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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Commentary

Communicating God's Love

Guest column

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Some years ago, there was... -- Isaiah 6:1-8 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2003
Some years ago, there was a great preacher in the Church of Scotland, Dr. Alexander Whyte.
The sense of already, but... -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2003
The sense of "already, but not yet" penetrates this passage.
It is only a pale... -- Mark 1:4-11 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2003
It is only a pale comparison of the great love of God for his only begotten Son, but the affection e
Never underestimate the importance or... -- John 1:43-51 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2003
Never underestimate the importance or possibilities of any place or any person.
Paul tells the Ephesian Christians... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- 2003
Paul tells the Ephesian Christians that God "chose us in Christ ...
It is often difficult to... -- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2003
It is often difficult to discipline oneself to delay gratification.
Just as the paralytic's friends... -- Mark 2:1-12 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - B -- 2003
Just as the paralytic's friends came to his aid by bringing him to Jesus, so Paul Revere of Revoluti
Jesus is at home in... -- Mark 1:29-39 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2003
Jesus is at home in our homes.
Paul invites an appreciation of... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2003
Paul invites an appreciation of forgoing those practices that might pose a stumbling block to others
Three great figures of freedom... -- John 3:14-21 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
Three great figures of freedom: Moses, Harriet Tubman, and Jesus.
The wilderness has been a... -- Mark 1:9-15 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
The wilderness has been a defining feature of American character.
The recent international crisis with... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
The recent international crisis with Iraq has involved United Nations weapons inspectors.
Sports fans can be overly... -- John 2:13-22 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
Sports fans can be overly zealous in their love for their sport and their loyalty to their team.
How often we would like... -- Mark 8:31-38 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
How often we would like to refuse to admit or even deny that suffering is the way of life, not only
These things are written ... Writing... -- John 20:19-31 -- Second Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
"These things are written ..." Writing has been a most significant way throughout time for people to
One of the most powerful... -- Hebrews 5:5-10 -- Fifth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
One of the most powerful works in English literature is Charles Dickens' classic, A Tale of Two Citi
You have heard many good... -- John 20:1-18 -- Easter Day - B -- 2003
You have heard many "good news/bad news" jokes.
Clara Barton exemplified in a... -- John 13:1-17, 31b-35 -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2003
Clara Barton exemplified in a very physical, tangible way what Jesus meant when he said, "Do as I ha
The African American poet Dunbar... -- John 18:1-19:42 -- Good Friday - B -- 2003
The African American poet Dunbar penned these words: "Out of the hell and dawn of it all cometh good
They had been friends for... -- Mark 14:1--15:47 -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2003
They had been friends for 50 years and worked together in the women's suffragist movement in the Uni
When Catherine Zeta-Jones, wife... -- Mark 9:2-9 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2003
When Catherine Zeta-Jones, wife of Michael Douglas, was asked what she liked about stardom, she desc
It is ... quite easy to... -- Acts 10:44-48 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
"It is ... quite easy to say both too little and too much on this subject [the Holy Spirit].
One might think that the... -- Acts 8:26-40 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
One might think that the eunuch would be a bit "down in the dumps" when Philip, his newfound friend,
Like a bright neon sign... -- Acts 4:5-12 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Like a bright neon sign might point the way to a destination, Peter saw this act of healing as a sig
Picture your schoolroom! Besides the... -- Acts 3:12-19 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Picture your schoolroom!

Political Pulpit

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The Political Pulpit

UPCOMING WEEKS
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John Jamison
Object: You may present this message as a simple story, or have the children act it out as a role-play. I will show the role-play version, but you can ignore the acting pieces and just tell the story if you prefer.

Note: For the role-play version, you will need to select two girls and one boy to play the roles. You might also have a broom and a dust rag if you want to.

* * *

Hello, everyone! (Let them respond.) Are you ready for our story today? (Let them respond.) Great! Let’s get started.

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Dean Feldmeyer
Christopher Keating
Thomas Willadsen
George Reed
Katy Stenta
For July 20, 2025:

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Bonnie Bates
Amos 8:1-12, Psalm 52
Amos proclaims the word from God that punishes the people. The people are to be punished for their lack of faith, for their focus on practicing deceit, betraying honesty to their neighbors, and being impatient for the time after the Sabbath when they can focus on profit and selling their crops and wares. Oh, my! What a terrible message for people. You have been unfaithful so I will punish you. And then in the psalm, God is proclaimed to be the olive tree, that which brings blessing.
David Kalas
I have tried to find different ways of saying it so that my children don’t tire of hearing it. But the basic principle remains the same, and my kids have heard it a ton. “First things first.” They ask if they can do this or they start to do that, and I will endeavor to redirect them, saying, “Why don’t we make sure we’re doing first things first!”

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. (v. 24)

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
One of Martha's earliest memories was of her little sister Mary singing and dancing in the middle of an admiring crowd of friends. Mary had always been a dancer, from the time she could walk. Privately, Martha thought she'd always been something of a show-off and ought to go on the stage, for Mary loved an audience.

SermonStudio

John E. Sumwalt
Jeanne Jones
Several years ago, before we moved to Wisconsin, I was an honorary nanny for our pastor's son, Jonathan. I took care of him from the time he was able to walk until our pastor moved, when Jonathan was about five. We had wonderful times together. One time, when I was at their house, and we had been doing some spiritual direction together, Pastor Michael asked me if I knew the name of my guardian angel.
James Evans
We are not surprised when we learn about crooks and robbers boasting about "mischief done against the godly" or "plotting destruction" all day long. The image we have in our minds about who "bad" people are, and how they conduct themselves, make such accusations completely plausible. We are less inclined to believe such things about leaders, especially respected leaders among us. We have difficulty believing someone with wealth and power would deliberately plot to do someone else harm.
Arley K. Fadness
Today's gospel from Luke 10 follows the parable of the good Samaritan. Luke positions the good Samaritan and the Mary-Martha story back to back for good reason. The parable and the story are examples of the Great Commandment "to love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself." The good Samaritan parable illustrates "love to neighbor," whereas the Mary-Martha story illustrates "love to God."
Kirk R. Webster
In the early 1990s, Wesley Nunley of Dallas completed a project he had dreamed of for decades. "I tell you, this could be a big thing," he explained. Wes then walked out to a concrete octagon in the middle of his backyard. With a beaming smile, arms raised up in excitement, the energetic retiree said, "This welcomes the UFO to land, which has never been done before."
John W. Wurster
It was the best of times. A time of prosperity and confidence, a time of relative peace, a time when most everything looked pretty good, a time when most everyone felt pretty good. It was a time maybe not unlike our own time.
H. Burnham Kirkland
Words Of Assurance
Our God is both wise and caring: afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.

Pastoral Prayer
God, we bow before you this morning, knowing that you hear every prayer. We know that in all of Creation, you are the source of life. You are the one who set the light swirling between the galaxies. The breath of your Spirit pulses through all life. You have even become flesh among us. We praise you, Lord, that in all your wonder, you have not forgotten us.

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