Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 326 to 350 of 990 results

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The Old Testament lessons for the Easter Vigil represent a wide sweep of texts that explore the mighty acts of God as both savior and creator. The central text for the Easter Vigil is the account of Israel's salvation at the Reed Sea in Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21. The actions of God in our world—from creation to the full realization of a distant future salvation—are all viewed...

327. Proper 7

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The Old Testament lesson of Hagar's salvation in the wilderness follows immediately upon the story of Sarah's miraculous birth that was the lesson for last week. Thus Genesis 21:8-21 provides a second story of salvation, but the context for understanding salvation shifts somewhat from last week. Instead of a miracle story to underscore how anything is possible for God—as was ...

328. The Christian’s New Dominion: Dedicated to Righteousness

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: The familiar contrast that runs from 5:12 through 6:14 continues in 6:15–23: the law of Moses cannot rescue from sin, which leads to death, but the grace of God in Christ engenders righteousness, which leads to eternal life. The new component of this contrast in 6:15–23 is Paul’s usage of the metaphor of slavery. Understanding the Text Romans 6:15–23 continues Paul’s enumeration, begun...

329. Slaves to Righteousness

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

In verse 15 Paul restates the question of verse 1, suggesting that some might argue that living under grace gives permission to sin. Paul forcefully rejects such a conclusion and explains its fallacy in 6:16–18, emphasizing that there are only two options: obedience to sin or obedience to righteousness. Believers should know that they are slaves of the master whom they obey, which is either sin or...

330. Slaves to Righteousness

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

In chapters 6–7 Paul discusses the Christian life using four metaphors: baptism (6:1–14), slavery (6:15–23), marriage (7:1–6), and psychology (7:7–25). The present section on slavery continues the interplay between indicative and imperative: what God has done leads to what we ought to do. Paul presents his ideas in a series of antithetical statements: “under law / under grace” (v. 15), “sin which ...

331. Whatever Became of Sin?

Sermon

Lowell D. Streiker

On a sunny day in September, 1972, a stern-face, plainly dressed man could be seen standing still on a street corner in the busy Chicago Loop. As pedestrians hurried by on their way to lunch or business, he would solemnly lift his right arm, and pointing to the person nearest him, intone loudly the single word "GUILTY!" Then, without any change of expression, he would resume his stiff stance for ...

332. Freedom and Slavery

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Freedom is the defining value of American culture. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, and the Revolutionary War was fought against England for the sake of freedom. The bloodiest and costliest war in our nation's history, the Civil War, was fought largely for the sake of the freedom of slaves. Our modern society has seen a proliferation of "rights" and, if you violate one o...

333. Thank God We're Free at Last

Sermon

King Duncan

In January 1985, a large suitcase was discovered at the customs office of the Los Angeles International Airport. Inside the suitcase was the dead body of an unidentified young woman. U.S. Customs agents who discovered the body immediately launched an investigation. What they uncovered was a tale of a horrible tragedy that resulted from the desperate desire of two young people for freedom. The de...

334. Making a Change

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship Recognize that all of creation is God's dominion. Live by God's rules. Worship God, the giver of all good gifts. Collect We demand not for our due, but beg for the gift of free and flowing grace! Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord we know exactly what we would get as the wages for sin. Why do we show up every payday demanding what we claim we deserve? It's time we change jobs, where...

335. The Gift of Life

Children's Sermon

Object: A paycheck or pay envelope and a present (gift-wrapped) Good morning to all of the beautiful children and that means good morning to all of you. That’s right, you are all beautiful children because that’s the way God made you. You’ll never guess what I have here with me today, because, probably, none of you has ever had one. Just to be sure, let me check. Do any of you work on the railroa...

336. Proper 8

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter--Psalms 13 First Lesson--The near sacrifice of Isaac is a test of Abraham's faith in the face of the death of his only heir. Genesis 22:1-14 Second Lesson--The dominion of sin is to be overturned by our willingness to be tools in God's hands to do what is right. Romans 6:12-23 Gospel--Jesus promises rewards for the smallest service to one of his prophets. Matthew 10:40-42 CALL TO...

337. Proper 8/ Pentecost 6/ Ordinary Time 13

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

Greeting Of Peace Leader: From every land and nation, every city and home, All: whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Leader: From every family, rich and poor, small and large, All: whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Leader: From the barrios and the colonias, from the neighborhoods of affluence, ...

338. Trapped!

Sermon

King Duncan

Ming Kuang Chen, a delivery man from a Chinese restaurant in the Bronx was making a delivery one Friday evening to a thirty‑eight story apartment building. He took an express elevator to his customer’s apartment. That meant there were no stops, and no exit doors for the elevator, between the second and twenty‑first floors. At least, there were not supposed to be any stops. Chen had made his deliv...

339. Selling Yourself As A Slave

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Well before Paul was born, there had been a Roman law stating that no freeborn man could be enslaved. Therefore, a man could literally sell himself into slavery, collect the proceeds, then have a friend come and attest to his status as a freeborn man, and he would have to be released at once. This caused havoc with the Roman economy, which was well oiled by its slave labor. Therefore, just before ...

340. Proper 8

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The Old Testament texts for this Sunday are about divine testing. Genesis 22:1-14 is the story of how God tested Abraham in commanding the sacrifice of Isaac, while Psalm 13 is a lament that provides liturgical language for how we approach God during times of testing. Genesis 22:1-14 - "To Fear God Is to See God" Setting. The story of Genesis 22 is sinister. God's command...

341. Romans 7:15-25a

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Paul's words capture one of the greatest paradoxes of human nature: "Created a little lower than the angels." There is no doubt that men and women can differentiate between what is good and what is bad. The problem, Paul points out, lies in the power of sin, of self-possessed self-absorption that destroys the continuity between human knowing and human doing. Paul's confession uncomfortably reminds...

342. Freedom from the Law through Christ, Enslavement to the Law through Adam

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Paul focuses on the Mosaic law’s relationship to new dominion in Christ. A stark contrast emerges: freedom from the law because of union with Christ versus enslavement to the law because of union with Adam. This relationship is paradoxical: union with Christ and with Adam both pertain to the Christian (7:13–25 will expound on this). Understanding the Text Romans 6:23 pronounces that th...

343. An Illustration From Marriage

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

7:1–8:17 Review · From flesh to Spirit:Paul explains in this section the change in ownership of human beings, who are owned either by sin or by Jesus Christ (which is his argument in 6:15–23 for the assertion that believers cannot go on sinning). After a succinct introduction (7:1–6) he explains that, before their conversion, believers were ruled by sin and death (7:7–25). As the result of their b...

344. An Illustration from Marriage

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Paul at last turns to the problem of the place of the law in salvation, a problem he has mentioned in passing but has not discussed in depth. Like all Jews, Paul made certain affirmations of the law. The law was given by God and was thus “holy, righteous, and good” (7:12). It was the definitive expression of God’s will for the ordering of human life (2:1ff.), and as such it was worthy of endorseme...

345. Hypocrisy

Illustration

In a speech to the Society of American Authors on November 15, 1900, Mark Twain, with tongue in cheek, spoke of the two-faced life we all live: "I am constructed like everybody else and enjoy a compliment as well as any other fool, but I do like to have the other side presented. And there is another side. I have a wicked side. Estimable friends who know all about it would tell you and take a certa...

346. First Things First

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Word for the Day: PRIORITIES Preparation: Bring two kinds of treats -- A healthy one (packages of crackers and cheese) and candy suckers. Lesson: Today we are going to talk about the word “Priority.” Can anyone tell me what that means? It means what is the most important to you. Let’s see... what is your priority? A tootsie roll pop or your Mom’s best dinner? How about a new bicycle or a used on...

347. The Spiritual Fitness Demands of the New Age

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

It is possible to be overweight spiritually: groggy, sluggish. Perhaps we need to work out on the weights or to start jogging. The story goes that when a man was asked how he was feeling, he answered: "I just feel medium." "What do you mean by medium?" "Well, I feel worse than I felt yesterday; but not nearly as bad as I’m going to feel tomorrow." Or it’s like an old song I heard last night: "I’m ...

348. Romans 7: 15-25a

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Romans 7 is among the most recognized, remembered, and recited of all Paul’s writings. Today’s epistle reading gathers up a substantial chunk of this great chapter. Is there is any person alive who has not at some time found Paul’s words absolutely true: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing that I hate” (v.15). This is what we are calling a “Rom...

349. Those Romans 7 Moments

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

We are a “celebrity culture,” fixated and fascinated by the rich and famous because everything they do seems so much larger than life. They are over the top gorgeous. (Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt, anyone?) They are outrageously rich. (Julie Roberts gets $20 million per movie). They are hysterically funny (one of my favorite comedians, Bill Murray, has a sister who is a Sister: Nancy Murray, a member ...

350. Romans 7:15-25a

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Practice what you preach. Except sometimes you can’t. Practice makes perfect. Except sometimes it doesn’t. In this week’s epistle text, Paul continues with his discussion of the relationship between God’s law and human sinfulness. Although Paul testifies that the law is a divine gift, in fact “holy,” and all God’s commandments “holy and just and good” (Romans 7:12), the consequences of the law f...

Showing 326 to 350 of 990 results