Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 1176 to 1200 of 2273 results

1176. Bloody Doorposts

Exodus 12:1-30

Sermon

When I was about twelve years of age I attended a state Boy Scout jamboree. We camped out in the mountains for an extended weekend. We had to bring food with us to eat, but we were told our Saturday evening meal would be provided. But what we did not know was how it would be provided. About four o'clock in the afternoon we were summoned to the road head. There by the side of the road was a tractor-trailer loaded with live chickens! At our campsite we were divided into groups of three, and from that truck ...

1177. The Rain Of Bread

Exodus 16:1-36

Sermon

There is nothing like heading out into the back country, carrying on your back everything you need to survive. Enjoying nature, listening only to the sounds of wildlife, having a bit of creation all to yourself. Of course, there is one downside to it all -- the food. Cans are out of the question, they're too heavy to carry. That leaves only the packaged, freezed-dried variety of food. The pictures on the outside of these packages look inviting, but the actual stuff is all texture and no taste. If there's ...

1178. A Good Friday Vigil

Luke 22:39-46

Bulletin Aid

Alexander H. Wales

The following service is useful in a small room setting, establishing a "come and go" time frame for worshipers to contemplate the events of Good Friday in a personal, meditative manner. The brief service is intended to last approximately fifteen minutes, with worshipers choosing to stay for as long a time as their schedule and lifestyle allow for personal prayer and meditation. It originally was created for use at the end of the school/work day and prior to a family mealtime, but could also be used at a ...

1179. Pain And Promise In The Heart Of God

Hosea 2:2-23

Sermon

Harold Warlick

One of the amazing claims of the Judaeo-Christian heritage is that God takes on the attributes of humans. God's essence is unknown, but the Scriptures claim that God's actions are known. God experiences what humans experience. In the Old Testament God walks in the Garden of Eden. God closes the door of the ark. God smells the fragrance of sacrificed animals. God chases Moses in the wilderness. In like manner Hosea describes God as a wronged husband who seeks to recover his wife who has gone chasing after ...

1180. A Little Book Of Comfort

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

Harold Warlick

The lectionary text for today is part of a larger unit that has sometimes been called "The Little Book of Comfort." Old Testament scholars view Jeremiah 30-31 as a collection of independent oracles inserted into the book of Jeremiah to introduce the hopeful chapter 32 where the prophet of doom evidences his faith in the ultimate redemption of God by purchasing a field at Anathoth.1 Certainly all of us need our little books of comfort. Life deals us its downs with its ups, its discomforts with its comforts ...

1181. A Blessing Behind Locked Doors

John 20:19-23

Sermon

William G. Carter

Every Sunday morning, the people of a church in the Pacific Northwest say, "Peace be with you." They begin the worship service with a hymn of praise. The people confess their sins together, and hear of God's forgiveness. Then they are invited to turn to others around them and pass the peace. It has become an exuberant moment in an otherwise sober occasion. Friends leave their pews to embrace one another. Newcomers are warmly welcomed with a kind word or a hug. Nobody thought much about the weekly ritual ...

1182. Easter Consecration

John 17:6-19

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

A. E. Hotchner has written an autobiographical account of his experience of the Great Depression. He titled this touching account of his boyhood experience in St. Louis King of the Hill: A Memoir. Anyone who lived through that dreadful economic period can readily recognize the painful burdens young and old had to suffer which the author describes. Anyone who did not live through that period would benefit from reading how deeply affected people were by the economic distress that appeared so relentless. ...

1183. Reach Out And Touch Someone

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon

Brett Blair

As Mark's story begins this morning, Jesus, the great physician, is on his way to make an emergency house call. There was a little girl who was in a grave state and her father implored Jesus to come. We are told that a large crowd of the curious followed Jesus. Some were hoping he would succeed, others that he would fail; most probably got caught up in the excitement of the parade. In this throng was one woman who was there for quite a different reason. We are told that for twelve years she had been ...

1184. Helping Hands

Matthew 14:16

Children's Sermon

B. Kathleen Fannin

Object: None. The "aid" in this instance is action. Lesson: Discipleship; God's providence; sharing. It's one of those Sundays on which I have decided to risk doing something different with the children in order to illustrate the point of the message. So, after the youngsters have gathered on the chancel steps, I turn my back to them and begin speaking. "Well, I guess everyone's here. Good morning." Not surprisingly, none of them respond. Still facing away from the children, I continue, "Did none of you ...

1185. Jesus' Ministry Beyond Galilee

Mark 7:24-30

Sermon Aid

Richard A. Jensen

Both of the Markan stories appointed for this week take place in the land of the Gentiles. We have pointed out this Gentile ministry of Jesus in earlier chapters. His Gentile ministry will come to a climax in chapter 8 with the feeding of the Gentile multitude. Today's story of the healing of the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman is an incredible symbol of the breaking down of false barriers for the sake of mission. Jesus breaks all kinds of barriers in this story. He breaks down geographical barriers by ...

1186. The Servant of All's Second Prediction

Mark 9:14-32, Mark 9:33-37

Sermon Aid

Richard A. Jensen

The lectionary moves directly from the story on the Mount of Transfiguration (9:1-8) to Jesus' second "passion/resurrection" prediction (9:30-37). In the intervening passages we see the fear and unbelief of the disciples clearly portrayed. Peter, James and John come down from the mountain with Jesus. They have failed to understand what Jesus means by the "rising of the dead" (Mark 9:10). These are precisely the same disciples who were with Jesus when he raised a twelve-year-old girl from death (Mark 5:35- ...

1187. Calming the Storm

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon Aid

Richard A. Jensen

In the overall structure of Mark's Gospel we now move into material that follows the Parable of the Sower, which is the plot synopsis of the first ten chapters of Mark. This story of the disciples in the boat, along with the whole of Mark 5, is about different kinds of soil. The Sower sows the word and people hear and receive that word in different ways. The rocky-ground disciples are afraid. Fear is one of the fundamental responses to the Sower in Mark's story. Mark's Gospel, in fact, ends with a note of ...

1188. Holy Thursday / Maundy Thursday

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

Greeting: Ldr: The glory of Jesus is seen as he gives himself on the cross. Cng: And the glory of God is seen in the glory of God's gift to humankind. Ldr: "Little children," Jesus said, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another." Cng: Just as Jesus has loved us, we also should love one another. Ldr: By this everyone will know that you are Jesus' disciples. Cng: Glorious God, let the love of Jesus be our gift to others. This will be our glory. Add this line to the beginning of the hymn, "Let ...

1189. Celebrating the Marvel of Growth

Mark 4:30-34, Mark 4:26-29

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

‘Tis the season to plant seeds, garden seeds, love seeds, fun seeds, study seeds, health seeds, spirit seeds, all kinds of seeds. ‘Tis the season to celebrate the marvel of growth Ñ growth in our gardens, growth in our minds, growth in our bodies, growth in our emotions, growth in our spirits. We are celebrating the invisible system of growth that God has programmed into all creation.1 In this season gardens flourish, students graduate, couples take vows of matrimony, families enjoy vacations, and we ...

1190. You Can Never Go Home Again

Mark 6:1-6

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

Thomas Wolfe penned the immortal words, “You can never go home again.” Our Gospel documents that truth in a unique way. Early in his ministry, Jesus and his disciples made a tour through his hometown. The people in Nazareth were unable to accept him as the inspired Teacher. Their judgment was limited to how they had always known him: a child, a young man, a carpenter, a local boy. They were unable to see him as Jesus the Rabbi and the Christ to be. And so they rejected him. It was on that occasion that ...

1191. God’s Flowing and Our Ebbing

Isaiah 6:1-13

Sermon

Robert Noblett

My family and I have spent several enjoyable vacations on the Atlantic Ocean, both at Cape Cod and along the rockbound coast of Maine. Always we have enjoyed the beaches and the pastimes attendant to them. One perennial pastime is the building of sand castles, and I well remember our children building them close to the sea’s edge and how, with tidal changes, the parameters of the ebbing and flowing would be altered, often allowing the ocean to become increasingly bold in assailing what the children had so ...

1192. I Saw a New Heaven

Revelation 21:1-27

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

Two ninety-five-year-old sisters died at the same time and went to Heaven. There they were overwhelmed by the magnificence and glory of heaven. They ooh-ed and ah-ed at the wonders they saw. They couldn’t get over what a matchless place it was. Then one said to the other, “You know, we could have been here five years earlier if you hadn’t insisted on our eating oat bran.” If you’re going to Heaven, the earlier the better, but let God appoint the time. There’s a barbershop quartet song that has these words ...

1193. Tying Up A Strong Man

Mark 3:20-30, 1 Samuel 8:1-22, 2 Corinthians 4:1-18, Mark 3:31-35, Psalm 138:1-8

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

Mark's gospel account very quickly gets into the conflict that will eventually culminate in the death of Jesus. Despite, or because of, Jesus' works which aroused wonder and amazement in the multitudes, opposition also arose. Any activity so extraordinary upset the status quo. His popularity threatened the authority and leadership of the official religion. They had to try to put it down before it got out of hand. Even the friends and family of Jesus were concerned about him. How often do people try to ...

1194. The Unclean Spirit

Mark 1:21-28

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

This healing story is the first pronouncement story in Cycle B. The pronouncement formula presents a situation, builds to a climax, offers a solution and gives a statement of the issue. In the early church, this format made for easier recall of the story for oral retelling. While healing on the sabbath is mentioned in this miracle, the main issue is authority. In another Cycle B miracle for Epiphany 7, healing the paralytic (Miracle 4), Jesus observes rumblings and questions among the scribes (Mark 2:6) ...

1195. Passion Sunday

Mk 14:1 - 15:47 · Isa 50:4-9 · Phil 2:5-11 · Ps 31:9-16

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

THIS WEEK'S TEXT Revised Common: Isaiah 50:4-9a · Philippians 2:5-11 · Mark 14:1--15:47 or Mark 15:1-39 (40-47) Roman Catholic: Isaiah 50:4-7 · Philippians 2:6-11 · Mark 14:1--15:47 Episcopal: Isaiah 45:21-25 or Isaiah 52:13--53:12 · Philippians 2:5-11 · Mark (14:32-72) or 15:1-39 (40-47) COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Isaiah 50:4-9a The third servant song. The Lord gives his servant the task of comforting his beaten people. His efforts meet with rejection and abuse but his faith in Yahweh remains unwavering. Lesson ...

1196. Proper 6

Mk 4:26-34 · 2 Cor 5:6-17 · 1 Sam 15:34 - 16:13 · Ps 20

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Old Testament: 1 Samuel 15:34--16:13 God regrets having made Saul king and Samuel mourns Saul's fall from grace. The Lord instructs Samuel to quit mourning for Saul and go anoint his successor. Samuel goes to Bethlehem, ostensibly to conduct a feast before the Lord. The real reason is to anoint Saul's successor. The sons of Jesse are presented to him one by one. None of the seven eldest sons of Jesse are picked. Samuel asks Jesse if he has other sons. He responds that the youngest son is out in ...

1197. Proper 9

2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, Mark 6:1-13, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: God gives us the authority to bring in his kingdom through our strengths and our weaknesses. COMMENTARY Old Testament: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 David first serves as king of Judah, with his capital at Hebron, for a period of seven years. The leaders of the northern tribes of Israel come to him at Hebron and they agree to make him king over the northern tribes. David's army captures the city of Jerusalem from its inhabitants and it becomes the capital of the united kingdom. David reigns as king of Israel ...

1198. Obedience

Sermon

Mark J. Molldrem

Sunday was a day in Jesus' life that started the week off with palms and praises -- a week that ended with persecution and passion. Today is a strange day. I do not know if I should be happy or sad. If I were with the crowd on that first Palm Sunday, I think I would be happy, publicly shouting the praises of Jesus as he came riding into Jerusalem. If I knew at that time what the rest of the week would bring, I think I would be sad, knowing that Jesus would end up on a cross and buried in a borrowed tomb. ...

1199. The Pageant

Luke 2:8-20, Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Jerry Eckert

[Comment: Emmanuel Church in Horicon was nothing like Faith Church, Milwaukee. There was talent galore, except, it appeared, in theatrical skills. Only one person in the church was active in a community theater and no one seemed to think it should be part of church life. There was no stage in the fellowship hall and the sanctuary was not particularly conducive to plays because there was no lighting except the normal room lights, which gave little flexibility for variations. There was a resistance to ...

1200. Twelfth Night

Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20

Drama

Jerry Eckert

Comment: For Christmas Eve, 1993, we went to a simple format. The liturgist and I alternated as we did prayers, carols, and scripture texts about Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, and concluded with a candlelight ceremony. Planning for 1994 again made us search our imaginations. Maybe these moods go in cycles. We felt we wanted something more for this new year. I suggested the "You Are There" format (from CBS's radio and television programs of that name) and that got several excited. It involved people from the ...

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