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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Some Bible scholars believe Jesus... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
Some Bible scholars believe Jesus was the first to combine Deuteronomy 6:4 with
There was a human-interest... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
There was a human-interest story in The New York Times several years ago that
Teilhard de Chardin wrote: Someday... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
Teilhard de Chardin wrote: "Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the
One preacher tells the story... -- Mark 12:28-34 -- Proper 26 | Ordinary Time 31 - B -- 2006
One preacher tells the story that comes from Mark Twain's writings. He was dealing with
Security is a good thing... -- Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
Security is a good thing (no doubt about it!). A certain group of steelworkers discovered
Scientists have long been fascinated... -- Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
Scientists have long been fascinated by the factors which cause one person to be attracted
Cathy had pretty much given... -- Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
Cathy had pretty much given up on the idea that she would meet "Mr. Right" and live
If you were to ask... -- Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
If you were to ask young people what two things are the most important, they'd probably
People repeat themselves, complaining about... -- Hebrews 9:24-28 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
People repeat themselves, complaining about others who repeat themselves -- like
The phrase, once for all... -- Hebrews 9:24-28 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
The phrase, "once for all" in verse 26 comforted Dietrich Bonhoeffer. During the Second
In one of Fred Speakman's... -- Hebrews 9:24-28 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
In one of Fred Speakman's sermons, he tells a wonderful story of redemption (sermon by
Have you ever seen a... -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
Have you ever seen a ship being launched? There it sits on dry land, propped up by
Bill was a street person... -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
Bill was a street person who hung around the church for years. The congregation was
It was one of those... -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
It was one of those letters that the finance committee chairperson hates to write. The
Some behavior is a mystery... -- Mark 12:38-44 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - B -- 2006
Some behavior is a mystery. Why do we like doing forbidden things? For some teens, it's
A friend said, At my... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
A friend said, "At my age, I have to tell the truth. I couldn't remember a lie." Our memory
In 1986, Woody Allen wrote... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
In 1986, Woody Allen wrote and directed a drama/comedy/morality play called
Nothing captures the wonder of... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
Nothing captures the wonder of birth anymore than a scene from an old Bill Cosby show.
We live in a world... -- 1 Samuel 1:4-20 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
We live in a world that exploits children -- from child labor to pornography to
In 1927, a West African... -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
In 1927, a West African man named Asibi was stricken with yellow fever. Few people in
There are basically three ways... -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
There are basically three ways to make a vaccine. One method is to isolate or create an
Severe weather struck a working... -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
Severe weather struck a working-class community in the next county. The church where
I was scared. I had... -- Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
I was scared. I had visited and prayed with someone at mammoth Los Angeles County-
A pastor in England took... -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
A pastor in England took leave of his congregation during WWI to be a chaplain to the
Look, Teacher, what large stones... -- Mark 13:1-8 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - B -- 2006
"Look, Teacher, what large stones and what great buildings!" enthused Jesus' disciples

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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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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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