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 301 to 325 of 612 results

301. New Dominion as a Blessing of the New Covenant: Dead to Sin

Romans 6:1-14

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: In chapter 6 Paul presents another blessing: new dominion. The first Adam forfeited his dominion over the earth. But Christ, the last Adam, inaugurated a new age and new covenant, restoring the lost dominion. Believers enter that new dominion by uniting with Christ’s death and resurrection: they become dead to sin and alive to God. Understanding the Text While Romans 3:21–5:21 developed the theme of justification, Romans 6:1–8:16 is devoted to the topic of sanctification.1On the one hand, ...

302. Message to Sardis

Revelation 3:1-6

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: Jesus rebukes his church for its compromise that is leading to spiritual death and reassures the faithful few with promises of heavenly citizenship. Understanding the Text The message to the church in Sardis is the fifth (and most negative) in the series of messages to the seven churches in Revelation 2–3. Jesus confronts a church relying on its past reputation to make up for its present spiritual slumber. Only a few people are commended by the Lord as he attempts to rescue this church from ...

303. Daniel in the Den of Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Daniel’s Success and Darius’s Decree (6:1-9): Big Idea: God may allow those who remain faithful to him and his word to experience jealous opposition from unbelievers in a hostile environment. Understanding the Text Daniel 6:1–28 is woven into the book’s overall literary structure in two ways. First, it advances the narrative of chapters 1–6, in which the first four focus on Nebuchadnezzar (chaps. 1–2 with historical markers and 3–4 without) and the last two show the transition from Belshazzar of Babylon to ...

304. Clean and Unclean

Matthew 15:1-20

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

After narrating Jesus’s interaction with the crowds and his disciples, Matthew again turns to controversy (15:1–20), this time between Jesus and Jewish teachers who have come to Galilee from Jerusalem. These Pharisees and teachers of the law confront Jesus over the lack of concern shown by his disciples in their table practices (15:1–2). The Pharisees follow the “tradition of the elders”; that is, they not only obey the torah but also observe teachings of past teachers (rabbis) on the torah (with many such ...

305. Concluding Remarks

1 John 5:13-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

5:13–15 · The boldness of faithFor the sixth time in this epistle (5:13; see 2:14, 21, 26) the elder declares his purpose in writing, and this time he explicitly echoes the evangelistic purpose of the Fourth Gospel (John 20:31): that his hearers/readers might believe in the name of the Son of God and thereby know that they have eternal life. The elder then reminds them of the promise of Jesus that anything asked in his name will be granted by the Father (John 14:13–14; 15:16) and that by asking in his name ...

306. The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:1-12

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

Sermon on the Mount: Kingdom Ethics and the Law: Matthew’s Gospel has a didactic purpose. Special emphasis is given to the message of Jesus. One of the distinct features of Matthew’s Gospel is that the teaching of Jesus is collected into five sections. The Sermon on the Mount (chaps. 5–7) is the first of these blocks. The others are Instructions to the Twelve (chap. 10), Parables of the Kingdom (chap. 13), Life in the Christian Community (chap. 18), and Eschatological Judgment (chaps. 23–25). Each block ...

307. Sola Fide

1 Peter 1:3-9

Sermon

Dr. Ronald Love

Peter was so excited about his new life in Christ that he opened this section of his letter with a doxology. He began this section of his letter with this verse from a doxology, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” Doxologies have always been a part of worship, with the earliest form dating back to Solomon. But the doxologies used in Jewish worship were given a new meaning in Christian worship. In Judaism the doxology was sung to a God who is distant and remote. The Jews would sing ...

308. All Dressed Up And Somewhere To Go!

Isaiah 62:1-12, Isaiah 61:1-11

Sermon

Harold Warlick

In Tennessee Williams' play Sweet Bird of Youth, the heckler says to Miss Lucy, "I believe that the silence of God, the absolute speechlessness of God, is a long, long and awful thing...." The late Carlyle Marney retired from his church in Charlotte and went to Wolf Pen Mountain. There he waited for God to say something. He confessed that he had figured if he could get some time completely free from his preaching, his church work, and his worldly obligations that God would really jabber. After five years ...

309. The Flame, The Wind, And The Walk

Acts 2:1-13

Drama

Marion Fairman

A Trialogue For Pentecost (The man and the woman are seated in the audience near the front, one to the right, one to the left of the leader, who is standing, facing the audience. Leader reads Acts 2:1-13. When finished, he or she makes preparatory small actions as if about to teach or speak.) Man: (Stands in place looking a bit awkward but determined) Uh, say, is it all right to ask a question? Leader: (Shocked) On Pentecost? (Incredulous) Just when I'm about to begin? (Trying to recover) Well, well, let's ...

310. 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 ...

311. A Wandering Aramean

Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon

Ten years ago history was made in the broadcast of a television show. The show was Roots. As you may remember, Roots was a documentary of one man's search for his ancestry. Black author, Alex Haley's hunger to know his identity led him to record his own roots, his own heritage, first on paper, then on the screen. And the significance of this T.V. show? This mini-series attracted more viewers than any other television program in history. With eighty-five million viewers, this story of the black man's ...

312. Proper 12

Lk 11:1-13 · Col 2:6-15 · Gen 18:20-32 · 2 Ki 5:1-15

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY 2 Kings 5:1-15 General Naaman of Syria is healed of leprosy by obeying Elisha's order to bathe in the Jordan. The confession of faith by an unknown Jewish slave girl in the home of Syria's chief of staff results in the cure of leprosy for her master, Naaman. On the basis of the confession Naaman goes to Israel. When Elisha the prophet orders him to wash in the Jordan seven times, he goes off in a rage feeling insulted. But his aides convince him to stay. Naaman then dips himself in the Jordan ...

313. Don't Give Up Too Soon!

Acts 15:36-41

Sermon

Harold Warlick

These are very exciting times in which to live. Eastern Europeans in communist countries are enjoying freedoms they have waited for, for 30 years. Nelson Mandela is free after 27 years of being in prison in South Africa. Perhaps it's hard for us to comprehend the faith and the hope which sustained these people for so long. Why didn't they give up sooner? Why not just accept failure, quit, drop out, transfer somewhere else, hang it up? One of my joys in life was visiting the famous Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam ...

314. THE GOOD SAMARITAN

Drama

Marcia Miller

The story of The Good Samaritan is written in Luke 10:30-35. The full explanation of this simple play is given by The Greeter within the first speeches of the play. It was written in this style so that it would be specific and not just a rewriting of the New Testament story that is so familiar. It is not a subtle theological approach; it is direct. But in its directness it is hoped that the discoursive language does not outweigh the entertainment value. CHARACTERS THE GREETER The Greeter can either be male ...

315. Rules For Living

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Robert Allen

A couple of years ago, I was asked to serve on a panel to discuss the problems facing teenagers in our society. The panel included a school counselor, a Juvenile Judge, a drug counselor, a couple of other experts on teenage problems, and, I guess, I was the representative of the religious community. There were a variety of people in the audience, including the parents of several teenagers. During the question and answer period, there was one woman who acknowledged that she was at the symposium because her ...

316. I Believe In Judgment

Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

Robert Allen

Recently, I heard a preacher on television preach a sermon on divine judgment. I have no doubt that he is sincere in his beliefs. He is very good at using words and manipulating the emotions of his audience. He is charming, witty, and entertaining. But his interpretation of judgment degrades God from a Heavenly Father to a heartless tyrant. He drew a picture of God which makes my heart shudder, because his idea of judgment is punishment. He believes that sinners will be cast into utter darkness. He ...

317. Saving The Best Till Last

John 2:1-11

Sermon

Brett Blair

The Jews attached great importance to the high moments of life. Thus a wedding was not just a brief ceremony, but an experience shared by the entire community. The typical wedding feast could last up to seven days. That sounds strange to our modern way of thinking, but this offered a bright interlude in an otherwise dreary existence. The ceremony would begin on Tuesday at midnight. After the wedding the father of the bride would take his daughter to every house so that everyone might congratulate her. It ...

318. The Good Samaritan: A New Look at an Old Story

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

David E. Leininger

The Good Samaritan. Familiar story. One researcher found in a survey that 49% of the people interviewed said they would be able to tell the story of the Good Samaritan if asked to do so, 45% said they would not be able to, and 6% were unsure whether they could tell it or not. Among those who attended religious services every week, the proportion who thought they could tell the story rose to 69% percent.(1) But whether or not one could accurately retell this parable, the concept of the "Good Samaritan" is ...

319. Trying To Get The Pageant Right!

John 1:19-28

Sermon

King Duncan

There's something very special about Christmas pageants, even those in which everything seems to go wrong. Robert Fulghum tells about one such Christmas pageant. Trying to outdo previous years they decided to rent a live donkey for Mary to ride on. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Have you ever noticed that a lot of things "sound like a good idea at the time?" The day of the pageant arrived. The congregation sang beautifully some Christmas carols and the angel choir, complete with haloes, got ...

320. Fear Of Flying

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

King Duncan

I wonder if there is anyone here this morning who gets nervous flying? Maybe you agree with George S. Kaufman who once said, "I like terra firma ” the more firma, the less terra." The premier science-fiction writer Ray Bradbury of Los Angeles won a top award in 1968 from the Aviation/Space Writers Association for a Life magazine article he wrote in praise of space exploration. But Bradbury didn't attend the association's awards meeting in Florida. He won't fly. (1) Time magazine reported sometime back on ...

321. How Free Are We?

John 8:31-41

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

Mark Twain once remarked that Americans of the nineteenth century were fortunate to have “freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, and the prudence never to practice either of them!” I have a hunch that his wry comment is not limited to folks of the nineteenth century. Freedom is not really freedom unless it is exercised. Still, most of us believe ourselves to be free beings, freely able to make choices and to decide our own destinies. There is an old story of a Methodist preacher and a Calvinist preacher ...

322. You Are Free to Fail

Mark 6:1-6

Sermon

David G. Rogne

Following his service as Prime Minister of Great Britain during the dark days of World War II, Winston Churchill was invited to speak at Harrow, his boyhood grammar school, from which he had been graduated some seventy years before. As he stood at the lectern, looking out at his young audience, he said, "Young men, never give up! Never give up! Never! Never! Never!" With that he sat down. The audience was stunned. The message was so brief. Yet, in this succinct message, the man who had kept England going ...

323. The Rest of the Story

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

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

Just a few days later, the needles are falling, the poinsettias are drooping, 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 ...

324. Miracles? No Problem!

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

Characters (in order of appearance) Elizabeth Mary Gabriel King 1 King 2 King 3 Mary’s Mother Joseph Mary 2 Shepherd 1 Shepherd 2 Shepherd 3 2nd Angel 3rd Angel Angel Choir Props Stool/chair Bowl Star Broom Sack Carrots and veggies Knife Handkerchief Bundle Notes This play puts the viewer in Mary’s home the day she received the news that she was to have a special child, and is based on Luke 1:26-38. It envisions Gabriel arriving in Mary’s kitchen and Mary’s reaction to the news. As he talks with Mary and ...

325. Luke 14:25-33

Luke 14:25-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Journeys always have two directions going at the same time: towards the destination and away from the starting point. The central portion of Luke’s gospel often reminds readers that Jesus is “on the way” to Jerusalem. But the message and examples found in today’s gospel text recall what Jesus, and all who would be called his disciples, must leave by the wayside to move forward “on the way.” Previously Jesus had been speaking to the Pharisees and scribes, the religious elite within Judaism. But now the ...

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