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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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title: 
Online Sermons & Sermon Illustrations

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Mary Austin
Christopher Keating
Katy Stenta
George Reed
Dean Feldmeyer
For July 12, 2026:

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus said that some seed fell on good soil and brought forth a great harvest. As we worship today let us ask God to make sure that we are good soil and to help us to bring forth a great harvest.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, as soil is prepared, prepare me to receive the seed of your word.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, remove the thistles and nettles, weeds and briars from the soil of my life.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, plough me, hoe me and weed me to make me ready to receive you.

StoryShare

Bryan Meadows
John E. Sumwalt
Keith Hewitt
Contents
What's Up This Week
"Turning Dirt!" by Bryan Meadows
"The Snares of the Wicked" by John Sumwalt
"Taxicab Confessions" by Keith Hewitt


What's Up This Week
Frank Ramirez
C. David Mckirachan
Contents
"Restoring the Birthright" by Frank Ramirez
"Product" by C. David McKirachan


* * * * * * * *


Restoring the Birthright
by Frank Ramirez
Genesis 25:19-34; Romans 8:1-11

Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!" (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright."
-- Genesis 25:30-31

SermonStudio

Stephen P. McCutchan
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
-- Romans 8:5
John E. Sumwalt
Linda Willis Harper

I was 27 years old and very active in our United Methodist Church. I had taught Sunday school, been on the administrative board, was president of the United Methodist Women, and sang in the choir -- maybe not all at the same time, but I spent enough time at church to feel it was a second home.
Richard L. Sheffield
Sometimes the best way to start reading your Bible is with the footnotes. Sometimes even in English the Bible seems like it's still written in a foreign language. In a way it is. Not just in Hebrew and Greek with a smattering of Aramaic, but even in English it is still in a "language" 2,000 years or more removed from you and me. The language of the Bible reflects the life of the Bible's people and we don't live there. So we need help if we're going to go there in our mind's eye and hear clearly what was being said when it was being said.
Russell F. Anderson
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Genesis 25:19--34 (C)
Once again, God seems to linger in fulfilling his promise to make a great nation of Abraham's progeny. Isaac is 40 by the time he married Rebekah. Another 20 years expire before his wife gives birth to the twins, Esau and Jacob. Perhaps the Lord wants to demonstrate that this business of nation building is his doing, not a human accomplishment. Esau, being firstborn, earns the birthright, but foolishly sells it to his scheming brother for a pot of stew.
Mary S. Lautensleger
Who among us has not been stunned by the splendor of a summer sunset, the sparkling spring waters of a mountain stream, brilliantly striking contrasts of autumn leaves twirling and spinning, or winter trees swaying gracefully against a cool, crisp sky?
Stan Purdum
Do you remember the movie 1988 movie, Twins? It was comedy that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito as, of all things, twin brothers. Even if you know nothing about the plot of the movie, the mental picture of those two actors standing side-by-side as twins is itself pretty funny.
Wayne H. Keller
One autumn, a young man aiming for the seminary left home to complete his college degree. When he returned in the spring, his parents had gone into the chicken-for-eggs business. To that point, he knew little about chickens, except for the fact that they made an excellent dinner. He learned quickly, however, that to call a person a chicken, though perhaps appropriate, is not an act of admiration. For the novice, nothing is more nauseating than a chicken house full of chickens. He decided, nevertheless, to learn about chickens.
Steven E. Albertin
(Holding up a Bible) This is the most important book ever written. We could not imagine the Christian Faith without it. We call it the "sole rule and norm" of our faith. We all want to read it and feel guilty when we don't. We can't imagine having a worship service without reading from it. We want it on our coffee tables for everyone to see. We record our family genealogies inside its cover. We make sure each one of our children has his or her own copy. In court we swear on it. We love to quote from it.
Gary L. Carver
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation ..." (v. 1 NIV). No condemnation! No condemnation? Can you think how it would be to live without the fear of condemnation? All too well we know just the opposite! All too well we know the fear of condemnation - the dread that the axe might fall, that the gavel might sound.
James L. Killen, Jr.
Today, we are going to talk about conflict. How do you feel about conflict? I suspect that most of us don't like it. Yet, conflict is a nearly constant part of life as most of us experience it. It surrounds us in many ways in every aspect of our living. People who believe in God know that they must live through every interaction with life as an interaction with God. One of the big questions that people of faith must answer is: "How can we live through the conflict situations of our lives as interactions with the God who loves us all and who requires us to love each other?"

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
We vacationed recently on Hilton Head Island. It was a way to spend time with our daughter who is a student at the Savannah College of Art and Design nearby. One of the things that impressed us about Hilton Head Island is that if you don't live there, you don't know where things are or how to get to them. Traffic is tightly controlled, especially in residential areas. Most of the housing developments are "gated communities," with access only by way of a single entrance barred by security devices to all but the privileged owners, their guests, and those who serve their needs.

CSSPlus

(Hand out the ears of corn to each child as he or she arrives.) Jesus said, "Let anyone with ears listen!" You each have an ear of corn, so I want you to listen ... Wait a minute. Do you think that is what Jesus had in mind? (Let them answer.) I don't think so! What do you suppose Jesus did have in mind? (Let them answer.) I think you are right. I think that Jesus meant that anyone with the kinds of ears that we hear with should listen to what he says.
Cynthia E. Cowen
The Point: Jesus wants to tell others about his love that saves.
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 9 (OT 14, Pent 6)
29 – Sermons
120+ – Illustrations / Stories
30+ – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
24 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 10 (OT 15, Pent 7)
28 – Sermons
130+ – Illustrations / Stories
23 – Children's Sermons / Resources
19 – Worship Resources
22 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 11 (OT 16, Pent 8)
28 – Sermons
110+ – Illustrations / Stories
21 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20+ – Worship Resources
23 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
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