Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1076 to 1100 of 1795 results

Mark 13:1-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... its bag. A few hundred refinements later, the Hoover family popularized and sold door-to-door the motorized sucking machine dubbed the vacuum cleaner. It doesn't take a degree in interior design to notice how the humble vacuum cleaner has ably reflected the styles and dreams of popular culture. In the 1930s Hoover incorporated a round headlight into the front of their cleaning machines causing countless children to turn off the lights, plug in the vacuum, and play train with the noisy machines. In the 40's ...

1077. There Will Be No Adults in Heaven

Mark 10:13-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... about age eight he turned the brim around folded it in just his way and established his own look. While his everyday hats have generally moved from sporting the decals of a baseball team to the advertising his favorite skateboard outfitter, his style and distinctive crease have remained constant. This fall he felt deeply offended and personally assaulted when his school adopted a new dress-code: no hats to be worn during school hours. Suddenly, along with everything else that goes with entering eighth grade ...

1078. The Oneness of Twoness

Romans 14:1--15:13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... as one—-the choir, the praise team—-can always be as great a source for enmity as it is for enjoyment. No matter how large or small, exquisite or simple, professional or prosaic, in the choir/praise team there are always differing opinions about style, sound, song selection, and solos. In the end, however, all musical groups accomplish what Paul wanted for those Roman Christians two thousand years ago: many voices join together in one voice to glorify God. A choir or praise team is successful the moment ...

1079. Looking for Shoots or Roots?

Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... this time of the year to live life “Adventually.” What if we thought of “Advent” less as a noun than as a verb or an adverb? What if Advent described not so much a specific time of year than a way of living a life--a life style sought, a mind set followed. What is Advent was not so much something we celebrated as something we did, something we lived. As Michael Blewett, the witty and provocative associate rector at the Church of St. Michael and St George in St. Louis summarizes it, “Eventually, we ...

1080. In Life Nothing Works but the Impossible

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... own personal whisper-in-the-ear message. Anyone remember the one-second dancing hot dogs that used to flash across movie screens to subliminally suggest to patrons a suddenly craving for a hot dog? It was also done with popcorn. Same idea, twenty-first century style. But this time with a “real” voice whispering a message only you can hear. More than a bit creepier, I think. Hearing messages no on else hears, even if they are in a dream, is definitely unsettling. We read that Joseph receives a message ...

1081. A New Vision

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

... no longer hunger for a fresh encounter with God? God loves searchers. The wise men, first of all, were searchers. They were searchers who set out on a journey of faith. This is important. There are many journeys people take. Some people journey into alternative life-styles, some journey into alcohol and drugs. The magi had a specific goal in mind for their journey. We find it in the very first verse of our lesson for today: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi ...

1082. Listen Slowly

Illustration

Brett Blair

... wife and our children, choking down my food at meal times, and feeling irritated at those unexpected interruptions through the day," he recalled in his book Stress Fractures. "Before long, things around our home started reflecting the patter of my hurry-up style. It was become unbearable. "I distinctly remember after supper one evening, the words of our younger daughter, Colleen. She wanted to tell me something important that had happened to her at school that day. She began hurriedly, 'Daddy, I wanna tell ...

1083. Advent 3

Psalm 146:1-10, Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-12, Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... of life lived in confident anticipation of the fulfillment of divine promises: First, as v. 8 makes plain, Christians live with an altered point of view. Believers interpret the present in terms of the Lord's future, which radically alters their life-styles. Christians live as someone reading a mystery novel after having read the last chapter of the book first; knowing the outcome produces an informed reading of the book. Second, v. 9 unpacks the signifi- cance of this Christian perspective on life by ...

1084. All Saints

Psalm 34:1-22, Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 2:28--3:10, Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... Matthew "spiritualized" the concept of the poor (as he does mourning, hunger, and thirst in the subsequent lines), moving beyond a literal sense. In Israel, a class of people, often genuinely impoverished, called themselves "the poor." The term designated a style of piety that allowed nothing other than God to be the basis of security. Being poor, having nothing, was celebrated as an opportunity for absolute, radical dependence upon God. Such piety was not passive, however, for faith was no placebo. Persons ...

1085. Easter 4

Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23:1-6, 1 Peter 2:13-25, John 10:1-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... the conversion of multitudes of people at (and following) Pentecost. The image of the social setting is clearly eschatological in nature. The conviction that they were living in "the last days" led these believers to a radically altered life-style. They are pictured as being continually in worship. They pooled their resources. And we read that "many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles." Structure. These verses present a brief, straightforward summary of the circumstances among the Jerusalem ...

1086. Epiphany 4

Psalm 15:1-5, Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1087. Lent 1

Mt 4:1-11, Rom 5:12-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... for handling this problem. One can either engage in didactic activity—and unlike Ash Wednesday this may be a good time for such proclamation—or one can shift the metaphor to preserve the sense of Paul's discussion without taking on the hazards of his style of argument. If one chooses the path of the teaching sermon, there are many helpful commentaries that should be carefully studied (for example, the commentaries of P. J. Achtemeier, C. K. Barrett, K. Barth, C. E. B. Cranfield, J. D. G. Dunn, E. K ...

1088. Lent 2

Psalm 121:1-8, Genesis 12:1-8, Romans 4:1-25, John 3:1-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... Genesis 15:6 to show that Abraham's belief in God was the occasion of his being reckoned righteous; then, he quotes Psalm 32, which uses language similar to the Genesis quotation, to pronounce a blessing on those whom the Lord forgives. Paul's style of arguing may seem strange to modern readers, but it is standard first-century Jewish scriptural interpretation. The use of Abraham as a type employs midrashic techniques to advance an argument that is validated by a correlated text from elsewhere. Paul's point ...

1089. Proper 9

Psalm 45:1-17, Romans 7:7-25, Matthew 11:25-30, Matthew 11:1-19, Genesis 24:1-67

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... ? How does this challenge our theology and what difference does the God of Jesus Christ make for our living? For the fourth item: What are our human limitations, especially as they cause us to misperceive God and Christ? What is the yoke of Christ—what is the style of living to which he calls us? What kind of disciples are we? What evidence of Christ's yoke shows in our lives? Does Christ's promise of a light yoke comfort us? challenge us? threaten us? This passage invites us in our reflection to look at ...

1090. Proper 14

Genesis 37:1-11, Matthew 14:22-36, Romans 9:30--10:21, Psalm 105:1-45

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... that the Israelites ignorantly sought a righteousness of their own rather than the righteousness of God. Some could reply to Paul that Scripture directed the Israelites to do exactly what Paul accuses them of doing in error. Thus Paul engages in a rabbinic style of argumentation that essentially explains away the literal sense of a text and replaces it with another text. In v. 5 Paul states the text that seems to contradict his position (Leviticus 18:5) . Then in the following verses he laces together six ...

1091. Proper 17

Exodus 3:1-22, Matthew 16:21-28, Romans 12:9-21, Psalm 105:1-45

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... is the same as the reassurance in the call narrative, namely that God is present with Israel, sharing their risk at a time of oppression, and that God is also their Savior. NEW TESTAMENT TEXTS The text from Romans advocates a genuinely Christian life-style based on full confidence in God; and the Gospel reading focuses on two related passages concerned with the character of Christ's ministry and the character of discipleship. Romans 12:9-21 - "Trusting God and Living a Life of Genuine Love" Setting. The ...

1092. Proper 19

Exodus 13:17--14:31, Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 14:1--15:13, Exodus 15:1-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... existence; and finally, vv. 10-12 amplify the argument by stating Paul's point theologically. Significance. In a nutshell Paul says differences in religious practices are not matters that ought to divide believers. Paul recognizes and allows certain differences in styles of piety, but he argues that these should not fragment a community that has been united by faith in one Lord. The preacher confronting this text faces a challenge. The concrete issues addressed in the passage are highly time conditioned ...

1093. Proper 21

Exodus 17:1-7, Matthew 21:23-27, Matthew 21:28-32, Philippians 2:1-11, Psalm 78:1-72

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... salvation of God is so obvious should provide a telling balance to the story of how Israel tested God at Massah/Meribah. NEW TESTAMENT TEXTS The lesson from Philippians issues a call to put others ahead of ourselves, and it informs us that such a life-style is Christlike and made real by the work of God in our lives. The Gospel text shows us Jesus debating his opponents over what makes one truly acceptable to God. Philippians 2:1-13 - "The Call and Promise of Christlikeness" Setting. Philippians 2:5-11, the ...

1094. Proper 24

Exodus 33:12-23, Matthew 22:15-22, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Psalm 99:1-9

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... church and community. Prayers of thanksgiving express gratitude for particular acts of God in the world and the life of the church. Many churches have adapted the custom of dumping all these types (except confession) into something called "Joys and Concerns." The style differs from parish to parish, but certain problems seem to persist. Frequently no prayer is offered at all. Lists are announced, but God is not addressed. Or else the minister then summarizes the list for God, repeating all over again what ...

1095. Proper 26

Joshua 3:1-4:24, Matthew 23:1-39, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, Psalm 107:1-43

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... praise of the people. Next, in vv. 9-12 Jesus' words address the crowd, but he seems to be speaking to followers, even members of the Church. He instructs his hearers away from attempts to gain earthly honor and directs them toward a life-style of humility. Significance. The problem with the Pharisees according to this text is that they don't practice what they preach. Strikingly, Jesus does not condemn the interpretation of the law offered by the Pharisees; rather he says, "Do whatever they teach you and ...

1096. Proper 27

Joshua 24:1-27, Psalm 78:1-72, 1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11, Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon Aid

Soards, Dozeman, McCabe

... the banquet itself. Our anticipation of the coming of Christ means that our expectation of the full advent of the kingdom of heaven allows the substance of the kingdom itself to grasp our lives and to shape us into citizens practiced in the life-style of the kingdom of our Lord. The lamps of the bridesmaids became the lights by which the dancers at the wedding banquet performed. Our preparation is more than an admission ticket, it is our training for attendance. As we encounter eschatological texts such as ...

1097. Transfiguration

Psalm 2:1-12, Matthew 17:1-13, 2 Peter 1:12-21, Exodus 24:1-18

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... . The letter opens in common epistolary form, naming the sender, the recipients, and issuing a greeting (vv. 1-2). Then, vv. 3-11 meditates on the significance of the believers' "call and election." In v. 12 the letter moves into a first-person style. Verses 12-15 state Peter's intentions, motivations, and purposes for writing. Our lesson continues, still in the first person, but moving to the plural, "we," and speaking as one of the eyewitnesses of the Transfiguration (vv. 16-18) in order to authenticate ...

1098. Thanksgiving Day, North America

Luke 17:11-19, Deuteronomy 8:1-20, Psalm 65:1-13, 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... apostle's use, but a title which may have been their self-designation. Although the super-apostles clearly came from Jewish-Christian circles, they were like other Hellenistic religious propagandists of that day who had a flashy, obviously powerful style of ministry—powerful in proclamation and powerful in deeds. There are distinguishable sections to II Corinthians. The recognizable portions of the letter are so distinct that many scholars conclude the canonical letter is a later editor's compilation of ...

1099. Changed Lives - Nicodemus

John 3:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

[While King Duncan is enjoying a well deserved retirement we are going back to his earliest sermons and renewing them. The newly modernized sermon is shown first and below, for reference sake, is the old sermon. We will continue this updating throughout the year bringing fresh takes on King's best sermons.] Original Title: Changed Lives – Nicodemus New Title: What Does “Born Again” Mean? If you have ever been around a child who is mentally challenged and has difficulty with speech, you may appreciate a ...

1100. Getting a Handle on Our Faith

John 11:1-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... who ever lived, Joseph Stalin, had a term for writers who made a living taking pen in hand: “engineers of human souls.” Only God should engineer the human soul. One reason so many of our faces look like following Jesus is more a life sentence than a life style is because we’re trying to wear other people’s faces and not our own. A Lighter Moment: I love puns. Sorry, I just do. I just discovered the finalists for the “10 Best Puns of 2004.” Here is my favorite of the 10: Mahatma Gandhi, as you ...

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Antonyms: deficient, imperfect

Showing 1076 to 1100 of 1795 results

1076. Making a Clean Sweep

Mark 13:1-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

1077. There Will Be No Adults in Heaven

Mark 10:13-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

1078. The Oneness of Twoness

Romans 14:1--15:13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

1079. Looking for Shoots or Roots?

Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

1080. In Life Nothing Works but the Impossible

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

1081. A New Vision

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

1082. Listen Slowly

Illustration

Brett Blair

1083. Advent 3

Psalm 146:1-10, Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-12, Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1084. All Saints

Psalm 34:1-22, Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 2:28--3:10, Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1085. Easter 4

Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23:1-6, 1 Peter 2:13-25, John 10:1-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1086. Epiphany 4

Psalm 15:1-5, Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1087. Lent 1

Mt 4:1-11, Rom 5:12-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1088. Lent 2

Psalm 121:1-8, Genesis 12:1-8, Romans 4:1-25, John 3:1-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1089. Proper 9

Psalm 45:1-17, Romans 7:7-25, Matthew 11:25-30, Matthew 11:1-19, Genesis 24:1-67

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1090. Proper 14

Genesis 37:1-11, Matthew 14:22-36, Romans 9:30--10:21, Psalm 105:1-45

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1091. Proper 17

Exodus 3:1-22, Matthew 16:21-28, Romans 12:9-21, Psalm 105:1-45

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1092. Proper 19

Exodus 13:17--14:31, Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 14:1--15:13, Exodus 15:1-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1093. Proper 21

Exodus 17:1-7, Matthew 21:23-27, Matthew 21:28-32, Philippians 2:1-11, Psalm 78:1-72

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1094. Proper 24

Exodus 33:12-23, Matthew 22:15-22, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Psalm 99:1-9

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1095. Proper 26

Joshua 3:1-4:24, Matthew 23:1-39, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, Psalm 107:1-43

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1096. Proper 27

Joshua 24:1-27, Psalm 78:1-72, 1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11, Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon Aid

Soards, Dozeman, McCabe

1097. Transfiguration

Psalm 2:1-12, Matthew 17:1-13, 2 Peter 1:12-21, Exodus 24:1-18

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1098. Thanksgiving Day, North America

Luke 17:11-19, Deuteronomy 8:1-20, Psalm 65:1-13, 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

1099. Changed Lives - Nicodemus

John 3:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

1100. Getting a Handle on Our Faith

John 11:1-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

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