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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

The late Konrad Adenauer, an... -- Proverbs 1:20-33 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
The late Konrad Adenauer, an anti-Nazi activist who was elected the first Chancellor of
George enrolled in a trade... -- Proverbs 1:20-33 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
George enrolled in a trade college and took the classes he needed in order to start up his
Each August, the Canadian National... -- Proverbs 1:20-33 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
Each August, the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto presents a spectacle of color,
James reminds us that the... -- James 3:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
James reminds us that the way we use our tongue can either be part of the problem or
Dirk remembers working one summer... -- James 3:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
Dirk remembers working one summer while he was in college at an assembly plant in his
The tongue is a fire... -- James 3:1-12 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
"The tongue is a fire" -- Adolf Hitler knew all about that. Just look at that old
Joe was ambitious. Growing up... -- Mark 8:27-38 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
Joe was ambitious. Growing up without a lot of the things his friends had, Joe vowed to
You don't have to be... -- Mark 8:27-38 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
You don't have to be around people long to realize everyone is something of a mystery.
Kathy has a choice to... -- Mark 8:27-38 -- Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - B -- 2006
Kathy has a choice to either go to the local shopping mall with her friends on Saturday, or
It was the television commercial... -- Proverbs 31:10-31 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
It was the television commercial many of us loved to hate. A working woman comes
In a time when skin... -- Proverbs 31:10-31 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
In a time when skin-deep beauty is placed almost on a level of a modern goddess, today's
CNN's Soledad O'Brien claims that... -- Proverbs 31:10-31 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
CNN's Soledad O'Brien claims that faith played an essential role in her life while
Jim and Sally were brother... -- James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
Jim and Sally were brother and sister. They had three older sisters and there were eight
In August 2002, Linda and... -- James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
In August 2002, Linda and Anthony O'Malley traveled from Wales to Spain with plans to
Chris once asked the pastor... -- James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
Chris once asked the pastor, during catechism class, if the devil could take over a person's
Sometimes we sow our wild... -- James 3:13--4:3, 7-8a -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
Sometimes we "sow our wild oats, but pray for a crop failure." Still, it's generally true
A family was seated in... -- Mark 9:30-37 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
A family was seated in a restaurant. The server took the order from the adults, then turned
Six-year-old Andrea had... -- Mark 9:30-37 -- Proper 20 | Ordinary Time 25 - B -- 2006
Six-year-old Andrea had an innocence as well as a sincerity about her as she answered
What can you do when... -- Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
What can you do when you're treated unfairly? Go to any bookstore and you'll find books
In 1990, Jeremy Irons won... -- Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
In 1990, Jeremy Irons won an Oscar for his portrayal of Claus von Bulow in the film,
Every year, Tony would bring... -- Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
Every year, Tony would bring his family to the annual Veterans of Foreign Wars dinner
There is the story of... -- Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
There is the story of a young Parisian woman who wanted to marry an allusive and rather
What do people do when... -- James 5:13-20 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
What do people do when they realize the error of their ways and want to make up for it
The women's group watched a... -- James 5:13-20 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
The women's group watched a video about making Jesus and the church a higher priority
Larry Dossey, M.D., has written... -- James 5:13-20 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - B -- 2006
Larry Dossey, M.D., has written a bestseller called Healing Words: The Power of

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, wild fires, 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 September 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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