Sermon and Worship Resources

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Mark 10:35-45, Matthew 20:20-28

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Animation: Ring and/or Ruby Slippers and/or a Ladder “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” (James and John…according to Mark) How many times have we said this to God? “Lord, we want you to do whatever we ask!” We humans are creatures that want our way. We want what we want and we generally want it “now.” We like to be independent. We are self-assured. And we are ambitious. And ambition is a squirrelly thing. It means that if someone won’t give us our way, we will strive to get whatever we ...

77. Passion Sunday

Mk 14:1 - 15:47 · Isa 50:4-9 · Phil 2:5-11 · Ps 31:9-16

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

THIS WEEK'S TEXT Revised Common: Isaiah 50:4-9a · Philippians 2:5-11 · Mark 14:1--15:47 or Mark 15:1-39 (40-47) Roman Catholic: Isaiah 50:4-7 · Philippians 2:6-11 · Mark 14:1--15:47 Episcopal: Isaiah 45:21-25 or Isaiah 52:13--53:12 · Philippians 2:5-11 · Mark (14:32-72) or 15:1-39 (40-47) COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Isaiah 50:4-9a The third servant song. The Lord gives his servant the task of comforting his beaten people. His efforts meet with rejection and abuse but his faith in Yahweh remains unwavering. Lesson ...

78. The Victory Of The Cross

Sermon

Erskine White

Old Testament Text: Psalm 139:7-12New Testament Text: Luke 23:44-49 ... and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. (Luke 23:44b) In the rolling hills of northern New Jersey stands a small church with a large, stone cross cut into an inside wall. Now, it happened that one of the church's wealthier members didn't like the cross there and said it was an eyesore. He offered to give a huge donation to the church in order to take the cross out of the wall and replace it with a stained glass ...

79. We Are Driven!

Jeremiah 20:7-18

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and thou hast prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; every one mocks me. For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, "Violence and destruction!" For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. If I say, "I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name," there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. For I hear ...

80. Singing The Lord's Song In A Strange Land (ii)

Psalm 137:1-9

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

A few months ago, I told a lawyer story in one of my sermons. It was a funny story that didn't speak too well of lawyers. One of our attorneys, Charles Patton, told me he was going to get me back. He hasn't done so, but he did send me a cartoon -- not about preachers -- but again, about lawyers. So, lawyers, I'm not picking on you -- this came from one of your peers. In the cartoon, Moses is on the side of Mt. Sinai. Aaron and other Israelites are there with puzzled questioning looks on their faces waiting ...

81. Palm Sunday

Isaiah 50:1-11, Matthew 27:11-54, Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 50:4-7 Yahweh's servant faces suffering confident of his help. This pericope constitutes the third of the four servant songs in Isaiah. Yahweh's servant hears his voice and is therefore fortified with determination to suffer mental agony in terms of ridicule, false accusations, humiliation, and shame. He suffers confidently because Yahweh will vindicate, help, and pronounce him innocent. Epistle: Philippians 2:6-11 Jesus' humiliation and God's exaltation of him. Paul is ...

82. The Man in the Mirror

2 Samuel 12:1-31

Sermon

James Merritt

I will never forget the first time I was able to actually go to see the Master's golf tournament in person. I wanted to follow a young phenom by the name of Tiger Woods. I was right behind him on the seventeenth tee box to see him rip one of those majestic drives. In the split second that he hit the ball, one man in the crowd yelled at the top of his lungs - "You 'Da Man." Every time you go to a tournament you are going to hear someone yell that at Tiger Woods. I don't know how that phrase got its origin, ...

83. No ... On

Luke 22:66--23:25

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

Today is a strange and peculiar day. It reminds me of a film clip that I am sure many of you have seen. It was November 22, 1963, in DeelePlaza, Dallas, Texas, just outside the Texas Book Depository. There was a parade. In that parade was the limousine with Jackie wearing her famous pink dress and pink pillbox hat. And there was her husband, JFK, waving to the cheering crowds. As we watch them go down the street we shudder, because we know that a disaster is about to happen. Today we remember another ...

84. A Dramatic Rendering Of 1 Kings 19:1-15

1 Kings 19:1-8

Drama

Julia Ross Strope

7 Readers King Ahab Jezebel messenger/servant Elijah servant/friend angel God’s voice (offstage whisper) Props lapel microphones or cordless mics are helpful paper and pen for Jezebel’s letter to Elijah facsimile of tree food tray with loaf of bread, carafe of water and glass cave entrance Costumes Jezebel in seductive contemporary outfit; Ahab in handsome suit and tie; Elijah in khaki slacks and long-sleeve white turtleneck shirt carrying a jacket; servants in blue jeans and black T-shirts (Jezebel is ...

85. A Bloody Cheer!

Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

86. Job's Second Reply to Eliphaz

Job 16:1-17:16

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

Miserable Comforters Job returns to the discussion even more hopeless than before. Whereas he had expressed a determination to carry his case before God when he last responded to Zophar (chs. 12–14), he now seems almost resigned to defeat and rejection by human beings and by God. By the end of this response to Eliphaz, Job declares his hopelessness and prepares to go down to Sheol unrequited (17:16). 16:1–3 As often before, Job’s response begins with a critique of his friends’ lack of compassion and ...

87. Job's Second Reply to Zophar

Job 21:1-34

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

The Inexplicable Prosperity of the Wicked In chapter 21, Job responds to Zophar’s accusations by thoroughly deconstructing the foundation on which they rest. Zophar has claimed that the wicked perish both in an ultimate sense and in their relentless quest for that which does not satisfy—the gnawing greed that consumes the wicked from the inside out. Job assesses Zophar’s claims as so much “nonsense” and “falsehood” (v. 34) when held up to the mirror of real life as Job both knows and describes it. Far from ...

88. What If You Could Change the Ending?

Luke 23:33-43

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever gotten really upset with the ending to a book or movie? If the ending is too unexpected, or too weak, or if they kill off your favorite character, it can ruin the whole story for you. In other cases, the ending might be offensive to some people, but that’s a risk you take when you go to the movies. Here’s something you may not know. Movie censors in China are allowed to change the ending to movies to protect Chinese citizens from “scenes that might disturb social order or impart criminal ...

89. Six Nails of the Cross VI: The Nail of Cruelty

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

I don't know of any time in my life when I have sought more anxiously a relief from the intensity of the drama of the Lenten season. I know that it is not time yet, that the suffering and agony of the crucifixion must precede the joyous proclamation of the resurrection. Yet my heart and my mind revolt against this continual confession of personal inadequacy, of personal pride and guilt. Never before have I longed so for the peace and comfort which my church can give me; for the contented and comfortable ...

90. OUR LORD TORMENTED

Sermon

E. Jerry Walker

Cold, bright moonlight, spilling over Jerusalem transformed the temple area into what might have been a setting out of Roman mythology. Standing on the parapet high atop the Antonia, the Roman Procurator, Pilate, let his gaze drift from the white temple buildings almost directly beneath him to the city beyond, but his mind was seeing the grandeur of Rome and his heart was filled with bitter nostalgia. He did not turn at the sound of steps behind him, nor did he speak when the centurion moved to his side. ...

91. Father, Forgive Them!

Luke 23:33-43

Sermon

John Wayne Clarke

Each of the gospel accounts of the crucifixion has its own peculiarity. Luke presents the trial of Jesus in a way that points fingers directly at the Jewish leaders involved. Luke goes out of his way to make sure we understand that the Jewish leaders are the ones who frame the charges against Jesus. It is they who insist he be crucified. Luke also is careful to make sure that we understand that the Roman governmental officials find no reason for Jesus to be prosecuted. It is important to recognize that it ...

92. The Shared Life of the People of God

Galatians 6:1-10

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Here again chapter divisions do not adequately communicate content and continuity. Verses 24—26 of Chapter 5 could easily be a part of this chapter because Paul is talking about how the Spirit governs our lives in our social relationships. As indicated in our commentary on Gal. 5:13—15, Paul calls us to be servants. This requires more than service when, where and to whom we choose; it is a style of life. We willfully become servants. The constraining force of Christ love replaces the binding force of law ...

93. Life in the Resurrection Zone

Colossians 3:1-4

Sermon

David O. Bales

Sermon Note: Before this sermon something like the following needs to be included the worship: Leader: Since the earliest days of the Christian faith, Christians have greeted one another on Easter morning: The Lord has risen! People: He has risen indeed! Leader: Our Lord Jesus has risen, breaking the power of sin and death, People: and setting us free to live for him. Leader: The Lord has risen. People: He has risen indeed! In the movie, Shawshank Redemption, the character, Red, is being released from ...

94. The Fall of Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 36:15-23

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

The Fall of Jerusalem: Judah’s very sad and violent end at the hands of their Babylonian masters is the theme of the second to last subsection in the book of Chronicles. It is clear from this text that the Chronicler’s intention was certainly not to give a factual account of the end of the Judean kingdom but rather to provide a theological interpretation of this event of the past. Second Chronicles 36:21 particularly links what happened in the past to “the word of the LORD” that came to them “spoken by ...

95. Forsaking All Others

Joel 2:1-11

Sermon

Paul W. Kummer

Can you see the young boys running through the city of Jerusalem yelling, "Blow the trumpets!" and the people of that city yelling back, "What?" "Blow the trumpets! Grab the shofar! We need to let everyone know!" And the people still scream back, "Why? What's going on?" The adults know that the blowing of the trumpets in Jewish tradition can only mean one of three things: 1) It's time to move camp (but wait, we haven't lived in tents for decades!); 2) We need to get ready for war (but I didn't know there ...

96. Mom Taught Me to Share

Acts 17:16-34

Sermon

Johnny Dean

In his book with the catchy title, It Was on Fire when I Laid Down on It, author and ordained minister Robert Fulghum relates a story from his early years in ministry. Fulghum writes that on the Sunday prior to Mother’s Day one year, a member of his congregation approached him and said, "Now preacher, far be it from me (those words almost always spell trouble!) far be it from me to tell you what to preach about. But next Sunday is Mother’s Day, and my MOTHER will be here next Sunday, since it is MOTHER’S ...

97. St. Jim, Your Halo Is Tipped

Sermon

Ron Lavin

1. The sermon for the festival of St. James, the Elder, Apostle is included in this volume for two reasons. First of all, a saint's day affords a good opportunity to look at the story of a person's life. Second, this sermon weaves together three stories: James, Elijah and Jimmy. It is a proclamatory sermon in a three-story mode. The same kind of approach can be taken on any saint's day. Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus. "Teacher," they said, "There is something we want you to do for ...

98. Killing A King

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

"I was treated like a king!" is a common saying when one received the best possible treatment. This is to say that a king deserves and gets the very best. A red carpet is laid out for the king to walk on, lest he dirty his feet. Only the best food is served. His clothes are made of the finest material with top class and style. A king wears genuine jewels, no artificial diamonds or costume jewelry, for a king deserves only the best. A king is given honor, respect, loyalty, obedience, and love. All of this ...

99. Hypocrites

Matthew 6:1-4

Sermon

Brett Blair

It is difficult to find anyone who has a kind word to say about hypocrites. Nobody likes a hypocrite; no one wants to be around one; the last thing one would want to be called is a hypocrite. Hypocrites are, by definition, deceptive, two-faced and treacherous. If discovered, hypocritical politicians are defeated at the polls, hypocritical friends get dropped and hypocritical preachers lose the trusting ears of their congregations. It may well be that our age is particularly tough on hypocrisy. In some ways ...

100. This Is Where We Come In

John 2:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Not every movie is bathed in theological symbolism or significance. The Denzel Washington movie, The Book of Eli, the story of the man with the last Bible on planet Earth, is one that is rife with spiritual underpinnings. But perhaps the most lasting mark Eli will make on my life is that I’ll never see that word “believe” again without thinking of “Eli” and his story. There is another movie that will change forever an everyday activity. Once you see this movie, there is no way you can perform this daily ...

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