Sermon and Worship Resources

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James 1:17-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Think when you get to heaven you will experience "culture shock"? This text from James teaches that there shouldn't be any culture shock in heaven. "Had-To" people are persons who bring a little bit of heaven to Earth. In the 1970s, futurist Alvin Toffler coined the phrase "culture shock" to describe the effect rapidly advancing technology was having on civilization. But in truth, what Toffler described wasn't so much a shock to our "culture" as it was the flowering of technological gee-whiz gadgetry that ...

77. Caring for Others: The Christian Vocation in the World

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon

Richard Gribble

When Bobby Smith was a youngster, his family lived near Mrs. Hildebrand, a widow, who at 95 years of age, was in constant pain and crippled by arthritis, which ravaged her body. Living alone, she could only take a few steps at a time with the help of her cane. Every week when Bobby's mom went to the market, she took her son who would always deliver groceries to the old widow. The family car would pull up into Mrs. Hildebrand's driveway and the command would be heard, "Bobby, here are Mrs. Hildebrand's ...

78. Superman: More Than A Super Hero

John 1:1-5, 9-14; John 13:31-32; John 20:30-31

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

One of the greatest icons of the 20th and 21st Centuries is Superman. As a boy many of us daydreamed about having Super Powers like Superman. But if you've followed any of the movies, cartoons, comics or TV shows, you know that even with all his super powers, Superman and very other Super Hero has personal problems. But that doesn't negate the fact that we can learn some things from Super Heroes or the portrayal of Super Heroes such as Superman. Introduction In 1978, we were living in Midway, Missouri, ...

79. Mentoring Matters

1 Thessalonians 2:9-13

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

A man, a woman, a house, and a pitchfork. All of you, I feel sure, have seen the oil painting titled American Gothic by artist Grant Wood. It's a Depression Era scene in rural Iowa portraying a stern-looking farmer holding a pitchfork and standing beside his morose, unmarried daughter. The painting has become a part of American popular culture, and the couple has been the subject of endless satirical depictions. They are not happy campers by any stretch of the imagination.1 Those of us who have photographs ...

80. Character Approved: Stand Up or Stand Out?

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

August is county fair time. Hooray! Who doesn’t like a county fair? Yes, we are sophisticated, urbane, high-tech people. But there is something about a good old-fashioned county fair that is like catnip. County fairs still draw us to our local fairgrounds like cotton candy draws us to paper cones. Who can resist taking just one ride on the Ferris wheel? Who can resist eating deep-fried something (this summer’s new something hamburger with a deep fried doughnut for its bun!). Who can resist walking through ...

81. Family Re:Union - Great Expectations

Ephesians 5:22-33

Sermon

James Merritt

There are a lot of things in life you can buy that will help you get ahead in life. They are for sale and if you’ve got the money to buy them they will return a dividend and many times a big one. For example, you can buy education and no one denies the value of having a degree. Even in this day and age it helps to have education to get ahead. You can buy knowledge. In many fields including ministry, sometimes hiring an outside consultant can bring a fresh set of eyes to an old set of problems and get a new ...

82. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

Matthew 9:35-38, Matthew 10:1-42

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Mission Discourse: The Twelve to Follow Jesus’ Lead (9:35--10:23) Big Idea: In the second major Matthean discourse Jesus calls the Twelve to lead in mission to Israel, following his model as an authentic shepherd of God’s people despite persecution. Understanding the Text The brief narrative transition between chapters 8–9 (9:35–38) and Jesus’ second teaching section in chapter 10 highlight Jesus’ Galilean ministry to a people who are without true shepherds (leaders) and Jesus’ call to pray for “harvest ...

83. Jesus Demonstrates Messianic Authority over the Temple

Matthew 21:12-17, Matthew 21:18-22

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Matthew emphasizes Jesus’ authority as Messiah over the temple and his critique of its leadership as well as the importance of unwavering faith in following Jesus. Understanding the Text In Matthew the account of Jesus in the temple immediately follows his entry into Jerusalem. Both stories highlight Jesus’ identity and authority as Israel’s Messiah, with the acclamation of Jesus as the “Son of David” by the crowds and by children (21:9, 15). In 21:12–17 Jesus acts with messianic authority by ...

84. The Weak and the Strong

Romans 14:1--15:13

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

The general exhortation on agapē in chapters 12–13 proceeds now to a specific discussion of the “strong” and “weak” in 14:1–15:13. Paul divides the entire unit into three subsections. In the present section he argues that self-righteous judgments are divisive in the body of Christ; in 14:13–23 he teaches that responsibility for the other takes priority over individual rights; and he concludes in 15:1–13 with the servant role of Christ as the example for behavior within the Christian fellowship. Although ...

85. For the Love of God Is . . .

1 John 5:3-4

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

An eight-year-old little boy by the name of Arnold wrote a letter to his pastor: "Dear Pastor, I know God loves everybody but he never met my little sister."(1) Sometimes kids say the funniest things. And sometimes in the midst of that humor, there's a message from God. I think the message is about love. Love happens to be the most talked about and discussed topic of all time. Not counting songs like, "Beans In Your Ears" or George Thorogood's "Get A Haircut and Get A Real Job" or Johnny Cash's "A Boy ...

86. Unspectacular Faithfulness

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22

Sermon

Will Willimon

The Book of Esther was not accepted into the Jewish and Christian canons without controversy. A feminist interpreter explains how Esther, sometimes called ''the most secular book of the Bible, '' caused problems for Israel and the church: ''The reason for the difficulty that the book had in achieving canonical status is its perceived lack of religiosity. Most glaring is the complete absence of any mention of God...concepts of law and covenant are absent,...there are no prayers. (Sidnie Ann White, in The ...

87. Unspectacular Faithfulness

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22

Sermon

Will Willimon

88. The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

The parable has given us a new meaning for talents. At the time of the parable it was a unit of measure for silver or gold. Now we have talent shows, talent searches, talent contests. The beauty pageants that came under attack from feminists for being sexist with their emphasis on bathing suit competitions have tried to shift to the talent of the women. Scholarships are offered as prizes so that talented competitors may continue to develop their talents. Some people still put the emphasis on the monetary ...

89. Prayers for the Sundays After Easter

Bulletin Aid

Rolland R. Reece

Our Creator, how we enjoy the arrival of spring. Lush green grass rises in our lawns decorating our streets with home to home carpeting. Bird songs, silent in winter, now fill the air with enchanting melodies. The brown loam of our gardens and fields warms in preparation for the coming seeds and plants. The brilliant colors of jonquils, tulips, and hyacinths edge our flower beds and ring our trees. Who are we that you lavish upon us such splendor? The air warms as the sun dispatches the winds of winter. ...

90. Prayers for Memorial Day, Election, Thanksgiving

Bulletin Aid

Rolland R. Reece

Memorial Day Today, Creator God, we remember. We remember the courage of our forefathers who decided they could no longer bow to England's crown, so they went to war to gain our country's independence. We remember the agony and blood-letting of that war that pitted American against American, the north against the south. Even to this day the wounds of that fighting are yet to be healed. We remember that many years ago we sent our troops to "fight the Kaiser" in a war that was to end all wars. Then less than ...

91. Adam’s Prime Rib

Genesis 2:4-25

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

When William Jennings Bryan went to the father of the young woman whom he loved to ask her hand in marriage, he remembered that the father was a strong religious believer, so he quoted a proverb of Solomon from the Bible: “He who finds a wife finds a good thing.” But the father surprised him by responding with a quote from St. Paul, “He who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.” The young man was at a loss for a reply for a moment, but then he came up with this ...

92. Renewal of the New

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

“What’s new?” is the question we often ask of a person whom we haven’t seen for some time. We seem to have an obsession with the new. We’ll try anything new. We want to be the first to wear new fashions. To sell their wares, merchants advertize the new: a new book, a new look, a new model, a new taste. If it is “new,” we reason, it must also be “improved.” The preacher of Ecclesiastes does not agree. He wrote, “There is nothing new under the sun.” There is an old saying, “The more things change, the more ...

93. Maundy Thursday/Holy Thursday

John 13:1-17, Exodus 12:1-30, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, John 13:31-38

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: The institution of the covenant meal for both Jews and Christians. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Exodus 12:1-14a This contains the priestly tradition concerning the institution of the Passover, the covenant feast of the Hebrew people. The Passover took over a more ancient springtime agricultural festival, infusing it with fresh content. The month of Nisan (March-April) in which the feast took place marked the beginning of the year for the post-exilic Jews. Formerly, the year commenced in the autumn. The ...

94. Proper 14

Ephesians 4:17--5:21, 2 Samuel 18:1-18, John 6:25-59

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Jesus is the Bread from heaven that truly satisfies us. COMMENTARY Old Testament: 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 David's son, Absalom, rebels against his father to gain the crown for himself. David splits his army into three parts and surprises Absalom's troops near a wooded area. The rebellious army is put into panic and Absalom flees into the woods on his donkey where his hair is caught in the thicket of a tree. He is left hanging there but is still alive. David had charged his men prior to battle not ...

95. Advent 1

1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Isaiah 63:7--64:12, Mark 13:32-37, Mark 13:1-31

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: The return of the Lord. In Isaiah 64:1 the writer earnestly hopes that God will rend or tear the heavens and come down to restore his people and subdue their foes. In Paul's introduction to 1 Corinthians he prays that the Lord would sustain them until the revealing of the Lord Jesus. The Gospel has Jesus warning his disciples to watch closely for his return. COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Isaiah 64:1-9 (C, E); Isaiah 63:16b-17; 64:1, 3b-8 (RC) As the Israelites returned from exile in Babylon, they had high ...

96. Reuben: I'm Not A Sandwich

Genesis 37:12-36

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

THEME: Reuben is one of the forgotten characters of the Bible -- the one who, by normal processes, should have received the birthright as the firstborn son of Israel. He tells of the common experience of feeling like a second-class son, because Israel favored Joseph. He shares family events, as well as his inner soul. SETTING FOR THE SERMON MONOLOGUE: Most persons have heard the story of Joseph and his brothers. Many people have heard the story over and over. They have rarely, if ever, heard the ...

97. Wedding: Looking Outward Together

1 John 1:1-4

Sermon

Warren Gregory Martin

An Evening Service (__________) I would like to take a few moments and speak with you and the congregation gathered to witness your covenant of marriage about the significance of what you do tonight. God has given you both a gift: the gift of love to share with each other and a relationship in which you have the trust and faithfulness of another. Each of those words -- love and faithfulness -- have a multitude of meanings for us, but the nature of this love and faithfulness you enter into through marriage ...

98. Rag Doll #37

Drama

Edward Long

Production Notes Simple props are used. A flashlight may suffice for illuminating the scenes as the Rag Dolls appear. The Rag Dolls' costumes may be made by tacking small squares of cloth over blue jeans, etc. Blush or rouge may be used on cheeks to give the appearance of a simple, rag doll. Cast of Characters NARRATOR MR. McKENZIE: A shopkeeper in his late 60s. Beginning to be a little stoop-shouldered. Wears glasses. MRS. McKENZIE: Helps in the shop and makes the dolls. GERALD: Young man about sixteen. ...

99. Barefoot in the Palace

Luke 13:22-30

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

The late J. Wallace Hamilton preached a sermon titled, "Bare Feet in the Palace." Borrowing an image from the author, Agnes Newton Keith, he suggested that this illustrates our times. The palace has undergone a radical change. The privileged who used to live there are gone: in their place have come the have-nots of the earth. They are now "barefoot in the palace." They have taken over the privileges of the few, and they do not intend to return to their former places of misery and destitution. If you want a ...

100. The Foolish Farmer

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

Carveth Mitchell

Note, first, that God did not say this man was evil. God said he was a fool. Note, secondly, that most of us would not say he was a fool. We’d say he was an obviously successful businessman. We esteem abundance. Jesus said, "A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." We act as though a man’s life does consist in the abundance of his possessions. We have a saying, "If you’re so smart, why aren’t you rich?" As if that were the test of a person’s life. Why would God call him a fool? ...

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