Sermon and Worship Resources

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John 15:1-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... How to Make Love to a Woman pleaded guilty to punching his former girlfriend in the face. `We had a heated argument and for one second I lost control,' Michael Morgenstern said of the incident in which he hit his former girlfriend, 22-year-old fashion model Ethel Marie Parks. The guilty plea was entered after Morgenstern agreed to settle a civil lawsuit Miss Parks had filed against him. "Morgenstern's book, which was on the New York Times best-seller list for several months, urges men to take the lead in ...

2. Maker's Mark

2 Corinthians 1:12--2:4

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . A brand is what people think of you. Ten years ago when the body-piercing, multiple-tattooing craze began, that kind of branding was meant to convey a certain attitude, a counter-cultural, in-your-face different-ness Now that stockbrokers, basketball players and fashion models sport on their arms tattooed-on barbed wire, and classical cellists play concerts with pierced tongues, the message isn't that clear. They may still be trying to project an image, but it's a hazy one. Now is the time to decide how ...

3. Are You Ready for the Journey?

Mark 8:27-9:1

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... Jesus is saying, their shock and revulsion at the mention of the cross. Maybe it's hard for us because we have become so accustomed to the cross, so used to seeing everyone from rappers and rock singers to athletes and fashion models wearing crosses around their necks or dangling from their ears, so familiar with steeples and bumper stickers, cemeteries and skylines. We are perfectly comfortable with silver-plated crosses and finely-polished crosses and plexaglass crosses, we are hardly shocked any more ...

The leading cause of death among fashion models is falling through street grates.

Dave Barry

5. Imitation and Role Modeling

1 Corinthians 10:23--11:1, 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: Christ followers must aim to become imitators of Christ in all they do. Their testimony to their relationship to Christ trumps their Christian “rights” and leads to a rejection of contexts that hamper this testimony. Understanding the Text After a rather direct warning to the “strong” Christians in Corinth against self-assuredness and the pursuit of personal rights at the expense of the “weak,” Paul now returns to his earlier differentiating argument about the relationship between idol meat and ...

6. The CatWalk Church and the CrossLove Church

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Say "Green Bay Packers fan" and what do you think of? Anyone? That's right. Cheese hats. Say "Peabody Hotel" and what do you think of? Anyone? That's right. Ducks. At the classy Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN, hundreds come to lunch every day for one specific reason. It's not that the chef is glamorous or that the deserts are gigantic or that the menu is gastronomic. That all may be true. But that's not why they come. No, the diners come for the ducks. Not to eat duck. But to watch ducks. The Peabody Hotel ...

7. Ascension Answers

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Ken Lentz

Many folks, especially preachers, don't know what to make of Luke's accounts (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-11) of the ascension of Jesus. The other three gospels don't mention it and, frankly, the story seems a little too mythical for twenty-first-century readers. Educated people of the western world have discarded the three-tier cosmology. In the understanding of today's universe, it's not possible to know what is up and what is down. People looking up into the skies today might be looking at other beings on ...

8. Instructions to Timothy

1 Timothy 4:1-16

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

The False Teachings Censured Because of the content of 3:14–16—the statement of purpose climaxed by the hymn—it is easy to think of chapter 3 as bringing us to some kind of conclusion, or major break, in the middle of the letter. But to view 3:14–16 that way is to miss the very close tie between chapter 4 and what has preceded. Paul is about to elaborate in some detail upon the two matters expressed in the charge in chapter 1: the nature of the errors of the false teachers (4:1–5; cf. 1:3–11, 19–20) and ...

9. Encouragement to Be Faithful

2 Timothy 1:1-2:13

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

Salutation After the long elaboration in the salutation to Titus (see disc. on Titus 1:1–4), Paul reverts to a more standard, brief form in this final letter to Timothy. Indeed, except for some slight modifications, these two verses are nearly identical to 1 Timothy 1:1–2. However, as in all his letters, these “slight” modifications reflect nuances of his changed circumstances and of his concerns in this letter. 1:1 It may seem somewhat surprising to us that Paul in such a personal letter should style ...

10. Staying Alive All Your Ministry Life: Will You Finish Well?

Exodus 32:1-33:6

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

There are some experiences or encounters that are so solidly lodged in our memory they continue to invade our consciousness – to haunt us – to help us or to hinder our Christian walk, to call and challenge us to be more than we are. John Birkbeck is a person around whom for me a whole cluster of memories is gathered – memories that invade my immediate awareness now and then. John was a Scot Presbyterian preacher. During a part of my tenure as the World Editor of The Upper Room, he was the editor of the ...

11. Bridging the Generation Gap

Ephesians 6:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

I read something recently about childbirth that I had never thought about before. But when you think about it, it is extremely profound. The pain of childbirth is twofold: there is the pain of bringing the child into the world, and there is the pain of bringing that child up in the world, and the latter is greater. The physical pain of bearing a child is tremendous, but usually lasts only a few hours. But the pain of rearing that same child lasts a lifetime and never lessens.1 Every time I preach on the ...

12. Many Parts, One Body

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: In a fashion parallel to the physical body, which God created with a plurality of parts with different functions, God grants a multiplicity of spiritual gifts in order for the Christ community to function as the incarnate body of Christ. Understanding the Text After giving a theological basis for unity in diversity, Paul now turns to a most memorable explication that stands out in a special way in the Corinthian situation. The multiplicity of spiritual gifts is designed to enable Christ’s members ...

13. Christian Success and Christlikeness

1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: When the Christian faith is reduced to a mere complement to cultural norms, churches come to affirm the very things they should despise and despise the very things they should affirm. Understanding the Text First Corinthians 4:6–13 ends Paul’s response to the deeper and broader issues in the report coming from Chloe’s household. Paul brings the tension between Corinthian ideals and true Christian ideals into their sharpest contrast yet by pointing to his own situation. Everything about Paul, both ...

14. Loving Close-up

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I was with Bishop Bevel Jones recently, and he told me about a funny experience that happened to him recently. He was preaching at a camp meeting down in South Georgia. The tabernacle was packed with people and Bev was really getting with it. He had preached longer than normal – but still had about 10 minutes to go. He was in the midst of a dramatic point of sharing, when out of the corner of his eye he saw a little boy get up from the front row and start toward him. Well he didn't know what was going on. ...

15. Parenting 101

Ephesians 6:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

There was a young couple who had just purchased brand new appliances for their house, and they decided to give their old refrigerator to their parents. Since they lived many miles apart, they just shipped the refrigerator to their parents. A few days later the phone rang, her mother said, "Honey, we want to send you a check for the refrigerator." The daughter said, "No, Mom, it's a gift. We want you to have it." The mother said, "But you could have sold it and made money." The daughter said, "Look, Mom, ...

16. Tyre, Sidon—and Israel

Ezekiel 26:1-21, Ezekiel 27:1-36, Ezekiel 28:1-19, Ezekiel 28:20-26

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

In the final form of Ezekiel, a collection of oracles against the Phoenician city-state of Tyre (26:1–28:19) interrupts a series of short oracles against the minor kingdoms surrounding Israel (beginning in 25:1). The pattern of short oracles resumes with a brief oracle against the second major Phoenician port city, Sidon (28:20–23), followed by a summary and conclusion to all the oracles against the nations (28:24) and a promise of salvation for Israel (28:25–26). It seems likely, then, that this series of ...

17. Building A Life

1 Peter 2:4-12

Sermon

King Duncan

In a park on the beautiful island of Bermuda there is a rock hanging on a rope with a large sign beside it. The sign reads: “Weather Station . . . Check the Rock . . . If it's wet, it's raining . . . If it's moving, it's windy . . . If you can't see it, it's foggy . . . If the rock is gone, it's a hurricane." Today we check the Rock . . . or better yet, to use the language of our text from I Peter, the Stone--the Cornerstone on which our lives are built. We read, “As you come to him, the living Stone-- ...

18. The Miracle of Salvation

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

I suppose that one of the classic poems on sin is the one titled, "This Side of Calvin" and it goes like this: The Reverend Dr. Harcourt, folk agree, Nodding their heads in solid satisfaction, Is just the man for this community. Tall, young, urbane, but capable of action, He pleases where he serves. He marshals out The younger crowd, lacks trace of clerical unction, Cheers the Kiwanis and the Eagle Scout, Is popular at every public function. And in the pulpit eloquently speaks On diverse matters with both ...

19. The Deeper Meanings of The Christian Faith by Dr. Bryant M. Kirkland

Romans 8:18-27

Sermon

Leonard Mann

I would like to talk with you about the meaning of Christianity. I took seriously the assignment that was given to me. I studied about Paul’s sermon at Mars Hill where he stood up in the great place of debate and spoke so eloquently that the people said, "Tell us what is the meaning of this Jesus and the resurrection that you proclaim." I have tried to work out this message mindful of what I imagine are your thoughts, my own thoughts, and the troubled thoughts that are characteristic in this modern period ...

20. For the Glory of Christ

John 12:20-33 · Hebrews 5:5-10

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Maybe you've had a similar experience. There was a mother who asked her two and 1/2 year old daughter: "Would you like an ice cream sundae?" The daughter got real upset and replied, "No...I want ice cream now." (1) Then some time back, in the comic strip The Ryatts, the little boy, Winky is sitting on the couch, Mom comes in and says, "Winky, your socks don't match." Winky looks at his socks and then says, "I tried to find some...but none of the socks in the drawer belong to the same family." (2) Sometimes ...

21. Moving Toward Sainthood

Isaiah 26:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

Don Elder and his 6-year-old granddaughter Sarah Umhauer, both members of Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church, Buffalo, N.Y., were enjoying cider and doughnuts on Reformation Day. Elder said, "Sarah, I wish you didn't have school tomorrow so you could go to church with me and Grandma." Sarah asked, "Why are you going to church tomorrow, Grandpa?" "Because it's All Saints' Day," he replied. "But Grandpa," she said, "we're not saints, we're Lutherans." (1) I'm not going to speculate on how many Lutherans ...

22. Investing God's Gift

Luke 19:11-27

Sermon

Larry R. Kalajainen

One of the things that frequently happens when we dream during sleep is that in our dreams we find ourselves in a familiar place or situation. We know where we are, yet for some really frustrating and unknown reason, things are just different enough that we're not really sure. In our dream we're about to open a door only to discover that the door isn't where we know it ought to be. Or perhaps we're about to perform a familiar act, and somehow, we just can't do it, and we can't understand why. We keep ...

23. A Church Shaped By The Great Commission

Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Last words are important. Let that truth sink in. Last words are important. East Side Baptist Church is a little country church down in Perry County, Mississippi. It is the church in which I was converted under the preaching of Brother Wiley Grissom, a fifth-grade educated pastor who preached the Gospel with power. The church is about 200 yards up the hill from our old home place. Behind it is a cemetery where I’ll be buried someday. Mom and Dad—whom in my adult life I affectionately called, “Mutt” and “Co ...

24. Proper 16

Exodus 1:1-22, Matthew 16:13-20, Romans 12:1-8, Psalm 124:1-8

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Exodus 1:8-2:10 contains three stories that explore the power of salvation, while Psalm 124 turns the insights gained from the introductory stories in Exodus into the language of praise. Exodus 1:8--2:10 - "The Salvation of the Savior" Setting. Moses is the central human character in the book of Exodus and, indeed, in the remainder of the Pentateuch. He is the one called by God to be the savior. With this knowledge as background, it is easy to conclude that the central event in the Old ...

25. Dressed For The Wedding

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

Lyn Cryderman decided he was tired of the dark, depressing clothes that he had become accustomed to wearing clothes that most men in business wear every day. So one day he worked up enough courage to tell his wife, Esther, he needed a new look. Maybe something that wasn't so conservative. So Esther, with unbounded style-threatening enthusiasm, went on a sartorial mission for her beloved husband. It wasn't long before Lyn noticed a stack of unfamiliar clothes on his side of the closet. As he pulled a ...

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