Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 651 to 675 of 3160 results

1 Kings 21:1-3, 17-21

Sermon

Will Willimon

... lick your blood.” “Do not be deceived,” says Paul (Gal. 6:7), “God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” When God speaks to the King, the word is severe, shocking, repulsive; not polite, civil, politic. This is not the sort of word one speaks to kings. The role of a court chaplain is to confirm, to celebrate royalty and not press the king too much about present arrangements. But what is a preacher to do when God's word, thrust into our arrangements is severe, shocking ...

652. Family Ties And Unties

Mark 3:20-35

Sermon

David Coffin

... as he was baptized by John. Jesus had survived forty days in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan (Mark 1:12-13 RSV). He had performed healings and called his disciples (including Judas). If one assumed Jesus’ father was a craftsman or carpenter of sorts, Jesus was going off the family reservation of the family vocational calling, as Rudy did in abandoning his job at the steel mills to pursue an education at the University of Notre Dame. In the midwest states of America, there once were many factory ...

653. Good News

Luke 3:7-18

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... ! For those doing the oppressing, the cheating, and the stealing, they would be removed from their “posts of power!” How? God’s own threshing floor! Now here’s where the metaphor gets really good! Threshing floors were sacred sorts of places. They were also practical places. They allowed the harvester/farmer to sort the heavy wheat seed/fruit from the seed covering or “chaff.” Think of the husk of corn that you rip off in order to get to the “corn” inside on the cob. You throw the husks away ...

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

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Sermon

Will Willimon

... �Run in such a way that you may win ....”) to the Corinthians, those who lived in the town where the Isthmian Games, rival to the Olympics, where held every two years. The Greeks were criticized by the Romans for being infatuated with games and sports of this sort. But Paul grabs hold of this as a metaphor for what it's like to be a disciple of Jesus. Only one can win this race, says Paul, compete to win. The competition here is not with other Christians, but with oneself, somewhat like golf. What does it ...

655. Strength for The Journey

John 16:12-15

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... richer and more dynamic than if the notes had been played individually. The notes are all equally important in producing the rich sound, and the sound is lacking and thin if one of the notes is left out.” Whence The Doctrine? Okay, that’s how it works, sort of, but where did it come from? There is no mention of the Trinity or a Trinity in the Bible. The three persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are mentioned together only once, and that in the nineteenth verse of chapter 28 of Matthew ...

656. For Someone Remembered by Many

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 · Matthew 16:13-20 · Mark 14:7-9, 10-12

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

... Now, had Ken been a celebrity and had he graced the stage of that Ralph Edwards Show: This is Your Life; many voices would’ve been heard from beyond the black curtain and at the end of the show, the stage would’ve been filled with all sorts of individuals who provided the audience with a picture of whom Ken happened to be. The audience would’ve heard of how Ken was a member of what Tom Brokaw called “The Greatest Generation.” He was in the Pacific theater of operation during WWII and participated ...

657. Couldn’t Be Easier

Matthew 11:2-11 · Isaiah 35:1-10

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... 1, but jumping way ahead to when John is in prison before the daughter of Herodias asks for his head on a platter because there’s nothing she’d rather have for a gift from her stepfather King Herod. That scripture doesn’t put me in any sort of holiday mood, but it does get to the heart of promise, as does another scripture from Isaiah the prophet, written centuries before, which Jesus quotes for the occasion. So clear the stage of the cows, sheep, Magi, and shepherds, and set up a different nativity ...

658. Allowing God To Do A New Thing

Isaiah 43:14-28

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... together with their lunches and they would sit under the table for their picnic lunch. People who went by her room often would hear music blaring from a record player. The song she played most often was "Disco Duck." She would lead the children in exercises of some sort as the music played. People would walk by and say, "How are we supposed to work when it sounds like you are having so much fun?" She would quickly respond by saying, "Well, don't fight it. Come in and join us." This woman's gift for openness ...

659. A Call To Community

Acts 16:6-10

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... about a man he used to know. The man was an active leader in his community. He served in leadership capacity in the American Red Cross, the Lions Club, his church and the local Historic Commission. He even served as the town mayor. He was a very dignified sort of fellow. He was greatly respected in the community. The public didn't often get to see the warmer side of this man. His pride and joy were his two granddaughters. This man loved nothing better than to sit in his rocking chair, smoking his pipe. He ...

660. The King On A Cross

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

... that others are too blind and deaf to comprehend? The three condemned men are lifted up on their crosses. Pain beyond expression surges through their bodies. Yet the man on the central cross prays, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." What sort of person makes a prayer like this when he is dying in pain viciously inflicted by others? Should not such a one cry for help, plead for rescue, or even ask for a swift death? Is it not more appropriate for him to call down judgment and ...

661. How The Mighty Have Fallen!

Luke 9:18-27

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

... his congregation with tears running down his cheeks and remorse in his heart. The response to Swaggart's fall was highly judgmental. People judged Swaggart harshly because he had been so judgmental in his preaching. In his judgments he came down on all sorts and varieties of people, including Christian people. Of the ministry of Jim Bakker, for example, Swaggart had said: "He's a cancer on the body of Christ that needs to be excised." Swaggart's preaching was judgmental indeed. Swaggart was also judged ...

662. The End

Luke 21:5-38

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... from the five Northern provinces. (THE KING ENTERS) The King. THE KING: Hassan, I'm glad to see you are here. Now, Prime Minister, why have you called this meeting? THE PRIME MINISTER: Your Majesty, there are some disturbing reports. THE KING: What sort of reports? HASSAN: Your Majesty, we didn't want to alarm you but things have grown to such proportions ... THE KING: What is it? THE PRIME MINISTER: There have been strikes in many of our munitions factories. THE KING: Strikes! It's against the ...

663. Jesus? Where?

Luke 4:14-30

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... answer me about back there? FRANK: No, no, Ollie. Let me explain something to you. OLLIE: All right, Frank. FRANK: Jesus isn't really here, you see. OLLIE: But, Frank, this is church, isn't it? FRANK: Yes, of course, but ... OLLIE: Well? FRANK: He is, but he sort of ... isn't. OLLIE: Frank, I thought you were going to explain something to me. FRANK: I am, Ollie. OLLIE: You haven't explained it to me yet, Frank. FRANK: I know. OLLIE: Well? FRANK: Well, Ollie, it's like this ... OLLIE: Yes? FRANK: It's kinda ...

664. The Spice of Death

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

... the dead body into a sarcophagus or coffin. However, the Hebrews did bury their dead the same day of the person's death. Friends and family did process to the burial grounds. Attention was given to embalming the body with spices of various sorts. Respect was maintained for the burial ground. Not to have a decent burial was considered a disgrace. Special times were allotted for mourning. Periods of mourning for as long as thirty days were prescribed for notable figures. Mourning also took different forms ...

665. The Taught Can

Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

George W. Hoyer

... it all wrong, Jesus. With what you've got, you can take over as Messiah easily. You don't have to take second place to these scribes and priests and elders." Clearly the problem was in the definition of terms. "Messiah" for Peter seemed to mean some sort of political leader who would restore the kingdom to Israel. Messiahship could be achieved by a popularity ploy which would make his fame pay off, which would perhaps get people to declare him king. We think of Jesus as a "can do" person, but clearly here ...

666. Last But Yet First

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

George W. Hoyer

... take her place in line behind you, your cart filled with a dozen or more packages. No problem. "Do go ahead. You will be checked through before I'm unpacked." But then along comes another, this time a pushy type breezily saying, "Mind if I go ahead? I'm in sort of a hurry." Then -- don't we all? -- you want nothing better than to let that shopper earn the title of "greatest" by being stuck at the back of the line. That's not a completely fair example, of course. There is such a thing as fairness and taking ...

667. Peace And The Peacemakers

Luke 12:49-53

Sermon

Richard Patt

... brought the sword upon themselves through no fault of their own; they brought a fire upon the earth that frequently consumed their own lives. We know the reason for these disastrous responses to the proclamation of the Gospel. The reason is that a division of sorts boils within the heart of every human being. We are people filled with pride and self-serving. We become easily stuck on ourselves -- stuck on the way we look, the way we do things, the culture and practices of life that we have developed and ...

668. Clever Christians

Luke 16:1-15

Sermon

Richard Patt

... among neighbors, they hear certain folks talking about going to church or being involved in some church activity. They consider themselves religious -- even Christian -- but they regard most of it as being something for a few who are attracted by "that sort of thing." There are still other types of believers who are active in the church in the sense that they frequently attend services but otherwise practice a fairly "private religion," assuming that, after all, religion, like politics, is a private matter ...

669. Prepare The Way

Malachi 2:17--3:5

Sermon

Robert A. Hausman

... , depressed people, dying people. Christ came and got involved. It is in this world that the way of the Lord is to be prepared. Malachi says: "See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me" (Malachi 3:1). What was his day like and what sort of way had to be prepared? The people had come back from exile, rebuilt the temple, and had high hopes for a better day; but it was a struggle. They offered their sacrifices, but it did not seem to pay off. The wicked still prospered. The people decided ...

670. Arise! Shine! For Your Light Has Come

Isaiah 60:1-22

Sermon

Robert A. Hausman

Doubtless you remember the television commercial in which a man steps up to a bar and says: "Give me a light." After he is blasted with every possible sort of light, from fire to laser beams, he sheepishly corrects himself: "Give me a Bud Lite." This is a modern parable. Like all living beings, we look for light, but often we are willing to settle for lite beer! It is just something to get us through the night, a ...

671. Called! Cleansed! Sent

Isaiah 6:1-13

Sermon

Robert A. Hausman

... to keep alleluia. The trend toward clarity is important, but, at the same time, the traditional expressions, because of their strangeness, were better bearers of the awesomeness of God. Our concern is not to return to magic, superstition, or irrationality, nor to restore some sort of clerical privilege. Our concern is simply that we relearn what "holy" means. Only by knowing who God is do we know who we are. We say of some people: "nothing is holy to him," or, "she holds nothing sacred." When we do, we ...

672. Proper 24

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40, 2 Timothy 3:10--4:8, Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 119:1-176

Bulletin Aid

William E. Keeney

... , Mary of Magdala, the Syrophoenician woman, and Jesus' mother indicates his respect for and treatment of women. 4. Why Persistent Prayer? If God knows our need before we ask, why persist in prayer? Several possible reasons may be suggested. The first is that we need to sort out what we want from what we need. Often our self-interest and desires obscure our sight. What we think we need is not always our true condition. As Jesus prayed in Gethsemane for the passing of the cup and came to submission to God's ...

673. The Limits Of Love

Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

... live by, the leaders were quite certain that God's care could not extend beyond the blood line of the Hebrew people. "No intermarriage!" said Ezra, the priest. The race had to be kept pure. Foreign wives were a plague. Since Semitic peoples of all sorts, including Jews, often made their points by telling stories -- like Jesus, the parable maker -- old cautionary tales such as those about Esther or Daniel were recited. In these stories the preservation of God's people in the face of the demonic influences of ...

674. When Your Nets Are Empty

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

... their heads, move into deep water, take risks -- and they are the stronger for it. I often wonder where Jesus will tell us to lower our nets next? It may be with victims of AIDS, or street people, or the homeless, or in fresh styles of worship, or a different sort of music, or the fight to save the environment. My question to you: If life is at one of those stuck places, what are you going to attempt this year you didn't attempt last year?Into what deeper waters will you venture? What will you risk for the ...

675. Rich Toward God

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

John G. Lynn

... to burn off the fog in southern California or break through the early morning haze over the bay. The predawn beauty of the early morning is rarely appreciated for its ability to seduce and yet obscure perceptions. The quality of light in that hour is amazing. A murky sort of light, it blends in with the early morning haze and the mist from the face of the earth. Nothing is very clear in that hour before dawn. Trees look like giant ghosts. A man walking in the distance looks like a walking tree. Each thing's ...

Showing results