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 501 to 525 of 715 results

501. A Bill of Rights

Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... categories of rightness and wrongness in your life? Or are you paralyzed by an overdose of tolerance, drowning in what is "politically correct"? Jesus was more loving and accepting than any person who has ever walked this earth. He dined with sinners and tax collectors, he welcomed the presence of the sick and despairing, he worked among the poor and the pitiful. But Jesus never let anyone get away from him without knowing right from wrong. Jesus based his tenderness in a tough-minded certainty about the ...

502. Was Jesus the First Buster?

Matthew 21:23-32

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the priests and elders and charges them with an all-show/no-go spirituality. They talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk. Jesus skewers the traditional authorities with admonitions that come right from the "Busters' handbook." Jesus uses the culturally reprehensible "tax collectors and prostitutes" as examples of obedience and good in this week's text because they are the ones who hear John the Baptist's preaching and act on it. They accept John's baptism of repentance. They walk up and get wet. They ...

503. Who Are You?

Hebrews 12:18-29

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... who will never disown us. Our genealogy comes from the history of Genesis through the visions of Revelation. Our people are the people of God. Our spiritual ancestors are the patriarchs and matriarchs, the kings and queens, the spies and prostitutes, the tax collectors and fishermen and prophets. It is a heritage that is vast and unshakable. 3. "Where are you going?" All of us like to feel as if we are going somewhere preferably up the ladder. "Boomers" and "Busters" alike worry that, for the first ...

504. Life's Two Pockets

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , ultimately resulted in God's most radical act of grace: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life" (John 3:16). The truth is, we are both Pharisee and tax collector, or as Martin Luther put it, both saint and sinner together. We owe God our best efforts and our undivided loyalty, as well as our dependence upon him for grace and forgiveness all those times we fall short. Each of us is called to embody the definition ...

505. Jesus' Bad Manners

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... hymnals, prayer books, bulletin handouts and orders of worship, they are always fearful that they might do something "wrong." This is why we need to offer "Seeker Services." When Jesus called Zacchaeus out of his tree and invited himself over, he did not order the tax collector to put on a big spread or throw a fancy party. Jesus only said he must "stay at your house today." Jesus kept it simple. Seeker services must also keep it simple, low-key, non-threatening. Not a lot of "smells and bells," but a ...

506. Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... give the heart of John's social message. This tradition is lost in the other gospels, making this material unique to Luke. It surprises us to hear the spitfire in the hair shirt giving thoughtful job counseling to the newly baptized tax collectors and soldiers. With compassion and calm insight, Luke's John provides a way for these individuals to maintain their professional identities while they enflesh their new faith. The portion read this week completes the threefold nature of John's preparatory message ...

507. Matthew 21:23-32

Matthew 21:23-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... identification opens up the way for Jesus to denounce the chief priests and elders as so many "second" sons. In verse 32, Jesus identifies John the Baptist as the one bringing the requests and desires of the "father" to the children of Israel. But while the apparently disobedient children the tax collectors and prostitutes hear John's message and repent, those in positions of religious authority who mouth platitudes of obedience reject John and refuse to accept his baptism.

508. Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:26-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Luke's eloquent words foretelling Jesus' birth. Tampa's James A. Harnish says that the difference between Luke's account of the Christmas story and Matthew's account is the difference between a Norman Rockwell painting in Saturday Evening Post and a tax collector's report. "If Luke reads like the Saturday Evening Post," Harnish writes, "then Matthew reads like the Wall Street Journal." In Luke's account, all the facets of this expertly crafted scene combine to emphasize Luke's most important point that ...

509. Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... ministry the test of his ability to be a voice proclaiming preparation for the One who is to come, while resisting the temptation to elevate his own message of what is to come. John had spoken with authority to those with economic clout (tax collectors) and military might (soldiers). He had been bold enough to address mixed crowds that contained individuals whose social status was far, far above his own. Obviously, John did not shrink from claiming power or authority for his message. But when faced with the ...

510. Luke 16:1-13

Luke 16:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... -talk, the parables of the lost and the grumblings of the Pharisees and scribes. These interpretations offer allegory as this parable's original format. As such, Jesus himself is to be seen as the unjust steward. In all his dealings with sinners and tax collectors, every time he has pronounced, "Go, your sins are forgiven," Jesus had been "cooking the books" of divine judgment. Christ, as God's agent or steward, forgives our debts and offers us grace. Jesus, like the unjust steward, was repeatedly cited by ...

511. Matthew 3:1-12

Matthew 3:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of their day, the Pharisees and Sadducees. Identifying these religious leaders as the common opponents of both Jesus and John the Baptist is also a Matthean decision. Whereas Luke's text describes those coming to visit John the Baptist as "tax collectors" and "soldiers" (Luke 3:12, 14), Matthew chooses to single out "Pharisees and Sadducees" from the crowds coming for baptism. Throughout Matthew's gospel, Jesus' primary opponents are those two groups of religious leaders - even as they were for John ...

512. Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... again and welcomed back into its fold, purse or family. All three of these parables serve as Jesus' response to the nasty grumbling and naysaying of the Pharisees and scribes described in 15:1-2. Jesus' attitudes and actions toward "tax collectors and sinners" is the problem. He not only welcomes them to his congregation; he also welcomes them to his table. The straight-laced righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes found Jesus' behavior quite suspicious, even scandalous. They could never condone social ...

513. This Is Where I Found Christ

Mark 5:21-43

Illustration

James W. Moore

There is a beautiful old story about Zacchaeus, the tax collector. It tells how in later years, he rose early every morning and left his house. His wife, curious, followed him one morning. At the town well he filled a bucket? and he walked until he came to a sycamore tree. There, setting down the bucket, he began to clean away ...

514. Proper 24

Matthew 22:15-22, Psalm 99:1-9, Exodus 33:12-23, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... OF CONFESSION Creator of heaven and earth, Maker of all humanity, Judge of all persons, hear our confession. Though we worship you now we frequently show more respect for powerful political figures than for you. We are more concerned about the bills we owe to the tax collector and the business people than what we owe to you and your church, both in money and in personal service. Though you have made us in your likeness, we behave as if we are self-made and with no obligation to please you, our Maker, and ...

515. Me - A - Missionary?

Acts 1:8

Sermon

James Merritt

... God's Purpose For Missions With this power and because of this power, Jesus goes on to say, "…you shall be my witnesses…" Before you sit there once again and say, "Me-A-Missionary?" remember who Jesus made this statement to. He was talking to tax collectors. He was talking to fishermen. He was talking to farmers. He was talking to shepherds. He was talking to home-makers. He was talking to businessmen. He was talking to men, women, and young people. In other words, He was talking to people just like ...

516. How to Make Heaven Happy

Luke 15:1-10

Sermon

James Merritt

... that some call, "God's lost and found department" that describes what makes heaven happy and how we can make heaven happy. I. Realize That People Without Christ Are Lost Now to understand this parable, you have to understand the background. "Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.' So He spoke this parable to them, saying:" (vv.1-3) Jesus told these stories to the Pharisees. As ...

517. Mark 8: 27-38

Mark 8:27-30

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... would not learn, and would not experience his teachings, by sitting at his feet and soaking up his words. Instead this “Jesus School” or “Jesus Seminary” was a missional pilgrimage, a running road trip that would gradually transform fishermen, tax collectors and day laborers into disciples. Although Jesus already has been on the move, healing, teaching, preaching by “signs” and wonders, today’s text announces for the first time that Jesus and his disciples are “on the way.” This “Way ...

518. Putting God to Work in Your Life through Peas, Squash, Lettuce, Thyme

Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... T-I-M-E.” And Jesus always had time. He stopped at watering holes to talk with a woman whose reputation was scandalous. He debated at length with the Pharisees and he reached out at length to lepers. He visited the homes of Roman centurions and short tax collectors. He hung out with Martha and Mary and Lazarus. He didn’t consider the time spent snuggling kids a waste of time. But wait, we forgot one. No vegetable garden is without turnips: Will you turnip for service? Will you turnip to help one another ...

519. Faithquakes

Luke 17:5-10

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector" (Matthew 18:15-17). Having a willingness to forgive means being like God. God's arms are wide open for the sinner to return, but God is not mocked. What a man sows, that shall he reap. Many who sin repeatedly are never willing to repent. The way is wide ...

520. God's Call for All

Acts 9:35-43

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... of God to take care of each other is explored in a much more intentional way in the New Testament. From the beginning, there is the assumption in the ministry of Jesus that all are included in the circle of care. Lepers, ethnic outsiders, tax collectors, untouchables, women, all who might be marginalized, are touched and accepted by Jesus, and brought into the community. They can then choose to become followers, able to help in the caring for each other. Others marvel that these people can be accepted and ...

521. Tales of the Spiritually Stupid

Jeremiah 4:11-12, 18-22

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... of her church's apportionment dollars. If so, she was solidly against paying such mission askings. She did not want her dollars going to support such a thing. Hello! Wonder where this church got such a notion? Could it be from someone who ate with tax-collectors and healed lepers with his touch? Tales of the spiritually stupid: We've all heard them, even witnessed them. Rest assured these stories are not fiction. We have experienced such things in our own congregation. Could be we've been the source of a ...

522. A Voice in the Wilderness

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... for the forgiveness of sins. Beginning with the seventh verse of this same chapter John speaks very explicitly about ways people are to prepare. The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same. Tax collectors were told not to collect any more than they are required to. Soldiers are told not to extort money and not to falsely accuse people. People needed to prepare their hearts and their lives to receive the Messiah through repentance, for his was not a ...

523. Every Kiss Begins with K

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... their own back, the food off their own table. He told those whose profession was despised to give justice and equity to everyone they worked with, to give compassion and truth to those without power. In that way the “viper’s brood,” even the tax collectors and Roman soldiers, would birth repentance in their own lives. Have you noticed how the #1 jeweler in North America bombards our tv this time of year with ads. Try watching any football game without a commercial for Kaye Jewelers. And you all know ...

524. Leap Of Faith

John 8:12

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... 11-12 (NRSV) The portrayal of the Clydesdale dog exhibited the whole idea of servanthood and the whole idea of hard work. III. Deep Faith A. NFL Oboe player To be honest, this next clip really touched me. It made me think of the Disciple Matthew the tax collector. He was so far outside the religious community that he had no clue what kind of relationship God wanted with him. And then Jesus walked into his life and everything changed. Matthew hadn't even known what to dream about until Jesus called him to be ...

525. Cleaning House

Mark 1:1-12

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... being. Of course we have to do our part, too. We can't just lay back and say, "Well, lay it on me Lord." No, a lot of times it takes lots of hard work to be perfected by God. God takes us, the outcast, the imperfect, the unfaithful, the tax collectors and sinners as the New Testament calls them and through His divine love and grace, God perfects them. God transforms us and gives new meaning to our lives. God caters to the clutter in our lives and helps us clean up our acts. God helps us clean up our lives ...

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