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 3251 to 3275 of 4967 results

3251. Rally or Rail?

John 18:28-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... what is in the driver’s seat of our life’s journey. Family loyalty? Professional success? Money? Personal satisfaction? Pleasure? Jesus’ proclamation as “king” of a kingdom that has its final seat of power not in this world, forewarns disciples that faith in Christ does not necessarily guarantee success in all theses worldly endeavors. It is little wonder Pilate, the consummate political animal, knuckled under to the demands of the crowds and ordered Jesus’ crucifixion. Although he harbored no ...

3252. Luke 21:25-36

Luke 21:5-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... his words and witness. In Luke’s text Jesus’ response about “what is to come” begins in 21:5. But after his words that focused on the specific concerns of the Jews (the destruction of the Temple and the sacking of Jerusalem) and to his disciples (persecution and imprisonments “in his name”), Jesus expands the scope of his promises and predictions to take on not just a global but a cosmic scale. In this week’s lengthy text we will focus primarily on the first part of Jesus’ predictions. Today ...

3253. The Radiant Life

Exodus 34:29-35

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

... the throne of grace we do so with confidence, respect, and admiration! We need to pause and mediate as we enter his presence with praise and honor! IV. The Glory Of God Is Revealed In The Personal Touch The people of Israel were in awe of Moses. The disciples on the day of Jesus' transfiguration were also awed and fearful. Christ and Moses both used the personal touch to dispel their fears. In the case of Jesus he would die for the whole world, but the whole world is composed of individuals like you and me ...

3254. A Tale Of Two Peters

Acts 5:27-32

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... all happened so quickly: torches, spears, and clubs; menacing guards accompanied by Judas; a kiss and a confrontation; a swing of a sword and a rebuke. Then, within just a few minutes, the garden was quiet again. Jesus was gone: apprehended by the mob and the disciples were gone; they had fled into the night. Peter had enough temerity to follow rather than flee. He followed at some safe distance, to be sure, but he wanted to see what was going to happen to his friend and Lord. And there, not far outside ...

3255. The Good Works We Leave Behind

Acts 9:36-43

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... and neighbors gathered together in her home, clothed and armed with the good works that she had left behind. Together they admired her loving handiwork. Together they fondly remembered her. Together they showed the symbols of her goodness to the apostle. Peter, the well-known disciple of Jesus and pillar of the early church, had been staying in the nearby town of Lydda. He was just a few miles from Joppa where Tabitha had lived. And so the Christians there sent word to Peter, urging him to come to Joppa ...

3256. Surprise in a Graveyard

John 20:10-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered Christ’s words. When the women came back from the tomb, they told the disciples what had happened. But none of the men believe them. Their words seemed like nonsense. Surprise! John, in his telling of the story, focuses on Christ’s appearance to Mary Magdalene. Mary comes to the tomb and sees that the stone has been rolled away. So ...

3257. Give It Up

Romans 9:30--10:21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... lives for the sake of the Savior. We push away Mars bars only as a symbol to the world that we are pushing away anything that might come between ourselves and resurrection life of Christ Jesus. Paul’s words in today’s epistle declare that any disciple “who calls on the name of the Lord,” anyone who combines the heartfelt words of confession and the handful actions of faith, is welcomed into life eternal: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” In the boxing ring you “throw ...

3258. John 12:1-8

John 12:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Hence the luxurious unguent is applied to Jesus’ head. But here in John’s gospel, Mary’s gesture not only highlights her humility before Jesus’ presence and power. It also foreshadows the foot-washing Jesus himself will offer to each of his own disciples in John’s next chapter. John’s focus is on servitude and sacrifice, not kingship and glory, at this point in his gospel. With what sounds like a first-hand recollection, John describes how Mary’s actions transformed the table. Lazarus’ body ...

3259. Belonging to Christ's Flock

John 10:22-42

Sermon

King Duncan

... walked away. The sheep followed him. It was fascinating! Andersen says the words of Jesus in this passage suddenly took on new meaning for him, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (4) You can judge whether a person is a disciple of Christ by how well he or she follows. Many of us want the benefits of belonging to Christ’s flock to be known completely and intimately by God without the responsibility of listening to Christ and following him daily. We want to know him as our ...

3260. Jailhouse Rock

Acts 16:16-40

Sermon

King Duncan

... They didn’t run. And out of their concern for the jailer who had the responsibility of keeping his eye on them, they stayed where they were, though where they were was not where they would have chosen to be. We’ve seen in this adverse situation the disciples’ attitude, singing in jail. We’ve seen their actions. Trusting God, they stayed where they were. Now we’re going to see their impact on others. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill ...

3261. Good Hearts

Romans 5:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... more playful form, The Church of the Open Door always has a saloon door that swings inward and swings outward. From the human side, once we let God OUT of some separately sanctified safety deposit box, we may enter in to the “Holy of Holies.” As disciples of Jesus we are justified by faith, which means we are invited to enter in to a wholly new relationship with God, a relationship where because of Christ’s offering of himself we can finally have “access,” or in other words, we can have a presence ...

3262. Between a Rock and a Hard Rock Thrower

Galatians 1:11-24

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... collar” all the way. He was a small town fisherman with no friends in high places, and no education to speak of. Slow to comprehend at times, he was impetuous and emotional. Yet Peter was also one of those natural born leaders. In every list of the disciples we have, Peter is always named first. From the outset he is their spokesman. Peter followed Jesus with his whole heart, but not always with his whole brain. Paul was what today we would call a “suit.” Yes, he had a trade, a marketable skill as an ...

3263. Are You in Labor?

Luke 10:1-24

Sermon

King Duncan

... to maintain a house of worship and gather each week to worship God and to teach the sacred Word. But, as vital as these things are they are not our main business. Our main business is to introduce the world to Jesus to the extent that people become his disciples, living the Christ life in such a way that the whole world is touched. That is not an easy thing for most of us to do particularly if it means sharing our faith with a stranger. Perhaps you’ve heard the hilarious story about the man who prayed the ...

3264. Go Hard or Go Home!

Luke 12:35-48

Sermon

King Duncan

... poor fellow who buried his talent in the ground had even the one talent taken from him (Matthew 25:14-30). In another parable, there is even an unscrupulous servant who found out he was being fired and used his master’s money to buy friends. To his disciples’ surprise, Jesus lauded the man’s ingenuity (Luke 16:1-18). At least he didn’t sit around whining that life had been unfair to him. He took charge of his situation and Jesus praised him. There is a rather amusing scene in the Book of Exodus. The ...

3265. Your Home Page

Hebrews 13:1-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . So this morning: “Hello — Wholeness and Well-being to you.” COMMENTARY The final chapter of Hebrews begins with a very Pauline-type list of exhortations, admonishing readers to exhibit both actions and attitudes that will identify them as disciples. Although none of these mandates are absolutely unique to the Christian faith, as similar exhortations are found in both Hellenistic and Jewish first-century writings, the impetus for displaying these virtues rests firmly on a single foundation — Jesus ...

3266. Hebrews 13: 1-8; 15-16

Hebrews 13:1-25

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... that the divine covenant and commitment to creation continues, as it has since the beginning. Finally, this week’s epistle reading skips to vss. 15-16, a reminder to Jesus’ disciples that the old order, the old covenant that required burnt offerings and seasonal sacrifices, has come to an end. Instead, disciples now live in a relationship that inspires “continual” sacrifices — not of blood-letting, but of blood-giving and praise-offering. Praising God, confessing the name of the unchanging Jesus ...

3267. Everyone Is Invited

Romans 1:1-17

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... of Jesus Christ. It was now possible for all people to come to faith in Jesus Christ. During Jesus’ earthly ministry he worked first among those of Jewish descent, after his resurrection Jesus sent the disciples out into the entire the world. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,” Jesus instructed his disciples, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” Elsewhere in his writings the ...

3268. Spirit-Direct

Acts 10:23b-48

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... also pledges their support. This morning we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. We remember how he was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Jesus’ baptism was the starting point of his ministry, as it is for all Christians. Jesus would call his twelve disciples and embark on a mission that would forever change the world. We are here because Jesus’ mission and ministry have touched us. We are here to continue the ministry that Jesus began long ago. We are Jesus’ modern-day ...

3269. Be Shrewd

Luke 16:1-15

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... writer offend you, whether he be of great or small learning; but let the Love of pure truth draw you to read. Search not who spoke this or that, but mark what is spoken." Jesus cared less about pedigree than destiny. In fact, Jesus even told the disciples not to stop those who were speaking even though they "were not one of us” (Lk.9:49-50). Paul echoed this sentiment to the church at Philippi in an equally amazing portion of Scripture: “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but ...

3270. A New Name for a New Year

Ephesians 1:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... no longer be known as Jacob, but as Israel, which means “Prince of God.” Imagine that. Not only was Jacob’s name changed, his heart was changed as well. He was never the same again. Those the world called tax collectors, Jesus called disciples. Those called sinners, Jesus called companions. Those scorned as immoral, he called forgiven. Those called common fishermen, he called fishers of men. A crucified thief he called an heir an heir of paradise. What names have you been called? What names have you ...

3271. Mud Makeovers

John 9:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... ,” rejected by the people. Shiloah was also an earlier name for the pool of Siloam which was filled peacefully by water that rose from an underground conduit. John tells us that Siloam means “Sent,” and the Messiah was the “Sent One” as we too as the disciples of the “Sent One live in a state of sentness. Jesus told the blind man, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam,” the pool that symbolized the Messiah. In other words, Jesus sent the blind man to himself. “Go wash in the pool of Siloam, of ...

3272. Outpouring and Indwelling

Romans 8:1-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... offer a new crop of that offering of love and forgiveness and repentance to yet another new generation. And every new generation must make that choice. Every new generation must embrace that Spirit, for themselves and for the future. No one is “born” a disciple. We are all only “born again” disciples. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption in which we call out, ‘Abba ...

3273. Five Ways to be "Holy" During Holy Week

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , year after year, when the votes are counted and the majority has spoken, the “best” Italian restaurant turns out to be Olive Garden. Every disciple of Jesus must decide: do I want to be an Olive Garden, or do I want to be an Eden Garden, a Dream Garden, ... each of us. Some we betray with a kiss. Some we betray with a kick. Some we betray with kindness. But just as all the disciples betrayed Jesus, not just Judas, so we all betray Jesus in one way or other. As you follow Jesus to the foot of the cross ...

3274. Distracted by Disappointment

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

King Duncan

... to is the gardener. It is not, of course. Until he called her name she did not realize that she was speaking with the risen Christ. And, of course, it reminds me of that scene on the road to Emmaus, when later that same Easter day, two of the disciples walk for a while with the resurrected Jesus, and they, too, had no idea with whom they were conversing. Each of the Gospel writers tells the Easter story in a different way. For many of us this fact adds a note of authenticity to these ancient stories. These ...

3275. Don't Roll It Back

1 Peter 2:4-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . It keeps changing. It re-invents itself all the time. A fossil language does not communicate. A fossil faith does not communicate, much less change the world. In the first century, there were lots of words being revisited, reframed, and reinvented. As the disciples and first followers of Jesus encountered the reality of the cross, and then the shock of the empty tomb, the whole concept of “Messiah” was looked over and under in a fresh way. From the Hebrew tradition of Isaiah (28:16), God is identified ...

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