Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 826 to 850 of 990 results

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Today’s epistle text breaks into two distinct parts: verses 8-10 and 11-14. Verses 8-10 continue the theme Paul introduced in chapter 12, here masterfully connected to the more mundane matters of the disciple’s relationship to civil authorities. Paul accomplishes this high-wire walk with one balance-beam line: “Owe no one anything, except to love one another.” The fiscal accountability the apostle...

827. Wake Well, Wake Welcome

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Anyone here this morning NOT ever had the experience of “getting up on the wrong side of the bed”? So, we have no superior beings here this morning. Good, I can feel right at home. But there is something even worse than “getting up on the wrong side of the bed.” It’s eating breakfast across from someone who “got up on the wrong side of the bed.” Nothing starts the day off on a more sour note than ...

828. Romans 13:8-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

It is highly ironic that Paul, known for his pre-conversion rage against Christians, his post-conversion zealousness, his daunting Pharisaic discipline, his theological rigor and his seemingly foolhardy fearlessness of death, is also the apostle who has left us some of the most moving texts on love ever written. Of course Paul's most famous tribute to love is found in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Christ...

829. Romans 13:11-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Consumer culture can be creatively cruel. The “holiest” holiday-shopping of the year, “Black Friday,” starts at 4 a.m. (or earlier) on the day after the biggest feast day of the year. Stuffed with turkey, yams, and pumpkin pie; drugged into a stupor by tryptophan and a truckload of calories: we collapse into bed after watching a marathon of football games only to force ourselves into some semblanc...

830. Romans 13:8-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

As we move into the final section of Paul’s exhortation, the apostle uses a brilliant segue to move his message along. Paul had already interjected into the midst of his discussion about Jesus attitudes and actions a parenthesis about governing authorities and paying debts and taxes. Now that seemingly odd interruption is neatly used to return the reader to the theme of “love” begun in 12:9. Chri...

831. Can You Carry Your Weight?

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

If someone were to stand in front of you and offer you a choice - in one hand “objective” truth, in the other hand “subjective” truth — which would you pick? Bet you’d go with the “objective.” But anyone here like to be treated like an “object?” Anyone here not want to be treated like a “subject?” In a “Peanuts” cartoon, Charlie Brown says to little Lucy: “My Dad said that someday I might be ab...

832. Ethics and Eschatology

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Ethics and eschatology go hand in hand. Because the age to come has dawned, Christians participate in the new covenant; but because the present age continues, Christians must love others and not cater to the flesh. Indeed, the dawning of the age to come in Christ empowers believers to love others in the present age. The Old Testament law could not accomplish this. Understanding the Text...

833. Love, for the Day is Near

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

13:8–10 · Paul returns to love as the fundamental criterion of behavior. Loving others—being actively concerned for others, having affectionate regard for and interest in others—is an obligation (13:8a). The people to be loved are Christians, but also the neighbor who is the enemy (12:14, 17, 21). The reason and motivation for loving others is given in verses 8b–10. Believers who love others have ...

834. Love, for the Day Is Near

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Love is the Sum of the Law Paul now returns expressly to the theme of love which dominates chapters 12–13, although more noticeably at some points (12:9–21; 13:8–10) than others (12:1–8; 13:1–7, 11–14). The idea of owing taxes (Gk. opheilē) in verse 7 reminds him that there is one debt (Gk. opheilō, v. 8) which can never be paid. The debt of love always remains outstanding. It is the only mortgag...

835. A Parent’s Debt

Sermon

Thomas Slavens

Family Week • First Sunday in Family Week • Most parents try to pay their debts to their children. They try to do the best for their children. Yet what parent would say, “There is no way for me to improve.”? What do parents owe their children? In writing to the church in Rome Paul said, “Owe no one anything, except to love one another.” Parents can dominate their children’s lives. They can over-...

836. Dare to Be Different

Sermon

John N. Brittain

A true story tells how the two sons of a ninety-year-old Fort Worth, Texas, woman were worried about her safety. "We are going to get you a pistol, mother, so you can take care of yourself. There is too much violence out there." So they bought their mother a gun, which she dutifully packed in her purse. One day, when she left Ridgmar Shopping Center to get into her car she found two young men sitt...

837. The Ice Bucket Challenge

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Anyone remember playing "tag?" The worst thing that could happen to you when you were playing "tag," was to be touched and declared ... "Tag! You’re it!" Once you were "tagged" you were the odd one out. Once you were tagged you were the enemy, the outcast, the outlier, and you worked hard to get that moniker off your back by giving it to someone else. How times have changed. Now to be "tagged" is...

838. Who Let the Dogs Out?

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Last Christmas, K-Mart (or was it Wal-Mart?) announced it would be open for 82 hours straight with all sorts of bargains. On the morning the selling marathon began, over one hundred people were lined up waiting to get into the store. Some of them had been there for two or three hours. The crowds watched in disbelief as a man walked past the entire crowd, and began to squeeze himself in at the hea...

839. How to Hug

Sermon

King Duncan

The world has changed so much that even certain jokes don’t work anymore. For example, there is a time-honored story of a man who was in love with love that is, romantic love. He bought every book he could find on the subject. One day he was in a book store when he spied a book titled How to Hug. He didn’t have time to thumb through it and find out what it was about, but from its title, he knew h...

840. Love Is Not Easy

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever noticed that it is not easy to love another human being? Especially those closest to us. In a recent television interview, First Lady Laura Bush reported that early in her marriage her mother-in-law, Barbara Bush, cautioned her not to criticize her husband George W.'s speeches. One day, the First Lady found out why. As Laura and George W. returned from a speech he'd given in Lubboc...

841. The Dynamic Law Of Love

Sermon

King Duncan

"It's love, it's love, it's love that makes the world go round." We are all familiar with that time-honored sentiment, and I think that most of us can agree with the idea that it conveys. We know how important it is to love and to be loved. We may tease each other and make jokes about our relationships, but we all realize how barren our lives would be if we did not have one another. You may know ...

842. Clothing Yourself with Christ

Children's Sermon

Tim Carpenter

Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate the protection provided by the Lord . Key Verses: 11a and 14a The hour has come for you to wake from your slumber...[and] clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ). Props: A jacket or coat and a wind up alarm clock. Lesson: [After all of the children have arrived, ask them to act like they are sleeping. Tell them to close their eyes and make sleeping noises. T...

843. Wake Up!

Children's Sermon

Tim Carpenter

Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate the urgency of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Props: An alarm clock Lesson: How many of you like to wake up in the morning? (response) How many of you like to lay in the bed and sleep, and find it hard to get up sometimes? (response) Me too. How many of you can get up easier if you know that you’re going to do something really neat that day? (response) That...

844. Proper 18

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter - Psalms 149:1-9 First Lesson - The passover is planned and prepared in readiness for the exodus of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Exodus 12:1-14 Second Lesson - Paul's moral admonitions are a bridge from the Old Testament to the New. Romans 13:8-14 Gospel - Jesus outlines ways to reconcile differences between members of the church. Matthew 18:15-20 CALL TO WORSHIP L...

845. First Sunday of Advent

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter - Psalm 122 First Lesson—The prophet foresees the days to come when the nations stream to the mountain of the house of the Eternal for learning and judgment. Isaiah 2:1-5 Second Lesson—Paul admonishes sobriety and alertness since the day of salvation is near. Romans 13:11-14 Gospel—Just as Noah watched for the approaching flood, Jesus calls for alertness in waiting for the day of ...

846. We See Jesus

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship Men: For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, "Peace be within you." Women: For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good. (Psalm 122:8-9) Collect Lord, we acknowledge your call to us. The night is far gone. The day is at hand. You shine your light on the words of the prophets, and we see Jesus. You call us to be ready, and our spiritual bags are...

847. First Sunday in Advent

Bulletin Aid

Second Lesson: Romans 13:11-14 Theme: Living in the Light of Christ Call to Worship Pastor: As winter sets in, the days are shorter and we live in more darkness. People: Sometimes we feel that life has its wintertime, too, in which darkness steals the light by which we live. Pastor: Then you can rejoice! For darkness turns to light as we make ready for the advent of Christ, the Light of the worl...

848. The Night Is Far Gone, The Day Is at Hand

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship You know what time it is. Now is the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day. (based on Romans 13:11-13) Collect As your new creation dawns around us we give thanks and pra...

849. Let Our Lives Reflect the Lord's Return

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

Call To Worship Leader: Let us each remember the day of the Lord draws near! People: Let us live boldly as witnesses to the mercy and grace of Christ. Leader: Let our ways be God's ways in the battle against the forces of evil. People: And let our lives bring healing and comfort to a hurting world. Leader: Let our voices ring out for all to hear of the glory and love of God! All: Blessed be the na...

850. Daily Living For Christ

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

Call To Worship Leader: Let us sing and celebrate, for we belong in the family of God. People: In the Lord we have been adopted as sisters and brothers of Christ. Leader: Then let us walk in life as Christ has called us each to walk! People: We must be caring and responsible and alert to the dangers of evil. Leader: And we must seek the guidance of the Lord and share the Lord's Joy. All: Blessed b...

Showing 826 to 850 of 990 results