Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 4851 to 4875 of 4884 results

Titus 3:4-7

Sermon

Scott Bryte & Kimberly Miller van Driel

... change tactics and close the distance between heaven and earth down to zero. But it’s just not. It is neither logical, sensible, nor inevitable. Why did God choose to take flesh and live among us? This world is messy, and we are very far from perfect. Yes, we love, laugh, and write songs. We imagine, build, and occasionally do heroic, selfless things. But we also lie to each other and cheat each other. We argue, feud, and hold grudges. We discriminate and exclude. We rob, kill, and start wars. And yes ...

4852. The Power of Weakness

Mark 8:27-38 · Psalm 19

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

... of Christ on the cross. It gives power and strength that allows us to put down our petty worries and pick up the cross of Christ. It is this power and strength that sets us free from ourselves and binds us to the perfect freedom of service to Christ. Amen. 1. Fred B. Craddock, John Hayes & Carl Holladay, Preaching Through the Christian Year: Year B (Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 1993), 147. 2. Grant Keizer, “Grief and Grievance: The Tyranny of the Dead” in *Christian Century* vol ...

4853. A Responsive Prayer for Advent 3

Luke 3:7-18 · Philippians 4:4-7 · Isaiah 12:2-6 · Zephaniah 3:14-20

Bulletin Aid

Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson

... ; your promise of nearness makes it possible for us to respond by rejoicing in your presence, regardless of our external circumstances. Grant us the gift of joy: C: We rejoice in Jesus our coming Messiah. P: Come, Jesus, Prince of Peace; give us your perfect peace that surpasses all understanding and guard our hearts and minds in you. In a world torn apart by political, military, economic, as well as spiritual divisions and conflicts; come Jesus, Prince of Peace and grant peace to all nations. Grant us the ...

4854. A Responsive Prayer for Advent 4

Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) · Hebrews 10:5-10 · Micah 5:2-5 · Psalm 80

Bulletin Aid

Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson

... : C: Come and save us. P: O Christ, our words, thoughts and actions are utterly inadequate in expressing what you have accomplished in your once-for-all sacrifice, which has won our redemption and salvation. We praise and thank you for your all-inclusive love, which so perfectly fulfilled what was revealed by the law and the prophets. Help us to celebrate and live under your reign of love each day of our lives. God of grace: C: Come and save us. P: We thank you for the legacy of faith and love, passed down ...

4855. A Responsive Prayer for Christmas Eve

Luke 2:1-14 (15-20) · Isaiah 9:2-7 · Psalm 96 · Titus 2:11-14

Bulletin Aid

Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson

... , illuminating light. We laud and worship you, Jesus Christ: C: Light of the world, banish the darkness. P: We rejoice and celebrate your humble birth, as we ponder its meaning for us and indeed, all of creation. You, Jesus our Savior, are God’s greatest, perfect gift! We laud and worship you, Jesus Christ: C: Light of the world, banish the darkness. (Stanza 1 of Silent Night is sung) P: We are truly thankful that you have liberated us from sin, death, and evil. We laud and worship you, Jesus Christ ...

4856. Redefining “Blessed”

Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

Sermon

John B. Jamison

... have, but that God is using us to remind those around us to pay no attention to what others have, or look like, or where they come from. Being blessed this Christmas may not mean getting all of the gifts you would like to receive, or being perfectly healthy and happy, or even getting through the big family day without cousin Henry doing something to irritate aunt Ruth and once again starting the big argument everyone knows is coming. In fact, being blessed by God isn’t about us at all. Our being blessed ...

4857. Seeing With The Eyes Of Faith

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

... a word of restoration. The Lord said that he had become a father. Jeremiah’s faith throughout his suffering was changed and transformed. The persistent blind man turned to follow Jesus because he had changed. A few months ago someone gave me a perfect description of my prayer life. I can practically summarize my prayers into two categories: “Help me, help me, help me” and “thank you, thank you, thank you.” Certainly the prayers I raise spontaneously in the course of my workday fall into one of ...

4858. The Voice of Truth

John 18:33-37

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... their own scales, own key signature, and play to their own rhythms. We have as a people for most part philosophically declined the idea of “absolute truth.” In the midst of this, here comes Jesus, asking us to tune our hearts and souls to God’s “perfect pitch.” Jesus doesn’t try to “change” Pilate. He merely states who he is and what his ministry and mission is about: to “testify” to the Truth! And that’s Truth with a capital T! For Jesus, God is the absolute, ultimate, and only Truth ...

4859. God on the Move

Luke 3:1-6 · Isaiah 40

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... can feel extremely annoying at the time, however, the result is usually a cleaner, clearer, smoother road! They smooth out the bumps. They remove the potholes from the winter before. They get rid of stray gravel. They smooth sharp edges. Ever drive on one of those perfectly new roads? You almost feel exhilarated. Driving feels easy. For those who spend a good deal of time on the road, the world feels brand new! And the best part of that new road? No more detours! You can drive straight through! This is the ...

4860. Night and Light

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... recipe for disaster. Love Feast And so it plays out on this Maundy Thursday night. The great marriage of Jesus with his disciples is at its brightest. They are basking in “the hour of glory,” as Jesus put it. And Jesus is the perfect spouse, honoring his partners, hosting a celebration meal for them. Still, the darkness threatened, and Judas heard a different love song. Judas slipped out into the night, earbuds catching a different and dark tune. Peter was almost there with him. “No, Lord!” he said ...

4861. Creation Reborn

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... tales of the marketplace to buy the pearl of great price. Some metaphors command instant understanding, and when these groaning souls recalled the words and deeds of Jesus, it was precisely in the cemetery that conflating Orpheus and Christ made perfect sense. Christians remembered the day when Jesus traveled to Bethany to mourn his friend Lazarus’ death. Jesus should have been there earlier to heal Lazarus of his illness and stay death’s untimely call, and everybody knew it. Lazarus’ sister Martha ...

4862. Swimming Against the Tide

Luke 6:27-38

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... that Jesus teaches. Jesus assures us, in his “God with us” best and truthful voice, that God is much more merciful than we like to imagine. Certainly much more merciful than we like to hope for. Isn’t that the story of Jonah? It sure is. Nope. Jesus is perfectly clear. As disciples, we are to do the opposite of what our culture would do, the opposite of what we as humans might be expected to do –we are to love those who sin, those who seem ungrateful, those who reject us, those who even seem to us ...

4863. You Can Talk the Game, but Can You Play the Game?

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Sermon

Will Willimon

... -too-rare moments when the Panthers are actually doing well), when a gaggle of fellow human beings (rather large and beefy fellow human beings) get it all together, blend their individual talents and bend their wills into one, executing their plays with perfection. I had much the same feeling about the perfo1rr1ance of the Raleigh ballet. In a world of rampant permissiveness -- where we are accustomed to accepting sloppy work, as long as people mean well by it, where things are slapped together without much ...

4864. Stay Close

John 10:22-30

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... beyond can harm you or take you away. “I and the Father are one!” Wow! Talk about a powerful statement! And in fact, it sounds a lot more powerful post-resurrection than it did at the time Jesus was teaching his disciples, because now it makes perfect sense. Today, in this 4th Sunday of Easter, we will be celebrating Holy Communion. As we do, I want you to think about the attributes of God that Jesus represents in this scripture today! He is creator! He is deliverer! He is provider! He is nurturer! He ...

4865. The Turning Point

John 13:31-35

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... ! Every one of you is a child of God. Every one of you has an open invitation to be part of God’s Masterpiece! Leonard Cohen once said: “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in!” God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. Judas wasn’t the only one who betrayed Jesus. Peter denied him. Others fled. Thomas doubted. In the end, they gave up. No one understood until it all was over what Jesus was trying to tell them. And yet, they still became his apostles. So can you. Today, know ...

4866. Strength for The Journey

John 16:12-15

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... , never really understanding or even trying to understand what we were singing and talking about. I had no problem with the first part, the Father. I had always suspected that God was like a father; not just any father, you understand, but sort of a perfect father. Like Atticus Finch, Jim Anderson, Ward Cleaver, Steve Douglas, Andy Taylor, but mostly Atticus Finch.[1] (Some of you may need to do a Google search to find out who those guys are, but people my age knew them well.) God, the Father was like ...

4867. The Call to Encounter

Luke 8:26-39

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... The People of the Town and Country The people of the town and surrounding countryside were overcome with curiosity and make their way out to the seaside. There they discovered Jesus and, sitting at his feet, the man from the cemetery now fully dressed and perfectly sane. Again, the ones who had seen it, presumably, the swineherds and some others who happened to be in attendance attest to what they saw, how the afflicted man was healed by Jesus. And, in response, all the people from the city and countryside ...

4868. Getters of Things Done

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... who showed hospitality and punished those who didn’t. Take another look at what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah if you doubt it. In Genesis 24, Abraham’s servant was so generously received by Rebekah at the well that he recognized her as the perfect wife for Isaac. And in the second book of Kings, the prophets Elijah and Elisha repaid their kind and generous hosts by curing their sons of life-threatening illnesses. No, everything in Martha’s background, everything in her life, everything she learned at ...

4869. Do You Have JDD?

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... well. When our faith becomes dead and rote, empty, ritualistic, habitual, and tradition-based instead of vibrant, vital, alive, and passionate, it no longer serves the kingdom but only our own sense of busyness. Jesus is not worried that his dinner will be less than perfect, cold, or delayed. He is more interested in who is at his table, and the worshipful manner in which they take joy in his presence. Had Martha been delighting in her role as hostess, humbly serving the food, and reveling in the feast with ...

4870. For a Special Woman

Proverbs 31:10-31, Luke 10:38-42

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

... to know that what was true for your canary was also true for her.” I tell that story because I could picture Kate being that operator. She had a warmth to her, she emanated tenderness, and she exuded kindness. As someone told me at the wake, she was a perfect combination of honey and sugar. If there was anyone in need of help, she was there. So, it would be just like her to reach out to that boy on the telephone to calm his fears and ease his anxieties, and to gently let him know that everything was going ...

4871. For Someone Who Spread Good Cheer

2 Corinthians 4:6-11 · Matthew 5:13-16 · Matthew 25:31-46 · Romans 14:7-9

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

... did let a lot of sunshine through her. She brightened many a life. Think, if you will, as to how she lit up every room she walked into. My Aunt Helen was the essence of elegance. She always looked like a million dollars, her hair always perfect, her clothing exquisite, just enough makeup to heighten the beauty of her face, and a demeanor that commanded respect. She comported herself in a way that made everyone feel at ease, that made everyone feel like family, and she exuded a positive energy that lifted ...

4872. The Mother of All Yard Sales

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... ones. They even launched personal attacks on my self-control and discipline, implying with winks and nods that I was never going to lose enough weight to get into all those clothes that I had saved ― blue jeans and t-shirts that were in perfectly good condition except for the shrinkage which would require me to return to those svelte days of yesteryear, which I certainly intended to do. No amount of reason could dissuade them. No flood of impassioned oratory would divert them. No avalanche of pouting ...

4873. The Rhythm of Your Heart

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... share in our abundant blessings. Today, how will you answer when Jesus asks you this:“What defines your life?” Does your love and devotion to God define your life? Or something else that has replaced God in your heart? Does your heart align with God’s Perfect Pitch? Does the Maestro of the Universe inform the state of your heart? Does your soul leap with joy when you sense God’s presence around you? Does your spirit resonate with the voice of the Holy Spirit of Christ within you? If you know where ...

4874. Don’t Fall Asleep

Luke 12:32-40

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... filled with abundant blessings, peace, and the kind of miracles that only he can offer you. The sad truth is, we want to believe in magic, in instant gratification and a responsibility-free life. We love the idea of a “Disney” Magical Kingdom, in which everything feels perfect and trouble free. A place where we can hide from the world, go to sleep for a while, and dream away our fears. But this is not what living means. Life is more than dreaming! It’s time to wake up! To awaken to the Truth of Jesus ...

4875. Last Things First

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... the orange, pebbly library binding of that book. Cracking open the cover, I read the synopsis and learned the Galactic Empire was falling, and only Hari Seldon’s mathematics could prevent thirty thousand years of anarchy and chart a course toward a new, more perfect empire. I soon realized this was the final book of a trilogy. No matter. Reading the last book first, discovering the secret location of the Second Foundation, didn’t spoil the first two books when I finally found them years later in that ...

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