Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 601 to 625 of 990 results

601. No Seagulls Came

Illustration

William B. Oglesby

There's a story from World War II that's been told many times which occurred over the Pacific. Eddie Rickenbacker and some colleagues on an aircraft were shot down and managed to inflate a raft. The food and water were soon expended, and all hope for their rescue seemed to fade. As they related the story later, they described how together they had formed a prayer band and had prayed earnestly for ...

602. Romans 8:28

Illustration

Michael P. Green

All afternoon a little boy tried to put together his birthday gift from his father, a picture puzzle. Some of the pieces were bright, some dark; some seemed to go together, others seemed to fit nowhere. Finally, frustrated and exhausted and with nothing to show for his efforts, the boy gathered the pieces, put them in the box, and gave it to his dad. “I can’t do it,” he explained. “You try it.” T...

603. Proper 12

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 29:15-28 Jacob the trickster gets tricked. He is smitten with Rachel and agrees with her father, Laban, to work seven years to obtain her hand in marriage. On the wedding night, he gets an unexpected wedding present, Rachel's sister, Leah. Jacob agrees to work another seven years for Rachel because she is the true treasure of his heart. Old Testament: 1 Kings 3:...

604. Happy New Year Noises

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To think about what influences life. Material: Noisemakers Lesson: Did any of you stay up last night (or whenever New Year's Eve was) until midnight? ... Many people do this. They stay up until that time so that they can welcome in the new year. And very often people welcome in the new year with noisemakers like these. (Share whatever noisemakers you can find. Let them make noise togeth...

605. Throw Your Worries to the Lord

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: Some business forms with carbon paper separating each sheet. Good morning, boys and girls. It is time for us to think about some different things. Here we are in church on the first Sunday of a brand new month. Does anyone know what month this is? (Let them answer.) That's right, March, and what does March make you think about? (Let them answer.) I think about the wind and how hard it blo...

606. Proper 13

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

The Miracle Of Feeding 5,000 A little lad was asked which was his favorite parable. He replied, "I like the one about the loafs and fishing." The kid may be confused whether the story of Jesus' feeding the 5,000 is a parable or a miracle. However, the miracle of multiplying is also a favorite of the gospel writers. This miracle of Jesus is the only one recorded by the four evangelists. In additio...

607. Proper 12

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 29:15-30 is a story of reversals, of how the trickster Jacob is tricked by Laban, while Psalm 105 is a song of praise that celebrates God's deeds as evidence of the fulfilled promises that are made in the covenant with Jacob's children. Genesis 29:15-30 - "Whom Is God Watching?" Setting. The third reading from the Jacob cycle locates Jacob in Haran with Rebekah's kinsman L...

608. If God Is For Us

Eulogy

George Reed

[Read Romans 8:31-39] “If God is for us, who can be against us?” What a strange and yet delightful question! The answer is so obvious to us we wonder why it would even be asked. And yet all of us know that sometimes we need to be reminded of the most obvious of things. The answer, of course, is no one and nothing can stand against us if God is for us. And God is for us. God is the one who did not ...

609. Israel and the Present Curses and the Past Blessings of the Covenant

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Chapters 9–11, which correspond to the curses component of the covenant (chaps. 5–8 enunciate the blessings), answer the question “Have God’s promises to Israel failed?” Paul answers, “No!” In 9:1–5 he broaches the problem of Israel’s unbelief. Israel previously enjoyed the blessings of the covenant but is now under its curses for rejecting the Messiah. Understanding the Text In order ...

610. God’s Sovereign Choice

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

9:1–11:36 Review · The reality of justification by faith in salvation history: In the third main section of his letter, Paul explains the reality of justification by faith in salvation history, raising the question of Israel’s rejection of the gospel. As the Jews have rejected the gospel, has God then rejected Israel (cf. Rom. 11:1)? After he emphasizes his intense concern for the salvation of the...

611. God's Sovereign Choice

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

The Election of Israel What remains of God’s promises to the Jews now that the Messiah has come and the Jews from whom and for whom he came have, for the most part, failed to recognize him? That is the theme of Romans 9–11. Finding the exact term to describe Paul’s discussion of the theme is somewhat difficult. On the one hand, Romans 9–11 is more or less an excursus complete in itself. The begin...

612. Righting Wrong

Sermon

Larry Lange

To Jim it seemed like an opportunity to right decades of wrongs. As Jim learned more and more about the congregation he had joined, he began to discover it languished from a festering tumor lodged deep within it. The previous two pastors, over their fifty-plus-year tenure, had never made much headway trying to move people from merely being members of the big fancy downtown church to being discipl...

613. Shepherding One Another in a Collapsing World

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

In the Scripture for this Sunday, Paul reveals an almost violent concern for his people. He is thinking about the Jews who have rejected Christ and the ultimate step in their history of being the people of God. Note Paul’s concern: "I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." Pa...

614. Jesus Was Jewish

Children's Sermon

Tim Carpenter

Exegetical Aim: Jesus came from Jewish heritage. Props: An American flag, red-white-blue streamers, a picture or statuette of the Statue of Liberty. (If you are not in the United States, use symbols appropriate to your country). Also, a Star of David, a palm branch, and a menorah. Lesson: Who can tell me what country we live in? (response) That’s Right, the United States of America. Who knows wh...

615. Proper 13

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter - Psalms 17:1-7, 15 First Lesson - Jacob has a unique experience of God. Genesis 32:22-31 Second Lesson - Paul writes with anguish for the unbelief of his own kindred. Romans 9:1-5 Gospel - Jesus would rather feed people than turn them away. Matthew 14:13-21 CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. People: And also with you. Leader: In the morni...

616. The Apostasy of the Advantaged

Bulletin Aid

Exegetical note: Paul's heart-felt expression of "anguish" and "sorrow" for his fellow Jews over their rejection of the Christ in spite of their many advantages (enumerated in v. 4) may well be universalized to include those of every age and place who, despite their God-given advantages, yet reject God's most exceptional acts of grace and mercy. Call to Worship Leader: Sisters and brothers, let u...

617. Surprised by God’s People

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship Sisters and brothers, let us come together as God's people confident in our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Like the Apostle Paul, we know that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. This hope based on the love of God does not disappoint us. Therefore we gather confident that the Holy Spirit will be present with us today. L...

618. Proper 14

Bulletin Aid

Second Lesson: Romans 9:1-5 Theme: A concern for Jews to accept Jesus Call to Worship Pastor: Jesus was born a Jew in the flesh, but many Jews did not receive him as Savior. People: The are still God's children, and are therefore to be included in God's plan of salvation. Pastor: We share Paul's concern for them, and cannot exclude them from God's love; nor can we cease to pray for their salvati...

619. Proper 14

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-18 Joseph's brothers sell him into slavery. Jacob sent his favorite son, Joseph, to check on his brothers who were tending sheep. Because Jacob loved Joseph more than the other sons and made him a coat of many colors, the brothers hated Joseph. As he approached, they conspired to kill him. Their plan changed when traders on the way to Egypt came by. Th...

620. Proper 14 & Pentecost 12

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Little or no help is forthcoming from the church year as a theological clue for a worship/preaching theme for this Sunday. The title of the day - the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost - is really the only reminder, suggesting how the church got to this point in the year and, for those in the "liturgical know," where we are going, Christ the King Sunday. On this "Pentecost pilgrimage...

621. Love One Another

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: A great big paper heart. Lesson: For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. Good morning, boys and girls. Today I want to tell you a little story about a boy named Paul who had a brother named Joe. These two boys were pretty close in age and did lots of things together. If Paul decided to go fishi...

622. Your Lifetime Teeth

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: A baby tooth or a drawing of a baby tooth. Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have lost some of your teeth, your baby teeth? (Let them answer.) Almost all of you and some day every one of you will lose the teeth that you have had since you were babies. Then what happens? (Let them answer.) That's right, you get new teeth with big roots that will last all of your life. Teeth are...

623. Families in Christ

Sermon

Jeff Wedge

Aren't families fun, at times? Paul reminds us in the lesson for today that families can be a source of many things in our lives. Consider the husband who had promised his wife to replace the kitchen cabinets, but kept putting off the home improvement. The wife had to leave to care for her sick mother for two weeks and returned to find the new cabinets installed in the kitchen. She was very plea...

624. Proper 13, Pentecost 11, Ordinary Time 18

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

Prayer Of The Day Leader: Gracious God, you alone fill the desire of every living creature. By your great compassion fill us on this day, that our praise would bear witness to your sure and steadfast love shown to us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. All: Amen. Offertory Prayer Leader: Blessed are you, O Lord, our G...

625. Proper 13

Bulletin Aid

Second Lesson: Romans 9:1-5 Theme: Paul's heartbreak Call To Worship Leader: Let all who would carry the Gospel of Christ to the nations gather. People: For there are wonderful peoples in every land yet to hear of Christ. Leader: Some have already heard the Good News yet they have turned away. People: Would that we could give our lives so all might accept God's love. Leader: But God's love is so...

Showing 601 to 625 of 990 results