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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

In hydrothermal vents on the... -- John 15:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
In hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor, scientists have discovered life in the form of microbes th
Sometimes it's too good to... -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Sometimes "it's too good to be true." We can't believe. Such good news!
Twice in these few verses... -- John 10:11-18 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Twice in these few verses, Jesus says that the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
The movie Apollo 13 tells... -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2003
The movie Apollo 13 tells the riveting story behind perhaps the second most famous quote in the hist
Hollywood movie producers spend millions... -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2003
Hollywood movie producers spend millions of dollars each film on special effects.
There is power in wind... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2003
There is power in wind.
We need to hear the... -- John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2003
We need to hear the truth, even if it comes to us unvarnished.
Unplugged? Plug in here and... -- John 15:1-8 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
"Unplugged? Plug in here and get current with God!" So announced the church sign to the passersby.
To abide in my love... -- John 15:9-17 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
To "abide in my love" is to stand firm in it, to continue in it, to grow deeper into it.
Born in France in 1576... -- 1 John 3:16-24 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Born in France in 1576, Saint Vincent de Paul became a priest at a young age and was then captured b
A Jewish director was agonizing... -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
A Jewish director was agonizing through what must have been his fiftieth film for This Is the Life,
Jesus told the ruler, Do... -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2003
Jesus told the ruler, "Do not fear, only believe." The report that his daughter was dead had reached
Jesus' calming of a sea... -- Mark 4:35-41 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2003
Jesus' calming of a sea storm is a paradigm for the way he also calms the storms that rage in our he
To be born again means... -- John 3:1-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2003
To be born again means to be made a new person.
Reverend Cindy prayed that God... -- Romans 8:22-27 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2003
Reverend Cindy prayed that God would use her.
There are ways that the... -- 1 John 5:1-6 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
There are ways that the presence of faith reveals God's victory in the world.
The text describes love itself... -- 1 John 4:7-21 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
The text describes love itself as the very image of God present in God's people.
Few things so cultivate a... -- 1 John 3:16-24 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Few things so cultivate a shared orientation as a common ordeal.
The house was ablaze and... -- Luke 24:36b-48 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
The house was ablaze and little Tommy's screams could be heard from within.
Paul reminds us of an... -- 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2003
Paul reminds us of an eternal reality. It is not easy to serve God.
While Jesus didn't raise every... -- Mark 5:21-43 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2003
While Jesus didn't raise every dead child in Israel, his bringing Jairus' daughter back to life was
At church camp, Reverend Howard... -- Romans 8:12-17 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2003
At church camp, Reverend Howard and another boy took off in a canoe.
We're not there yet, but... -- Romans 8:22-27 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2003
We're not there yet, but we are on the way.
Every Tuesday morning, I meet... -- Mark 1:14-20 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2003
Every Tuesday morning, I meet with residents of a nursing home.
God has a plan for... -- John 1:(1-9) 10-18 -- 2003
God has a plan for baby Saige.

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, wildfires, 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 Sept. 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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