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Showing 3576 to 3600 of 4914 results

3576. Proper 21

Matthew 21:23-27, Matthew 21:28-32, Exodus 17:1-7, Ezekiel 18:1-32, Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: God judges us not based on what we were but what we are. If a sinner turns away from his sin to the Lord, he is accounted as righteous. This is the point of Ezekiel 18. The Gospel makes a similar point, if the rebel turns to obedience, he is accounted as righteous. COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Exodus 17:1-7 (C) The Israelites complain loudly to Moses that they had no water. They question whether the Lord was really with them. In desperation, Moses cries out to the Lord, fearing that they might stone him. ...

3577. Wonderful Story

Genesis 17:1-27

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

There's a great story being used in business circles to define the buzz-word "paradigm." It seems a battleship was taking part in night maneuvers somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Ahead, in the dark, a light was to be seen and the admiral on deck told his signalman to radio the distant vessel that the other ship was on a collision course with the battleship. He ordered that the other ship change course. However, a reply asked the admiral to change his course. Unused to disobedience, the admiral radioed back ...

3578. Hate Evil

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

In the Holy Gospel appointed for today our Lord refers to the manner in which Moses "lifted up the serpent in the wilderness." The incident to which our Lord referred is narrated in the First Lesson. The occasion was the outburst of frustration when the Children of Israel had to backtrack from Mount Hor down to the Sea of Reeds to detour around Edom. The reason for the runaround was that the Edomites would not grant the Israelites a permit to pass through their land. Consequently, as the Israelites started ...

3579. How Does Religious Conduct Work?

Mark 7:31-37

Sermon

Donald Macleod

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And his ears were opened, his tongue was ...

3580. What Does Jesus Expect of Us?

Mark 8:27-38

Sermon

Donald Macleod

And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that I am?" And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others one of the prophets." And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." And he charged them to tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the ...

3581. There Is Healing in the Touch

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

The idea for this sermon, “There is Healing in the Touch,” comes from two sources. In the Gospel Jesus makes a house call at the home of Jairus, President of the Synagogue Council. We would call him Senior Warden. “My little girl is dying,” he said. “Will you come and put your hands on her?” When Jesus entered the room, he took the little girl’s hand and said to her in his own native language, “Wake up, little girl!” At once she jumped to her feet and walked around the room. The other source is a book my ...

3582. As Mortals See

1 Samuel 15:1-35

Sermon

Charles Curley

I made a big mistake when I began to read and study in preparation for this sermon on 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13. I decided to go back first and read all of Chapter 15, just to see what could possibly have happened to King Saul to bring us to the tragic point in the story of Israel where we read: "Samuel grieved over Saul, and the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel." (1 Samuel 15:35) And that was my mistake, reading Chapter 15, because I got hooked on Saul! Instead of finding Saul a tyrant, ...

3583. Proper 21

Mark 9:38-41, Esther 7:1-10, Esther 9:18-32, James 5:13-20, Mark 9:42-50

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Providing a preserving and redemptive effect on the world. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 The book of Esther, written about 460 B.C., makes no mention of God, worship, or prayer. It doubtless was included in the canon because it is sort of an Easter story concerning the Jewish people. The wicked Haman had laid plans for the genocide of the Jewish people. Mordecai catches wind of the plot and intercedes with his adopted daughter, Queen Esther, who intercedes with King Ahasuerus ...

3584. Proper 5

2 Corinthians 4:1-18, 1 Samuel 8:1-22, Mark 3:31-35, Mark 3:20-30

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Facing the enemy. God and his servants can expect opposition. In the First Lesson Samuel and the Lord experience flack because the people want a king. In the Second Lesson Paul continues to be pummeled by all sorts of enemies and by the weakness of his body. In the Gospel Jesus discovers that his opponents are not only the scribes but his own family, who regard him as crazy. COMMENTARY Lesson 1: 1 Samuel 8:4-20 (11:14-15) (C) The people plead with Samuel to obtain a king for them so that they might ...

3585. As Is

Ephesians 2:1-10

Sermon

Mark J. Molldrem

Once upon a long time ago, a friend of mine owned a yellow Datsun. It was a neat little car that took him over the hills and through the valleys of southern Wisconsin. With "five on the floor," it was fun to drive, shifting up and down, turning left and right, accelerating and stepping on the breaks. The yellow Datsun kept him happy for a couple years, until one day it died. The head cracked and the engine decided not to turn over any longer. It was a sad day for my friend, his only consolation coming from ...

3586. Pentecost Communion Meditation: Monologue Of A Saint

Acts 2:42-47, Acts 2:14-41

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

Theme: The Holy Spirit has, through the years, drawn us to Christ, that He might make us saints and family. Setting: Like Abraham, I set out on a journey. After twenty years teaching in a United Methodist Church college setting, I grew restless, but still did not know what to do with the rest of my life. For one year, I took a part-time appointment, a two-church circuit, 65 miles from my home in Lakeland, Florida. I had no idea whether I was up to the task of returning to the pastorate. How does one ...

3587. He Has Come Back To Life!

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon Aid

Clement E. Lewis

Instrumental Meditation Words Of Preparation: (By the Worship Leader) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever, King of kings and Lord of lords. Hallelujah! Thanks be to God who gives us the victory! Let us sing ...

3588. Redemption Near And Dear

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Erskine White

Look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. (Luke 21:28) A few years ago, a rather well-known preacher wrote a book called Shaping a Successful Life, and as is customary in the book business, his publisher arranged a series of interviews on radio and television as a way of promoting sales of the book. Now, amid everything he had written on being successful, he also included one chapter on coping with troubles and tragedies in life, and to this man’s surprise, everyone who ...

3589. What About The Holy Spirit?

John 15:18--16:4

Sermon

Erskine White

But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth ... (John 15:26) Many of the pentecostal and charismatic churches place entirely too much emphasis on the Holy Spirit. In fact, the Holy Spirit seems the only part of the triune God some of these churches pay attention to. In their worship, their preaching and their faith, they nearly abandon God the Father and Christ the Son in favor of the Spirit, to the point where Christian faith is reduced to a mere matter ...

3590. Easter 4

John 10:22-42, Acts 13:13-52, Numbers 27:12-23, Revelation 7:9-17

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Good Shepherd Sunday fell on the Second Sunday after Easter in the classic calendar and lectionary; it now occurs on the Fourth Sunday of Easter (or, in the older scheme, on the Third Sunday after Easter). Accordingly, the traditional gospel (John 10:11-16) is retained, specifically in Year/Cycle B of the contemporary lectionaries, but John 10 is also employed as the Gospel in Years/Cycles A and C. Last Sunday's theme emphasized that Jesus Christ was the Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed at ...

3591. Advent 4

Psalm 80:1-19, Micah 5:1-4, Hebrews 10:1-18, Luke 1:39-45

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Thirty-five years ago, a liturgical scholar, Edward T. Horn, III, said: "The Fourth and last Sunday in Advent has been an 'orphan' for centuries so far as its true nature is concerned. In contemporary America it is often called 'Christmas Sunday,' an intrusion from nonliturgical Protestantism of Puritan background which, having divorced all religious observances from Christmas, sought to salve its conscience by transferring these observances to the previous Sunday." He concludes: "As a ...

3592. The Problem With Miracles In Our Time

Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon

William J. Carl

If the truth be known, most of us would have to admit that we walk a very fine line between believing and not believing. There are times in our lives when, yes, we do seem to believe all these things we say about God when we read the Bible and sing the hymns in our own churches. There are even times when we’d say, yes, we feel close to God, whatever that means. But there are also those desert times in our lives when we wonder whether or not we believe any of it at all anymore: God, Jesus, the church, ...

3593. Christ Is Coming…

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

James Garrett

Today is the start of the season of Advent. A season of anticipation. A season of hope and waiting. It is a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ. It has been said: “The extraordinary thing that is about to happen is matched only by the extraordinary moment just before it happens. Advent is the name of that moment.”1 Jesus shares with his disciples concerning his second coming. An extraordinary thing… matched only by the extraordinary moment before it happens. A strange text for the season of ...

3594. That's Our God For You!

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

John M. Braaten

Palm Sunday is an event in Christ's life that many people, particularly young people, enjoy. It is action packed, filled with lots of commotion and noise - especially noise. It centers around a grand parade with all the excitement and frenzied emotion of a political convention. The "Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem," as it is sometimes called, includes people lining the streets craning their necks to see, waving palms, and lots of shouting. For many people who like lots of activity, Palm Sunday is their ...

3595. Living Beyond Unhappily Ever After

Genesis 21:8-21

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

The story escalated towards its climax as viewers sat breathlessly riveted to their seats. The beautiful young woman stands in the doorway, tears cascading down her cheeks as she pans the green rolling hills of her 100-acre estate, looking for Joel. The camera follows her eyes, peering towards the large iron gate fronting her palatial abode. Then suddenly appearing is the faint figure of a dashing young man, clad in resplendent blue military decor, red scarf flowing in the wind, with high black saddle ...

3596. The Priesthood Of All Believers

Exodus 19:1-25

Sermon

Walter Kimbrough

The priesthood of all believers is a topic highly talked about, but too rarely practiced. It has become no more than theological jargon with little or no meaning. Yet, we like Israel, are entitled to be a nation of priests. All of us, whether clergy or lay, share in an ordination by God to be priests. All persons who believe in Jesus the Christ are a part of this priestly nation. But, what constitutes a priest? How can I know whether I am a priest? The Bible dictionary informs us that, “The New Testament ...

3597. An Overwhelming Promise

Eulogy

Joe Barone

Isaiah 55:6-13, Jeremiah 31:31-33 Hebrews 9:24-28 and Romans 8:1-4 Sometimes the sweep and power of God’s promises in the Bible almost overwhelm me. Just stop and think about some of them. First there’s the rainbow. “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth,” God tells Noah in Genesis 9:17. When we look at the rainbow, we are to know that God is God, and God is faithful. From there the promise goes to Abraham and his descendants, then to ...

3598. Transformed For The Great Awakening

Sermon

Ron Lavin

Moses experienced the presence of the living God. Therein he was transformed. His face shone. He smiled broadly. Light shone round about him. Everyone noticed the difference. There was a radiance about Moses after he had talked with God. In Hebrew this radiance is called she kinah or Divine Presence. The question raised by our text is the question of radiance. Are we going to let our lights so shine before others that they will be led to faith? The question is not, "How much light do you have?" but "Will ...

3599. Mission Possible

Sermon

Robert Beringer

Almost all of us have seen the popular television program, "Mission Impossible." For many years the MI Task Force took on what seemed like an incredible assignment, and in less than an hour, they did the impossible! How wonderful it would be if carrying out the mission of Jesus Christ in this world were as easy. The challenge to us in this season of Epiphany is the ongoing proclamation that the "light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5)." But in more ways than one, this ...

3600. The Glorious Company

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Theodore F. Schneider

Harmless fun some call it. Others suggest it is never harmless or funny to joke about evil, even if we know that the witches and gremlins, devils and werewolves who roam our streets are the little children of our neighborhood, and the glaring faces in our windows are no more than hollowed-out pumpkins whose candles will not even last the evening. While there are some October Scrooges who bemoan the knocks at the door, there are many more who pile up the fruits and candies, turn on the lights and wait by ...

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