Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1151 to 1175 of 5000 results

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

... 12:12 (NRSV). When they asked Jesus whether they should pay taxes and he looked at a coin and said, “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and give to God the things that are God’s” — they were utterly amazed at him Mark 12:17 (NRSV). When the Sadducees tried to trap him by cleverly asking him about the resurrection, his response left them speechless. Then along came the scribe from today’s passage. This is the only story in the whole New Testament in which a religious figure ...

1152. Proper 18

Psalm 139:1-24, Philemon 1:8-25, Philemon 1:1-7, Jeremiah 18:1--19:15, Luke 14:25-35

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... Scripture Deuteronomy 33:9 -- Levi ignored his kin, including mother and father. Matthew 10:34-38 -- A parallel teaching about hating family and cross bearing, but without the parables. Matthew 16:24 -- A disciple must take up the cross and follow Jesus. Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26 -- Simon the Cyrene is impressed to help Jesus carry the cross. John 12:25 -- Those who love their life will lose it; those who hate it in this world find it for eternal life. Other Towers in Scripture: Genesis 11 ...

1153. No Shortcut To Glory

2 Kings 2:1-18

Sermon

William L. Self

... to linger here. This overpowering religious experience was for a purpose. It was to allow these disciples to understand that Jesus had a mission from God and that this was helping to prepare Jesus himself for the difficult events to come. In the Gospel of Mark this transfiguration scene is one of recognition, the moment in which the reader and a chosen few are permitted to see Jesus in full glory. As a cloud formed, overshadowing them, they heard a voice saying, "This is my beloved Son ... Listen to him ...

1154. By What Authority?

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

John A. Stroman

... back on something so secure? There appears to be only one answer: they believed Jesus' word to be true. They literally took him at his word when he declared, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near, repent, and believe in the good news" (Mark 1:15). They did so believe. Belief Involves Action The call of God in your life may not be as radical, but it can be just as meaningful, nevertheless. For you it may mean forsaking a familiar past for a problematic future -- like taking a new job ...

1155. Our Days Are In His Hands

Proverbs 3:1-2

Children's Sermon

Robert B. Lantz

... for this time of year, isn't it, boys and girls? We all want to look forward with anticipation of happiness for ourselves and for others as well. Why do we have a New Year's Day holiday? (Responses may vary greatly. Aim for the idea of marking new beginnings, at least in our time accounting system.) We mark the passage of time by the sun and the rotation of the earth around the sun, don't we? It takes just over 364 days for the earth to complete one revolution around the center of our solar system. And we ...

1156. The Golden Rule

Mt 7:12 · Gal 6:7

Children's Sermon

Robert B. Lantz

... off a graph, help draw straight lines, and so forth.) Yes, those are all good uses. I think one of the most important things about a ruler is that it sets a standard for us. If our ruler is marked off in inches or centimeters, provided it has been marked off properly by the manufacturer, we can always depend on it to give us the proper measurement if we use it correctly. If that weren't true, then we could never build anything. We are dependent upon having a sure standard. We Christians have a standard by ...

1157. The New Year

Luke 14:28-30

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

... information, we can be prepared for what is to come. For example, if you want to send a birthday card to a special friend, you need to mark that date on a calendar as a reminder to get a card or get it mailed in time. So, the calendar reminds us that it is ... to come; and that is an important lesson for everyone. Today, I have a calendar that you can take home for your own use. I suggest you mark the important dates on it and put it up in your room to remind you of the things you need to do. God has given us ...

1158. Country Songs and Easter Hymns

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Thomas Long

... been raised. He is not here. Tell his disciples to meet him in Galilee." Matthew is even better. Jesus himself appears to the women with the comforting call to return to Galilee, "Do not be afraid. Tell my disciples they will see me in Galilee." In regard to Mark and Matthew, as Kitty Wells would have put it in her tremolo twang, "If you're looking for Jesus, you'll look in the country." But not Luke. "Stay in the city," says the risen Christ, "until you are clothed with power." It is clear that, in Luke ...

1159. Forgiven!

Sermon

Lee Griess

... 's Gospel reading from John 12. It's an unusual story -- this story of the anointing of Jesus' feet with oil. All four Gospel writers include it in their writing, but only John records it as happening in the house of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell essentially the same story (in fact, most Bible commentators agree that it is the same story). However, in the first three Gospels, the woman who anoints Jesus' feet is not identified as Mary, but simply identified as "a woman of the city ...

1160. Stop Being Afraid

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Marc Kolden

... kingdom. Even that is a promise, although it must be understood in light of Peter's bitter weeping when he realizes what he has done and the subsequent word of the angel at the tomb to be sure to include Peter in the news that Jesus is risen (Mark 16:7) and the marvelous account of Jesus' threefold restoration of Peter (John 21:15-19) after the resurrection. Today that same crucified and risen Lord is in our midst, allowing us to stop being afraid because of the powerful love of God on which the promise is ...

1161. The Word Jesus Spoke

John 2:13-22

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

... told a story. Our sacred story for today said that they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. Long before, Jesus had said to his disciples, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." At the end of the conflict stories in Mark Jesus left the Temple for the last time. Sitting on the Mount of Olives, looking down at the Temple, he told his friends of the new temple, which would bring in God's time and the new heaven and earth. "Listen ...

1162. The Christian Journey I: The Path

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... to get moving. But the journey does not always begin with Jesus speaking. It may just as well begin with us. Later in Mark's Gospel, there is another interesting story that is set at the side of the path. As he and his disciples and a ... me see again." Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.-- Mark 10:46-52 Once again, it is obvious that some preparation had occurred, because when Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus passing by he knew ...

1163. Prayers for Epiphany

Bulletin Aid

Rolland R. Reece

... deep, so pervasive, that no one's forgiveness will ever take it away. Then through a friend, a family member, or a complete stranger we come across a word, a phrase, a lyric, a line of poetry, a forgotten Bible verse that convinces us that the indelible mark of guilt can be erased after all. Then our hearts beat faster and hope takes up residence in our souls. Sometimes, God, life brings us a shattering and devastating experience that only a week before we couldn't have imagined. Therefore we come to you as ...

1164. A Cultural Breakthrough

Acts 16:6-10

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

... results, the traditional place of women in our society still prevents some of us from receiving women in ministry, industry, business, and politics as equals. It's time for a cultural breakthrough. Lydia's response to her encounter with Paul marked not only her freedom but a new freedom for people of mixed classes, cultures, and race. At a time in our society when racism, sexism, ageism, racial prejudice, violence, AIDS, cancer, TB, infant mortality, incest, rape, abortion and crime, cross racial ...

1165. Advent 2

Mark 1:1-8, 2 Peter 3:1-18, Isaiah 40:1-31

Sermon Aid

E. Carver McGriff

... in prayer, and are sincerely trying to live by what we know to be the moral rules of life, we will discover that though there may be dark and painful days in our lives, we will never be abandoned by God. We will be saved, through Jesus Christ. Mark 1:8 · Hearts Inspired Theme: There are times when I'm with my more conservative friends when I get the idea they use "Holy Spirit" as kind of a code word for a very intense sort of religion, something like having had an old-fashioned conversion experience. Now ...

1166. Gifts of Lent III: A Family Gives Their Home

Luke 22:7-38

Drama

Donald Neidigk

... to this room. It hasn't always been that easy. There were times when that gate was locked against our enemies. Not that locking it would really have done any good if they really wanted to get in. May I introduce myself? I'm John Mark. You probably just know me as Mark. This house was where my mother Mary and I lived along with Rhoda, our servant girl. My mother and I were not particularly brave people. We wanted nothing to do with a rebellion. We had no interest in politics. But somehow during that week ...

1167. Anger - Eleven Ways To Blow Up, Seven Ways To Cool Off

Matthew 5:21-26

Sermon

R. Curtis Fussell

... mistake, who does not do things in a proper manner and put things in their proper place. As a perfectionist be sure to fuss loudl about bills and letters misplaced, typewriter mistakes, late appointments. You will hit the boiling point in no time and help others hit the mark quickly, too. 2. If you want to be angry, don't listen to anyone else's view but keep pushing your own. No one else in the world knows as much as you do. Always believe that your way is the best way. State your view often and preferably ...

1168. Proper 18

Romans 13:8-14, Romans 13:1-7, Ezekiel 33:1-20, Exodus 12:1-30, Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... are instructed by God to make ready for the Passover. They are to assemble in household groupings, slaughter an unblemished lamb, roast and eat it, applying the blood of the lamb on the lintel and doorposts of their houses. God promises to pass over the houses marked with the blood and effect judgment on the houses of the Egyptian people, who are holding them captive. The Hebrews are to keep this feast as a remembrance of the Lord's great act of deliverance. Old Testament: Ezekiel 33:(1-6) 7-11 God reminds ...

1169. Choose To Be Chosen

Mark 6:7-13

Sermon

George W. Hoyer

... the duo of apostles. "At whose supreme command?" asked the villagers. "Jesus of Nazareth" would have been the answer. And thus the message of the apostles became the same as that which the Lord himself had been proclaiming in Galilee. "Repent and believe in the good news" (Mark 1:15). The best of the good news is Jesus. Jesus is the proof of our chosen-ness. Jesus was not yet telling his disciples everything. This was still early on in their training. And early on in our Lord's redeeming work. He had scarce ...

1170. Serving Our Purpose

2 Corinthians 3:18

Children's Sermon

B. Kathleen Fannin

... doesn't have a point," he complains. "Would this one work better?" I ask reaching into my sleeve and producing a freshly sharpened pencil. "Yeah!" he sort of growls. "You still want me to write my name?" "Yes, please," I reply. "That was rather a dirty trick, wasn't it, Mark?" His grin returns as he agrees that it was. "Well, I didn't do that to be mean," I assure him. "I did it to make a point. You see, we all recognized that the purpose of the pencil was writing. But I wanted you to understand that it ...

1171. Second Sunday of Easter

John 20:19-23

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

... personal visit, a letter, E-mail, or any other means of saying "I forgive you" could be part of this reaching out. Drama and Movement Recruit a male dancer from the congregation to do a simple interpretation of the lesson as it is read. This person could show the marks in his hands and side. (Let these be seen in the worshipers' minds. Don't try to use makeup to imitate Jesus' real wounds.) Visuals Purchase charcoal art markers from a local artist supply retailer. Then, as the worshipers enter the sanctuary ...

1172. What Does Jesus Expect of Us?

Mark 8:27-38

Sermon

Donald Macleod

... faith, countless ministers and missionaries of the Cross have been caught up with the grandeur of this sacrificial enterprise. Denying comforts, careers, and material gain, they have said, with St. Paul, "Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus." (Galatians 6:17) 3. Jesus expects us, by sharing his life, to reach an understanding of what our life ought to be. William Barclay wrote, "God gave us life to spend and not to keep." There are life hoarders whose eyes are ...

1173. Mission Ready!

Mark 6:7-13

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

... down with Excess baggage. His words are tough: “Take nothing but a walking stick; no bread, no money, no carry-on bag. Wear sandals but no extra shirt.” I will paraphrase what I can imagine Jesus may have uttered to them in addition to the word preserved by Mark. He means, I don’t want you to be loaded down with anything that you don’t need. I want you to he completely free so you can meet and greet people and tell your story without any hindrance. I don’t want you to carry anything that might ...

1174. Bread of Another Kind (Bread of Life II)

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

... is the Bread of Life. I affirm wholeheartedly that for all believers Jesus is the Bread of Life. Nevertheless, I am one who prefers to think that St. John said these words. All of the “I am” declarations are completely out of character when compared with Matthew, Mark and Luke. In those three Gospels Jesus made no claims for himself. As a matter of fact, he took great pains that people should not know who he was until they saw it for themselves. St. John gives us an entirely different view. In John’s ...

1175. Learning The Basics

Mark 10:1-12

Sermon

Robert Salzgeber

... :9) Taking this thought one step further, Paul says that marriage is a matter of mutual respect! The consideration of Ephesians 5:21-31 will sensitize us to the notion that Paul was not about to play into the hands of the Pharisaic trap of Mark 10. Ephesians 5 is part of what is called a "household code" during the time of Jesus. Typically these so-called "household codes" spelled out the rights and obligations of husbands and wives, parents and children, and masters and slaves. "Household codes" were very ...

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