Sermon and Worship Resources

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Matthew 15:21-28, Matthew 15:1-20

Bulletin Aid

Dennis Koch

Gospel Notes Matthew's designation of the woman in this passage as a Canaanite (and thus a traditional enemy to the Jews) reveals his intention (in contrast to Mark's) to make this incident speak to the place of Gentiles with respect to the gospel in a most dramatic way. Despite Jesus' insistence (v. 24) that his mission is only to Jews, he is "won over" by her faith and works the miracle of exorcism on her daughter that ...

3177. Christ the King

John 18:28-40

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

... Special Music Hosanna to the Son of David Lift Up Your Heads, O Gates Lord, Hosanna in the Highest The King Rides Forth Organ and Other Keyboard Music Eternal Ruler of the Ceaseless Round Jesus Shall Reign Ye Servants of God 1. John H. Hayes, gen. ed., Knox Preaching Guides, Mark, by Ralph Martin (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1981), p. 39. 2. John H. Hayes, ed. Knox Preaching Guides: John, by Fred B. Craddock (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982), pp. 132-133.

3178. Tall Enough

Psalm 121:1

Children's Sermon

B. Kathleen Fannin

... nice to know you're needed. "No matter how tall you get or how long you live, there will always be times when you need help. And there will always be someone you can ask for help. Who do you suppose I mean?" "Jesus?" says one child with a question mark in her voice. "Yes, Jesus, your friend who is always there no matter what. Some of you may not ever grow tall enough to see the top of your refrigerator, at least, not without standing on a ladder. But I do hope you'll remember that it is all right ...

3179. Prayer And Bumblebees

2 Corinthians 4:18

Children's Sermon

B. Kathleen Fannin

... Prayer is important, you know. And not just during a worship service. Prayer is important every day in our lives. Jesus knew that. When we read about him in the Gospels we find he prayed both with other people and by himself. He went to the garden to pray (Mark 14:32); he went into the hills to pray (Matthew 14:23); he went to the wilderness to pray (Luke 5:16). Jesus talked with God a lot. "When you talk with someone, especially if you ask a question, do you expect the other person to answer?" The children ...

3180. The Pure In Heart

Psalm 42:1-11

Sermon

John A. Terry

... heart. Jesus was not trying to eliminate our emotion. Its purity comes with the discipline which keeps emotion from ruling our lives. The pure in heart have integrated the mind, emotion, and body to focus on a single goal. As the word "sin" literally means to miss the mark, the pure in heart are those whose aim is true. To become pure in heart requires us to focus on seeing God in our life, letting nothing else stand in our way. This might be compared to a man running a race. He is determined that more than ...

3181. The Persecuted

John 15:18-27

Sermon

John A. Terry

... blessed. Not only that, simply to suffer is not enough. As Augustine said, "The cause, not the pain, makes the martyr." Being injured for its own sake is not a virtue. There were times when Jesus was physically threatened but left to avoid being injured (Mark 8:27). When Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane knowing he faced the cross, he asked to be delivered from physical suffering: "Father, if it be possible, let this cup (of suffering) pass from me" (Matthew 26:39). Jesus accepted suffering when ...

3182. Forgiven and Healed

Mark 2:1-12

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

... . We turn to you to heal the sin that paralyzes us, to answer the questions that hold us back, and to form our hearts to praise you once again. We do praise you, Lord, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, merciful Lord. Amen. (Based on Mark 2:1-12 and Psalm 139) Commissioning and Blessing The world is full of people too sick, or too full of sin, to seek out Christ on their own. Brothers and sisters, we are the Church, We are the ones who can help the sinful and the sick. With ...

3183. Epiphany Day

Matthew 2:1-12

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

Call to Worship Leader: Bethlehem-born king of kings, your people have come to worship you. Right: Star-marked Savior, we bow before you. Left: Desire of prophecy and prayer, we offer you our worship. Right: Downfall of Herods everywhere, we bow before you. Left: Joy of wise men and women, we offer you our worship. Prayer Our holy Father, Creator of all life, we join our brothers and ...

3184. We Come to Jesus for Rest

Mark 6:30-44

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

... needs to rest once in awhile. And if some people fall asleep, then you will have done for the modern disciples what Jesus wanted to do for the first disciples. Drama and Movement Ask a group of adults to prepare a dramatic presentation based upon the high drama in Mark's sixth chapter. Pick up on the idea of what it must have been like to be one of Jesus' first disciples. Beginning in verse 6b, Jesus calls the disciples and then sends them out in ministry! Carry no bread, no bag, no money, he told them! And ...

3185. August 7-13

John 6:25-59

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

... complained because they had no meat. In the same way, the Jews murmured against Jesus' claim to be from heaven. "We know his father and mother," they said. "How can he be the bread that came down from heaven?" God save us from murmuring! Our complaints mark our rebellion against you. Murmuring shows all the world that you have not chosen us, that we have not been drawn to your ways. Silence our mouths from voicing complaints. Close our ears to the murmuring of others. Draw us to the living bread that came ...

3186. Hearing the Difficult News

Mark 9:30-37

Bulletin Aid

Robert D. Ingram

... the cupboards in the church kitchen, tune up the church van, polish the pews, remove the cobwebs up near the ceiling, clean the blades of fans, and on and on it can go. Drama and Movement Have an adult group present each of Jesus' passion predictions (Mark 8:31-33, 9:30-32, and 10:32-34). Have them also present Jesus' instructions on discipleship, and show how the disciples do not understand Jesus' meaning. Ask the youth group to prepare a puppet presentation that is a modern retelling of the gospel lesson ...

3187. Seeking Honor

Mark 10:35-45

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

... needed in the community. These could be things like becoming a volunteer fireman, a hospital volunteer, a hospice worker, running a support group, and so on. After the sermon, offer the worshipers a chance to take on a new servant role by marking something on the bulletin insert that they would do. Then the worshipers could sign their names to the inserts and place them in the offering plates. Let the worshipers reaffirm their baptisms. Go through the traditional baptismal ritual, asking the same questions ...

3188. Loving God with Our Whole Being

Mark 12:28-34

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

... Why not hold a love-in? Read the scripture lesson, explain what is about to happen, and then lead the congregation in presenting a concert to God. Use a mixture of choruses and hymns for the congregation to sing their love to God. The ones marked with an asterisk (*) above would all be suitable for such a purpose. Use choirs, soloists, and other special groupings to provide variety and to sing music that would not be possible for the whole congregation. Use instrumentalists to lift up other notes of love to ...

3189. Christmas 2

Matthew 25:31-46

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

... . Prayer Help us, Father, to allow others to grow toward you.When we are anxious about their safety, calm our fears with the peace that comes from trusting you.When we do not understand what they do or say, help us to treasure in our hearts the marks of their spiritual journeys.When they do not conform to family custom, but strike out in unexpected directions, give us patience, while you lead them to wisdom.And, as we follow the example of Mary and Joseph for our behavior in all these things, may those for ...

3190. A Solitary Witness

Mark 6:14-29

Sermon

Leonard H. Budd

... from his prison cell. "Just as the one who thinks only of this world does everything possible to make life here easier and better, so must we too, who believe in the eternal kingdom, risk everything in order to receive a great reward there." He wrote: "The surest mark [of the follower of Jesus] is found in deeds showing love of neighbor. To do to one's neighbor what one would desire for oneself is more than merely not doing to others what one would not want done to oneself. Let us love our enemies, bless ...

3191. Plan Your Leisure - Jesus Did His!

Mark 6:30-44

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

... when you are lonely and need loving. You return inspired to guard this God-given rhythm so that no foreign elements can sneak in and deposit germs of disease. Yes, your “R & R” is over, but you can make it work on a mini scale. You can learn to mark on your calendar a rest here and break there. You can practice shooting arrow prayers. You can follow the advice of one who said, “Slow me down, Lord! ... Teach me the art of taking minute vacations of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a ...

3192. Bread of the Eucharist (Bread of Life IV)

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

... of things. Two: This is John’s version of what we commonly call the Words of Institution. The entire “Bread of Life” chapter is really John’s way of dealing with the Eucharist. The Fourth Gospel has no routine on the Last Supper. When you read Matthew’s, Mark’s and Luke’s versions of the Last Supper, it is easy to recognize in them that Jesus chose bread to take the place of his broken body, and wine to take the place of his shed blood. Most liturgies use these Synoptic references to the Last ...

3193. Uzziah is Dead!

Isaiah 6:1-13

Sermon

Donald Zelle

... share the news of a caring God who meets us in the valleys of life. It is to share the news of a loving God who forgives us when our unworthiness overtakes us. Sensing his forgiveness and call, Isaiah responded. "Here am I! Send me." Though this marked the beginning of a clear call to a prophetic ministry for him, the response is expected of all those who have experienced the purifying effect of God's forgiveness, whatever their vocation may be. The message of a God of love is to be heard from a television ...

3194. God’s Flowing and Our Ebbing

Isaiah 6:1-13

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... themselves. Instead it has to do with feelings that inevitably follow when we find our very real humanity warts and all juxtaposed to the holiness of God. It is to existentially understand the rhetorical question of the psalmist, “If thou, O Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3) Imagine, for a moment, that you are a twelve-year-old elementary school student and you are just learning to play the violin. If you have ever attended an elementary school orchestra concert, you ...

3195. David and the Devil

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... of God at work in the lives of very human people. What’s more, if this were not the case and instead the Bible whitewashed its personalities, we would begin to wonder whether it seriously addressed the very real brokenness and moral failures that can mark all our lives. No question about it, the story of David and Bathsheba is an exceedingly human story. It easily qualifies as biblical soap opera. Alter it but slightly, and what it describes goes on all the time. When these circumstances are replayed in ...

3196. Who Can Find A Virtuous Woman?

Sermon

Sue Anne Steffey Morrow

... . It goes from wool to ships, from night to food, back to clothing, on to wisdom, from bread to fear of the Lord. Why, if any of the Ellis schoolgirls handed in such a poem to our English teacher, she would have written across the top in bold red marks, "not acceptable, no outline, no direction of thought." How are we to approach such a text? Should we just dismiss it, leave it to the historians? What sense are we to make of it in this worship service? When I have trouble with a biblical text, when I come ...

3197. Send Me

Isaiah 6:1-13

Sermon

Charles Curley

... had enjoyed, just for the sake of following where they were sent! These were certainly not well-thought-out, reasoned responses. It was more like an obsession. Is their experience totally impossible for us to comprehend? Obviously, I hope not. Dag Hammarskjold, in his book Markings, wrote of a similar experience, and though it happened neither in a temple nor in a fishing boat, it was no less convincing. He wrote that he did not know exactly how the call came, "But at some moment I did answer yes to someone ...

3198. What Did You Draw?

Mark 6:1-6

Children's Sermon

... on the back (or arm) of another child. The other child must guess what is drawn. The drawing will be related to the lesson. You should make the first drawing, so the children understand how the game works. Here are some suggestions to draw: 1 - Draw a question mark. (Verse 2, "Where did this man get all this?") 2 - Draw an exclamation point. (Verse 2, "What deeds of power are being done by his hands!") 3 - Draw a letter P. (Verse 4, "Prophets are not without honor ...") 4 - Draw a letter J. (Verse 4, "Then ...

3199. Dirty Hands, Clean Heart

Mark 7:1-23

Children's Sermon

... for God. The cards remind them of a pledge they made. Suggest that students make a greeting card centered around a theme of love and a heart. The outside might have a valentine-type heart look. The inside message could state: "I have a clean heart for God."Mark 7(Signed by student here with the date) Let the children know that the card reminds them of the pledge they made to strive for a clean heart for God. Give the children an envelope. Help them address it to themselves. Provide a stamp. Either mail the ...

3200. Where's The Treasure?

Luke 1:5-25, Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Thomas Long

... is not by Caesar, or Peter, or Paul. It is in a place the world would count for nothing: a conversation between two women, Mary and Elizabeth, facing their pregnancies. God left the treasure in a woman's womb, and it is in a conversation about stretch marks and swollen ankles that the treasure is first proclaimed. For Herod, the news was too bad to be endured. For Zechariah it was news too amazing to be believed. But for Mary, too unimportant to be counted, it was, in Frederick Buechner's phrase, "too good ...

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