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 826 to 850 of 1232 results

826. Fire Falling from Heaven

Luke 12:49-53

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

Jesus spends much of the twelfth chapter of Luke reassuring and encouraging his followers in the face of possible catastrophic circumstance. "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more" (v. 4). "Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life" (v. 22). "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (v. 32). The same chapter ends on a far less positive note. Rather than encouraging reassurance, Jesus ...

827. Pass the Pigweed

Exodus 17:1-7

Sermon

Bill Mosley

They tell a story about a hurricane blowing through Galveston, LaMarque, and Texas City heading straight toward Houston. A man's farm, his home and all he'd worked for, all he'd ever owned was directly in the storm's path. He didn't want to leave, and he believed the Lord would take care of him. A bus came by and a Red Cross volunteer told the man they were evacuating everyone in the path of the hurricane. The man sat tight on his front porch and said, "The Lord will provide." The water came up and the man ...

828. An Incredible Encounter

Genesis 32:22-31

Sermon

Arley K. Fadness

Jacob sends presents to brother Esau in the hope of finding favor with him. The messengers return with frightening news: There is no thanks from Esau and Esau is coming to meet Jacob with 400 men! Jacob, frightened and stressed, develops a plan. He divides his people and flocks into two groups. If Esau should attack one group, the remaining group may well be saved. Next, Jacob prays to the God of Abraham and Isaac. He dares pray for protection from Esau even though he knows he does not deserve it. Then ...

829. The Golden Calf

Exodus 32:1-14

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

Have you ever waited for someone or something until you just didn't think you could wait anymore? Whether we are waiting for a letter, waiting for a repairman to arrive, or we are the repairman waiting to be paid, waiting gets to us. Waiting is a miserable experience. If we are waiting for a phone call, we pace the floor, wring our hands, and end up taking our frustrations out on the phone itself: "Ring, you stupid phone!" The more important the thing we are waiting for, and the longer we have to wait, the ...

830. Seeing Just Enough of God

Exodus 33:12-23

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

Life never stands still. It can crawl along too slowly, zip past us before we know it, torture us with opportunities we can never get again, or bewilder us with which path to take. But it never stands still. A woman who learned about life's twists and turns shared her story with a pastor friend of mine. Shortly after her marriage, in full flush of love, she went out for a jog. Bursting with a feeling of how delicious her life was, she offered up a prayer of gratitude to God for her marriage, her health, ...

831. Filling Moses’ Shoes

Joshua 3:7-17

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

What will they do now? Moses has died, and nobody even knows where he has been buried. Moses is the one who led the people of Israel out of Egypt, and all along the way in the wilderness. Now he is dead, and what will happen next? Maybe Moses' burial place was kept a secret so that the people wouldn't hang around his grave wringing their hands over the loss of their leader. The people have no time for self-pity. They are still on the wrong side of the Jordan. The journey is not yet complete. They are on ...

832. Strong Medicine

Judges 4:1-7

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

We get only a sip from the book of Judges. A sip may be all we want; a big gulp of the book might be more than we could take. So, the lectionary committee measures out a small spoonful of this book, seven verses, and gives us a sip once every three years. The committee must be afraid that all of the blood and gore would turn our stomachs and all of the sex would distract us. So, the bottle marked "Judges" has a sticker from the committee that reads, "Caution, do not exceed recommended dosage." For our part ...

833. Even God Can Change His Mind

Exodus 32:1-14

Sermon

Mark Trotter

I was stunned by the Old Testament lesson for this morning, where it says the Lord changed his mind about the disaster he planned to bring upon his people. I have read that passage before, and there are many others just like it in the Old Testament. But I guess I never paid much attention to them. I thought that they were simply vestiges of a more primitive stage of religion, and something that we in the modern age need not take seriously. But then I read a book a few weeks ago by Richard Friedman, a ...

834. Eye Exercises

Matthew 6:25-33

Sermon

Mark Trotter

835. Stay in the City

Luke 24:44-53

Sermon

Mark Trotter

The Church's holy days were established to teach the faith. A special day, especially if it is marked with decoration and celebration, a festival, is a wonderful way to learn. Christmas and Easter, of course, are the best examples. Those two holy days teach the major doctrines of our faith: the Incarnation, and the Crucifixion-Resurrection. But there are others, such as Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity, which come in rapid succession this time of year, one right after another. Each one celebrates an ...

836. Uses of the Past

Philippians 3:4b-16

Sermon

Mark Trotter

There is a man in New York who has gained notoriety because he refuses to join the 20th century. In a few months he will refuse to join the 21st century. He wears high button shoes, and Prince Albert coats. He has mutton chop sideburns, and a handlebar mustache. He lives in a garret in Greenwich Village. He reads Dickens and Jane Eyre, only 19th century novels, and shuns all the things he can that have been manufactured in the 20th century. Now my children, and certain members of this staff, accuse me of ...

837. What Time Is It?

Matthew 24:36-51

Sermon

Mark Trotter

As the year wears down, the days become shorter, the nights longer and darker. All people, both in our time and in ancient time, turn to questions of human mortality and the future of the earth. When I was in Mexico at the end of October, I saw the preparation for El Dia de los Muertos, "The Day of the Dead." Shrines were being erected in anticipation of November 2. The picture of the deceased loved one will be placed in the middle of the shrine, the frame of the shrine will be decked with beautiful yellow ...

838. When to Be Extravagant

John 12:1-8

Sermon

Mark Trotter

I understand there is an organization in Colorado called, "Dare to Be Dull." I am not a joiner, but I think I may have found my people. Their mission statement reads, "We try to reach out to all other people out there who actually like jell-o and washing their own cars, but have been afraid to admit it." Actually I don't like jell-o. And I hate to wash my car. So I may be a wilder, crazier guy than I thought. But on the other hand, I leave a meeting, somebody leaves with me, and comments, "That was the ...

839. While You Are Waiting

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Mark Trotter

One of the prominent themes of the Advent season is the theme of waiting. One of the favorite lessons about waiting is found in Jesus' Parable of the Bridesmaids, which was read as our New Testament lesson for this morning, and was echoed in the anthem performed by the Contemporary Singers, "Keep Your Lamps!" Jesus' parables are often based on customs that were familiar to the audience to which he first addressed them. The Bridesmaids is no exception. I understand that the custom, which is reflected in the ...

840. Try This on For Size!

Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

One church has an organ that many sweated, sacrificed, and slaved to buy. Its cost was astounding! But when one hears its tone, sits under the influence of its quality, one begins to believe it was worth it all. It is a special musical instrument. It will serve God and man for many decades. But what will happen when something goes wrong with this musical instrument? Who will be called in to repair it? Perhaps there is one of you who tinkers with old organs and antique pianos. Would we allow him to fix the ...

841. Confused as Pigeons

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

It seems that every weekday morning, before tourists and schoolchildren descend on London's Trafalgar Square, city-authorized volunteers toss more than a hundred pounds of bird seed to a swarm of hungry pigeons. Then, four hours later, the city pays for a trained hawk to fly around the square and chase the pigeons away (Wall Street Journal, 11 February 2005). Anyone identify with those poor pigeons? Not since the first century has the Christian church faced a culture as confused and confusing as ours. Just ...

842. Thanks for Nothing!

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The Thanksgiving edition of the dream-food magazine Gourmet features – guess what? – an exquisite turkey dinner on the cover. Inside this special holiday edition are upscale recipes for, guess what? Stuffing, cranberries, squash, green beans, and pumpkin pie. Although a few snooty ingredients are scattered throughout Gourmet's versions of these old favorites (Shitake mushrooms, black truffles), no matter how you stuff it, Gourmet's Thanksgiving dinner feast is still just good old turkey with dressing and ...

843. Let Familiarity Breed Contentment

Hebrews 13:1-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Have you ever taken a new puppy for its first walk in the park? It takes forever. Not only because the pup is clueless about that leash-thing pulling at its neck. Not only because the pup has no understanding of the words you keep shouting at it. But mainly because to the puppy every single thing before its eyes, ears, and (mostly) nose, is brand new and endlessly enticing. A clump of grass is a tickly, delicious torment. A sprinkler head an eternal enigma. A blowing leaf a scuttling strangeness to be ...

844. The Longest Running Parade in History

Psalm 118:1-29

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Who doesn't love a parade!? Okay, okay. Maybe a better question to ask is "Who in the world still likes parades?" Parades don't really fit the pace of our postmodern world anymore. They are intentionally slow-motion, repetitive, predictable, even (oh no!) historical. Face it. There are few of us over the age of ten who really look forward to going to see a parade. And be IN a parade? Don't even talk about it. How completely embarrassing. The trouble with being in a parade vs. being cast in a local play or ...

845. Palm Pilot

Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Along the worn, dreary streets of well-used, run-down neighborhoods you can usually find a window with an outstretched palm painted on it, advertising expert palmistry or palm reading-services. In some cities, such stores have gone upscale: they're now even found on Main Street (e.g. Gettysburg, Pa.). Reading the spidery signature of lines, swirls, and creases that crisscross the palms of the hands has an ancient history. People seek answers to such questions as "Where are we going?" "What lies in the ...

846. Squeaky Wheels

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Now that we're deep into fall, it's the time for an annual battle to begin again. For those of us in cold climates the yearly ritual of feeding the wintering birds is underway. And with that tradition comes yet another annual event - the war against the squirrels. Why it matters so much to nature lovers that they feed only the feathered and never the furred creatures is somewhat of a mystery. But there have been thousands of dollars spent in the name of squirrel defense over the years. Anyone living in a ...

847. Out of Order

Mark 6:30-44

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Anyone here have redeye problems? If you have allergies, or if you like "weepies" (movies that make you cry), or if you cry easily, you have redeye problems. If you like a shot of espresso in your morning coffee, you order a redeye If you like two shots of espresso in your morning coffee (like I do), you order a black-eye. Anything more than two shots is a zombie, which is when you REALLY have a redeye problem. If you need to get from the West Coast to the East Coast in a hurry, you have the bleary-eyed ...

848. The Smell of Fear

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Can you smell the fear? Hunters and soldiers have long spoken of experiencing firsthand the smell of fear. It's a scent as different from plain old hard-work perspiration as a gardenia is from garbage. The smell of fear has always been associated with panic, desperation, anxiety, fight, flight, and fright. Since September 11, 2001, however, the smell of fear has taken on a new aroma a distinctive scent known by a host of new entrepreneurs as the smell of money. The Business of Fear (Business 2.0 [June 2003 ...

849. Sing the Resurrection Song

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

James McCormick

None of the four gospels tells the whole story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. We have to read all four to get the full picture. The well known “seven last words from the cross” for example, are not found in any one gospel account. In order to hear all seven words, you’ve got to read all four of the gospels. And, accounts of the resurrected Jesus’ appearances to his followers are spread throughout the four as well. While all the gospels are important, probably each of us has his or her ...

850. What Is That in Your Hand?

Exodus 4:1-17

Sermon

James McCormick

The dominant figure of the Old Testament is Moses. He stands head and shoulders above all others in the history of Israel. He is Moses, the deliverer, the one who led the Hebrew people out of Egyptian captivity. He is Moses, the law-giver, the one who came down from Mount Sinai with the tablets of the law. He called the people into covenant with God, and led them through the wilderness to the land of promise. There is no doubt about it: Moses towers above all others in the Old Testament! And yet, when we ...

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