Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 776 to 800 of 4914 results

776. Unity and Community (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: God empowers his people by his Spirit for the common good of his community, not as a personal favor to the individual. When individuals use their God-granted power for personal gain, they act like pagans attempting to manipulate their idol god. Understanding the Text Moving to the next question posed by the Corinthians (see 7:1, 25; 8:1), Paul continues his discussion on worship and ecclesiology. Distinguishing the Christian assembly from the pagan proves exceedingly significant not only for the ...

777. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:1-6, James 4:13-17, James 5:7-12, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

Throughout the book James has been dealing with the root causes of disharmony within the community. In the previous section, he has dealt with their complaining, their criticizing, and their roots in worldliness (3:1–4:12). Now he turns to another theme, the test of wealth. The poor person is totally dependent and knows it. Although such a person may well be consumed with envy and ambition, Christians are more likely to turn to prayer and humble dependence upon God. The wealthier person, however, may be ...

778. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:7-12, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

779. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:13-20, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:7-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

780. In Pursuit Of The Promise

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

A circus came to town offering a prize of $100 to anyone who could stay in the lion's cage for a minimum of five minutes. A man of faith who had been down on his luck was in the audience that day. He was familiar with the biblical story of Daniel's deliverance from the lion's den. He also desperately needed the money. So he agreed to the challenge. Once he got inside the cage, he began to have doubts about the decision he had made. The lion quickly approached him, backing him into the corner. Frightened ...

781. Responding to Christ's Birth

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Telling the story of Christ's birth was not enough for Matthew! He also told about two reactions to the birth of the Messiah. The first reaction, as Matthew told it, was from the Magi who came from the East to Jerusalem and asked the question, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews?" Contemporary customs - children dressed in faded bathrobes, tired Christmas pageants, and unsightly stable scenes in church parking lots, have taken away from the wisdom of the Wise Men's story. It is difficult to understand ...

782. When a Person Is Called

Galatians 1:1-10

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Galatians is the Magna Carta of evangelical Christianity. It is Paul’s great declaration of religious freedom a freedom that involves independence from men and dependence on God. Today, I’ll be sharing with you in three sessions a series of sermons on Galatians, this landmark profession of Paul’s Christian experience. I will not be doing a verse by verse exposition, but will “preach through’ the book, concentrating on the major themes an on those signal passages that are the heart and soul of Paul’s ...

783. Made Alive in Christ

Ephesians 2:1-10

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

Christ and the Salvation of Believers Chapter 1 of Ephesians is dominated by the theme of praise and thanksgiving. In verses 3–14 the apostle utilizes a redemptive eulogy to praise God for all the spiritual blessings that he has bestowed upon the believer. These blessings are mediated through the Son and are confirmed in the believer through the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. The use of baptismal themes suggests that the hymn may have been connected with the celebration of baptism in the early church. ...

784. Driving Out the Nations

Deuteronomy 7:1-26

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Israel’s Election and Its Implications: Like several of these opening chapters of Deuteronomy, chapter seven displays a careful stylistic structure, a concentric arrangement of several layers. It begins and ends with the destruction of the Canaanites and their idols (vv. 1–6, 20–26). The reason for that destruction lies in Israel’s distinctive identity and relationship to God, succinctly expressed in verse 6 and spelled out in more colorful detail in verses 13–15 and 17–24, with verse 16 summarizing the “ ...

785. The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace

Daniel 3:1-30

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Nebuchadnezzar Builds the Statue (3:1-12): Big Idea: God sometimes allows believers to face dark times of crisis in which their faith and faithfulness are challenged, even with the penalty of death. Understanding the Text Daniel 3:1–30 is woven into the book’s overall literary structure in two ways. First, it advances the narrative of chapters 1–6, in which the first four focus on Nebuchadnezzar (chaps. 1–2 with historical markers and 3–4 without) and the last two show the transition from Belshazzar of ...

786. Introduction

Romans 1:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Paul begins his letter with an epistolary opening, which was customary for Greek Hellenistic letters (1:1–7), and an introductory section, in which he expresses thanksgiving to God, indicates the reason for writing the letter, and describes the background for his planned visit to Rome (1:8–15). In 1:16–17 Paul succinctly summarizes the main theme of the letter. 1:1–7 · Sender, address, and salutation: The first word, typical for ancient letters, is the name of the sender. Paul introduces himself with his ...

787. I Wonder about the Miracles in the Bible

John 2:1-11

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Pre-marital counseling can be an adventure for pastors. You never know what two people filled with passion will say. I recall talking with a couple a few years ago about their upcoming nuptials. I was explaining to them the wedding ceremony. When I got to the reference of Jesus being at a wedding reception in Cana of Galilee and turning the water into wine, the soon to be groom interrupted me mid-sentence and asked, “You really don’t believe that happened, do you? I mean, that sounds like a trumped up ...

788. Lion of Judah

Gen 49:1-28, Judges 13-15, Matt 4:12-17

Sermon

Lori Wagner

[If there is a Lions Club still functioning in your community, find out if any member of your church is a member. Then either use this moment as an interactive to talk about their club, and rituals, or you tell the story and use them to back you up so that you make sure you’re getting the story right.] So the interview might go like this . . . . or turn this into a narrative . . . or make it a personal story. How many here belong to or know someone who belongs to a local Lion’s Club . . . . . Do you have ...

789. The Agony And The Ecstasy Of The Family

Mark 3:20-35

Sermon

Ron Lavin

Jesus experienced conflict in his family. In today's text we hear that his family was so upset by what they saw he was doing and heard he was saying, that they decided to "take charge of him" because they thought "he was out of his mind" (Mark 3:21). Later in our story we hear that Jesus' family arrived while he was debating with the religious leaders about Satan, the prince of demons. Someone told him that his mother and brothers were there. Jesus responded, "My true family members are those who do the ...

790. Lent 5

John 12:20-36, Jeremiah 30:1--31:40, Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: The heart of Jesus was broken in death so that he might create within us a new heart. In the First Lesson the new heart is promised. In the Second Lesson, Jesus poured out his heart of suffering to the Father. In the Gospel Jesus promises that he will unite our hearts through the cross (draw all people to himself (v. 32). COMMENTARY Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:31-34 Written after the destruction of the nation by the Babylonians, the prophet promised that God will establish a new covenant with both ...

791. The Curriculum of God’s Kingdom

Matthew 4:12-17

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” We can do startling new things because God has drawn near enough to enable them." Matthew 4:17b It was an awful time in London. In December of 1952 a toxic mix of dense fog and thick black smoke killed four thousand in four days. Coffins ran out, as did funeral flowers. It was one of the deadliest environmental disasters in English history. Here is what happened: “As smoke pouring out of London's chimneys mixed with fog, the air turned colder. In response, ...

792. Don't Be Afraid Of The Light

John 8:12

Sermon

James Merritt

Pop Quiz Question: What was the very first command that God ever gave in the Bible? Answer: "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3, NASB) Light is a major theme in the Bible. God and light are so interconnected and so inseparable that the Bible even says, "God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all." (I John 1:5, NASB) That verse alone sheds a lot of light on the verse that we are going to be studying today where Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." (John 8:12, NASB) You may not think this is ...

793. The Serpent's Tongue

John 3:14-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:17 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— ...

794. Nothing Is Impossible

Exodus 13:17--14:31

Sermon

Walter Kimbrough

A marvelous story is told by the synoptic gospel writers about a boy who was possessed by an evil spirit. His father was concerned sufficiently enough to seek help for the boy in a time when all help had failed. The boy was brought to the disciples of Jesus with the request for healing, but they were powerless and confused. The father did not give up hope in the quest of healing for his son. So, with an insistent spirit he saw Jesus and reported on the condition of his son with the declaration of the ...

795. Loud and Clear

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

What do you think of when you think of an interpreter? A tour guide on a trip, translating the language of another country? Someone who works at the United Nations in international diplomacy? Maybe someone interpreting for the hearing impaired at a public event? These are the kinds of things I used to envision whenever I heard the word "interpreter:" all are someone with whom I do not have regular contact. But I'm beginning to see the need for my own personal, full time interpreter. Our society, even in ...

796. Daniel’s Vision of a Man

Daniel 10:1--11:1

Understanding Series

William Nelson

The Final Revelation: Prologue: Chapters 10 through 12 form one long unit containing the last apocalypse of the book. This unit can be subdivided into three smaller sections: the prologue (10:1–11:1), the body (11:2–12:4), and the epilogue (12:5–13). The proper divisions do not line up with the chapter breaks in our modern Bibles because those chapter breaks are not original; they were inserted long after the Bible was completed and not always in the most helpful places. The prologue sets the stage for the ...

797. Faces of Failure: The Disciples

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

Don Tuttle

When my sister and I were teenagers, my mom was worried about the people with which we were friends. Every so often, she would remind us to choose wisely. “Bad company destroys good morals,” she would say. Or, “You’re defined by the company you keep.” Or my personal favorite: “If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.” Like most parents, Mom wanted to protect us from those that might get us into trouble. In that light, I wonder if anyone every warned the disciples about hanging around with Jesus. ...

798. Thanksgiving Day, North America

Luke 17:11-19, Deuteronomy 8:1-20, Psalm 65:1-13, 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Sermon Aid

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

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Deuteronomy 8:7-18 is a sermon by Moses calling Israel to remember that their good life in the land is a gift from God. Psalm 65 is a hymn. Deuteronomy 8:7-18 - "Giving Thanks" Setting. Deuteronomy 8 is part of a larger section of literature that includes chapters 6-8, in which Moses exhorts Israel to keep the law. This section looks at law from a number of different perspectives. Law is introduced with the promise of blessing in 6:1-3, and it is equated with love in 6:4-9 ("Love the ...

799. Proper 13

Romans 8:28-39, Isaiah 55:1-13, Genesis 32:22-32, Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 32:22-31 Jacob returns home with his wives, children and flocks but, fearing the wrath of his brother Esau, he sends them on before him, remaining by himself. He wrestles with an angel of God until daybreak. The angel cannot overcome Jacob and asks to be let go. Jacob refuses until he receives a blessing. The heavenly visitor notes that Jacob has striven with God and man but has prevailed. Old Testament: Isaiah 55:1-5 Like a hawker on the street, God bids his people to ...

800. Habakkuk’s Second Complaint

Habakkuk 2:2-20, Habakkuk 1:12--2:1

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

A Protest and an Answer (ii): In a sense there was nothing surprising in Yahweh’s response to Habakkuk; it is entirely in keeping with Isaiah’s understanding of the role of Assyria and with Jeremiah’s understanding of Babylon. But Yahweh has given hostages to fortune in noting that the Babylonians are inclined to violence, that they seize homes that do not belong to them, that they make up their own rules for the conduct of relationships, that they worship themselves, their power, and their glory. How can ...

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