Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4201 to 4225 of 4934 results

4201. I Wonder about The End of the World

Mark 13:32-37

Sermon

Charley Reeb

“On April 3rd, 1843 there were scores of believers in the Northeast who were awaiting the end of the world. They all followed a New York evangelist named William Miller. They were called “Millerites.” Journalists had a field day. Reportedly some disciples were on mountaintops, hoping for a head start to heaven. Others were in graveyards, planning to ascend in union with their departed loved ones. Some high society ladies clustered together outside town to avoid entering God's holy kingdom amid the common ...

4202. Sin, Faith, Duty

Luke 17:1-10

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

This section consists of five units tied loosely together by the theme of faith: (1) a warning against causing someone to stumble (vv. 1–3a); (2) a saying on forgiveness (vv. 3b–4); (3) a saying on faith (vv. 5–6); (4) a saying on duty (vv. 7–10); and (5) the cleansing of ten lepers (vv. 11–19). The idea of faith is seen most clearly in the third and fifth units (vv. 5, 6, 19). However, when the concept is broadened in terms of faithfulness it becomes more apparent that the idea of faith runs throughout ...

4203. Expel the Immoral Brother!

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

The move from chapter 4 with its discussion of the ministry of the apostles to chapter 5 with the focused discussion of immorality may seem to be an illogical leap on the part of Paul. Quick shifts in focus such as this one have led a few interpreters to suggest that the document called 1 Corinthians is not a unified composition; but that reading of the text is an overreaction to the diversity of Paul’s remarks. Indeed, in 4:18 Paul confronted some of the Corinthians because they were arrogant (ephysiōthē ...

4204. Warnings from Israel's History

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

Having raised the serious, frightening prospect of disqualification at the end of chapter 9, Paul moves immediately to deliver a midrash on the exodus that is laced with scriptural allusions. The introduction of the story of the exodus wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness may seem peculiar, but the development is logical; for as Paul used himself and the apostles as a personal lesson on Christian rights and responsibilities in chapter 9, and as he drew images from the athletic games to illustrate ...

4205. Jesus the Way to the Father

John 14:5-14

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The statement prompting Thomas’ question is part of the answer to Peter: You know the way to the place where I am going (v. 4). The words where I am going still echo 13:33 and 36. Jesus’ answer to Thomas’ question, How can we know the way? (v. 5), introduces the new thought that Jesus himself is the way (v. 6). Jesus’ answer centers on himself; it is neither necessary to know where he is going, in the sense of Jewish apocalyptic speculations about the structure of the heavens, nor the way, in the sense of ...

4206. United We Stand

John 17:11b-19

Sermon

King Duncan

Today is Mother’s Day, a day when we honor our Moms. We learn many things from our Moms. My mother taught me religion. She used to say things like, “You better pray that comes out of the carpet.” My mother taught me medicine: “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they’re going to freeze that way.” My mother taught me how to be a contortionist: “Will you look at the dirt on the back of your neck!” My mother taught me to appreciate a job well done: “If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just ...

4207. An Absolute Cure for Boredom

Philippians 3:7-4:1

Sermon

King Duncan

Do you ever feel bored . . . like your life is in a rut . . . that your life is a big, fat zero? Comedian Brad Stine puts it this way, “I feel like I’m in a rut. Every time I go to bed at night, I find myself just getting up again the next morning.” Well, some of us are grateful just to get up the next morning . . . but there are many people, if they were to define their lives at its essence, would define their life with one word: boring! People will sometimes go to desperate measures to escape boredom. ...

4208. No One Over 12 Inches Wide Need Apply

Luke 13:22-30

Sermon

King Duncan

Pastor Jonathan Romig tells about a place he likes to go caving near his home town of Estes Park, Colorado. Someone has defined caving as the art of safely moving through a natural cave to a destination and returning to the surface without hurting yourself or the cave. Caving is also known, of course, as spelunking. Many people find caving challenging and enjoyable. However, it is definitely not for those who suffer from claustrophobia. The place Pastor Romig tells about is a mountain in Colorado called ...

4209. Mercy Me!

Romans 14:1--15:13, Luke 6:27-36, Luke 6:37-42, Luke 6:43-45

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“My yoke is easy, my burden light.” --Jesus What burdens are you carrying this morning? How heavy is your heart? How weighed down is your spirit? Most of the time, when we think about that question, we think of the burdens of responsibility we carry or the weight of grief, the sandbags of unfair treatment levied against us, or hardships, such as unemployment, or health, or broken relationships. Certainly, those burdens of despair and sorrow can weigh heavily upon our hearts. But other kinds of burdens can ...

4210. Deliverance

Isaiah 49:8-26, Isaiah 44:24--45:25, Exodus 15:22-27, Exodus 13:17--14:31

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Tell the children of Israel to go forward.” (Exodus 14:15) One of the unique experiences of our culture today is the innovation of the “escape room!” Has anyone here participated in an “escape room” experience? [You can invite people to share if you wish.] Anyone know what an escape room is? You have these pretty much in every town now. Basically, you pay money to be locked into a room for one hour either with friends or with strangers. You are given clues and puzzles that will help you find a way to ...

4211. Everything You Do Bears Witness

John 10:22-30

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

I remember once a few weeks ago, I was having a bad day. Have you ever had a bad day? Bad days can cover a pretty wide arc of human reality, but my day began with not being able to find my bedroom slippers. Then, as soon as I got in the shower, someone downstairs ran the dishwasher and I was suddenly receiving cold water therapy at no extra charge! Then I tripped getting out of the shower and broke the table in the bathroom. Once I was out of the shower and shivering, I reached for clothing, only to ...

4212. New Life Goes On

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon

David Coffin

The experience is worse than any walk of shame one sees for people being voted off the program in any television reality show. A woman who is in her upper middle ages had been working in her mid-level management office job for twelve years. She had done all of the right things. She had both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in her field. Her colleagues enjoyed her, as did the people who worked in her department whom she supervised. She kept a cordial relationship with upper management. She wore company ...

4213. The Power Of Proximity

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

Jill J. Duffield

Imagine being ostracized and isolated, forced to cry, “Unclean! Unclean!” wherever you went, commanded to make visible through your clothing and hair your already physically evident and painful condition. The writer of Luke said they should keep their distance. Those ten with leprosy didn’t dare get close to Jesus, they called out for mercy from a distance. And Jesus, traveling to Jerusalem, between Samaria, that place with those people who refused to welcome him and Galilee, the region where so much of ...

4214. Easter Understanding

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

Edward Schillebeeckx, an outstanding Roman Catholic New Testament Scholar, some twenty years ago published in Holland his work titled The Understanding of Faith. Schillebeeckx made a most incisive effort to explain how Christians can understand their faith in the modern world. In doing so, he also had to carefully delineate the function of language in general. There are definite rules for the use of language. There are rules for the interpretation of language. Not only must Christians ask how the ...

4215. The Silence Broken, The Bride Restored

Isaiah 62:1-12

Sermon

Robert A. Hausman

"For Zion's sake I will not keep silent" (v. 1). The issue here is silence, the silence of God. Our text comes from the section of Isaiah which is usually dated during the time of rebuilding after the return from exile. It is from the part of the tradition called Third Isaiah. It reflects a time of great discouragement. Israel lived and worshipped among ruins. Foreign overlords seized the harvest of the fields and the fruit of the vineyards, while the people went hungry (62:8). Enemies continually ...

4216. How Long Will You Limp? (Because God Is Tired Of The Bull)

1 Kings 18:16-46

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

Elijah's magnificent display of strength and courage in facing and challenging the prophets of Baal is instructive for us. He has staked his ground on the summit of Carmel, located in Western Israel at the entrance of the Jezreel Valley. He has braced himself for the fallout. He has taken a firm stand without compunctions or remorse. He knows the wrath of Ahab and Jezebel shall soon be upon him. He knows the God he serves. He has tapped the power source of his faith. He is intrepid, undaunted, and ...

4217. No Apology

Acts 4:1-22

Sermon

Paul W. Kummer

Sometimes it just takes boldness!\n "Tell me what my dreams means," bellowed the king. "And I want to know what the dream was, too! It was so terrifying that I can't remember it! Tell me now! If you don't, O wise men of Babylon, I will have all of you killed." That's the report Daniel heard in his prison cell as henchmen came to fulfill the king's earnest decree. "Wait, there's a God in heaven who reveals mysteries," delays Daniel, and with boldness in God and with confidence that God gives dream meanings ...

4218. You Can Be Articulate

Mark 7:31-37

Sermon

Michael B. Brown

A quick look at any medical journal reveals thousands of phobias that afflict people ... not discomforts or unpleasantries, but full-blown, pulse-raising, sweat-inducing, emotionally debilitating phobias. They come in all shapes and sizes. We find arachnaphobia (the fear of spiders) and musophobia (the fear of mice). There are claustrophobia (the fear of confined spaces with no visible exit) and hydrophobia (the fear of water which prevents anyone from knowing the joys of swimming in summer or deep sea ...

4219. Working In The Family Business

1 Peter 2:4-12

Sermon

Sandra Hefter Herrma

How everyone loves a newborn baby! We cannot help but turn when we hear the distinctive cry of a very new person. And when we see new babies, we almost always go over for a look, even if we don't talk to the parents. It's instinctive, really -- an inborn guarantee that this tiny infant, dependent for its every need on the goodwill of those around it, will get what it needs. So when the baby cries, mothers who are nursing find that their bodies automatically "let down" the milk, and even if they wanted not ...

4220. Easter Day

John 20:10-18, John 20:1-9

Sermon Aid

Wayne H. Keller

Liturgical Color: White Theme: Resurrection; the Empty Tomb. You also may want to include the theme of Jesus' crucifixion, for those who expect to experience the joy of Easter without the horror of Good Friday. In no way will we experience life without death, resurrection without crucifixion. A Return To Good Friday, Which At The Time, Appeared Bad Continue to keep the cross and communion table wrapped in the daily newspaper. Have a dead "Jesus" simulated on the old rugged cross as people arrive. Have the ...

4221. You Can Be Well Fed

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sermon

Michael B. Brown

I used to serve as pastor to a delightful young woman who was a physiologist. A committed health nut, she probably weighed all of 90 pounds soaking wet. She ran about five miles per day and actually seemed to enjoy counting fat grams. Though a truly charming young lady, she was not much of a realist. I note that because one of her goals was to make me as skinny as she was. Following a trip to a church conference at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, I made the mistake of telling her that I had stopped at the ...

4222. Proper 19

Luke 15:1-7, Luke 15:8-10, Jeremiah 4:5-31, 1 Timothy 1:12-20

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28 For Judah, Jeremiah sees nothing but doom. For Judah there is no future except destruction and death. Everywhere Jeremiah looks he sees desolation of his country. Why is this? The judgment comes from Yahweh because Judah is woefully corrupt. Their sins have brought utter disaster. There is no hope except "I will not make a full end." (v. 27) Lesson 2: 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Christ came to save sinners, even the foremost, Paul. Many scholars think that the pastoral ...

4223. Liberating Truth

John 8:31-41

Sermon

William G. Carter

During the 1960s, Sherwood Schwartz wrote and produced a number of hit television shows. One of the most popular shows was Gilligan's Island, a comedy about a handful of pleasure cruise passengers who found themselves shipwrecked on a desert island. Every episode featured the castaways of the S.S. Minnow facing a wacky new adventure. The show was an immediate hit of the 1964 season. Each week, a lot of otherwise thoughtful, intelligent television viewers tuned in to hear the Skipper say, "Gilligan, drop ...

4224. Out On A Limb

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Larry R. Kalajainen

A friend told me of the hours he spent as a child in a large cherry tree in his grandmother's backyard. The tree was very large and high, at least as he remembered it. He remembered the very first time he climbed it. He had to jump to catch hold of the lowest branch, and then pull himself by sheer muscle power up onto it. Then he could work his way up the tree. The tree seemed so high, that he got dizzy looking down, and yet, scary as it was, he couldn't resist climbing higher and higher. Finally he got ...

4225. Receive The Holy Spirit

John 20:19-23

Sermon

Larry Powell

"It is my heart-warming and world-embracing hope," said Mark Twain, "that all of us - the high, the low, the rich, the poor, the admired, the despised, the loved, the hated, the civilized, and the savage - may eventually be gathered in a heaven of everlasting rest and peace and bliss, except the inventor of the telephone." Mark Twain obviously held a great dislike for the telephone, probably because, among other things, it renders a person to be easily accessible, even when they prefer to be inaccessible. ...

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