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Online Sermons

What is SermonSuite

SermonSuite, a division of CSS Publishing, is an online collection of professionally published lectionary and non-lectionary sermons, children's sermons, sermon illustrations, exegesis, homiletical resources, and worship resources which have been developed over the years to help pastors deliver relevant, high impact messages and worship resources.

This site's collection of professionally written, edited and published resources can be accessed online 24/7 giving pastors a versatile collection of fresh, innovative preaching and worship material for building dynamic messages that connect with your congregation and keep your pews filled.

Category  ▶ Sermons Children's
Material		 Illustrations Exegetical
Material		 Worship
Material
Subscription
▼              ▼		          
The Immediate Word Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
SermonStudio Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Emphasis     Yes Yes  
StoryShare Yes   Yes    
The Village Shepherd Yes Yes     Yes
CSSPlus   Yes      
Gospel Grams 1   Yes      
Gospel Grams 2   Yes      

Components

Click on any of the following component names to learn more...

     The Immediate Word

     SermonStudio

     Emphasis Online

     StoryShare

     The Village Shepherd

     CSS Plus

     Gospel Grams 1

     Gospel Grams 2


The Immediate Word

The Immediate Word a theological perspective on today's headlinesThe Immediate Word gives a theological perspective on today's headlines and popular culture for your sermon, children’s message, and worship service. The Immediate Word gives a theological perspective on today's headlines and popular culture.

Cutting Edge: THE IMMEDIATE WORD gives you the tools to be cutting edge ... to put you in touch with today's most critical issues and to aid you in crafting messages and presentations that will truly help your congregants understand the Gospel in the context of what is current and most important to them.

Collaborative: THE IMMEDIATE WORD is a unique collaboration of some of the sharpest, most contemporary clergy of our day in a web based service that gives you weekly information, inspiration, and presentation material.

Enabling: THE IMMEDIATE WORD will enable you to create messages about matters that your parishioners are discussing and concerned about.

Timely: THE IMMEDIATE WORD posts the topic of the week and a brief introduction on Monday and the final product on Tuesday afternoon, giving you time to digest the material and then incorporate them into your preparations for the coming Sunday service.

Satisfaction Guaranteed: THE IMMEDIATE WORD is not only guaranteed to satisfy you, we believe it will actually energize your ministry. We are so confident that you will find THE IMMEDIATE WORD to be such a great value that if you are not completely satisfied with the service we will refund the balance of your subscription payment, no questions asked.

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SermonStudio

SermonStudioSermonStudio, a flagship product of the site, is home to thousands of sermons, children’s messages, outlines, sermon illustrations, worship services, exigetical resources, dramas, prayers, preaching resources, and more.

Within this component, you will find high quality resources for all liturgical seasons from Advent/Christmas all the way through Thanksgiving. You’ll find lectionary and non-lectionary content as well as funeral and wedding homilies, communion and baptism homilies, special occasion messages and others based on Biblical and general themes.

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Emphasis Preaching Journal

Emphasis Preaching Journal Commentary and illustrations based on the LectionaryEmphasis Preaching Journal provides in-depth, scripturally sound, lectionary-based commentary on weekly texts, plus thousands of illustrations to help you create riveting messages.

For each Sunday, Emphasis writers and editors delve into the heart of the four lectionary readings, providing you with several fresh, solid ideas -- based squarely on the lectionary texts -- for creating messages that speak powerfully to your audience. The writers look for overall themes that hold the readings together, then they home in on the themes and the specific scripture links, suggesting multiple homiletical directions. Since a single idea each week may not provide what you are looking for at that particular time, Emphasis suggests several, giving you the opportunity to select the one that matches your specific needs.

Emphasis is like having a dedicated, thoroughly-versed research team right in your own study to help you create messages that are truly yours, and that speak powerfully to your audience.

Archives
Emphasis gives you even greater value by putting back issues of the journal at your fingertips. This access to the Emphasis archives, combined with the ability to find commentaries and illustrations based on lectionary, scripture, or keyword, makes Emphasis an efficient, indespensible, time-saving tool for your ministry.

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StoryShare

StoryShare -- stories of faith for preaching and teachingStoryShare is a treasure trove of good stories that relate authentic, life-changing experiences that demonstrate the Lord's power and presence. All of the content in StoryShare is lectionary based and serves to help you illustrate the weekly readings. The stories can be used as illustrations or, in some cases, as standalone homilies. Along with new stories being added every week, a subscription to StoryShare also gives you access to the archives, so if the new stories don't catch your eye, it's likely something from the archives will work for you.

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The Village Shepherd

The Village Shepherd sermons, children's stories and liturgies, and prayers based on the lectionaryThe Village Shepherd offers sermons, children's stories and liturgies, and prayers based on the lectionary. This content is sure to touch your heart, because they reflect the simple virtues and tranquil serenity that characterize Reverend Janice Scott's English countryside pastorate. The questions "Where is God in this particular situation?" and "Where does the Gospel story cross our own human story?" are always at the heart of these meditations -- but rather than finding overt answers, instead you will be gently led to make your own connections and discover the powerful ways in which God works. Janice Scott has the unique ability to find interesting details in ordinary life that illuminate scripture, while still challenging even the most intellectual reader. And that gift is precisely what also makes her an outstanding communicator with children.

For every Sunday in all three lectionary cycles you will find:
  • A homiletical message for each Gospel, Second Reading, and First Reading.
  • Children's stories based on the Gospel for the week.
  • Children's liturgy and story based on the Gospel. (The story included with the liturgy is different from the story mentioned above.
  • A group of intercessory prayers for your worship service.
The convenient search engine enables you to quickly find exactly what you need -- all the rich content of The Village Shepherd can be searched by lectionary, scripture, or keyword.

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CSS Plus

CSSPlus - children's sermons and activities based on the LectionaryCSSPlus (Children Sermon Service) offers great children's sermons for lectionary and non-lectionary users. CSSPlus is a subscription service of children's messages that provide one new children's message per week for each Sunday of the year based on the lectionary Gospel. In addition to the children’s homilies, each week includes several different children’s activities which are perfect for use in Sunday school or at home during the week.

Lectionary users will find this component useful because every entry is referenced and searchable by lectionary.

Non-lectionary users will find CSSPlus equally useful because every entry is also referenced and searchable by scripture reference and keyword.

So, whether you are a lectionary user or a non-lectionary user, this component will provide you a vast selection of great children's messages from first-rate communicators with children, and you'll quickly find just what you are looking for.

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Gospel Grams 1

Gospel Grams - children's activities for ages 5-7 based on lectionary textsGospel Grams 1 providers lectionary-based children’s activity bulletin to communicate the Gospel for children ages 4-7. Gospel Grams 1 is an activity bulletin designed to communicate the Gospel to young children at their own level. Instead of kids drawing cars or flowers on scrap paper or the regular worship bulletin, why not give them their very own bulletin that will reinforce the Gospel message for the day in fun and interesting ways.

Geared to children ages 4-7, Gospel Grams 1 uses imaginative Bible word games and puzzles, coloring pictures, and stories to engage kids with the Gospel lesson for the day. And because it is lectionary-based, the children will be on the same "scriptural" page as the adults.

In all, there are 56 Gospel Grams per lectionary cycle. Since they are downloadable pdf files, you can print as few or as many as you need -- therefore keeping waste to a minimum.

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Gospel Grams 2

Gospel Grams 2 provides lectionary-based children’s activity bulletin to communicate the Gospel for children ages 8-10. Gospel Grams 2 is an activity bulletin designed to communicate the Gospel to young children at their own level. Instead of kids drawing cars or flowers on scrap paper or the regular worship bulletin, why not give them their very own bulletin that will reinforce the Gospel message for the day in fun and interesting ways.

Geared to children ages 8-10, Gospel Grams 2 uses imaginative Bible word games and puzzles, coloring pictures, and stories to engage kids with the Gospel lesson for the day. And because it is lectionary-based, the children will be on the same "scriptural" page as the adults.

In all, there are 56 Gospel Grams per lectionary cycle. Since they are downloadable pdf files, you can print as few or as many as you need -- therefore keeping waste to a minimum.

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Online Sermons & Sermon Illustrations

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
Dean Feldmeyer
Nazish Naseem
George Reed
Thomas Willadsen
For June 14, 2026:

StoryShare

David O. Bales
John Fitzgerald
Contents
"Most Improved" by David O. Bales
"Echoing Sheep" by David O. Bales
"Having Compassion" by John Fitzgerald

Most Improved
Genesis 18:1-15 (21:1-7)
By David O. Bales

In the teachers’ lounge at South Middle School the morning gossip and general world critique turned to Darrell Schmeling. “Old prune face,” one called him.

A teacher getting a soda from the refrigerator turned and said, “I saw him smile once, but I think he was getting paid.”
John E. Sumwalt And Jo Perry-sumwalt
Contents
What's Up This Week
A Story to Live By: "She Had Compassion"
Shining Moments: "I Gave You to God" by Andrew Oren
Sermon Starter: "Like Having a Baby" by John Sumwalt
Scrap Pile: "Preaching without a Manuscript" by R. Karl Watkins
"How Do You Preach?" by John Sumwalt


What's Up This Week

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
When Jesus saw the people he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless. Is he calling you today to become a shepherd for his sheep?

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, I wonder why you don't call me to work for you?
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, I'm happy to work for you as long as I don't have to change anything in my life.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, help me to tune into your voice so that I may hear your call, and then to respond.
Lord, have mercy.

SermonStudio

David E. Leininger
Interesting collection of workers Jesus chose to accompany him -- the twelve. Not a genius among 'em. Common folks: a few fishermen, farmers, even a tax collector. They were not even particularly religious. What they were was willing to be used to further the work of a man they admired, even loved, despite the fact that he was a man they misunderstood. Eventually, they came to realize (even as a few others did) that "this truly was the Son of God." And with the training they had received combined with the commitment they came to develop, those folks turned the world upside down.
Constance Berg
I grew up in a predominately Catholic town, and I have three friends who are priests. I admire their adherence to the vows they took at their ordination: a vow of obedience, a vow of celibacy, and a vow of poverty. Each took their vows quite seriously at their ordination and still do to this day.

Steven E. Albertin
The phone rings in the middle of the night. There is only one reason why someone would call you at this time of the night, and it can't be good. The deadpan voice of the police officer tells you the horrible news rather matter-of-factly. Your imagination runs wild. You were not there, but you can hear the tires screeching, the metal smashing, the glass breaking, and the sirens whining. It was not supposed to end this way. She had so much of life yet to live.
Mark Ellingsen
Jesus' ministry and mission was shifting into high gear. Matthew reports that Jesus had gone about all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues. But he had not just been preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 9:35a). It seems that Jesus had compassion on the crowd because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36). Matthew reports that Jesus cured every disease and sickness he encountered (Matthew 9:35b).
Wayne H. Keller
Unlike many businesses today engaged in the process of "downsizing," it was time for Jesus to "upsize." Too much happening, too many demands, too many needs, too much illness, too many people sapping Jesus' strength. So, he called the twelve. Did he have any idea what he was doing? What a pathetic band of characters, at least by society's standards. In a choose-up-sides baseball game, the captain probably would have picked them last. They looked and acted like the "Charlie Browns" of the first century.
Larry M. Goodpaster
The young woman squirmed uncomfortably in the cushioned chair to which she had been directed by the receptionist. Not only was she nervous about the impending job interview, but the shuttle service which had provided transportation from the airport to this office building had been the worst of her life. The others who had been on the van seemed as upset as she was -- and just as captive. Now, because of the traffic, and because that driver had not known which building was hers, she was late for her appointment.
Thom M. Shuman
Call To Worship
One: On an ordinary Sunday,
we come to worship God.
All: We come, trusting God will speak to us;
we come, hoping God will surprise us.
One: On this day, like every other day,
we seek to follow Jesus.
All: We follow, believing Jesus will be with us;
we follow, hoping Jesus will work through us.
One: On this day,
we lift our souls to God's Spirit;
All: we open our hearts, that the Spirit may fill us;
we open our hands that we might be a gift to others.
Amy C. Schifrin
Martha Shonkwiler
Confession And Absolution
P: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.

P: Merciful God, your will for us is to know the abundance of life, yet this world's suffering continues.
C: We have no answers, and we confess to you the failure of our self-reliance and the anger that is born of our despair. Speak to our questions. Speak to our confusion. Speak to our tears.

Silence for reflection

Emphasis Preaching Journal

A few years back, the religious media was filled with reports of "holy laughter." Some charismatic churches saw what proponents called a new manifestation of the Holy Spirit, as their members were seized by fits of uncontrollable laughing. Advocates insisted that this was an indication that God was doing a new thing among believers. Critics countered that this new thing was a manifestation of the wrong sort of spirit, and brought about by New Age doctrine and mind control techniques. Outsiders looked at the whole controversy as yet another dumb thing fundamentalists do.
Wayne Brouwer
Psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl, often wrote about the meaninglessness of his patients' lives. He was able to sympathize with them in a powerful way, since he spent part of World War II in a concentration camp. He remembered the dark weeks of 1944 vividly: the numbness of the gray days, the cold sameness of every dreary morning.

Suddenly, like a bolt of bright colors, came the stunning whisper that the Allies had landed at Normandy. The push was on. The Germans were running. The tide of the war had turned. "By Christmas we'll be released!" they told each other.

CSSPlus

Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to have a real treat. I found out the other day that our friend, Mike, is taking guitar lessons. So I asked Mike if he wouldn't mind playing for us.

Mike, how do you like playing the guitar? (let him answer) How long have you been taking lessons? (let him answer) How often do you practice? (let him answer) That is very good. I bet some day you will be a great musician. Would you play your favorite song for us? (ask him to play something that he knows very well)
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of your parents read a newspaper? (Let them answer.) Do some of you look at the newspaper? Do you read the comics or other sections? (Let them answer.) Some of you aren't old enough to read yet, but some day you'll start reading. One thing you will read will be a newspaper like this one. (Show the paper.) What does a newspaper have in it that is so important to people? (Let them answer.) It has stories in it. We call these stories "news." Some of the news is good news. Some of the news is bad news.

Special Occasion

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In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 5 (OT 10, Pent 2)
22 – Sermons
120+ – Illustrations / Stories
24 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
21 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 6 (OT 11, Pent 3)
29 – Sermons
150+ – Illustrations / Stories
30+ – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
28 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 7 (OT 12, Pent 4)
28 – Sermons
130+ – Illustrations / Stories
23 – Children's Sermons / Resources
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22 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
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