Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 51 to 75 of 990 results

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Psalm 51 records the confession of David when the storm of guilt from his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah broke upon him. Psalm 51 is, in fact, descriptive of the human condition, “I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.… Surely I was sinful at birth” (vv. 3, 5). It may be possible to maintain confidence in one’s virtue if one limits or controls the field of compariso...

52. Holiness of Heart and Life

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

At Stanford University there is a psychologist named Festinger who has a theory which he calls “cognitive dissonance.’ If you teach at a university like Stanford, you are supposed to use big words like that. As strange and new as it may sound, it’s very simple. It means that there is a big gap between my ideals and my actions, what I believe and what I do, my goals and my deeds. There is a differe...

53. TEACHER

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

1 Chronicles 25:8 - "And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike." Romans 2:20 - "a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law of the embodiment of knowledge and truth" The profession of teaching dates back to the third millenium B.C., and school texts dating from 2500 B.C. have been unearthed in the Euphrates River area. These texts incl...

54. The Faithfulness of God and the Covenantal Curses on Israel

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: God’s faithfulness is actually demonstrated through the covenantal curses on Israel. Understanding the Text In Romans 2 Paul showed that Israel’s attempt to obey the law is, ironically, the reason that they are still in exile and under divine judgment. Romans 3:1–8 therefore anticipates, in diatribe fashion, three Jewish objections to that notion: (1) there is no advantage to having th...

55. God’s Faithfulness

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Paul knows that his argument in chapter 2 will provoke objections from Jews. He is willing to air these objections since he is dealing with serious questions, which have immense implications for the understanding of God, of salvation, and of who belongs to God’s people. In 3:1–4 Paul notes objections which insist that the privileges of the Jews cannot have been annulled. When the question is raise...

56. God’s Faithfulness

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

The logical follow-up to the preceding section is the question, “What advantage, then, is there is being a Jew?” (v. 1). Although ultimately Jews have no advantage, if we understand Paul rightly, they operate in the short run with a favorable handicap, for “they have been entrusted with the very words of God” (v. 2). God’s revelation does not happen just anywhere. Humanity cannot conjure up God wh...

57. Rejoicing in Suffering

Illustration

Michael P. Green

It is clear from Scripture that “rejoicing in suffering” is not simply stoicism. It is not simply a grin-and-bear-it attitude of tough-it-out-and-see-how-much-you-can-take, or just-hang-in-there-until-it’s-over-and-don’t-let-anything-get-you-down, or keep-a-stiff-upper-lip. Many people feel that if they do this, they are obeying God and “rejoicing in suffering.” But they are not. If your sufferi...

58. The Whole World Is under the Curses of the Covenant

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Israel fares no better than the Gentiles in being enslaved to sin, because sin stirs up disobedience through the law. In other words, both Jew and Gentile are under the curses of the covenant. Understanding the Text Romans 3:9–20 is the climax of Paul’s argument in 1:18–3:8, concluding that both Jew and Gentile are under sin (implied) because they try to keep the old-covenant stipulati...

59. No One Is Righteous

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Paul summarizes his conclusion from chapter 2: Jews are not at all better off than the Gentiles, since both Jews (2:1–29) and Gentiles (1:18–32) are guilty of sin. They are “all under the power of sin”; that is, both Gentiles and Jews are controlled by the power of sin evident in their present behavior as well as in their destiny in God’s judgment, in which nobody has any excuse. In 3:10–18 Paul p...

60. No One Is Righteous

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

With devastating finality Paul now concludes the long discussion of the guilt of humanity which began in 1:18. The passage falls into three parts: a summation of the argument of 3:1–8 (v. 9); a series of proof texts from the OT on the moral failure of humanity (vv. 10–18); and a conclusion that the law is powerless to save (vv. 19–20). Paul enters the final round against his fellow Jews who suppos...

61. The Level Ground Beneath The Cross

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

I like the story that is told about an old Baptist minister who preached every Sunday on baptism by immersion. His folks agreed with his doctrine, but they were tired of hearing the same subject every week. The deacons undertook to solve the problem through diplomatic means. They complimented the pastor on his pulpit skills and suggested to him that he was such a natural preacher that they wanted...

62. Looking in All the Wrong Places

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

The song has long been relegated to the "Golden Oldies" category, but occasionally it can be heard on the airwaves. Long before one-name singers like Cher, Blondie, or Madonna made their mark in pop music, a little-known and even less-remembered singer named "Charlene" topped the charts. The song was addressed within the lyrics to the "frustrated mother" and "unappreciated wife" from the perspecti...

63. When Is Being Right Wrong?

Sermon

Rick Brand

I finally got a copy of the Rules of Life. We all want them because we think that having a set of rules for life will make life so much easier and less confusing. Just find the twelve rules and follow them and it will take away a lot of worry and agony out of life. So I was excited when I got them. I do not know who made them up, but I got them by e-mail off the Internet, so I know that makes them...

64. A Spiritual “Re-formation”

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

Elizabeth Strout's novel, Abide with Me, is set in a small town in Maine in the 1950s, where the Reverend Tyler Caskey is on top of the world. He feels overwhelmed by the love of God, his socialite wife, Lauren, and two young daughters. Tyler appears oblivious to Lauren's unhappiness over his low salary, the absence of like-minded friends, and their dilapidated parsonage situated out in the middle...

65. Falling Short

Sermon

Donna Schaper

Sam Goldwyn, the great picture maker, said of one of his movies, "I don't care if the picture makes money. I just want every man, woman, and child in America to see it." Goldwyn has the same relationship to small and large, short and tall, that many of us have. We want both. We don't want the money — we just want what goes with the money, which is the freedom. We don't want to win the argument; w...

66. A Faith That Matters Between Sundays

Sermon

David E. Leininger

On October 31, 1571, an Augustinian monk by the name of Martin Luther marched up to the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany, where he was on the university faculty, and posted 95 theses or propositions concerning church policy and practice he proposed for debate. Why there and then? Well, the church door was the community bulletin board — notices and advertisements were regularly placed ther...

67. Justified By What?

Sermon

King Duncan

Florence Littauer was speaking at a Church Growth Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Florence was winning the crowd with her great sense of humor and anecdotes of everyday life. She told one delightful story about a speaking engagement during which she was focusing on the sinfulness of humankind and the need for God's grace. Spontaneously, Florence asked, "Does anyone here know what grace means?" A 7...

68. Reformation

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship One: Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O Lord, make haste to help me! All: Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me. One: Let those who say, "Aha, Aha!" turn back because of their shame. All: Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is...

69. Reformation Sunday

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Jeremiah 31:31-34 God will establish a new covenant with his people, not written on parchment or etched in stone, but written on the human heart. God will bestow not only the desire but the power to do his will. This new covenant will be intrinsic rather than external. It will also be inclusive rather than exclusive, not just reserved for the righteous few (v. 34). Lesson 2:...

70. Reformation Sunday

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

THE LESSONS Lesson 1: Jeremiah 31:31-34 The promise of a new covenant. Lesson 2: Romans 3:19-28 Justification by grace through faith, not works. Gospel: John 8:31-36 Jesus' disciples know the truth which frees. Hymn Of The Day: A Mighty Fortress Theme For The Day: Salvation: The Work Of God Gospel -- God gave Christ to set men free from sin. Lesson 1 -- God promises a new covenant of forgivenes...

71. Reformation Sunday

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

Jeremiah 31:31-34 The promise of a new covenant. Romans 3:19-28 Justification by grace through faith, not works. John 8:31-36 Jesus' disciples know the truth which frees. THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION Gospel: John 8:31-36 1. Truth (v. 32). When Pilate asked Jesus what truth was, he gave no answer. In this passage Jesus defines the truth. It is in his word, for he spoke God's Word. As long as we hold ...

72. Careful With Those Lips

Children's Sermon

Robert B. Lantz

Object: Lips stickers Good morning, boys and girls. I'm thinking of an external part of the human body that you use all the time, whether you are walking, standing still, sitting down, awake or asleep. Can anyone guess which part of the body I have in mind? (Responses -- Allow eight or ten. If they have not said mouth or lips, you can give them a couple of clues.) I'm using them right now. Eyes? ...

73. Amazing Grace

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

Before his conversion, Paul had fought passionately to be perfect, according to the Law, but he had found no peace, and now we hear him saying, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24). Paul had found his peace as a gift and not as something earned. Many people are confused about "...

74. God’s Saving Righteousness and the Restoration of Israel

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Paul anticipates here in verses 21–26 Martin Luther's famous question, “How can I, a sinner, stand before a holy God?” The apostle's answer is that at the cross of Jesus Christ, the judging righteousness of God (his holiness) is reconciled to God's saving righteousness (his mercy) such that God is at once both just and the justifier of him whose faith is in Jesus. Understanding the Text...

75. Righteousness Through Faith

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

3:21–5:21 Review · God’s saving righteousness for Gentiles and Jews:Paul describes how God “now”—at the time when Jesus the Messiah came—declares sinners justified as a result of Jesus’s atoning death (3:21–31). Faith in Jesus Christ creates the universal people of God, consisting of Jews, the ethnic descendants of Abraham, and of Gentiles, the families of the earth whom God wanted to bless throug...

Showing 51 to 75 of 990 results