Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3526 to 3550 of 4938 results

3526. A Mother's Love

John 15:1-17

Sermon

King Duncan

Welcome on this Mother’s Day. For Mother’s Day I ran across a list of suggestions for improving communication in the family that I thought you might enjoy: 1. If you have tiny children who won’t give you their attention, simply place a long‑distance telephone call to somebody important, preferably their grandmother. Your toddlers will immediately climb up on your lap and become all ears. 2. If you have older children who avoid you like the plague, buy yourself some expensive bath salts, run a hot tub and ...

3527. Because God Said So, That’s Why!

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

Characters (in order of appearance) Narrator David (or Rachel) Esther Shepherd 1 Shepherd 2 Shepherd 3 Shepherd 4 Shepherd 5 Lead Angel Angel 2 Angel 3 Angel 4 Angel Choir King Caspar King Balthazar King Melchior Mary Joseph Props Lectern or podium Chair Bundle with jar inside Bundle with blanket inside Gifts for the Wise Men to give to Jesus Notes This production can be restructured to suit a cast that is predominantly male or female. The lead part of David can easily be transformed to Rachel. In the ...

3528. Navigating the Stages of Life

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

James W. Moore

Our children and grandchildren came in last weekend to celebrate Easter with us. Last Saturday evening we took the entire family (all 10 of us) over to Goode Company Taqueria on Kirby Drive for a casual child-friendly meal. As we walked in, we began to look at the large menu printed on the wall just above the serving line. I was pointing out to everybody that we could order hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks or Mexican food. Just then, four-year-old Daniel asked (what was for him) the ultimate question. In a ...

3529. Cure for an Aching Back

Luke 13:10-17

Sermon

King Duncan

One Sabbath day, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue. A woman was there who was severely disabled. Her body was all bent over so bent over that her head was nearly even with her waist. Dr. Luke tells us she could not straighten up at all. That strikes me as an unbelievably sad situation. Forgetting the pain and the inconvenience of not being able to straighten one’s body, imagine what that would do to your self image. Imagine not just the physical pain, but the emotional pain of this kind of obvious ...

3530. Who Wants to Be Your Brother?

Luke 16:19-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

We are all about family. The truth is, the problem is, we are all about OTHER people’s families. The most popular show on television today? “Duck Dynasty.” After that there are the programs about “The Kardashians,” “Housewives,” of various zip codes, and “Hoarders.” We like to spy-glass at the inner-workings of family relationships that we can keep at arm’s length — or TIVO for a later, more convenient time. Our own family relationships cannot be put on hold. Whether it is a teething infant, a tantrum- ...

3531. Why Christmas Is So Dangerous

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

There is no doubt about it, Christmas is a dangerous time of year. You ever tried negotiating a mall parking lot between Black Friday and Christmas Eve? You know one level of danger. You ever tried to gather together a fractious, far-flung family into one Christmas moment? You know another level of danger. You ever tried buying a toy for the kids or grandkids, a toy where levers don’t break off, where there are no hidden, choky bits, where glitches galore don’t make the toy “unsafe?” You know another whole ...

3532. Crossing the Jordan

Joshua 3:1-4:24

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Once the spies have returned, Joshua and the Israelites set out from Shittim toward the Jordan to cross it. A series of instructions is given in 3:2–6 especially concerning the place of the ark as the procession moves toward the Jordan. The ark, carried by the priests and signaling the Lord’s presence and guidance, is to lead the way, with the people following after it. But the people are cautioned not to follow too closely but to maintain a distance of a thousand yards, presumably in deference to the Lord ...

3533. Pop Verses: John 3:16

John 3:16

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Today I continue our series “Pop Verses.” We are taking a closer look at some of the most popular Bible verses. We are going to find out why they are so popular and how they apply to our lives. What you might discover is that some of these verses don’t mean what you think they mean or they mean a lot more than you think they mean. You see, quite often our favorites verses are just that – they’re verses. They’re not read in light of the passage in which they appear. This can lead to a misunderstanding about ...

3534. For The Love of God Is Contagious

Mark 7:31-36 · Luke 5:12-15 · 2 Corinthians 5:16-20

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

A number of years ago, the computer magazine, PC World did a review of a book entitled The Policeman's Beard is Half Constructed, (Warner Books, New York, 1984). It is a book that was written by a computer program called Racter (short for Raconteur) from Mindscape. The software was developed to help people do brainstorming. The book is filled with essays, poems, limericks, stories and conversations, all of which were written by the computer using this software. Here's a couple of examples which Racter came ...

3535. After Everyone Had Gone Home

Matthew 2:13-23

Sermon

John Jamison

It was over. The shepherds had gone back to their flocks. The three wise men had gone to wherever they were going, the other visitors that had come to see what was going on had drifted away to other things, and the animals had begun to settle back down in the straw. Mary was resting and the baby was sleeping soundly. Joseph looked around the room and let out a long, deep breath. “It was over.” He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, looking forward to a much-needed long night’s sleep. Then the ...

3536. John the Baptist and Mrs. Nolan

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Kelly LeDoux, Duluth, Minnesota tells about a time when she and her four-year-old son were putting out cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve and she accidentally dropped one of the cookies. “No problem,” she said, picking it up and dusting it off before placing it back on the plate. “You can’t do that,” argued her four-year-old son. “Don’t worry,” Mom said, “Santa will never know.” Her son shot her a look. “So he knows if I’ve been bad or good,” her son said, “but he doesn’t know the cookie fell on the floor ...

3537. Lent 1

Lk 4:1-13 · Rom 10:8-13 · Deut 26:1-11 · Ps 91

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Upon entering the Promised Land the people are to present the first fruits and to rejoice in Yahweh's goodness. Deuteronomy deals with the time of King Josiah's reforms in 621 B.C. One of the reforms was the centralization of worship in Jerusalem's temple. One of the three compulsory pilgrimages to Jerusalem was the Feast of Weeks when a basket of first fruits was presented to the priest, placed before the altar, and the worshiper responded by re-telling the ...

3538. What Can I Do for You?

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

Knowing James and John wanted something of him Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” The modern equivalent of this question is “What can I do for you?” We hear it on all sides; for many it is a routine way to answer the phone. “Hello, this is Frank.” “Yea, what can I do for you?” After a weekend together on retreat, a participant and I were at a dinner party. Looking at me seriously he said, “You do for a lot of people. I’m wondering if there is anything I can do for you. Just let me know, no ...

3539. Lent 1

Lk 4:1-13 · Rom 10:8-13 · Deut 26:1-11

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Upon entering the Promised Land the people are to present the first fruits and to rejoice in Yahweh's goodness. Deuteronomy deals with the time of King Josiah's reforms in 621 B.C. One of the reforms was the centralization of worship in Jerusalem's temple. One of the three compulsory pilgrimages to Jerusalem was the Feast of Weeks when a basket of first fruits was presented to the priest, placed before the altar, and the worshiper responded by re-telling the account of the ...

3540. In Solidarity with Jesus

Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-18

Sermon

Richard Gribble

"Rags, rags! Give me your tired, dirty, and old rag and I will give you a new, clean, and fresh one. Rags, rags." That was the cry to which I awoke one bright sunny Friday morning. I sprang from my bed and peered out my second-story apartment window. There he was, the ragman of our town. He was 6'4" if he was an inch, youthful in appearance and strong of build. I had heard so much about him but never actually seen him. I threw on some clothes, bounded down the stairs and out the front door of my apartment ...

3541. If There Isn’t Enough To Go Around

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

William G. Carter

Nobody could blame the disciples for their concern. It had been a long and exhausting day. People from all over the countryside had followed Jesus with their aches and pains. Rather than retreat or rest, the gospel of Matthew tells us that Jesus sat there and saved all of them, one at a time. Meanwhile his twelve followers were overwhelmed by the need. It was getting late, and all they could see was a long line of needy people who would not go away. “Lord,” they said, “there isn’t enough food to go around ...

3542. No Box Seats In The Kingdom

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

William G. Carter

Historically speaking, the church has usually painted a pretty picture of the twelve original disciples of Jesus. All except Judas have been considered saints. Pious people have named churches after them, often referring to the first disciples as the rocks upon which Christ has built his church. Yet anybody who hears the Gospel of Mark's stories about the disciples gets a different picture of who they were and what they wanted. Sure, the disciples walked the road with Jesus. They listened as he taught. ...

3543. Miracle Ten: Healing A Blind Beggar

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon Aid

Harold H. Lentz

Background Material This is the last miracle which Mark records. It concludes Mark's thrilling reports of the wondrous blessing which Christ bestowed upon the blind, the sick, the deaf, and even the dead. This particular miracle was reported by other Evangelists, who do not name the beggar. It is Mark alone who furnishes the name of Bartimaeus, which means son of Timaeus. It is somewhat curious how Mark had this information. Did he ask the man's name at the time of the miracle? Was the man a familiar ...

3544. Christmas 2

Jn 1:1-18 · Lk 2:41-51 · Eph 1:3-18 · Jer 31:7-14 · Ps 147

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:7-14 This passage derives from the "book of consolation" portion of Jeremiah, compiled by Baruch, and covers the 622 B.C. to 609 B.C. period. God promises to redeem the remnant from captivity. They will return with tears of joy welling in their eyes. The earth will participate in the restoration by bountifully yielding her produce; it will be a well-watered garden (v. 12). All inhabitants will rejoice. Epistle: Ephesians 1:3-14, 15-18 A hymn of praise to God for ...

3545. Deep Joy For A Shallow World

Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10

Sermon

Richard A. Wing

I bring you good news of deep joy in a shallow world. No matter how many fears and failures you bring to this place; no matter how many times you have to pick yourself up or be picked up after knowing deep pain; no matter how difficult it has been to get through an average day, let alone life itself; no matter what -- God is leading us to deep joy that is eternal in a world that is focused on entertainment. Our main attention is given to Nehemiah, who was called to lead a people out of total disaster ...

3546. The Problem With A Promise

Genesis 15:1-18

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

You have all made promises; and kept them, but some you have broken. Maybe you didn't intend to break it, but when the time came to fulfill it, it simply wasn't in your power to keep it. Or, upon re-thinking it, you decided it wasn't a good promise, so you reneged upon it.And, you've had promises made to you; and they've been kept - some of them, but who has not been hurt by having a promise made, and then broken? What parents have not heard their child exclaim at some point, "But you promised me!" ...

3547. Peace Through Sacrifice

Sermon

Alan Bacon Bond

Scripture: Psalm 85:8-13 Zechariah 9:9-12Luke 19:29-44 Text: "Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace." I have held in my hand the only known existing acheological evidence in the world, that crucifixion was actually practiced, as the Bible and other literature asserts. At the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem, Joe Zias, a nephew to one of our group and custodian of the Dead Sea Scrolls, handed to us a hand-wrought iron spike about six inches long and with the tip bent over at right ...

3548. Is Christianity Practical?

Jeremiah 17:19-27

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

Text: Jeremiah 17:5 - Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the Lord." Let's face it, we are paradoxical, a people who, while expressing our trust in Almighty God, are motivated by the apparent conviction that humanity is more to be trusted. That which is real is that which is pragmatically, empirically proved to be of value to humanity, and it is almost without exception something that humanity has produced. We have closed our ears to ...

3549. Lent 4

1 Samuel 16:1-13, Psalm 43:1-5, Hosea 5:1-15, Hosea 6:1--7:16, Romans 8:1-17, Matthew 20:17-19, Matthew 20:20-28

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The clue to the theme for worship and preaching this Sunday comes more from the general theme of Lent than it does from any theological content of this Sunday. Before Vatican II, the Fourth Sunday in Lent was known as Laetare Sunday, the mid-point in Lent, and was known as "Refreshment Sunday;" The purpose of this Sunday was to gather strength for the final stages of the Lenten pilgrimage. Therefore, the Introit could declare, with one of the Songs of the Pilgrims, (Psalm 122, a Psalm of ...

3550. The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Zechariah 9:9-13, Exodus 1:1-22, Exodus 2:1-10, Romans 7:7-25, Romans 8:1-17, Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Beyond the general and continuing eschatological framework of the church year, no distinct or additional clue is provided. Pentecost remains the "time of the church," or, the season of the "life of the church." The specific themes that support and expand the time/life concepts of Pentecost are all provided by the assigned readings of the cycle/season and Sunday. The Prayer of the Day This prayer is radically different than the classic collect it replaces. It is a prayer for peace, peace ...

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