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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Communicating God's Love

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Sometimes the best example of... -- Luke 17:11-19 -- Thanksgiving Day - A -- 2002
Sometimes the best example of the powerful impact of faith can only be seen in the life of those who
The hazard, and the adventure... -- 1 John 3:1-3 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
The hazard, and the adventure, of living as children of God is that we end up with a set of values t
Elaine Ward writes, It was... -- 1 John 3:1-3 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
Elaine Ward writes, "It was Sunday morning. I had spent the night at my son's.
Irene lives with chronic pain... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
Irene lives with chronic pain -- pain that needs to be controlled with morphine in order for her to
Beverly is 76 years old... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
Beverly is 76 years old and a widow. She no longer drives.
In the military, everyone is... -- Matthew 5:1-12 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
In the military, everyone is evaluated, from the lowest to the highest, and performance reports are
so that you may not... -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
"... so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope ...
When the curtain goes up... -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
When the curtain goes up in Fiddler on the Roof, a dim light outlines a house.
There is both promise and... -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
There is both promise and threat in the news that God will come quickly to interrupt our earthly exp
His grandfather lay in the... -- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
His grandfather lay in the coffin. He did not move.
It was the night of... -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
It was the night of the quartet contest.
Prior to the attacks on... -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
Prior to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, military service involved a state o
When I was a kid... -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
When I was a kid there was something called a service station. That's right -- service.
But he replied, 'Truly I... -- Matthew 25:1-13 -- Proper 27 | Ordinary Time 32 - A -- 2002
"But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' " He was not the last doorkeeper to exclude
Following the horrific events of... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Following the horrific events of 9/11, a young woman in New Jersey refused to leave her apartment be
There are people who qualify... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
There are people who qualify for the title "encourager," and they are worth so much in the Church.
Staying awake at critical times... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Staying awake at critical times can save something as precious as our own souls, or something as mun
Anthony de Mello, the Jesuit... -- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Anthony de Mello, the Jesuit retreat leader and writer, once told a story about keeping awake: The M
Don, Ted, and Ruth were... -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Don, Ted, and Ruth were brothers and sister.
Grace Church was in a... -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
Grace Church was in a unique location.
John watched from his front... -- Matthew 25:14-30 -- Proper 28 | Ordinary Time 33 - A -- 2002
John watched from his front porch as the City Public Works truck turned onto his block.
Mom, what will I be... -- 1 John 3:1-3 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
"Mom, what will I be when I grow up?" Jenny asked.
Pastor Ken Kettlewell writes that... -- 1 John 3:1-3 -- All Saints Day - A -- 2002
Pastor Ken Kettlewell writes that throughout his youth, he was afflicted with sore throats and tonsi
A small group of worshipers... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2002
A small group of worshipers in a mainline denomination began raising their hands in the Sunday morni
Our good neighbor in one... -- Philippians 2:1-13 -- Proper 21 | Ordinary Time 26 - A -- 2002
Our good neighbor in one of our parishes was a keeper of bees.

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
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80+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
24 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
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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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