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Emphasis Preaching Journal

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mothers teach children that people... -- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 -- Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4 - C -- 2001
Mothers teach children that "people pay more attention to what we do than what we say." Believers mi
Some of the best wisdom... -- 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a -- Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3 - C -- 2001
Some of the best wisdom is kid's wisdom.
Many software companies offer a... -- Acts 8:14-17 -- 2001
Many software companies offer a trial version of their new software at their web site.
One of the most successful... -- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 -- Epiphany 2 | Ordinary Time 2 - C -- 2001
One of the most successful executives of the last century was Sam Walton.
Dr. Viktor Frankl was an... -- Ephesians 3:1-12 -- Epiphany of the Lord - C -- 2001
Dr. Viktor Frankl was an imprisoned Jew in World War II.
Until the twentieth century, the... -- 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 -- Ash Wednesday - C -- 2001
Until the twentieth century, the gospel message was an oral tradition or was read from available tex
When Marvin Hamlisch and Edward... -- Revelation 21:1-6a -- New Year's Day - A, New Year's Day - B, New Year's Day - C -- 2001
When Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban wrote A Chorus Line, they created a musical about the
Americans live in a culture... -- 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2 -- Transfiguration Sunday - C -- 2001
Americans live in a culture of sports heroes.
The boy in a first... -- 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50 -- Epiphany 7 | Ordinary Time 7 - C -- 2001
The boy in a first grade Sunday school class asked: "Say, Pastor, how are the dead raised?
The people in the first... -- 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 -- Epiphany 6 | Ordinary Time 6 - C -- 2001
The people in the first century Church were not familiar with resurrection.
The church of Corinth was... -- 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 -- Epiphany 5 | Ordinary Time 5 - C -- 2001
The church of Corinth was full of believers and skeptics.
Isaiah 63:7 speaks of recounting... -- Isaiah 63:7 -- 2001
Isaiah 63:7 speaks of recounting the gracious deeds of the Lord.
You don't have to be... -- Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12) -- 2001
"You don't have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things -- to compete.
A Christian's identity is found... -- Romans 1:1-7 -- 2001
A Christian's identity is found in Christ.
You probably have a favorite... -- Titus 2:11-14 -- 2001
You probably have a favorite Christmas movie.
Here's more from Mark Ellingsen... -- Isaiah 35:1-10<br> -- 2001
Here's more from Mark Ellingsen, to illustrate his Political Pulpit theme:
Grace Church had been a... -- Romans 15:4-13 -- 2001
Grace Church had been a long established congregation in the middle of the city.
How would you carry out... -- Romans 13:11-14 -- 2001
"How would you carry out a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor?" It was a question on a Naval Academy ex
Sending a representative is one... -- Luke 2:15-21 -- New Year's Day - B -- 2000
Sending a representative is one thing. Showing up in person is quite another.
Saint Augustine described his conversion... -- John 8:31-36 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2000
Saint Augustine described his conversion to the Christian faith in this way: "I probed the hidden d
Five doctors went duck hunting... -- Luke 2:15-21 -- New Year's Day - B -- 2000
Five doctors went duck hunting one day.
World War II ended; they... -- John 8:31-36 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2000
World War II ended; they were coming home, 1,000 marines on a troopship.
So, we finally have a... -- Luke 2:15-21 -- New Year's Day - B -- 2000
So, we finally have a name that we can call him.
Over the doors of the... -- John 8:31-36 -- Proper 25 | Ordinary Time 30 - B -- 2000
Over the doors of the library at the University of Oregon are inscribed Jesus' words, "You shall kno
John MacQuarrie is one of... -- Luke 2:15-21 -- New Year's Day - B -- 2000
John MacQuarrie is one of the great theologians and lecturers of the twentieth century.

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
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Christ the King Sunday
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
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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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