Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3751 to 3775 of 4943 results

3751. Hunger and Politics

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

Yogi Berra, the great baseball player of an earlier age, was known for his unusual and creative use of the English language. In giving directions to his home, for example, he often told people, "When you come to the fork in the road, take it." His formula for success, as some heard it, was this: "Ninety percent perspiration, and the rest mostly just plain hard work." Then there was the time he went to a restaurant by himself and ordered a large pizza. The waitress asked if he would like it cut into four or ...

3752. Appointment with Thunder

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

Sermon

David J. Kalas

If you're like me, then you've spent your whole life in the church. And if you've spent your whole life in the church, then you've surely heard about the Ten Commandments before. We grew up with them displayed on the walls of our Sunday school classrooms, and perhaps in the stained-glass windows of our sanctuaries. We have heard sermons, lessons, and devotionals based on them. Perhaps we've even seen a movie or two about them. Why, then, would a preacher want to return to such well-worn material? First, we ...

3753. Come

Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

A garden full of flowers in bloom. A stroll through the park. A trip to the museum. Holding your grandchild. A long conversation with your best friend. A new book. An afternoon nap. A cold drink of water. A dip in the pool. A few minutes in prayer. What is it that refreshes you? What is it that quenches your thirst? Years ago, in the very first church in which I was able to serve the Lord's Supper, a little girl from the neighborhood, maybe eight or nine, visited the church. After Worship she was talking ...

3754. Rock Solid

Matthew 7:24-29

Sermon

King Duncan

I read a quirky little item sometime back. It seems that the Main Library at the University of Indiana sinks over an inch every year. It seems that when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building. And so the library is sinking. Obviously some heavy reading takes place at the University of Indiana. It is a foolish person who does not take into account both the weight of a structure, and its contents, as well as the foundation on which it ...

3755. The Parable of the Soil

Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Almost all denominations, or what I call “tribes,” used to be able to boast an extensive farm system for growing the next generation of leaders. The past two decades have seen a gradual dismantling of that farm system. But you can still see features of it. Starting with the cradle roll and ending with the theological seminary, the church built for its future just like sports teams built for their future in a farm system. One of the most important vestiges in the church’s farm system is summer camp. How ...

3756. Can You Carry Your Weight?

Romans 13:8-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

If someone were to stand in front of you and offer you a choice - in one hand “objective” truth, in the other hand “subjective” truth — which would you pick? Bet you’d go with the “objective.” But anyone here like to be treated like an “object?” Anyone here not want to be treated like a “subject?” In a “Peanuts” cartoon, Charlie Brown says to little Lucy: “My Dad said that someday I might be able to run for President.” “Really, Charlie Brown?” Lucy answers. “He certainly must think highly of you!” “I don’t ...

3757. At the Banquet...In Your Pajamas

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

The Rev. John Thomas tells about a week he once spent at a Benedictine monastery with a group of other seminary students. At noon each day he and the other students joined the Benedictine monks, along with a number of people from the local community, to celebrate the Eucharist. One day Rev. Thomas watched a couple of retirement age make their way to receive the bread and the cup. The man wore a sweatshirt that said, “I can only be nice to one person a day, and today is not your day. Tomorrow doesn’t look ...

3758. God Makes All Things New

Isaiah 61:10—62:3

Sermon

Richard Gribble

It was just a small, white envelope that stuck out among the branches of our Christmas tree. There was no name, no identification, and no inscription. It peeked out from the branches of our tree for the past ten years or so. Its story, however, speaks of how God makes all things new. It all began with Mike, a man who hated Christmas. Oh, he did not hate the true meaning of Christmas, but he did very much dislike the commercial aspects of it — overspending, the frantic running around at the last minute to ...

3759. Do You Know How to Listen?

Mark 9:2-13

Sermon

King Duncan

Do you have anyone in your family who has a listening problem? Notice I did not say a hearing problem. Many people have ears that work quite well; nevertheless, they are very selective in what they hear. The story is told of King Edward VII. His grandson, Prince David, had a good relationship with his grandfather. Still David was a child, and adults in England during this period, particularly royalty, were not known to listen to children. At dinner on one occasion little David tried to get his grandfather’ ...

3760. Celebrate the Small Stuff

Mark 4:30-34

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Every book on change says the same thing. Change has changed. Change is no longer incremental. Change is exponential. Here is what no one will tell you: change is not just incremental, or exponential. Change is infinitesimal. So you gained a pound or two this year. It happens. Then it happens again next year. And the next year. Suddenly a decade has passed and you realize that “a pound or two” has compounded into two sacks of flour sitting on your hips! Infinitesimal change has caught up with you. In the ...

3761. Endurance

2 Corinthians 11:24-27, 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Sermon

Scott Suskovic

When my daughter, Hannah, was five years old we lived in Minnesota. Before she entered kindergarten, she had to take an entrance exam. Being the non-competitive but responsible parent that I am, I decided to help Hannah prepare for this test. I taught her how to count to ten — in four languages. I taught her the colors by buying a box of crayons — 64 count, including turquoise, magenta, and chartreuse. We worked on a puzzle of the United States with each individual state cut out so we could learn the names ...

3762. No Substitutes

Galatians 3:15-25

Sermon

King Duncan

A church organist sent the following note to his minister: “I am sorry to say that my wife died last night. Could you please find a substitute for me for the weekend?” Well, I’m certain he meant a substitute organist not a substitute wife. Speaking of substitutes, there was an award ceremony years ago for the legendary baseball player Joe DiMaggio at the Lotos Club of NY. At that event, DiMaggio’s former teammate, Phil Rizzuto, told the audience that one time DiMaggio, who was wildly popular, was supposed ...

3763. God Cares

Ezekiel 34:1-31

Sermon

Argile Smith

Imagine yourself in a remote location, separated from familiar faces and places. The location could be a city teeming with people, but nobody there knows you or cares to know you. Or maybe it’s a lonesome wasteland in which you are separated from another human being by scores of miles. The distance — either geographical or relational — creates an unforgiving barrier between you and interaction with others. Not a pretty picture so far. Lonely. Isolated. Separated. Now imagine that you have been placed in ...

3764. Nothing to Hide

Psalm 32:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

Jerry White, in his book Honesty Morality & Conscience tells two memorable stories. The first is from author Mark Twain. Twain says that when he was a boy, he was walking along a street and happened to spy a cart full of watermelons. He was fond of watermelon, so he sneaked quietly up to the cart and snatched one of the melons. Holding it in his arms he then ran into a nearby alley and sank his teeth into it. No sooner had he done so, however, when a strange feeling came over him. Without a moment’s ...

3765. Supernatural: Taken By Storm

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

James Merritt

One of the most life changing things you can ever do as a believer is to go on a mission trip. Not only do you get to share Jesus with people who are hungry for the gospel, see lives transformed by the power of Christ, you also get to see and experience a lot of things you wouldn’t otherwise. But, there is only one country in the world that I encourage everyone to visit whose very geographical landscape can change your life and that is the land of Israel. To know that you are walking where Jesus walked, to ...

3766. Just Grace

Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon

James Merritt

The woman’s accounting firm is having its best year since she founded it ten years ago. Taxes are due the next day and she wonders if maybe they have taken on too many projects. I majored in accounting and I know missing the tax deadline is a quick way to lose creditability with customers. She decides to bring on some extra help. A friend had mentioned a temp agency in town that was pretty reliable. She Googled the name, locates the number, and makes the call. The nervous woman breathes a sigh of relief ...

3767. Moses and the Burning Bush

Exodus 3:1-22

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

The third chapter of Exodus is filled with revelation and interaction. It includes a theophany (the appearing of God) and the story of Moses’ call. Moses meets God for the first time in the burning bush, where God calls him to go back to Egypt. We are reminded of the oppression there and hear the first two of Moses’ five objections to God’s call. Exodus 3 gives the name of the Lord, repeats the promise of land to Abraham’s family, and predicts Pharaoh’s resistance. Finally, God promises to do “wonders” ...

3768. The Impending Departure I

John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14, John 14:15-31

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The single theme of the first block of teaching material is developed in dialogue form, with a series of questions and answers (13:36–14:24) ending with a postscript in the form of a monologue (14:25–31). Each question is occasioned by a previous statement of Jesus, so that each interchange has three parts: Jesus’ initial statement, the question that it occasions, and Jesus’ answer to the question. In all, four disciples take their turn as inquirers: Peter, Thomas, Philip, and Judas (not “the son of Simon ...

3769. Offerings for Priests and Levites

Deuteronomy 18:1-8

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Leadership in Israel: Priests and Prophets: After the two sections on “secular” leadership (the judge and the king 16:18–17:20), we now have two sections on the “spiritual” leadership provided by the priest and the prophet. Priests and Levites The responsibilities of the tribe of Levi were broadly twofold: the service of the sanctuary, especially the role of the priests at the altar; and the preservation and teaching of the law (cf. Lev. 10:11; Deut. 10:8; 33:10; 2 Chron. 15:3; 17:8f.; 35:3; Neh. 8:7–9). ...

3770. The Rejection of Jesus in His Own Hometown

Mark 6:1-6

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: In mission one must expect serious opposition. When disciples participate in the life and work of Jesus, this will engender both mission to the lost and persecution from the lost. Understanding the Text Mark 6:1–6 is another conflict narrative (like 2:1–3:6; 3:20–35), and like many transition passages, it functions two ways: (1) it parallels 3:1–6 and ends the second cycle (1:16–3:6; 3:7–6:6) with a conflict story; (2) there is also an A-B-A pattern in 6:1–29 in which the mission of the Twelve (6 ...

3771. On the Cross Jesus Is Mocked and Dies

Mark 15:33-41

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: Every detail—mocking, hitting, scourging, death—fulfills messianic prophecy (the righteous martyr of Pss. 22 and 69; the Suffering Servant of Isa. 52–53). Jesus completes God’s plan of salvation via his vicarious sacrifice on the cross. Understanding the Text In fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy regarding the vicarious sacrifice of the Servant of Yahweh (Isa. 52–53; cf. Pss. 22; 69), Jesus has given himself up to be crucified. His mockery and his death here are an essential part of his ...

3772. Two Parables about Prayer

Luke 18:9-14, Luke 18:1-8

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: We should pray with confidence that God will respond, but our confidence should be in God’s mercy, not in our own merits. Understanding the Text Parables have been a prominent feature in Luke’s narrative of the journey to Jerusalem, especially in chapters 14–16. The two parables in the present section, together with one further one in 19:11–27, will round out the collection before Jesus reaches Jerusalem. The first of these two parables is linked to the preceding section in that it finishes with ...

3773. The Nazirite Vow

Numbers 6:1-21

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Willingly dedicate oneself to God. Understanding the Text The Nazirite regulations continue the theme of purity from Numbers 5. The Nazirites are laymen and laywomen who in a special way have dedicated themselves to God. Amos lists the Nazirite with the prophet as a special kind of holy person (Amos 2:11–12). These regulations also continue the theme of oaths, for both the woman suspected of adultery and the Nazirite make oaths (Num. 5:15–31; 6:2). Historical and Cultural Background Nazirite ...

3774. The Biggest Prayer Ever Prayed Under Heaven

John 17:1-11

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

Come with me to Christ's last night on earth and the greatest prayer ever prayed under heaven! It is also the longest prayer we have from Jesus. As we read the gospel of John, we see Jesus' grace demonstrated in saving sinners. We see his compassionate heart as he brings healing to sick people and food to the hungry. We meet his power revealed in raising the dead. There is no more heartening book in all scripture than this gospel. Every chapter is given for our benefit. In this book we find the love of God ...

3775. Nebuchadnezzer’s Dream of a Tree

Daniel 4:1-18

Understanding Series

William Nelson

The King Becomes a Beast-Man and Then Recovers: In terms of form, chapter 4 starts out as a letter from King Nebuchadnezzar addressed to all people everywhere. It begins in the first person with praise to God (4:1–3). Next, the king relates in his own voice the story of his dream (4:4–18). Then the account shifts to the third person for Daniel’s interpretation (4:19–27) and for the narrative of how the dream was fulfilled (4:28–33). Finally, the text reverts back to the first person as Nebuchadnezzar ...

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