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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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
John begins, as was the... -- Revelation 1:4b-8, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
John begins, as was the custom of ancient letter writing, by placing the return address in
The titles we give people... -- Revelation 1:4b-8, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
The titles we give people are very important. They communicate power, authority,
During the Civil War, Sherman... -- Revelation 1:4b-8, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
During the Civil War, Sherman was making progress in his march to Atlanta. General
Many things happen because of... -- Revelation 1:4b-8, Revelation 1:4-8 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Many things happen because of Easter. Lions lie down with lambs. Swords are turned
No doubt, the resurrection was... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
No doubt, the resurrection was a spectacular miracle. But who says all miracles have to
When Greg MacAleese, a police... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
When Greg MacAleese, a police officer in Albuquerque, came up with his idea of having
Roy and Andrea had just... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Roy and Andrea had just joined the church. They were new to the community and found
If you ask most believers... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
If you ask most believers about how they express their faith, they usually mention that
Once upon a time, the... -- Acts 11:1-18 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - C -- 2007
Once upon a time, the colors of the world started to quarrel. All claimed to be the best,

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 28 | OT 33 | Pentecost 23
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Christ the King Sunday
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Thanksgiving
34 – Sermons
80+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
24 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Dean Feldmeyer
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
Nazish Naseem
For November 16, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

David Coffin
Another natural disaster has flattened a number of coastal communities. Despite the weather and major television station warnings, and government disaster preparations, the dystopian destruction nightmare of Luke 21 has decimated another community. Also, it is reasonable to believe that this is not the last year for hurricanes, Tsunami’s, wildfires, mudslides and tornados. They will occur again. However, as weary citizens are interviewed in one group of people with the background of homes in rubble and streets still draining flood waters, they will not leave. This is their home.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez

Isaiah 65:17-25 and Isaiah 12

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD. (v. 25)

A week after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, country singer Toby Keith — who died Feb. 5, 2024 — wrote a patriotic ballad titled “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” It was filled with populist fighting rhetoric that matched the mood of a nation shaken by the shocking death and destruction of that day.

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: A blood pressure monitor. It is actually called a sphygmomanometer, and is pronounced “sfig·mow·muh·naa’·muh·tr”.

* * *

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
-- Isaiah 12:3

John W. Clarke
No reading of Luke is complete without coming to realize that Luke is concerned that the world understands that Jesus is the hope of the world and that any teaching that leads away from that fact is a false teaching. No matter what, no matter when, Jesus will be there to give us life.

Scott Suskovic
Whoever does not work should not eat!
-- 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT)

Wow! Kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it? Not a lot of ambiguity in that rule. "You don't work, you don't eat." For a religion based on grace, it seems a bit unyielding.

Mark Ellingson
Freedom is such a lovely word, a compelling image. What is freedom? How would you define it? What does it mean to you? Webster's New World Dictionary defines freedom as being exempt from control or from arbitrary restrictions. Freedom is said to be the ability to choose or determine one's own actions.

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