Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2976 to 3000 of 4957 results

2976. God Dwells With People

2 Samuel 7:1-17

Sermon

Roger Prescott

... them, and they certainly never hinder him. Fine churches, temples, or synagogues both help - and hinder - the worship of God. It all depends on how people use such structures. Every few years there is published in the newspapers the description of a church for which the claim is made that it is the smallest church in the world. One of the most recent in the competition for that title is a church at Upleatham, a little village in North Yorkshire, England. It is a strange little structure, dating back to A.D ...

2977. An Unusual Legacy

2 Samuel 23:1-7

Sermon

Roger Prescott

... ) David’s words were good words because the Spirit of the Lord spoke through him (2 Samuel 23:2); (2) a glimpse of perfect leadership (2 Samuel 23:3-4); and (3) an everlasting relationship/covenant (2 Samuel 23:5). 1. Good words Language specialists claim that the five sweetest phrases in the English language are: "I love you." "Dinner is served." "All is forgiven." "Sleep ‘til noon." "Keep the change." And there are those who choose to add: "You’ve lost weight!" Words are good if they add dignity and ...

2978. Bonhoeffer of Berlin

Acts 5:17-42

Drama

Michael L. Sherer

... the University of Berlin, made bold to ridicule the Nazi party by making fun of its use of the term "fuehrer" or "leader." In the middle of the broadcast, Dr. Bonhoeffer’s message was suddenly cut off and the station went off the air. The government claims there was a power failure. ANTAGONIST: Sounds like a good way to bring a promising academic career to a screeching halt. Didn’t Bonhoeffer know what kind of trouble he was asking for by making fun of Hitler on the radio? PROTAGONIST: He may have been ...

2979. Why Must We Carry A Cross?

Mark 8:31-38

Sermon

Brett Blair

... that we must correct. The cross we carry is our reminder of that fact. It is a sad episode in the life of the church but even we, Jesus’ followers, have been the perpetrators of some of the most horrific crimes and we have done these crimes, like Peter, claiming that it was God’s will. That is why I was grateful last week as I watched the Pope’s act of public contrition as he spoke on behalf of—as he put it—all the “sons and daughters of the church.” He begged for forgiveness for a millenium ...

2980. Partners in the Impossible

John 6:1-15

Sermon

Richard Patt

... in a time when technical communications and the blessings of the media have never been more advanced or accessible to us. Are we engaged as partners in the impossible? It may appear that way. But remember the Apostle Paul. When he started out, proudly claiming for himself the title of an "ambassador" of Christ, things must have seemed almost totally impossible. The whole church consisted of a few disorganized believers in Jerusalem, a remote city of the world in its day, to be sure. Saint Paul could have ...

2981. What God Wants Us To Do

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Richard Patt

... ’s vocational or situational questions, this answer of Jesus is basic and foundational: "What God wants you to do is to believe in the one he has sent." "The one God has sent!" That’s the Christ we’re called to believe in and listen to. All of us lay claim to believing in Jesus Christ. But do we always believe in the Christ whom God has sent? God wants us to believe not in our own idea of Christ, but in the Christ who was sent by the Father. God made us in his own image, but often we make ...

2982. Heaven on Earth

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Richard Patt

... rabbi of the people more than a rabbi of the temple. He made faith in God a household occurrence as much as an experience before some temple altar. So now, when Jesus says, "I am the bread that came down from heaven," the people could not handle his claim. They judged this "human book" - this living Word - only by its cover. In satire, with hands on hips, they asked, "This man is Jesus, son of Joseph, isn’t he? We know his father and mother. How then does he now say he came down from heaven?" Today Jesus ...

2983. Give Me Jesus!

John 6:60-71

Sermon

Richard Patt

... was moving southward through Samaria and closer to the Jewish center of religion in Jerusalem, something sad began happening. The crowds were shrinking. The people noticed the tension that was building between Jesus and the public religious leaders, who did not appreciate his claims about being the "true bread come down from heaven." Not wanting to become involved in conflict, the crowd dismissed his mission by saying, "This teaching is too hard, who can listen to it?" (John 6:60, TEV). And then, sad to say ...

2984. Worthwhile Arguments

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

Richard Patt

... hurt on the inside. Notice how Jesus dealt with the disciples’ arguing here. He didn’t become indignant and join them, although he had a right to. He didn’t blast in on them with words that burned. He didn’t chastise them. He didn’t overtly claim to be the greatest himself (even though in his supreme humility at the cross he was). No, the gentle approach of Jesus was to ask this casual question, "What were you arguing about on the road?" And then, in his typical pastoral patience, we read that ...

2985. Total Commitment

Mark 9:42-50

Sermon

Richard Patt

... ’s that one discardable item that’s barring you from attaining your highest aspirations? In this Gospel moment of decision and divine support, cast it off, and make your promises come true once again. III Jesus adds one more challenging thought: salt is good, Jesus claims. We’d say that too. Salt is good; it’s a great and flavorful gift we all appreciate. It makes an agreeable contribution to the taste of our food. Ask anyone on a salt-free diet about that! But another culinary secret Jesus knows is ...

2986. Do Children Like You?

Mark 10:13-16

Sermon

Richard Patt

... of the cross and crucifixion. The disciples had a heart for Jesus as these mental tensions began invading his spirit. So it is all the more impressive that under the strain Jesus still had a heart - and the time - for these little children. Sometimes we claim that we can’t be bothered about anything, because we’ve got things on our mind. But when don’t we have things on our mind - something that distracts us, something causing question marks, something we’re thinking about? The height of our love in ...

2987. Scandal!

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Sermon

... in life, you’re in the wrong place this morning. Christ’s call is that you must be scandalized for him. Only then can you be saved by him. Notes from the Homiletician Familiarity may not always breed contempt, as the old adage claims, but it usually does breed indifference. One of the dangers of Christianity is that after nineteen centuries of sermons the gospel is so familiar that it has lost its cutting edge of urgency and radicalism for many Christians. This sermon seek to reestablish that ...

2988. The Miracle of Re-Birth

John 3:1-21

Sermon

... . The scripture today is about one of those scandals of grace, that of rebirth. Not infrequently we hear a great deal about "being born again." This label is often used by some to distinguish certain Christians from others. While not all who use this term claim to be "more Christian" than other people, it is important to know that God acts in many ways to bring rebirth. Some experience an abrupt conversion; for others, it is very gradual. I joy in the rebirth that took place at my baptism, for I cannot ...

2989. You CAN Take It With You

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

... That means that we are to begin sharing our scars as signs of wounds that are healed, rather than as symptoms of a disease that persists! For the healing power of forgiveness is that it keeps us in remission. We need not fear that sin will come back to claim us once again as its victim. The resurrection of Christ has conquered sin for each of us! During these past months, we have shared our scars in many ways with one another. I pray that this will continue among us. But at the same time, I pray that people ...

2990. When A Grain Of Wheat Falls

John 12:20-36

Sermon

Brett Blair

... king of Israel. It is no surprise then that they press upon the disciples a request to speak with Jesus. Some scholars have suggested that these gentiles are not converts but plants by the Roman government to spy on Jesus. They are assessing the seriousness of his claims. This may be he case but I think not. Nothing suggests this. The scriptures say they went up to worship at the feast. But either way Jesus uses the opportunity to announce a shift in his ministry. The hour is at hand. It is time, Jesus said ...

2991. Saved!

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

... often, the world cannot go on "half starved, half stuffed." The gospel of Jesus Christ means total change. The wealthy young man who sought Eternal Life had to see that life in the here and now is important; one cannot be oblivious to the cry of another. One cannot claim to be godly and at the same time refuse to give the cup of cold water. We have almost forgotten those lines by Sarah N. Cleghorn, The golf links lie so near the mill That almost every day The laboring children can look out A nd see the men ...

2992. Not Far From the Kingdom

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

... Did Nicodemus - who was "not far" - enter the Kingdom? We know he undertook a rather cautious, legalistic defense of Jesus against the Pharisee (John 7:45-52). He was also present at the entombment of Jesus (John 19:39). There are legends, without biblical foundation, claiming Nicodemus was baptized by Peter and John and then driven from Jerusalem at the time of Stephen’s death. It has always been my hope that Nicodemus did become a follower, and the new birth became a reality. For indeed he was "not far ...

2993. Called to Be Saints

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

... see John Wesley in heaven. Whitefield’s response was, in effect: No, Wesley will be so near the throne of grace, and we so far away, we will not see Wesley in heaven. Attitudes What better text than the Beatitudes - the "Beautiful Attitudes." Some claim that we have an impossible list of spiritual/ethical/moral requirements. How can anyone measure up? Others maintain that Jesus was simply giving a set of standards which he alone could achieve. If this be the case, why are we taking time to study them ...

2994. The Father Who Wanted His Son To Succeed

1 Kings 2:1-12

Sermon

Alton F. Wedel

... the training or the education needed to fulfill the dreams. And certainly there may be moments of regret when he awakens to the fact that his own pattern or example was at fault. And there may be a child or two, youngsters who overturn their parents’ values, claim their inheritance, forsake the faith, and beat a hard path to the pig sty. Frequently, we hear it said that it’s a strange, strange world in which to bring up children. It’s a charge from God that takes a heap of loving. One Last Chance ...

2995. The Word To The Wise

Proverbs 2:1-22

Sermon

Alton F. Wedel

... odds with God. We have taken the responsibility God gave us for the care of his creation and made of it a profit motive. We have asked for our inheritance and we have made off with it to the distant pig sty. We have received the gift of life and claim it as our own. We have taken over as the little gods of our own little kingdoms and have lost the God whose kingdom we are called to serve. We are in a frantic panic, rushing headlong toward the grave, each trying to scoop up a piece of pie along ...

2996. The Lord Has Saved His People

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

Alton F. Wedel

... "we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves." But the Lord has saved his people. The prophetic word was spoken to the exiles of the former Northern Kingdom, but the event he had in mind - salvation - was surely to be shared by all of Israel, and we claim our share, too. "The Lord has saved his people" is our own praise now, not only in the creeds we mumble or the hymns we sing, but in our breathing and our living to the praise of glory. God’s new covenant, fulfilled in Christ, is in effect. His ...

2997. The Way It Works

Mark 6:1-6

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... way it works. NATHAN: Maybe not. JOEL: Of course that's the way it works. That's the system. If it was good enough for Moses ... DANIEL: Unless you keep the law, and then you wouldn't sin at all. JOEL: But no one can do that. DANIEL: Some people claim they can, but we know they can't. We know human nature. No one can keep the law for a whole day, let alone a whole year. JOEL: So, we're all sinners without any hope of having our sins forgiven. NATHAN: And yet Jesus is telling people their sins ...

2998. Give Up?

John 6:60-71

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... going to be the Messiah and save our nation from the Romans then it's up to people like us to do it. He's a teacher, a dreamer -- you can't expect him to save anyone, can you? MESHULLAM: He says he will. JUDAS: Just talk. All people who claim to be the Messiah will talk like that. MESHULLAM: I believed him at first. But now ... JUDAS: You started listening to him. That was your first mistake. MESHULLAM: I used to think his teaching was wonderful. Life-changing. JUDAS: Listen to me. I'm the one who has the ...

2999. The Communion of Saints

Hebrews 12:1-13

Sermon

T. A. Kantonen

... exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it. The process is not yet finished, but it is going on. This is not the end, but it is the road. All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified." Instead of claiming sinlessness, the more of a saint a man is the more he sees his own imperfections. Paul called himself "the chief of sinners" until the day of his martyrdom when he could say at last, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the ...

3000. Like Trees Walking

Isaiah 6:1-13

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

... is currently Director of the Lex King Souter Center for Pastoral Counseling and Pastoral Care in Fall River, Massachusetts, as well as a teaching supervisor and adjunct faculty at Andover Newton Theological School. In the midst of these and other related duties, she claims to be doing what she would rather be doing more than anything else. This sense of delight and affirmation as well as her acute perception of the human drama come through in her sermons published here. She receives and is happy to accept ...

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