Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 226 to 250 of 1795 results

2 Chronicles 17:1-19

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... cry is, Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever (20:21). This description resembles that of the battle of Abijah against Jeroboam of Israel (2 Chron. 13). The praise song is also reminiscent of the bringing of the ark to Jerusalem. In the style of a holy war the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir (20:22) and caused them to destroy themselves. Jehoshaphat and his men could therefore conquer them without actually taking part in the battle in any way. Their role ...

227. Sayings of Agur

Proverbs 30:1-33

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... a mystery, but also a shield, and nothing is to be added to his words. 30:7–9 A prayer, unique in the book, in the style of a numerical saying (cf. Job 13:20–21). The number is not to be taken strictly: two in verse 7 is followed by three in ... in the MT). These are the suckers of this worm (leech). 30:15b–16 A typical numerical saying in the X and X + 1 style describes four insatiable phenomena: Sheol (so NIV margin; cf. 27:20), which was viewed as Death that stalks human beings, the womb that has ...

228. Like a Phoenix

Mark 6:1-13

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

Almost every culture has, in its foundational mythology, a Phoenix or firebird. The one with which we westerners are most familiar is the Greek Phoenix which, like all such mythological creatures, is said to die in a burst of sparks and fire only to be born anew from its own ashes. Because this mythological creature lives in a constant cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, the Phoenix is, in most cultures, a symbol of renewal. While early Christians rejected any literal interpretation of the Phoenix myth, ...

229. Gideon's Ephod and Death

Judges 8:28-35

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

After executing the two kings, Gideon takes the ornaments off their camels’ necks. This curious detail is significant in that such ornaments, along with the pendants and purple garments mentioned in 8:26, were status symbols often associated with royalty. Perhaps not coincidentally, Gideon’s interest in such items is followed immediately by the report of the people’s offer of kingship to him (8:22–27). Admittedly, kingship is never explicitly mentioned in the people’s offer. But the verb “to rule over” ( ...

230. The Word Of The Lord Came To The Prophet Haggai

Haggai 1:1-15

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.... -- Haggai 1:1 Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak set out to rebuild the house of God in ...

231. Proper 18

Romans 13:8-14, Romans 13:1-7, Ezekiel 33:1-20, Exodus 12:1-30, Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... great act of deliverance a Kairos moment, it marked a new starting point for measuring chronological time for the Hebrew people. Much the same thing happened when Jesus Christ became our Passover Lamb. His sacrifice marked a new beginning point for humankind, a fresh way of measuring time. Serving pilgrim style. The Hebrews were to eat the Passover in preparedness, with their cloaks and sandals in place (v. 11). They were to be ready to move out when God gave the signal. They ate the Passover pilgrim ...

232. SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

Deuteronomy 30:11-20, 1 Corinthians 3:1-23, Matthew 5:17-20, Matthew 5:21-26

Bulletin Aid

... children of grace instead of slaves of the law. But often our lives do not reflect the wholeness to which you have saved us. Forgive us when we think only of your grace, and ignore our discipleship. Help us to choose to live in such a way that our life style will be in harmony with your will for us. In our Savior's name we pray. Amen. Hymns "God, Send Us Men" "Lord, I Want to Be a Christian" "Take Time to Be Holy" "When We Walk With The Lord"

233. Fifth Sunday of Easter

John 14:1-14, Acts 7:55-60, 1 Peter 2:2-10

Bulletin Aid

... society. We pray through Christ. Amen. Hymns "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" "Faith Of Our Fathers" Second Lesson: 1 Peter 2:2-10 Theme: Rid yourselves of evil and be God's people Call to Worship Pastor: Consider the sins that remain a part of your life-style, and get rid of them! People: We have experienced the Lord's kindness, and need to grow in Christian living. Pastor: Let God use you to establish his kingdom on earth, that others who do not know God's mercy may receive it. People: We are God's people ...

234. Epiphany 4

Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Matthew 5:1-12, Psalm 1:1-6

Sermon Aid

... to live this way; it was not simply a request on his part. Love is the basis for kindness to others, genuine concern for people which recognizes that one must live a "life of love" that reflects genuine affection for the Lord in one's life style. It is passing along to others the treatment one has received from God, love, mercy, kindness, as totally unmerited grace. 3. Priority number three: to respond to God's mercy with genuine humility, knowing that without the grace of God you have no hope. A Christian ...

235. Even Our Business Belongs to God!

Jeremiah 32:1-44

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... and so work seems pointless, just a way to make a living. This is precisely the point of our assigned Bible lessons and of this sermon. At first glance, it seems that God’s ways cannot be related to what we do on the job. But it is God’s style to surprise us with his ways. That is precisely what he did on the Cross. What to the world appeared to be the end of Jesus and his apparently insignificant and failed mission became God’s way of giving life to all. The sixteenth-century reformer, Martin Luther ...

236. Look Carefully How You Walk

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... captured the truth of it: "For thee were we made, O God, and our hearts are restless till they rest in Thee." We seek to satisfy that thirst in a lot of different ways. Most of us believe that it's a matter of finding the right style. Doing the right thing at the right time in the right manner -- living in the right place and knowing the right people -- belonging to the right clubs and buying the right wine and going to the right restaurants, choosing the right job or profession -- sometimes we even ...

237. A Longer Stride and a Larger Embrace

Galatians 2:11-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... more unsaved and unchurched people in our nation than ever before in our history—172 million. Are we going to them? But not only in style, we must be apostolic in our passion. For the apostles, Jesus Christ was the Good News. The conviction of who Jesus is and what God ... of the Church to educate and equip the whole people of God? The Church of the 21st century, which is apostolic in style and passion, will necessarily see itself as existing for the sake of mission in the world. It will see itself not as ...

238. Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry

1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Sermon

James McCormick

... of what we have been doing. Most of our congregation is fairly traditional, so most of what we do will continue to be traditional. I say all of this to explain why we at least attempt to do a variety of things and embrace a variety of styles. You don’t have to like everything we do. But can you feel good about trying to provide a welcoming atmosphere where others, with different tastes, can experience something of what they prefer? I think I am growing in the spirit of Jesus. And the Chapel is helping ...

239. Proper 12

Genesis 29:15-30, Matthew 13:31-35, Matthew 13:44-46, Matthew 13:47-52, Romans 8:28-39, Psalm 105:1-45

Sermon Aid

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

... in Psalm 128 is the "fear of God." It occurs in v. 1 and then again in v. 4. Fear of God is not a psychological attitude, thus it cannot be reduced to a pious disposition. Rather, fear of God is a view of the world coupled with a life-style that is fashioned in the light of it. Verse 1 makes this very clear by paralleling the "fear of God" with the motif of "walking" in God's ways. This couplet underscores that fear of God must entail certain kinds of action, or, as we say in contemporary theology, praxis ...

240. Thanksgiving and Thanksliving

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... our spontaneity that sells others. There is nothing quite like a disciple who tells others how grateful he or she is for Christ and his church. "Sinners" may know a great deal more about the quality of our faith than we are willing to admit. A thankful style of living that exudes from our innermost being is an evangelistic program all by itself. In a striking and masterful way, others catch this spirit in time and some even say excitingly they want what we have. It can even be reminiscent of the very early ...

241. Facing the Wild Beasts Within

Mark 1:9-13

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... talking about it. We learn to love by being with people who love us and each other. C. “Dependent faith” The second style or expansion of faith is “Dependent faith.” This is often the faith of the elementary and middle school child. It is characterized ... attend the 8:30 service, the 8:45 service, and the 11:00 service. We love those who attend all three services. It’s not the style of worship, or the place, or the music that matters most to us, it’s you. We are trying to stand in the middle. We ask ...

242. The Shared Life of the People of God

Galatians 6:1-10

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... firmly in the world beyond, the world in which there is also a high—energy physics laboratory, a university, snarled city traffic, and slums. That is where the Christian drama is played out. This is the place to which the Christian is summoned.” It is a cross style of life to which Christians are called. The God who so loved the world that He gave His Son for it expects the church to likewise love the world and give itself for it. The words of the Lord’s Supper commission us body my blood The Spirit ...

243. What Were You Thinking?

Micah 6:1-8

Sermon

Tony Everett

Late one night, Pastor Bill was driving home after spending the past 23 hours in the hospital with his wife, celebrating the birth of their son. It had been a glorious day. His wife was peacefully resting. His extended family was ecstatic. His son was healthy. Surely God was in heaven and all was right with the world. As he drove through the city streets, Pastor Bill began to think about all the plans he had to increase parish worship attendance and multiply its Sunday offerings. He reflected upon the ...

244. Ruth Meets Boaz

Ruth 2:1-23

Understanding Series

Michael S. Moore

Naomi’s Reality: 2:1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz. Jewish tradition is full of fables about Boaz. The Talmud identifies him as the minor judge Ibzan (Judg. 12:8) and reveres him as a patriarchal figure on the level of a Kirta or a Danil in Canaanite myth (b. B. Bat. 91a). According to the Talmud, he becomes a widower on the very day Ruth arrives in Israel and is rich enough to throw lavish wedding parties for every one of ...

245. The Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 10:1-32

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... sense of the NIV is that one who heeds instruction helps others (shows the way to life); the opposite type leads them astray. This follows the causative meaning of the verb in verse 17b. The NRSV and others read, “go astray.” 10:18 Juxtapositional style: a concealer of hatred—lying lips; and a spreader of slander—a fool. This is perhaps a rare example of synthetic parallelism in this collection: the dissembler hides hatred by lies; a slanderer is a fool. The parallelism lacks any bite; the text may ...

246. In the Valley of Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: A bone Boys and girls, have you ever sung the little song: "The toe bone's connected to the foot bone, the foot bone's connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone's connected to the shin bone...now hear the word of the Lord." That little spiritual comes from our lesson from the Bible for today. I brought a bone with me this morning (show bone). Did any of you bring a bone with you? Of course you did. You brought all kinds of bones just under your skin, didn't you? You brought your hand bones, and ...

247. Oracles of Restoration

Ezekiel 34:1-31, Ezekiel 35:1-15, Ezekiel 36:1-38, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Ezekiel 37:15-28

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... –48, p. 157). On the other hand, the following section, vv. 17–24, will deal with God judging the sheep and siding with the weak and injured over against the fat and strong. The shocking introduction of this idea in v. 16 is in keeping with Ezekiel’s style elsewhere. The NIV is right to stay with the Heb. here. 34:31 “You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are people, and I am your God.” The awkward Eng. of the NIV translation is a faithful representation of the awkward Heb. in the MT. The initial ...

248. Jesus Begins His Ministry to Israel

Matthew 4:23-25, Matthew 4:18-22

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Jesus announces the arrival of God’s kingdom by preaching and healing and calls disciples to follow in his mission. Understanding the Text This passage begins a new section of Matthew’s story of Jesus in which Jesus begins to minister to the people of Israel in the area of Galilee (as signaled by the narrative formula at 4:17; 16:21). The inaugural message of Jesus—“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (4:17)—is identical to John’s earlier preaching (3:2). Jesus’ preaching of the ...

249. Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... Paul continues to explain the basic teaching he had articulated in 1:18–25: God’s work defies and even reverses the standards of this world. He had already provided one kind of explanation in 1:26–31, but now he focuses on himself, especially his style of ministry and his message, as illustrations of the truth of the gospel of Christ-crucified. The initial statement is awkward in Greek, but it echoes and amplifies the previous remark in 1:17 that led to Paul’s theological exposition of the cross in ...

250. Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues

1 Corinthians 14:1-25

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... are to seek the preeminent gifts, not merely the flamboyant or unusual ones. While Paul’s point is clear, his grammar and style are not. This sentence could mean either “Seek spiritual gifts that edify the church in order to excel” or “Seek to excel in ... Gk. ean mē; lit. “if I don’t” or “except that”). Paul leads his audience from problem to solution with this style. Clearly, Paul is not conducting a neutral discussion. One may infer what kinds of utterance Paul has in mind when he names ...

Showing results