Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 3251 to 3275 of 4884 results

Acts 2:1-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... counsel to the contentious Corinthians is both decisive and diplomatic. The Corinthian church is evidently a strong, growing, vital faith community - charged up for Christ and eagerly committed to the gospel. But, in their eagerness to create the "perfect" church, the Corinthians were tempted to streamline and oversimplify the complexities of Christian faithfulness. In chapter 12, Paul undertakes the task of re-directing some of their wrong-headed notions, while keeping the tone of his teaching affirming ...

3252. Philippians 3:4b-14

Philippians 3:4b-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... focuses on the continually changing, advancing nature of a Christian life. In verse 12 Paul humbly admits that, like all Christians, he too is a work "in progress." Despite all his zeal and all his good works, Paul has not yet "reached the goal" or obtained the perfection of unity in Christ he so desires. Though Paul confidently asserts that "Christ Jesus has made me his own" (as a baptized member of the Body of Christ), he also acknowledges that he has a long way to go before he achieves his goal of fully ...

3253. Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:1-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... throats. God's grace waits for human faith even though it is that same grace that makes faith a possibility at all. Even after likening human beings to "sons of disobedience" and "children of wrath," this section concludes by revealing our specialness. A perfectly acceptable translation of verse 10 might begin "we are God's artifact" or "work of art" as well as "workmanship." God's original act of creation was not enough. God has reworked the human creature in union with Christ to create the possibility ...

3254. John 12:20-33

John 12:20-33

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... strangers go through Jesus' disciples first. By petitioning the disciples, the force of the prayer Jesus voices in John 17:20 has already been demonstrated. Jesus' prayer, that others will come to know him through the witness of his disciples, perfectly fits this earlier situation theologically. What could be more representative of the miraculous way Jesus would become known than to show Gentile seekers encountering Jesus through his disciples. John moves quickly to the heart of this scene, for his focus ...

3255. 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... self becomes more active and attractive. The "outer" nature is the life that begins in each Christian when he or she forms a believing relationship with Christ. It is continually in process throughout the life of the Christian and is only completed and perfected when the Christian stands before Christ in glory. While the life experienced by the "outer" nature is real, it is also seen by Paul as only "momentary." No matter how difficult the days we experience with our outer nature, they are "lightweights ...

3256. Mark 9:30-37

Mark 9:30-37

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... lessons to the disciples. Before the formal teaching sessions get underway, Jesus calls on his disciples to tell him about the arguments he had overheard between them as they had traveled. Consider for a moment how the disciples' behavior throughout this passage perfectly mimics the responses of any normal class of fifth graders. On the topic the class is discussing, the teacher can elicit only blank looks, shrugging shoulders and downcast eyes. But once the teacher's back is turned, all matter of chatter ...

3257. Revelation 1:4b-8

Revelation 1:4b-8

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 's designation of God as the one "who is and who was and who is to come." It is a title that suggests a constant but not always comprehensible presence of God. The "seven spirits" surrounding God's throne is another use of the perfect number seven to express completeness. The "seven spirits" simply represent what other Christian writers call the Holy Spirit and do not intend to introduce new facets of the deity into traditional theology. A trinity within a trinity helps this writer describe the person of ...

3258. Out of Nazareth

John 1:43-51

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the book E. Stanley Jones is most known for. And this book was written from “Nazareth.” Working “out of Nazareth” is always a hazardous commute. When God “is up to something” in your life, there are two things you can count on. Martin Luther described one perfectly — “Where God builds a church, the Devil builds a chapel.” Evil is active and will gladly move in to add more chaos to our crisis. But the second certainty we can cling to is that God will do God’s greatest work in the worst of ...

3259. The Most Stubborn Man in the Bible

Jonah 3:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... of the ship into the raging sea. And the Bible tells us that the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of that fish for three days and three nights. I believe it was Dwight L. Moody who said that it was perfectly easy for a great fish to swallow Jonah whole. After all, said Moody, Jonah is only one of the minor prophets. I do have to tell you that there is another story of more recent vintage of a man being swallowed by a fish. His name was James Bartley, another ...

3260. Mark 1:21-28

Mark 1:21-28

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... story, which explains why live-action sermons can work well when you’re preaching from the earliest gospel. For Mark what Jesus DOES is a more direct revelation of who he is than what he says. Today’s gospel reading demonstrates that focus perfectly. While Jesus is described as teaching in the synagogue, Mark’s text fails to record a single word of that learned lecture. Instead Jesus’ authority, his authority over scripture and his authority over demonic spirits, is showcased by Mark in a dramatic ...

3261. Astonishing! - Sermon Starter

Mark 1:21-28

Illustration

Brett Blair

... top and pushed off a ten-pound and a one-pound weight. Both landed at the same instant. The power of belief was so strong, however, that the professors denied their eyesight. They continued to say Aristotle was right. I believe that this illustrates perfectly what is going on in the world today. You could show the terrible ravaging effects of AIDS and people will have promiscuous sex anyway. You can show someone a diseased liver and cancerous lungs and people are going to abuse alcohol and smoke regardless ...

3262. Rainbows and Roses

Genesis 9:1-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... this Thanksgiving?” asked the shop clerk. “Not exactly!” Sandra blurted out. “In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.” Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the shop clerk said, “I have the perfect arrangement for you.” Just then another customer entered the shop. The clerk said, “Hi Barbara . . . let me get your order.” She walked toward a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of long stemmed thorny roses. Except ...

3263. Where a Cross Should Be Worn

Matthew 6:1-4

Sermon

King Duncan

The Rev. Timothy J. Kennedy tells a wonderful true story that is perfect for Ash Wednesday. It was told to him by a colleague, Pastor Chris Mietlowski. It concerned a baptism that Mietlowski once performed on an infant named Eric. Mietlowski took Eric in his arms and traced the cross of Christ on Eric’s forehead using a special anointing oil. Following worship, ...

3264. Learning to Listen

John 14:15-31

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... into holiness by God’s grace working within us. It begins with Prevenient Grace, which brings us to an awareness of Justifying grace that puts us in right relationship with God, that then leads us into Christ-likeness through the work in us of sanctifying or perfecting grace. That’s what we who know ourselves as the beloved children of God do: we seek to glorify God with all we are and do. We seek to listen to God’s voice, the voice of the Good Shepherd, follow, and obey. A soldier tells ...

3265. Why We Do What We Do

Matthew 6:1-4

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... fingers of blame. Our estrangement from God leads to our estrangement from each other. Such is the human condition. Such is humankind’s Original Sin. We have this profound anxiety that comes with knowing that we are not omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. We are not perfect. We are not eternal. We are not God. B. Cain and Abel This awareness can be intolerable at times. Recall the next story in Genesis as humankind’s story unfolds. Two sons of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, give offerings of thanksgiving ...

3266. Hurts Can Heal

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... his entire being. Everything he had believed; everything he had walked, and taught and breathed, was suddenly, painfully, jerked into a new brilliant light. In that light everything was revealed to Paul’s heart and mind and soul. In that light Paul saw perfectly the glory of God as it was contained in the image, the being, the face of Jesus Christ. And like one wearing night vision goggles, the sudden brilliance and clarity of that new light temporarily blinded Paul. Saul of Taursus “died” that day ...

3267. 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... unbelievers” with the “light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (v.4). Sharing this experience of light, dispelling the blindness cast by the “god of this world,” is Paul’s mission. Just when Paul’s testimony provides him with a perfect opportunity to share in this glory, to bask in the glow of the light Christ provides, he instead backs away and claims for himself only the position of servanthood. Paul pointedly declares that he does not proclaim anything about himself, but only proclaims ...

3268. An Unnerving Experience

Mark 9:2-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... in scripture you do not understand, think about Jesus. Does the passage reflect the love and compassion of Christ? If not, then it is probably one that Jesus would say to us, “You have heard it said . . ., but I say to you . . .” Christ is the perfect revelation of the Creator. As the voice said to the three disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” That is the good news for the day: Listen to Christ! 1. Sally Young, “Humor In Uniform,” http://www ...

3269. Life Is a Test

Mark 1:9-13

Illustration

Richard Carlson

... . I would rush around trying to get everything done. I blamed my schedule, my family, my circumstances, and anything else I could think of for my plight. Then it dawned on me. If I wanted to be happy, my goal didn't necessarily have to be to organize my life perfectly so that I had more time, but rather to see whether I could get to the point where I felt it was okay that I couldn't get everything done that I felt I must. In other words, my real challenge was to see my struggle as a test. Seeing ...

3270. At The Right Time

Mark 1:9-13

Illustration

Brett Blair

... attentive to timing. There are two essential elements to timing - listening and responding. In Mark, Jesus begins his ministry "At the right time." Jesus begins by listening to God. "At that time, Jesus came from Nazareth..." He didn't arbitrarily arrive at the Jordan river. He arrived at God's perfect time - it required he listen for God's leading.

3271. Mark 8:31-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... every single human being, is worth more than the power and riches contained in this “whole world.” Life is a divine gift and cannot be purchased. Life must be given over freely to God, to the only one who can preserve and perfect that life. Jesus ends his address on a clear eschatological note. Those who reject “me and mine” or “me and my words” separate themselves from God’s redemption mission. Jesus refers to “this adulterous and sinful generation,” a phrase that recalls the prophetic ...

3272. Dry Inside

John 2:12-25

Illustration

Jef Olson

... profound. He picks up a stone and says, "Look at this stone. It has been lying in the water for a very long time. The water has not penetrated it." Then he smashes the stone. "Look," he says peering at the smashed insides of the stone, "perfectly dry. The same thing," the Cardinal continues, "has happened to men in Europe. They have been surrounded by Christianity for centuries, but Christ does not live in their hearts." This is what happened in the Temple in Jesus' time. There were people there who had ...

3273. When a Grain of Wheat Falls - Sermon Starter

John 12:20-36

Illustration

Brett Blair

Years ago, when the Betty Crocker Company first began selling their cake mixes, they offered a product which only needed water. All you had to do was add water to the mix which came in the box, and you would get a perfect, delicious cake every time. It bombed. No one bought it and the company couldn't understand why, so they commissioned a study which brought back a surprising answer. It seemed that people weren't buying the cake mix because it was too easy. They didn't want to be totally ...

3274. Pentecost

Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 104:1-35, Acts 2:1-13, Acts 2:14-41, John 15:18--16:4, John 16:5-16

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... us into the truth, for he is the Spirit of truth. It is important to note that the Holy Spirit does not lead us to new truth which is beyond, in addition to or greater than the truth Jesus taught. Jesus said, "I am the truth." He is the whole, perfect and final truth about God and life here and hereafter. The Spirit leads us "into" the truth revealed by Jesus and not beyond the truth of Christ. Old Testament: Ezekiel 37:1-14 1. Bones (vv. 1-11). The people of Israel are described as dry, dead bones. They ...

3275. Lent 2

Mark 8:31--9:1, Romans 4:1-25, Genesis 17:1-27

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... of grace v. 16. b. Faith hopes when it is hopeless vv. 18-19. c. Faith believes God can do what he promises v.21. 2. Count me in! (4:22-25). Need: Who wants to die? Who wants to go to hell? Who does not want to live in perfect peace and love for eternity? To have this desire met is to be in harmony with God, for he holds the key to life and love through eternity. We all want to go to heaven and to be counted in the group accepted for heaven. To be counted in is ...

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