Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3426 to 3450 of 4933 results

3426. Faith or Observance of the Law

Galatians 3:1-14, Galatians 3:15-25

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

Paul’s Appeal to the Gospel the Galatians Have Known and Experienced 3:1–2 The apostle begins this section of his letter by addressing his readers as foolish Galatians! This designation appears to have been a common one for the Galatian tribes who were often considered barbarians and “foolish.” The ancient Greek writer Callimachus (c. 305–c. 240 B.C.), for instance, uses the word as if it were a standard epithet, writing: “the foolish tribe of the Galatians” (Hymn 4, To Delos [Mair, LCL]). Paul uses this ...

3427. Jacob's Well

John 4:1-26, John 4:27-38, John 4:39-42

Sermon

Lori Wagner

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3) My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13) Props: a fountain of water (you can find small fountains at most greenhouses or online) running; large pot made of pottery or clay; bottle of spring water; baptismal font or other large bowl of water with nearby towel; fishbowl; glasses of water that look ...

3428. The Good News about Money

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

King Duncan

There is one good thing about a recession. It sobers us up. If we’re lucky it causes us to turn our back on things we don’t need and to hold close the things that really matter. After all, periods of recession usually follow periods of wretched excess. Martha Bolton and Phil Callaway, in their book It’s Always Darkest Before the Fridge Door Opens, tell about strolling through a mall one day laughing at all the things in the mall they didn’t need. Here are some of the things they found that they could do ...

3429. The Law and the Promise

Galatians 3:15-25, Galatians 3:1-14

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

3:1–2 The apostle begins this section of his letter by addressing his readers as foolish Galatians! This designation appears to have been a common one for the Galatian tribes who were often considered barbarians and “foolish.” The ancient Greek writer Callimachus (c. 305–c. 240 B.C.), for instance, uses the word as if it were a standard epithet, writing: “the foolish tribe of the Galatians” (Hymn 4, To Delos [Mair, LCL]). Paul uses this epithet to remind the Galatians that they need not be as they once ...

3430. The Desperate

John 9:1-12

Sermon

James Merritt

I have a friend in Chicago, Illinois, that pastors one of the largest churches in America. His name is James MacDonald. He is a great preacher and has built an incredible church. I had the privilege of hosting him a couple of years ago in my home and took him to play some golf (which we both love). We were talking about church as pastors always do and I asked him to tell me some things he had learned that had helped him build the church he started at a very small size into the gigantic work for God it is ...

3431. Amazing Grace

1 Peter 3:15

Children's Sermon

B. Kathleen Fannin

Theme: Grace. Visual Aid: A blank piece of paper and a box of crayons. As the children note the blank sheet of white paper I have placed on the floor in front of them I ask, "Does anyone here like to draw?" Grins break out on their faces, heads nod affirmatively, and some hands go up. "I see some of you raising your hands. What about the rest of you? If you like to draw, raise your hand." Immediately every child on the chancel steps has a hand raised, some of them flailing rather wildly to indicate the ...

3432. Do The Dishes?

1 Peter 4:13

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: Dirty dishes. Good morning, boys and girls. I want to talk to you about a very popular subject, doing the dishes. How many of you like to do the dishes? (Let them answer.) Not one of you likes to do the dishes. That's hard to believe. Isn't there one of you that would like to do the dishes? Think about sticking your hands down in the hot, greasy water. Don't you like to scrape the plates and fill up the garbage bags? Or what about the way you get to wipe each knife, fork, and spoon with your damp ...

3433. A Great Party

John 12:1-8

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

Exegetical Aim: Honoring Jesus. Props: A bottle of fine perfume and a piece of 8.5 x 11 paper. Lesson: How many of you have ever been to a party? (response) What kind of a party was it? (response) What did you do at the party? (response) Parties are a lot of fun, aren't they? (response) Have you ever been to a party where someone was being honored? (response) Maybe it was their party because they were 100 years old. Or maybe they had just had a baby. Or maybe they had done something really great. Have you ...

3434. You Can Go Home Again!

Jeremiah 3:6-4:4

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

In 1939, just as the world was teetering on the brink of a war, a world fair was being held in New York. In a sense it tried to push away for a time the threat of impending conflict with lightness and brightness and visions of a beautiful world to come. Nations from all over the world came - the large ones and the small ones. The tiny eastern European nation of Lithuania had an impressive pavillion at the fair where one could see the typical life and culture of that beautiful country. Americans of ...

3435. Divorce

Mark 10:13-16, Mark 10:1-12

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: Divorce is a decision, just as love is a decision. Summary: A husband and wife are talking about the wife's decision to leave her husband for another man. The husband has also made a decision -- to love his wife and forgive her. Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: At home Props: None Costumes: Contemporary Time: Now Cast: Husband Wife (HUSBAND AND WIFE ARE TALKING AS THEY ENTER) WIFE: Yes. Yes! HUSBAND: No. No! WIFE: Oh, yes, you will. HUSBAND: Oh, no, I won't. WIFE: You will, because I don't love you ...

3436. The Lions Are Shackled

John 18:1-19:42

Sermon

King Duncan

Nearly three decades ago, a California minister had himself nailed to a cross as a protest against crime in the streets. The Reverend Willie Dicks, of St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church in San Jose, set up a 9-foot by 12-foot wooden cross in a park in Oakland. Removing his white cotton gown, he leaned against the cross and extended his arms. Using carpenter’s nails sprayed with Bactine, an assistant affixed the pastor to the cross, hammering the nails through the skin between the third and fourth fingers ...

3437. The Perfect Prayer

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

If you worked in the post office, you would probably run into all kinds of people. One postal worker says she is used to dealing with moody people. She tells about an irate customer who stormed her desk one day. “What’s the trouble?” the postal employee responded in her calmest voice. “I went out this morning,” the customer began angrily, “and when I came home I found a card saying the mailman tried to deliver a package but no one was home. I’ll have you know, my husband was in all morning! He never heard ...

3438. Humans, Inc.

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Why is it, when we're confronted with the details of a particularly savage crime - of cold, calculating cruelty - we label such behavior as inhuman? To call some monstrous behavior inhuman seems almost an insult to animals. Certainly no dog or cat ever intentionally put out cigarettes on their offspring's legs. Herds of zebras don't band together and kick herds of gazelles to death, much less gas and shoot 6 million Jews to death. No king of the jungle was ever barbaric enough to abduct and recruit into ...

3439. John 18:33-38

John 18:33-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The "praetorium" was the headquarters of the Roman prefect when he was in town (possibly the old palace of Herod the Great). Immediately prior to today's gospel text, Pilate had stepped outside the protective walls of the "praetorium" to meet with Jesus' priestly accusers. Pilate's politically correct presence in Jerusalem during the festival of Passover was designed to discourage the throngs of visitors to the city from rioting in the streets. By going out to meet with the priests, reluctantly agreeing to ...

3440. Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The book of Joshua concludes with yet another covenant ceremony - - this one at the ancient shrine of Shechem. But unlike the covenant renewal in which the Israelites had participated earlier (Joshua 8:30-35), Joshua is not concerned with the people hearing and promising to obey every jot and tittle of the Law. Now, near the end of his life of leadership and service, Joshua desires to hear a much more basic commitment from his people. Chapter 24 opens by carefully locating this event at Shechem. The ...

3441. Building the Temple of God

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Sermon

John Wayne Clarke

Haggai is what has been labeled as the first of the restoration prophets, and he has no recorded history. We are told in verse 13 of chapter 1 that he was "... the messenger of the Lord." As is the case with all of the prophets, those listed as major and minor, the message, not the messenger, is of prime importance. God, not God's prophet, dominates the message. Apart from this book, Haggai is mentioned only in the book of Ezra. His name is usually associated with that of his better known and younger ...

3442. What Were You Thinking?

Micah 6:1-8

Sermon

Tony Everett

Late one night, Pastor Bill was driving home after spending the past 23 hours in the hospital with his wife, celebrating the birth of their son. It had been a glorious day. His wife was peacefully resting. His extended family was ecstatic. His son was healthy. Surely God was in heaven and all was right with the world. As he drove through the city streets, Pastor Bill began to think about all the plans he had to increase parish worship attendance and multiply its Sunday offerings. He reflected upon the ...

3443. The Garden of Temptation

Genesis 3:1-24

Sermon

King Duncan

A woman tells of joining a weight-loss organization. At one meeting the instructor held up an apple and a candy bar. “What are the attributes of this apple,” she asked, “and how do they relate to our diet?” Among the answers that came from the group: “Low in calories” and “lots of fiber.” She then detailed what was wrong with eating candy, and concluded, “Apples are not only more healthful but also less expensive. Do you know I paid seventy-five cents for this candy bar?” The group stared as she held aloft ...

3444. Don’t Touch Me With That Water!

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Sermon

Cynthia Cowen

"Fill the glasses with water, honey. Daddy's guests will be here soon," Mother said. Her young son carefully filled the fragile, crystal goblets. "How's it look, Mom?" Surveying the elegantly set table, she smiled and ruffled his hair. "You did great work, honey. Daddy will be so pleased." The boy grinned in anticipation of his father's approval. The door bell rang. "Our guests have arrived. Let's go greet them. We're done in here." Opening the door, the boy took his father's hand. "Come and see! Come and ...

3445. All Roads Lead To Bethlehem

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Jesus came to save humans from being rat packs feeding on each other instead of sheep feeding with each other. This was never made so clear than in the recent “Black Friday” images of people stomping on each other and fighting it out, all done to the musical background of Christmas music. Our sentimental — yet always cynical — culture likes to start singing Christmas carols the moment Thanksgiving turkeys come out of the oven. But listen carefully: You’re hearing a lot more choruses of “Jingle Bells” and “ ...

3446. Jehoahaz King of Judah

2 Chronicles 36:2-4

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah: The accounts of the last four kings of Judah are very brief. Two of them (Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin) ruled for only about three months each, while the other two (Jehoiakim and Zedekiah) each ruled for eleven years. Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim therefore were nothing more than transitional figures bracketing the rule of King Jehoiakim of Judah and leading to the rule of Zedekiah. Although Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim were still successors to the throne of their respective ...

3447. “May All the Peoples Praise You”

Psalm 67:1-7

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: As the nations see God’s equitable judgment and guidance in the life of Israel, they will come to acknowledge his sovereignty. Understanding the Text Judging from its first-person plural pronouns (“us”), this psalm is a community psalm of thanksgiving.1 Hakham calls it a psalm of thanksgiving for an abundant harvest.2 Israel acknowledges God’s blessings and prays for their extension, even salvation to the nations of the world (67:2, 7). Psalm 66 ends with a word of blessing (“Blessed [baruk] be ...

3448. Jehoiakim King of Judah

2 Chronicles 36:5-8

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

3449. Jehoiachin King of Judah

2 Chronicles 36:9-10

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

3450. Zedekiah King of Judah

2 Chronicles 36:11-14

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker