Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2551 to 2575 of 4935 results

2551. Why Do We Ignore Warning Signs?

Matthew 21:33-46

Sermon

Roger G. Talbott

Recently the New York Times Magazine showed a series of photographs of a rock formation in Yosemite National Park near Bridal Veil Falls. A prominent sign in yellow plastic was attached to the rocks which clearly said: "Danger. Climbing or scrambling on rocks and cliffs is extremely dangerous. They are slippery when dry or wet. Many injuries and even fatalities have occurred." One picture showed a woman walking on the rocks in a tight dress and high heels. Another showed a couple walking on the rocks. The ...

2552. Advent 2

Matthew 3:1-12, Isaiah 11:1-16, Romans 14:1--15:13

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 11:1-10 This text is related to Isaiah 9:1-6. "The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light" (Isaiah 9:3a). In their original context, both passages are believed to be coronation Psalms for God's Anointed One, the king. It is possible that Isaiah composed today's lesson for the coronation of King Hezekiah. Though a king was held to be a direct link between the people and their God, the prophet realized that the righteous rule envisioned in this passage was ...

2553. Proper 26

Joshua 3:7-17, Amos 5:18-27, Micah 3:1-12, Malachi 2:1-9, Matthew 23:1-39, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Warning against religious hypocrisy. The conflict continues between Jesus and the religious leaders (Matthew 23:1-12). The Lutheran lections are tied together by an eschatological theme. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Joshua 3:7-17 The Hebrews are ready to cross the Jordan to take possession of the new land, under the leadership of Joshua. God commands the priests to take the Ark of the Covenant and walk into the river. When they do so, the waters heap up so that the people can cross over on dry land. ...

2554. A Tale Of Two Trees

1 Corinthians 13:13

Children's Sermon

B. Kathleen Fannin

Object: A small cedar tree and some red dogwood leaves. Lesson: Jealousy; friendship; love; trust; faith; hope; renewal; self-esteem. As the children gather, I bring over a flowerpot in which I have placed a small cedar tree that "volunteered" in my yard during the summer. I also have red dogwood leaves, hidden in a plastic bag. After greeting the assembled youngsters, I ask if anyone went outside on Saturday. Most heads nod affirmatively. "Did anyone notice the trees?" I ask. Several children indicate ...

2555. The Adventure Of The Empty Tomb

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

Comment: I am a Sherlock Holmes* fan. In early 1983, I got to wondering what would happen if Sherlock Holmes investigated the Resurrection. On Good Friday evening, I decided to go to work on a short, short story to be used the Sunday after Easter during a congregational hymn sing. I already had a sermon started for Easter Sunday. As I began to write, I heard the voices and literally let the story flow from what I was hearing. After working two hours I had two problems. One, the story was already a page ...

2556. What’s Inside Comes Out!

Mark 7:1-23

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

My subject is, “What is Inside You Has to Come Out!” Human behavior is very much like the natural order. We sow seeds, set plants, fertilize and attend our gardens. We enroll our children in school to educate their minds. Every day we learn morality, form habits, build character. At our tables we train our tastes for the foods we prefer. The Good News Bible version of the Gospel says: “what comes out of a person makes him unclean ... from the inside, from a person’s heart, come the evil ideas which lead ...

2557. Esther: Wise Woman Of Strength

Sermon

Sue Anne Steffey Morrow

On a cold and dark March night during my first year at Princeton as assistant dean of the chapel, I left our little home on the edge of the campus to go back to my office. I had a lot of things to accomplish and imagined that the quiet and solitude of the office would be the best place to work. As I approached our office building, Murray-Dodge Hall, I was surprised to see that it was all lit up and I began to hear the sounds of a ruckus. I came through the door and into a lobby to the middle of an ...

2558. When God Is Silent

Psalm 35:1-28

Sermon

Erskine White

But [Jesus] did not answer her a word. (Matthew 15:23a) The Canaanite woman came to Jesus for the best of reasons, asking for His mercy; she was praying that Jesus would heal her afflicted daughter. She was determined and who wouldn't be in that same situation? Who among us wouldn't move heaven and earth to reach someone who could cure our ailing child? She came to Jesus begging for help, but at first, He did not reply. Our text says that "He did not answer her a word." Have you ever had that experience, ...

2559. Is It God's Will?

Hebrews 2:5-18

Sermon

Erskine White

For because He himself has suffered and been tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18) A young woman is driving her car down the highway on a bright summer's day. She's got the radio turned up and the windows turned down; her long hair is flowing freely in the wind; it's one of those days when it feels just great to be alive. Suddenly, as she rounds a bend in the road, there is another car speeding towards her in the wrong lane. She tries to turn out of the way, but her car spins ...

2560. The King Who Came To Die

Sermon

John M. Braaten

"The King of the Jews." That was the title which Pilate nailed above the cross where Jesus hung. You would have thought the Jewish priests would have been glad to see this so-called king humiliated so. But no, it must be changed, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' " they said, "but, write, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.' " Without hesitating Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written." Perhaps Pilate's mind still burned with the memory of his encounter with the strange man whom he ...

2561. First Things First

Mark 13:1-31

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

In our text Jesus makes a comparison between two different things: buildings and a person. The buildings he spoke of were of great importance, representing many resources. No doubt the excess wealth of the city or nation was required to build them. Many workers were conscripted to work on them. And, no matter big or small, they were always much larger, more solid, and of greater economic value than any of the persons who helped in their construction. In fact, they gave a feeling of permanence which those ...

2562. For a Thirty-three-year-old Cancer Victim

Matthew 13:24-30

Eulogy

Harold Warlick

The Backside of the Mountain John 14:1-7 The following meditation was preached at the funeral of Charles Whitlow, age 33. Mr. Whitlow died after a prolonged battle with cancer. He underwent several painful and experimental last-resort bone marrow transplant attempts in Duke University hospital. His father, grandmother, and grandfather, all charter members of Emerywood Baptist Church, died and were eulogized by Dr. Warlick within the three years preceding Mr. Whitlow's death. He is survived by his wife, age ...

2563. L. T.: The Lonely Terrestrial

Drama

Edward Long

Drama 1 Cast of Characters MRS. ROGERS: Young English teacher at Spring Hill High School who seeks to teach more than grammar to her students. LEE: Junior student who is the main character; often has felt out of place with his peers; has a crush on Susie. SUSIE: Student who shares some of Lee's values, but often is swayed by group pressure to avoid him. JAMES: Class cut-up and a playful adversary to Lee's sometimes too-serious views of things. ROD: A classmate with very materialistic interests. PAM: Girl ...

2564. "Oh Yeah, Thanks a Lot" -The Grateful Leper

Sermon

Ron Lavin

On a certain day, long ago, I awoke and said: "Another day ... If only I could sleep all day ... Sleep is so comfortable ... I'd like to go back to sleep ... But the pain makes it impossible ..." "Another day ... I'll get up and do something. What shall I do? What do I ever do? No purpose... no reason ... If I could only do something, I might get my mind off this pain. "Another day ... I must begin with prayer ... Sometimes I wonder if it does any good. Sometimes I'm sure that if I didn't pray I would go ...

2565. Advent 4

Matthew 1:18-25

Bulletin Aid

Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25 Theme: Fulfillment - Too Good Not to Be True. Declaration of our Joyful Expectation One congregation began this way: Pastor: Good morning! Shalom! Peace! and God be with you. Ministers: And good morning to you too. We're glad we're here! But what does it mean? Who knows that we're here? Pastor: Someone knows all about you. Ministers: Yes, we know that we're counted among the living! We know that we're on record because we've been counted. Pastor: But there's more to it than your ...

2566. Faithful People in a Fiery Furnace

Daniel 3:1-30

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Can you remember where you were and what was going on ten years ago? America was at war in the Persian Gulf. One of the young men in my congregation was an F-16 pilot in the first squadron to strike Baghdad on the opening night of that war. I remember so well the prayers we offered in his home. Millions of people across America were praying desperately for the men and women in harm’s way. Saddam Hussein of Iraq was convinced that he was so powerful that he could snatch up tiny Kuwait and no one would dare ...

2567. Shipwrecked on Malta

Acts 27:1-12, Acts 27:13-26, Acts 27:27-44

Sermon Aid

CSS

Festus was a good administrator. Once the decision had been made to send Paul to Rome, he acted quickly. Yet it was a peculiar transferral. Agrippa and Festus are reported to have concluded that Paul had done nothing that was likely to undermine the security of the Roman Empire or otherwise be of interest to the high courts at Rome. They must have attached some bill of complaint to the military orders under which Paul was transported, but its contents are not known. The official charges against Paul never ...

2568. Lift High the Christ!

John 12:20-36

Sermon

George Bass

Suddenly, right here in the middle of September, it is Palm Sunday again, the beginning of the week that we call Holy Week or the Week of the Passion of Christ. That strange procession, which must have been first seen by the guards on the city wall as it moved toward Jerusalem, takes shape before our imaginations again. The central figure - Jesus - is seated upon "a colt of a donkey," and people throw palm branches in his path, shouting "Hosanna! Blessings on the King of Israel, who comes in the name of ...

2569. A STORY OF THE FIERY FURNACE

Drama

Marcia Miller

The story of the four men in the fiery furnace is told in Daniel 3. This is a fairly accurate re-creation of those facts. On the back wall of the stage area is a large, perspectively-drawn poster of a golden statue. It should give the appearance of being in the plains area. Daniel 3:1 tells us that this god was 90 feet high and 9 feet wide. On either side of the poster is a pylon or pillar, making a window effect. Between the two posts is the throne of Nebuchadnezzar. If possible, there should be a step ...

2570. Much Obliged

Hebrews 12:14-29, Psalm 116:1-19

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

There is a quaint expression that you often hear in the rural sections of our country. Instead of saying "thank you," folks say, "Much obliged." It's really a beautiful expression. "Much obliged" means that I am much obligated to you for what you have done for me. I want to declare that we are a "much obliged" people this morning. I call us to do exactly what that old beloved hymn from the brown Cokesbury hymnal advised, "Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings, see what God ...

2571. Solomon and the Outline for Renewal

2 Chronicles 7:11-22

Sermon

Don Yocom

This text in Scripture is the one on which the hand of President Dwight D. Eisenhower rested when he was inaugurated as President of the United States of America. It is such a striking passage of the Bible, it deserves our consideration for renewal needed in our day also. The background story involves the time of the dedication of Solomon’s temple. Solomon had prayed all night to God in an act of personal dedication; and as the highest representative of the nation, his prayer was also an act of national ...

2572. A Man Who Lost His Head

Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon

R. Blaine Detrick

In the last chapter, we considered Daniel, a prophet who lived in captivity in the land of Babylon. After the inhabitants of Judah had been carried away as slaves into Babylonia and remained there for a period of approximately seventy years, some of them were permitted to return to the city of Jerusalem. The city had been destroyed and left in ashes. Under extremely difficult circumstances, they began to rebuild: the walls ... the temple ... the city. Some of the outstanding leaders of that period were ...

2573. A Streak of Common Sense

Deuteronomy 18:14-22

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

When I was growing up my mother often pleaded with me to use common sense. She was evidently convinced I did not have it or else, for some obstinate reason, refused to use it. Perhaps she was right. I was a wool-gatherer, a day-dreamer, off someplace that she did not know or understand. On the other hand, my older brother was evidently a paragon of common sense. I figured this out because she never urged him to use it. He must have been endowed with a suitable supply, for he was an operator and got things ...

2574. In All Things Be Thankful

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

Brett Blair

Back during the dark days of 1929, a group of ministers in the Northeast, all graduates of the Boston School of Theology, gathered to discuss how they should conduct their Thanksgiving Sunday services. Things were about as bad as they could get, with no sign of relief. The bread lines were depressingly long, the stock market had plummeted, and the term Great Depression seemed an apt description for the mood of the country. The ministers thought they should only lightly touch upon the subject of ...

2575. The Spirit Has Landed

Luke 3:1-38

Sermon

Brett Blair

On January 3, 2004, the Mars rover named “Spirit” began its diligent exploration. It began sending back so many photographs that NASA figured out a way to teach the little rover how to detect changes in images, so that it sent only images back to Earth with new information. For example, if Rover was taking photographs of dust devils, it would pause and waits until the image changed before taking the next photo. That meant less work for the scientists sifting through the many, many amazing photographs ' ...

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