Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3401 to 3425 of 4943 results

3401. Voice Recognition

John 20:19-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The British writer Arthur C. Clarke proposed three “laws” of prediction that are known as “Clarke’s Three Laws.” Here they are: Law 1) When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong. Law 2) The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible. Law 3) Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic ...

3402. The Lord Commands Joshua

Joshua 1:1-18

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Unity: Joshua begins and ends with concerns about the unity of the tribes. The book expresses a special concern about tribes east of the Jordan River cooperating with those west of the river (1:10–18; 22:7–34). A geographical barrier such as a river often promotes jealousy, regionalism, and civil war; regional customs potentially can distort the worship of the Lord. Success in the battle for Canaan depends on fielding forces from both the east and the west. That unity depends on loyalty first to Moses and ...

3403. Being Wronged versus Claiming One’s Right

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: The church must be vigilant in protecting its identity as a Christ-empowered community and recognize that it is more Christlike to accept being wronged than to pursue retaliation through means that contradict Christ’s teaching. In the community of Christ, no interpersonal differences should be irreconcilable. Understanding the Text In a second practical example of the troubles arising from the behavior and wrongheaded allegiances discussed in chapters 1–4, Paul confronts a situation where one ...

3404. Korah’s Rebellion

Numbers 16:1-50

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Envy and pride lead to rebellion and destruction. Understanding the Text Israel’s record in the desert since leaving Sinai had been abysmal. The people had complained about hardships, the lack of meat, and the monotony of manna (Num. 11:1–6). Moses’s own sister and brother had challenged his leadership role (Num. 12:1–2). And worst of all, Israel had been condemned by its unbelief to wander in the wilderness for forty years (Num. 14:1–10, 33). This chapter introduces a new problem: the Levite ...

3405. Look Again

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

James L. Killen

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in ...

3406. A Levite and His Concubine

Judges 19:1-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

19:1–21:25 · Areas of Social Norms and Political Decisions:How appropriate, then, that as the first extended narrative ends and the second begins, the refrain “In those days Israel had no king” appears again in 19:1, bridging the two stories and subtly reminding the readers that those were days when “everyone did as they saw fit” (17:6; 21:25). 19:1–29 · The second extended narrative begins with the attempt of another Levite to woo back a concubine who has left him to return to her father’s house (19:2–10 ...

3407. Abraham Justified by Faith

Romans 4:1-25

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Abraham as the Model of Faith Chapter 4 is a test case of righteousness by faith. In 3:21–31 Paul presented a position statement on salvation through faith in Christ’s sacrifice of atonement. In chapter 4 he sends the class to the laboratory, as it were, to test that thesis. Here we find the compressed and nuclear thesis of 3:21–31 developed in the discursive style of Jewish midrash. Midrash was the name given to a form of rabbinic exposition in ancient Palestine which sought to penetrate the meaning of ...

3408. Daniel’s Training in Babylon

Daniel 1:1-21

Understanding Series

William Nelson

Daniel and His Three Friends Avoid Defilement: Chronological notations frame the opening chapter. It begins with the third year of King Jehoiakim of Judah, at which time the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem (1:1). It ends with the first year of King Cyrus of Persia (1:21). These are roughly the parameters of the exile; apparently they are also the bookends for Daniel’s career. Nebuchadnezzar deported to Babylon the Jewish leaders, including Daniel and his friends; Cyrus conquered Babylon ...

3409. The People Rebel

Numbers 14:1-45

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

Of Spies and Rebellions: Numbers 13–14 constitutes one of the central narratives in the book, a kind of watershed that determines the course of a generation in Israel. The narrative is complicated and carefully constructed, taking a variety of turns along the way. Since the census in Numbers 1, readers have been prepared for some military encounter. As chapter 13 begins, the people in the Desert of Paran appear on the verge of the land they have been promised and are preparing to take possession of it. 14: ...

3410. Gratitude: A Matter of Perspective

Deuteronomy 8:7-18

Sermon

King Duncan

It was the day after Thanksgiving. A woman caught her husband weighing himself on the scale. He was sucking in his stomach. “That won’t help you, Fred,” the woman said. “You know that, don’t you?” “Oh it helps a lot,” said Fred. “It’s the only way I can see the numbers!” I hope you’re ready for Thanksgiving--and not just for the turkey and all the trimmings. Giving thanks is important to a successful life. A growing body of research is indicating that a sense of gratitude is vital if we are to be happy and ...

3411. If the Stones Cried Out

Luke 19:28-40

Sermon

King Duncan

(With apologies to Mick Jagger) For most of his ministry, Jesus tried to hide his true identity. He often referred to himself as the Son of Man, and when others tried to worship him or spread the news of his miracles, he told them to keep silent. He didn’t want their praise or publicity. Not yet. His time had not yet come. But it’s time now. As he makes his way to Jerusalem, the time is at hand for him to reveal his mission. Jesus knows what’s waiting for him in Jerusalem. He knows he will be betrayed, ...

3412. A Solemn yet Joyous Feast

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sermon

King Duncan

Maundy Thursday marks the final countdown to Jesus’ last days on earth--his arrest, his crucifixion and ultimately, his resurrection. It is usually not the most joyous of feasts. Even the word “Maundy,” which comes from the Latin word for “commandment,” sounds gloomy. It sounds like a word Eeyore would say a lot. Are you familiar with Eeyore, the pessimistic donkey from the Winnie the Pooh books? Can’t you picture Eeyore saying, “Maundy, maundy” in his gloomiest voice? And then he’d sigh and shake his head ...

3413. Who's the Fool?

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

George Reed

This parable is often referred to as the parable of the rich fool and has been used to make any number of homiletical points. Some of them have even been relevant to the story! I have heard many a sermon preached on the “eat, drink, and make merry” portion of the scripture. We were warned about the dangers of having a good time. This was taken as a warning against what used to be called a “libertine lifestyle.” But Jesus liked to party and have a good banquet. He made wine for the wedding feast and by his ...

3414. Patches

Luke 5:36

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: patches (enough for each child), a smaller patch of the same material. Have you ever had anything shrink? Do you know what I mean when I tell you that my socks shrank? (Wait for answers.) That's right, it means that they got smaller. A lot of times when you put some clothes into the wash for the first time they shrink. The material pulls closer together so that it is not the same size that it was. Jesus told a very interesting story about how you should be very careful with the kind of material ...

3415. Perks for Following Jesus

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

King Duncan

What would you say are the best employee perks in your workplace? Some places offer “casual Fridays,” where the dress code is less formal. For most workplaces, that’s as cutting-edge as they get when it comes to employee perks. But other business owners go out of their way to offer unique benefits to attract and retain employees. Patagonia, the outdoor equipment company, encourages their employees to get outside on their lunch break and go surfing. They even offer a companywide weather report each day ...

3416. A VIP Seat

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

In our society, we have a unique obsession with following the “lifestyles of the rich and famous.” There are TV shows and websites and magazines that focus on the homes and wardrobes and parties of the wealthy and well-connected. And so many of us like to take a sneak peek into this world that we will never experience in real life. Back before the pandemic, sociologist Ashley Mears wrote a book titled Very Important People: Status and Beauty in the Global Party Circuit that shared insider details on the ...

3417. High Anxiety

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

Lori Wagner

We live in a complicated, anxiety-producing world. In our culture today, anxiety is one of the major ailments that people both suffer from and seek to relieve. We all know what happens when your body, mind, and spirit become afflicted with high anxiety. High anxiety can cause physical maladies, such as heart attacks, strokes, autoimmune disorders, eating disorders, and overloaded adrenal glands. Emotionally, anxiety can throw us off balance, cause depression, make us distracted and absentminded. It can ...

3418. Close Quarters With A King

Jeremiah 23:1-8

Sermon

Thomas G. Rogers

It was quite unusual for Susan to do something so frivolous. Perhaps it was the combination of depression and stress that prompted her to take a break from her daily responsibilities. There was quite a bit of tension in Susan's relationship with her husband. Also her teenage children seemed to have become almost completely out of her control. She felt frustrated and helpless. She felt that she needed something. In fact, when she tried to think of a word to describe how she was feeling, that was the word ...

3419. A King Worth Having

Zechariah 9:9-13

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your ...

3420. WE ARE THE BELIEVERS: TESTIMONIES

Drama

Marcia Miller

As the lights come up, the characters who participate are seen with their backs to the audience. The first speaker turns to the audience and begins to speak. The next speaker turns toward the first speaker, begins, and then directs his speech to the audience. This same technique should be followed throughout the remaining testimonies. If possible, the speakers should be standing on different levels. If this isn’t feasible, the characters should be in a staggered line with, perhaps, one sitting on the floor ...

3421. When The Recession Reaches Your House

1 Kings 17:7-24

Sermon

King Duncan

Someone has defined the difference between prosperity, recession, and depression like this: During prosperity you are annoyed because the dog and cat won't eat the expensive canned food you buy for them. In a recession you are delighted that the dog and cat won't eat the expensive canned food. You hope they remain finicky until things get better. In a depression you begin to look thoughtfully at the dog and cat. The recession is officially over according to experts in Washington. A lot of Americans are ...

3422. Only the Neighbors’ Kid

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

In his excellent little book, How Can It be All Right When Everything Is All Wrong?, Professor Lew Smedes says that one source of our salvation is to cultivate a sense of wonder. He reminds us that Jesus was a source of wonder to all who came into contact with Him, from the humble shepherds who were struck with wonder at the sight of blazing angels sashaying around the Judean hills to the Wise Men from the East who came and laid their gifts at Jesus’ feet and wondered. All His life Jesus made people wonder ...

3423. A Faith that Works with a Victorious Attitude

Philippians 2:12-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Today, we continue to preach and study through the marvelous letter of the Apostle Paul to the church and believers at Philippi. As many of you know, I often begin with a story or illustration, but today I want to begin our work by addressing and hopefully clearing up two major misconceptions or misinterpretations often associated with this text. THE FIRST MISINTERPRETATION IS THAT WE ARE SAVED BY OUR ATTEMPTS AT GOOD WORKS RATHER THAN SOLELY BY THE GRACE OF GOD revealed through the all sufficient, ...

3424. Look Carefully How You Walk

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

The El Cortez is a well-known hotel in San Diego, California. The charm of it is comparable to the more famous hotels around the world. There is an intriguing story connected with it. "Years ago, the elevator in the hotel couldn't handle the expanding traffic of people. It was just not adequate for all of the people who were going and coming, and who needed to get up to or down from their rooms. And so the management called in some experts to solve the problem. They assembled together a high-powered team ...

3425. Christmas Every Day

John 1:1-14

Drama

Matthew Powell

Cast Storyteller 1 Storyteller 2 Little Girl Everybody - plays the Christmas fairy, the other children, Mother, Father, the police, and so on. (If the director wants to use more actors, he or she can divide this into two or three roles. However, it works very well if one actor does all the roles and changes voices.) (The actors are standing or seated from stage right to stage left: Storyteller 1, Little Girl, Everybody, and Storyteller 2) Storyteller 1: Once there was a little girl who liked Christmas so ...

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