Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2901 to 2925 of 4884 results

John 20:19-31

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... a world of natural beauty, serenity, and peace, away from all of the ugliness and dissonance of this world. Their daughter had given them an icon for Christmas. The icon was a picture of Mary and the baby Jesus. L'Engel loved it. She said that it was perfect for Crosswicks. She took it to Crosswicks, nailed it to a tree by the stream, where she would sit and meditate and pray. The summer ended. They closed up the cabin and returned to the city. The next spring they opened up the cabin. As soon as possible ...

2902. In the Darkness of Anxiety, There Is the Light of Peace

Luke 2:8-20

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

... in the news about a bank that had some uncertainty about their computer system as the year 2000 approached. They decided to test it, and prepared overdraft statements with dates on them well beyond the year 2000. They were relieved to find their systems worked perfectly. There was no problem. Well, there was one problem. Some person in the bank mailed them out to its customers. There was another report in the news that a recent study indicated that people who spend a lot of time chatting on the internet are ...

2903. Christmas 2

Jn 1:1-18 · Mt 2:13-15, 19-23 · Jer 31:7-14 · Eph 1:3-19 · Ps 147

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... God in him. John begins his Gospel by putting it in the perspective of eternity. Before Jesus was born, the Word existed and created the universe. In the fullness of time the Word comes in the person of Jesus who brings light, life, truth, grace, and the perfect revelation of God in Jesus. He is the light that lights up everyone in Christ. John the Baptist was only a witness to that light which the darkness of sin cannot extinguish. Those who believe in the Incarnate Word become sons and daughters of God by ...

2904. Epiphany 2

Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-34

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance" (v. 11). Prayer of the Day: "Lord God, you showed your glory and led many to faith by the works of your Son. As he brought gladness and healing to his people, grant us these same gifts and lead us also to perfect faith in him." Hymn of the Day: "Jesus Calls Us, O'er The Tumult" Theme of the Day: Called To Witness Gospel - What to witness: Jesus the Christ - John 1:29-42 Lesson 1 - To whom to witness: the nations - Isaiah 49:1-7 Lesson 2 - Why witness: called ...

2905. Lessons for Year A Epiphany 4

Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... present, their promises look to the future for fulfillment. The Beatitudes are God-oriented: kingdom of heaven, see God, on my account. The blessed estate does not depend upon secular well-being for its fulfillment. It is conceivable a Christian can be perfectly miserable on earth and yet blessed. 2. Poor in spirit. Luke omits "in spirit." Certainly Matthew is not neglecting the physically poor. There is no blessing in poverty. Poor people are not necessarily blessed. The economically poor can be godly or ...

2906. Epiphany 6

Matthew 5:17-37, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16; 3:1-23, Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 119

Bulletin Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... life superior to the professional religious people. He plainly says unless our righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, we cannot enter his kingdom. Who can excel the scribes and Pharisees? The scribes are diligent scholars of the Bible: the Pharisees are "perfect" in their piety as they strictly observe every detail of the Law. Many Christians would be satisfied getting to the level of the scribes and Pharisees. What is this higher righteousness, and how do we get it lest we fail to enter ...

2907. Lent 2

Genesis 12:1-8, Romans 4:1-25, 2 Timothy 1:1-2:13, John 3:1-21

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... are living by law in the hope that God will approve of their lives. The need for this sermon is in showing people that God, through his love, will accept us as sinners because of faith alone. Outline: How to get right with God. a. Our debt to God - perfect obedience, righteousness. b. Our vain attempt to pay the debt - works of the law. c. Our faith is reckoned as righteousness. Epistle: 2 Timothy 1:8b-10 1. If You Are Called (1:8b-10). Need: Lesson 1 tells about Abraham's call. In Lesson 2 Paul reminds ...

2908. Lent 4

John 9:35-41, John 9:13-34, John 9:1-12, 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... the rest of your life. God is light and gives the light of vision to his children. In an average congregation, physical blindness may not be a problem, but there are other forms of blindness that are worse. People need to know how God can give them perfect vision that they do not stumble nor fall in life's journey. Outline: God gives sight to the blind – a. The physically blind - Gospel. In the world, 15 million people are blind. One out of every 1,000 Americans is legally blind. Here we can deal with ...

2909. Proper 5

Matthew 9:18-26, Matthew 9:9-13, Hosea 6:1--7:16, Hosea 5:1-15, Romans 4:1-25, Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... cardinal doctrine of justification by grace through faith. In chapter 4 he uses Abraham as an example of one who was righteous by faith and not by the law. If we can be righteous by keeping the law, faith is unnecessary. Since it is impossible to perfectly keep the law, our salvation rests upon grace. The expression of grace is God's promise; and faith believes in, and accepts, the promise. All, Jew and Gentile, with the faith of Abraham are made righteous. Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 Jesus calls Matthew ...

2910. Proper 9

Gen 24:1-67, Zech 9:9-13, Rom 7:7-25; 8:1-17, Mt 11:1-19, 25-30

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... of law, duty, and obligation - a religion of works to be saved. As the object of our worship, he is gentle and humble. Our commitment to him is easy and light because our service to him is voluntary ("Come"). His yoke is "easy," because it fits us perfectly. This should save our religion from being a bore or a burden. Instead, the Christian religion is one of joy. Old Testament: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 1. Blessed (v. 34). Abraham's servant told Rebecca's brother, Laban, that God blessed his master ...

2911. Proper 12

1 Kings 3:1-15, Matthew 13:47-52, Matthew 13:44-46, Genesis 29:15-30

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... and pearl were evaluated as the best, the price of total sell-out, or exchanging all other possessions, was considered worth the price. 4. Joy (v. 44). When a person finds a treasure, how can he help but be overjoyed? If a merchant has been looking for the perfect pearl for years and then finds it, is there any wonder that he would be as happy as can be? Many church members lack the joy of being Christians. They are not happy about their religion. Could this be the reason? They have not found the treasure ...

2912. Proper 14

Genesis 37:1-11, Genesis 37:12-36, 1 Kings 19:9-18, Jonah 2:1-10, Romans 9:1-29, Romans 9:30--10:21, Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... . Since there is, according to scripture, only one way to get right with God and thus saved, how can we get non-Christians to have the necessary faith? Most non-Christians think they will be saved by obeying God's laws. But who is able to obey all of them perfectly? Outline: The way to getting right with God – a. Confess that Jesus is Lord - v. 9a. b. Believe in Jesus' resurrection - v. 9b. c. Call on the Lord - v. 13. Epistle: Romans 9:1-5 1. "I'd Go To Hell For You!" 9:1-3. Need: Paul is so ...

2913. Proper 18

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

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... 18:15-20 1. Brother (v. 15). Chapter 18 is Jesus' discourse to the disciples, not to the world. He is dealing with church or in-group problems. The "brother" is a fellow Christian. "If your brother sins against you" implies that Christians are not perfect and thus sin against each other. Because of sin, the church can be plagued with hostility and disunity. Because of this, Jesus gives a procedure to be followed when trouble resulting from sin develops within the Christian community. 2. You (v. 15). Who is ...

2914. Proper 28

Judges 4:1-24, Matthew 25:14-30, Zephaniah 1:4-13, Zephaniah 1:14--2:3

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... we have been saved, for we have been adopted by grace as sons of God. Yet, we are in the process of salvation as Paul wrote, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for God is at work in you ..." (Philippians 2:12, 13). Perfect salvation is a future event, for full salvation is realized when we ultimately join the angels, martyrs, and saints in heaven. PREACHING POSSIBILITIES Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30 1. No One Is Left Out! (25:14-30). Need: Some of us, at least at times, feel that ...

2915. Christ the King

Psalm 100:1-5, 1 Corinthians 15:12-34, Matthew 25:31-46, Ezekiel 34:1-31

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... of yours. Old Testament: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 1. Shepherd (v. 15). Yahweh says he will be the shepherd of his people. A shepherd is considered a king in Hebrew writings. He acts like a king who cares for his people. He is a good shepherd, the perfect one. He does only good for his people; seeks, gathers, and feeds them. He has compassion on the lost, the crippled and the weak. Nor does he neglect the healthy ones whom he feeds with justice. "My God, how wonderful thou art!" 2. Sheep (v. 11). If God is ...

2916. In the Darkness of Suspicion, There Is the Light of Devotion

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

... again? What if we could really hang onto it and take it with us into these good days ahead of us in the new year? I want to suggest to us today that we can do just that. By that, I do not mean that everything is going to be perfect, or always go our way. Nor do I mean we will be able to escape the same routine, the same schedule, the same duties, we have had to struggle with before. But, I would suggest that there ought to be something different about us because we have been able to ...

2917. Road Rage

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

When our children were small, a nice church lady named Chris made them a child-friendly creche. All the actors in this stable drama are soft and squishy and durable - perfect to touch and rearrange - or toss across the living room in a fit of toddler frenzy. The Joseph character has always been my favorite because he looks a little wild - red yarn spiking out from his head, giving him an odd look of energy. In fact, I have renamed this ...

2918. Vital Vulnerability

Luke 2:8-20, Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... to enter. Such is the story of this night. God bends low to come as one of us — a baby blessing us — calling us to be nurturers of life. If we have the courage to respond, the courage to stoop low and pick up the child, this baby will fit perfectly into our arms. And we can become participants in God’s maturing presence in the world. Can you feel the baby? Can you smell the baby? Can you hear the baby? This is Emmanuel — God-With-Us. May it be so — for you and for me. Amen. 1.Anne LaMott ...

2919. The Rest of the Story

Matthew 2:19-23, Matthew 2:13-18

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... , and the cookies are stale. How do we hold onto the feeling? How do we hold onto the warmth, the wonder, the welcome of Christmas? Christmas letters - offering graceful glimpses of old friends; That rare mother/daughter afternoon, creating the most perfect Christmas of our lives; American soldiers sharing Christmas with war-scarred children; Virginia neighbors sharing love with a Pentagon widow; A Christmas pageant, so full of joy and giggles and energy, that I know God was smiling; A rippling harp lifting ...

2920. Kairos Commitments

Matthew 4:18-22, Matthew 4:12-17

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... at hand." The time, my friends, is now. This announcement is astounding for two reasons. First, the Jews had always believed that the kingdom would only come at the end of time - as the culmination of all God's work. And the kingdom would mean perfection - the wholeness and integration of all things - immediately. But today Jesus says something very different. The kingdom is not only a vision in the mind of the Creator and a reality at the end of time. The kingdom is also immediately tangible and available ...

2921. God, Or the World?

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... a man of brokenness and faith. He was hunted down like a common criminal; his only crime was seeking God's glory. The "Whiskey Priest" lived in Southern Mexico. The time was the 1920s; the Cristero Rebellion was underway. The Whiskey Priest was not perfect - far from it. He drank too much; he had fathered a child. In those days, the Mexican government said that is was illegal to practice the priesthood, but that did not stop the Whiskey Priest. Everything he did; the Masses, baptisms, funerals, and weddings ...

2922. Jesus Cures Our Spiritual Blindness

John 9:1-41

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... enlightened him and showed him the direction to new life. We are called to cast off darkness and live in the light. We are to be the lamplighter and the copper-kettle Christian. As our Lenten journey continues, let us seek the light and be spiritually enlightened. It is the perfect opportunity to find Christ, and that means eternal life.

2923. Sharing the Pain of Others

Matthew 26:14-27:66

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” We must do likewise and share the burdens of those we encounter. Holy Week is the perfect opportunity for us to reflect upon how we can better assist others in walking the road that is often littered with hurdles, potholes, and other obstacles. Some people are in pain — sometimes physical but more often psychological. Others are alienated from family, friends, church ...

2924. Pentecost! Slow ... and Sure!

John 20:19-23

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

... ." "When they had a prayer meeting, everyone came!" " They spoke in Greek then!" (As if it were some sort of superior language!) On and on we can go browbeating ourselves by comparison. Yet, when one really studies the Bible, he discovers that early believers weren't perfect either. Moses had his temper. Noah got drunk. David fell into adultery. Peter couldn't keep his vows and Paul and Barnabas split up over a disagreement. With all of this in mind, I'd like us to turn to the text for today and see how ...

2925. Things to Come!

Matthew 13:47-52, Matthew 13:44-46, Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

... see me again until ..." It was 70 A.D. when Roman armies sacked Jerusalem and Israel was covered over until she began to regather in the twentieth century, actually becoming a nation once more in 1948. Pearl Next comes the merchant of pearls, who finding one perfect pearl sells all to own it. The popular notion of Christ being our pearl is quickly debunked since it is works/righteousness. Since when do we have anything with which to buy our salvation? (Ephes-ians 2:8, 9). Fact is, the sea, where of course ...

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