Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4876 to 4900 of 4943 results

4876. The Expectant Parents--And An Unexpected Baby

Isaiah 11:1-16

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

Some time ago I read a story in a church newsletter written by a pastor in Tennessee. He told about his congregation's being in a new sanctuary for their first Christmas there. It was going to be a great Advent Sunday. The choir had put in extra time working on their music. He had prepared a sermon on "The Unexpected God." The church was full that Sunday, and the service began with the singing of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." Just as the affirmation of faith ended, a boy announced from the back of the ...

4877. Proper 16

Hebrews 12:14-29, Jeremiah 1:1-19, Luke 13:10-17

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Jeremiah 1:4-10 The call of Jeremiah. Jeremiah's ministry covered 40 years, 626 to 586 B.C. He served at a time of international turmoil and the dissolution of his country, Judah, in 586 B.C. Assyria fell to the Babylonians and in due time the surrounding countries including Judah were conquered. Jeremiah received his call five years before the reforms of King Josiah of Judah in 621 B.C. Because of his critical preaching he was the most hated man by most of the people in Judah. The ...

4878. Easter 2

Jn 20:19-31 · 1 Pet 1:3-9 · Acts 2:14a, 22-32 · Ps 16 · Ps 111

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

THIS WEEK'S TEXT Revised Common: Acts 2:14a, 22-32 · 1 Pet 1:3-9 · Jn 20:19-31 Roman Catholic: Acts 2:42-47 · 1 Pet 1:3-9 · Jn 20:19-31 Episcopal: Acts 2:14a, 22-32 or 1 Pet 1:3-9 or Jn 20:19-31 · Gen 8:6-16; 9:8-16 · Acts 2:14a, 22-32 Lutheran: Acts 2:14a, 22-32 · 1 Pet 1:3-9 · Jn 20:19-31 Theme For The Day: The theme of faith and doubt runs through the lessons for today. In the First Lesson, Peter attempts to elicit faith on the part of his hearers in the risen Christ. In the Second Lesson, Peter points ...

4879. Proper 26

Joshua 3:7-17, Amos 5:18-27, Micah 3:1-12, Malachi 2:1-9, Matthew 23:1-39, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Warning against religious hypocrisy. The conflict continues between Jesus and the religious leaders (Matthew 23:1-12). The Lutheran lections are tied together by an eschatological theme. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Joshua 3:7-17 The Hebrews are ready to cross the Jordan to take possession of the new land, under the leadership of Joshua. God commands the priests to take the Ark of the Covenant and walk into the river. When they do so, the waters heap up so that the people can cross over on dry land. ...

4880. Listening and Paying Attention

Matthew 13:1-23

Children's Sermon

B. Kathleen Fannin

Object: A plastic bag containing sunflower seeds. "Why are you here this morning?" I ask the children who have assembled on the chancel steps -- at my invitation. My question is met with silence and wide-eyed uncertainty as laughter erupts from the congregation. "My goodness!" I exclaim. "Has my question left you speechless? Why did you come up to the steps just now?" I inquire, fully expecting at least one child might say, "Because you asked us to." But whether it's a case of it's-early-on-a-summer- ...

4881. Stilling The Storm

Mark 4:35-41

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

WHAT'S HAPPENING? First Point Of Action: In the evening, Jesus wants to leave the crowds and cross to the other side of the lake. The disciples take Jesus in the boat. Several boats accompany them. Second Point Of Action: A storm rises and swamps the boat. Jesus sleeps through it all until the frightened disciples wake him. Third Point Of Action: Jesus speaks to the wind and to the sea. The storm stops. Jesus speaks to the disciples. Fourth Point Of Action: The disciples respond with awe and wonder. ...

4882. Proper 24

Job 38:1–41:34, Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Mark 10:35-45, Hebrews 5:1-10

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Our human pride gets in the way of our worshiping and serving the Lord. COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Job 38:1-7 (34-41) (C) The arguments of Job's four friends come to a conclusion and God himself answers from a whirlwind, a frequent setting for theophanies. God chides Job for his lack of wisdom and addresses him with a series of rhetorical questions. The entire chapter presents an argument from creation. Job was not present at the creation of the world; how can he dare to question the sovereign God? Lesson ...

4883. What "They" Say

Luke 9:18-27

Sermon

Larry Powell

"They" say that the next President of the United States is going to be a woman. "They" say that the next winter will be one of the coldest on record. "They" say that two heads are better than one. "They" say that if a rooster crows late in the day, rain is on the way. Surely you have heard of "They." It is almost certain that at one time or another you have referred to "They" when relating some bit of information in the course of a conversation. "They" say! "They" are always saying something. And it is not ...

4884. The Problem With A Promise

Genesis 15:1-18

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

You have all made promises; and kept them, but some you have broken. Maybe you didn't intend to break it, but when the time came to fulfill it, it simply wasn't in your power to keep it. Or, upon re-thinking it, you decided it wasn't a good promise, so you reneged upon it.And, you've had promises made to you; and they've been kept - some of them, but who has not been hurt by having a promise made, and then broken? What parents have not heard their child exclaim at some point, "But you promised me!" ...

4885. Ashamed Of The Gospel

Romans 1:1-17

Sermon

Erskine White

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel. (Romans 1:16) I want you to step into a time machine with me this morning. We're going to spend a few minutes today back in ancient Rome. We are going to the place they call "the Eternal City." In this year of 54 or 58 A.D., Rome is certainly the most magnificent city this side of China. It is the hub and heartbeat of an empire from Europe to Africa to the edge of Asia. Everything we see in Rome gives the image of power and wealth. First, we see the Roman army, marching ...

4886. A Perfect Prayer

Sermon

Erskine White

Romans 8:26-27 Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind, that I may discern between good and evil. (1 Kings 3:9) Most of us would admit without too much prodding that we are not perfect, that we are a frustrating blend of good and evil. Oh, I've known a few Christians who think they are without sin because they are saved, but these are people who don't understand themselves or the Scriptures. For the rest of us, I think we'd all confess that we are flawed and fallible, imperfect at best. But what ...

4887. Lent 1

Romans 9:30--10:21, Deuteronomy 26:1-15, Luke 4:1-13, Psalm 91:1-16

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The church year combines the two seasons of Lent and Easter within a cycle, the Easter Cycle, which puts the observation of Lent, as well as Easter, in proper perspective. The church keeps the Lenten pilgrimage as a journey to the to and beyond the cross to the tomb of the risen Christ, and the annual celebration of the Feast of Feasts, Easter. When Lent began as the quadrigesima, this was quite clear, because Quadrigesima announced that there were now 40 days until Easter. The same thing ...

4888. Proper 9

Galatians 6:11-18, Galatians 6:1-10, 1 Kings 21:1-29, Isaiah 66:1-24, Psalm 66:1-20, Luke 10:1-24

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE In 1992, the festival of St. James the Elder will occur on Saturday, July 25th, while the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost will fall on Sunday, July 26th (Thus, in 1993, the feast of St. James the Elder, will be on a Sunday). He is the brother of John, the "beloved disciple," and he was the first of the disciples to be martyred and the only one whose death was recorded in the Bible. Acts 12:2 mentions Herod's persecution of the church, and how he killed James with the sword (and arrested ...

4889. Proper 15

Hebrews 12:1-13, Luke 12:54-59, Luke 12:49-53, Psalm 82:1-8, Jeremiah 20:7-18, Jeremiah 23:9-32, Jeremiah 38:1-13

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE There are more clues - and more of them are non-theological than they are theological - coming from the calendar to date than there are from the church year this Sunday. This much gradually becomes clearer; the church is in the last quarter of its year, moving closer and closer to the conclusion and climax of that year, Christ the King Sunday. Aware of this, the framework of the church year begins to exert more influence than it has for some time. It reminds us that we are always about the ...

4890. When is Patriotism An Idol?

Matthew 22:15-22

Sermon

George Johnson

Almost everyone who has been brought up in the church has heard of the "taxes to Caesar" story. "Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?" they asked Jesus. Allegiance to the empire and to God is the issue. Jesus' patriotism is being called into question. I want to talk to you about when patriotism becomes an idol. The setting is important. It was toward the end of Jesus' ministry, just before his death. His vision was focused. He was going to Jerusalem. There he would be confronted with life and death issues. ...

4891. What Does It Mean To Love?

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

George Johnson

Do you remember the first time you told a boyfriend or girlfriend those three words, "I love you?" When did you first say it to the one you married? I don't remember the particular occasion, but I remember thinking about it. Do I dare tell her how I feel? I really think I love her, but should I tell her yet? Then I thought, what if she doesn't have any of these feelings for me? Will she be embarrassed? Will I be sticking my neck out? Will it change our relationship if I tell her that I love her? Should I ...

4892. Is It Too Late?

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

George Johnson

To get his point across, a pastor once announced to his congregation: "Friends, I have some discouraging news. The building we have just completed is no longer ours to occupy. The bank is foreclosing our loan. We are being sued. It looks like we will lose everything. Beginning next month, we will not be allowed to worship in this building." The ears of the congregation perked up. "The problem," the pastor said, "is that someone acted irresponsibly. The wrong figures were given to the lending agency. On the ...

4893. Light For Our Darkness

Sermon

Robert Beringer

The Feast of Christmas celebrates God's wondrous gift of Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world. The Feast of Epiphany celebrates our human gifts to God, symbolized by those gifts given by the wise men to the Christ Child. More than any other characters in the Christmas story, the three wise men have been the subject of much good humor. Perhaps you recall the story of the little boy who was setting up a manger scene in the corner of his schoolroom. Puzzled for a moment, he called out to his teacher, " ...

4894. "Because I'm God"

Job 38:1--41:34

Sermon

John P. Rossing

A mother is running errands, accompanied by her two small children. All morning the children have been pestering her: "Can we go to the new toy store? Let's get some ice cream. We want to go home now." Pretty soon their pestering turns to complaining, then to angry questions. "Why can't we go where we want to go? Why do we have to go in that store? Why can't we eat lunch now? Why do we always have to do what you want to do and never what we want to do?" Finally the mother stops, stoops to face her children ...

4895. Step One - Honesty

Luke 8:26-39 · Proverbs 23:29-35

Sermon

John A. Terry

This past summer I read an article that caused me to make a significant change from my usual practice of preaching from the lectionary. The article, titled, "Coming to Grips with Drug Abuse," made the point that neither clergy nor parents need to be experts on drug dependency, though we do need to be well informed. We need to understand what it means to describe chemical dependency as a disease. Therefore I am going to talk about addiction for a time before I talk about today's Scripture readings. But what ...

4896. So You Want To Go To Bethlehem, Do You?

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Johnny Dean

Not too long ago, our family made a journey. It was a long journey, and it took the better part of a day to get there and the better part of another day to get back. It was a tiring journey, but it was well worth everything we had to endure to get there. "There" was home, and "there" was a place where we were surrounded by the love of family members, some of whom we had not seen in more years than we care to count. And when we came back, we were not the same people we were before the journey. We felt ...

4897. The Upside-down Kingdom of God

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Johnny Dean

Doesn’t it seem to you that our whole culture (when we’re not tuned in to catch the latest nonsense coming out of Washington) is devoted to reminding us that our chief goal in life is to be happy? ("Yes, what he did was wrong. But the economy is good and I’m happy.") There was even a song about the importance and preeminence of being happy a few years ago. Do you remember it? "Here’s a little song I wrote, you might want to sing it note for note: Don’t worry. Be happy!" Advertising sells products based on ...

4898. Exasperating Grace

Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon

Johnny Dean

Let’s face it: some folks come to church on Sunday morning with the expectation that, sooner or later, if they pay close attention, the preacher is going to step on their toes. It’s unavoidable; it’s inevitable; it just can’t be helped. In fact, it’s something some folks look forward to, in a masochistic sort of way. I heard a friend of mine say from the pulpit one Sunday, "Well, folks, I’ve been here about 5 years now. And if I haven’t stepped on your toes yet, be patient – I’ll get around to you sooner ...

4899. So You Want to go to Bethlehem, Do You?

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

Johnny Dean

4900. Epiphanies and Training Wheels

Mark 1:9-13

Sermon

Johnny Dean

It was a hot, muggy Friday evening, the last night of Vacation Bible School, and I stood in the parking lot of the church, cooking fish that my father-in-law and I had caught for the big celebration dinner scheduled to begin in just a short time. I didn’t notice the young man who had come up behind me until he spoke. "You the preacher?" he asked. After checking to see if he was armed and dangerous and determining that, from the look of him, he was neither, I said, "Guilty as charged. What can I do for you ...

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