Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4226 to 4250 of 4977 results

4226. James 3:1-12

James 3:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 3 and 3:6 — suggesting that he is not only aware of how the tongue influences the individual, but how the teacher’s tongue shapes and direct the movement and mindset of the whole Christbody community. The words of one can affect the witness of all. To keep the powerful tongue in check requires “a bridle,” a term that both recalls 1:26 and connects this directive to James’ next illustration of the “bit” in 3:3. In 3:3-5a James uses two metaphors. Both were familiar to his listeners and familiar ...

4227. Epiphany 2

Psalm 36:5-10, Isaiah 62:1-5, John 2:1-11, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... Politic as hands that share what he grows and as a voice in local government for clean water and sheltering the homeless. Another congregant may hold lots of balls in the air without getting stressed and still keeps a clear head — we might say she is a big toe, helping us as Body Politic keep our balance. Another way to look at all the lections as a whole is: a society that is civil and hospitable feels good about itself and has a far-reaching good reputation. Contemporary Affirmation Throughout nature we ...

4228. Epiphany

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14, Isaiah 60:1-6, Matthew 2:1-12, Ephesians 3:1-12

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... and receive dream messages from the same God that Paul later experiences as inspiring. Their secret is that they are to protect the baby. At the same time, Herod is afraid of losing power and, according to Matthew, immediately begins to protect his future but keeps his fears and his dreadful plans secret. Two texts (Psalms and Isaiah) are right out front with their message! No secret for them! God will someday fix Jerusalem; it will be so well ruled and so beautiful that everyone will praise God. People’s ...

4229. Proper 12

Genesis 18:20-32, Psalm 85:1-13; 138:1-8, Hosea 1:2-10, Luke 11:1-13, Colossians 2:6-19

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... on our interpretations of the words of Jesus. We are grateful that you are present in us and among us, giving us contentment and visions for the tomorrows. Let us not be enslaved by the deceitful practices of our culture nor by a bondage to material things. Keep us maturing in spiritual practices. God of Cities — we are glad Abraham was thoughtful enough to ask if you would destroy good people along with evil people in Sodom. We too ask that as we look at the world and see violent men taking advantage of ...

4230. L4G Live For God

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... monetary issues that soon come up. The man’s response may strike twenty-first century readers as spiritually arrogant. He asserts he has “kept all these since my youth.” In Judaism it was assumed that a pious and obedient Jew would and could keep all the commandments — all 613 of them. Jesus himself does not seem to take the man’s response as anything but sincere, and Mark’s text declares that Jesus “looked at him and loved him.” The “look” (“emblepein”) Jesus gives is a scrutinizing ...

4231. A Rock Thrown, A Lesson Learned

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... of Jesus are called to seek out people who are hurting and minister to them. It’s easy to be a Christian if that means simply keeping the “thou shalt nots” of the law. “We don’t smoke and we don’t chew . . . and we don’t go with the girls that do ... the little country ditty went. If that is what it means to be a Christian, then we’ve got it made. It would be hard to keep all 365 of those laws that prohibit certain behaviors, but most of them don’t apply to us anyway. And it is easy to be a ...

4232. A Road Straight to Your Heart

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... hold anger management seminars for their employees, and conflict management training to deal with difficult customers; some stores now keep their top selling items off the shelves on Black Friday so people don’t fight over them. The secular ... to kill his own son. His mother pleaded and wrestled and tussled with the father for almost thirty minutes to try to calm him down, to keep his father from destroying him. At the end, his father said, “I will let him live for your sake, but as far as I am concerned ...

4233. Proper 24

Genesis 32:22-32, Psalm 119:97-104, Jeremiah 31-27-34, Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:14--4:5

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... Our help comes from God who made heaven and earth. God, our protector never dozes or sleeps; God guards us and is ever by our side. The sun will not hurt us during the day nor the moon during the night. God will protect us from danger and will keep us safe. God is with us as we come and go, today and forever! Leader: How good those words are — sweeter than honey; we gain wisdom and comfort from them. People: Thanks be to God for divine wisdom! Prayer Of Thanksgiving Gracious God — your word is light for ...

4234. Proper 26

Psalm 119:137-144, Isaiah 1:10-18, Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4, Luke 19:1-10, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... , what is just and lovely; help us walk in that path. Amen. Sermon Idea Civilizations rise and fall; vital and fierce leaders come and go. We say we are God’s people because we believe that Jesus lived, taught, and died so we might live. We keep on teaching the Golden Rule and the Sermon on the Mount but human greed and violence don’t go away. Old Testament prophet Habakkuk articulates our current questions: * How long must we call for help before God takes some action? * How can God endure the violence ...

4235. Reformation Day

Psalm 46:1-11, Jeremiah 31:31-34, John 8:31-41, Romans 3:19-28

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... courage to live the life that comes to us. We pray for minds that are open to your healing grace. We pray for souls that grow gentle and full as the calendar counts our years. And we pray for the next generation. Protect our children from evil ways; keep them from harm; help them to learn information and to be wise citizens of this world and the life beyond this one. Amen. Benediction May the dreams of the reformers inspire you; may God who empowers men and women in each generation touch you; may Jesus be ...

4236. Transfiguration

Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99:1-9, Luke 9:28-36, 2 Corinthians 3:12--4:2

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... flow. Praise God, all creatures here below. Praise God above, you heavenly hosts. Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Prayer Of Thanksgiving (Unison) Great Mystery — thank you for light that dazzles us unexpectedly. Thank you for the insight to make decisions in keeping with our own integrity and sense of your presence. Thank you for all the resources that enhance daily living. Use us and our gifts as needed to make your love present in this world. Amen. Intercessory Prayers Fascinating God — when darkness ...

4237. Christmas 1

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26, Psalm 148:1-14, Luke 2:41-52, Colossians 3:12-17

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... adventures with your Spirit, for new opportunities to know ourselves and others. Thank you for the men and women, century after century, who passed along the stories of your birth among humankind. Help us midwife your goodness in our neighborhoods. Thank you for our children. Keep them safe and hopeful. Dreamer of a New Reign — this is a season of peace, we like to think. When we are honest, we see that peace is a long way off, a long time coming. But like shepherds and young parents in every generation ...

4238. From Self-Help to God-Trust

Hebrews 7:11-28

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... in such an exalted state. The division between what has been and the new reality available to disciples is a division between the age of “the law” and “the word of the oath” (v.28). The law, which no one, not even the appointed priests, could keep perfectly, is part of the prior covenant. “The oath,” God’s promise that Jesus is our “priest forever,” and Jesus’ sacrifice “once and for all when he offered himself,” has forever changed the final possibilities for all men and women.

4239. Thanksgiving Means Giving

1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... time together the older woman would give Billy his quarter, which he would half-heartedly refuse, knowing that she would insist that he keep it. Usually he walked across the street to Johnson’s candy store and bought himself a treat. One day in mid-December ... that separate and drive people apart. Racial and ethnic divisions, national boundaries, and even religious denominations and teachings keep us from being the mutually loving people that is part of Paul’s thanksgiving message to the Thessalonians ...

4240. Obedience: Our Gift to Jesus

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... gives us freedom. Can any of us imagine our society without the obedience of law? While the law seems to restrict our freedom, it actually provides a structure for our society. If we obey the law then we find freedom. Similarly following the rules or keeping the regimen of the team brings discipline, esprit de corps, and triumph in sports. While there are individual stars on the various school and professional sports teams, it is the team that wins or loses. Those who act and play like a team in obedience ...

4241. Did God Really Say...?

Romans 10:8-13

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... messiah?" When the devil speaks, he attacks his prey by sowing the seeds of doubt and trying to undermine the trustworthiness of God by implying that some how, some way God is pulling a fast one, that God is not completely on the up and up, that God is not keeping his promises. "And because God is not trustworthy, you need to take things into your own hands. If God won't be God, then you need to be God and you do that by taking charge of your own life. You do that, Adam and Eve, by eating that forbidden ...

4242. Getting the Big Picture

Romans 8:14-17

Sermon

April Yamasaki

... the way we make decisions in daily life. Do you face a challenging situation at home or work or school? Is there some concern that keeps you up at night? Instead of struggling with these things on our own, we can bring them to God in prayer, just as Jesus ... can make a difference in the real decisions we make each day. We don't need to be focused on getting ahead in this life and keeping up with the Joneses, for this life is not all there is! We don't need to be consumed by our consumer culture, for this life ...

4243. But When God ...

Galatians 1:11-24

Sermon

April Yamasaki

... Paul's life change so dramatically? And what might we learn about how God can change our lives? The key is verse 15 of our text: "But when God" — it was God who dramatically changed Paul's life. Paul was advancing in Judaism, Paul was keeping the law, Paul was dismantling the church, Paul was going full speed ahead — but when God — when God stepped in, everything changed! Paul did not change because of something someone made up. He did not change because of what other people said. He did not change ...

4244. Freedom Calling

Galatians 5:1-15

Sermon

April Yamasaki

... , to follow God's way instead of their own way. This was important for the Galatians to hear, because they were in trouble as a community. They were a community in conflict — some argued that the cross of Christ wasn't enough and that you still had to keep all of the Jewish religious laws. Some disagreed over Paul's leadership and some refused to eat with others in the church. The conflict was so severe that Galatians 5:15 describes it as "you bite and devour one another." Verses 19-21 list some of their ...

4245. The Utmost Patience for the Foremost Sinner

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... want to know about parents who torture their children, sometimes in horrific ways, like cooking them in a microwave. We see such things and become too complacent about our own sins. As long as we are not as bad as some people, we must be doing okay. Our emotional needs keep us from thinking about our sins. Most of the time we need all of our emotional energy just to get by. Life seems to throw everything at us that it can. We don't have time or energy left to think about our sins. We come to church to gain ...

4246. Worthy of Your Call

2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

Sermon

Scott Suskovic

... a great impact, to reach more people, to do more wonderful things for God. All great and wonderful things. However, it was not to know God. Phil understood what had happened with VeggieTales as God was asking him to sacrifice his dream on the altar for the sake of keeping his eyes on Jesus. He had gotten ahead of God. He was asking God to catch up to him and bless what he had done. Bottom line: He had taken his eyes off Jesus. Then Vischer asked a question to the congregation, "What do you dream that you ...

4247. A New Resolve

Philippians 4:1, 4-9

Sermon

Scott Suskovic

... there is a lot of stuff out there that is not. We pay $10a month for cable. Basic cable. It's not much, as my kids keep reminding me. I would like to get ESPN. I would like to get Discovery. But I can't get those two without letting in a whole ... live with resolve before the crisis hits, then guard your thoughts. Ask yourself, "Is it true, pure, just, acceptable?" Third, guard your examples. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Is that arrogant? A little bit ...

4248. The Things Close to Your Heart

Mark 13:1-31

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the cash (who has it!) or the credit cards (you just cancel them). The worst loss is all those personal, “heart” things you keep close to you. *Your ancient Social Security card that you got at age 15. *Photos of parents, kids, and siblings that are faded ... read carefully every passage where Jesus starts pointing to himself rather than the Temple, the disciples don’t get it. They keep coming back to the Temple. They can’t conceive of their “home” being destroyed, and needing to move into a new “ ...

4249. The Temple of Doom and the Bridegroom

Mark 13:1-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the cash (who has it!) or the credit cards (you just cancel them). The worst loss is all those personal, “heart” things you keep close to you. Your ancient Social Security card that you got at age 15. Photos of parents, kids, and siblings that are faded ... read carefully every passage where Jesus starts pointing to himself rather than the Temple, the disciples don’t get it. They keep coming back to the Temple. They can’t conceive of their “home” being destroyed, and needing to move into a new “ ...

4250. The Winning Word

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

... ago, to separate ourselves from anything that would cause us to sin, separate us from God, or detour our way to heaven. It can only be done as we learn his word and hide it in our hearts. Keep close to God through continual communication through prayer with him. Allow fellow believers to help you in your journey. Keep in step through the correction and guidance of the Holy Spirit who leads us into holy living. Do your actions match your words? As we apply this sermon today to our lives, focus on the divine ...

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