Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4101 to 4125 of 4934 results

4101. Yes, You

1 Peter 2:2-10

Sermon

David O. Bales

Most congregations experience the joy of their former pastors visiting. Often such gatherings occur at anniversaries and other celebrations. The presence of extra pastors in worship offers the opportunity to not only celebrate the congregation's ministry but also to reflect upon what pastors do and who they really are. In the 1930s in Great Britain, when that nation was gearing up for a defense of its islands and of democracy in the world, posters were put up announcing, "All men in the above age groups ...

4102. Remember: No Deposit, No Return

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Remember the TV series, Sanford and Son starring Red Foxx and Demond Wilson. It gave us the memorable lines: "Oh, this is the big one, I'm coming to see you Elizabeth" and "You're so ugly if you pressed your face in some dough... you'd have gorilla cookies." Sanford and Son was about Fred and Lamont Sanford who owned and ran a Junkyard. But it was really about all the junk and clutter in their lives. I think it's a parable for our lives, too. You see, we all have a lot of trash and garbage and clutter in ...

4103. Oh, The Things We Worry About!

Matthew 6:25-33

Sermon

I extend to you and your families a joyous and blessed Thanksgiving. Some of you will gather at tables later today, and most everyone you love will be there. Bless you! Others will gather at tables, and there will be an empty chair where a loved one should be ... but is not. Bless you! Still others will not gather at a table at all. Your life may be filled with heartache or loneliness or hardship, and you may be in no mood to be thankful. May God especially bless you ... and somehow fill you with hope and ...

4104. It’s about Grace

Ephesians 2:1-10

Sermon

Nancy Kraft

When Bill Clinton was running for president, there was a phrase that drove his political campaign. It was invoked repeatedly so that no one in the campaign would lose sight of the core issue at stake. Do you remember what it was? "It's about the economy, stupid." Lest anyone get sidetracked on unrelated issues, the reminder was ever before them: "It's about the economy, stupid." As Christians who happen to also be Lutheran, there is a phrase that we could adopt that might help us clarify the core issue at ...

4105. A Tale of Two Sisters

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

David E. Leininger

With a title like "A Tale Of Two Sisters," this should open with something like, "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." But it was neither. It was unusual, to be sure, even a little exciting. After all, these were the days of an itinerant rabbi called Jesus of Nazareth who was attracting quite a bit of attention. At some point previous — we are never told when, where, or how — these two sisters, Mary and Martha, along with their brother, Lazarus, had been introduced to Jesus. They must have ...

4106. The Utmost Patience for the Foremost Sinner

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

We usually don't spend too much time thinking about our own sinfulness. On occasion, of course, our feelings of guilt overwhelm us. We can't stop thinking about our sinfulness. If we are in that situation, we may need to talk that out with someone. Apart from times like that, we don't think much about our own sinfulness. We have ways of getting around that. We don't think about our sins because we are too appalled at the sins of others. The news media throws in our faces the outrageous sins of other people ...

4107. Is the Lord Among Us or Not?

Exodus 17:1-7

Sermon

Tony Everett

When most folks first come to seminary they enter with very high expectations of participating in a grand and glorious spiritual high. No doubts. No despair. Just higher and higher peaks of power and wonder. No valleys. No problems. Life together should be like belonging to a fabulous family filled with good feelings. No murmuring. No quarreling. Just happiness. Most students and their accompanying families have left behind real jobs that paid real money. They have left homes, friends, and relatives. They ...

4108. The Runner

Romans 9:30--10:21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Your most beloved things are not always your most perfect things. And your most beloved relationships are not always your most perfect relationships. Remember your “blankie?” Come on now, you all had one. And it was in perfect shape, right? It was the rattiest, most stained, most beat up thing anyone has ever seen. But the condition it was in mattered not a wit at nap time, or bedtime, or cry time. Or what about that stuffed animal? Come on, now. You all had one. And it was in perfect shape, right? No ...

4109. Those Amazing Two Words (Thanksgiving)

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

King Duncan

Pastor Doug Henry tells about a television commercial from Citibank. The bank wanted to say “thank you” to their customers for using their credit cards, so they were starting a rewards program whereby you could earn cash back just for using their card. One of the commercials involved two ladies in a grocery store. One lady put her hand on the stomach of the other and asked her when her baby was due. The woman looks at her and says, “I’m not pregnant.” Oops! Not knowing what else to say, the woman replies ...

4110. Doing What is Good

Titus 3:1-11

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

Instructions for Living in State and Society: After a brief exhortation to Titus (2:15) to “teach these things” (at least 2:1–14), Paul returns in this section to the major concern of the letter—“good works” (i.e., genuinely Christian behavior) for the sake of the outsider (3:1–8) and in contrast to the false teachers (3:9–11). This section, however, makes a decided turn in the argument. In 2:1–14 the concern for “good works” had to do largely with relationships between believers, which when seen by ...

4111. Worshipping Other Gods

Deuteronomy 13:1-18

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Sources of the Temptation to Go after Other Gods: Continuing the concern for the purity of Israel’s worship, in line with the first commandment, Deuteronomy warns the people of the kinds of situation in which they might be tempted or pressured into deserting Yahweh for other gods. First, the danger of false religious leaders (vv. 1–5); second, the possible conflict of loyalties when close family members are involved (vv. 6–11); third, the pressure of an influential group of leaders in a community (vv. 12– ...

4112. A Call to Servanthood and Suffering

Mark 10:46-52, Mark 10:35-45, Mark 10:32-34

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: Once more the disciples fail by seeking greatness rather than servanthood, and the right “path” is shown by Bartimaeus, who centers entirely on Jesus and “follows” him “along the road.” Jesus is central, and here he reveals that his way of suffering is redemptive, providing a “ransom for many,” and ends his public ministry with a call to discipleship. Understanding the Text This is the final set of events in Jesus’s public ministry, as the rest of Mark will cover the passion week, crucifixion, ...

4113. Mary’s Song—the Magnificat

Luke 1:46-56, Luke 1:39-45

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: God has chosen the insignificant Mary for great honor. This is an example of how he overturns human values and conventions. Understanding the Text In our first two sections of Luke’s text the angel Gabriel has announced two births to mothers who should not have been expecting a baby (one too old, the other not yet married). Before the births of John and Jesus are narrated, the two families are brought together, and we have in this domestic scene an opportunity to reflect on the significance of ...

4114. The Gospel of God in Christ through Paul

Romans 1:1-17

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, was divinely chosen to preach the gospel of God in Christ, the end-time fulfillment of the twofold Old Testament promise of the restoration of Israel and the conversion of the Gentiles. Understanding the Text Romans 1:1–7 forms the first half of Paul’s introduction to Romans (1:8–15 is the second half). The introduction, or prescript, to ancient letters consisted of three parts: identification of the author, identification of the recipients, and a salutation or ...

4115. The Parable of the Sower

Mark 4:1-20

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

4:1–9 This passage begins a longer section dealing with the parables that runs through 4:34. Careful reading shows, however, that the passage is not only about parables but also about the necessity for the Twelve to understand the parables and their difficulty in doing so. Note that this parable is given an explanation in 4:13–20, something not done for most of the parables in the Gospels. Though Mark says (4:34) that Jesus explained other parables to the disciples, this one is the only parable for which ...

4116. Orderly Worship

1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

Protocol for Practicing Spiritual Gifts Paul steps back from a strict focus on prophecy and tongues in verses 26–33a as he considers more generally the practice of Christian worship. Essentially, Paul delineates regulations for orderly assembly and worship. Behind all the particular instructions about worship practices, however, is the basic theme Paul sets out at the end of verse 26, “All of these things must be done for the strengthening of the church.” 14:26 The modern reader of Paul’s letter gains a ...

4117. Restoration of Israel

Isaiah 49:8-26

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

To Restore the People and the Land: So 49:1–6 is a major turning point. So far the Poet’s focus has been Jacob-Israel. Henceforth it will be Jerusalem-Zion. So far the addressee has been Jacob-Israel. Henceforth it will be Jerusalem-Zion. So far Yahweh’s promise has thus concerned the fall of Babylon and the end of the Judeans’ enforced residence there. Henceforth it will concern the restoring of the city that virtually none of the exiles have ever seen. Once more there is no need to infer that time has ...

4118. Zeal!

John 2:13-22

Sermon

John Jamison

Have you ever had one of those times when you had just had enough? One of those times that you have held your breath, you have turned away, maybe many times, because you just don’t like what you see going on, but then finally come to the point that you just can’t turn away one more time? You’ve had enough, and you decide you just can’t be silent any longer. So you do something fairly dramatic. Looking back on it, it may not have been all that smart, but you had had enough and you did it. Can you remember ...

4119. Understanding Outrageous Grace

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

King Duncan

Let me ask you a tough question this morning: how many of you have been accused of being a poor listener? Or should I call it “selective listener”? We hear what we want to hear. Most of us have been guilty of this at one time or another. Maybe we’re easily distracted. Publisher Thom Rainer has collected stories over the years from his pastor friends of some of the strangest distractions they’ve dealt with while preaching. For example, one pastor had a bat fly into the sanctuary during his sermon. In ...

4120. Lady of the House / The Practice of Joy

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.” (Deuteronomy 12:7) “Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. ...

4121. The Scariest Job Interview

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

Do you remember the first job you ever interviewed for? Was it a great experience? That would be quite a surprise. I’ve rarely ever heard of anyone who felt confident, calm and prepared for their first job interview. Or even their tenth. Interviews are generally stressful and unpredictable, and you’re working so hard to project a good image that you could easily forget your own name. On the website snagajob.com, someone wrote about a crazy interview for a job at their local Subway restaurant. Not long ...

4122. Valued Families

1 John 3:1-3

Sermon

Will Willimon

When a frustrated Mayor of Minneapolis was asked why he was not running for another term as Mayor, he didn't talk about rising crime in Minneapolis, budget problems, police problems, ethnic stress. He replied, ''The root of all our problems as American cities today is the breakdown of the family; what's happening between parents and their kids is killing this country.'' It's All Saints in the Chapel and Parents' Weekend in the University. All Saints is when we acknowledge our debt to those saints who have ...

4123. The Debt of Love

Romans 13:8-14

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Let me ask you what for some of us might be a painful question. How genuine is your commitment to Christ? Is it primarily a Sunday morning exercise or does it encompass your whole life? I’m not asking this to make you feel guilty. My goal is to help each of us discover the full joy of our commitment to Christ. Our lesson today from St. Paul’s letter to the church at Rome gets right at the heart of our Christian faith. Listen closely to his words: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt ...

4124. You've Got Spirit

Luke 3:15-22 · Acts 8:14-17 · Psalm 29 · Isaiah 61:1-4

Sermon

Will Willimon

"Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit." Let us pray: "O Lord, how can we know Thee: Where can we find Thee? Thou art as close to us as breathing and yet art farther than the furthermost star. Thou art as mysterious as the vast solitudes of the night and yet art as familiar to us as the light of the sun. To the seer of old Thou didst say: Thou canst not see my face, but I will make all My Goodness pass before Thee. Even so does Thy goodness pass before us in the realm of ...

4125. When God Is The Problem

Psalm 13:1-6

Sermon

Robert G. McCreight

Introduction During Lent we are focusing our biblical attention almost exclusively on the passages from the psalms, allowing their themes and their spirit to rise up and identify themselves to us. Today we are continuing to gain a greater familiarity with these conversations from the heart. Through song and reading and spoken word the religiosity of the psalmists of old is speaking to us today. A For the first two Sundays in Lent our attention was on what Old Testament professor Walter Brueggeman called ...

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