Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 2701 to 2725 of 4942 results

2701. Ancient Christian References To Feetwashing

1 Corinthians 11:17-34, John 13:1-17

Sermon Aid

Brett Blair

Why did the early church call the Lord's Supper the Love Feast? Outside of the obvious reasons, one influence might be John 13-17. In the first 12 chapters of John the word love (agape) is used 6 times. In the next six (13-17), where Jesus celebrates the Passover Feast with his disciples, the word appears 31 times. The following excerpts are the early Church Father's thoughts on one of the events that occurred at this Passover meal: Feetwashing. One of Jesus' most compelling expressions of love toward his ...

2702. The Christian Journey II: The Mountain

Sermon

John N. Brittain

Psalm 30; Exodus 24:15-18; Mark 9:2-9 Virtually every religion has regarded mountains as sacred places. Mircea Eliade, the great religious scholar, called mountains an axis mundi, a symbolic link between heaven and earth, between the divine and the human. For those of us from the flat lands of the midwest it may not be as obvious as it should be why this is so. There is something about a mountain that lifts one's mind beyond the mundane no matter how you look at it. A mountain on the horizon cannot help ...

2703. The Christian Journey IV: The Pool

Sermon

John N. Brittain

Psalm 114; Ezekiel 47:1-12; Acts 1:1-9; John 4:1-30 We have been thinking about the Christian Journey in terms of some biblical images for the past few weeks. The first image was the path. We saw that one of the earliest -- perhaps the earliest -- designation used to describe those who were devoted to Jesus was "followers of the way," in Greek hodos, a path, a road, a highway, but a term that soon enough came to mean a way of life. This image reminds us that commitment to Jesus Christ presupposes that we ...

2704. Mind Your Manners

Matthew 7:7-12

Sermon

Robert R. Kopp

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you....-- Matthew 7:12 Everybody's got pet peeves -- annoying things that you'd correct or eliminate from the face of the earth if you were Director of the Universe. While I'm particularly peeved by restaurants that charge extra for blue cheese dressing and refills and people who are fortunate enough to have just enough paper in the duplicating machine or staples in the stapler so they didn't even know they were empty when I showed up at 4 a.m. to use ...

2705.

Drama

Betty Lynn Schwab

Exodus 12:3-13Matthew 16:24-27 Minister: When the hour had come, Jesus sat at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you." Mother: (Lights candle) With every holy light we kindle, the world is brightened to a higher harmony! Child: Why is this Sunday different from all other Sundays? Reader 1: This is the Third Sunday of Lent, the Sunday in which we reflect on the third Passover symbol, remembering Jesus during his final Passover meal, his ...

2706. The Lord, The Holy Spirit

Acts 2:14-41, Acts 2:1-13

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: The baptism of the Holy Spirit for service. Summary: A choral reading. Several renowned Christian leaders speak about their empowering by the Spirit for service. Playing Time: 7 minutes Place: A neutral reading area Props: Black folders with scripts Costumes: Black Time: The present Cast: First Reader Second Reader Third Reader Fourth Reader D.L. Moody Charles Finney R.A. Torrey Catherine Marshall FIRST: (ENTERS ALONG WITH SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH READER) We are living in the age of the Spirit. ...

2707. This House In Its Former Glory

Haggai 2:1-9

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twent-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son ...

2708. All Creation Yawns

Romans 13:8-14

Sermon

Frank Luchsinger

It is early morning, one sleeper turns to the other, an eye half opened, "Do you know what time it is? We've overslept!" Flying slippers rushing to the kitchen, the exclamation on the end of the sentence is placed by kaleidoscopic confusion at the beginning of the day. Or imagine a dormitory room: a college coed leaping from bed, a rush to the desk, the alarm clock lifted very closely to her eyes, "Noooo!" she shouts and begins to jump up and down, both feet pounding on the floor. One after another she ...

2709. Moving At The Speed Of Light: Nazareth: Family Ties

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Sermon

Frank Luchsinger

When I was a child and my mother started thinking out loud about "going home," she meant driving to Grandma's house a thousand miles away. This trip from Ohio to Nebraska with two parents, five children, and sometimes a dog did not happen in our unairconditioned family sedan without considerable planning and effort. Just packing the car strained family cordiality and tested my father's training as an engineer. His plan was always the same: Be on the road shortly after midnight and drive all night so that ...

2710. Finding Faith In Unlikely People

Luke 7:1-10

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

One of the continuing delights of life is the joy of the unexpected. Highly scheduled as we are, and rigorously regimented, occasionally we are extraordinarily pleased with interruption and variation. When out-of-town friends turn up unannounced, rather than having scheduled themselves weeks in advance, we experience a certain excitement. How pleasant to have a business deal grow into undreamed proportions. What joy in having a surprise verdict from judge and jury. What a thrill to see surgery and ...

2711. The Unveiled Truth

Exodus 34:29-35

Sermon

Robert A. Hausman

Moses with horns! Have you ever seen a painting of Moses with horns? It was a common artistic convention in the middle ages to portray Moses with two horns, one on each side of his head. It all began with this passage. It says that when Moses came down from the mountain, the skin of his face shown. The root of that verb for shining (grn) is the same as the word for horn. Here it seems to be used in the sense of a ray (of the sun) coming forth from the head as a symbol of divinity. The Latin translation, ...

2712. Easter 2

Acts 5:17-42, Revelation 1:4-8, John 20:19-23, John 20:24-31

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 5:27-32 In order to obey God, the Apostles disobey the order not to preach. Regardless of the cost, the Apostles are determined to witness to the resurrection. They defy the governmental order to stop preaching the Gospel because they recognize a higher law than the State. They must obey God who in Christ ordered them to witness. In defense of this position, Peter accuses the officials of having crucified Jesus who was later raised and exalted by God to be Leader and Savior so that ...

2713. Epiphany 7

1 Corinthians 15:35-58, 1 Samuel 26:1-25, Genesis 45:1-28, Luke 6:27-36

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 45:3-11, 15 Joseph discloses his identity to his brothers. How does a person who has reached the zenith of success in terms of prestige, power, and authority deal with those who put him down to nothing but a slave and a prisoner falsely accused? In the story of Joseph, we have the dramatic moment when Joseph reveals himself to his brothers who sold him into slavery. One could expect retaliation and revenge, but Joseph returns good for evil, loves his enemies, and does good ...

2714. Lent 1

Lk 4:1-13 · Rom 10:8-13 · Deut 26:1-11 · Ps 91

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Upon entering the Promised Land the people are to present the first fruits and to rejoice in Yahweh's goodness. Deuteronomy deals with the time of King Josiah's reforms in 621 B.C. One of the reforms was the centralization of worship in Jerusalem's temple. One of the three compulsory pilgrimages to Jerusalem was the Feast of Weeks when a basket of first fruits was presented to the priest, placed before the altar, and the worshiper responded by re-telling the ...

2715. Pentecost

John 20:19-23, Acts 2:1-13, Acts 2:14-41, Genesis 11:1-9, John 14:5-14, Romans 8:1-17

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 2:1-21 On Pentecost the Disciples receive the Holy Spirit and Peter explains the happening. Luke gives an account of the Spirit's coming upon the gathered Disciples in Jerusalem on Pentecost accompanied by a mighty wind and tongues of fire. Then the reaction of the crowd is given the Disciples are accused of being drunk. Peter responds by explaining the experience as fulfillment of Joel's prophecy that at the end of the era the Spirit would come to all. The overall purpose of the ...

2716. Proper 10

Colossians 1:1-14, Amos 7:10-17, Luke 10:25-37

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Amos 7:7-17 Amos was a prophet of the South in the eighth century. He wrote the earliest book in the Old Testament. Although he was from the South (Judah), God called him, ca. 750 B.C., to go to the North (Israel) to preach. He found the people prosperous, religious, but oppressive of the poor. His message was one of doom: death for the king and exile for the people. His preaching was not accepted. The chief priest told him to go home and preach to Judah. Epistle: Colossians 1:1- ...

2717. Proper 25

Luke 18:9-14, Joel 2:18-27, Joel 2:28-32, 2 Timothy 3:10--4:8, 2 Timothy 4:9-18

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Joel 2:23-32 After the plague of locusts Yahweh will bless the land with plenty and with his spirit. Today's Lesson 1 is taken from the latest of the prophetic books written in the post-exilic period around 400-350 B.C. Judah experienced a plague of locusts accompanied by drought and famine. Joel calls upon the people to gather in Jerusalem to repent and pray for relief. Because the people obeyed, Joel assures them that Yahweh will give them plenty to make up for the years of the ...

2718. In The Flesh

John 1:1-18

Sermon

William B. Kincaid, III

"And the Word became flesh." We hear those words so easily that they are lost on us. We quickly associate them with the baby in Bethlehem's manger, and rightly so, but then we dismiss them without being startled or shocked or even mildly surprised. "The Word became flesh," the gospel writer says, and we yawn in agreement. Some of the Greeks didn't yawn. They were appalled at such a thought and quickly acted to correct what they thought of as a ludicrous, even sacrilegious thought. It wasn't that God could ...

2719. Prayer And Compassion Fatigue

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

Roger G. Talbott

They were tired and they needed a day off. The crowds kept getting larger. More and more sick people were being brought to Jesus and his disciples were getting burned out dealing with all that human misery. So Jesus declared a holiday. "Let's go camping," he said. At least that is what I think he said. Matthew makes it sound like he said, "Let's go off alone to a deserted place." My guess is he got no arguments from his disciples. They took off their beepers, unplugged the phones and put up the "Closed for ...

2720. The Honor Of A Limp

Genesis 32:22-32

Sermon

Richard Sears was a young man when his father died, and so he had to go to work to support the family. He took a job on the railroad and worked his way up to station agent in North Redwood, Minnesota. To earn extra money he sold coal and lumber. One day a box full of watches was delivered to his station by mistake. The local jeweler decided he didn't want the watches. But instead of sending the watches back to the company, Richard Sears decided to buy the watches himself and proceeded to sell them. In a ...

2721. Bloody Doorposts

Exodus 12:1-30

Sermon

When I was about twelve years of age I attended a state Boy Scout jamboree. We camped out in the mountains for an extended weekend. We had to bring food with us to eat, but we were told our Saturday evening meal would be provided. But what we did not know was how it would be provided. About four o'clock in the afternoon we were summoned to the road head. There by the side of the road was a tractor-trailer loaded with live chickens! At our campsite we were divided into groups of three, and from that truck ...

2722. Easter 3

1 Peter 1:13-2:3, Acts 2:42-47, Luke 24:13-35

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: The risen Christ is revealed as believers gather together and break bread. The First Lesson describes the resurrection community in Jerusalem as having everything in common. They broke bread with glad and generous hearts, praising God. The Gospel tells how Christ was revealed to the two strollers on the way to Emmaus, when Christ blessed and broke bread with them. COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 2:14a, 36-47 This is the ending of Peter's Pentecost sermon. He confronts his listeners head-on with their ...

2723. Easter 5

John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14, Acts 7:54--8:1a, Acts 17:1-9, 1 Peter 2:4-12

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme For The Day: Come into me. In the Lutheran/Episcopal First Lesson, Paul has been secreted out of a couple of Greek towns. He leaves word that Paul and Silas are to come to him as soon as possible, so he can continue the work of building up the Body Of Christ. In the Second Lesson, Peter urges his readers to "Come to Him (Christ), a living stone ..." and become living building blocks in the church. In the Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that no one can come to the Father but by him. Theme For Sermon ...

2724. Proper 27

1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11, Hosea 11:1-11, Joshua 24:1-27, Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Living in readiness and anticipation of the Second Coming of Christ. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 Joshua is now an old man and so he gathers the tribes of Israel together at Shechem to renew the covenant. In the first part of the passage, Joshua recounts the origin of the covenant which the Lord initiated with Abraham. The second portion of the passage calls for a response from the people. Idolatry is still a problem because he calls on the people to cast off the foreign gods and ...

2725. Proper 4

Genesis 6:1-8:22, Deuteronomy 11:1-32, Matthew 7:21-29, Romans 1:1-17, Romans 3:21-31

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: A contrast between the righteousness of obedience and the righteousness of faith. The First Lesson from Deuteronomy presents Moses' instruction to obey God's laws by making them an integral part of their daily lives. The First Lesson, from Genesis, shows how Noah obeyed God by building the Ark. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that everyone who hears his words and does them is like the person who built his house on the rock. In contrast, the person who hears his teachings and does not do them resembles ...

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