Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 401 to 425 of 1679 results

401. The Living Stone and a Chosen People

1 Peter 2:4-12

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

The Stone—Living and Deadly Peter now turns from exhorting his readers to conduct that befits their life within the believing community to inviting them to consider the nature of that community which Christ has brought into existence. 2:4 The shift to stone from the figure of “milk” (v. 2) is unexpected and seemingly without reason. But for a Jewish reader there is a natural succession of ideas in this passage—not milk: stone, but the Hebraic one of babes: house. A helpful illustration is in Genesis 16:2. ...

402. Jesus Talks with a Samaritan Woman

John 4:1-26, John 4:27-38, John 4:39-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The transition begun in 3:22 is continued in 4:1–4. Jesus moves from Jerusalem to the Judean countryside and from there to Galilee by way of Samaria. The intervening material (3:23–36) enables the reader to make sense of this cumbersome introduction to chapter 4. That Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John (v. 1) has already been intimated in 3:26. That the Pharisees noticed this is suggested by the fact that John’s disciples seem to have been reminded of it by a Jew (3:25). What has not ...

403. Job's Third Reply to Eliphaz

Job 23:1--24:25

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

Taking God to Court 23:1 One can hardly call Job’s words in chapters 23 and 24 a response to Eliphaz’s third speech. Job takes no notice of his friend or his argument, but he begins instead to consider the feasibility and benefit of bringing God to court so he might hope to find just resolution to his complaint. In chapter 23 Job reflects, at first confidently but ultimately with increasing terror, on the difficulty of locating God and securing his presence for the legal proceedings. 23:2 Job says, my ...

404. The Disciples Rejoin Jesus

John 4:27-38, John 4:1-26, John 4:39-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

405. So, You Want to Get Well?

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon

Ron Lavin

There are four stories going on in this text: 1) the story of a humble leader, 2) the story of a sick woman, 3) the story of a dead little girl, and 4) your story and mine. We want to be sure to get at the truth of the Bible stories, but we also need to look at the personal connection, the application of the text to our lives. That's your story and mine. In other words, preaching Bible stories must not only be true to the text; preaching also must make a difference. This text about Jesus' healing power is ...

406. Holy Happiness

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

Psychiatrist Robert Coles tells a story about a poor black woman in New Orleans who sells her body almost every night to wealthy old men in order to take care of her five children. And each night this woman takes half of what she earns as a prostitute and gives it to the nuns who run the local soup kitchen. Coles asks the question, “Is this woman blessed or is she cursed?” From her perspective, I’m sure the answer is both. But from the perspective of today’s gospel lesson, she is more blessed than she is ...

407. Selling Out

Luke 8:26-39

Sermon

Dave Zuchelli

When I was in Israel several years ago, I took one of the boats that crossed the Sea of Galilee. When we reached the far shore, we were whisked by bus to a place near the ancient city of Gadara. In its heyday, Gadara was an urban area — one of the cities of the Decapolis. It was at the southern end of those Ten Roman Cities of fame. Gadara is no longer a city. In fact, it is nothing but a few ruins now. The place of interest for us weary pilgrims was nothing but some rocky crags. Nearby stood the ruins of ...

408. Fear of Flying

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Jerry Angstrom had a fierce fear of flying. It’s not as though he had flown in a plane before. He hadn’t. Nothing bad had happened to him in the air or on the ground to make him fear the 747 that could take him on his vacation trip to Key West. He simply couldn’t bring himself to do it. Every time he thought about stepping onto the plane, his mind would race with thoughts of doom and gloom. “What if the plane crashed?” “What if the engine failed?” “What if it ran out of gas.” “What if I die?” The very ...

409. Hot Tubs and Fishing Trips

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

Thomas Long

The following classified advertisement appeared in a recent edition of a major city newspaper: HOT TUB - For sale, complete w/plumbing. Will trade for pick-up truck. Call _________ after 5:00 p.m. One does not have to possess a Ph.D. in clinical psychology to suspect that, behind those few words, there lies a life in major transition. Away with the hot tub, the gold chains, the Brut, the Alfa Romeo, the wine coolers, and the avocado dip. In with the baseball cap, the Budweiser, the flannel shirt, the Old ...

410. He Ought to Stick Out!

1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

Charles L. Koester

"By this we know that we abide in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his own spirit." If you’re looking for a creative challenge, attempt explaining where Jesus is now to a group of young children. To explain God as Father and creator can be done through objects in nature. A child will comprehend the Creator through trees and flowers. The life our Lord lived on earth can be explained, too. It is tangible history. But try to explain, to a child, where Jesus is now, now that he took off into the ...

411. The Medicine Of A Cheerful Heart

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

The Bible is a serious book, but it is not deadly serious. Did I say that too quickly for you to get it? The Bible is a serious book, but it is not deadly serious. Have you ever thought that we might have been better off if we had never put the printed word of God -- the Bible -- between black covers? Dostoevski, in his novel The Brothers Karamazov, characterize the artificial life of the monastery as "25 men trying to be saints, who sit around looking blankly at each other and eat cabbage." It's that kind ...

412. Lord, Is It I?

Mark 14:12-26

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

A few weeks ago, I told a story about Alexander Whyte, the great Scot Presbyterian preacher. Once an evangelist came to Edinburgh, and to enliven his preaching, he began criticizing the local ministers, among them Dr. Whyte. A man who heard the criticisms came the next day to Dr. Whyte. “The Evangelist said that Dr. Hood Wilson... was not a converted man,” he told Dr. Whyte. The great preacher rose from his chair in anger. “The rascal!” “The rascal! Dr. Wilson was not a converted man!” The visitor was ...

413. Spiritual Blindness and the Way to Overcome It

Mark 8:22-26, Mark 8:14-21

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: The materialistic outlook of the disciples constituted spiritual blindness, and Jesus castigated them for their hardened hearts and lack of understanding. Still, there is hope, for the same Jesus who could heal the deaf and blind could also heal their spiritual blindness. Understanding the Text These two episodes complete the section on failure and faith in 6:31–8:26. The first section on the misunderstanding of the disciples recalls their “hardness” (displayed in 6:44–52 [6:52 = 8:17]), and ...

414. Close Calls

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

Ron Lavin

Have you ever had a close call? Have you ever been in an accident where you almost died? Have you ever been overwhelmed by an event or loss so great that you wondered how you would ever get through it? When a close call came, have you ever felt that God either didn't care or that he was asleep because you couldn't reach him? That is what is going on in our story, the story of the apostles in a little boat during a violent storm on a lake called Galilee where the wind rushes down from the hills with such ...

415. A Christian With A Conflict Of Interest

Isaiah 5:1-7

Sermon

James McLemore

This was a Christian family. The husband was a Christian, at least that is what he put on his job application when it asked for religious affiliation. Sex: male Race: African-American Nationality: U.S. Citizen Religion: Christian His mother has been a good churchwoman. He used to attend Sunday school as a little boy, but that was thirty years ago. He had a religious heritage and, after all, that made him Christian by parental relationships. Or did it? He wanted to think of himself as a Christian every day ...

416. Lust - To Discipline The Eye And The Heart

Matthew 5:27-30

Sermon

R. Curtis Fussell

Jesus and his disciples were in a foreign land, the land of Samaria. It had once been recognized as the birthplace and capital of the Jewish faith. It was in Samaria and at Shechem that God told Abraham that the land would belong to his descendants. But later the Israelites were defeated by the Assyrians, who then settled in the land and mixed with the population. So in Jesus' day the people of Israel viewed the Samaritans as half-breeds and false worshipers. Jesus' parable of the "good Samaritan" was a ...

417. “You Did That for Me!”

Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

A friend and I were having lunch. We enjoyed jumping from one topic to another, sharing, interrupting, countering. I did a double-take when my friend slipped in a surprise. “My marriage is in trouble.” The conversation changed at once. Another new topic had occurred to me, but I dropped it. The time had come for listening. Our conversation had changed from a freewheeling exchange to an intimate opening and sharing. I asked leading questions and made observations. I was trying hard to listen, actively using ...

418. To Live in Joy

Revelation 1:1-3

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

In an article in The New York Times, one of my favorite editorial columnists, James Reston, said, “A top flight reporter keeps asking, ‘What’s not getting reported? What’s the big story we’re all missing?” When I read that, lights began to flash in my mind. That’s the task of preaching, I thought to ask the question, “What’s not getting reported? What’s the big story we’re all missing?” I thought of Reston’s words again as I began to prepare for this day with you. This is probably the only time I will ...

419. Casting Out Demons

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Some of you remember Mercury Morris, a great running back for the Miami Dolphins back in their glory days when they were winning the Super Bowls. Mercury was one of the first professional athletes be caught involved in drugs. He was arrested, tried and sent to jail. Why should such a successful athlete do such a dumb thing? Why should he throw his life away? At his trial he said, “I wanted to get away from it, but the demons wouldn’t let me.” That sounds dramatic when we hear it in that fashion. I’ve ...

420. It’s a New Year: Take 7 Steps Forward

John 1:43-51

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

How many parents have blessed the invention of the “Swing’N’Sway?” Can I get a witness?! There are actually two versions of this battery operated baby care gizmo. For newborns there is a Swing’N’Sway bassinet that gently rocks from side-to-side and back-to-front to simulate the infant being held and walked and rocked. This enables new Moms and Dads to catch some desperately needed shut-eye. For babies old enough to sit up there is a Swing’N’Sway rocker — an infant seat secured in a kind of swing-set stand ...

421. Do You Know Your Place?

Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The world of sled dog racing is famous for a truism: “If you aren’t the lead dog, the scenery never changes.” In other words, only the lead dog gets to see what is up ahead. Only the lead dog gets to sniff out new possibilities, gets to choose a new path. For the rest of the pack, there is nothing but a view of bushy backsides. No wonder in life we are all constantly striving to be “lead dogs.” Across the political spectrum, there is one common refrain. As the 2012 political races heat up every candidate, ...

422. Defeating Discouragement

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Yard sales are interesting to me. I don’t frequent them very often, but I am always fascinated by the fact that “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” Someone can’t wait to get rid of old tapes and records — doesn’t want them cluttering up the house anymore. Along comes a complete stranger and he just can’t believe anyone would want to sell them. He buys them for a steal and drives home with a big smile thinking he just committed robbery. He brings the records home, clutters up his own house ...

423. First the Bad News...

Luke 21:5-19

Sermon

King Duncan

I know they’re corny, but I love good news/bad news jokes. We laugh at them because of the element of surprise, but also because we can relate to the scenarios in them. They appeal to the cynic in us that just expects the world to operate in that order--good news, then bad news. A young man phones up his dad at work for a chat. Dad says, “I’m sorry, son, but I’m up to my neck in work today” Son says, “But I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you, Dad.” Dad says, “OK, but since I’ve got no time now ...

424. Recognizing Who God Is

Job 42:7-17

Sermon

King Duncan

Series on the Book of Job, #4 Suggested video clip: "Rudy" This is the last sermon in our series on Job. Maybe you are relieved, as I am relieved. This is heavy stuff. We ended last week's service by pondering the question: What has Job learned from his encounter with the Almighty God? For an answer, I want to turn to the movie Rudy. Rudy is based on the true story of a young man named Rudy Ruettiger whose only goal in life was to play football for Notre Dame. Rudy is small and he lacks athletic ability. ...

425. Unreasonable Mercy

2 Kings 5:1-27, Matthew 8:5-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Prop: YouTube Clip from the Emperor’s New Groove (provided below) and Ad for Discover Card. You can also optionally play some of the clip from Abbott and Costello. [Hold up a cell phone.] Technology. We love it. And we hate it. It makes our lives easier, faster, more convenient, for sure. But like any form of mediating communication, it can also confuse, convolute, cause misunderstandings between us. And we have enough trouble understanding each other without it! Remember the old skit from Abbott and ...

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