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 926 to 950 of 2815 results

926. Just Showing Up Doesn't Get the Job Done

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... 's cowboys didn't just look good. They were good. In the classic, "Rio Bravo," Wayne's character summed up the essence of his cowboy philosophy by declaring to a less-than-perfect sidekick "Just showing up doesn't get the job done!" Matthew's parable-allegory of the 10 bridesmaids seems to emphasize this same kind of message to his reader it takes more than good intentions to be a faithful member of the Christian community. In fact, being a disciple of Christ requires us to commit to eight crucial words ...

927. Matthew 18:15-20

Matthew 18:15-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the Christ-body community. While reading the "instructions" Jesus gives for dealing with conflict within the church, however, one should note the two parables that Matthew brackets on either side of today's text. At one end (18:10-14) lies the parable of the "Lost Sheep," stressing God's desire that all should be "found," none lost. On the other end (18:23-35) lies the parable of the "Unforgiving Servant," which records that those who refuse to forgive may be dealt with even as harshly as those who commit ...

928. Luke 13:1-9

Luke 13:1-9

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the barren fig tree is found only in Luke. Yet, since both Matthew (21:18-19) and Mark (11:12-14) record the story of Jesus' cursing a barren fig tree _ which Luke omits _ this may be Luke's "kinder, gentler" version of that episode. This parable begins with the owner of the vineyard visiting his fields to survey their fruitfulness. In Palestine, it was not uncommon for land given over to a vineyard to also include a variety of fruit-bearing trees. The owner's visit is quite intentional _ the text clearly ...

929. Luke 14:1, 7-14

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... -turvy relationships that will accompany the full arrival of the kingdom of God. If verses 7-11 challenge the behavior of the guests at this dinner party, verses 12-14 offer even more radical advice to the host. Jesus' words are no longer parable or even proverb they now offer a reproof to standard human hosting behavior and offer further proof of God's graciousness to those who incarnate the kingdom by implementing the shocking advice Jesus gives. Hosting and being hosted were all part of an interconnected ...

930. John 15:9-17

John 15:9-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... others divide the unit after verse 6 there is a general consensus that this unit does make two distinct points. In the first part of the text, Jesus articulates the parable of the vine, using typical parable imagery. In the second half of this unit (the verses read today), Jesus elaborates on what the precise application of that parable means for disciples. Immediately preceding today's verses, in verse 7, a positive tone is set. Jesus' words today deal with what disciples may expect if they do remain/abide ...

931. The Third Ear and the Imagination of Jesus

Mark 4:1-20

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... birds, the movements of the wild animals, the shepherding of the sheep. *He watched the wind blow and felt the coolness of the winter rains and the scorching heat of the summer sun. We know this because when Jesus taught, when he preached his parables and stories, he almost always reaches out to the natural world for his images and illustrations. In fact it seems that Jesus’ commute did more to influence his later ministry than did his actual job, his trained profession. How can you draw this conclusion ...

932. WeatherProofing Your Home

Matthew 7:24-27

Sermon

James Merritt

... in this house has a marriage that won't last until next week. The couple in this house has children who love them and love God. The couple in this house have children who love neither one. I want you to notice something very interesting about the parable Jesus tells here. Both houses were hit with a storm. Even though one builder was a wise godly person and the other was a foolish worldly person it made no difference. The rain fell. The wind blew and the floods came on both houses. What is the central ...

933. Be Reconciled — To Christ and Others

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... journey back to his father, he needed to find a change of heart within himself. He needed to forgive himself, before he would be ready to accept the forgiveness of others. Reconciliation with others is the second active aspect. The older son in the parable is representative of one who cannot forgive others. He is angry with his brother for his wayward actions. He is even more incensed, however, by his father who has not only forgiven the younger boy's transgressions but has celebrated his return with food ...

934. Hope In The Midst of Uncertainty

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... distracted. We forget who we are and where we gain our strength. And when that happens it builds up and pessimism turns into despair. I. Despair A. Remember George Bailey from "It's A Wonderful Life?" It's a parable about faithfulness. It's a parable about family and responsibility. But mostly it's a parable about hope and God's intervention in our lives. You know the story. George is one of those great guys that everybody loves, he's selfless and easy going and gives of himself over and over again. But a ...

935. Pursue the Life That Really Is Life

1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... 970-785-2990), Jan 1987 3. Victor Lee, Sports Spectrum; reprinted in Men of Integrity (May/June 2002) 4. The Pastor's Story File (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), MAR 1997 5. Parables, Etc. (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), July 1983 6. Parables, Etc. (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), Nov 1983 7. (MONOPOLY Board Game, 1985; "The Game of Life," Lee Strobel, Seeds Tape Ministry, M9131, 7/28/91) IOWAUGSEP91 8 ...

936. When You Have Everything You Need, Except What You Need (Managing Money)

Luke 12:22-34, Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... hope you’ll read it sometime today or during this coming week. The pivotal issue of the chapter was illustrated with a parable Jesus told. We didn’t read that parable, but I want to tell you the story. You’ll find it in verses 15-21 of the 12th chapter. It’ ... and use money. In our scripture lesson, Jesus was talking not just to the wealthy, but all of us. He closed his parable of the “rich fool” by applying the truth of it to everyone. After the scorching judgment to one: “Fool! This night, your ...

937. Come to the Party

Luke 14:15-23

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... God plans a festivity it’s going to happen. You may be there or you may choose not to be there, but God’s party is on. It is going to happen. He comes to the servants and sends an inclusive invitation. This is really the point of the parable. “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame” (Luke 14:21b). As Phillip Yancey tells the story, a woman and her fiancé went to the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Boston and planned their wedding ...

938. The Power of a Helping Hand

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... care of our own, always. The longer I live the more I see people slipping through the cracks of my concern and a parable like this shocks me to reality. As Reverend Gordon McDonald tells the story, he had flown into Minneapolis and caught a cab headed ... . Sometimes the need is open and obvious like a running sore. Other times need is hidden and covered like a covert cancer. If the parable is right, we need not go out of our way to encounter neediness. We need only to open our eyes and motivate our wills. ...

939. What Is Coming?

Luke 12:13-21

Illustration

Joachim Jeremias

... of death, hanging over his head. Here it is necessary to avoid a too obvious conclusion. We are not to think that Jesus intended to impress upon his audience the ancient maxim, 'Death comes suddenly upon man'. Rather do all the appeals and parables of warning taken together show that Jesus is not thinking of the inevitable death of the individual as the impending danger, but of the approaching eschatological catastrophe, and the coming Judgment. Thus here too in Luke 12:16-20 we have an eschatological ...

940. William Barclay on the Rich Fool

Luke 12:13-21

Illustration

William Barclay

The problem with the Rich Fool is he never saw beyond himself. There is no parable like this one which is so full of the words, I, me, my and mine. From verse 16 to 19, four verses, so much is revealed in ... rich fool his desire will always be to get more-and that is the reverse of the Christian way. Note: It would be effective to read the parable once and then re-read it again punctuating the personal pronouns. Don't tell your congregation directly what you are doing, just tell them you want to re-read the ...

941. Kingdoms in Conflict

Matthew 21:33-46

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... God's estate among the rest of the nations of the world. This is the picture Jesus presents in summary form in his parable. In Israel's world there were three kinds of covenants regularly made. The first was a "Parity Agreement" which shaped relations between individuals ... who gives the right incentives and demands the right stuff in return. This is the plot underlying Jesus' words in the parable of the tenants. Israel was blessed by God to share in the divine enterprise of making the garden come alive on ...

942. Dressed for the Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

Chris Ewing

943. Investing in God’s Future

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

Chris Ewing

... ; we resist taking the risk of living and loving and getting involved. We try to bury the money. And God says to us, in this parable, "Oh no you don't! I gave you all you are for a reason." As theologian Walter Brueggeman says, "What God does first and best ... history. It's ours to do something with. Does that mean that the investment will always work out? If you read only this parable, you would think so. The two servants who did invest their master's money made handsome returns. But does it always work like ...

944. Rejoicing for the Found

Luke 15:1-32

Illustration

Brian Stoffregen

... rejoicing calls for celebration, and the note of celebration may be exaggerated to emphasize the point. Neither sheep nor coins can repent, but the parable aims not at calling the "sinners" to repentance but at calling the "righteous" to join the celebration. Whether one will join the celebration is all-important because it reveals whether one's relationships are based on merit or mercy. Those who find God's mercy offensive cannot celebrate with the ...

945. Made Perfect In Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:2-10

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... went on for some time, the man went over to the workers and asked why one was digging holes while the other was filling them back up. One of the workers spoke up, "Well, the man who plants the trees is on vacation." (5) Too often that's a parable for the church. Too many people forget about the future. They don't see what they are doing or not doing as connected to the continuing ministry of the church. They don't consider those who will follow. They don't consider the continuing costs of ministry. That's ...

946. Is God Fair?

Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... More work should equal more wages. ”Hard work pays off.” But it doesn’t. Not in Jesus’ story of the kingdom. Instead those who worked 6 am to 6pm got the same dusty denarius that the 5pm-6pm workers got. How is that fair? It’s not. But Jesus’ parable is not about the human category of “fairness.” It is about the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom that is wholly under God’s rule. And God is not “fair.” Thank God! God is not fair. The God who rules heaven and earth is the God of justice and ...

947. Be Prudent or Productive?

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... didn’t teach his disciples to bury their faith for some distant future. Jesus taught his disciples to bear witness to their faith for the very next generation. Jesus was not in the burial business. Jesus was in the resurrection business. In the parable of the “talents” given to the three servants, the master anticipates a “return” on that which he “invests” with his three servants. The master expects these servants to risk what he has given them in the hope that they will be able to increase ...

948. Matthew 25:31-46

Matthew 25:31-46

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... gathered on the right, the traditional place of honor and preference. As the Son of Man (the “king”) addresses these two groups of sheep and goats, he uses the same language, the same descriptions in both cases, giving the scene its familiar parable flavor. Perhaps what is most interesting? The response of the two groups to the king’s declarations of blessedness or accursedness is also exactly the same. If “the least” who were fed, watered, welcomed, clothed, cared for, and visited by those being ...

949. When You Are Wrongly Criticized

Mark 3:20-30

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... charge Jesus with practicing sorcery, or magic, a serious crime punishable by death. Jesus’ response to this pronouncement is described as a “parable” (“parabole”), Mark’s first use of this term. A parable “throws” or “places” two different things side by side for comparison. Mark wrote “sandwiches.” Jesus spoke in parables. Jesus sharpens the focus of the scribe’s accusations by replacing the obscure “Beelzebul” with the familiar adversarial term “Satan.” Combating the ...

950. Mark 3:20-35

Mark 3:20-30

Sweet

King Duncan

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