Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 851 to 875 of 3099 results

851. A Vision For The Future

Isaiah 65:17-25

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

... the same thing as the biblical teacher. He reminded us of our heritage. He talked about the giants of theology in the early 20th century. He outlined the major streams of theology that have brought us to our present state." The bishop started warming to his subject now. "The third speaker," he reported with a gleam in his eye, "was an incredibly gifted lay woman who works in the field of applied science. She is a member of our denomination and a product of one of our church colleges. The things she told ...

852. Proper 20

Luke 16:1-15

Bulletin Aid

Dennis Koch

... to dig and too proud to beg"!) and the sayings, which here serve as a commentary on it, culminate in a difficult dilemma, that in turn demands a decision. This passage presents an opportunity to address what must be a touchy subject for our modern capitalistic ears: the incompatibility of riches and righteousness that runs as a recurring theme throughout the teachings of Jesus (especially in Luke), and that is "spiritualized" only at the expense of veracity. Liturgical Color Green Suggested Hymns Salvation ...

853. How Blest Are Those Who Know Their Need Of God

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Mark Radecke

... to be about the blessed work of reconciliation in our families, congregation, community, nation and world. As children of God, we are called to take after our heavenly Father. And because in all these things the kingdom of heaven is ours, we are and will be subject to persecution for righteousness' sake. For the world is ill-equipped and decidedly reluctant to hear and heed God's word of meekness and mercy; unready to receive God's gifts of purity of heart and peace. So it is precisely in our efforts to ...

854. Too Soon, Monsieurs, Too Soon?

Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

Thomas Long

... a blasphemer, accused of demon possession, doubted by his friend and colleague in kingdom work John the Baptist, rejected by his hometown to the point that he stopped doing ministry there, resisted by the very people he came to serve and save, and is the subject of murder plots that will, of course, finally be successful. In short, Jesus is plummeting rapidly toward the cross, and it is precisely at this moment of woe that he is transfigured. In a theological master stroke of timing, it is now -- on this ...

855. The Spreading Word

Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon

Marc Kolden

... especially in more recent translations that avoid "Thou," and render it "Spread, Oh, Spread, Almighty Word,"3 that we hear these words as a command to us to spread God's word. But the hymn itself portrays the word as spreading of its own power. The subject of the hymn (the actor!) is the Lord of the harvest, whose word conveys the whole trinitarian activity of the God of the Bible. In many ways this hymn offers a more accurate interpretation of the parable of the sower than does the so-called interpretation ...

856. God Deep In The Flesh

Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

Marc Kolden

... , holy and unchanging, and so forth. Such a generic God is regularly invoked by everyone from politicians to witnesses in a courtroom, from those reciting the pledge of allegiance to those using profanity, from our response to someone who sneezes to the subject of highly abstract philosophical speculation. But such a god "up there" somewhere, largely unknown and increasingly irrelevant, is quite unlike the God of the Bible, the God whom we know above all in Jesus Christ. Someone has helpfully said that our ...

857. The Man From Galilee VII: The Triumph Of His Defeat

Matthew 28:1-10

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

Bishop Walter L. Underwood wrote a book a few years ago called Being Human Being Hopeful. The last chapter is on the subject of death. He refers to a statement made by actor Woody Allen, who said, "I don't want immortality through my work. I want immortality through not dying."1 I read that book with great interest. Then I learned that Bishop Underwood died not long after I had read his ...

858. Greed - Putting Things In Their Proper Perspective

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

R. Curtis Fussell

... day a woman came to me and asked if she could borrow one of my books to do a Sunday school lesson. I said, "Yes, of course, and feel free to underline any important sentences and make notes in the margins. Make use of the book to get at the subject, although I wouldn't want any pages cut out of it." She then replied, "Are you serious? I was always taught not to write in books. I can't imagine writing in someone else's book." I responded, "Well, the way I look at it, this is my book, I ...

859. Room For Questions

Matthew 11:2-11

Sermon

William B. Kincaid, III

... first two attempts at finding someone who would listen to him didn't work out very well. Peterson tried talking to his pastor, but after about five minutes his pastor diagnosed Peterson's problem as having to do with sex and began a lengthy lecture on the subject. Peterson decided after a couple of meetings that it was his pastor who had a problem with sex, so he began to look elsewhere for someone with whom he could talk about the things he was experiencing and feeling. Then Peterson talked with a man who ...

860. Good News! You Are Going To Be Tortured

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

Roger G. Talbott

... meantime, the announcer asks Dr. Science a question sent in by a listener like, "Why can I only see the stars at night?" Then Dr. Science answers the question in an annoying know-it-all voice that conveys the unspoken message: "This is a highly complex subject and I am having to condescend to your limited intelligence in order to explain it." His answer, however, always misses the point. "You can only see the stars at night because they have to spend all day putting on their make-up and getting their hair ...

861. Advent 2

Matthew 3:1-12, Isaiah 11:1-16, Romans 14:1--15:13

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... cognizant that our Christian faith is not merely judged on the merits of our beliefs but on the manner of our relationships to others. We are known by the fruit of our lives. Two of those fruits are harmony and hospitality. A sermon on this subject could be developed as follows: 1. Begin by citing an example of how a group of people have worked together harmoniously. 2. Admit that harmony is often destroyed by the discord of sin. 3. Show how harmony stems from our relationship with Christ. 4. Demonstrate ...

862. Advent 3

James 5:7-12, Isaiah 35:1-10, Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... Lord was close at hand. The word for patience means, literally, long-suffering. Obviously, if we're feeling fine and enjoying ourselves, we don't need patience, because we are not anxious for our experience to end. The church that James addressed was subject to suffering. They were anxious for their ordeal to end with the second coming of Christ. How different from our pampered existence in affluent America! No wonder most Christians don't get too excited about the prospect of the parousia. Most Americans ...

863. Advent 4

Mt 1:18-25 · Rom 1:1-7 · Isa 7:10-17 · Ps 80

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... devotion. To the contrary, he urges those who would follow him to first weigh the cost carefully. No place for wild and impulsive devotion in the kingdom of God. Christ does not seek to obliterate our will; rather, he gives us the grace to willingly subject our will to that of God's. Another distinction between Christian obedience and that of the zombie variety is that Christ does not seek power or control for self-aggrandizement. Rather, he seeks to focus and channel the power of obedience for the benefit ...

864. Ash Wednesday

Mt 6:1-6, 16-21 · 2 Cor 5:20 - 6:10 · Joel 2:1-2, 12-19 · Ps 51 · Ps 103

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... : 1. Peril #1 ritual is paramount, not relationship (ritual becomes rut-ual) 2. Peril #2 playing to the wrong audience 3. Peril #3 hypocrisy alienates us from God, self, and others Jesus warns us not to lay for ourselves treasures on earth, which are subject to corruption and decay, but in heaven, "where neither moth, nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal" (v. 20). Illustration: The ashes of Ash Wednesday are a much needed reminder of the impermanence of all things earthly. "Remember ...

865. Baptism of The Lord

Mt 3:13-17 ·Acts 10:34-48 · Is 42:1-9

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... : Ever since our health care institutions have become convinced that our political leaders intend a radical transformation of our health care delivery system, there has been a great deal of dis-ease in those institutions. Nurses, in particular, have been subjected to great pressures. They are expected to do more work, with sicker patients, in a shorter span of time, without engendering any complaints. I know a nurse at one such institution, and there are certainly legions more, who feels devalued ...

866. Easter 3

1 Peter 1:13-2:3, Acts 2:42-47, Luke 24:13-35

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... positive regard of the wider community. Epistle: 1 Peter 1:17-23 This epistle addresses a radically different Christian community than does Acts. In Acts, the Christian community was still regarded with favor by the wider community. But in this letter, the church is subject to persecution. It is no longer centered in Jerusalem but is a church in exile (v. 17). There is a eucharistic theme in this passage, which links it to the other two readings. Christ is presented as the perfect Passover Lamb who shed his ...

867. Epiphany 2

Jn 1:29-42 · 1 Cor 1:1-9 · Is 49:1-7 · Ps 27

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... , sense-experience perspective, it may truly appear that we have failed miserably. The outcome may be a drastic departure from what we had hoped. Faith, on the other hand, comprehends that life is far deeper than what we see. Our perception is finite and largely subjective. Faith acknowledges that our lives are in God's hands and that ultimately "all things will work together for good to those who love God" (Romans 8:28). Outline: 1. Ask if they have ever felt that their lives didn't count for much. Talk ...

868. Epiphany 3

Mt 4:12-23 · 1 Cor 1:10-18 · Is 9:1-4 · Amos 3:1-8 · Ps 27 · Ps 139

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... the Corinthian church which was in a state of disunion and pleaded for unity in the spirit of Christ. This sermon could examine some of the factions which divide the church and their damaging consequences. Then the preacher could personalize the subject by asking the listeners: What is the state of our union in Christ as a congregation? Also, what is the state of your union with Christ as an individual? Finally, appeal for unity in essentials without insisting on uniformity in nonessentials. Gospel ...

869. Epiphany 4

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Micah 6:1-8, Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... present us with the paradoxical notion of strength through weakness. Let us briefly consider the different types of weakness. An article I read in Christianity Today called "Unraveling the Mystery of Weakness and Strength" by Peter Kreeft loosely guided my thinking on this subject. First, there is the weakness of position: the weakness of playing second fiddle of or not making the first team. In our society, as well as many others, to be obedient is a sign of weakness; to take orders marks you as being ...

870. Epiphany 5

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 5:17-20, Isaiah 58:1-14, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... light 2. In order for us to live eternally, we must receive the light of Christ -- God is the source of light -- we merely receive and reflect the light 3. Let the light of Christ shine through you In a program on TBS on the subject of alternative means of healing, there was a feature on a community in northern California, called Stonecroft. The tiny community is composed of several Roman Catholic priests and nuns who are providing a family for orphaned children with AIDS. To support their endeavor, they ...

871. Lent 5

John 11:1-16, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 8:1-17, John 11:17-37, John 11:38-44

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... about God's glory. We must be very careful about pointing to specific causes for particular misfortunes and it is often not helpful to attribute such things to the will of God. Who are we to say? Nevertheless, we err when we view tragedy strictly from our subjective perspective. Too often, we focus only on the impact that events have on our own lives. Jesus claimed that the reason for Lazarus' illness was to glorify God (v. 4). We should also look at tragedy from God's perspective and ask: How is God being ...

872. Passion Sunday

Mt 26:14–27:66 · Phil 2:5-11 · Is 45:21-25; 50:4-9 · Ps 31

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... that he was willing to confront death head-on in the person of his Son. In so doing, God released the faithful from bondage to death. In the movie, The Deer Hunter, Michael attempts to free his friend Nick from the power of death. They were both subject to combat in Vietnam but Nick was forced to play Russian roulette by his captors. After his release, Nick remains in Saigon where he lives a life of drugged dissipation. Later, Michael returns to seek out his friend and finds him in a back room of a Saigon ...

873. End times

Mt 24:1-14 · 1 Thess 3:7-13 · Jer 26:1-6 · Ps 105:1-7

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... The Bible says that it will get worse before getting better (vv. 4-13) In this bad-news world we proclaim the good news of the kingdom The good news is that the God who reigns in us will ultimately bring everything in subjection to his righteous rule Illustration: The earthly church was highly influenced by eschatology or the doctrine of last things, which our Gospel Lesson is devoted to. The views on eschatology generally sift into three compartments within the Christian community. The various viewpoints ...

874. Proper 10

Genesis 25:19-34, Isaiah 55:1-13, Romans 8:18-27, Romans 8:1-17, Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... does not return empty. Epistle: Romans 8:18-25 Paul speaks to a persecuted church. He declares that the suffering of the present time cannot compare with the glories that await us in God's kingdom. The whole creation shares in the futility of natural existence, subject to decay and death, but the creation too will share in our freedom from the power of death. It is this hope of redemption that saves us. Epistle: Romans 8:9-17 The apostle reminds us that Christians do not live according to the flesh (their ...

875. Proper 11

Romans 8:18-27, Isaiah 44:6-23, Genesis 28:10-22, Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:36-43

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... Sermon Title: The Gain Of Glory. Sermon Angle: Paul tells persecuted believers that the suffering and loss of the present are not worth comparing to the gain of glory (v. 18). They could avoid the pain but would not receive the gain. Like the champion athlete, we need to subject ourselves to a harsh training regimen now, to gain the crown of glory. Lesson 2: Romans 8:26-27 Sermon Title: I Need A Little Help From My Friend. Sermon Angle: There are times for all of us when we come to the end of our ropes and ...

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