Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 76 to 100 of 1795 results

Romans 13:11-14

Sermon

Heather Sugden

Years ago, I was staying in a hotel near the airport in anticipation of an early morning flight the next day. The hotel had an alarm clock in the room, and, being an independent type, I decided to set the alarm myself rather than bother the staff member at the front desk for a wake-up call. This was before the days of wide spread cell phones, when nightstands in hotels often had clock radios with built-in alarms. This episode happened so long ago, in fact, that a person needed to talk with another human ...

77. Hearing A Familiar Voice

John 10:22-30

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

As parents of three wonderful daughters, my wife and I can sympathize with the couple who sent their child off to college, only to find out a few months later that she was dating another student, and that the two of them were already talking about marriage. The troubled parents urged their daughter to bring her boyfriend home so that they could meet him. When the college twosome arrived and hurried and worried greetings were made at the door, Mom shunted daughter off to the kitchen while Dad guided the boy ...

78. God Is Like...a Parent

Hosea 11:1-4 · Luke 15:1-32

Sermon

Kenneth L. Gibble

What is God like? We’ve been exploring that question, each time with a different image for an answer. So far, we’ve thought about how God is like the words “I Am,” how God is like a potter and how God is like bread. Today we turn to an image that is probably more familiar than any other for most Christians ― God as parent. The religion of the Hebrews was not the first to regard God as father. Do you remember your Greek mythology, where Zeus was the father of the gods? And though we have no written records ...

79. Crossing The Desert Or Protecting Our Vehicle?

Acts 17:16-34

Sermon

King Duncan

In a picturesque Italian town stands a beautiful cathedral that was built in the fourteenth century. The beauty of the church has inspired countless people for hundreds of years. The church is the tallest building in the town and can be seen from a considerable distance. It is truly a monument of faith. Tourists visit this beautiful old cathedral and marvel at its art and treasures. You might think that such a beautiful cathedral would be filled with worshipers each Sunday. You might even think that it ...

80. Night and Light

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... happened? Allison said she always felt as if they were each listening to different music. Gary had the rumbling beat and twang of country in him, and she moved to the provocative drive of rhythm and blues. It was not that they particularly liked those two styles of music; rather, said Allison, it was a sense that each of them was responding to a different note or melody or beat in life. They couldn’t get it together. Eventually both Allison and Gary moved in with other people. Neither married again. Their ...

81. The Captain's Voice

Luke 24:44-53

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

I was walking through a building on a college campus when I spied a student lounging in an overstuffed chair, feet propped against a wall, reading a book that I had written. “That’s my book!” I said too loudly and suddenly, amazed to find someone eyeballing my words. With a start, she glared at me as if I were crazy. “This is mine!” she said. “I just bought it at the bookstore.” I apologized, and then explained to her that I was the author of the volume she held. She was amazed and my ego was stroked, and ...

82. Calculated Christianity

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

Jill J. Duffield

Grit is trending these days. Have you heard of it? There was a viral TED talk by Angela Duckworth in 2013 and then she published a book of the same title in 2018 ― Grit: The Power Of Passion And Perseverance. In a nutshell, “grit” is mental toughness, the ability to persevere and keep at it in order to achieve a long- term goal. Like calculating what it is going to take to build that big tower and then keeping after it, no matter that a storm knocked it down or that the permit got delayed or that thieves ...

83. Ish-Bosheth Murdered

2 Samuel 4:1-12

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

The Murders of Abner and Ish-Bosheth: 3:6–11 Although Ish-Bosheth was titular head of the northern tribes and Abner seemingly made no attempt to change that, real power centered around Abner. The fate of the country lay in his hands, and verse 6 implies that he took action to ensure that this remained the case. It is not surprising that Ish-Bosheth, who seems to have left all the decision making to his general (3:8–17), felt threatened by Abner (v. 11). Whether or not Abner had a relationship with Saul’s ...

84. Simeon (A Monologue)

Luke 2:22-40

Sermon

David E. Leininger

I am old and ready to die. To be truthful, I have been ready to die for years, but right now, I feel ready as I have never been before. You see, earlier today, in the temple in Jerusalem, I met a young couple who had come with their young son for the ritual of purification, and I knew when I saw them that a promise which God had made to me had been fulfilled. Now I am ready to die. I suppose I should explain. Perhaps you know me; perhaps you don’t. My name is Simeon. I am a rabbi, a member of the Sanhedrin ...

85. I Am Somebody!

Mark 1:4-11

Sermon

David E. Leininger

I suspect that, having made it to mid-January, you would say that you have successfully survived the holidays. True? The celebration of our Savior’s birth — Christmas; then the New Year; finally the Feast of the Three Kings on January 6th — Epiphany (which for many has become the Feast of Taking Down the Decorations!). Today I want to suggest that there is one more holiday we should be observing — this day, the one the liturgical calendar designates to remember the Baptism of the Lord. If the witness of ...

86. Doing What Matters?

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

John B. Jamison

Let’s begin with a question. If you met someone who was hurting, who had lost their job, or were maybe afraid of losing their home, or were worried about their children, if you truly wanted to show God’s care for that person, what could you do? While you think about your answer, let’s remember the story Luke tells us today. A lot has happened in a very short time. Jesus was baptized, he began gathering disciples, he performed a miracle at a wedding in Cana, he went to Jerusalem and caused a major ...

87. Glowing Network

John 14:23-29

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

During World War II, many members of the Lutheran church in Germany lost their faith because Hitler seduced them into ways of living that kept them from practicing their faith. But there was one man whom Hitler could not compromise. His name was Martin Niemöller. During World War I, Niemöller had been a great hero in the German military but when the Second World War came, he refused to bow to the authorities. He was marching to a different drumbeat. And march he did. When Hitler could not make him change ...

88. Beloved

Mark 7:24-37

Sermon

Lori Wagner

We are all connected; To each other biologically To the earth, chemically To the rest of the universe atomically. --deGrasse Tyson Last week, we saw Jesus letting us know what it means to be “holy” or “different” as opposed to “common.” Hint. It’s not about our perceived physical or biological differences! This week, we see him once again affirming the strength of what binds us together as a “common” people, as a “common” creation! Jesus spends a lot of time in the passages we are reading right now to make ...

89. Bread for the Journey

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

I spent a lot of my adolescence on church mission trips. We called them work camps back then. Every time the church van was about to leave the parking lot, just after the driver had turned the ignition key someone would ask, “How long ‘til we get there?” Now, when I’m behind the wheel I give the same answer, that was given to me’ “Over a few hills, around a few bends, we’re practically there.” I can repeat this answer more times than the asker repeats the question. I can be very patient. Back in the day, ...

90. For Someone of Distinction

Matthew 5:13-16 · 2 Timothy 4:1-2, 6-8

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

If You Build It, They Will Come [You need to describe the wonderful experiences of that person’s life and tell of the wonderful memories they’ve left behind.] There was a movie made several years back that I believe many will remember. The movie starred Kevin Costner. It was entitled A Field of Dreams. It’s a beautiful, whimsical tale of a young farmer who hears a voice from a cornfield say: “If you build it, they will come!”[1] “Build what?” He wants to know. Build a baseball diamond was the answer. “Who ...

91. For Someone Who Led A Magnificent Life

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 · 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 · 2 Corinthians 4:6-11 · Luke 24:13-35

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

... on the Mercy leadership team but I’m willing to bet that each one of them was taught at one time or another by Bill Stanton. In Bill’s early years as a priest, he was a regular instructor of the novices of the Mercy order. His teaching style, his charisma endeared him to many and especially so was the fact that he was their window to the outside world. Back in the days of old, novices couldn’t read newspapers, listen to the radio or watch television. So, whenever the novice mistress left the room ...

92. Going Home – Part One: Which Me Will It Be?

Luke 4:14-21

Sermon

John B. Jamison

Things began moving so quickly. First was the baptism at the Jordan River and the day after that, the first disciples began following him. They went to Galilee, where more disciples joined and the crowds began to appear, wanting to hear him speak. The next day, he performed his first public miracle at a wedding in Cana. The next day, he was back at the Sea of Galilee, in Capernaum, resting briefly before making the trip to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover and take a highly visible stand against the ...

93. When Following Is Not Enough

Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

Sermon

John B. Jamison

The crowds had been coming constantly. A lot had happened since the day Jesus spoke to the group on the hillside by the sea. His reputation had grown, and he knew that meant that his time was growing shorter. So Jesus got Peter, James, and John, three of his first disciples, and as they had done several times before, he led them out to a place away from everyone where they could be alone and pray. In the past, they had gone up north to Caesarea, and they had taken shorter trips into the wilderness to the ...

94. For Someone Who Filled Their World With Laughter

Zephaniah 3:14-18 · Job 8:20-22

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

Laughter [Tell of their humorous nature, describe their positive qualities.] A man from Chicago left its cold and snowy weather for a sunny vacation in Florida. His wife, who was on a business trip, was expected to join him the next day. After settling in a Florida hotel, the husband decided to send his spouse an e-mail. As it turned out, he had misplaced her e-mail address. Trusting his memory, he typed in what he believed was her address and with it a message. But unfortunately, he was one character shy ...

95. Completion and Dedication of the Temple

Ezra 6:13-18

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

The Green Light: This chapter draws to a triumphant close the accomplishment of the first mission given by God through the Persian king Cyrus in 1:1–4. Stage one was realized by chapter 3. Now stage two is brought to a satisfying finale in the completion of the temple-building project. The temple represented the heart of Israel’s spiritual life as the sign of God’s presence with the people, the focus of their worship and the source of divine blessing. Now, in principle, the postexilic community stood on a ...

96. The Passover

Ezra 6:19-22

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

97. The List

John 6:27-38

Sermon

John B. Jamison

Before we go to the hillside to hear what Jesus has to say to the crowds, I have a question. Do you ever read those little labels on things you buy — those warning labels? Some of them are simply fascinating. Some of them make you stop and wonder just why they have been put there. For example, I saw a sticker on a wheelbarrow the other day that read, “Not intended for highway use.” I have to admit that I stood there for a few moments with a lot of images going through my head. Or the label on the baby ...

98. Elijah on Mount Carmel

1 Kings 18:16-46

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Elijah and the Prophets of Baal: Chapter 17 launched Elijah suddenly into the public arena of Israel’s politics (v. 1) only to whisk him away again into the privacy of the Transjordanian wilderness and a Sidonian home. There he has contributed in a small way to the war that the LORD is now waging upon the worship of Baal, while leaving the drought to do most of the damage. The time has now come for his reappearance on the main stage—for the great battle of the war, indeed. The drought is to end, but before ...

99. Healing of the Water

2 Kings 2:19-22

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Elijah Gives Way to Elisha: Elijah’s days have been numbered ever since 1 Kings 19:15–18. The end of the war with Baal-worship will not come about, we know from that passage, until Elisha has succeeded his mentor and Hazael and Jehu have appeared on the scene. We are now to hear of the first of these events, as the prophetic mantle passes from Elijah to Elisha. As Elijah has called fire down from heaven in chapter 1, so in chapter 2 he will be lifted in fire up to heaven, and Elisha will be authenticated ...

100. Elisha is Jeered

2 Kings 2:23-25

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

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