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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Titus turns us to the... -- Titus 3:4-7 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Titus turns us to the heart of Christmas. The secular world would have us forget the
Silas Marner, by George Eliot... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Silas Marner, by George Eliot, is the story of a bitter old man, unlucky in love
Barb was considering a call... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Barb was considering a call to another congregation -- a difficult decision. Her college-
Christmas Eve never really entered... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Christmas Eve never really entered Andy's thoughts. While he attended Sunday school as
Every year at Yule time... -- Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20 -- The Nativity of our Lord - C -- 2006
Every year at Yule time, it's missing in many homes. Its absence causes disappointment
Dedicating our own lives to... -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Dedicating our own lives to God is one thing. Dedicating someone else's life is a different
In today's lectionary text, we... -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
In today's lectionary text, we skip from Jesus' birth to his twelfth year. Last Sunday, we
The Japanese are fond of... -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
The Japanese are fond of cultivating Bonsai trees: dwarf trees that stand no more than a
The boy Samuel served a... -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
The boy Samuel served a faithful apprenticeship at the shrine at Shiloh, without seeking
Every mother or grandmother who... -- 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Every mother or grandmother who sews probably can tell a story of sewing a garment for
The Sanskrit word for peace... -- 2006
The Sanskrit word for "peace" is pac and means to bind or to fasten. It is the
Mark Twain once quipped, Clothes... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Mark Twain once quipped, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no
Kim and Cindy had once... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Kim and Cindy had once been best friends. They met at work and soon became close
They'd wasted a million dollars... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
They'd wasted a million dollars. What did their future hold? Their remaining cash went to
In the early 1970s, a... -- Colossians 3:12-17 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
In the early 1970s, a psychology professor at Stanford University named David L.
Jesus' family has been to... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Jesus' family has been to Jerusalem for Passover and they've stayed seven or eight days --
One preacher took this text... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
One preacher took this text and preached a sermon on: "'Tis a Pity the Kittens Have to
Losing a child is every... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare. Most parents have experienced this at
Seated among the learned rabbis... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
Seated among the learned rabbis in the temple, the young Jesus displays a remarkable
On his visit to the... -- Luke 2:41-52 -- First Sunday after Christmas Day - C -- 2006
On his visit to the temple, Jesus amazed the Jewish teachers with his intelligent answers
Many strange things have been... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2006
Many strange things have been done in the name of science -- even in outer space. The
Many young campers have been... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2006
Many young campers have been awakened by a rousing rendition of the chorus to "Arky
For too long, Christina remained... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2006
For too long, Christina remained silent. It might have been from her childhood that she
Once there was a cave... -- Isaiah 60:1-6 -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2006
Once there was a cave that lived in darkness underground, as you would expect a cave to
Tom was vaguely disturbed. He... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2006
Tom was vaguely disturbed. He felt it all day, starting at the office. He thought for sure

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Proper 23 | OT 28 | Pentecost 21
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22 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
2 – Pastor's Devotions
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Proper 24 | OT 29 | Pentecost 22
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Proper 25 | OT 30 | Pentecost 23
32 – Sermons
180+ – Illustrations / Stories
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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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