Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 4701 to 4725 of 4968 results

4701. When Mickey Mouse Recognizes You...

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... wreaths would mean very little to me then. But just one little flower from time to time while I am living would mean so much to me.” (5) We all want to be recognized. We all want to be appreciated. Jesus understood that. So he gave his disciples this little whimsical bit of advice about taking a secondary seat so that you might be moved up to a greater seat. Jesus followed this very practical lesson with another. Turning to the host of the banquet, Jesus said, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do ...

4702. A Strange, New Math

John 17:20-26

Sermon

Glenn E. Ludwig

... 17th chapter. It is really a prayer of Jesus to his Father in heaven and has often been called the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus. In a sense, it is Jesus' last will and testament, his parting shot, his last effort to teach, to exhort, to encourage, to empower his disciples. Now for the math part. Listen to Jesus' words: "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they ...

4703. A Mystery

John 16:12-15

Sermon

Robert C. Cochran

... being of God? On the other hand, the concept of the Trinity gives us our best chance to begin to understand. How do I know that this is the best approach to understanding God? Because it is the one recommended by Jesus when he said, “Go therefore and make disciples, baptizing them in name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” So, let’s break down the three parts of the Trinity, and see that they are, in fact, one. Let’s start with the Father. When we pray, “Our Father, who art in ...

4704. Playing It Safe

Luke 8:26-39

Sermon

Robert C. Cochran

... come off too strong, people will think we’re weird. I wouldn’t want anyone to feel like we might be different, but I have to say that the God we worship gave us one command before leaving this world: “Go, therefore, and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). How do you make disciples? Jesus’ last words in the book of Mark are these: “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” What good news? “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who ...

4705. Get the Garbage Out!

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

... word of John the Baptist’s gospel (Matthew 3:1-2). Repent was the first word of Jesus’ gospel (Matthew 4:14, Mark 1:14-15). Repent was the first word in the preaching ministry of the twelve disciples (Mark 6:12). Repent was the first word in the preaching instructions Jesus gave to his disciples after his resurrection (Luke 24:46-47). Repent was the first word of exhortation in the first Christian sermon (Acts 2:38). Repent was the first word in the mouth of the Apostle Paul through his ministry (Acts ...

4706. Are You a Super-Fan?

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... one of the little “glue heads” who had given his life to Christ five years before. Gary’s friend had the joy of telling him that Daniel Maina was now the youth minister of the church in Nairobi. He was now leading other “glue heads” to Jesus and discipling them. Daniel had also enrolled in technology school, and he was at the top of his class. He had a hope and a future. His life had been transformed by the message of Jesus, and now he lives to transform the lives of other street kids who need ...

4707. Know Jesus--No Peace

Luke 12:49-56

Sermon

George Reed

... it that they respect us as adults. This should be done not by being mean and oppressive to them but by spending time with them and talking with them about the really important issues in life. We need to take a stand. Jesus still calls his disciples to follow, sometimes, right to Jerusalem and the very seat of power. Whatever authority brings oppression to those who are least able to defend themselves, Jesus marches to face them and he calls us to go with him. Whether it is religious folk sitting in judgment ...

4708. Joy as Our Hallmark

Sermon

George Reed

... Christ who brought God’s presence to us. Apparently God was pleased with this method because he gave to the world the church which was created by taking human beings and endowing them with God’s own Spirit. We were made Christians, little Christs, who as disciples of Jesus endeavor to share God’s love and grace with others. In the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin, the finders called together their friends to celebrate and rejoice. God’s love and redemption are meant to be shared. It is in ...

4709. A Shrewd Christian?

Luke 16:1-13

Sermon

George Reed

... . Jesus tells us clearly that is not the way for us to conduct our business. We should be as sharp-witted as anyone when it comes to the business side of the church. And yet Jesus is very clear that we are do this in the midst of being disciples. We are the folks who know that justice and mercy are our calling. We can only find our way in the world with those who exhibit unethical shrewdness if our shrewdness is wrapped tightly in the love and compassion of God. Money should be used well as money but ...

4710. Jesus Destroys the Power of Sin

Mark 2:1-12

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... destructive power of sin in our world. Today our Gospel Reading shows how sin cripples our ability to be who we want to be, the one God calls us to be. Fortunately, however, Jesus is the antidote to sin, the one who defeats evil through reconciliation. As contemporary disciples of the Lord, we are both called to see the destructive capability of sin in our own lives and do what we can to effect reconciliation so as to destroy evil in our world. The destructive power of sin and God's rescue of the world has ...

4711. Aging Is Mandatory; Maturity Is Optional

Mark 9:30-37

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

... ? Who do you argue or fight with? What do you argue about? In today's Bible lesson the disciples were having an argument while traveling to Capernaum. Sounds like modern times, doesn't it? What happens when ... was the greatest! Do you sometimes not answer if your Mom or Dad asks you a question that you don't want to answer? That's what happened to the disciples too. They didn't want to tell Jesus what they had been talking about. Jesus knew anyway. He just sat them down to have a talk. Does that ever happen ...

4712. How Would You Introduce Jesus?

John 1:(1-9), 10-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... is our primary purpose as followers of Jesus—to introduce Christ to others. In Matthew 28:18-20, this is the responsibility we are given: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” That’s the task ...

4713. What Makes You Angry?

Matthew 20:24

Illustration

Jon L. Joyce

... were irritated by a mother whose love for her sons induced her to ask a favor of Christ on their behalf. The disciples were indignant when they heard of it. But these same men were soon thereafter to stand by, or flee, without venting their indignation while Christ was maligned, beaten and put to death. One of the tests of a man or woman is what stirs him to anger. The self-centered ...

4714. Blaming

John 9:2

Illustration

Jon L. Joyce

"Who sinned, this man or his parents?" the disciples asked. And Jesus replied, "Neither." But the disciples wanted to place blame on someone for this man’s blindness. Why do so many people follow this practice? Often they hurt one another as they seek to find someone at whom they can point the finger of accusation. After all, none of us is blameless. Scriptures tell us "all ...

4715. Lost in Plain Sight

John 1:29-34, John 1:35-42

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... of God.” He was not hidden. He was not a secret to be kept or a mystery to be solved. He was standing right there in broad daylight, plain as the nose on our faces. Upon taking John’s advice and following Jesus, Andrew and the other, unnamed disciple, believed that they had found it too. In fact, Andrew was so sure, he went to tell his brother, Simon, because he knew that Simon was searching for the same thing he was, the same thing for which we are searching. Like Andrew and Simon, we are all searching ...

4716. The Art of Following

Matthew 4:12-17, Matthew 4:18-22

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... the way he lived his and we say, no thank you. Rather than following him and doing as he says and does, we choose to idealize him. We admire the way he lived and then we go right on living the way we always have. We become fans rather than disciples. Or we idolize him. Idolization is idealization taken to its logical extreme. Instead of admiring him, we worship him. We put his picture on our walls and we speak of him in hushed tones. We affix little statues of him to crosses and hang them in our churches or ...

4717. The Cure

Luke 4:31-37, Luke 4:38-44

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... to see him and have him heal them. He is the new rage in the area. And he’s news! But as we will see when Jesus sits down on the mountain to teach them all –he is interested in much more than our mere attention. He is interested in disciples who want to know what the bigger picture may mean. He has restored your fever? Let me tell you how much more that really means! You haven’t seen anything yet! Jesus touches the woman’s hand when he heals her. And with those hands, she begins to serve --not ...

4718. The Proof is in the Roof

Luke 5:17-26

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... he owned a home in Capernaum, in addition to the one his family lived in at Nazareth. Jesus’ ministry was supported by wealthy donors. He had a treasury from which he and the disciples drew when they traveled. We know Peter had a home as well with his family. And we know that Mary and Jesus and the disciples were invited to a rather lavish and expensive wedding in Cana, at which Mary was part of the organizing. We know that long after Jesus’ death, land/property belonging to Jesus’ family was sold ...

4719. Your Faith Has Made You Well

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... .] While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly, a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said ...

4720. The Great Dinner

Luke 14:1-14, Luke 14:15-24

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... is filled with those you would never want to let into your doors, into your lives, into your homes, let alone take the best you have to offer. Jesus’ lessons are not always for the hard-hearted. They also hit hard at the tender-hearted, and his own disciples and the people of his own hometown, not to mention the Pharisees, and those who thought they were genuinely good people –like the rich young ruler. Jesus has a lesson for all of us. And no matter how good we think we are, we can always take time ...

4721. Mending Fences

Luke 16:1-15, Luke 16:16-18

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... just about the hereafter, although that should be a concern. What you do here…matters! As with Jacob’s ladder, your actions here build bridges to your heavenly home. Jesus is speaking to a different audience here than he is when he is teaching his disciples or among people in the open air. Here, he is appealing to the authorities, who are educated, knowledgeable, and astute enough to know what he is referring to with his use of phonis. Jesus also is bringing in a touch of his end times talk –“when ...

4722. Even in Our Hiding

Matthew 2:19-23, Matthew 2:13-18

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... a while. And yet, no one stays hidden forever. A time comes in which it is time for “the hidden to be revealed.” In a sense, God’s “plan” emerges within the strength of that person’s mission, and God is revealed in the confrontation of his disciple with the sin of the world. Just as many times God speaks in dreams….there is a waiting time before that dream comes to fruition. Just as Mary’s pregnancy was a time of incubation until God’s great incarnation, so too was Jesus’ final moments a ...

4723. You are Anointed

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... before his final ordeal, Mary would anoint Him with fragrant spikenard, and the scent, would have soaked not only his clothing but his hair, skin, nails, so much so, that it would have stayed with him for days, perhaps weeks. The ritual performed by this female disciple not only reminded Jesus of His anointed mission (Isaiah 61), but would have reminded Him of God’s joy, and the Holy Spirit’s presence with Him and around Him even in the hour of His greatest need.* What rituals in your life help you to ...

4724. Run Away Bride

Exodus 24:1-18, Matthew 22:1-14, Hosea 1:1-2:1

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... love –the abundant love of God which is all consuming. “Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” (Matthew 14:19) To “break” bread is the job of God, who is Host of hosts, and holy baker and grower. And his gift of feasting is free, if only one will love Him. “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters ...

4725. Mercy Me!

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

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... . Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother ...

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