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Showing 376 to 400 of 1249 results

376. The Saving Grace Of Gratitude

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

Larry R. Kalajainen

... injured in an accident and is rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. When the surgeon is called, it turned out that the young man was the son of the surgeon, but the surgeon was not the boy's father." Archie suggests that the boy was adopted, or that the surgeon was his step-father. But with a triumphant glint in his eye, Mike informs Archie that the surgeon was the boy's mother. Good old Archie, the archetypal male chauvinist, would never have seen the answer to that one. His presuppositions blinded ...

377. The Baptism Of Our Lord

Mk 1:4-11 · Act 19:1-7 · Acts 10:34-38 · Isa 42:1-9 · Gen 1:1-5 · Ps 29

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... the waters of baptism to create new spiritual life. We can't explain it, only celebrate the mystery of new life. Outline: God's Spirit created the world through water and the word. Jesus was enthroned as Messiah through water and the word (Gospel). We are adopted into God's family and empowered for ministry through water and the word. Lesson 1: Isaiah 42:1-9 Sermon Title: Mission Mandate: Live As A Covenant People! Sermon Angle: A word of hope came to God's oppressed people through Isaiah. God was giving ...

378. Epiphany 3

Mark 1:14-20, Jonah 3:1-10, Jeremiah 3:6-4:4, 1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... Nevertheless, it remains true that the kingdom could come at any time and the things we labor for so diligently will have little meaning. Paul's advice still hits the bull's-eye: don't get too attached to the things of this world, even the good things. Adopt the values of the coming kingdom which are eternal. Gospel: Mark 1:14-20 The appointed time. The RSV version contains this phrase in the first verse of our Second Lesson, 1 Corinthians 7:29. I like that imagery because it speaks of a special time for a ...

379. The Epiphany Season

Mt 2:1-12 · Jn 1:43-51 · Mk 1:9-28; 35-45 · Mk 2:1-12; 18-22 · Mk 9:2-13

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... continued to celebrate the baptism of Christ on January 6th, while the Western Church associated Epiphany with the story of the Magi. The church of the East lifted up the Lord's baptism, so as to combat Gnostic heresies that claimed that Jesus was adopted as the Son of God in baptism. The story of the Magi was also appropriate because it proclaims that the light of Christ dispels the darkness for all people. Unfortunately, the average Christian associates the story of the Magi with the birth of Christ ...

380. 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

... , 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 during a feast. Haman is hanged on the very gallows he had prepared for Mordicai, a kind of poetic justice. This text explains the institution of the Feast of Purim. Old Testament: Numbers 11:4-6 ...

381. Proper 4

Mark 2:23-3:6, 1 Samuel 3:1--4:1, 2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... . 3. Sermon Title: True Sons And Daughters. Sermon Angle: Eli's sons were his by heredity and birth but not in spirit. They rejected everything that their father stood for and in doing so they despised their father. Samuel was not Eli's birth son but his adopted son. He identified with Eli spiritually and was a respectful and obedient son. This text shows that Samuel was quick to answer to Eli's call, caring for the needs of the older man. Eli addressed him as "my son" (v. 6), which shows the love he ...

382. Proper 7

Mk 4:35-41 (5:1-20) · 2 Cor 5:14-21; 6:1-13 · 1 Sam 1:32-49 · Job 38:1-11, 16-18 · Ps 9

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... that is now being offered. Offered for a limited time. We're all heard advertisers urging us to "Act now!" "This offer is only good for a limited time!" Such language seeks to move us to act NOW. Paul makes the same point. This gracious offer to be adopted into God's family, to receive his forgiveness, is available only for a limited time. The problem comes from the fact that we've heard this warning so many times that we don't take it seriously. We must not be lulled into complacency. This world is passing ...

383. The Good, The Bad, And The Justified

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Larry R. Kalajainen

... trust in him. That too is liberating. Not only do you not have to hide your real self, but you do not have to make yourself good. Accept his love. Accept his forgiveness which he offers you in Christ. Accept his claim upon you. Accept your adoption into the family of God. Or maybe you've experienced that much of the gospel -- the knowledge that you are loved and accepted and justified -- but you have not experienced the transforming work of the Spirit in your life, because you have not understood or because ...

384. Easter 2

John 20:19-31, Acts 4:32-37, 1 John 1:1--2:2

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

Epistle: Acts 4:32-35 Call To Worship Leader: The Lord is merciful and the Lord is wonderful and great! People: For we have been called to be children of the living God. Leader: In Christ we have been adopted as family to care for each other. People: And to reach out with caring and love to our neighbors. Leader: Let us celebrate together in song and praise the lordship of Christ. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect O God, we are so grateful You have opened ...

385. Children of God

Mark 10:2-16

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... brothers in Christ, beloved by Almighty God. Leader: And God has blessed us abundantly so we might pass those blessings along. People: Then let us remember in all we do that we are indeed children of God. Leader: And let us proclaim for all to hear of God's adopting love. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect Almighty and loving God, You have called us to be Your children, and You would bless the world through our lives if we would only let You. Help us to open our hearts to Your leadership, O God ...

386. Prayer Clothes

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Sermon

Mark J. Molldrem

... with his Heavenly Father's vision for him. The Father's vision for him was this: that God loved the world so much that he sent his Son, as Paul expressed it, to die for the ungodly, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children of God. Life will come through death; a resurrection will come after crucifixion. Jesus had to accept his cruel and painful death as the means by which God would save the world. Jesus had to surrender his will over to the will of his Heavenly Father ...

387. Josiah Speaks: An Ancient King Brings Greetings

2 Chronicles 34:14-33, 2 Chronicles 34:1-13

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

... our nation from paganism. He was, however, followed to the throne by his son, my grandfather, Manasseh, who was wicked and idolatrous. Grandfather systematically set out to undo the reforms of his father Hezekiah. To please the Assyrian masters, he adopted their gods. He reveled in Assyrian sovereignty, and of course was handsomely rewarded for that cooperation with these pagan perverts. He worshiped the sun, the moon, the stars, Baal and Ashterof. He even followed their ritual of child sacrifice and ...

388. Remembering The Saints

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Larry R. Kalajainen

... believed was making illegitimate demands upon them. And so, to these Christians who were living through a time of great ordeal, John, one of their pastors who had been exiled to a penal colony in the Aegean Sea, wrote this visionary letter to them. By adopting this visionary style of literature, he invites them to use their imaginations to glimpse a different reality above and beyond the grim time of testing which confronts them on an almost daily basis. He lets them see what's really going on, if only they ...

389. A Scholar · Nicodemus

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Gordon Pratt Baker

... to do so. For the Master was pursuing a practice common in Israel that would have provided Nicodemus easy access to him. II Itinerant Eastern teachers regularly selected well-trafficked spots as stands from which to propagate their doctrines. It was a custom Jesus had adopted early in his ministry. Thus, he appealed to his hearers where he found them -- by the seashore, (Matthew 13:1-2) on a mountainside, (Matthew 5:1) in a field, (Luke 6:17) on a street corner (Matthew 13:26) -- even in the crowded courts ...

390. Which Ones Were Lost?

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

Sermon

Merle G. Franke

... objected to the hippies' presence. Again I protested, "But do we now have dress codes for people to come into our church?" Again my protest fell on deaf ears. It was a standoff. I kept referring to the fact that the church council had, a few years earlier, adopted the policy of open doors with no restrictions on who could or could not enter the building, and I intended to defend that policy. Of course. I was the one who proposed it. And as the months passed, we saw signs that some people were indeed often ...

391. For the Baptism of Our Lord

Mark 1:1-8

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... are forgiven. EXHORTATION Make your own preparations for the coming of Christ and be ready to give a royal welcome at the return of the Scion of heaven and earth. PRAYER OF THE DAY Exalted Parent, as you acknowledged your beloved Son, Jesus, so graciously adopt us as your children being pleased in what your Spirit will yet accomplish in making us more like him to the glory of our family name in Christ. Amen. PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Eternal Sovereign, Thunderous Voice, Peace-giving Spirit, we hear the echo of ...

392. Proper 10

Ephesians 1:1-14, Psalm 24:1-10

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... all our artistic gifts to you rather than to any human authority, giving praise to you for all the beauty of creation by our own creativity however modest in comparison to yours; through Jesus Christ our redeemer. Amen. PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Parenting God, Adopter of children, Unifying Spirit, how can we evaluate the richness of your grace lavished on us in Jesus Christ? How can we estimate the treasure of wisdom and insight that you have graciously given us, disclosing the long-hidden purposes of your ...

393. Christmas Day

Isaiah 51:17--52:12, Psalm 98:1-9, Hebrews 1:1-14, John 1:1-18

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... Christ. We run with the good news of the reunification of all things around your beloved. We praise you for all the spiritual blessings that you give us, here and hereafter. Amen. Prayer of Dedication We renew our allegiance to you, God's Child, acknowledging our adoption as your brothers and sisters. We pledge our resources and ourselves, that the light shall shine on and the darkness never overwhelm it. Amen. Psalm 98 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his ...

394. Kingdom Etiquette

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

W. Robert McClelland

... blame. It was a defense often heard at the Nuremberg trials, and more recently, one used by Oliver North in the Contragate affair. Freidrich Nietzsche drew the distinction between a servant morality and a master morality with disturbing clarity. A servant morality adopts values and follows a morality which is imposed upon us by others. It negates the self. A master morality, on the other hand, sees the self as the creator of both values and morality. It, therefore, affirms the self. Nietzsche saw religion ...

395. The Problem With A Promise

Genesis 15:1-18

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... a Scripture that must be de-mythologized; it must have a 'spiritual application.' After all, 65-year-old women do not bear children, so either Abraham must get himself another, younger woman to bear him a child (Abraham thought of that and tried it), or they must adopt. But one thing is sure, this particular promise must not be taken literally. After all, God expects you do use good, common sense!" But God did promise an heir to Abraham and he meant it. But how can you trust in a promise when the evidence ...

396. A Fireside Chat

Exodus 3:1-22

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)." Jesus is making the same claim as God. The Son of God, who proceeded from the Father, calls himself by the same name; "Before Abraham was, I AM." Can it be, oh, yes, it can be, that Jesus is adopting the very same name that God revealed to Moses, is presenting himself to us a Yahweh-Jesus! All that God promised to be to Moses and his people is fully realized for us in Christ, our New Testament "I AM THAT I AM." What the Old Testament Lord was ...

397. A Woman's Place

Genesis 2:4-25

Sermon

Erskine White

... man was made first, man's place is to rule, and woman's place is to serve. "Woman can never be equal," these chauvinists say; "it goes against the order of God's creation." Ironically, many feminists agree with this. Still not free, they unconsciously adopt the ideology of their own oppression and agree that Genesis makes women second-class citizens. Thus, they decide that Scripture is wrong. They treat Adam and Eve as a sexist myth which they can replace with another myth more to their liking. Some are ...

398. A Chosen Race?

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

Sermon

Erskine White

... God is neither male nor female because God is God. But why on earth should our experience with our own fathers define our understanding of God? If my father is a murderer, must I conclude that God is bloodthirsty? If my father and my mother gave me up for adoption or banished me from their house, does that mean that God would abandon me as well? Is God a loving God because my mother and father happen to be loving parents? God is God! God's truth and steadfast love endure forever and we ought not re-make God ...

399. Baptism of the Lord

Acts 10:23b-48, Isaiah 61:1-11, Isaiah 42:1-9, Psalm 45:1-17, Psalm 89:1-52, Luke 3:1-20, Luke 3:21-38

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... predecessor lectionaries of the several churches; theoretically, it was one of three elements in the Epiphany celebration - Jesus' birth (and the visit of the wise men), his baptism, and his first miracle (sign) at Cana in Galilee. All of that changed with the adoption and appearance of the new lectionaries; the Book Of Common Prayer's lectionary is really the only major lectionary that doesn't mention the Baptism of our Lord in its listing of the readings, but it does assign virtually the same lections to ...

400. Easter Sunday

John 20:1-9, Acts 10:23b-48, Isaiah 51:1-16, Exodus 15:1-21, Colossians 3:1-17, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Luke 24:1-12

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... in Advent, stir up, reviving memories of Christmas ("this most holy night") and it calls for total renewal in the Easter worship: "O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord's resurrection: Stir up in your church that spirit of adoption which is given to us in baptism, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen ...

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