Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3576 to 3600 of 4957 results

3576. If We Had Known It Was You

Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

James McCormick

... to act accordingly! This vision of the worth and dignity of every human being has been one of the most powerful forces for good in human history. Whenever people’s minds and hearts have been captured by it, significant change has taken place. One historian has claimed that four words brought about the virtual end to slavery in the world: “For whom Christ died.” Once we take seriously the fact that every human being is one for whom Christ died, one who is loved by God, then we can’t treat that person ...

3577. Be Kind

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

James McCormick

... It is God acting in us and through us that enables our kindness. But, clearly, if we do not act with kindness toward others, it is evidence that we have not received God’s kindness toward us. It is a constant source of sadness for me, to see people who claim to be followers of Jesus who are not very kind to others. They believe all the right things. They say all the right words. They espouse the right values and work for the right causes. They do so many right things, but do them in wrong ways. I remember ...

3578. Weak Sauce

1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , we still want #1. We like being number one, whether that number one is #1 Super Power, #1 Super Bowl, #1 consumer, #1 producer of greenhouse gases, #1 destination for all petroleum products. In our frenzy to be number one, we can even claim two paradoxical titles for ourselves. On the one hand we're the champs of chubbiness. Americans are overweight, out of shape, junk-food super-sized slackers. The typical American is at least twenty pounds overweight, and thinks exercise is walking up and ordering ...

3579. Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:26-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... according to your word" (verse 38). Mary identifies herself as "the servant of the Lord" (literally the doule or handmaiden), acknowledging God's power and lordship over her life. But servants also gained status based upon who was their master. And with her acceptance of the angel's words, Mary claims an indisputable honor as God's own declared favored one.

3580. Water That Brings a New Beginning - Sermon Starter

Mt 3:13-17

Illustration

Brett Blair

... recognizes baptism as a time of change. However, where the first approach isolates the act of baptism as the most important moment, the second approach understands baptism more as a beginning. While it is true that in the waters of baptism God laid claim on our lives, it is also true that we spend the rest of our lives trying to figure out what that means. The first understanding often overlooks the journey which follows baptism. Baptism too frequently carries the connotation of having arrived. Sometimes ...

3581. Want to Be Happy?

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Christmas greeting. Or here’s another: *Like blasting out into space and seeing the world from a never-before perspective on one of the new “spaceliners” being developed by Britisher Richard Branson and his Virgin Group Voyagers. After all how many people can claim to have watched the sunrise 15 times in a day, or felt the freedom of weightlessness. Or here’s another one from a computer magazine: *Like buying your own heaven. The virtual worlds being computer generated for gamers can be adapted and ...

3582. A New Attitude

Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... level. Hundreds of people have died trying to scale its slopes. On May 10, 1996, climbers from three different expeditions attempting to reach the summit of Everest found themselves in a traffic jam as they approached the final ascent. An unexpected storm suddenly came up, claiming the lives of eight of the climbers. Jon Krakauer was in one of those three groups. The title of his book, In Thin Air, comes partially from an experience he had on top of the mountain. As he was beginning his slow descent back ...

3583. Advent 1

Matthew 24:36-51, Romans 13:8-14, Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122:1-9

Sermon Aid

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

... Old Testament lesson and the psalm inaugurate the Advent season with a powerful symbol of salvation: Zion. Isaiah 2:1-5 provides a utopian vision of Zion as an end-time reality, while the pilgrimage hymn in Psalm 122 encourages us to claim this salvation in our present lives through worship. Taken together these Old Testament texts provide a strong commentary on Advent. They underscore how Advent points us to a future reality that reaches backwards and embraces us in worship, even while we journey toward ...

3584. Advent 3

Psalm 146:1-10, Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-12, Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon Aid

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

... of his ministry. Jesus ties his ministry of liberating humans from the hindrances that bound them to the expectations articulated in the Old Testament. Thus he makes plain that his work is a fulfillment of Israel's hopes for God's salvation, though he does not claim to fulfill all of Israel's hopes. With these images from scripture used to describe his ministry, Jesus places his case before John. Jesus avoids a mere yes or no answer, for such a reply would be a sheer proposition to be accepted or rejected ...

3585. Christmas 1

Mt 2:13-23 · Heb 2:10-18 · Isa 63:7-9 · Ps 148

Sermon Aid

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

... are summarized, consummated, embodied, and realized in Jesus Christ. In Jesus all of God's work and all of God's words are made perfect. Israel's past becomes truly real, as Jesus relives and perfects Israel's story. Matthew makes a profound christological claim with these words, and we the readers should not press him for exact parallels. In a striking manner vv. 19-23 reiterate the same points. Again, God intervenes to direct his purposes to completion. Again, Joseph's obedience—although now with a bit ...

3586. Easter 6

Psalm 66:1-20, Acts 17:16-34, 1 Peter 3:8-22, John 14:15-31

Sermon Aid

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

... . In the pluralistic currents of contemporary society, this text may cause more problems than it solves. What looks like another illustration of the diversity of canonical models for thinking and talking about God turns out to be one of the most narrowly focused claims in scripture. Coming to terms with the complex content and the pointed tone of this passage may be difficult, but it will reward those who wrestle with the issues it raises. Psalm 66:8-20 - "Double-Barreled Piety" Setting. This is a complex ...

3587. Easter 7

Jn 17:1-11 · 1 Pet 4:12-14; 5:6-11 · Ps 68 · Acts 1:6-14

Sermon Aid

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

... is not meant merely to recall a past event; rather as the worshipers remember God's past saving actions and celebrate them, they experience the events once again in the present. Israelite worship was more than memorial ceremony; it was the present claiming of the real power of God, which had acted in the past to achieve salvation. NEW TESTAMENT TEXTS The two New Testament lessons provide a fitting conclusion to the Easter Season. Each text describes what it means for disciples to be in relationship ...

3588. Epiphany 2

Psalm 40:1-17, Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-34, John 1:35-42

Sermon Aid

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

... of the epistle, and throughout this letter, Paul shows that he has good information about the situation in Corinth. In general, the situation is this: Some of the members of the church in Corinth are quarreling and forming competitive cliques, each of which claims to be more spiritual than the others. In short, spiritual arrogance is tearing apart the Body of Christ, as one group after another struts its spiritual superiority. Paul writes to address this multifaceted mess, which at core amounts to one thing ...

3589. Epiphany 4

Psalm 15:1-5, Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

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

... rhetorical strategies—questions, declarations, juxtapositions—to emphasize that God's ways, though unexpected, are superior. Then, in vv. 26-31 Paul turns specifically to the Corinthians. He uses their own backgrounds as evidence of the veracity of his claims, ultimately to turn their attention away from themselves (the cause of controversy) and toward God (the source of salvation). Significance. Paul teaches that God works in direct defiance of human standards. Moreover, God's work is powerful, so ...

3590. Epiphany 5

Psalm 112:1-10, Isaiah 58:1-14, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 5:17-20

Sermon Aid

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

... focused on the Corinthians to illustrate the veracity of the statements about God. Paul continues his argument in 2:1-16, but he moves through personal illustration to consider Christian epistemology—namely, how believers know what they know about God. Structure. Paul illustrates the claim that God's standards are neither those "of humans" nor "of this age" by writing of his own ministry (vv. 1-5). In turn, Paul comments on his work and the failure of "the rulers of this age" to comprehend God's ways (vv ...

3591. Lent 3

Jn 4:5-42 · Rom 5:1-11 · Ex 17:1-7 · Ps 95

Sermon Aid

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

... a Jewish man's dignity at the time. As the conversation unwinds, the woman does not follow Jesus as he speaks in theological metaphors about the saving gift of life. Remarkably, Jesus is not harsh with her as he was with Nicodemus. She has claimed no knowledge, and indeed could not be expected to grasp the lofty level of Jesus' statements—though we as readers certainly should follow the turns of the conversation from our privileged position. The woman calls Jesus kyrios which may mean no more than "Sir ...

3592. Proper 6

Matthew 10:1-42, Matthew 9:35-38, Romans 5:1-11, Psalm 116:1-19, Genesis 18:1-15

Sermon Aid

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

... end of Sarah's story, where her final speech is really directed to the reader. Both the end of the story in Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7 and Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 provide focus for preaching, because they invite the worshiping congregation to claim the transformation in the character of Sarah from unbelief to belief as affirmation of their own faith in God's ability to save. NEW TESTAMENT TEXTS As we move into ordinary time, we return to Romans and Matthew. The passages in the lessons for this and the following ...

3593. Proper 9

Psalm 45:1-17, Romans 7:7-25, Matthew 11:25-30, Matthew 11:1-19, Genesis 24:1-67

Sermon Aid

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

... , we humans more often than not fail to comprehend God's emissaries and God's purposes (vv. 16-19). Second, our gracious God is active in the world revealing the person of Christ and the purposes of his will to those who live without making pretentious claims to God's favor (vv. 25-26). Third, God's self-revelation transpires freely and graciously through Jesus Christ, who himself is in a special position to know and reveal the person and will of God (v. 27). Fourth, Jesus Christ calls "all . . . that are ...

3594. Proper 19

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

Sermon Aid

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

... -9 make a christological statement about the common core of Christian life. All Christians have one Lord, the Lord of life and death. The bond that holds believers together despite their differences is the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which claims them and unites them in life and death. Verses 10-12 continue this line of argumentation by making a pronounced theological statement against the judgment of one group of Christians by another. The ultimate authority for judging believers belongs to God ...

3595. Proper 20

Exodus 16:1-36, Matthew 20:1-16, Philippians 1:12-30, Psalm 105:1-45

Sermon Aid

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

... be the safer choice, because the manna rots at the end of the day. The preacher could emphasize that God's grace cannot be stored up, and that if we try to horde it for ourselves, we make it foul and thus turn grace into something rotten. Grace must be claimed anew every day. It does not earn interest, and it cannot be stored up for personal manipulation. This means of receiving grace anew each day is the test for the people of God. The story of God's grace has a further point if we extend the narrative to ...

3596. Proper 26

Joshua 3:1-4:24, Matthew 23:1-39, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, Psalm 107:1-43

Sermon Aid

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

... seek honorific titles. For decades and centuries Protestants have enjoyed taking a flatly literal sense of these verses and bashing Roman Catholics with them. But there is more here than meets the simple eye. Jesus' message is that we lay aside our efforts and claims to authority and honor because the real authority and the actual honor belong to God. And greatness in God's eyes is in service. Nevertheless, we go on compiling our resumes, and we continue to give and seek honors. We suffer from the delusion ...

3597. Proper 27

Joshua 24:1-27, Psalm 78:1-72, 1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11, Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon Aid

Soards, Dozeman, McCabe

... , we must allow the promise of the future to call us forth in the present. God's future draws us and directs us as we live in the present, anticipating what God's power will do in and through the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God's future claims the present, for indeed Christ is not only coming, he has already come. Those in church don't need to hear the threatening dimensions—it will create an us/them split—but without a doubt, Jesus thought God had standards and that humans ought to take them very ...

3598. Proper 29

Psalm 100:1-5, Ezekiel 34:1-31, Ephesians 1:15-23, Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon Aid

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

... a proper understanding of such power is not innate to us, but actually requires that God become the shepherd in order to show us how it works (vv. 17-22). Fourth, once God has shown us what the character of royal power is, we can claim this Davidic ideal in the present time (vv. 23-24). And, fifth, that the realization of this ideal has cosmic implications (vv. 25-31). Ezekiel provides powerful tools both for interpreting Christ the King and for reflecting on what discipleship means because Christ now rules ...

3599. Thanksgiving Day, North America

Luke 17:11-19, Deuteronomy 8:1-20, Psalm 65:1-13, 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Sermon Aid

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

... Sometime after Paul wrote I Corinthians, a group of outsiders arrived in Corinth. These people were Christian preachers, but their message was that Christianity was a vitally renewed Judaism wherein certain people possess the power to work miracles. These preachers claimed to possess that extraordinary power, indeed they maintained they were sources of divine power. Paul referred to these people as "super-apostles," a clearly sarcastic designation in the apostle's use, but a title which may have been their ...

3600. Trinity Sunday

Genesis 1:1-2:3, Matthew 28:16-20, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Psalm 8:1-9

Sermon Aid

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

... text like Genesis 1? Can we really talk about Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the narrow context of the first creation story? An examination of the role of Genesis 1:1-2:4a in the larger context of Scripture will provide guidelines of how we claim this text on Trinity Sunday. First, what then does Genesis 1 say about God and creation? The introduction in 1:1-2 provides important information for answering this question, for it describes reality prior to God's creative activity, which begins with light in v. 3 ...

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Showing 3576 to 3600 of 4957 results

3576. If We Had Known It Was You

Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

James McCormick

3577. Be Kind

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

James McCormick

3578. Weak Sauce

1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

3579. Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:26-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

3580. Water That Brings a New Beginning - Sermon Starter

Mt 3:13-17

Illustration

Brett Blair

3581. Want to Be Happy?

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

3582. A New Attitude

Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

3583. Advent 1

Matthew 24:36-51, Romans 13:8-14, Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122:1-9

Sermon Aid

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

3584. Advent 3

Psalm 146:1-10, Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-12, Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon Aid

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

3585. Christmas 1

Mt 2:13-23 · Heb 2:10-18 · Isa 63:7-9 · Ps 148

Sermon Aid

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

3586. Easter 6

Psalm 66:1-20, Acts 17:16-34, 1 Peter 3:8-22, John 14:15-31

Sermon Aid

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

3587. Easter 7

Jn 17:1-11 · 1 Pet 4:12-14; 5:6-11 · Ps 68 · Acts 1:6-14

Sermon Aid

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

3588. Epiphany 2

Psalm 40:1-17, Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-34, John 1:35-42

Sermon Aid

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

3589. Epiphany 4

Psalm 15:1-5, Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

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

3590. Epiphany 5

Psalm 112:1-10, Isaiah 58:1-14, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 5:17-20

Sermon Aid

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

3591. Lent 3

Jn 4:5-42 · Rom 5:1-11 · Ex 17:1-7 · Ps 95

Sermon Aid

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

3592. Proper 6

Matthew 10:1-42, Matthew 9:35-38, Romans 5:1-11, Psalm 116:1-19, Genesis 18:1-15

Sermon Aid

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

3593. Proper 9

Psalm 45:1-17, Romans 7:7-25, Matthew 11:25-30, Matthew 11:1-19, Genesis 24:1-67

Sermon Aid

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

3594. Proper 19

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

Sermon Aid

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

3595. Proper 20

Exodus 16:1-36, Matthew 20:1-16, Philippians 1:12-30, Psalm 105:1-45

Sermon Aid

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

3596. Proper 26

Joshua 3:1-4:24, Matthew 23:1-39, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, Psalm 107:1-43

Sermon Aid

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

3597. Proper 27

Joshua 24:1-27, Psalm 78:1-72, 1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11, Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon Aid

Soards, Dozeman, McCabe

3598. Proper 29

Psalm 100:1-5, Ezekiel 34:1-31, Ephesians 1:15-23, Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon Aid

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

3599. Thanksgiving Day, North America

Luke 17:11-19, Deuteronomy 8:1-20, Psalm 65:1-13, 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Sermon Aid

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

3600. Trinity Sunday

Genesis 1:1-2:3, Matthew 28:16-20, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Psalm 8:1-9

Sermon Aid

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

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