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Showing 251 to 275 of 538 results

251. The Priestly Garments (II)

Exodus 39:1

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

Making Priestly Garments: After all the elements of the tabernacle and its furnishings had been made, but before it was erected, the artisans created the priestly garments. The first part of Exodus 39 repeats, almost verbatim, the commands the Lord gave Moses for the completion of the vestments for Aaron and his sons (vv. 1–31). The second part of the chapter provides a summary list of all the items Moses inspected when the people brought them to him (vv. 32–43). 39:1–31 Just as the LORD commanded Moses is ...

252. The Ephod (II)

Exodus 39:2-7

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

253. The Breastpiece (II)

Exodus 39:8-21

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

254. Moses Inspects the Tabernacle

Exodus 39:32-43

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

255. Third Day

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Sermon

Lori Wagner

[Alternative personalized opening: Mountain culture used to refer to heaven as “the sweet by and by.” Anybody remember that phrase? Or the old gospel song “In The Sweet By and By . . ?“ It was made a signature song by three of the greatest country and western singers of all time --- Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, and Dolly Parton. Here are the lyrics: [You may have the congregation sing the song as the beginning to your sermon, or have someone sing it for your people.] There's a land that is fairer than day, ...

256. Vetted

Luke 3:21-38, Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” (Deuteronomy 8:2) Back in 1984, when Sting was with the Police, he had a stalker. So Sting wrote an ode to his stalker called “Every Breath You Take.” For those of you who never heard of Sting, or the Police, or the year 1984, it went like this: [either play a stanza of the song or read out these lyrics] Every ...

257. Advent 4

Psalm 80:1-19, Isaiah 7:1-25, Romans 1:1-17, Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon Aid

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

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS At the very heart of Advent is the anticipation and celebration of the incarnation—of God's being present with us. Our Old Testament lessons for the fourth week of Advent turn directly on this central theme. Isaiah 7:10-16 is a prophecy that anticipates Immanuel ("with us is God"), and Psalm 80 is a communal petition for God to be present. Isaiah 7:10-16 - "The Sign of Immanuel" Setting. Isaiah 7:10-16 is a central Old Testament text for Christians. It was already given a central place ...

258. God Will Take Care of You

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

During the long, hot days of summer, dinner-time seems to get pushed back further and further into the evening. In some places it's just too hot to think about cooking and eating a big meal until well after the sun has slid below the horizon. Families who have kids running a hundred different directions - to day-camps, to the pool or the lake, to friends' houses - can't seem to get everyone collected back home for a meal until the evening is well advanced. But maybe we can all stand to wait for dinner a ...

259. Micahs Idols

Judges 17:1-13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

17:1–21:25 Review · Chaos in Israelite Society:While the last five chapters have often been referred to as the epilogue of the book, scholars have struggled to understand its connection with what precedes. For unlike the previous section, these narratives feature neither any judge nor any foreign enemy. Instead they seem to concern largely nameless individuals within Israelite society, with the focus being on internal chaos generated entirely from within. Structurally, the cyclical framework that organizes ...

260. Psalm 80

Psalm 80:1-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Psalms 77–80 use shepherding metaphors to depict God as Israel’s shepherd or as the one who establishes Israel’s shepherd. God shepherds his people from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the promised land (77:20; 78:52–55). He then chooses David, a literal shepherd, to shepherd his people (78:70–72). As shepherd, God guides his people during their exile in Babylon and (if the psalmist’s prayers are answered) out of Babylon (79:13). In 80:1, Asaph appeals to God in his role as shepherd for that deliverance. ...

261. Micah’s Idols

Judges 17:1-13

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

Micah’s Idolatry: With the completion of the Samson cycle we also have completed the second major section of the book of Judges (3:7–16:31). This central core section is framed by two others, an introduction (1:1–3:6) and an epilogue (17:1–21:25); and as the introduction divides neatly into two parts (1:1–2:6; 2:7–3:6), so does the epilogue (17:1–18:31; 19:1–21:35). The epilogue does not evidence the recurring refrain that characterized the accounts of the major judges. In fact, there is no mention of ...

262. Turning Pity-Parties into Praise-Parties

Philippians 3:12-4:1

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

After World War II the world entered a grey combat zone known as the “Cold War.” The two most powerful nations on earth, the US and the USSR, stood face to face, toe to toe, and seriously considered nuking each other. Thousands of nuclear warheads were armed and aimed by both nations, targeting each other’s homelands, in a strategy known by the acronym MAD: Mutual Assured Destruction. President Truman even had to fire General Douglas MacArthur because of his insistence that we use nuclear weapons against ...

263. Dancing with the Saints

Colossians 1:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

As soon as toddlers learn to “toddle,” they are ready to move to music and groove to iPods. Small children don’t care if their moves are “cool.” Small children don’t care of they look sweet or silly as they dance to the sounds they’re hearing. They just dance. When do we start being self-conscious? We do we lose our innocence? Sometime in elementary school? I suspect it’s just about the time the PE curriculum declares that it is time to teach dancing to fifth or sixth graders. Whether it is learning to ...

264. Materials for the Tabernacle

Exodus 35:4-29

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

Building Yahweh’s Dwelling Place: Willing Hearts · Exodus 35 is remarkable for the dramatic reversal and transformation after a word of forgiveness from the Lord. The people prepared to build the tabernacle with full and willing hearts. The structure of the chapter illustrates the reversal by forming a mirror image of Exodus 31 (the last chapter before the golden-calf crisis), presenting similar material in reverse order. The last subject of Exodus 31 was the Sabbath, and the Sabbath command is now the ...

265. Syrophoenician Lives Matter!

Mark 7:24-30, Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6) Animators (Props): cornucopia….apples…..pumpkins As we enter the fall season, we prepare for a lot of celebrations. Halloween, All Saints Day, Thanksgiving, Advent. In the midst of all that, there are festivals for families and celebrations for children too. It’s the ...

266. Deliverance

Isaiah 49:8-26, Isaiah 44:24--45:25, Exodus 15:22-27, Exodus 13:17--14:31

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Tell the children of Israel to go forward.” (Exodus 14:15) One of the unique experiences of our culture today is the innovation of the “escape room!” Has anyone here participated in an “escape room” experience? [You can invite people to share if you wish.] Anyone know what an escape room is? You have these pretty much in every town now. Basically, you pay money to be locked into a room for one hour either with friends or with strangers. You are given clues and puzzles that will help you find a way to ...

267. Trinity Sunday

Genesis 1:1-2:3, Matthew 28:16-20, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Psalm 8:1-9

Sermon Aid

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

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The two Old Testament texts for Trinity Sunday focus on the creative power of God, and, as such, they provide commentary on the Gospel lesson, where Jesus proclaims to his disciples in Matthew 28:18 that "all authority in heaven and on earth" has been given to him. Genesis 1:1-2:4a is the sweeping account of creation of order from chaos. Psalm 8 is a hymn that celebrates the creative power of God. Taken together these texts provide the vast stage upon which we must interpret this final ...

268. A Day of Singing

Zephaniah 3:14-20, Luke 3:7-18

Sermon

King Duncan

Today we want to celebrate the gift of music. After all, what would Christmas be without music? Didn’t angels sing the night Christ was born? (Luke 2) Well, it doesn’t actually say they were singing. It says they were saying, “Glory to God in the highest . . .” but that sure sounds like singing to me. Music is such a wonderful gift. A few years ago a group of junior high school students was given a test of musical terms. Here were some of their answers: Music sung by two people at the same time is called a ...

269. When There’s Nothing Left To Do But Mourn

Jeremiah 8:18—9:1

Sermon

Chrysanne Timm

When a person is diagnosed with a serious disorder, one that threatens their very existence, life as we know it is turned upside down. There is research to conduct about traditional and alternative treatments. There are specialists with whom to consult. Sometimes there are changes in lifestyle and in priorities to be considered, as Tim McGraw sang in his 2004 hit, "Live Like You Were Dying." I have watched this process in many parishioners over the years. Quite often everyone, including the person with ...

270. A Levite and His Concubine

Judges 19:1-30

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

Atrocities in Gibeah: Judges 19–21 constitute the final episode of the story of the judges. Even though we must divide them for the sake of analysis, they are intended to be read as one unit. These chapters have not found their way into many Sunday school books or sermons or onto the “top ten Christian books” list. They are difficult to read and more difficult to interpret. They portray human nature at its worst, and even worse than worst, because the main players were God’s covenant people. They did the ...

271. If Only You Were To Me A Bother

Song of Songs 8:1-14

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

Loose Ends: Corresponding to the opening section of the book (1:2–6) which introduced the characters (the lovers, the daughters of Jerusalem, and the brothers), the closing verses include all of them as speakers. As usual, the focus is on the central woman. This inclusion does not mean, however, that the book ends with all the loose ends neatly tied. The daughters of Jerusalem ask a question that is not clearly answered. The central woman solemnly announces the seriousness of love. The brothers reveal a ...

272. Our Mighty Fortress

Psalm 46:1-11

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

God as our fortress (vv. 7, 11)—as a “Mighty Fortress” (thanks to Martin Luther)—has been an image comforting believers living in turmoil through the centuries. Psalm 46 is one of the Songs of Zion (also Pss. 48, 76, 84, 87, 132). Psalms 46, 48, and 76 follow the same pattern: (a) a confession that “God is . . . in Zion,” (b) a report that God has stilled Zion’s attackers, and (c) imperatives to acknowledge God as sovereign protector—not the usual hymnic imperatives to join in verbal praise (46:8, 10; 48: ...

273. The Song of Deborah

Judges 5:1-31

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The victory likely prompts a national celebration, which may be the setting for the following song (5:1–31). A careful consideration of the content of the song suggests, however, that this may not be merely a hymn celebrating victory but a politically charged attempt to promote participation in wars against foreign oppressors. The song itself can roughly be divided into two parts, each introduced by a refrain calling on the people to praise the Lord (5:2, 9). In both refrains, the leaders (princes) of ...

274. The Father’s Blessing

Genesis 27:1-40

Sermon

Mike Ripski

The salvation God offers us in Jesus Christ entails being saved from our sense of worthlessness, of not being good enough, of being good for nothing, of not deserving to be loved for who we are. On Mother’s Day I observed that each of us has been created with a God-hole. In that God-hole lies all our self-doubt and shame. It remains there until God fills that hole. We try to fill the hole with God-substitutes. We try to overcome the self-doubt by proving ourselves. The world gives us a cafeteria line to ...

275. The Song of Moses and Miriam

Exodus 15:1-21

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

Singing at the Sea: Worshiping the Lord was Israel’s transition to a new existence. Exodus 15 links the experience of Egypt (chs. 1–14) and the trust-building journey of the first year in the wilderness (chs. 15–18). It ends the traumas of Egypt with a song to, and about, the Lord’s victory over the chaos. Verses 22–27 describe the challenge of trusting Yahweh for basic provision and protection during their journey to the mountain of God (Horeb/Sinai). This “Song at the Sea” has three stanzas (vv. 2–6; 7– ...

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