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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

The apostle Paul told his... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2006
The apostle Paul told his warring friends at Corinth that each one of them was gifted.
Something old, something new, something... -- John 2:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2006
"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." To that list of
Making wine the traditional way... -- John 2:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2006
Making wine the traditional way is a painstaking task. A quick overview is as follows:
Weddings are joyous times as... -- John 2:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2006
Weddings are joyous times as family and friends gather to celebrate. In addition to family
Every conscientious host dreads it... -- John 2:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2006
Every conscientious host dreads it happening. What could be worse than running out of
Elaine and her friends knew... -- Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
Elaine and her friends knew that her family was strange. Elaine could tell by her friends'
One Sunday, sitting in worship... -- Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
One Sunday, sitting in worship, I prepared for the reading of God's Word which I usually
A lifelong memory has stayed... -- Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
A lifelong memory has stayed with me about a song sung at a youth rally that I attended
One of the characters in... -- Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
One of the characters in Marc Conelley's Green Pastures says, "I think the Bible
With Super Bowl Sunday soon... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
With Super Bowl Sunday soon to come, perhaps this version of today's passage will take
Randy came from a very... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
Randy came from a very small high school. Being in a remote part of the state, area
The small group had just... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
The small group had just completed a spiritual gift inventory and was sharing the results
Septic tanks helped educate me... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
Septic tanks helped educate me. We moved to Oregon in 1946. Dad and a friend buried a
Sometimes it's obvious that history... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
Sometimes it's obvious that history is being made: when a transcontinental railroad is
Malcolm Muggeridge wrote in his... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
Malcolm Muggeridge wrote in his book about his faith in Christ the following: "All other
Early in our nation's history... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
Early in our nation's history, two businessmen stood at the foot of Niagara Falls, barely
Here we have the heart... -- Luke 4:14-21 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2006
Here we have the heart of Jesus' message. Walter Russell Bowie called this gospel, "the
It is a marvelous thing... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2006
It is a marvelous thing to be known -- not "known" in the way a casual acquaintance can
In many communist countries today... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2006
In many communist countries today, gifted young people are identified early, then
It was difficult to find... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2006
It was difficult to find anyone willing to direct vacation Bible school. There had been a
I can't tell you how... -- Jeremiah 1:4-10 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2006
I can't tell you how many times over the years that I've excused my silence like Jeremiah
If people recognize 1 Corinthians... -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2006
If people recognize 1 Corinthians 13, they know it as the love chapter. Many people think
I remember my first real... -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2006
I remember my first real kiss when I was "in love." It was at church camp, a young lady
A Wycliffe Bible translator who... -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2006
A Wycliffe Bible translator who came as a missionary to Brazil's Fulnio Indians was first
The writer, Annie Dillard, tells... -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2006
The writer, Annie Dillard, tells in The Writing Life of an event that comes out of

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UPCOMING WEEKS
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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
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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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