Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 751 to 775 of 2817 results

751. Mark 4:26-34

Mark 4:26-34

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... comes by God's initiative and appointment, not by our understanding and manipulation. There is something fundamentally enigmatic to human perception (see Mark's phrase "he knows not how") about the working of the word of God in the world of time. The seed parables also remind us of the large outcomes of the smallest beginnings. In the same way the mustard seed, proverbially the smallest of all seeds, sprouts the tallest of shrubs (ten, twelve, fifteen feet or more), so the presencing of the gospel cannot be ...

752. Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19-31

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... would surely have been as shocked by this suggestion as are we. But what better way to open the Pharisees' eyes to the scandal of economic inequality than to suggest that it will be reversed on each person for all eternity. Jesus is not using this parable to talk about concepts of heaven and hell. He is telling it in order to address the existence of the appalling wealth and absolute poverty that exist on earth. Abraham's words continue the veneration of Moses and the Old Testament prophets and then allude ...

753. Matthew 21:23-32

Matthew 21:23-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of the two sons." This story is found only in Matthew, who uses it to link together the discussion of John the Baptist in the previous confrontation and the second parable, another vineyard story, about the "wicked tenants." This parable has come down to us in two distinct forms each preserved in different ancient manuscripts. The two versions differ in that they switch the order of the obedient and disobedient sons. Thus, the "correct" answer about which son did the will of the father is "the first" in ...

754. Luke 18:9-14

Luke 18:9-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... contains the exact words of Jesus. For example, verses 10-13 seem to reflect both genuine concerns of Jesus and accurate Lukan theology; in the opening and closing verses of this parable, the gospel writer clearly is setting the table. In order to delineate this parable in the genre of an "example" story, Luke takes care to set the stage for its presentation by referring to "some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt" (v.9). But the characters in this story ...

755. Mark 4:26-34

Mark 4:26-34

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

756. Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19-31

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

757. Memories of Home: The Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... is put in the spotlight: the Elder Son, whom we focused on last Sunday; the Loving Father, whom we’ll focus on next Sunday. And the Younger Son, the Prodigal Son, whom we’ll focus on today. Using the lens of Advent to view the parable invites us to look for the darkness in the parable as a means for seeing the darkness in ourselves and our world. For unless we become aware of the darkness, we have no need for the light of God in Jesus. (The story of the Younger Son is presented dramatically.) I. Being a ...

758. The Great Divide

Luke 16:19-31

Sermon

James Merritt

... tomb there was a great division between these two men, just like there is a great division between two groups of people who live all over the planet today. We all live in a world that has in it "The Great Divide" as we're going to see in this parable. I. We Are All Divided By A Spiritual Decision "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with ...

759. Leaping from Recognition Point

2 Samuel 11:26—12:13a

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... devotional we read fits us or that every criticism someone levels at us is deserved or accurate. Not every story is our story and not every sermon is the one we need to hear. Nonetheless, there are times when God does speak to us through some indirect means, by some parable or news or example or story that leads us to a point of recognition where we cannot help but observe, "I am the man!" or "That's me in that story." The reason God sometimes leads us to recognition point is so that we can leap off of it ...

760. What Shall We Become?

Luke 3:7-18

Sermon

Gary L. Carver

... mind and soul and strength," or to put it another way, "Thou shall love your neighbor as yourself." The question quickly came: "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus then moved the audience to see the advent of God in their lives. He told what may be his most famous parable, the parable of the good Samaritan. He began with a character that was not described specifically at all. We do not know whether he was a Jew or a Gentile, good or bad, rich or poor. His was simply described as "a man," a person making his way down ...

761. Prayer - What’s in It for You?

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

John Wayne Clarke

... life that we all live with each day. Jesus, however, was able to weave these tales in a way that touched each life then, and touches each life today. When we listen today with ears of faith, we are likely to find our own life within the life of the parable told by Jesus to his disciples so long ago. One theme that often finds its way into these stories is that there have always been those who place themselves on a higher level than the rest of us, even on a higher level than God! In many ways, the ancient ...

762. Winning the War Over Stuff (Series: Winning The War Over Daily Life)

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... what they say about boat owners – “The two happiest days in a boat owner’s life is the day you buy and the day you sell. All other days are costly.” Possessions give a feeling of STATUS. In Verse 16 we read, “And He told them this parable. The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.” Remember Tevye in that delightful musical Fiddler on the Roof. Trying to raise five daughters in a declining, changing society Tevye says to the Lord, “I realize it’s no shame to be poor, but it’s ...

763. The NFL of Grace

Matthew 17:1-9

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... life. Let God nudge you a little so you can experience the forgiveness God offers and be lead to become more and more like Christ each day. 1. Parables, Etc. (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), February 1994 2. Parables, Etc. (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), April 1990 3. Parables, Etc. (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), February 1993 4. The Pastor's Story File (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO ...

764. Let's Make A Deal

Luke 16:1-13

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... whole lot of weight or a whole lot of meat. What I really think is that the author had no clue what to make of this parable. And if what I've read from various sermons, that's pretty much the case everywhere. There's a lot of confusion as to why ... and wasted it. He let it slip foolishly through his fingers. And this is the Grand Prize. Because I think the deeper message of this parable confronts us and asks us point blank: "How many of us have done the same thing?" If we put this all in proper perspective, ...

765. When It's Time For Forgiveness

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... the debt, and gives him a full pardon. What a terrible way to do business and what a wonderful way to live life. This parable is trying to teach us the profound truth that God forgives our debts. Do you know that? Do you know how deeply God forgives ... billions of dollar and what does he do? He goes out and finds somebody who owes him a few bucks. If you read the parable carefully, you discover that the dialogue is exactly the same in both of these conversations. So what does the guy say? “If you’ll be ...

766. Making the Most of Small Beginnings

Matthew 13:31-35

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... , Jesus was not right about the mustard seed being the smallest of seeds, and a mustard tree held no comparison to the great cedars of Lebanon to which this Psalmist refers in Psalm 104. Such is the predicament of those who want to over analyze the parables. The parables were not told to be picked apart but held together as a faint picture of something unimaginable. It's an earthly story with a heavenly meaning so suffice it to say: 1. Mustard seeds are small, more tiny than the sand of the sea. 2. Mustard ...

767. Luke 12:13-21

Luke 12:13-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... listener would recognize that the “rich man” was to be a negative character in Jesus’ story. Already in Luke’s text to be “rich” has bad implications (see Luke 1:52-53; 6:24) and greediness has been clearly coupled with “wickedness” (11:39). In Jesus’ parable the rich farmer’s first reaction to his bumper crop is not to praise God for the bounty or to offer his surplus to the poor and hungry. Rather, his first thoughts are wholly self-centered: “What should I do, for I have no place to ...

768. What'll You Have?

Mark 8:27-38

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... with that?" But you are given a choice. How you answer is extremely important. "Who DO you say He is?" And does it show? "So, What'll You Have?" 1. Parables, Etc. (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), February1998 2. Parables, Etc. (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), March 1983 3. Parables, Etc. (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), April 1986 4. The Pastor's Story File (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO ...

769. Luke 18: 9-14

Luke 18:9-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... made by lawyers and the rich, not to mention the Pharisees’ tendency to focus on the details of the law instead of dovetailing love and justice, make it likely that the parameters of this parable reach far broader than any one group. The power and personality of this week’s parable is found in its wide-ranging inclusiveness — “some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt.” A host of people Jesus has encountered would easily fit that broad description ...

770. The Receptive Heart

Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon

King Duncan

... determine whether or not we respond to the Gospel. Jesus is teaching by the Sea of Galilee. Such large crowds have gathered around him that he gets into a boat and sits in it to teach, while all the people stand on the shore. He begins his teaching with a parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But ...

771. Matthew 21:23-32

Matthew 21:23-27

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the vineyard to work, who does his father’s will, Jesus uses their answer to weave together this “vineyard” image with John the Baptist’s own mission. There is nothing sugar-coated about the distinction Jesus draws as he unpacks this parable for the religious leaders. Having affirmed that it is actions that reveal intent, Jesus confronts these priests and elders with the difference between their own actions and those of the dregs of Jewish society — tax collectors and prostitutes. These religious ...

772. God Enjoys AND Enjoins Us

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . Neither group could accept the possibility that there might be Truth outside of their deeply rutted trajectories. In Jesus’ parable of the wedding banquet the first group of invitees reject their invitation. In fact, they do more than reject ... into this new place, this “wedding banquet,” this waiting room for a new future, by making some changes in themselves. In the parable the “change” required is in clothing. In the life of faith the “change” required is not a change of clothes but a change ...

773. Reconciliation: The Heart of Love

Hosea 2:14-20

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... states, if God chooses to be merciful to others, that is not our concern. We are to do the best we can and leave judgment up to God. It is certainly true, God is just waiting for us to return. God is like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, who patiently waits for his son, never giving up hope that he will one day return. There is nothing that cannot be forgiven, nothing that cannot be overcome by God's love. A dramatic example of this is the drama played out in chapter 21 of ...

774. The Awesome Power of a Mustard Seed (Father's Day)

Mark 4:30-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... However, he was teaching in Palestine. And so he chose the mustard seed. The mustard plant is a shrub, but in that part of the world it is the largest of all the shrubs. It is large enough for birds to nestle in its branches. The point of the parable is the same, however. From a tiny seed major accomplishments may emerge. An example of that growth is the story of the early church. It began with only the Master and twelve disciples and an unknown number of women. We must not forget the women; they were there ...

775. The Details Raise Questions

Mark 4:30-34

Illustration

Paul Rader

... to plant weeds in a garden. It was a wild plant, totally undomesticated, beyond control. And there isn't a farmer in all of Palestine that wants birds perched in a bush or shrub or under them when new seeds were in the ground. Those who heard Jesus tell this parable knew something was up! He knew what mustard was. He knew and they knew. What could his distortion of the mustard, as a seed and as a plant, mean? Was he urging disobedience to the law? Was he poking fun at the empire? Rome was a mighty oak tree ...

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