squinched against his thumb knuckles. His eyes were closed hopefully, as if he were waiting for a big present.
Charles L. Aaron, Jr.
As the movie Contact opens, the audience sees a precocious girl named Eleanor learning how to use a ham radio. Nicknamed "Sparks" by her father, she has reached a man in Florida, and is excited that her radio lets her speak with someone so far away. In a later scene she asks her father wistfully if she can call her deceased mother on the radio. He responds sadly that no antenna is big enough.
George L. Murphy
You know that old saying, "Be careful what you wish for, because it might come true"? We see examples of that again and again in life. During the war in Iraq, Hampton Sides, a journalist who had been slated to be "embedded" with one of our frontline Marine battalions, gave an interview on NRP (National Public Radio). At almost the last possible moment, Sides decided not to go with the Marines, but instead to report from Central Command in Qatar.
Richard C. Brand
It seems fair to say that the saints of the Lord have always shown us what it is to be worthy of God. It is why we remember them and rejoice for them. They have shown us what a life worthy of God might look like. To talk about the saints, we may talk about Kagawa in Japan, about Mother Teresa, about Bishop Tutu and Nelson Mandela, about D. T. Niles in India, and about Saint Patrick in Ireland. To know the stories of Dorothy Day in New York City and Oscar Romero in Latin America is to have examples of what it means to lead lives worthy of the God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
Amy C. Schifrin
Martha Shonkwiler
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