Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 276 to 300 of 538 results

276. The Lord's Anger Against Israel

Isaiah 9:8--10:4

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Yahweh’s Unsated Anger with Israel: After 6:1–9:7 comes to an end, 9:8–10:4 pairs with the preceding section, chapter 5. The section as a whole takes further the earlier talk of Yahweh’s raised hand (5:25–30). The six woes (5:8–24) also come to a conclusion in 10:1–4. The fact that speaks of disaster for northern Israel might suggest that it is the background for the disaster for northern Israel presupposed by 9:1, but this material also confronts Isaiah’s own audience in Judah with the prospect of their ...

277. The Vinedresser and the Plundered Vine of Israel

Psalm 80:1-19

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

The occasion underlying this corporate prayer psalm appears to be one of extreme national distress: passers-by ravage as they please, burning and destroying (vv. 12–13, 16). The people experience sorrow and strife (vv. 5–6). The question “How long?” implies that this tragedy has persisted for some time. As with most psalms, historical details are omitted so the psalm can be used for any similar national emergency (see the Additional Note). This psalm, besides exhibiting the normal structure of the prayer ...

278. Jesus Presented in the Temple

Luke 2:21-40

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

2:21–40 The next major section of the narrative concerns Jesus’ circumcision and presentation at the temple. As in the case of John (1:59–60), at the time of his circumcision Jesus is given the name that the angel told to his parents (v. 21). Also, just as the naming of John led to his presentation and to a prophetic utterance (1:64–79), the naming of Jesus is followed by his presentation and a prophetic utterance (2:22–32). The rituals performed by Joseph and Mary in vv. 22–24 show that the parents of ...

279.

Psalm 80:1-19

Teach the Text

Craig C. Broyles

The Vinedresser and the Plundered Vine of Israel The occasion underlying this corporate prayer psalm appears to be one of extreme national distress: passers-by ravage as they please, burning and destroying (vv. 12–13, 16). The people experience sorrow and strife (vv. 5–6). The question “How long?” implies that this tragedy has persisted for some time. As with most psalms, historical details are omitted so the psalm can be used for any similar national emergency (see the Additional Note). This psalm, ...

280. He Breaks the Power of Cancelled Sin

John 8:1-11

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Dr. Carl Meninger, well-known psychiatrist, wrote a book a few years ago entitled, Whatever Became of Sin. In it, he reported how a stern, plainly dressed man appeared on a busy corner of Chicago’s Loop. As people passed by, he would from time-to-time solemnly lift his arm and point to a passerby and say just one word; “Guilty!” Then without changing expression, he would drop his arm. After a few seconds, he would raise his arm again, and with an accusing finger pointing at another person, he would utter ...

281. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

Matthew 9:35-38, Matthew 10:1-42

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Mission Discourse: The Twelve to Follow Jesus’ Lead (9:35--10:23) Big Idea: In the second major Matthean discourse Jesus calls the Twelve to lead in mission to Israel, following his model as an authentic shepherd of God’s people despite persecution. Understanding the Text The brief narrative transition between chapters 8–9 (9:35–38) and Jesus’ second teaching section in chapter 10 highlight Jesus’ Galilean ministry to a people who are without true shepherds (leaders) and Jesus’ call to pray for “harvest ...

282. Monologues: Disciples Redeemed

John 20:10-18, John 20:19-23, John 20:24-31

Drama

Raymond I. Keffer

Saul Of Tarsus "I am Saul of Tarsus. Like my fellow Jews, I am a true believer in the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. I have a commission from the leaders of the one true church to eliminate a troublesome group known as Christians, the followers of Jesus of Nazareth; the same Jesus who was crucified for His false teachings. I intend to give these Christians the same punishment for blasphemy Stephen got: death by stoning. This threat to the one true religion and to the one true God, Jehovah, cannot be ...

283. Apron Up (Mother's Day)

John 10:1-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

[This Mother’s Day sermon is based around the metaphor of the “apron.” We encourage you to invite your parishioners to wear an heirloom apron to church on Sunday, or to at least have you, your ushers and worship leaders wearing aprons from family traditions. This sermon also encourages people to tell their own “apron” stories, or to invite someone who has a particularly meaningful apron to come forward and tell the story of their apron on behalf of all the other aprons present. Release your artists to ...

284. The Plague of Locusts

Exodus 10:21-29

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

God Hardens Pharaoh’s Heart: Locusts and Darkness: The Lord begins actively to harden Pharaoh’s heart late in the plague cycles, and more frequently in the last three plagues. God’s hardening functions alongside the choices Pharaoh himself made to “self-harden” his heart. The Hebrew has two different words, both generally translated “hardened,” that the narrative uses interchangeably (without pattern). Khazaq refers to physical or political strengthening, as in “making tough” or uncompassionate. Kabed ...

285. The Plague of Darkness

Exodus 10:1-20

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

286. Priorities

Luke 12:35-48, Luke 12:22-34

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: Honoring God as king, and being ready for the return of the Lord, must take priority over the ordinary concerns of life. Understanding the Text Several themes from our last section are developed here: God’s fatherly care, the absolute priority of serving God over all other concerns, and especially the tension between material concern and true discipleship—12:22–31 is a sort of commentary on 12:15 and the parable that illustrates it. This last theme of “God and mammon” will be picked up again ...

287. A Deliverer Is Born

Exodus 1:1-22, 2:1-10

Sermon

Arley K. Fadness

The River Nile is the longest river in the world, snaking 4,160 miles from Burundi, Africa, to the Mediterranean Sea. And in this beautiful, exotic, life-giving river lives one of the most fearsome creatures in the world -- the crocidilus nilocticus -- the nile crocodile. Twelve species of this strong, ferocious creature watch from the shoals ready to spring and devour an unsuspecting animal or human. Hardly a place to hide a child -- a beautiful child. In fact, nowhere in Egypt was it safe for a Hebrew ...

288. Singing The Song Of Christmas

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

A farmer who lived on the Great Plains had never traveled to a city of any size, but one day a church choir trip allowed him to do just that. When he got home, his wife asked him what he saw and what he learned. He told her all about it, including the fact that their group had attended church on Sunday in a large congregation which has a really big choir. "They sang an anthem," he told her. "What is an anthem?" she asked. "Well," he replied, "you know we sing hymns here at home. If I were to say to you, ' ...

289. The Lord’s Majesty and the Crowning of Humanity

Psalm 8:1-9

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

When we think of Psalm 8, we usually think of humanity’s exalted position, but the frame in which this image is set makes plain that this is but one expression of a greater reality: “How majestic is your name in all the earth!” From beginning to end this is a psalm about the Lord and his majestic condescension. This little hymn is unusual in that it speaks in the “I” form (v. 3), but we should note this individual speaks on behalf of others (our Lord) and is thus probably a liturgist. We should perhaps ...

290. The Would-Be Pilgrim Who Thirsts for God: Part I

Psalm 42:1-11

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Psalms 42 and 43 were probably originally one. This is evidenced by the repeated refrain (42:6, 11; 43:5; also 42:3b, 10b; and 42:9; 43:2), by the absence of a superscription for Psalm 43 (unusual esp. in Book II of the Psalter), and by the structure of the psalm, which is incomplete without Psalm 43. Prayer psalms characteristically begin with lament, which comprises Psalm 42, and then move to petitions and a vow of praise, which comprise Psalm 43. Many Hebrew manuscripts, in fact, do join these two ...

291. To God Be The Glory!

Isaiah 60:1-6

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

One of the most prolific songwriters of the nineteenth century was Fanny Crosby. She was the daughter of John and Mercy Crosby from Putnam County, New York. Fanny was born on March 24, 1820. At age six weeks she became ill with a slight cold, causing inflammation of the eyes. Her concerned parents sent for the doctor to come and examine her. The family doctor was out of town and a doctor unfamiliar with the Crosby family came to the home. He recommended the use of hot poultices, which destroyed her sight ...

292. The Language of the Heart

Psalm 100:1-5

Sermon

David E. Leininger

Music, music, music. In the words of Carlyle, "Music is well said to be the speech of angels."(1) Or Longfellow, "Music is the universal language of mankind."(2) Shakespeare: "If music be the food of love, play on."(3) Music. Sometime back public school music teachers compiled some answers that youngsters gave to test questions:(4) • Refrain means don't do it. A refrain in music is the part you better not try to sing. • A virtuoso is a musician with real high morals. • Handel was half German, half Italian ...

293. Ehud

Judges 3:12-30

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

The Colorful Story Ehud: The story of Ehud is perhaps one of the oldest in the book of Judges and one of the best, from the standpoint of sheer narrative artistry. In contrast to Othniel’s story, which was a bare, black-and-white etching, Ehud’s story is full of rich, colorful detail; we are almost blinded by the brilliant brushstrokes of its color. Such accolades may come as a surprise to people who are at most embarrassed and at the least puzzled that the story is even in the Bible. They are put off by ...

294. I am a Rose of Sharon

Song of Songs 2:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1:16–2:2 · The maiden’s initial response may have given Solomon false hope, as she repeats his very words. However, she quickly lets it be known that her words are intended for another and that she does not belong in the presence of the king (1:16–2:1). The scene of her lovemaking is pastoral, in grassy fields and under spreading trees—not the palace precincts. In her modesty she compares herself to the more common wildflowers of the countryside, flowers of Sharon not far from her home in Shulam.The king’s ...

295. The Glory of the Lord

Exodus 40:1-33

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

The Presence of the Lord in the Midst of the Camp: In Exodus 40 (v. 34), “the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” for the first time. As Moses set up the tabernacle, in accordance with the Lord’ instructions, God fulfilled the original intention to deliver and dwell with this chosen people. The outline of the chapter follows a chiastic structure: A vv. 1–8: the Lord said to set up the tabernacle, in sevenfold detail B vv. 9–16: the Lord said to anoint; Moses did everything A′ vv. 17–33: Moses set up ...

296. L4G Live For God

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The front of local markets have been crammed full of candy for the past two weeks. [Get someone to take pictures of your specific local markets.] Halloween “Trick or Treat” might not be until the end of this month. But candy creators want us to stock-up and stock-pile. As a kid it was such a rush to come home after “making the rounds” of the trick-or-treat neighborhood and ceremoniously dump out all that candy crammed into our paper bag. Every piece would be inspected. Perhaps some cautious trades made ...

297. Other Priestly Garments (II)

Exodus 39:32-43

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

39:32–43 So all the work on the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, was completed. They had finished the labor on all the elements of the tabernacle. “The tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting” is, literally, “the tabernacle of the tent of meeting,” so the Hebrew does not equate them. The construct (“of”) is translated appositionally since, of course, it included the new tent of meeting. This may reflect the merging of the older tent of meeting tradition. (See the comments on 33:7–11.) The list of the tabernacle’s ...

298. Remember the Lord

Deuteronomy 8:1-20

Sermon

King Duncan

Debbie Farmer, in her book Don’t Put Lipstick on the Cat! shares a hilarious essay which she calls “What a Mother Is Thankful For.” She lists many things a Mother learns to be thankful for after she has children. I want to read just a few of them. I believe that some of you will relate to her words. She writes, BEFORE CHILDREN: I was thankful to have been born in the USA, the most powerful free democracy in the world. AFTER CHILDREN: I am thankful for Velcro tennis shoes. As well as saving valuable time, ...

299. Five Ways to be "Holy" During Holy Week

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

“Everyone else is doing it.” Do you remember those words? Do you remember begging your Mom or Dad for permission to do something they would ordinarily not permit by insisting, “But Ma, everyone else is getting to do it!” The typical parental response to such childish logic usually went something along the lines of, “Well, if everyone else jumped off a bridge would you do it too?” (Of course now that grown men and women actually PAY to go bungee jumping off of bridges, that argument might not have as much ...

300. God Promises Deliverance

Exodus 5:22--6:12

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

5:22–6:1 At the end of this first round, Pharaoh has clearly won. Everyone is discouraged, including Moses, who complained to God. Yahweh responded as though everything was going according to plan. The Lord had told Moses that Pharaoh would refuse (3:19; 4:21).. The key word in Moses’ complaint is “trouble” (raʿaʿ, “evil plight,” or “catastrophic situation”). The foremen also realized they were in trouble (v. 19). In verse 22 Moses asks, “why have you brought trouble upon this people?” and complains that “ ...

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