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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

George Buttrick told the story... -- Acts 9:1-6 (7-20) -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
George Buttrick told the story of an experience that happened when he was chaplain at
Fans of the Doonesbury comic... -- Revelation 5:11-14 -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Fans of the Doonesbury comic strip know that the Little Church of Walden is
Kevin was a conservative white... -- Revelation 5:11-14 -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Kevin was a conservative white student from small town America. In college, his first
The adult Sunday school classes... -- Revelation 5:11-14 -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
The adult Sunday school classes spent a month discussing worship. There were many
His devotees make repeated pilgrimages... -- Revelation 5:11-14 -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
His devotees make repeated pilgrimages. Graceland is more popular than the holy places
D'Arcy McNickle, in his novel... -- John 21:1-19 -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
D'Arcy McNickle, in his novel, The Surrounded, described a person for whom
Peter was running away. He... -- John 21:1-19 -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Peter was running away. He figured after his failure to support Jesus he would return to
The poem, Abou Ben Adhem... -- John 21:1-19 -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
The poem, Abou Ben Adhem, by Leigh Hunt tells of a man awakening and
John's last chapter leaves us... -- John 21:1-19 -- Third Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
John's last chapter leaves us with a beautiful scene. The disciples, led by Simon Peter,
When there's a death in... -- Acts 9:36-43 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
When there's a death in the family, it's a common thing for survivors to assemble a
When Peter raised Dorcas from... -- Acts 9:36-43 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
When Peter raised Dorcas from the dead, he presented her to saints and widows, people
Many years ago, a group... -- Acts 9:36-43 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Many years ago, a group of women began sewing small bags and then collecting personal
The scene repeats itself thousands... -- Acts 9:36-43 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
The scene repeats itself thousands of times a day all over the world. Loved ones grieve
The story is told of... -- Revelation 7:9-17 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
The story is told of a despairing philosopher in London in the late nineteenth century.
How do you get into... -- Revelation 7:9-17 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
How do you get into the party that ends all parties? Getting ready for a party, the husband
A friend tells of her... -- Revelation 7:9-17 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
A friend tells of her experience on a sheep farm. She had no farm knowledge, so she
In the fourth century when... -- Revelation 7:9-17 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
In the fourth century when the Roman Empire was crumbling and the foundation of all
I was talking to somebody... -- John 10:22-30 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
I was talking to somebody not long ago who said, "You know, I used to believe in God;
David was a confused young... -- John 10:22-30 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
David was a confused young boy. He was caught in a web of family violence which he
Ruth and her mother began... -- John 10:22-30 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Ruth and her mother began talking by phone when she was away at college. Mother and
Our neighbor's two-story house... -- John 10:22-30 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Our neighbor's two-story house featured wide eaves. Birds loved to build nests in their
An English officer by the... -- Acts 5:27-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
An English officer by the name of Payne Best, captured by the Nazis during World War
Martin Luther King Jr. was... -- Acts 5:27-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Martin Luther King Jr. was an example of a man who believed one must obey God rather
For over a year, Kate... -- Acts 5:27-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
For over a year, Kate heard stories of devastation following Hurricane Katrina. People
Few Christians seem to realize... -- Acts 5:27-32 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Few Christians seem to realize they have a constant companion. He arrives at our baptism

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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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