Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3326 to 3350 of 4914 results

3326. “I Am from Him and He Sent Me”

John 7:25-44

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The temple discourse begins anew with a notice that Jesus cried out. This second announcement (vv. 28–29), like the first (vv. 16–19), initiates an encounter with the crowd, yet itself comes as a response to something already expressed. As verses 16–19 addressed the question that perplexed the religious authorities in verse 15, so verses 28–29 address the debate among the people of Jerusalem in verses 25–27. Specifically, they address the objection that Jesus cannot be the Messiah because everyone knows ...

3327. Ahab Defeats Ben-Hadad

1 Kings 20:13-34

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Ahab’s War against Aram: Elijah has recruited Elisha, and we expect to read now, perhaps, of his anointing of Hazael as king over Aram and of Jehu as king over Israel (19:15–18). Instead, we find a story in which a different prophet takes up the running (Elijah does not appear at all) and in which a different king of Aram (Ben-Hadad) loses a war with Ahab. The message of chapter 19 is thus underlined. Elijah is not the only servant of God left, in spite of what he has claimed (19:10, 14), and the quiet ...

3328. A Prophet Condemns Ahab

1 Kings 20:35-43

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

3329. Surprise--One Got Out!

Luke 24:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

I was reading this week about a pastor named Wayne Major. When Wayne was in high school, he and a friend would pull a great prank. One of them owned a car in which you could pull back the upper part of the back seat and slide into the trunk. That gave them the idea for this prank. One of them would hide in the trunk while the other would drive the car and pick up one of their other friends. The two guys in the front would get involved in a deep conversation. Meanwhile the one hiding in the trunk would ...

3330. Don't Give In

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

David & Marian Plant

A colleague in ministry, nearing retirement, said something startling to me. Upon looking at his time in ministry coming to an end he shared he wanted a complete break from anything church related. He stated, “After all, I’ve been preaching the lectionary for 35 years, there really isn’t anything new left to say.” His attitude was light years in another direction from mine, even though I have served more years in ministry than him. For me, the beauty and elegance of scripture is that it allows any of us ...

3331. The Call of the Wild Within

Genesis 12:10-20, Genesis 12:1-8, Luke 2:41-52

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Coming into movie theatres this week is a remake of Jack London’s famous novel, “The Call of the Wild.”The story begins with the kidnapping of Buck, a pet St. Bernard dog, owned by a wealthy family in the Santa Clara Valley, CA. Abruptly, Buck is removed from his comfortable, genteel life and thrust into the wild Canadian frontier in the midst of the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush. Made to serve as a sled dog, Buck must leave behind his civilized nature and rely instead on his natural instincts to survive. For a ...

3332. Lord of the Harvest

Matthew 9:35-38, Luke 10:1-24

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Prop: Shofar I grew up on nursery rhymes. How many of you did too? Today, I want to talk about this one. Say it with me: “Little Boy Blue, Come blow your horn, The sheep's in the meadow, The cow's in the corn; But where is the boy Who looks after the sheep? He's under a haystack, He's fast asleep.” It’s said that in early times, shepherds often carried either horns or wooden flutes that they used to call in their sheep. The “voice” of the shepherd could be his actual physical voice, or it could be the ...

3333. Translucent Grace

Mark 9:2-13, Luke 9:28-36, Revelation 1:9-20, Revelation 2:12-17

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18) Prop: translucent stones or another kind of gem (or larger white stones onto which people can write the name of Jesus) He was an upstanding Christian, long-time servant in ministry, Chair of the Administrative Council, member of the Trustees, organizer of the yearly fund-raiser and the monthly Men’s Breakfast. “Carl” (as we’ll call him) was one of the “cornerstones” of ...

3334. Sweet Vine

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Lori Wagner

The season is nearing for planting. Those of you who plant gardens or farms know that it’s vitally important to plant well, tend well, and prune well for the best yield and the best crops. Grapes can be especially finicky to manage. There are many vineyards. But only a selection of grapes yield the best wines. Why? For those of you who aren’t growers…. let’s come at this another way. In today’s world, our young people are killing their peers at an alarming rate. While many are quick to blame parents, ...

3335. Beautiful

John 20:10-18, Song of Songs 4:1-16

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign [that] shall not be cut off.” (Isaiah 55:13) God created you beautiful. God created you to bloom with kindness, to be myrtle-white pure of heart. God created you to love with the fragrance of patience and grace, to be hardy and loyal even when the road is rocky, and to wait for the promises of God. If any of you have planted a garden or ...

3336. Welcome, Inc.

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

R. Kevin Mohr

The lady of the house was giving last minute instructions to her butler before the start of a huge dinner being held at the estate: “Bentley,” she said, “I want you to stand at the front door and call the guests’ names as they arrive.” “Very well, madam,” replied the butler, “I’ve been wanting to do that for years.”1 One of the occupational hazards of being a butler is that you have to be welcoming to people who aren’t particularly welcome-able. Actually, it isn’t just butlers who have that experience. ...

3337. Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil

Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon

R. Kevin Mohr

The song “Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil”[1] by Handt Hanson, is a beautiful piece that suggests a deep sense of longing for something important. The melody, tone, and words all come together perfectly as an interpretation of the gospel reading for today. While it is tempting to want to move on immediately to what a story like the parable of the sower means that reaction is usually an attempt to distance ourselves from the personal impact of the story. The story is safer if we can intellectualize it and ...

3338. A Working God

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Sermon

R. Kevin Mohr

As I originally prepared this sermon the news was breaking about the tragedy in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015, with the Honorable Reverend Pinckney and eight of his parishioners gunned down in the historic black Emmanuel A.M.E. church. But this tragic act couldn’t be conveniently blamed on Islamic extremists. No! This time the perpetrator in custody had the blasphemous audacity to pretend to be one of us and claim the name of Christ as his Lord, and, in fact, was a member of a congregation of my own ...

3339. Holy Hydration!

John 12:20-33 · Jeremiah 31:31-34

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Spirit soaked. That’s the state we are in when we are immersed in the Holy Spirit, marinated in God’s grace.It’s the only thing that got Jesus through his ordeal. And it’s the only thing that will get us through when difficulties come our way. The Holy Spirit is Healing. The Holy Spirit is Life. The Holy Spirit is Soul Sustenance, that spring of life that hydrates us, revives us, refreshes us, and renews us, even when we are in the worst of times and hardest of places. At the time of our scripture today, ...

3340. For the Love Of God is Forgiving

Luke 7:36-50

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

The headlines, news reports and newspaper stories all make it very clear that there is something out of kilter in our world. Whether you agree with its content or not, the crime bill is the biggest of its kind. It's because dealing with crime is on everyone's mind. Who'll be the next victim of a drive by shooting or a drug problem. Who'll be the next victim of gang violence or a drunk driver. While the Peace Talks are going on in the Middle East between Israel and Jordan and the Palestinians, the fighting ...

3341. To Cross Over

Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

Sermon

Dr. Ronald Love

British writer Philip Norman completed his third book on the Beatles. This 800 page volume was a biography of Paul McCartney. Before researching the biography Norman thought that McCartney with all his musical talent must be very pleased with himself, only to discover that the opposite was true. Norman said he came to realize that the living rock legend, and I quote, is “also insecure… he’s in his seventies now, and he still thinks he has to prove himself virtually every night onstage.” Norman went on to ...

3342. Night and Light

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

A friend of mine had rewritten a familiar proverb and used it ominously. “Just remember,” he said, “things always look the darkest before the lights go out completely.” There was something of that threatening anticipation which always washed over us on this darkening night. We join Jesus and his disciples as dusk falls. They did not know it yet, but within hours the blackness would become very bleak. Jesus would be arrested, they would be scattered, and even Peter would deny and reject his relationship ...

3343. Christian The King

Ezekiel 34:1-31

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

"And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken." "And he made us kings and priests unto God and his Father." (Revelation 1:6a [KJV]) A four-year-old boy was about to have a birthday. His mother told him he could have any kind of party he wanted. He asked for a party where everyone would be a king or queen. In preparation for his big day, ...

3344. Country Songs and Easter Hymns

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Thomas Long

As the van rolled down the interstate, Kitty Wells' hillbilly alto rattled the radio speakers; "When you're lookin' at me," she belted out, "you're lookin' at country." In the van were ten of us, all seminary seniors, heading away from our rural South Carolina campus toward the big city of Atlanta, and Kitty Wells had it right: If you were looking at us, you were looking at country. It was not that we urbanly-challenged folk actually wanted to go to the city; the faculty was forcing us to do so. Terrified ...

3345. Christians Die Well

Acts 7:54--8:1a

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "it is not desirable that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ...

3346. How Shall We Prepare?

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

King Duncan

(John the Baptist Announces His Coming --Third Sunday of Advent) Howard Hensley was standing in line at the post office. Standing in line is not one of his favorite things to do, especially during the busy Christmas season. This day was no exception. He waited anxiously for the postal clerk to weigh his packages and give him his stamps. His irritation quickly increased when he overheard a shabbily dressed man ask another clerk for $50 worth of Madonna stamps! "What corrupt influence is the government ...

3347. Ephesians 1:15-23

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

It is fitting that the Sunday before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday we read the “thanksgiving” portion of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Paul’s letters usually followed a traditional design: the formal greeting portion was followed by a section focused on giving thanks and offering prayer. Paul’s “thanksgiving” here is not just a thankfulness for the faithfulness and love for Christ demonstrated by the Ephesian Christians. It is also a profound expression of thanks for the greatest gift ever made possible ...

3348. The Unclean Spirit

Mark 1:21-28

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

This healing story is the first pronouncement story in Cycle B. The pronouncement formula presents a situation, builds to a climax, offers a solution and gives a statement of the issue. In the early church, this format made for easier recall of the story for oral retelling. While healing on the sabbath is mentioned in this miracle, the main issue is authority. In another Cycle B miracle for Epiphany 7, healing the paralytic (Miracle 4), Jesus observes rumblings and questions among the scribes (Mark 2:6) ...

3349. You Are What You Wear

Luke 24:1-12, Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“You remove my sackcloth and clothe me with joy.” (Psalm 30) “The Lord is clothed with splendor.” (Psalm 104) “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49) The fashion industry is one of the largest money makers in the world. From jeans to Cartier pearls, your fashion is your statement. Your dress is your address. Style is a statement about who you are and what you stand for, a form of visual and tangible ...

3350. Why Are You Troubled?

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

King Duncan

Some people are worriers. Have you ever noticed that? It's like the patient in the mental hospital. He was holding his ear close to a wall, listening intently. This went on for some time before an attendant finally came up and asked him what he was doing.. "Sh!" whispered the patient, motioning him over to listen as well. The attendant pressed his ear to the wall and listened carefully. "I can't hear a thing," he finally said. "That's right," replied the patient with a troubled look on his face. "It's been ...

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