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 2826 to 2850 of 4942 results

2826. Lent 2

Genesis 12:1-8, Psalm 105:1-45, Matthew 17:1-13, John 3:1-21; 4:5-42, Romans 4:1-25

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Lent is structured so that those who keep it will go through devotional exercises designed to bring about conversion of the penitent to the life in Christ. Lent is really the altar (font) call of the church, at which the believers will find forgiveness of their sins and renewal of the gifts God gives in baptism to those who will have him as their God in Jesus Christ. Sunday is seen in the Roman Church, as always, from a sacramental perspective; some pastors in other churches approach Lent ...

2827. Lent 5

Psalm 116:1-19, John 11:38-44, John 11:17-37, John 11:1-16, Romans 8:18-27, Romans 8:1-17, Ezekiel 37:1-14

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The Fifth Sunday of Lent has not only lost its name, judica, but it has also lost its liturgical function, which was quite positive in the pre-Vatican II liturgy; it used to announce the beginning of the holiest part of Lent, the two weeks of the Passion of Our Lord. Now it is simply part of Lent, and, practically, the Last Sunday in Lent, introducing the week before Holy Week. Again, the theological, and therefore the liturgical/homiletical, clue comes more from the Gospel for the Day ...

2828. Maundy Thursday

John 13:1-17, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, Exodus 12:1-30

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Thursday of Holy Week originally was celebrated as a feast of reconciliation, long ago when sin was taken seriously by the church; the penitents, who were excluded from the congregation during Lent were brought back and joined the congregation in the sacrament. They would come to the closed door of the church, knock and seek entrance, only to be turned away by an official of the congregation. They returned a second time, knocked and were turned away again. The third time, the bishop went ...

2829. Easter 5

Acts 17:1-9, Psalm 33:1-22, Acts 17:10-15, 1 Peter 2:4-12, John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Cantate, the Fourth Sunday after Easter, with its theme of "sing a new song for the Lord," which came to be known and celebrated as "Church Music Sundays" in many parts of the church, finds expression on the Fifth Sunday of Easter. In the older liturgies, because Cantate had become a "cause" Sunday, the Easter celebration was interrupted or was lost entirely. The Cantate theme is not mentioned specifically on this Sunday, but it is set forth in the appointed Psalm for the Day - Psalm 33:1- ...

2830. Easter 7

Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 47:1-9, 1 Peter 4:12-19, John 17:1-5, John 17:6-19

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The Sunday after the Ascension, as the Seventh Sunday of Easter previously was designated, was known as Exaudi Sunday and served much the same function as the Seventh Sunday of Easter does today. This Sunday is a time of reflection on the glory God has given Christ by lifting him up to his right hand on the completion of his work. It is also a period of expectation for the coming of the Holy Spirit to the church and the world to empower the church to do the work of Christ. It is also the ...

2831. Proper 4

Deuteronomy 11:1-32, Genesis 12:1-8, Matthew 7:15-23, Matthew 7:24-29, Romans 3:21-31, Psalm 31:1-24, Psalm 33:1-22

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE From this point until late in the Pentecost season, on Sundays there is only the general theological framework of the church year to provide biblical/theological clues for worship and preaching themes. Pentecost, as "the time of the church," is eschatological; the church worships and waits, learns and grows, and witnesses and works for the coming of the fullness of the kingdom in Jesus' promised return. On the Sundays of Pentecost, the church is counting time, not marking time, until the ...

2832. Christ The King

Ezekiel 34:1-31, Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Corinthians 15:12-34, Psalm 95:1-11, Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The very title given to this Sunday by the Roman Ordo and the LBW lectionary, Christ the King, firmly reinforces the eschatological framework of the church year, closing the gap between the Ascension of Our Lord and the end of the Pentecost cycle/season. All of the Sundays between the Ascension and Christ the King Sunday reflect the fact that in the Ascension Jesus has begun his reign. In the LBW liturgy, the traditional hymn of praise may be replaced by "Worthy is Christ," with its verse ...

2833. The Singer and the Siren

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

I would rather not mention it. Centuries of rabbis have spilt gallons of ink thinking up excuses for him. The author of Chronicles doesn’t waste a jot or tittle in telling the tale. After all, who enjoys slicing another hefty chink in a hero’s armor? Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell told Sir Peter Lely to paint his portrait with the warts and all. Yet I have trouble brushstroking out the black deeds of David. Shortly after he had been convicted for throwing the 1919 World Series, the great outfielder ...

2834. Christmas 1

Matthew 2:13-18

Sermon Aid

Gospel: Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 Theme: The birth of the world's savior - its mystery and message Bulletin Heading Suggestion: Revise the heading to reflect the church season, as for example, What is Worship but A Celebration of Who we are Whose We Are The Joy and Challenge of Being Christian in God's Way This Christmastide Season, Pastoral Invitation One pastor began this way: For several weeks, we have been hearing and saying "Merry Christmas." We probably stopped doing that the day after Christmas. For ...

2835. Christmas 2

John 1:1-18

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: White Gospel: John 1:1-18 Theme: "God became human in order that man and woman, in their effort to be God, may not become monsters" (author unknown, revised) Pastoral Invitation to the Christmastide Celebration Suggestion: Begin with the statement which appears as the theme. You may want to add your own thoughts. Continue with this response between pastor and ministers: Pastor: At the beginning, God expressed self. That personal expression, that word was with God, and was God ... ...

2836. The Epiphany of Our Lord

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: White Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12 Theme: The coming of the Magi - the universality of the Good News Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration Consider this: We consider the universality of the gospel for the whole world. At the beginning of worship, think about the people who don't have the Good News, and about those who, we believe, do not deserve to have the Good News. Recognizing our Humanness and Receiving New Life Try this: Begin by asking the congregation to write down the names of people ...

2837. Epiphany 3

1 Corinthians 1:10-17, Isaiah 9:1-7, Psalm 27:1-14, Matthew 4:12-17

Bulletin Aid

Liturgical Color: Green Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23 Theme: The essence of Jesus' message - "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2; 4:17, R.S.V) Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor began this way: He welcomed them to the season of Epiphany, with a brief explanation. He followed with this "declaration of joy" between pastor and ministers: Pastor: Come, let's celebrate life with our whole selves. Ministers: Praise be to God for our minds that we may know the mind of Christ, for ...

2838. Epiphany 4

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: Green Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 Theme: The Beatitudes - how Jesus defined and described happiness. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor did this: He began, "In the Name of God the Creator, Liberator, Sustainer, welcome to the corporate celebration of those who serve as symbols of the Beatitudes in the world which God loved so much that came to bring wholeness, healing, salvation." He then invited the people to share in this invitation to the celebration: Pastor: God loves us. ...

2839. Lent 1

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: Purple Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11 Theme: The temptations of Jesus - keeping priorities straight. Bulletin Heading Suggestion: Revise the heading to fit the season, as for example: Lent, The Season of Renewal The Community Gathers To Examine Its Reason for Being As It Prepares for the Easter-event. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration Try this: Place some contemporary pictures around the sanctuary which depict scenes of the temptations which Jesus faces. Invite the people to walk around ...

2840. Pentecost

John 20:19-23

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: Red Gospel: John 20:19-23 Theme: Receiving the Holy Spirit - the birthday of the New Testament church. Pastoral Invitation Consider this: On the previous two Sundays, ask people to bring their symbols which depict for them the Holy Spirit. In addition, this might be a good time to change the headings within the order of worship. Begin with: The Community Celebrates Pentecost, The Coming of the Holy Spirit of God into the Lives of Christ's People in order to Transform Them from Cowards to ...

2841. Proper 4

Matthew 7:15-23

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: White/Green Gospel: Matthew 7:15-29 Theme: Building lives on rock or sand. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration Consider this: Begin with words similar to these. "Welcome to the Name of God, the Father, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit; or if you prefer, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit." You may want to continue with this litany between pastor and ministers: Pastor: We continue to celebrate. Ministers: Celebrate what? Ourselves? Others? Things? Objects? Success? ...

2842. Proper 7

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: Green Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33 Theme: Whom and what do we fear? Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration Try this: "God has called us for a special purpose - to witness the Resurrection in the world. When we worship, we celebrate our personal relationship with God, and our world-wide relationship with God's people. So, I invite us to celebrate God's presence and power in order to receive God's strength and courage." Litany Pastor: We remember the Good News of our liberation. Ministers: ...

2843. Proper 11

Matthew 13:24-30

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: Green Gospel: Matthew 13:24-43 Theme: Parables of the Kingdom - wheat and weeds, mustard seed, and the leaven. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor began this way: "In the name of the Holy, Loving God, good morning. How has God acted in your life this past week? How did you decide to participate in this celebration today?" Ask people to respond spontaneously, or ask several people ahead of time to prepare their response. You may want to continue with this litany between ...

2844. Proper 19

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: Green Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35 Theme: Forgiveness and seventy times seven - You've got to be kidding! Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor began this way: "In the name of the Hidden One who reveals self through worship, study, prayer, fellowship, welcome to this celebration of the body of Christ. You may want to follow with this litany between pastor/ministers: Pastor: Have you thought about who you are as you come to worship today? Ministers: Some of us have; some of us ...

2845. Proper 22

Matthew 21:33-46

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: Green Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43 Theme: Those considered as least in the kingdom may be the greatest. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor did this: Worship includes two dimensions. The vertical: God to us, not exclusively to us, but to the whole world. The horizontal: Us to others, not just those we like, but to those whom God loves. You may want to use this litany between pastor/ministers: Pastor: We are here to celebrate the Presence and Power of God to the whole world. ...

2846. Proper 27

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: Green Gospel: Matthew 25:1-30 Theme: Wise and foolish maidens and the parable of the talents. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor began this way: "We cannot love God whom we have not seen unless we love our fellow humans whom we do see. Love doesn't necessarily mean like. Love means that we seek the same for the other that we have received for ourselves. There is no such thing as loving God without loving our neighbor. We will discover during this worship what this means." ...

2847. All Saints' Day

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: White Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 Theme: The Beatitudes - the essence of joy. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor did this: Invite all the saints to stand. (Many will hesitate and probably remain seated.) Now, I invite all the rest of the saints to stand. (Some still may remain seated.) I invite all the rest of the saints to stand. When all have stood, ask the saints to greet each other. (At this point in the worship, do not talk about the biblical meaning of sainthood.) Act of ...

2848. A Glory Revealed in the King

John 12:12-19

Sermon

Charles M. Mountain

Jesus is the King. This affirmation is really the united testimony of the entire New Testament, culminating in Revelation 17 and 19 where Jesus is called the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Several times in the Gospel of John, Jesus is worshiped or honored as King. Nathanael responded to Jesus, "You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"1 At another point, people wanted to physically seize him and make him their king by force!2 Jesus resisted their plebiscite at that time, but on the first ...

2849. Death: Commonality Explored

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Sermon

Christian unity has a word to say about death. The first century Christians, hour by hour, had to live with the possibility of death. It happened frequently in an excruciating manner. Eusebius, in The History of the Church from Christ to Constantine, speaks of the ordeals of one hundred and forty-six martyrs and names ninety-seven of them. In speaking of those in Tebais, he says, "They were torn to bits from head to foot with potsherds like claws till death released them." From the beginning, our spiritual ...

2850. 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 ...

Showing results