Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3651 to 3675 of 4943 results

3651. Fox in the Henhouse

Luke 13:31-35

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... the threat of Herod’s brand of cultural and moral influence. And it comes out in the way these Jewish religious officials behave toward others in the faith. Jesus, the Lamb, the Hen, the Door, and so many other wonderful metaphors of scripture, will continue to call out predatory behavior in nearly every parable he tells, particularly in Luke. Most everyone in his path do not heed his warnings of danger and deceit until “fox-like” some of those very Pharisees, along with the Chief priests, will circle ...

3652. Famine of the Heart

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... had just become “actors” in Jesus’ storyline. They “are” the angry brothers! In fact, their responses are likely the same as the second son in Jesus’ story! Can you imagine them nodding their heads in approval at the second son’s rebuke? And yet Jesus continues….. [In response to the angry brother, the father says]: “This brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” Mic drop. Jesus leaves it all right there. In the silence, you can likely hear only a ...

3653. Messiah’s Community

John 20:19-31

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... ! His face glowed, and all heaven shone around him! Could it be Brother John? Yes, he was gruff. But he was also kind. Would give you the shirt off his back. He helped everyone anytime. And what about Brother Joseph…? The musing and the mulling continued long into the darkness. When dawn broke the next day, the brothers gathered, as usual, for morning prayers. They all looked the same, but it was actually a new group of people. Something happened during the night, and each was now a bit of a different ...

3654. The Art Of Transition

Luke 9:51-62

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... to learn new skills and face new responsibilities. Our doctor tells us we have to change our eating and exercise habits. Even the changes we seek cause us distress and discomfort. That new baby we wanted so much keeps us up at night with feedings and worry and continues to do so for the rest of her life, at least the worry part. We finally get to retire and then we find ourselves feeling bored and forgotten. The new easy chair turns out to be less comfortable than the old one. The new computer means I have ...

3655. For Someone Who Heroically Suffered, Yet Spread Good Cheer

John 19:25-27 · 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

... s name for that show: Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. That was because Jim hadn’t bought a new suit or shirt or tie in over five years. Linda’s Mom told me that as a child Linda was always bubbly and that continued on throughout her adulthood, throughout her entire life and it continued even through her illness. And so besides humor being a regular part of Linda’s repertoire, so was her zest for life, so was her excitement for all that life had to offer. I’m not sure who told me this but apparently ...

3656. To Be Set Free

Luke 13:10-17

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... us from reaching our full potential in our lives is not due to our inability, but the self-doubt that plagues our spirit. Perhaps we’ve been discouraged in our lives. Perhaps, like Diana, we’ve endured trauma that will not let us go but continues to saddle us with guilt, shame, and grief. Perhaps we’ve spent too much time trying to do life alone instead of allowing others to support us, encourage us, and travel our journey alongside of us. Perhaps our failures have brought us down like rocks tied ...

3657. Persistent Prayer

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

Jill J. Duffield

... audience, “Never, ever let someone pull you down so low you hate them.” He charged us, “Don’t give up, don’t give in, and don’t give out. Keep the faith and move on continuing the story.”[1] That was 2015 and I would contend we need Lewis’ charge more today than ever. But if we are going to keep the faith and continue the story all the way to the end, through to the Garden of Gethsemane and to the arrest of Jesus and brutality of the cross and the darkness of Friday and Saturday, and all the ...

3658. A Lamp Shining In a Dark Place

2 Peter 1:17-21

Sermon

Will Willimon

... , the Bible doesn't have an ending. It just keeps going with no conclusion, with no sure statement of how things will turn out between us and God, as if to say that the story has no ending, as if you and I are still living the story. “To be continued,” is the last word of every Bible story. And that's one reason why we love the Bible. We have a hunch that it's our story. We read about David, we think of ourselves at forty-five. We read of the drunkenness and debauchery of the Philistines, we think ...

3659. The Future and What to Do About It

Luke 16:1-13

Sermon

Will Willimon

... of office intrigue. Maybe some of his co-workers had it in for him, set him up." Such things happen in business. Or perhaps you are saying, “This guy is really a crook. He has not only swindled his boss out of a considerable amount of money, but he continues to swindle, even after he has been caught. He thinks about nothing but himself and his future. This guy needs the ethics course at Fuqua." What are we to make of this? Well for one thing, Jesus has a sense of humor. I imagine Jesus' audience got a ...

3660. The Three Tenses Of Our Faith

Genesis 15:1-18

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... . People's lives were constantly threatened by disease, famine, wild animals, and formidable military foes. But God said, "Fear not and you will be greatly rewarded." Since God had always been faithful and true to God's word, Abraham placed his trust in God's continued provision for his life. Sometimes we underestimate God's ability to provide for us. In fact, there are times that we seek God's blessing in the form of the superficial and the trivial. But God's reward goes beyond our limited expectations and ...

3661. Living A Triumphant Life

Joshua 5:1-12

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... was an opportunity for the community of faith to express thanksgiving to God for delivering them from the oppression of Egypt. In the Old Testament, remembering is always an important part of worship. The process of remembering God's past faithfulness led to a continued confidence that God would provide in the future. By celebrating the past blessings of God, God's people were inspired to go forward in faith. It also helped them to feel confident that they would not go forward alone. God had been there in ...

3662. Becoming A Faithful Witness

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... sustain us. Consider the parallels in the message of today's scriptures and the events of that first Palm Sunday. Jesus made a triumphant entry into Jerusalem knowing full well what lie ahead. He knew the agony and the shame to which he would be subjected. Why continue? Jesus stayed on the path before him because it was what God wanted. Even in the garden, with the hour close at hand, Jesus sought communion with God. He needed the strength and the comfort of God's spirit and he needed the assurance that it ...

3663. Whom Shall We Obey?

Acts 5:17-42

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... grace and love. And the church had played a significant role in healing the brokenness of life. The power of our witness would be dramatically increased if we could model the courage and the commitment of the disciples. They sensed God calling them to continue spreading the message of Christ in spite of the restrictions placed on them by the Jewish religious leaders. It must have taken great courage to maintain a public witness in the face of such scrutiny. How often do we choose the path of least ...

3664. A Call To Community

Acts 16:6-10

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... to them in some small way. Or perhaps she saw the needs of Paul and the others. They had been traveling. They had ministered to so many people. Lydia may have seen the need to help Paul's group gain renewal so that the growth of Christianity could continue. For whatever reasons, Lydia invited Paul and the others to her home. She did more than invite them. She persisted in inviting them. She insisted. In the words of Luke, "She prevailed upon us" (Acts 16:15). In essence she said to Paul's group, "Unless you ...

3665. New Wine

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... was talking about -- consecrate. So when I shook my head, Billy Sunday took me to an old wooden folding chair, laid my trumpet on it, put his hands -- one on the horn and the other on my shoulder -- and prayed and gave us both to God." Then the man continued, "And you know, Barbara, it made a difference. It made a difference the way I played that trumpet and it made a difference in me!" The Holy Spirit does make a difference. He makes a big difference! Let him fill you today. Drink deeply of this Divine New ...

3666. Holy Wisdom From On High!

Proverbs 8:1-36

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... a quandary! What should I preach? I first thought to preach about the omnipotence and love of God the Father. Then I reconsidered, "But I must preach about Jesus, his death and resurrection and the salvation he offers to the world." But, I realized as I continued to think about it, I simply could not leave out the Holy Spirit, for he is the indwelling God who quickens, instructs, and empowers the Christian. But all of this was far too much for any one sermon. Who is able to adequately handle such enormous ...

3667. Walking On Our Hands

John 8:31-41

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

... from Abraham had enslaved them. Since they believed that physical descent from Abraham was all that was needed to put one into right relationship with God, their ears were deaf to Jesus' call to discipleship. They did not recognize his word as coming from God the Father. "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples ... There is no place in you for my word. I declare what I have seen in the Father's presence" (John 8:31, 37-38). In John's gospel the greatest sin is unbelief in Jesus as the Son of ...

3668. Topsy-turvy Christianity

Luke 6:17-26, Luke 6:27-36

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

... no matter how well protected. People praise false prophets because they tell them what they want to hear and do not challenge their false securities. If the Blessings and Woes of the Sermon on the Plain turn our priorities topsy-turvy, what follows continues the process. Jesus gives a list of ethical precepts which go against every common sense natural impulse about how to get along in this world. Here comes Jesus talking about loving our enemies and doing good to those who hate us; about blessing those ...

3669. One Bride For Seven Brothers

Luke 20:27-40

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

... straight for the Temple and takes it over as the arena of his activity in Jerusalem. One can imagine that the religious authorities are not too pleased with this turn of events. Jesus teaches every day in the Temple. The tension between him and the authorities continues to mount. This is how Luke describes the situation: "The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what ...

3670. No More Tears

Revelation 21:1-27

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

... in heaven? Would it be the same, if I saw you in heaven?" Mr. Clapton's separation from his son is real. His son is gone forever. As with others who grieve the loss of loved ones, however, Clapton desperately wants to communicate with him again. Clapton's song continues. He envisions heaven for a moment. He knows that heaven is a place that he does not belong. That means that he must somehow find the strength to carry on when he knows, "I don't belong here in heaven." The singer gets a glimpse of heaven, a ...

3671. God's Evangelism Plans

Acts 16:16-40

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

... to the West that had been so heavily persecuted should meet in a city on the border of the two areas. "Just the logistics of planning the meeting," Pastor Yadessa said, "were extremely difficult. Communication between parties was almost impossible. But," he continued, "when the day for the meeting arrived, somehow, under God's providence, all of us arrived safely." The meeting, of course, was a bit subversive in light of the state's persecution of the church. The evangelism leaders gathered, therefore, in a ...

3672. Choices

Luke 10:38-42

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

... trail for women. But I had decided in the face of much opposition that this is what I had to do. I decided and I stuck with my decision." "And here you are the newly-elected Lt. Governor," the interviewer interjected. "It must be a wonderful feeling. You continue to prove the critics wrong. Do you have any advice for women who might be inspired by your example to run for public office?" "Go for it," Ms. Washington shot back. "You've got to decide for yourself. All the old rules may be lined up against you ...

3673. Disarming Evil

Colossians 2:6-23; John 8:44-45

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

... . "Don't you see that giving Bobby this gun was like telling him to go out and kill himself?" Dr. Peck inquired. The parents, Dr. Peck tells us, could see no such thing. They were blind to the consequences of their own deeds. In his continued work with Bobby and his parents Dr. Peck began to formulate the thesis that these parents were evil people. He then cites a law of child development: "When a child is grossly confronted by significant evil in its parents, it will most likely misinterpret the situation ...

3674. The Joy Of God

Luke 15:8-10, Luke 15:1-7

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

... tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance. Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." "Note this joy of God," he continued. "I couldn't believe it. I always thought we need to get right with God. That's what I was trying to do at the Buddhist Temple. But the Bible talked about a God who needs to save us. And when God saves us, when God finds us, God is ...

3675. Doubters All, Part II

John 13:31-38

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme:Trust Jesus. Summary: After class, Gerrie and Tommie continue their discussion of Christianity versus other religions. This time they discuss Jesus as Savior, the One who died for us all. This is the second in a four-part series. Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: A college campus Props: Gerrie -- books and a rose Tommie -- books and a recent newspaper ...

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