Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 876 to 900 of 2332 results

876. Proper 22

2 Timothy 1:1-2:13, Amos 5:1-17, Habakkuk 1:12--2:1, Habakkuk 1:1-4, Psalm 95:1-11, Psalm 37:1-40, Luke 17:1-10

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... rather than to imitate the powerful or envy the rich; so may we serve you now and forever." The psalm prayer for Psalm 95 has a similar theme, but with something of the exodus context (LBW) - "Almighty God, neither let us go astray as did those who murmured in the desert, nor let us be torn apart by discord. With Jesus as our shepherd, bring us to enjoy the unity for which he prays; and to you be the glory and the praise now and forever." THE READINGS Habakkuk 1:1-6 (7-11) 12-17 (E); 1:1-3; 2 ...

877. Proper 27

Psalm 17:1-15, Psalm 9:1-20, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17, Zechariah 7:1-14, 1 Chronicles 29:10-20, Job 19:1-29, Luke 20:27-40

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... again forever." It is this theme - the hope of resurrection - that is picked up again in the Gospel for the Day. Job 19:23-27a (E) This reading, too, from the familiar lament of Job, was selected because it contains the resurrection theme, also. Even if he is deserted by God and human beings, Job cries out: "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God...." This, too, is a rudimentary conception of ...

878. The Problem With Miracles In Our Time

Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon

William J. Carl

... lives when, yes, we do seem to believe all these things we say about God when we read the Bible and sing the hymns in our own churches. There are even times when we’d say, yes, we feel close to God, whatever that means. But there are also those desert times in our lives when we wonder whether or not we believe any of it at all anymore: God, Jesus, the church, discipleship -- all of it seems like so much pie in the sky, a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing. It’s especially true of miracles, isn’t ...

879. Living Sacrifices

Matthew 16:21-28

Sermon

William J. Carl

... that they may have to sacrifice their lives for their country or was it for our way of life? Whatever the case, perhaps they, too, felt the sense of incompleteness the country feels over Vietnam, but like the commander over all the troops of Operation Desert Storm who also fought in Vietnam, they understood his comment when he said to a reporter: “Everyone loses in war. Everyone.” It is true, isn’t it, that on occasion we find ourselves in a position to sacrifice, to lose our lives for others, whether ...

880. Is It Too Late?

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

George Johnson

... the earth's surface is land. The rest is water. Of that one third which is land, only 11 percent is arable ... usable to grow crops. Twenty-five percent is pasture and rangeland, 30 percent is forest - covered with trees, and 33 percent is wasteland, desert or paved over or built on. Friends, we are losing ground. We are losing topsoil, that precious commodity that puts food on our table. The potential output from the land is being lowered because of air pollution and acid rain. The pressure for more food ...

881. Jesus Is Baptized

Luke 3:21-38

Sermon

James Garrett

... his public ministry in a crowd that surrounded John the Baptist, at the Jordan. John was a fiery young preacher who attracted the crowds. He told people what they had to do as well as what they had to be. When John emerged from the desert preaching repentance and baptism, the people flocked to the Jordan to be baptized. He was baptizing everyone who would change their ways. Jesus stepped forward to be baptized. Why would the sinless One be baptized? Jesus was there to provide the fullness of salvation John ...

882. The Gospel Of Christmas

John 1:1-18

Sermon

James Garrett

... has come to be with us. Nothing in this world can separate any of his children from his love. Not even our prodigal rebellions, nor our adult indifferences; our sins nor our sufferings. No experience goes unattended by God. Cradles of insecurity -- he is there; deserts of temptation -- he is there; gardens of indecision -- he is there; crosses of suffering -- he is there. He is in them all. This is the God of Christmas! “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.” That’s ...

883. Jesus’ First Sign

John 2:1-11

Sermon

James Garrett

... it; for we are well able to overcome it,” said Caleb. Nevertheless, the pessimistic report from the other spies caused them to form a committee to quit. And, you know what? God let the quitters quit! He abandoned Israel to wonder aimlessly in the desert until the unbelieving generation died off. They quit and lost the promise of God. Only Caleb and Joshua would live to lead the new generation into the Promised Land. “Do what he tells you,” said the mother of Jesus to the servants. Obedient, faithful ...

884. Thanksgiving Day

Matthew 6:25-34

Illustration

Andrew Daughters

... such. What if there were just barely a little, instead of so all-fired much? Would you then say your thanks to the Father who provided this bountiful earth,and gave us so great a share of it by accident only of birth? There are those in the African deserts and in Asia with little to eat. And in India, where there are millions to whom not being hungry’s a treat. When it comes down to real thanksgiving,remember that part of the word is that very important word, “giving,”not just being full of the bird ...

885. A Word For All Reasons

John 20:19-23

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... fact that he spoke it, I believe it was the way in which he said it that brought life back into the spirits of those disciples. That powerful word of Christ spoke also to the enormous burden of guilt they bore. They had not only deserted their Lord and Master, but had denied him, failed him. Not only had their faith proved inept and powerless and their resources of courage been woefully inadequate, but they had shown themselves to be utterly shameless. Consider. If it had not been for Joseph of Arimathea ...

886. Safe With The Shepherd

John 10:22-42

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... 't care. But you certainly seem to be missing the cookie very much. You twist and turn and ache looking for it." That's the future for those who follow some superficial shepherd down a primrose path littered with promises of pleasure and satisfaction. Ultimately he deserts us, dies on us, leaves us lost, bewildered, twisting and turning and aching. That is what is happening in our time. The gods are dying; they always do and that is a fearsome thing because we have staked our life on them. So we hold before ...

887. Our Christian I.D.

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... the rejection of people? Show them that you have the right stuff to be the Messiah. Show them that you are a winner; they will get on the bandwagon and follow you up to the very jaws of hell. Why go through the agony of betrayal, denial and desertion by your closest friends? Why endure the suffering of the cross? Think Jesus, you have to look out for yourself. You deserve to be happy; you ought to enjoy life and it will cost you so little, just bow down before me. Everyone will understand, even the Father ...

888. Portrait Of A Powerful Servant

John 13:1-17

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... their hands, pondering positions of power. Others firmly clenched their hands refusing to move, lest they reveal any sign of weakness. But Jesus reached out for the basin and the towel to serve the disciples even though he knew that they would betray and desert him that very night, and that he would be brought to trial and finally die by crucifixion. While the disciples were thinking only of themselves, Jesus, in whom the power of God resided, emptied himself and gave himself to those for whom he cared ...

889. How To Deal With Frustration

1 Kings 8:22-61

Sermon

Robert Allen

... left feeling frustrated. The feeling of frustration is something that we all encounter. When you read the Bible, again and again you will discover people of faith wrestling with this very thing. Moses led the Children of Israel for 40 years through the desert wilderness, looking for the Promised Land. Finally, the time came for the Children of Israel to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land that was flowing with milk and honey, but Moses was left in the wilderness, shut out from the Promised ...

890. Can You Dig It?

Genesis 26:1-35

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

... with his little parcel of land. Now was the time to reassert himself by reaffirming the faith of his father and the confidence of God. Isaac knew that the wells were vitally important to the life of his people. They could not live in the hot desert without water. But more importantly, the wells had far deeper meaning and value, for reopening them would symbolically tie them back to the faith of Abraham and give them new hope for the future as they faced great odds and forged a realizable future. The wells ...

891. Soul Food

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Larry Goodpaster

... . I like that word abide. I have pictures again: look, can you see them? They are images of home, of dwelling, of staying with, of living in and with, of trusting and being there. To abide is to know that no matter what comes our way, we will not be deserted nor left to face whatever the matter is on our own. Christ comes to live within us, to take up residence in our spirits, and promises not to leave. Over the years I have witnessed many scenes of this abiding presence played out in the lives of persons I ...

892. Doing Our Homework

Matthew 9:9-13

Sermon

Larry Goodpaster

... behalf of those who are left to die on the streets? But how many of us, feeling the empathy for those in desperate circumstances, will reach out as does she? During the euphoric days of early 1991, when we were celebrating the end of Operation Desert Storm, we waved our flags and felt waves of patriotism and nationalism pulsing through our veins. Many yellow ribbons were conspicuously hung around trees, porches and on lapels as we waited anxiously and hopefully for troops to return home. But how many of us ...

893. The Mission

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

... . They are to leave one at every door and if they go into a restaurant they are to leave one for the waitress instead of a tip. Sgt. Rockette: Captain, I've got a bunch of greenhorns. They've never been in a situation like this. What happens if they desert on me? Captain: That's a possibility, Sergeant Rockette. They will face lots of opposition, and certainly some of them won't come back from the mission, but this has to be done or we'll lose this area to those godless humanists. And remember, it's like a ...

894. Endorsing The Future

Sermon

Harold Warlick

... had to have bread. So God promised them bread in the mornings. The manna came on the tamarisk bushes. But there was a spiritual lesson in the manna. The manna comes from insects who eat the sap of the plant and pass the excess sap in honeydew excretions. The dry desert air changes those into drops that turn solid. But if you pick it and let it stay too long in the evening air, it spoils by the next morning. As the people gathered this manna, they were warned by Moses not to gather more than enough for their ...

895. Dim Visions And Blind Guides

Sermon

Harold Warlick

... . Mr. Tanimoto dove instinctively into a garden and wedged himself between two huge rocks. A powerful blast of wind and fire blew over him. It knocked him unconscious. When he came to and got on his feet, the city was flat as a desert. Sixty-eight thousand human beings were killed instantly. Only thirty members of his 3,500 member church were still alive. Rev. Tanimoto began to rebuild his crucified church. He arranged for the spiritual adoption of five hundred Hiroshima orphans by North American families ...

896. The Needle’s Eye

Mark 9:42-50

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

... . Remember how President Carter was ridiculed because he confessed lust in his heart? Suppose we pluck out one eye; does that stop us from lusting? No! Lusting, too, is in the soul. In the early days of the monastic movement, hermits scattered throughout the desert, thinking that if they could not see an object of lust they would not lust. But they carried with them ingrained explicit sexual fantasies which filled their souls when there was nothing physical to look upon. The flaw lies, not within the seeing ...

897. Those Tempting Crayons

Matthew 4:1-11

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: Some crayons and/or scissors. Lesson: Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the Devil. Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to talk about a word that I am sure all of you have heard many times but you may not be sure what it means. The word is "tempted" or "temptation." How many of you ...

898. God Works Through Opposites

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... on a humble ass. It is a study in contrasts. God always works through contrasts or opposites. The crowd of disciples and followers of Jesus cheered him wildly on that first Palm Sunday. They treated him like a king. Fickle people. Just five days later they deserted him, and some may even have shouted, "Let him be crucified (Matthew 27:23)." God is always working through contrasts and opposites. We call this pattern in God's behavior the theology of the cross. Of course, we know the final act in the drama ...

899. Dispelling Ministry Illusions

Jeremiah 1:1-19

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... you... (Jeremiah 1:8, TEV)." Fear isn't in charge here when we believe Jesus' promise, "Lo I am with you always..." Fear isn't in charge here, so we can minister because God calls us in baptism, gives us gifts for serving others and keeps his promise not to desert us!

900. Anointed Ministry

Isaiah 61:1-11

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. This baptism is the anointing of Jesus and the beginning of his ministry. In chapter four of Luke we hear about the 40-day temptation of Jesus by demonic forces. This was his exile or time of aloneness. The desert temptations of Jesus show that the jubilee of Jesus' ministry is preceded by a dark period ... a valley of shadows to use the imagery of the 23rd Psalm, just as the exiled Jews had experienced forsakenness in the shadowy exile in Babylon. When we go through ...

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