Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1101 to 1125 of 4943 results

1101. Samuel Anoints Saul

1 Sam 9:1–10:8

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... . 1 Sam. 14:51 describes Ner as Kish’s brother and Saul’s uncle. The word translated young man in v. 2 does not necessarily imply extreme youth. There is no problem with the description of Saul as having his own possibly teenage son by the time he takes up his position as king (13:1–2). 9:13 The sacrifice is likely to be the fellowship offering, in which a portion of the animal is burned “before the LORD” and the rest is eaten by the worshipers in a celebratory meal. The mention of invited guests ...

1102. Instruction for Temple Entry

Psalm 15:1-5

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... for worshipers (vv. 2–5a) and a promise (v. 5b). 15:1 A literal translation of verse 1, “Who may sojourn (Hb. gwr) in your tent (Hb. ʾohel); who may camp (Hb. škn) on your holy hill?” makes plain that the liturgist is inquiring not about taking up permanent residence as a priest or Levite but about making a pilgrimage (see on Ps. 61, esp. v. 4). The reference to Yahweh’s “tent” need not imply pre-temple origins for the psalm. This term continued to be used well after Solomon (see on 27:4 ...

1103.

Psalm 77:1-20

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... , namely with the exiles in need of God to lead them back to the promised land. This psalm presents God with a forceful appeal for help and also guides the worshipers who use it to new paths. Although it contains no formal petition, its reminding praise takes up this function, and it gives God the freedom to act according to his own discretion. With blunt honesty, worshipers confess that they have failed to reach God in prayer and that their attempts to find consolation in the past and to fathom the ways of ...

1104. Praise in the Mouth and a Sword in the Hand

Psalm 149:1-9

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... 148:14). This interpretation, in fact, is consistent with the larger reinterpretation of the exercise of power that takes place in Psalms 144–148 (see “Limits of Psalmic Spirituality” in the Introduction). Thus, rather than calling on God’s people to take up the sword, our psalm calls on them to inflict vengeance via the realm of worship. Finally, we should note that this is not blind vengeance; it the execution of justice to carry out the sentence written (lit. “written judgment”) against them ...

1105. Titus Sent to Corinth

2 Corinthians 8:16--9:5

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... exhorted the Corinthians to complete the collection that they had begun (8:7–15), Paul recommends the emissaries he will send to take it to Jerusalem (8:16–24; cf. 1 Cor. 16:3–4, where Paul’s original plan was different). In doing so, Paul takes up where he left off in verse 6, with the sending of Titus. Paul wants to send Titus back to Corinth with two companions in order to bring the collection to a fitting conclusion. Paul did not need letters of recommendation to or from the Corinthians (cf ...

1106. The Cost of Discipleship

Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:11-13). Yes, the Christian life will not be easy, but Jesus never promised an easy road. Quite to the contrary, he suggested just the opposite: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34b). Unfortunately, although the teaching of Jesus is very clear and straightforward, we don’t want to accept the fact that discipleship will actually cost us something; we want a smooth, easy ride to life eternal ...

1107. The Feast of Leviathan

Luke 24:36b-48

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... to their ability to carry on his mission. In these power and meaning-packed passages in which he appears to them again and again in various ways, he seeks to leave them with deep messages that will essentially seep into their souls and take up residence there, informing their ministry from that day forward. Clearly, one of Jesus’ core messages involves the importance of “flesh.” We need to pay attention to his zeal to appear in human form. With his bodily appearances, Jesus affirms God’s creation as ...

1108.

Psalm 149:1-9

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

1109. More Than Sex

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... May the Lord God of my fathers preserve me from such a poor, starved religion as this." In other words, a passionless religion. I am sure that some of you know about the Frog Follies that comes to Evansville every year. It is a hot-rod show that takes up just about all the hotel space in the area and is usually the same weekend that freshmen move into UE. While I am not personally involved in restoring old hot-rods, it is impressive to see the time, energy, and money -- the passion -- that persons invest in ...

1110. Holy Thursday / Maundy Thursday

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

... ' glory shines because he still loved them and gave his life for them. And now, children, just as Jesus washed the first disciples, he washes you and removes all of your sin. Cng: If our glorious Teacher and Lord can do this for us; then we can take up his example of bowing down in service to others. Ldr: By this everyone will know that you are disciples of Jesus Christ, if you have love for one another. Commissioning and Blessing Know that Christ still bends down to wash your feet every day. Receive his ...

1111. Easter 7

John 17:20-26, Psalm 47:1-9, Acts 7:54--8:1a, Acts 16:6-10, Acts 16:16-40, 1 Samuel 12:1-25, Revelation 22:7-21

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever." The Psalm Of The Day Psalm 47 (L, alternate - E) - Here is one of the psalms that is appointed for use on the same Sunday of the three-year lectionary cycle, but with different readings, of course. This psalm takes up the refrain of Easter and, in a manner not intended or even imagined by the writer, makes it apply to the Ascension of Our Lord: it actually puts the people who worship on this Sunday in places beside the disciples after the ascension; they went back ...

1112. All Saints' Sunday

Mt 5:1-12 · Is 26:1-21 · Rev 21:9-11, 21-27

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... Book of Life dwell. Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes. THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 1. Disciples (v. 1). The Beatitudes are addressed to the disciples of Jesus, not to the public. A disciple is one who believes in Jesus, one who takes up his cross and follows. Christians are blessed or happy people. Does the average Christian convince you of this? Followers of Jesus are happy because they possess the virtues mentioned in the first part of the Beatitudes and because they reap rewards in heaven ...

1113. A Book Which Reads Us

John 4:1-26

Sermon

Robert Bachelder

... this world. There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to give it to you, but they never quite keep their promise. The longings which arise in us when we first fall in love, or first think of some foreign country, or first take up some subject that excites us, are longings which no marriage, no travel, no learning can really satisfy. I am not now speaking of what would ordinarily be called unsuccessful marriages, or holidays, or learned careers. I am speaking of the best possible ones. There was ...

1114. THE SCANDALOUS GOSPEL

Illustration

John H. Krahn

... s love through Jesus Christ brings peace to troubled lives, but Jesus warns us that it is not to be peace by compromise or evasion. Many of us enjoy wearing a finely fashioned silver or gold cross around our necks. Jesus says that, "He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." Jesus calls us to bear a cross, not simply wear one. Our life needs to be one of involvement, one that sometimes produces tension for the sake of Christ. We read Scripture and discover a Christ who conducted ...

1115. Should Christians Always Oppose War?

Romans 13:1-7

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... of the awful suffering brought about by any war, our United Methodist Book of Discipline declares that "We deplore war and urge the peaceful settlement of all disputes among nations." (2) Isaiah the prophet revealed God's plan for a world in which "nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4b) The Psalmist saw God working toward the same goal. "He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with ...

1116. Where Is Your Heart?

Luke 12:22-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... or a sport. Joe Jacoby of the Washington Redskins was once quoted as saying, "I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl." To which Matt Millen of the Oakland Raiders replied, "To win, I'd run over Joe's mom, too." There is something about taking up a sport of any kind that brings out a radical level of commitment even when we are not very good at that sport. Two men were chatting casually at work. The conversation turned to golf and one asked the other, "Do you play?" "Yes, the younger man replied ...

1117. Excellence In Living

Romans 12:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

... plants, at one time personally conducted over 6,000 experiments searching for a solution to a particular problem. Effort always results in excellence, and the same is true with the Christian life. Jesus told his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up the cross and follow me." I'm sure that there are people who join a church in order to say they that are members. I'm sure that there are people who slip out the back doors of the church, hoping that no one notices them or ...

1118. Overcoming The Destructive Dont's That Have Shaped Our Lives

2 Corinthians 1:12--2:4

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... the lost dignity and self esteem in souls who slouched in fear. He encouraged people to claim their God given privileges and stature" (Shelby, Ibid). But you have to balance that strong emphasis of Jesus with His call to be servants, to deny ourselves, to take up the Cross. When you find that balance you have an assertiveness that is not self serving. Now a third word. Because the Divine "Yes" has been spoken you can claim your place without robbing another of his place. Having kept too close company with ...

1119. Servant Song

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... from the "real world." Can we live a good life in a society where goodness is out of fashion, and believe with all our hearts that God's goodness will triumph? Our text for the morning sets forth that sure belief. Jesus' command to all us disciples was, "Take up your cross and follow me," and if we wish to obey that command, we may expect the words of our Isaiah text to become true in our lives also, as they became true in his. But that means life abundant with God, good Christians, and the glories of ...

1120. Easter 5

John 14:5-14, John 14:1-4, 1 Peter 2:4-12, Acts 7:54--8:1a, Psalm 31:1-24

Sermon Aid

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

... 's power to save. Significance. This psalm is a powerful appeal for divine preservation and vindication. It is familiar to us because in the Lukan Passion narrative Jesus utters part of v. 6 as he is dying on the cross (Luke 23:46) v. 1 The psalm takes up a major theme of appeal in the entire Psalter: "refuge." The idea of seeking refuge in the Lord expresses the desire for security or vindication from God. The psalmist is concerned that he or she not be shamed. For the ancients, matters of honor and shame ...

1121. Tiny Bad Habits

Matthew 16:21-28

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

... more athletic. Maybe our family has more money. Maybe we feel we are prettier. And we start to think we are better than other people, and we begin to treat them in a way that makes them feel bad. Jesus said that anyone who follows him must humble himself and take up a cross and follow him. One of the things this means is that we treat other people the way we would like to be treated. We treat them with kindness and respect. We treat them as other children of God, who loves us all the same.

1122. Dusting Off Our Gratitude

Joel 2:21-27

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

... is being ushered in. Joel's prophecy is fulfilled. Peter preaches to the believers gathered in Jerusalem at Pentecost that Joel's prophecy has been fulfilled. Following in the footsteps of Joel, author John Steinbeck was a contemporary prophet in his own right, taking up the plight of those living off the land. In his Nobel Prize-winning novel, The Grapes of Wrath, he brings together the human heart and the land, as he commingles both our external and our internal landscapes. Today's migrant farm workers ...

1123. Mark 8:27-38

Mark 8:27-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... is unprecedented. After two millennia of "cross" imagery, our senses are not as shocked by this reference as Jesus' listeners must have been. The pain, brutality and degradation of a death by crucifixion including the spirit-stripping practice of making the condemned "take up his cross" on this final death march to the execution site was a torture reserved for only the most despised of state criminals. Yet this is the very image Jesus chooses to represent as the fate of his most devoted disciples. As ...

1124. Mission Possible

Acts 1:8

Sermon

James Merritt

... to Brazil. I am going to be leading a mission trip to Brazil. I have been there before and it is one of the most open and receptive countries to the Gospel you have ever seen in your life. It is one of my favorite countries. We are going to take up to 40 people on this mission trip and I want to encourage you to join me on this trip. In fact, I believe in this trip so much, my entire family is going with me to make an impact on a country that is desperately in need of Christ. The ...

1125. The King and His Throne

Acts 1:1-8

Sermon

James Merritt

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