Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 701 to 725 of 1182 results

Romans 5:12-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... free gift of Christ reveal how Paul has tried to make both the tragedy of the first Adam and the miraculous gift of the Second Adam a highly logical, clear-cut argument. Instead of emphasizing God's gift of redemption as undeserved and unmerited, he uses his classic skills as a debater and Torah-trained legalist to make a "logical case" for the wonder of the Cross. Just as one man's trespass brought death into the world, so it should be that one man's obedience should bring in the "dominion in life," the ...

702. Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians 2:5-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... human, goes to the extreme of suffering death, and then is exalted once again by God. Yet another interpretation has existed hand-in-hand with this understanding from the time of some of the earliest church fathers. Origen (c.185-254) noted in his own classic exegetical commentary on this text that it was nonetheless true that "some say" the self-emptying this hymn really points to is the emptying of the soul of the human Jesus, not the divine Christ. (Not a few scholars suggest that Origen himself was ...

703. Matthew 20:1-16

Matthew 20:1-16

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Jesus tells in this week's gospel text is found only in Matthew. Nevertheless, the startling message this parable communicates is considered by many scholars to be an excellent candidate for being classed as a genuine word from Jesus. The classic parable structure, its skillful telling and the power of its unexpected conclusion, all suggest the special creativity and uniqueness of Jesus' own insights and teachings. Matthew introduces this parable into his gospel with his traditional "The kingdom of heaven ...

704. Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... before them by his messengers. Jesus acknowledges the miraculous things that have happened, but he carefully reminds his followers that everything is accomplished because he has given them authority. He testifies to the fact that "snakes and scorpions," classic examples of evil forces in this world, cannot harm his messengers as long as they remain under his authority. Finally, Jesus attempts to turn his returned missionaries' minds away from the dazzling displays of divine power they have participated ...

705. John 3:1-17

John 3:1-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 6-8 show with glaring, galling clarity how wide the chasm is between God (born of the Spirit) and human beings (born of the flesh). Emphasizing the distance between the Spirit and the flesh gives greater impact, more vital importance, to the most classic words of Jesus' ministry. Jesus responded to Nicodemus' first "how" question with the skeleton of God's salvation plans: Be born anew with water and the Spirit. Verses 11ff. contain the answer to the Pharisee's second "how?" The synagogue wants an explicit ...

706. Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... simple qualities of kindness and a forgiving nature are in reality a call to let membership in the body of Christ change the sinful heart of humanity into a commitment to selfless, sacrificial love. Relating the Texts From the Old Testament comes a classic story of treachery and ignominious death. Verse 5 of 2 Samuel 18 clearly articulates King David's command to "deal gently" with the traitorous Absalom. Despite all of Absalom's rebellion and his utter contempt for his father's rule and reputation (see ...

707. Mark 8:27-38

Mark 8:27-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... and he and his disciples start moving spiritually and physically towards Jerusalem. On the course of this journey Jesus begins a series of lessons on discipleship. Jesus begins these lessons by initiating a discussion about his identity leading to Peter's classic confession that Jesus is "the Christ." But Jesus has much more to reveal to his disciples before they are really able to confess his messianic identity and comprehend what that actually entails. So Jesus silences the disciples, curtails any pride ...

708. John 18:33-37

John 18:33-37

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... - "to testify to the truth" - a mission that includes Jesus' passion, crucifixion and resurrection. Indeed this is Jesus' answer to Pilate's earlier question, "What have you done?" He has come into the world to save it. John's rendition of this classic confrontation between Pilate and Jesus clearly demonstrates Jesus' growing in strength and glory as the hour of his death approaches. John's penchant for irony lies behind his recording here of Pilate's final words. The official invested with the most civil ...

709. 1 Timothy 1:12-17

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... matched only by his equally vigorous zeal for the faith after his conversion. Verse 13 makes the interesting claim that ignorance and disbelief acted as both the reason for Paul's destructive behavior and his reason for receiving God's mercy. In his classic commentary, John Wesley questions this logic, then clarifies how such ignorance might have worked in Paul's favor. Ignorance, Wesley claims, was no excuse. But it "left him capable of mercy, which he would hardly have been, had he acted contrary to his ...

710. Acts 16:9-15

Acts 16:9-15

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Yet the text does not specify that any of Lydia's group is gathered for prayer or any other religious purpose. As non-Jews, unrestricted by Sabbath ordinances, they may simply have been at the river doing their laundry. Lydia's conversion experience sets a classic example for future converts. Despite the fact that she is a "worshiper of God" and despite the fact that she is a well-established "dealer in purple cloth" (a luxurious, upper-class commodity), Lydia herself is active only as a listener. It is the ...

711. Jeremiah 31:27-34

Jeremiah 31:27-34

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... proverb, quoted earlier in Ezekiel 18:2 and alluded to in Lamentations 5:7. While Ezekiel rejected this proverb entirely, Jeremiah appears to accept its truth for the present but posits a different interpretation of it in the future. Verse 29 is a classic description of collective responsibility: The parents eat the sour grapes, but it is the children who suffer. The punishment for the sins of one are experienced by all. But verse 30 describes a situation where "in those days" (v. 29) individuals will be ...

712. Remember Your Baptism

Acts 19:1-22

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the “stuff” we generically call “air.” In other words what we exhale, our breath – the tell-tale trademark of our very existence is water and wind. We humans are wind and water people. Charles Kingsley wrote a Victorian-era children’s classic called The Water Babies (Oxford University Press, 1995). This book tells the story of London’s poor, abused children whose only escape from the cruelty and grime of servitude is death. But these poor children are “reborn” as “water babies.” And ...

713. Matthew 28:1-10

Matthew 28:1-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the church would later call "deacons," a responsible position whose duties included the care and preparation of corpses. Note that while John emphasized that "it was still dark" (20:1), Matthew proclaims the day was "dawning" (28:1). Suddenly an earthquake - a classic divine portent - shakes the ground beneath these women's feet. Those hoping to rationalize away the tomb's rolled back stone might have used this earthquake as a simple explanation for the immense rock's movement - but Matthew will have none ...

714. John 6:24-35

John 6:24-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... for it alone "gives life to the world." The Johannine crowd's response in verse 34 is one of typical misunderstanding. Gluttony, not faithfulness, inspires the people to ask for this bread "always" as a never-ending food supply. It is a classic moment: the crowd surrounding Jesus knows what it wants, knows it is in dire need, but persistently identifies wrong solutions to solve the desperate human condition. In verse 35 Jesus utters the first of his profound "I am" statements, clearing away any ambiguity ...

715. Luke 3:1-6

Luke 3:1-6

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... leadership. Luke's list of the proud and powerful contrasts sharply with his introduction of John, son of Zechariah, who was simply "in the wilderness." But John's access to power comes from a different, non-Roman source. "The word of God came" is a classic Septuagint phrase that indicates far more than the individual merely receiving a message. When the "word of God comes" to John, he also comes under the power of that word and is empowered by it. The urbanity of the Roman powers is further contrasted with ...

716. Isaiah 9:2-7

Isaiah 9:2-7

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... little "crazy" with exuberance. Isaiah stipulates that all this joy is exhibited "before you" that is, before God recalling ritual scenes of entrance and acceptance into the Lord's presence. The scenes of liberation Isaiah recalls in verse 4 are classic. All the language speaking of "yokes," "burdens" and "oppressors" cast the people's minds back to the experience of deliverance from Egypt. As slaves in Egypt, they were yoked with the burdens of their oppressors. But Yahweh miraculously broke the unmerciful ...

717. Ordinary and Humble Princes

John 1:43-51

Illustration

Scott Hoezee

... is the one that grows into the most resplendent of all swans. We enjoy it when the moment of truth comes for the characters in a story as they discover that the scruffy-looking character they never quite trusted is actually the true king of the realm. In the classic The Wizard of Oz we get a double treat at the end of the story: first, the great and powerful Oz turns out to be nothing but the man behind the curtain, a puller of levers and switches who looks like a humbug of a charlatan. But then, almost ...

718. Did Your Mother Ever Say To You?

Mark 1:21-28

Illustration

Richard J. Fairchild

... have to jump too? Just wait till you have kids of your own! Don't talk with food in your mouth! You weren't born in a barn, so stop acting like you were! And of course I am sure you have heard, if not uttered, the all time classic Because I'm your mother, that's why! These expressions have been passed from generation to generation. They are expressions of authority - the authority of a parent over a child. Authority however is weaker in some people and stronger in others. We have all heard parents who say ...

719. Etched in Stone

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... ’. 8. Watch yer mouth. 9. Don’t take nothin’ what ain’t yers. 10. Don’t be hankerin’ for yer buddy’s stuff. (2) That’s not bad. Anything that makes the commandments more memorable and more meaningful can help us. The nineteenth century classic McGuffey Reader recorded these commandments in the form of a simple poem: “Above all else love God alone; Bow down to neither wood nor stone. God’s name refuse to take in vain; The Sabbath rest with care maintain. Respect your parents all your days ...

720. Epiphany 4

Psalm 71:1-24, Jeremiah 1:1-19, Luke 4:21-30, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter—Psalm 71:1-6 First Lesson—The uncertain modesty of the prophet is overcome with a sense of divine calling to a particular if difficult mission. Jeremiah 1:4-10 Second Lesson—Here is the classic definition of Christian love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Gospel—Jesus does not hesitate to tell the truth at the expense of causing controversy that is life-threatening. Luke 4:21-30 CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. People: And also ...

721. Go Fly A Kite

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... .” There is another meaning to that phrase than “Buck Off” or “Go Jump In The Lake.” I think I can count on all of you over 40 having seen a movie named “Mary Poppins.” Am I right? How many of you have never seen that Disney classic? . . . Wow. [React to how few, or how many.] Those of you who have seen this movie know that it’s a story about a magical nanny who saves some poor little rich kids from their father’s inattention. Remember the ending? The father re-establishes his relationship ...

722. The Spirit of Cross Pointe

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Sermon

James Merritt

... . Chuck is a dear friend of mine to this day and he has to put it mildly an extremely laid back personality. Nothing ever seems to fluster him and I have never known him to raise his voice. He is always been just a very calm person with the classic poker face that never shows emotion. One afternoon, as kind of a team building exercise, I decided we would go rent some horses and ride them. When I went and talked to the foreman, he told me the horses were well trained and that basically you could just let ...

723. The Man in the Mirror

2 Samuel 12:1-31

Sermon

James Merritt

... against the LORD. '" (II Samuel 12:13, NASB) If only David had done this immediately after he had sinned with Bathsheba. He had finally done what he should have done a year ago. God had finally forced David to come clean. Author Kent Crocket tells a classic, true story of how his two year old son, Scott, was crying. Kent went to investigate and he noticed a plastic baseball bat on the floor and he asked his four year old daughter what happened. His little daughter, Hannah, replied, "He hit his head." Kent ...

724. Multiplying Men Of God

Malachi 2:5-7, 2 Timothy 2:2

Sermon

James Merritt

... and women and boys and girls around the world and by the power of the Holy Spirit, squeeze the power of sin out of them and the power of life into them that this world might be saved. [1] Real Worship, Warren Wiersbe, p. 26. [2] Inspiring Quotations: Contemporary and Classical, Albert M. Wells, Jr., p. 221

725. Until He Comes

2 Timothy 4:7-8

Sermon

James Merritt

... holiness of God as well as the love of God; the wrath of God as well as the mercy of God; the problem of sin as well as the pleasure of salvation; repentance as well as faith. H. Richard Niebuhr once described what is called Classical liberalism as consisting in a "God without wrath, bringing people without sin, into a kingdom without judgment, through a Christ without a cross." Quite frankly, I am seeing that type of preaching and teaching creep more and more into what used to be called our "evangelical ...

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