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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

The Christ hymn attends the... -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2003
The Christ hymn attends the servant leadership of Jesus.
The word salvation comes from... -- Acts 4:5-12 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
The word salvation comes from a Latin word that means "to be well, to be in good health." The name f
The eunuch wanted to be... -- Acts 8:26-40 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
The eunuch wanted to be baptized. He desired that his life be bonded with Jesus in this sacred act.
Caesarea was located on the... -- Acts 10:44-48 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Caesarea was located on the Mediterranean coast.
Gath and Ashkelon were two... -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2003
Gath and Ashkelon were two of the five principle cities in the Philistine territory along the Medite
Magic supports the plots of... -- Acts 3:12-19 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Magic supports the plots of such cable-favorite programs as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed.
One of the marks of... -- Isaiah 6:1-8 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2003
One of the marks of a great leader is the ability to delegate.
Philistines were the Klingons of... -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23) 32-49 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2003
Philistines were the Klingons of the Old Testament.
What language shall I borrow... -- Acts 2:1-21 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2003
"What language shall I borrow?" That is the question asked by the hymn from another church season.
We must always be on... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2003
We must always be on guard against immorality; even a small bit can ruin our spirits.
The days before big events... -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2003
The days before big events can be like living in a whirlwind.
Sometimes we want to go... -- Acts 19:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2003
Sometimes we want to go ahead; we want to do it now. Why wait? Why put it off?
Every summer, our church conducts... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- 2003
Every summer, our church conducts a two-week Bible camp for kids in our area.
Training camp is one of... -- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2003
Training camp is one of the most grueling times in an athlete's life.
There are few feelings as... -- 2 Corinthians 1:18-22 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - B -- 2003
There are few feelings as bad as realizing your dog has run away.
Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2003
Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote, "To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind
In an increasingly shrinking world... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2003
In an increasingly shrinking world, the plethora of world religions is staggering.
Paul writes to the Ephesians... -- Ephesians 2:1-10 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
Paul writes to the Ephesians that "in the past you were spiritually dead because of your disobedienc
In this passage, Peter alludes... -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
In this passage, Peter alludes to the saving power of water.
Everyone likes a story in... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
Everyone likes a story in which people change places.
In this text the concept... -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
In this text the concept of God's irrational love for fallen humanity expressed in Christ is not und
Thomas Fleming, well-known author... -- Romans 4:13-25 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
Thomas Fleming, well-known author and historian, knows what it is to believe and hope, even when the
In the summer of 2002... -- Hebrews 5:5-10 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
In the summer of 2002, Pope John Paul II came to Canada for World Youth Day.
Barak Bassman had a difficult... -- 1 John 1:1-2:2 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Barak Bassman had a difficult childhood.
My oldest nephew Andrew is... -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 -- Easter Day - B -- 2003
My oldest nephew Andrew is a quick-witted little boy.

Political Pulpit

Sermon

The Political Pulpit

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