Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1051 to 1075 of 2561 results

1051. Job Presents Evidence against the Retribution Principle

Job 12:1--14:22

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

Big Idea: Job points to evidence in life where God’s wisdom and power work contrary to the retribution principle. Understanding the Text As the discussion comes to the end of the first cycle (Job 3–14), Job is not persuaded by the arguments of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. All three of the friends agree that Job must repent of his sin and then God will restore him to the blessing he enjoyed previously. In the first part of this long speech of seventy-five verses, Job speaks to his friends (12:1–13:12). ...

1052. “In the Lord I Take Refuge”

Psalm 11:1-7

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: When our theological foundations are threatened, our fears are disabled by remembering God’s just and majestic character. Understanding the Text Psalm 11 is an individual lament. The lament is quite brief (11:1b) and obviously grows out of the immediate threat of danger that David faced (11:2), which itself grows out of the nature of the wicked “who love violence” (11:5). It is that bigger problem that shakes the foundations of faith and life (11:3), until Yahweh’s vision from his heavenly throne ...

1053. God's of Babylon

Isaiah 46:1-13, Isaiah 47:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The fall of Babylon is first portrayed by the carrying off of her gods (46:1–13). The exile of Babylon’s gods is symbolic of God’s intervention on behalf of Israel. The inability of Babylon’s gods to save her stands in stark contrast to the power of Yahweh. Therefore, the prophet concludes by calling on Israel to listen and respond to God because his salvation is near. As their gods are being carried off, the people of Babylon make every effort to save them, but to no avail. Bel is the title given to ...

1054. Come Clean

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Sermon

Charley Reeb

There is an old story about a mother of eight who walked into her house after visiting with a neighbor and found her five youngest children huddled together in the middle of the living room. On closer examination, she discovered that her children were gathered around a family of skunks. Utterly shocked, she screamed, “Run, children, run!” Responding to their mother’s command, each child grabbed a skunk and ran.[1] This story is a poignant parable of our sinful nature. Like giddy children huddled together ...

1055. Three Things You Can Count On

Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

Charley Reeb

One summer I took a month off for a much needed time of renewal. During my time off I decided to do a little research. I wanted to get the perspective of folks who don’t go to church. Preachers are very insulated in a church bubble. Everything we do revolves around church culture for the most part and that is not all bad. But here is the thing — if the church’s main task is to reach those outside of it then it would be wise for me to get the pulse of those outside the church bubble. How can we be effective ...

1056. Apostles of Christ

1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

God as the Only Real Judge The thought and logic of this passage are clear, although in Greek much of Paul’s language is awkward. Any translation struggles to render Paul’s statements in a sensible and reliable way. These verses begin by informing the Corinthians how they are to regard Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and all other early Christian workers. They are merely servants and stewards who are called to serve Christ as agents of the proclamation of the mysteries of God’s grace. A single quality must ...

1057. David and Bathsheba

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

David and Bathsheba: The mopping-up operation to complete the siege of the Syrian capital Rabbah is described in 11:1, but the completion is not recorded until 12:26–31. In between is the story of David’s involvement in adultery, betrayal, and murder. 11:1 The writers make it clear that David’s presence in Jerusalem at this time was unusual. The fighting season has begun, but at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab. That is, he did not go himself, and the verse stresses that while the army ...

1058. How Well Do You Listen?

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon

King Duncan

Bob Woolf in his book Friendly Persuasion tells a hilarious story that former talk show host Larry King once told him. It seems that Larry was a guest on a morning show in Dallas, TX. The woman who interviewed him was the classic host who asks you a question and then looks off in another direction, not paying any attention to what you say in reply. This host had five questions written out by someone else and she checked off each question as she asked it. Larry noticed she wasn’t listening at all. She was ...

1059. Hope for People Who Are Angry

Ephesians 4:30-5:2

Sermon

King Duncan

A man came to work one day with a bad limp. One of his coworkers noticed and asked him what had happened. The man answered, “Oh, nothing. It’s just an old hockey injury that acts up every once in a while.” The coworker was surprised at his answer. “I never knew you played hockey,” he said. The man explained, “Oh, I didn’t play hockey; I hurt it last year during the Stanley Cup play‑offs. When I lost five hundred dollars on the final game, I put my foot through the TV set!” (1) When we’re angry we do some ...

1060. All in the Family

Acts 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

In his book God, Help Us! R. J. Chandler tells a wonderful story of a church that celebrated Pentecost Sunday in a unique way. They had the young children process down the aisle while carrying large cardboard flames to symbolize the Holy Spirit. However, as in most children’s programs, not everything went smoothly. One little boy became upset when he realized he had forgotten his flame. Not having a piece of cardboard to carry, he ran up and down the aisle flapping his arms, then stopped and announced for ...

1061. Can We Really Love Our Enemies

Luke 6:27-36

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

I am often uncomfortable when someone tells me they love me. I am not talking about an honest affirmation, but about a critic who has just taken my hide off and concludes the shellacking with an account of her godly affection. "Brother Bayer, you are a rotten, no good, pagan, secular-humanist, but I want you to know that because I am Christian and I love you." Thanks just the same, but I'd rather be despised. Occasionally someone that I have a difficult time loving will cross my path. When I'm honest I ...

1062. Raison d’Etre

Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 5:17-20

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

“The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent...” Most people think that it was Don Draper, the main character in the TV series, Mad Men, who first introduced and spoke of the idea of an indifferent universe, and he did, in fact, use that phrase. But he wasn’t the first. Others believe that the first was Carl Sagan, and he did say that “the universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent.” But he was only paraphrasing another great thinker. ...

1063. Why I Believe In The Resurrection

John 20:1-9

Sermon

Brett Blair

You probably do not remember the name Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin. During his day he was as powerful a man as there was on earth. A Russian Communist leader he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution 1917, was editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda (which by the way means truth), and was a full member of the Politburo. His works on economics and political science are still read today. There is a story told about a journey he took from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism ...

1064. Easter Power

Acts 14:8-18

Sermon

Will Willimon

We're now four Sundays beyond Easter. The Sunday crowd is smaller. We have no trumpets today and the music is not as stupendous as that we sang on Easter. Yet, if you put your ear to the ground, you can still hear it rumbling, even as the earth heaved on that first Easter mom. Beneath the somewhat sedate rhythms of today's service, you can still sense the throb of the Easter tempo when the stone was rolled away and the angels began to shout, when the power of God was unleashed, dead Jesus was unchained, ...

1065. The Good

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Will Willimon

I always hold my breath on Sundays until I find out which texts are assigned by the ecumenical lectionary. Look, I realize that your high tuition pays my modest salary, so naturally I want to make a good impression on visiting parents. (And let me take this opportunity to thank all of you parents for your tuition payments. Without you, not only your Duke sons and daughters, but even this preacher, wouldn't be here!) At any rate, I want to look good for the visiting parents, to reassure you that your kids ...

1066. Jesus' Vacation

Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

Will Willimon

I know that many of you are here on vacation. I admire you for your faithfulness. Even though you are on vacation, you have come to church. Vacations are wonderful opportunities to, as we say, "get away from it all." A period of time, set aside from life's daily difficulties, when we unburden. Where there are usually alarm clocks, there is sleeping in until ten. Where there were bran flakes at breakfast, now jelly filled doughnuts. The daily office grind is replaced with the arduous task of unfolding the ...

1067. Why Did Jesus Come?

Luke 2:21-52

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

My parents did not attend church when I was a child. A godly aunt and uncle asked my parents if I could attend church with them in 1951 when I was four. Fast forward to Christmas 2018 and I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have missed church. I entered pastoral ministry in 1970 while in seminary and have preached dozens of Christmas sermons. Each time I preach an Advent message I have to ask myself the same question, “Why did Jesus come to earth?” The ending story of our text tells of ...

1068. For the Glory of Christ

John 12:20-33 · Hebrews 5:5-10

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Maybe you've had a similar experience. There was a mother who asked her two and 1/2 year old daughter: "Would you like an ice cream sundae?" The daughter got real upset and replied, "No...I want ice cream now." (1) Then some time back, in the comic strip The Ryatts, the little boy, Winky is sitting on the couch, Mom comes in and says, "Winky, your socks don't match." Winky looks at his socks and then says, "I tried to find some...but none of the socks in the drawer belong to the same family." (2) Sometimes ...

1069. The Richest Family in Church

Luke 4:14-21

Sermon

King Duncan

It’s tough to preach your first sermon at a new church. Most pastors experience at least a few jitters as they head to a new church to preach. Can they remember the main points to their sermon? Will the sound system work? Will the congregation stay awake? It’s nerve-wracking. Not exactly on par with the stresses faced by police officers or brain surgeons or middle school teachers, but nerve-wracking in its own way. So I appreciate a story Pastor John Jewell shared about his first time preaching as a supply ...

1070. Sheep and Shepherds

John 10:11-16 · Psalm 23

Sermon

Will Willimon

Someone was telling me about a college, somewhere in the Midwest, that had a large contingent of Iranian students. Back when the former Shah was deposed, the students demonstrated at the college administration building. The president went out to speak to them and, during the course of their negotiations, the president casually remarked something to the effect that, “You look like a bunch of sheep out here.” With that, the students went on a campus-wide rampage, breaking windows, threatening other students ...

1071. I Need

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

Dave Zuchelli

My lovely bride and I used to laugh about our youngest daughter’s use of the phrase, “I need…” It seems as though she never simply wanted things — she “needed” things. At one point in her life, these two words became her mantra. “I need this dress. I need a car. I need to go out tonight. I need…” I don’t mean to pick on her, because I’m sure most other parents go through a similar stage with each of their teenagers. They all need something. Interestingly enough, their actual needs are already being met (in ...

1072. Close! But No Cigar!

John 3:1-17

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever gotten an unexpected visitor? Maybe you’ve just settled into your easy chair for the evening. Your only plan is to turn off your mind and relax a while. And then the doorbell rings. There go your plans. Who knows what needs are on the other side of that door? All you know is your plans for the evening just got put on hold. You may remember a story that made international news back in 1982. Very early in the morning of July 9, 1982, a young man named Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace ...

1073. The Gracious Dream

Genesis 28:10-17

Sermon

Will Willimon

We were having this Bible study on the book of Acts, eighth chapter, I think, where Philip is visited by an angel. And someone spoke up, "Angels, angels. What are we to do with all these Bible stories about angels? I've never seen an angel. Nobody I know has ever seen an angel. Can stories about angels be relevant to modem people?" Her question touched my recent experience. I told her about it. Just the day before, a student had made an early morning appointment with me. I knew her somewhat vaguely. "After ...

1074. The Fearful Meeting

Genesis 32:1-20; 33:1-4, 12-14

Sermon

Will Willimon

There has been "The Donna Reed Show," "Ozzie and Harriet," "Father Knows Best," "Leave It to Beaver," "The Brady Bunch," "The Cosby Show," and more recently, the wildly popular "The Simpsons." School principals in Ohio and California condemn Bart Simpson as "a poor role model" -- bristle-headed little charmer that he is. Then there's prissy Lisa, blob of a baby Maggie, and poor old Homer and Marge. Here is the family Americana, warts and all. In one episode Marge drags everyone to Sunday School hoping to " ...

1075. John the Baptist and Mrs. Nolan

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Kelly LeDoux, Duluth, Minnesota tells about a time when she and her four-year-old son were putting out cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve and she accidentally dropped one of the cookies. “No problem,” she said, picking it up and dusting it off before placing it back on the plate. “You can’t do that,” argued her four-year-old son. “Don’t worry,” Mom said, “Santa will never know.” Her son shot her a look. “So he knows if I’ve been bad or good,” her son said, “but he doesn’t know the cookie fell on the floor ...

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