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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Leni Riefenstahl recently celebrated her... -- Hebrews 10:16-25 -- Good Friday - B -- 2003
Leni Riefenstahl recently celebrated her 100th birthday.
When I was in high... -- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 -- Maundy Thursday - B -- 2003
When I was in high school, I had a part-time job as a cook for a Perkins Pancake House.
Most people would say that... -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- Transfiguration Sunday - B -- 2003
Most people would say that bicycle racing is an individual sport.
Taking the Nature of a Servant -- Philippians 2:5-11 -- Passion Sunday - B -- 2003
Taking the nature of a servant has never been a popular choice, especially as a career move.
Archaeologists excavate the ancient biblical... -- Acts 10:44-48 -- Sixth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Archaeologists excavate the ancient biblical sites.
One of the dynamics of... -- 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 -- Proper 8 | Ordinary Time 13 - B -- 2003
One of the dynamics of grief is the idealization of the deceased.
Witnesses give testimony and the... -- Acts 3:12-19 -- Third Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
Witnesses give testimony and the jury gives credence.
It has been said that... -- Acts 4:5-12 -- Fourth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
It has been said that Michelangelo once saw a huge marble stone that was to be discarded at the quar
You start where people are... -- Acts 8:26-40 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter - B -- 2003
You start where people are at! This is an important principal in persuasive communication.
Isaiah found his purpose in... -- Isaiah 6:1-8 -- Trinity Sunday | 1st Sunday after Pentecost - B -- 2003
Isaiah found his purpose in life when he teamed up with God.
Goliath's size and strength was... -- 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 -- Proper 7 | Ordinary Time 12 - B -- 2003
Goliath's size and strength was enormous compared to a small shepherd boy.
J. R. R. Tolkien is... -- Acts 2:1-21 -- Day of Pentecost - B -- 2003
J. R. R.
A novice woodworker, I set... -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - B -- 2003
A novice woodworker, I set out to apply a piece of Formica to a kitchen counter top.
There is never enough time... -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - B -- 2003
There is never enough time, no matter how long we may live.
Baptism effects a change in... -- Acts 19:1-7 -- The Baptism of our Lord | Epiphany 1 | Ordinary Time 1 - B -- 2003
Baptism effects a change in a person. It is a new birth.
Hudson Taylor, the founder of... -- Ephesians 1:3-14 -- 2003
Hudson Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission, announced to his parents when he was only fo
Paul urges the faithful to... -- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - B -- 2003
Paul urges the faithful to live out their faith like runners in a race.
Before a product is put... -- 2 Corinthians 1:18-22 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - B -- 2003
Before a product is put on the market it goes through rigorous testing.
Mr. Johnson was a most... -- 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - B -- 2003
Mr. Johnson was a most inspired band teacher.
Those of us who are... -- 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - B -- 2003
Those of us who are mature in the faith are free to exercise our liberty, but sometimes doing so mak
Barry wasn't a bad kid... -- 1 Peter 3:18-22 -- First Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
Barry wasn't a bad kid. It was just that he got carried away. This was one of those times.
One of my son's housemates... -- Ephesians 2:1-10 -- Fourth Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
One of my son's housemates at college is an artist.
Paul considered himself a servant... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - B -- 2003
Paul considered himself a servant of Christ and, consequently, cared nothing for recognitions and ti
When Nellie arrived at Kasisi... -- Romans 4:13-25 -- Second Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
When Nellie arrived at Kasisi Orphanage in Zambia in 1993, there was little hope of her survival.
On a recent Saturday on... -- 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 -- Third Sunday in Lent - B -- 2003
On a recent Saturday on Long Island, a dozen men and women of various ages sat around a fire pit und

Political Pulpit

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UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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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
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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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