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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Habakkuk calls out for justice... -- Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
Habakkuk calls out for justice asking God why he is silent. Justice is symbolized on
Rear Admiral Jeremiah Denton was... -- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
Rear Admiral Jeremiah Denton was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. For many
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in Life Together... -- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in Life Together, writes: "A pastor should not complain
People come to faith in... -- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
People come to faith in many ways. When Jennifer's boyfriend became a Christian, she
Paul was proud of the... -- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
Paul was proud of the Thessalonians' faith during times of persecution. So was Cardinal
How do you come to... -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
How do you come to God when everyone assumes you're bad? Jericho's citizens assume
Few Sunday school children haven't... -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
Few Sunday school children haven't heard about the "wee little guy" Zacchaeus, with
My father, Henry Hahn, was... -- Luke 19:1-10 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - C -- 2007
My father, Henry Hahn, was a very small man, only 4 feet, 6 1/2 inches tall. Ever since
The year is 1989. A... -- Haggai 1:15b--2:9 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
The year is 1989. A single man, a Chinese student, is standing on a Beijing street, holding
A PBS documentary on Queen... -- Haggai 1:15b--2:9 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
A PBS documentary on Queen Elizabeth highlighted one of the more poignant moments
Denny was part of a... -- Haggai 1:15b--2:9 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
Denny was part of a church that met in a vacant store in a shopping center. The church
The Sistine Chapel is at... -- Haggai 1:15b--2:9 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
The Sistine Chapel is at once beautiful, magnificent, and has a value that can't be
Traditions can be held thoughtlessly... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
Traditions can be held thoughtlessly, like the young woman who argued with other cooks
But we must always give... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
"But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the
Salvation means turning from our... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
Salvation means turning from our will and way to an acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and
For one week in January... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
For one week in January 1925, the nation held its breath waiting to hear if a supply of
Brian Mardsen, director of the... -- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
Brian Mardsen, director of the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams at the
Rick Warren tells a story... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
Rick Warren tells a story of a friend of his, named Ron, who took his young son and six
In his book, The Other... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
In his book, The Other Side, the late James Pike (deceased American Episcopal
Christy did not want to... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
Christy did not want to take a Latin class. The class in marketing that she wanted was
Although the Sadducees did not... -- Luke 20:27-38 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - C -- 2007
Although the Sadducees did not believe in the afterlife, many ancient peoples did. The
When my parents' bedroom was... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
When my parents' bedroom was remodeled, we didn't notice that our family's globe was
Movie and television trailers tease... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
Movie and television trailers tease us with promises of innovative, daring, and thrilling
I find that prayer requests... -- Isaiah 65:17-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
I find that prayer requests often are dealing with some area of pain that the individual is
In her book, Unfettered Hope... -- 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - C -- 2007
In her book, Unfettered Hope, Marva Dawn observes that it's hard for us, in our

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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
and more...
Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 23
32 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
33 – Children's Sermons / Resources
21 – Worship Resources
30 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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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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