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Showing 4676 to 4700 of 4944 results

4676. Lent 2

Lk 9:18-36; 13:31-35 · Php 3:17--4:1 · Jer 26:8-15 · Gen 15:1-12, 17-18

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 Yahweh makes a covenant with Abraham who is promised a son and a land. This passage is one of several accounts of Yahweh's covenant with Abraham. It is noteworthy that Yahweh came to Abraham with a covenant proposal. Yahweh comes to Abraham as a shield (v. 1) and thus Abraham has no need to fear being in Yahweh's holy presence. In this account, Yahweh promises Abraham three tremendous blessings: a son, a nation, and a country. The covenant is made legal and binding by the ...

4677. A Call for a Change in Lifestyle

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

At the mention of the name, John the Baptizer, I immediately think of two churches that are thousands of miles apart. One is only eighty-five miles from my home, the Benedictine abbey church of St. John the Baptist on the campus of St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota. The other church is thousands of miles away, just outside of Florence, Italy, at the confluence of two superhighways. Each features visual images of John the Baptizer. The church in Italy pictures the life and death of John on ...

4678. The Master Has Come - And Calls Disciples

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

The Roman legions crossed the English Channel, and landed their small ships at the foot of the cliffs of Dover. The Britons looked down and saw them. They laughed, thinking these Romans could pose no real threat to them. But, the Roman commander ordered his soldiers to burn their boats. There would be no turning back. They were there to stay. They had left their boats for good. When I read that, it brought to mind that scene early in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus is walking along the beach. Little waves ...

4679. Managing Our Memories

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sermon

Leonard W. Mann

[Paul reports, concerning Jesus] When he had given thanks, he broke [the bread] and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." Once again we approach the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Once again we hear Jesus say, "Do this in remembrance of me." Join me now, if you will, for a few moments as we think together about an aspect of ...

4680. Jesus’ Hospital

Matthew 9:9-13

Sermon

Our Holy Gospel for today says that "as Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ And he arose and followed Him." Now that’s what we call a response to a call don’t we? Jesus said: "Follow Me." Matthew got up and followed him. The problem with many of us is that we haven’t even gotten up yet, much less are we following Jesus. Jesus Christ empowers us to come follow him, but we have to get up and start moving as Matthew did so many ...

4681. Epiphany 5

Psalm 112:1-10, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Isaiah 58:1-14, Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 5:17-20

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The theological framework provided by the church year for the Epiphany season throws light upon this Sunday primarily in the incarnational/manifestation scope of the season. By this time in Epiphany, the preacher may well have the same reaction that is often felt in the Pentecost Cycle; there seems to be little theological help for the preacher in the church year or the liturgy. One has to keep in mind that the readings emphasize the early stages of Jesus' ministry in the world. In this ...

4682. Good Morning, Jerusalem!

Drama

Notes on the Service Set within the framework of an Easter morning worship celebration, the following drama script intends to bring to the worshiper’s mind the sound and style of a familiar weekday morning American network television news/talk program. Any steps which the worship planner(s) can take to create this atmosphere will add to the effectiveness of the presentation. Depending upon the physical arrangements in the chancel area, it might even be possible to set up a comfortable living room setting ...

4683. Let’s Face It

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Michael L. Sherer

With the familiar parable which forms the text for this day, we draw very near to the close of the church year. Since the Middle Ages, Christians have used the closing days of the old church year to focus on "last things": the end of the world, the end of life, the promise of things to come, the thought of the return of Christ (one of the themes celebrated during Advent, the next season on the church’s calendar). The parable of the wise and foolish virgins fits well into the pattern. The bridegroom is ...

4684. Isaiah’s Interruption

Isaiah 40:1-31

Sermon

Richard F. Bansemer

The Sermon text is the ninth verse of the 40th chapter of Isaiah: "Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’ " It’s quite a conversation between the prophet and a couple of voices. First a command is given: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord." We’ve heard that passage often enough, if not in church, at least in music. We know, of course ...

4685. Will My Ship Sink or Float?

Romans 8:28-39

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

For the key verse in this Scripture reading, like best the King James Version: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God." No! Not everything that happens in life is good (much of it is very bad). But when you add all the happenings of life together and look at the whole of life, for the person who has faith in God, for the person who loves God and shares the love of God, that life is good. The whole of life, its ups and downs, are good when we see them interrelated in a ...

4686. The Impartiality of God

Acts 10:23b-48

Sermon

Hubert Beck

There are more saviors in the world than the mind can comprehend. Bookstores have shelf after shelf of books that promise to save us from anything we can name - anxieties, fears, personal difficulties, or whatever else may be causing us distress. A whole range of people - some of them reliable counselors but all too many of them little more than hucksters - offer themselves to the troubled (for a fee, of course), usually with implicit or explicit promises of remedies for whatever problems one may have ...

4687. Journey To The Cross V: Jesus and Simon Peter

Mark 14:66-72

Sermon

James W. Moore

One day some years ago, I was with a group of people when suddenly they began to gossip. They were attacking a friend of mine. They were spreading ugly, vicious rumors about him. They were crucifying my friend with harsh, cruel words. I started to say something to defend my friend. I wanted to say something to stop the verbal abuse but I didn’t know those people very well… so I kept my silence. But, later as I walked to my car, I was kicking myself. I was feeling sad and ashamed that I hadn’t seized the ...

4688. "Can Do" Christianity

Philippians 4:10-20

Sermon

Raymond Gibson

Those who lived through the long years of World War II remember a remarkable group of men called the Seabees. "Seabees" was their nickname, based upon their official designation as the U.S. Naval Construction Battalions. These were the men who went ashore right behind the Marines during the Pacific island battles, constructing the new facilities necessary for the support and establishment of our nation's combat forces. They referred to themselves as "can do" people, and were often quoted as saying, "The ...

4689. An Identity Crisis

Sermon

James Bjorge

It all started like this: "Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26-27). But Satan came ambling along one day and propositioned man. Man was flattered by his proposals and ...

4690. Solomon and the Outline for Renewal

2 Chronicles 7:11-22

Sermon

Don Yocom

This text in Scripture is the one on which the hand of President Dwight D. Eisenhower rested when he was inaugurated as President of the United States of America. It is such a striking passage of the Bible, it deserves our consideration for renewal needed in our day also. The background story involves the time of the dedication of Solomon’s temple. Solomon had prayed all night to God in an act of personal dedication; and as the highest representative of the nation, his prayer was also an act of national ...

4691. Worn Out? Tired? Weary?

Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

In both his Letter to the Galatians and his Letter to the Thessalonians, Saint Paul, without equivocation, admonishes us all NOT to be weary. And then, paradoxically almost, in 2 Corinthians, we find that he is after all, human himself, and he admits that he himself has often been weary. Perhaps it’s the most used expression in our conversation: "I’m tired! I’m beat! I’m dead! I’m weary! I’m worn out! I’ve had it!" Christian people are supposed to feel beneath them the everlasting arms. Instead, they feel ...

4692. Molehills and Mountains

Matthew 6:25-34, Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

The story is told of George Bernard Shaw that he was once seated beside a Duchess at a dinner party. In the course of their conversation, he asked: "Tell me, Duchess, would you live with a man for a million pounds?" "Well," replied the Duchess, "I suppose I would" Then Shaw asked her: "Would you live with a man for five pounds?" The Duchess was insuited: "What do you think I am?" "We’ve already established that," said Shaw, "now we are just determining the price." Long before the coming of Christ, the ...

4693. Home Free

Romans 5:1-11

Children's Sermon

Tim Carpenter

Exegetical Aim: The grace of God protects us in tribulation. Props: A baseball base, a glove, a ball, a bat, and hat. Have the base on the floor before the children arrive. Lesson: Have any of you ever played baseball. (response) Good, I need your help. I’ve been watching baseball on television and something has me confused. Pick up the bat and put on the hat. I see this guy get up and wave his bat. What’s he called? (batter) Oh, thanks. The batter gets up and someone throws him the ball. Sometimes the ...

4694. Rediscovering Our Spiritual Dimension

Genesis 17:1-27

Sermon

Donald Macleod

Nearly one hundred years ago, when Albert Einstein was merely a child and his ideas about time and space were wholly unexplored, a distinguished English headmaster, Edwin A. Abbott, wrote a strange little book titled Flatlands. It portrayed a peculiar world of two dimensions: a world that had length and breadth, but no height; a world of surfaces in which neither from desire nor necessity did its citizens ever look up. Now, to us, the whole idea seems very odd, but on second thought the point becomes ...

4695. Stewards of Creation

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

About the second Sunday in November each year, after mailing out a flood of brochures, putting up posters, twisting arms of the faithful to make visits, and designing a banner, there comes from this pulpit what I like to call, "The Sermon on the Amount." Members sit in the pews and squirm on their billfolds, hang onto their checkbooks and purses, fill out a pledge card reluctantly, and sing the hymn: "Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold." For biblical justification of this once-a-year ...

4696. The Gift

Drama

Esther Lense

If the church’s seating arrangement allows, have all the children of the pre-school through the sixth grade sit together on one side of the chancel, with the junior choir on the other side. As the program opens, the children of the pre-school through sixth grade face the congregation and sing Come and Hear the Grand Old Story. As they sing, the "family" characters enter and arrange themselves on the chancel or stage. The school children are seated, and the spotlight focuses on the chancel. A mother and ...

4697. Counting The Cost?

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

"Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing ... she out of her poverty has put in everything she had ..." (vv. 43-44) It has been called the world’s greatest business transaction. A widow’s gift of two copper coins - perutas, the smallest of Jewish coinage, having the value of two cents, or less - will be remembered for all time. What is it about this familiar scene? It tugs the heart. Are we sorry for the woman? Oh, some like to dwell on sentimentality and ...

4698. The Choice Is Always Ours

Ecclesiastes 9:1-12

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

ROBERT L. BENEFIEL was one of the early pastors to do extensive clinical pastoral training after seminary and then carry the spirit and insight of that experience through a lifetime career in parish ministry. His sermon published here was developed in the context of parish work and reflects his integration of both psychological and sociological perspectives in ministry. The Choice Is Always Ours deals with issues of meaning in relation to the experience of being overwhelmed in life. Benefiel deals with the ...

4699. Advent 3: Won't You Let Him Into Your Gift-Giving?

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

James W. Moore

This sermon is based on Matthew 2:7-12. Not the Luke text above. Many of you will recognize the name of Robert Fulghum. He is the author of the popular book, “All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten.” In a later book, he told a wonderful story about his daughter Molly. When Molly was seven years old, she liked to help pack lunches each morning for her brothers, her dad, and herself. Into each bag, she would put a share of sandwiches, apples, milk money, and sometimes she would add a surprise ...

4700. Father Knows Best?

Matthew 5:1-12

Drama

Dave Marsh

Director's Notes Our pastor decided to work his way through the Beatitudes so I opened up Matthew 5 to get some ideas. What struck me was that believers and non-believers alike could easily gloss over these as nice, little one-liners by Jesus. Since I knew that Pastor Ray would be dissecting the verses for the congregation, I thought I would have fun with the drama and show that without the wisdom of God we can't really understand what His Word says. So, in typical Dave Marsh fashion, I decided to take it ...

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