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 3126 to 3150 of 4967 results

3126. How to Stay Spiritually Fresh

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... freshness of the Spirit. Jesus promised us that we could stay fresh and alive and plugged into the power of the Spirit. "Ask," he insisted, "and you will receive" not just some of us, not just those with special gifts, but "everyone." In fact, Jesus gave his disciples their own prayer so that they might live a "wired" life being "wired in" to the Spirit. The "Lord's Prayer" was never intended to be a creed or a catechism, repeated exactly the same by all Christians at every stage of their lives. The "Lord's ...

3127. The Five Adjectives of a Noun Christian

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... a CALVARY-LOVE Christian. Christians are Calvary-Love people. They worship a God who loves without limits. Do we want to be changed into the likeness of God? Then we must love like God loves, and Jesus said that by this kind of love, "People will know you are my disciples." They'll know we are Christians by our love, by our Calvary-Love. 5. I want to be a good-looking Christian. 4. I want to be a "too-much" Christian. 3. I want to be a "make-your-day" Christian. 2. I want to be a "NUTS" Christian. 1 ...

3128. John 17:20-26

John 17:20-26

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... and love and intensity and anguish of that moment in his life. This week's Gospel text focuses on the concluding sentences of this lengthy soliloquy. Having already prayed for himself, Jesus now prays for his disciples and for the church that is to come out of his death. Recognizing that his current disciples are the keys to this future church, Jesus prays especially for these future believers who will never know his earthly self, asking that they may experience the "unity of love" as the bond to hold them ...

3129. Colossians 3:1-4

Colossians 3:1-4

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... own attempts to "seek things above." The corrective Paul offers here is one of perspective. His message to the Colossians urges them to celebrate now however incompletely what is still a future event. The empty tomb found by Simon Peter, the "other disciple," and Mary Magdalene testifies to the fact that salvation is a present reality. Every believer's new and redeemed life already exists. At the same time, the church lives in a post-resurrection age that has only just been inaugurated. The eschatological ...

3130. Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:26-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... in Jesus' birth and life. Her miraculous conception through the power of the Holy Spirit, her obedience to the divine will, and her attentiveness to the divine message she receives, essentially make Mary the first disciple. In fact, Mary's response to all she hears makes her an example for all future disciples to follow. Protestant theology, on the other hand, has often seemed to look forward through these passages to focus instead on the end result of Mary's visitation and obedience the human birth of the ...

3131. 1 Samuel 3:1-10

1 Samuel 3:1-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... defining the qualities a faithful community should possess. Jesus was not a solo performer. This week's gospel text highlights the fact that Jesus' first course of action upon entering into his active ministry was to begin gathering a community of faithful, the disciples, around him. The communal nature of a called discipleship has been a quest sought by the Church ever since that first century. But since the late Middle Ages Western Christianity has focused more and more on the "me" (and "flee!") and less ...

3132. John 17:20-26

John 17:20-26

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

3133. Mark 12:38-44

Mark 12:38-44

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of an abusive system. His declaration of "Truly I tell you" in verse 43 sounds to them as more of a lament than a call to take notice. Here is a "widow's house" being devoured before their very eyes. Unless he calls attention to it, his disciples will not even see it. As further contextual evidence to support this interpretation, scholars look to the verses immediately following today's assigned text. The flow of Mark's text from 12:44 to 13:1-2 suggests that readers are to view these events as consecutive ...

3134. Acts 5:27-32

Acts 5:27-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of the earth" obviously suggesting a Gentile-inclusive audience. Thus while it may appear that Jewish leadership and "the Jews" in general were consistently the "bad guys" in this missionary saga, we must keep in mind that the Jews remain the central focus of the disciples' evangelizing efforts. Despite the fact that at the end of Acts the Jews have continued to reject the gospel message and the thrust of the church has now turned toward the Gentile world, it would be wrong to read a generally anti-Semitic ...

3135. 2 Timothy 1:1-14

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... their last parting and by the careful way in which Paul's words gently point out to his brother that he does not now stand alone in the faith. Just as Paul cited his ancestral lineage of faith, he now lists Timothy's heritage reminding this disciple that he is in good company. Unlike many first-century Christians, Timothy was able to reach out and touch the foundations of his faith: the persons of his own grandmother and mother. On the heels of Paul's thankfulness for Timothy's faith, the apostle attaches ...

3136. Luke 23:33-43

Luke 23:33-43

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... contributions to our understanding of the crucifixion story. In Luke's gospel one criminal takes a different tack from the other. This criminal delivers what is arguably Christianity's first sermon, a speech from the cross in which this outcast understands things the disciples could not yet comprehend. The disciples never could figure out how a Messiah could be rejected and executed. This outcast gets it: The bandit understands that precisely because Jesus is on the cross, he is the Messiah. It wasn't the ...

3137. Matthew 5:13-20

Matthew 5:13-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... capable of making these changes is useless. Since there is no point in tilling it into the soil, it might as well be "trampled under foot" (v. 13) Understanding salt this way fits more congruently with Jesus' ensuing light image. Both are now references to a disciple's missional responsibility to the greater community. Just as salt must be mixed well into the soil in order for it to be beneficial, the flame of a single light must be exposed to the surrounding air in order for it to have sufficient oxygen to ...

3138. John 4:5-42

John 4:5-42

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... a negative reference from Old Testament experience (cf. Micah 6:15), where the one who sowed encountered some calamity and therefore could not reap the benefits of his or her work - and turns it into a positive image of the mission field. Jesus urges the disciples to be always mindful of the "others" who have worked the field before and prepared them for harvest. In the context of this story, Jesus has sowed faith in the woman, who now returns after having witnessed to her friends and neighbors. To the ...

3139. John 11:1-45

John 11:1-45

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... sensed that danger, confrontation and possible death awaited Jesus if he returned to Judea so soon. So, perhaps, for two brief days Jesus took time to ready himself spiritually for the final phase of his earthly mission. Before reaching Bethany Jesus tells the disciples what will happen there - subtly at first (v.11), then bluntly when they misunderstand: "Lazarus is dead" (v.14). Although John does not record Luke's famous story about Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42), he paints a similar picture of these ...

3140. Matthew 26:14-27:66

Matthew 26:14-27:66

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Instead of haphazardly skipping through that tremendous amount of material, we have chosen to focus on two disturbing and poignant moments within this climactic reading. Matthew 26:14-16 and 27:3-10 give special insight into the motives and mistakes of the disciple Judas Iscariot. Matthew provides us with a fuller glimpse into Judas' mind and soul than do any of the other Gospel accounts. All single Judas out as the consummate betrayer. But only Matthew returns to him after Jesus' arrest to reveal his fate ...

3141. Matthew 28:1-10

Matthew 28:1-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... for he has been raised" (v.6). This angel then acts as tour guide about the empty tomb - clearly demonstrating to these women that Jesus is gone. One further task remains for this angel. He gives the two Marys a specific directive - "go quickly and tell his disciples ... and indeed Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him" (v.7). Little wonder that the women are filled with "fear and great joy" at the content of this message. Not only have they experienced an earthquake, seen an angel ...

3142. His First and Last Words to Peter

Mk 1:14-20; Mt 4:18-22

Illustration

Brett Blair

... from a Messiah who would be a mighty King of Jews to a Messiah that would die for the sins of mankind. But Jesus never wavered in his mission. Throughout his entire ministry among the people and his training of the disciples he held in his heart this hope: That Peter along with the rest of his disciples would lose their earthly ambitions and become feeders of sheep fishers of men. The very first words of Jesus when he and Peter met at the waters was, "Follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men." His ...

3143. Eight Days until Eternity

Mark 11:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... could be lashed to the cross by their hands and feet, which extended the period of their slow death, partly caused by thirst, dehydration and hunger. Jesus, of course, was nailed to the cross, both his hands and his feet. Afterwards he showed the prints to the disciple Thomas. (3) It was certainly not death that Christ dreaded as he knelt in the garden and prayed that the cup might pass from him, but the pain, the suffering. Those of you who have had a loved one who has suffered mightily know that death can ...

3144. Jesus' Good News of a New World · Part 2

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. And so the church, Belle Meade United Methodist Church, exists for you and me to be made into disciples of Jesus. A disciple is a learner, a follower, of a teacher. We are students. Better, we are apprentices. We learn by doing what the Master Teacher does. So as I asked you last Sunday and will continue to ask you during this fall series on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: What have you ...

3145. Jesus' Good News of a New World · Part 3

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... is, “Let’s get folks in and then will tell them about what Jesus really wants from us. Let’s not talk about the cross, sacrifice, and surely not about persecution. Don’t mention that the old world hates those who leave it to live as disciples of Jesus, learning how to be citizens of God’s new world.” And so today, the “good news” becomes something like this: Join the church and Jesus will give you wealth or a perfect marriage or perfect kids or, if you read the paper yesterday, free ...

3146. The Call to Downward Mobility

Isaiah 49:1-7

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... is always a servant-leader. From the very beginning, he says, “I’m not the One. The One who is coming after me is greater than I am. I’m not worthy to tie his sandals.” When Jesus walks by, he says to his own disciples, “Here is the Lamb of God.” They leave him to follow Jesus. I continue to be impressed at how persons practice the “downward mobility” of Christian discipleship. They change diapers, empty bedpans, develop Children’s Worship, stay all night with the homeless, work with youth ...

3147. Thin Spaces

Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... will entail change in our familiar and comfortable habits. To submit our will to God’s will means going where we’ve not been before. It means relying on what we can’t know exists until we trust it…risk betting our lives on it. Jesus and his disciples are about to risk betting their lives on it. They will walk down the mountain and head toward Jerusalem and an old rugged cross. Should we warn them that it’d be safer to go around in circles? Oswald Chambers, whose devotional books many of you have ...

3148. Hurts Can Heal

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Paul the Apostle was born. That was the resurrecting, rebirthing power of the divine light. That is the kind of transfiguration we are challenged to experience everyday in our own discipleship. Transfiguration Sunday is not just about a story of Jesus and a few of his disciples up on a mountaintop. Transfiguration Sunday is about the Christ mandate to see the world, to see our lives, in a new light. And that light will hurt before it heals. Like you, I was mesmerized by the story of that US Air flight that ...

3149. Barking Dogs and Daily Bread

John 2:12-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... future for those who witnessed his words and believed in his mission. The first action Jesus took was to set free the animals destined to be sacrifices to God. There is no record that Jesus ever offers animal sacrifices, or encourages his disciples to do so. In fact, the commercial corruption in the Temple that triggered the whipcracking side of Jesus’ personality may have included abuses in the custom of animal sacrifices. His compassion for the outcast and oppressed overflows into anger at the trade ...

3150. Epiphany 2

John 1:43-51, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, 1 Samuel 3:1--4:1

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... join them, he declared, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." The next day as John the Baptist again looks at Jesus he exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God." This was to say that Jesus was the Messiah. Hearing this witness, two disciples of John, one was Andrew, left John for Jesus. The two followed and stayed with him the rest of the day. Probably the very next morning, Andrew goes for his brother Simon and brings him to Jesus who changes his name to Cephas or Peter, an Aramaic word ...

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