Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4551 to 4575 of 4934 results

4551. Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

Isaiah 36:1-22

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Hezekiah’s Great Political Crisis Confronts Him: We may be surprised to find the introduction to the second half of the book in chapters 34–35 followed by four chapters of prose stories about Hezekiah, the last of the kings of Isaiah’s own lifetime. One reason for this surprise is that they also appear in 2 Kings. As with 2:2–4, we do not know which is the more original version. But Isaiah is prominent in the stories and they incorporate some of his prophecies, so it is reasonable enough that they should ...

4552. Lamps, Cakes, and the Blasphemer

Lev 24:1-23

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God, whose presence is in the midst of his covenant people, must be respected. Understanding the Text Leviticus 24 divides into two sections: Israel’s requirement to supply oil and bread to the tabernacle in its daily worship (vv. 1–9) and the execution of a blasphemer (vv. 10–23). Verses 1–9 move from the obligations for Israelites to worship on holy days (Lev. 23) to obligations to maintain worship on a daily basis. The connection of the second section to the context is less clear. The case of ...

4553. Imitating Christ’s Humility

Philippians 2:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2:1–4 · A call to corporate life in Christ:After calling the Philippians to an authentic Christian life and reminding them that he shares in their trials and sufferings, Paul makes a series of rhetorical remarks in order to comment on the character of the Philippians and remind them of the character of Christ. These four remarks all begin with the word “if,” but this does not mean that Paul doubts that they are true. It is better to understand the “if” as meaning “since.” Paul knows the Philippian ...

4554. Today Can Be the First Day of Your New Life!

Matthew 2:13-23

Sermon

King Duncan

It’s said that in Rome, on New Year’s Eve, there is a tradition of literally throwing old things right out the window, to start the New Year free from the past. I guess the moral of that is, if you are fortunate enough to be in Rome, Italy some New Year’s Eve, you best keep an eye skyward. Somebody might be throwing out a heavy piece of furniture just as you are passing by. That’s their tradition. A pastor named Patricia Farris tells about being in Mexico one year with her husband on New Year’s Eve. They ...

4555. The Real Thing

Matthew 23:1-12

Sermon

David G. Rogne

Mahatma Gandhi of India is alleged to have said, "If I had ever met someone who was a genuine Christian, I would have become one immediately." It is a stinging judgment of Christians. At the same time, it challenges every Christian to examine the genuineness of his or her walk and witness. We need to ask ourselves: "How authentic, how credible is my demonstration of the Christian life?" In our scripture lesson for today Jesus criticizes certain characteristics of the Pharisees, a sectarian group within ...

4556. Jesus Questioned About Fasting

Mark 2:18-22

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

2:18–22 Another issue surfaces between Jesus and his critics; in this case the question concerns why his disciples do not observe fasts like those of the other religious groups named. The fasting in question was a weekly exercise (for the Pharisees, on Mondays and Thursdays) and seems to have been intended as an expression of mourning over the sins of Israel and over the fact that the longed-for salvation of prophetic hope had not appeared (on fasting in Mark, see note). The fact that the question emerged ...

4557. Prayer

Matthew 6:5-15

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

6:5–6 A second important religious duty among the Jews was prayer. In the morning and in the evening the devout Jew would recite the Shema (three short passages of Scripture from Deuteronomy 6 and 11 and Numbers 15), and at nine in the morning, noon, and three in the afternoon he would go through the Shemoneh Esreh (the Eighteen Benedictions). Acts 3:1 notes that Peter and John went to the temple “at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.” According to Jewish custom, if you were in the streets at ...

4558. Free Indeed!

John 8:31-36

Sermon

April Yamasaki

"War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength." In George Orwell's novel, 1984, these slogans are used to control the thoughts of the people. While their country was at war, the people were deceived into thinking it was peace. While they were kept subservient, they thought they were free. While they remained ignorant of what was really going on in the world around them, they thought they were strong. Does this sound odd, or perhaps oddly familiar? Today's scripture seems to bear witness to a ...

4559. Speaking with Prophetic Authority

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Richard Gribble

"Free at last, free at last -- thank God Almighty, we are free at last." These words were spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr., when he concluded his famous "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington, D.C., in August 1963. Dr. King was a man of many talents who did great things, but he will be most remembered as one who lived for his people by speaking and acting for them with prophetic authority. Martin Luther King, Jr., was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in January 1929. He followed the path of his ...

4560. Sin

Romans 7:15--8:13

Sermon

Will Willimon

Isn't this typical? You get up and come to church -- and on your vacation, too -- on a pleasant summer day and what is the theme? Sin. "What did the preacher talk on today, Calvin?" asked Mrs. Cooledge. "Sin," said this taciturn president. "Well what did he say about sin," she persisted. "Said he was against it." Of course, that was another time when preachers still knew the word. Have you noticed? Today, progressive preachers think more positively. Yesterday's "I'm not OK, you're not OK," has changed to " ...

4561. Leaving an Empty Chair

Acts 2:42-47

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever been part of a team-building exercise? A lot of businesses invest in team-building exercises as a way to encourage cooperation and problem-solving skills among their employees. But sometimes the team-building exercise is a problem in itself. According to one study done by the multinational firm Citirix, 1/3 of U.S. employees surveyed dislike team-building exercises. Yet companies spend an estimated $46 billion per year on these types of exercises. Are they getting a good return on their ...

4562. Burning the Midnight Oil

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Steve Molin

It has been several decades since Pastor John Lloyd Ogilvie wrote his book about the parables of Jesus titled, The Autobiography of God. As Ogilvie pointed out, this “autobiography” – this self-writing – is exactly what the parables of Jesus are.[1] They are the description of the kingdom of God by God’s own self.” Jesus did not write them down as an author would; he told them to small groups, to angry crowds, to the masses, to individuals, and most often, to his disciples. He painted word-pictures about ...

4563. Obstructions of the Heart

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.” --Isaiah 57:14 (ESV) Obstructions of the Heart. Sounds like something from a medical manual, doesn’t it? Yet, removing obstructions of the heart was an important part of ...

4564. From The Redemption Of A King To A King Of Redemption

2 Samuel 23:1-7

Sermon

Zan W. Holmes

A visitor once entered a large cathedral to spend some time in meditation. As he reflected upon the sins of his own life, he looked up and saw statues of biblical saints that had been placed in great niches along the high walls of the cathedral. Included among them were Moses, David, and Peter. Suddenly he remembered that each one of them was also a person who had sinned and made mistakes in life. But by the grace of God they had been redeemed and were now counted among the saints in the Bible. To be sure ...

4565. A Family Of Crooks

1 Corinthians 15:22

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Lesson: For as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. Object: A sign to hang around someone's neck which says, "This person is a crook" Good morning, boys and girls. How would you like it if you had to wear a sign like this all the time? (Show them the sign. Let them respond.) Do you know what a "crook" is, boys and girls? (Let them answer.) That's right. A crook is someone who probably can't be trusted because he lies or cheats or steals. Well, once there lived a man in a far-away country ...

4566. Mind Your Manners

Matthew 7:7-12

Sermon

Robert R. Kopp

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you....-- Matthew 7:12 Everybody's got pet peeves -- annoying things that you'd correct or eliminate from the face of the earth if you were Director of the Universe. While I'm particularly peeved by restaurants that charge extra for blue cheese dressing and refills and people who are fortunate enough to have just enough paper in the duplicating machine or staples in the stapler so they didn't even know they were empty when I showed up at 4 a.m. to use ...

4567. It Used To Be The Two-Bottom Plow

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: The Need For Change And Flexibility In The Church Nothing hampers the move of God in a congregation more than the rigidity to religious traditions that have long outlived their usefulness. Utilizing church issues which were once threatening but have since been resolved, this play is especially relevant for congregations or groups where traditions continue strong and change is difficult. Setting: A rural setting, small town coffee shop Characters:1ST MAN: Older farmer, retirement age2ND MAN: Older ...

4568. The One Chosen

Matthew 16:21-28

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: There are those who would stop us from doing God's best and want us to do what is only good. They are stumbling blocks to us. Jesus is always our model for life and death. Summary: In a time in the future, when the government is exterminating children who are inferior and sterilizing parents who bear them, two people struggle whether to put their lives in danger to save others. Playing Time: 4 minutes Setting: The home of Itzak and Morah Props: A knapsack Costumes: Peasant Time: The future Cast: ...

4569. Children

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

Comment: A month before, I had told this story at the church I was serving. A colleague at the Hispanic church in town invited me over to preach. I had embarrassed myself the year before by reading both the English and the Spanish versions of a sermon for them, so I decided to go with a translator this time. I sent her a triple-spaced copy of the text so she could get ready for the task. She came prepared. While I read the story, she translated spontaneously. Even I was more captivated with her rendition, ...

4570. Zacchaeus

Luke 19:1-10

Drama

Jerry Eckert

[Comment: A month before, I had told this story at the church I was serving. A colleague at the Hispanic church in town invited me over to preach. I had embarrassed myself the year before by reading both the English and the Spanish versions of a sermon for them, so I decided to go with a translator this time. I sent her a triple-spaced copy of the text so she could get ready for the task. She came prepared. While I read the story, she translated spontaneously. Even I was more captivated with her rendition ...

4571. A Song Sung Blue

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Sermon

Robert Noblett

Years ago, Neil Diamond wrote and recorded a song that became quite popular; it was entitled “Song Sung Blue.” The lyrics have long left me, but that title came rushing back when I began looking at David’s lament for Saul and Jonathan. That’s a good definition of a lament a song sung blue. A Medium for Grief At first this might strike us as a bit strange singing our grief but there it clearly is in the first chapter of 2 Samuel: Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,who clothed you daintily in scarlet,who ...

4572. The Banquet

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Robert Salzgeber

The people argued, "How can this man give us flesh to eat?" To eat and drink the Lord's portion of an offered sacrifice was considered (later on in the Jewish tradition) a desecration or offensive because it was believed that the sacrifice belonged to God. To consume the life force, to consume God, was believed to be a sacrilege. But despite the religious calcification of the covenant tradition, the heart and spirit of the covenant tradition did break through at various times. One such time was when David ...

4573. Prayer Clothes

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Sermon

Mark J. Molldrem

Going to northern Canada? Bring your parka. Going to the pool? Do not forget your swimsuit. Going to the big game? Put on school colors. Going to the beach? You better remember the sunscreen. It is important to know where you are going. Then, you will know what to wear. Jesus was going to die. So, he wrapped himself in prayer. Throughout the gospel accounts we see Jesus praying, whether with his disciples or alone. Like a priest who offers prayers for the people and himself, Jesus "offered up prayers and ...

4574. Advent 2

Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 3:1-20, Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Luke, the Gospel for the Year, wants the entire story of Jesus, as he knows it, to be told, not only to Theophilus, but to the larger audience who will read his gospel. This Sunday's theological task is to retell the story of John the Baptist's ministry, so as to show John's role in the advent of Jesus in his baptism and the beginning of his ministry here on earth. John might be called the "connector," because he "connected" the prophecies of the Old Testament to the coming of Christ as ...

4575. That's Our God For You!

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

John M. Braaten

Palm Sunday is an event in Christ's life that many people, particularly young people, enjoy. It is action packed, filled with lots of commotion and noise - especially noise. It centers around a grand parade with all the excitement and frenzied emotion of a political convention. The "Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem," as it is sometimes called, includes people lining the streets craning their necks to see, waving palms, and lots of shouting. For many people who like lots of activity, Palm Sunday is their ...

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