Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4101 to 4125 of 4944 results

4101. Remember: Live Worthy of the Calling

Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

A group of tourists were visiting a rather picturesque town on the outskirts of a well know city. As they walked by an old man sitting beside a fence. One of the tourists, in a rather patronizing way, asked, "Were any great men born in this village?" To which the old man replied, "Nope, only babies." (1) That wisecrack answer holds a lot of truth. There are no instant heroes, there is no instant status or fame, whether in this world or in the Kingdom of God. Growth takes time. We live in the instant age. ...

4102. Worry Not

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

King Duncan

Do you have a worrier in your family? Kais Rayes writes that he and his wife found their whole life turned upside down when their first child was born. Every night, the baby seemed to be fussy, and many nights, it seemed that their baby cried far more than he slept. Says Rayes, “My wife would wake me up, saying, ‘Get up, honey! Go see why the baby is crying!’” As a result, Rayes found himself suffering from severe sleep deprivation. While complaining to his coworkers about his problem one day, one of his ...

4103. The Vision of God

2 Corinthians 12:2-10

Sermon

Gibson “Nibs” Stroupe

Chapter 10 of 2 Corinthians begins a sharp divide with the nine chapters that have preceded it, a break that continues through the rest of the letter. The first nine chapters revealed a significant struggle between Paul and the Corinthians, but it seems in those chapters that Paul felt that they were making progress. As we saw in the previous lectionary passage, Paul felt confident enough in chapter 8 to urge the Corinthians to finish taking up the offering for the church in Jerusalem. From chapter 10 on, ...

4104. The Difference Between Getting and Giving

John 1:1-18

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

Theme: Exploring the difference between selfish getting and gracious giving Characters: Narrator Old Man Old Man’s Pastor Former Girlfriend Beggar Man In Santa Claus Suit Devout Gentleman The Lord (or voice) Tone: Humorous and thought-provoking Setting/Props: Park bench Two chairs Bible Logo or sign suggesting “Heaven” Spotlight (to represent the Lord) Special white robe Approximate time: 5-9 minutes (The scene opens in a park. The Old Man is sitting on a bench pondering something deep.) Narrator: Once ...

4105. Acting on Faith

Genesis 17:1-27

Sermon

King Duncan

You’ve probably heard the ridiculous story about the man who was refused entry into a fancy dinner club because he wasn’t wearing a tie. The doorman sent him away with instructions to return if, and only if, he had a tie wrapped around his neck. The fellow rummaged through his car, but couldn’t find a necktie. However, he did find a pair of jumper cables in the trunk. He decided to fashion a necktie from those jumper cables. He returned to the door of the club. The doorman saw those jumper cables around ...

4106. A Concert of Praise

Luke 1:46-56

Sermon

Cynthia Cowen

The Christmas concert was about to begin. The professional musicians were ready. All eyes were on the band director as he brought down his baton. Softly, flutes began weaving a magical introduction, capturing the audience's spirit. An instrumental duet formed with clarinets adding their voices. Then more wind instruments came in. Finally, brass and percussion entered and volume and tempo increased. Each section's contribution melded into a harmonious voice. The rehearsals had been worth it; the time and ...

4107. Made for Joy

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

King Duncan

I want to give you some good news. It is good news anytime of the year, but especially so at Christmastime. Here is that good news: You were made for joy. You weren’t made to fret and worry and think dark thoughts. You were made for peace and love and light and joy. The story is told of a woman who dreamed of traveling to England and riding a train through the English countryside. One day her dream came true. She flew from the U.S. to London and after a good night’s sleep she boarded a train. However, ...

4108. Are You Part of the Scandal?

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

In many local elementary schools, every few weeks the “Lost and Found” box is emptied out and the contents are scattered down the length of the main hall. Coats, mittens, shoes, sweatshirts, gym clothes, are all laid down and spread out in the hopes that their owners will spot them and take them home. But the scene of all those empty clothes creates an eerie sensation, as if it is not the clothes that had been left behind, but that the children themselves have somehow been “lost” — zapped out of their ...

4109. Cure for an Aching Back

Luke 13:10-17

Sermon

King Duncan

One Sabbath day, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue. A woman was there who was severely disabled. Her body was all bent over so bent over that her head was nearly even with her waist. Dr. Luke tells us she could not straighten up at all. That strikes me as an unbelievably sad situation. Forgetting the pain and the inconvenience of not being able to straighten one’s body, imagine what that would do to your self image. Imagine not just the physical pain, but the emotional pain of this kind of obvious ...

4110. Who Wants to Be Your Brother?

Luke 16:19-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

We are all about family. The truth is, the problem is, we are all about OTHER people’s families. The most popular show on television today? “Duck Dynasty.” After that there are the programs about “The Kardashians,” “Housewives,” of various zip codes, and “Hoarders.” We like to spy-glass at the inner-workings of family relationships that we can keep at arm’s length — or TIVO for a later, more convenient time. Our own family relationships cannot be put on hold. Whether it is a teething infant, a tantrum- ...

4111. Why Christmas Is So Dangerous

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

There is no doubt about it, Christmas is a dangerous time of year. You ever tried negotiating a mall parking lot between Black Friday and Christmas Eve? You know one level of danger. You ever tried to gather together a fractious, far-flung family into one Christmas moment? You know another level of danger. You ever tried buying a toy for the kids or grandkids, a toy where levers don’t break off, where there are no hidden, choky bits, where glitches galore don’t make the toy “unsafe?” You know another whole ...

4112. Everything Must Go: “Abandon Ship!”

1 Chronicles 29:1-9

Sermon

James Merritt

In America, it is called a dollar. In England, it is called a pound. In Europe, it is called a euro. In Israel, it is called a shekel. In China, it is called a yen. Different countries call it different things, but we all know it is money. It is everywhere. Money has been around forever. Interestingly, we didn’t start using paper money until the mid-1600’s, before that it was gold, silver, and bronze. Before that it was a unit of weight like barley or bread. By itself money really is nothing. It is just ...

4113. Can One Become Two?

Matthew 19:1-12

Sermon

James Merritt

A couple in Sweetwater Texas had a lot of potted plants, and while watching TV the weatherman predicted a cold front coming through. The husband suggests that they bring in the potted plants. The wife goes outside to bring them indoors to protect them from freezing. It turned out that a little garden grass snake was hidden in one of the plants and after it got warm, it crawled out on the floor. The wife saw it just as it went under the couch and she begins screaming hysterically. Her husband who had gotten ...

4114. A Message About Babylon

Jeremiah 50:1--51:64

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

50:1 The superscription that begins the final oracle against the nations identifies the object of this long section as Babylon. It introduces not only the last grouping of oracles but also what are by far the longest in the oracles against the nations. The prophet pulls out all the stops to articulate the destruction that was coming Babylon’s way. Jeremiah understood that the Babylonians were being used by God as an instrument of his judgment against Judah and the other nations, but this fact did not ...

4115. The Lord's Anger Against Israel

Hosea 13:1-16

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

No Other God and Savior (13:1-8): Chapter 13 is clearly made up of four originally separate oracles—verses 1–3, 4–8, 9–11, and 12–16. All four oracles probably date from the last years of Hosea’s ministry and from the last years of Hoshea ben Imla’s reign, around 724 BC. Thus, they have probably been set in their present place by a disciple/redactor of the prophet’s work. Shalmaneser V is on the throne of Assyria, soon to be replaced by Sargon II, who will conquer the last remains of the northern kingdom. ...

4116. The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

A New Revelation of Yahweh’s Arm: Like 48:20–21, the end of the previous section, 50:4–52:12, both suggested closure and questioned it. The comment about the impossibility of shalom which followed 48:20–21 led into the new twist to the servant motif in chapter 49. The point is less explicit at the end of 50:4–52:12, but the implication is again that not all the prophet’s agenda has been handled. Everything is in place for the restoration of the community to Jerusalem and for the restoration of the city ...

4117. Tyre, Sidon—and Israel

Ezekiel 26:1-21, Ezekiel 27:1-36, Ezekiel 28:1-19, Ezekiel 28:20-26

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

In the final form of Ezekiel, a collection of oracles against the Phoenician city-state of Tyre (26:1–28:19) interrupts a series of short oracles against the minor kingdoms surrounding Israel (beginning in 25:1). The pattern of short oracles resumes with a brief oracle against the second major Phoenician port city, Sidon (28:20–23), followed by a summary and conclusion to all the oracles against the nations (28:24) and a promise of salvation for Israel (28:25–26). It seems likely, then, that this series of ...

4118. Job Considers a Legal Dispute with God

Job 9:1–10:22

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

Big Idea: Job wants God to declare him righteous, but he cannot envision how to bring this about. Understanding the Text In chapters 9 and 10, Job takes up the challenge made by Bildad in 8:5 to plead with the Almighty. As he contemplates this possibility, Job focuses on his legal status before God. In this speech he begins to work out in his mind how he might approach God with his situation, and how God might respond to him. In his soliloquy in chapter 9, Job turns over in his mind whether he should enter ...

4119. The Greatest Gift

Luke 2:1-20

Sermon

King Duncan

It was in the middle of the busy Christmas shopping season. A man was in court charged with parking in a restricted area. The judge asked him if he had anything to say in his defense. “They shouldn’t put up such misleading notices,” said the man. “There was a sign. It said ‘FINE FOR PARKING HERE.’” Well, I can see how he might be misled. I doubt that few of us would make that mistake. But misunderstandings do take place. For example, there is much about the Christian faith that people misunderstand. And ...

4120. When Heartbreak Turns to Heartburn

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

Here again we find Luke the physician at his best. Although not one of the original twelve, in his own exquisite and unique way this doctor-disciple of Jesus gives us details with clarity indicating that he is close to Jesus and the disciples and can speak with the authority of an eyewitness to the things he tells us. In his opening phrase in the passage, Luke tells us that "two of them were going to a village called Emmaus." Just a few verses earlier in verse 10 of this chapter, Luke indicates that the ...

4121. Can You Hear It?

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Sermon

Charley Reeb

There is a monastery in Europe which was built in a most difficult location. To get to it, you must climb into a basket that is connected to a long rope and be pulled up over 500 feet. It is a long way down, and the only thing that keeps you from falling is a rope. So if you are afraid of heights, it is not a very pleasant ride. Years ago, two women were making their first visit to the monastery, and while riding in the basket, they noticed the rope was frayed and torn in places. One of the women nervously ...

4122. The Cost of Discipleship

Matthew 17:1-9

Sermon

James L. Killen

Nothing that is really very big or very signiﬁcant is ever accomplished without some cost. Why should we expect that the great and good new possibility that God offers to each of us and to our world, the one that Jesus called "the kingdom of heaven," should come without cost? It is costly to God. Why should we not expect that it will be costly to us? But once we recognize how great and good that possibility is, we will know that it is worth the cost. An interesting interchange took place between Jesus and ...

4123. Simple Faith?

Mark 1:9-15

Sermon

John Jamison

It all sounds so simple. It’s just so nice, so easy, and so straightforward; almost comfortable. And we’ve heard the story told so many times that many of us know it by heart. “This John the Baptist guy was standing in the middle of the Jordan River, yelling at people and baptizing them. He was yelling at some of the priests who didn’t like him, when suddenly Jesus stepped out of the crowd, walked into the water, and stood next to John. At first, John wanted Jesus to baptize him, but finally, he went ahead ...

4124. When I AM Speaks, You'd Better Listen

John 6:24-35

Sermon

Ron Lavin

It appears that somebody got into the front window of life and changed the price tags. The expensive things now have cheap labels. The cheap things have expensive labels. What has happened is that today we have what might be called a transvaluation of values. Everything is turned upside down. Important values have become unimportant for many people. Unimportant values have been turned into seemingly valuable categories. Just look at the ads on television, the movies, or the magazines being produced today. ...

4125. About Unclaimed Luggage

Luke 15:1-7, Luke 15:8-10, Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever been on a flight where the airline lost your luggage? It’s a helpless feeling. In most cases, the lost piece of luggage is returned . . . eventually. But every year, thousands of items are lost or left behind on America’s airlines and never claimed. Eventually, all those lost items end up in the small town of Scottsboro, Alabama, at a store called the Unclaimed Baggage Center. This store, which takes up an entire city block, has arrangements with nearly every airline to buy luggage that ...

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