Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 3526 to 3550 of 5000 results

3526. Be Charitable In Your Judgment

1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Sermon

Richard Hasler

... how insensitive to place a sign thanking Jesus when neighbors around us had lost everything. Surely, this is not the kind of judgment our Lord wants us to make in the crises we face. At the close of the Epiphany season, our last lectionary text from Paul's ... admits that we all make bad choices and do the wrong things. If that is the case, how can we face our Lord's searching kind of assessment of our stewardship of leadership? Smedes' last brief paragraph in the book gives us some assurance: "Nothing ...

3527. The Fourth Meal

Sermon

Robert F. Scott

... we may feel your loving care and may walk in your pathways. People: Teach us to face each new day with your life and hope in our hearts. Leader: Thus may we find your will for our lives. People: This we pray through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and our Lord. Amen. Martha's Supper; Mary's FeastLuke 10:38-42 When Jesus was present at a supper, often he brought out the problems of the people there, and he had a way of meeting their needs and healing their relationships. In the House of Simon the Pharisee, when a ...

3528. A Law We Can Live With

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

... . The sanctuary resounded once more with anthems of praise. And countless young men, eager to follow God, asked to become a part of the abbey. Now, isn't that a beautiful story? Here we have a community of people who discover the wondrous truth that obeying the Lord and serving each other go hand in hand -- that loving one's neighbor is an expression of love for God. And it is this truth to which I believe the Ten Commandments point as well. You see, the two parts of this covenant -- the first four dealing ...

3529. Expecting the Unexpected

Judges 4:1-24

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

... times of war." However, according to Deborah, it's not only fair, it's just. And stranger still, it's been accomplished because of Yahweh's command. Or to put it another way, if this were a movie, the closing credits would read: "written, directed, and produced by the Lord, the God of Israel." We might as well admit that by the time everything's said and done, Sisera's troops aren't the only ones panic-stricken -- I dare say, a good many preachers are also! To put it mildly, it's difficult to accept a story ...

3530. Be Ready!

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Phyllis Faaborg Wolk

... they always have, not thinking about what their worship means. They don't notice that their worship should turn them in the direction of doing justice, of showing God's love to their neighbors. God is unhappy with those who are indifferent toward their faith. Amos quotes the Lord: "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies .... Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps" (Amos 5:21, 23). Most of the book of Amos tells us what ...

3531. Proper 19

Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 14:1--15:13, Exodus 13:17--14:31, Psalm 114:1-8

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... Nehemiah 5:4-5. The people's cry against the imposition of the king's tax which forces them to sell their children into slavery so they can pay it. Matthew 5:7. Mercy returned to the merciful. Matthew 6:14-15. The commentary on forgiveness in the Lord's Prayer. Matthew 14:14. The compassion of Jesus on the people who were sick. Matthew 20:34. The compassion of Jesus for the blind men of Jericho. Luke 7:41-43. A somewhat parallel parable about the contrast between two persons with debts of varying magnitude ...

3532. The Sure Foundation

Matthew 7:15-23, Matthew 7:24-29

Sermon

Marc Kolden

... ancient creeds or a list of fundamentals or the primacy of the Pope. But that is a hopeless way to think about faith. And that is what Jesus is attacking at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, when he says that it is not sufficient simply to say, "Lord, Lord," because faith involves doing the will of God. When Jesus speaks of those who hear his words and act on them, we get a much better picture of faith. Faith comes by hearing, the apostle Paul wrote (Romans 10:17), but it is not the same as hearing. It ...

3533. Welcoming Christ

Matthew 10:40-42

Sermon

Marc Kolden

... the one who sent him. In him, we meet God. That's the central Christian confession. That's why the apostle preaches "Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). Christ is the one in whom the true God comes to us. [When today we receive our Lord's body and blood under the signs of bread and wine, God himself enters into us in all his fullness. The forgiveness of sins we receive in this sacrament is divine forgiveness. The host of this meal is the living God, the Creator renewing the creation. The ...

3534. The Christian Journey II: The Mountain

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... :7) but God will remove all such barriers when God's redemption is complete: "every mountain and hill shall be made low" (Isaiah 40:4). But how does the image of the mountain fit into the idea of the Christian journey, our lifetime of following Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? One obvious way is that it reminds us, if you'll forgive me for saying so, that life has its ups and downs. The journey of Christian discipleship, being followers of Jesus Christ, is not a walk along a level path, let alone a downhill ...

3535. Shared Bread

1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Sermon

Alex Gondola

... forgotten and longstanding grudges forgiven, for we are all the guests of Jesus at his Supper. And it's never polite to reject one of your Host's valued guests! Whether you realize it or not, when you share in the Supper of the Lord, particularly on a Worldwide Communion Sunday, you are doing something radical. You are participating in and witnessing to the New Creation in Jesus Christ. Yes, this world is still torn apart by racial, social, economic, and political divisions. Yes, sometimes you still may not ...

3536. Table Manners

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

Alex Gondola

... we. Gratitude is part of good table manners. This morning, can we thank God in our hearts for the blessing of being invited to the Lord's Supper? A second parable in the fourteenth chapter of Luke is the Parable of Places at Table. This parable points out the danger of ... to Mother Teresa, "I'm sorry, dear, you haven't done enough!" A good story! But with a truth. As we come to the Lord's Table, we're all sinners in need of salvation, beggars needing bread. We are "the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the ...

3537. Sunday Dinner

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Alex Gondola

... Mass, which means "to be sent out" in Latin. The Sacrament strengthens us and nourishes us for service. It's all this and much more: a sacrament, a sacred mystery that we can only begin to fathom. But among all the other things you might think about the Lord's Supper, think of this sacrament as Sunday dinner for our church. The bread and cup is our church family's spiritual food. At Christ's table we review our family story: "On the night in which he was betrayed, Jesus took bread, and when he had blessed ...

3538. Communion With Christ

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Alex Gondola

... . And, John's passage indicates that even some of Jesus' disciples found the teaching difficult to accept. Take Christ's body and blood into ourselves? They thought it was just plain strange. Perhaps we have become so familiar with the Sacrament of our Lord's supper that we sometimes take it for granted. Our lesson encourages us to consider again what communion with Christ means. For one thing, Communion is God addressing us through all five of our senses. Communion is God trying to communicate with us ...

3539. Prayers for Memorial Day, Election, Thanksgiving

Bulletin Aid

Rolland R. Reece

... well as the energy and labor of our days. If we can succeed arm in arm with each other and with you, what a day of glory that will be! This is the dream we follow. This is the dream we dare not relinquish. Hear our words offered through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Election Day O God, as our country moves closer to the time of elections, we are drowning in a sea of promises. We are reminded that being honest, totally honest, may be the work of a lifetime. It's so very easy to masquerade, "round ...

3540. Balaam, The Donkey And The Angel

Numbers 22:1-20, Numbers 22:21-41

Drama

Peter C. Garrison

... I told Balak's guys to forget it. But more officials show up, I resist them and say, "... I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God, to do less or more." Angel: But you knew God might have more to say to you. Balaam: Yes, but he seemed to change his ... 's frustration with being God's servant? (v. 27) 3. Is Balaam a faithful servant of God? 4. How does God, the angel of the Lord and the donkey help Balaam to be a faithful servant? (vv. 24, 33) 5. When did you last ask God, "Hey, what's going on here ...

3541. U-Turns Permitted

Joel 2:1-11

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

... then becomes an opportunity for renewed hope for the nation. Joel instructs the people regarding God's intervention in their lives. Continued sin will reap destruction, but turning away from sin, repentance, fasting, and returning to the Lord will bring about God's forgiveness. It is God's invitation that stands in stark contrast to the behavior of the people. It is God's initiative that reaches beyond the failure of the people saying, "Hey, if you will just stop it, I will bring about a positive change ...

3542. A Call To Worship

Drama

Karren Boehr

... all we're supposed to do is read! That's it! Nothing else! The pastor worries about the condition of the people in the pews. We're just setting the tone for worship, okay? 4TH READER: But I'm supposed to ... listen to this. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Look at me! I'm a total wreck, a mockery to this verse. I feel ... 3RD READER: (Impatiently) I can't believe this! That's what this is all about, renewing your strength? You'll feel much better after an hour of worship, I guarantee ...

3543. Have Patience and Courage

Isaiah 2:1-5, Isaiah 2:6-22

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... wait upon God's holy deliverance. People: But the times are hard and the land is hostile. Leader: Yet the Lord hears every plea of our hearts. We are not left alone. People: Then let us take comfort in the mighty arm of the Lord, Leader: And let us lift our voices in loving praise. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect O God, hear our prayers for Your guidance and return to walk in our midst. Help us to have patience and courage that our lives might demonstrate our faith for all to see. In Christ ...

3544. Jesus, the Promised Light

Isaiah 49:1-7

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... ! Collect O God, so long ago You sent forth Your word promising us Your Holy Light amid the darkness of human sin and despair. In Christ You have fulfilled Your promise. We thank You, Lord. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord, so often we have struggled with just receiving the gift of Your love, and we have failed to understand it is a gift we were meant to pass on. Too often we have limited the blessings You could bring to the world if only we would share Christ with those ...

3545. God's Holy Ways

Leviticus 19:1-37

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... O God, in Your wonder You have taught and shown us the glory of Your Holiness. Give us the strength and the courage to walk in Your holiness forsaking the ways of the world. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord, so often when we have had the opportunity to share Your Holiness through our lives we have walked instead the paths of vengeance and unrighteousness. So often when a healing word might have planted a seed of salvation, we have sown instead seeds of bitterness and discord. Forgive ...

3546. Persistence

Genesis 29:15-30

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... of those in sorrow and pain? Leader: God will always honor the praise from the heart of every believer. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect O God, You have always been patient and loving with Your beloved Children, even when we have been less than lovable. Give us the strength, Lord, to proclaim Your Mercy and Grace. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord, so often amid all of our schemes and plans we find ourselves coming up short of the loving people You would have us to be. Forgive ...

3547. The foolishness of the world

Exodus 1:1-22

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... the world has plotted against those who would be Your servants and messengers only to see Your Word victorious. You are indeed the Lord God Almighty. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord, so often when You have acted to free Your children in bondage we have actually resisted Your guidance and even plotted against those who would proclaim Your message of freedom. Forgive us, Lord, and when we find others enslaved, help us work for their freedom, or when we find others in need, teach us to reach ...

3548. The Golden Calf

Exodus 32:1-33:6

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... O God, in Your love You have given us a gift we cannot measure nor can it be truly captured in any worldly symbol. Your love is best contained only in our hearts. We thank You, Lord. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer Of Confession O Lord, You have warned us You would not tolerate our placing any god before You, yet at times we have so subtly tried. Too often we have allowed even areas of our lives like work, sports, gossip, clubs and almost everything we can imagine to be more important than You. Forgive ...

3549. The Flood

Genesis 6:1-8:22

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... : Come, all who would seek shelter in the arms of God. People: For the storms in life have been fierce and the pressures strong. Leader: Yet those who would serve the Lord need have no fear. People: But the trees bend and the walls tremble! Leader: Yet remember Noah: those faithful to the Lord will never be lost. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect O God, You are Almighty and everlasting and You do not know fear. Yet without You we are as reeds tossed in the wind. Gather and hold us securely in ...

3550. Absolute Faith

Genesis 22:1-19

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... ! Collect O God, Who commands the stars to exist, we ask You to give us the courage and the faith to trust You with all that we have and every loved one with whom You have blessed our lives. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord, so often in the rush of daily life we tend to forget You are the Divine Creator. Too often, when faced with the challenge of having faith in Your ability to care for those who are precious to us, we tend to feel we can care for loved ones better ...

Showing results