Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 626 to 650 of 4914 results

626. Imitating Christ's Humility

Philippians 2:1-11

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

Call for Mutual Consideration Paul’s concern for unity of mind and mutual consideration among the members of the Philippian church need not imply that there was an atmosphere of dissension there. The fact that two members are singled out by name and urged to agree in 4:2 could suggest (unless 4:2 belongs to an originally separate letter) that theirs was an exceptional case of conflict. We do not know what Epaphroditus had told Paul about the state of the church, but at this time Paul found sufficient ...

627. The Kiss of Life

John 20:19-23

Sermon

R. Kevin Mohr

The first kiss is a very powerful and meaningful thing, right? Recently I read a report in a magazine stating that the average American claims to have had 26 first kisses. Wow! What that says to me is that I missed out on a lot of first kisses! My wife’s take on that is not surprisingly, significantly different. Don’t spend the next fifteen minutes trying to remember, and then adding up, the number of your first kisses; let’s try to stay focused folks. Again, a kiss is a powerful thing. All the fairy tales ...

628. People of Influence

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

I want to tell you about two “powerful” men who lived at the turn of the 13th century. The first of these men chose the name Innocent when he was unanimously declared Pope in 1198. He took Jeremiah 1:10 as his ordination verse: “See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” Pope Innocent lived by this verse. Innocent believed that his position gave him the power to rule over all people; anyone who challenged him was subject to ...

629. Sitting Shiva Behind Closed Doors

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Story Lectionary for Post Resurrection Week One: Hebrew Testament Connections: Genesis: The Story of Noah and the Mourning of Methuselah Genesis: The Sealing of the Garden Psalm of Jonah and/or Psalm 98 Psalm 30 Prayers: The Kaddish and the Tziduk Hadin Song of Moses (Exodus 15) Song of Judah (Isaiah 26) Gospel of John: Jesus’ First Appearances to His Disciples in a Locked Room The Scripture in Story: “Disciples in Hiding” --the Good News Witness as told by John Early in the morning, on the first day of ...

630. The Work of An Evangelist

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I was driving down Poplar Avenue, one of the main thoroughfares in Memphis, when I noticed a bumper sticker on the car in front of me. In large letters, it said, “I AM A GENERIC CHRISTIAN.” Well, that got my attention. I never thought about anyone being a generic Christian. I saw that something else was written on the bumper sticker and I wanted to know what it was. I’m afraid I got dangerously close to the rear end of the fellow, so that I would be close enough to read what was there. It said, “Ask me ...

631. Body

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

In 2:14–4:6, the first step in his defense of the legitimacy of his apostolic claim, Paul repeatedly refers to heavenly realities he has known as an apostle: He has entered the heavenly throne room of God; he speaks in the presence of Christ; and he has seen the glory of God in the face of Christ (cf. 2:14, 17; 4:6). The emphasis in the previous section has thus been on the glory of Paul’s apostolic ministry. The problem is that Paul’s body does not manifest the glory of God in a tangible way. According to ...

632. Christmas 1

Galatians 3:26--4:7, Galatians 3:15-25, Colossians 3:1-17, Hebrews 2:5-18, Isaiah 61:1-11, Isaiah 63:7--64:12, Matthew 2:19-23, Matthew 2:13-18

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Isaiah 63:7-9 The prophet recalls the goodness of God when the nation was being born. He harkens back to the covenant God made with his people at Sinai and his guiding them through the wilderness. Though God punishes his people for their sins, he continues to love them, care for them, and guide them. God carries on his gracious work of salvation. Lesson 1: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 God placed parents in authority over their children and those who honor their parents will be blessed by God. ...

633. God’s Love and Ours

1 John 4:7-21, 1 John 5:1-12

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

God’s Love and Our Love There is little agreement among those who have made a serious study of 1 John as to how to divide 1 John 4:7–5:4, but most have understood 4:7–12 to center around God’s love for us and, in response, our love for one another. It is likely that the opponents of the Elder had stressed their love for God (cf. 4:10, 20), their devotion, piety, and mystical spirituality (cf. 1:6, 8, 10; 2:4, 6, 9; 3:18; 4:1). But the Elder thinks that it is God’s love for human beings which is ...

634. Faith in the Son of God

1 John 5:1-12, 1 John 4:7-21

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

635. Egypt

Ezekiel 29:1-21, Ezekiel 30:1-26, Ezekiel 31:1-18, Ezekiel 32:1-32

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

The last four chapters of Ezekiel’s oracles against the nations consist of a loose collection of seven prophecies, all concerned with Egypt: an allegorical oracle depicting Pharaoh as a dragon in the Nile (29:1–16); a late appendix to the book promising Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar (29:17–21); a lament over Egypt (30:1–19); a second oracle against the Pharaoh (30:20–26); an allegory depicting Egypt as the World Tree (31:1–18); a lament over Pharaoh, recapitulating the dragon allegory (32:1–16); and a funeral ...

636. Easter 2

Acts 4:32-37, 1 John 1:5--2:14, John 20:19-23, John 20:24-31

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: The risen Christ confronts us in our doubts and fears with his living presence, fortifying our faith, so that we might withstand the doubt. COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 4:32-35 The church in Jerusalem witnessed to the power of the risen Christ through the quality of their communal life. They were united in faith and love, freely sharing their possessions. In fact, many of those with property sold it and made the funds available to the whole community. Epistle: Acts 3:12a, 13-15, 17-26 (See Easter 3) ...

637. Lent 2

Psalm 121:1-8, Genesis 12:1-8, Romans 4:1-25, John 3:1-21

Sermon Aid

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

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The themes of sin and death, which have been central to the Lenten Old Testament lessons up to this point, give way to divine promise of life and blessing in Genesis 12:1-4a . Psalm 122 takes the divine promise of life and blessing into the setting of worship, where it functions both as a song of praise to God for the gift of peace and salvation, and as encouragement to the worshiper to seek the security of God's grace. Genesis 12:1-4a - "The Working Out of God's Blessing" Setting. ...

638. The Sufficiency of Christ

Philippians 4:10-20

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Some years ago, I had the marvelous opportunity of visiting Philippi. I was troubled by the fact that not much was left of that once flourishing Roman colony. But out by the river, where Lydia was converted, and perhaps baptized, I gained a helpful perspective. The most winsome church of the apostolic age probably never had a building of her own. It was the church in Lydia’s house, or in the house of some other. If there was a particular building for the church at any time during her history, not one stone ...

639. Standing In the Gap: The Work of Intercession

2 Chronicles 7:11-22

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I’m excited about what you’re doing in chapel this year here in Orlando. I’m particularly excited about your theme: Standing in the Gap—and the fact that Steve is basing all of his sermons on the Lord’s Prayer. I want to fit into that pattern—but confess to you that I do so out of the kind of sense that D. T. Niles expressed when he described evangelism as “one beggar telling another beggar where to get bread.” None of us are experts in prayer—the more we pray, the more we realize that we are limited—and ...

640. The Golden Hour

Exodus 19:1-25, Genesis 15:1-18, Ezekiel 24:1-14

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.” --Exodus 34:29 “Only God lives forever! And he lives in light that no one can come near. No human has ever seen God or ever can see him. God will be honored, and his power will last forever. Amen.” --1 Timothy 6:16 In the medical field, the first hour after someone suffers a traumatic injury is ...

641. Ascension

Acts 1:1-11, Mark 16:1-20, Luke 24:50-53, Luke 24:36-49

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

It is a great day when a hero returns to his people. We Americans put on a gala reception with a ticker tape parade usually in Manhattan. Hundreds of thousands gather to see the procession of victory. They cheer. The bands play. Banners wave in the wind. Spontaneous shouts are heard blocks away. The hero may be a Charles Lindbergh, a Dwight Eisenhower, a Neil Armstrong, a Pope or a Nelson Mandela. It is a great day of welcome, festivity and victory. But, the greatest day of all occurred not on earth but in ...

642. Our God Is an Awesome God

Psalm 139:1-18

Sermon

James Merritt

Robert Wells wrote a book entitled: Is A Blue Whale The Biggest Thing There Is? It is a children's book to help little ones see just how big the universe really is. The largest animal on earth is the blue whale. Just the flippers on its tail are bigger than most animals on earth. But a blue whale isn't anywhere near as big as a mountain. If you could put one hundred blue whales inside of a huge jar, you could put millions of those whale jars inside a Hallowed-Out Mount Everest. But Mount Everest isn't ...

643. The Time Is Now!

Luke 24:50-53

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

Unlike John or Peter, the gospel writer Luke was a cool-headed intellect. Luke was a physician. As a physician, he was trained to keep his emotional distance from the events he saw. Nobody wants a physician who lets emotion run ahead of intellect. We want our medical doctors to be able to confront the most remarkable experiences and stay calm; to analyze, decide the best course of action, and prescribe whatever it takes to get the patient well again. Above all else, "Keep calm and carry on." That is, do ...

644. The Resurrection of Christ

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

The letter moves toward its conclusion with a long, crucial defense of the truth of the resurrection of the dead and its intrinsic importance for all of Christian faith and living. The length and complexity of this reflection, coupled with its subject matter, make this portion of the letter important for understanding early Christian belief and practice, the foundational nature of resurrection faith for all of Christian theology, and the reconstruction of Paul’s overall understanding of God’s work in and ...

645. Failure to Enter the Land

Num 13:1–14:9

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Trust that God can overcome great difficulties. Understanding the Text The people had begun complaining at Taberah and Kibroth Hattaavah (Num. 11). At Hazeroth Moses’s own sister and brother had expressed resentment against Moses and undermined his spiritual authority (Num. 12). In each of these cases God had intervened with a mixture of punishment and grace. Now they come to Kadesh (or Kadesh Barnea) in the Desert of Paran (Num. 13:26) just south of the land of Canaan. Israel has not learned its ...

646. Homesick For a Future: New Life for the New Millenium

Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I don’t know how it is with you, but occasionally I have flashbacks. Sometimes these are connected with a task at hand, or a decision with which I am struggling, or when I am wrestling with what I perceive as a call of God upon my life. Occasionally these flashbacks are connected with my preaching. It happened a couple of months ago. I was struggling with personal direction issues, but had also begun to think of the assignment of preaching on this occasion. The words of a young man named Nicholas in The ...

647. Proper 19

Exodus 13:17--14:31, Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 14:1--15:13, Exodus 15:1-21

Sermon Aid

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

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Exodus 14:19-31 is the account of how God rescued Israel from the Egyptians at the Red Sea. Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21 is a hymn that celebrates this event, and it is sometimes said to be the oldest text in the Bible. Exodus 14:19-31 - "Rescue at the Sea" Setting. Few would disagree with the statement that the Exodus event is the central story of salvation in the Old Testament. Problems of interpretation arise, however, when we ask just what happened in the Exodus event, encompasses a sea ...

648. A Sick Woman and a Dead Girl

Luke 8:40-56

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: Jesus’s extraordinary power to heal extends even to someone who has just died. Understanding the Text Two further miracles of healing add yet more weight to the impression of unlimited power that characterizes the whole of the Galilean phase of Jesus’s story and that form the basis for the key question of 9:18–20: Who is Jesus? After his authority has been asserted over the natural elements and the supernatural powers of evil (8:22–39), he now restores two women to life: one literally, from a ...

649. The End Times

Daniel 12:1-13

Understanding Series

William Nelson

The Final Revelation--The Body: We enter now into the body of the last main revelation of the book of Daniel. There has been some progression in the visions of the book from a more general scope, encompassing larger blocks of history, to a more narrow focus on shorter periods of time. So, for example, Daniel 2 spans four and a half centuries by outlining the four human empires of Babylonia, Media, Persia, and Greece, which are swept away by the fifth—the eternal kingdom of God. Aside from the fact that the ...

650. The Light that Shines Within

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Leonard Mann

The story of the birth of Jesus has been variously told. Luke has told it in relation to the appearance of angels and the visit of shepherds. Matthew has told it in the context of a brightly shining star and the coming of wise men from the East. Others may very well have associated the story with other signal happenings mentioned by neither of these; for any event of importance is attended by a variety of incidental circumstances, and in telling of it, one witness will choose to relate one of the ...

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