Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3801 to 3825 of 4914 results

3801. Walk the Talk

Matthew 21:23-32

Sermon

Lori Wagner

When God speaks, God acts. Did you ever notice that? Our God is an active, acting God. God doesn’t merely dwell in some cloud millions of miles away, but God actively intervenes in our lives and in our world. God’s most blatant intervention? Jesus. In the form of Jesus, God broke through into the created world, touched down in the middle of the desert, and started a ripple movement that would culminate in a life, death, and resurrection! Why? Because something radical had to happen. God thought it was time ...

3802. A Letter in Time

1 Peter 3:18-22

Sermon

John B. Jamison

Let’s just be honest about it. What we are all trying to do here is difficult. We can pretend it isn’t. We can pretend that it gets easier. We could stand here and say, “If you just try harder, and believe more, the bad stuff will all go away and the really good stuff will start to happen. It will all get easier if you just believe.” The problem with that is that, for a lot of us, we spend most of our time wondering, “Okay, just when is that going to happen? How much harder do I have to try? How much more ...

3803. “Lord, Our Lord, How Majestic Is Your Name in All the Earth!”

Psalm 8:1-9

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: God wrote his character into the world of nature, but as awesome as that is, it is no match for the mindful care of his human creation. Understanding the Text Psalm 8 immediately follows the pledge of Psalm 7:17 to sing praise to “the name of the Lord Most High” (7:17). Now the psalmist does that in majestic words that honor the majesty of the Name. As in the creation narrative of Genesis 1, the psalmist employs an economy of words that stylistically reveals the Creator’s orderly manner and ...

3804. Daniel Interprets the Dream of a Tree

Daniel 4:19-27

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 ...

3805. But, Why?

Titus 3:4-7

Sermon

Scott Bryte & Kimberly Miller van Driel

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Merry Christmas! It’s finally here! After counting down the school days and the work days, the ...

3806. The Turning Point

John 13:31-35

Sermon

Lori Wagner

In 1977, a movie came out starring Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft called “The Turning Point.” In the movie, Deedee, a former ballerina, decides to leave the ballet to get married and raise children. Now fast forward –her best friend Emma, who stayed in her ballet career, invites Deedee’s daughter Emilia to join her ballet company. This sparks both pride for her daughter but envy, regret, jealousy, and nostalgia for Deedee. The movie follows Deedee’s painful coming to terms with her past decisions and ...

3807. The Masterpiece

Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-28

Sermon

James Merritt

From the time God created the first man, God began speaking to all men. For over one thousand years, God had been speaking and revealing Himself to different people at different times and different places. He spoke to Moses as he wrote the first five books of the Bible. He gave psalms to David, proverbs to Solomon and prophecy to the prophets. For over one millennia God had spoken practically nonstop. Then, when the last prophet named, Malachi wrote his last words and put his pen down, God for the first ...

3808. Trinity Sunday

Jn 3:1-17 · Mt 28:16-21 · Rom 8:12-17 · Isa 6:1-8 · Ps 29

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

THIS WEEK'S TEXT Revised Common: Isaiah 6:1-8 · Romans 8:12-17 · John 3:1-17 Roman Catholic: Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40 · Romans 8:14-17 · Matthew 28:16-21 Episcopal: Exodus 3:1-6 · Romans 8:12-17 · John 3:1-16 COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Isaiah 6:1-8 The story of Isaiah's call by God in the temple, 742 B.C., probably while he was officiating at worship. As Isaiah is viewing the Ark of the Covenant, enshrined in the Most Holy Place, he sees the Lord in all of his majestic glory on his throne, attended by the ...

3809. Missing the Mark

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Sermon

Charles Allo

I love movies. I love movies because they make me think. No matter what I am going through, I can walk into the theatre and focus on a story other than mine. I see the images and how they paint a story about situations in life. Real situations. Unreal situations. It doesn't matter. For two hours and seven bucks, I get to experience a situation. Just a combination of circumstances; a state of affairs. In which I become lost, engaged in the flashes and personalities that remind me of my world, a world I want ...

3810. Epiphany 2

1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Isaiah 62:1-12, John 2:1-11

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 62:1-5 The Lord marries his people. Picture the situation: The Exiles have returned from Babylon and find their capital in ruins along with the temple. The prophet brings comfort and assurance that Yahweh will remedy the situation. The analogy of marriage is used. The Lord will re-marry his people and give them a new name as a bride gets a new name from her husband. Israel is the bride and Yahweh is the groom. Married to Yahweh, the bride-Israel will no longer be desolate ...

3811. The Lightning And The Current

John 7:46; 14:6

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To stress our need of Jesus to show us how to do good things. Materials: An electric lamp and a piece of white paper cut to represent a bolt of lightning. Lesson: These two objects remind us of something that we see and use often. Every time we have a thunderstorm, we see the powerful destructive stabs of lightning ripping through the wet air. Most of the time, we look out upon the storm from a warm, well-lighted house where we are safe from the storm. Now, the lights in our home and the lightning ...

3812. Epiphany 2

Jn 2:1-12 · 1 Cor 12:1-11 · Isa 62:1-5

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Isaiah 62:1-5 The Lord marries his people. Picture the situation: The Exiles have returned from Babylon and find their capital city in ruins along with the temple. The prophet brings comfort and assurance that Yahweh will remedy the situation. The analogy of marriage is used. The Lord will re-marry his people and give them a new name as a bride gets a new name from her husband. Israel is the bride and Yahweh is the groom. Married to Yahweh, the bride-Israel will no longer be desolate or forsaken ...

3813. Lightning Struck

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

Some cynic has said that if it were up to most of its members modern churches would have on their steeples lightning rods instead of crosses in memory of that time when lightning struck the early church and as protection against it ever happening again. On the Day of Pentecost lightning struck the early church. They were gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem. All the original twelve were there, save one. Judas' place had been taken by Matthias, who had been chosen by the casting of lots. That this was an ...

3814. A Church for the 21st Century: Holy, Charismatic, Apostolic - An Enclave of Resistance

Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

In September of 1997 there was a groundbreaking service for a Catholic cathedral that is going to be constructed in Los Angeles. The Diocese of Los Angeles commissioned the famous Spanish architect Jose Rafael Moneo to design the building. Their hope is that the cathedral will be completed by the beginning of the millennium. It’s to be a peculiar witness to the glory of God. There were models of the cathedral at the groundbreaking service and on the basis of the models a Los Angeles Times reporter wrote a ...

3815. How to Look Foolish

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Sermon

Mark Trotter

None of us like to look foolish, but I confess that I continue to find ingenious ways to do that, usually by insisting that I am right about something, and it turns out that I am wrong. I feel there are certain areas where my experiences lend me some authority, so I speak out, giving my credentials, and then somebody comes along with the facts. Like the other day, two of our grandsons were visiting us with their mother. Their father was away at a meeting, and they came down and spent a couple of days with ...

3816. Inward, Upward, Outward

Romans 9:30--10:21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Stuck in an endless traffic snarl the other day I punched on the radio just to hear another voice. The news channel was just finishing up a long in-depth report on the nasty mad-cow threat. Mad cow meat. Cancer causing farm fish. Avian flu chicken. What's left to eat any more? Pretty soon they'll find deadly bacteria on broccoli. The radio news channel, staying on the theme of American eating habits, moved on to a special segment on obese kids. Because of obesity, "This may be the first generation of ...

3817. Knowing When To Run

Genesis 39:1-2, 6b-16

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

In Kenny Rogers' greatest hit, he meets up with a gambler who gives him this advice: You got to know when to hold ‘em Know when to fold ‘em Know when to walk away and know when to run You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table There's time enough for countin' when the dealings done. In this soap opera episode from the life of Joseph, which is our scripture lesson for today, Joseph knows when to run. Maybe there is a lesson from the life of Joseph for all of us who struggle with temptations ...

3818. K.I.S.S.

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Sermon

King Duncan

A woman tells about her five-year-old son playing in his first neighborhood softball game. The little guy named Frankie stepped up to the plate while his Dad shouted instructions from the sidelines. Mom and Dad both cheered excitedly when Frankie clouted the ball well out into right field. Charged with excitement, the youngster scampered around first base and rounded second. Then, confused by so much shouting, he hesitated on third base and seemed not to know what to do next. “Run HOME, Frankie!” his dad ...

3819. The Ark Does Some Damage

1 Samuel 5:1-12

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: Even when the Lord appears to be defeated, he remains sovereign and invincible. Understanding the Text This chapter focuses on the ark, which was captured when the Philistines defeated Israel (4:22). Though one suspects Israel’s defeat was due to the Lord’s judgment upon Eli’s sons, the capture of the ark creates tension in the story and raises questions: How could the Lord allow the visible symbol of his presence to be taken away? Have the Philistines and their god actually defeated the Lord? ...

3820. Ancient of Days and Son of Man

Daniel 7:1-14

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Big Idea: Envisioning the person and kingdom work of God through the Son of Man can bring comfort and assurance in a dark, unjust, and uncertain world. Understanding the Text Daniel 7:1–28 is woven into the book’s overall literary structure in several ways. First, it resets the chronological narrative of chapters 1–6 by returning to Belshazzar’s first year as its historical marker. Second, it completes the first of three parallel pairs of chapters (2 and 7) in the book’s concentric, Aramaic center section ...

3821. The Rise of Media, Persia, and Greece

Daniel 8:15-27

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Big Idea: God reveals with measured detail a future that includes suffering for his people, but he assures them that he will triumph over the forces of evil. Understanding the Text See the unit on 8:1–14 for a discussion of the larger context, structure, and comparisons of this chapter. Against this backdrop, 8:15–27 begins and ends with the resumptive “I, Daniel” and another reference to the Ulai Canal (8:16). The explicit mention of the Medes, the Persians, and the Greeks in the interpretation—with an ...

3822. I Am The Door

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." -- John 10:7-11 (NRSV) ____________ Doors are interesting ...

3823. The Way to Happy Endings

Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67

Sermon

James L. Killen

Genesis 24 is like a short novel that is set into the end of the story of Abraham. It is a lot like the kind of stories that many of you like to read -- and it has a happy ending. In the story, Abraham sends his oldest and most trusted servant back to the country from which Abraham and Sarah had come many years before. His mission is to find a wife for their son, Isaac. He wants the servant to find for Isaac "a girl just like the girl that married dear old dad." The servant went, taking gifts, and praying ...

3824. Getting It Right

Romans 5:1-8

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Have you ever noticed that, no matter what, that some people just always get it wrong? Paul Harvey, in his book FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, tells about a county jail in south Florida where jail officials found a plastic trash bag hanging to the bars of a cell. Inside was Jimmy Jones, a prisoner who hoped he'd get taken out with the trash. And he might have, except for one thing, during roll call his reflexes took over. When the name Jimmy Jones was called... From inside the bag came a muffled response: "Here." It ...

3825. A Strange Kind Of Glory

John 13:31-38

Sermon

John M. Braaten

It is often difficult for Christians to get past the idea that those who have given themselves to the Lord should be treated a little better than the average woman or man who does not possess a living faith. In other words, there ought to be some kind of return for what you have done for God, for what you have given in time, energy and money. That doesn't sound outrageous, does it? In this "you get what you deserve" world, you really ought to be rewarded. Harmless as that sounds, it is the first step ...

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