Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 101 to 125 of 160 results

101. Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian

Drama

Thomas A. Renquist

Reader 1: He was called “the world’s greatest living human being.” By the age of 30 he was recognized as a brilliant theologian and acclaimed as an organ virtuoso and interpreter of Bach. But the real greatness of Albert Schweitzer did not lie in any of those accomplishments but rather in his decision to give up those promising careers and become a medical doctor in the jungles of Africa. In 1875, Albert Schweitzer was born in a Lutheran parsonage in Alsace, the territory that bounced back and forth ...

102. Proper 8

Mark 5:21-43

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

WHAT'S HAPPENING? By interjecting the story of the woman who suffered from hemorrhages into the middle of the story of Jairus' sick daughter, the writers suggest these two miracles are designed to be studied together. First Point Of Action As a crowd gathers around Jesus, who had just crossed the water, Jairus, a synagogue official, comes to Jesus and begs him to save his sick daughter. Jesus goes with him, the crowd following and pressing in on him as he goes. Second Point Of Action In the middle of this ...

103. God on His Throne as the Sovereign Creator

Revelation 4:1-11

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: The heavenly beings worship God as the sovereign Creator and Ruler of the universe. Understanding the Text Following John’s introductory vision of the risen and glorified Christ and his messages to the seven churches in 1:9–3:22, the scene shifts from earth to heaven in 4:1. This throne-room vision of Revelation 4–5 anchors the rest of the book. This vision first presents God as the sovereign Creator seated on his throne (4:1–11) before turning to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, as the only one ...

104. Beware! Caution! Danger!

Acts 14:8-20

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

We may not always heed warning signs, but we still like to feel we have been told of approaching danger. We see signs everywhere that read: "Beware of the Dog," "Watch Your Step," "Danger! Thin Ice," "No Smoking. Oxygen in Use," "Watch for Wet Paint," "Dangerous Crossing," "Caution! No Lifeguard on Duty," and on and on they go. One cannot help but recall the story of the preacher who stood and announced his text. He began to read with increasing fervor, "Behold, I come quickly!" Then, for added emphasis, ...

105. Voluntary Blindness

Matthew 6:1-15

Sermon

Herchel H. Sheets

"Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." That sounds impossible, doesn’t it? Wholeness was a major emphasis of Jesus’ message, was it not? Is he here asking us to become split personalities? No, with purposeful exaggeration he is simply emphasizing that "theatrical virtue does not count in the Kingdom of God,"1 and that we, therefore, should pay little attention to our good deeds. Some of the people among whom he lived were doing just the opposite of that. They were "religious" ...

106. Walking the Valley of the Lost

2 Samuel 1:17-27

Sermon

Donald Zelle

After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag; And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said: "Thy glory, O Israel, is slain uponthy high places!How are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath,publish it not in the streets ofAshkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistinesrejoice, lest the daughters ...

107. The Master at Prayer

Luke 22:39-46

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Recently I dropped by one of my favorite restaurants for breakfast. I noticed that my customary waitress was not her usual bubbly self. I asked if everything was okay. She said, "No," and then proceeded to tell me about her family and financial problems. I asked if it would be okay to offer a prayer. She agreed, so I did as she stood there beside me holding a coffee pot. About a month later I was back in the restaurant. She looked absolutely overjoyed. Before I could ask why, she said to me, "Hey, your ...

108. I Found It!

Luke 15:1-7, Luke 15:8-10

Sermon

Carl B. Rife

"Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:8-10 For those of you who may have not been here during this series on bumper sticker religion and for others who ...

109. True Blood

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The most famous journalist saying of all time is arguably “if it bleeds, it leads.” Rolling Stone magazine decided to take that adage literally. The 18 August 2010 cover of Rolling Stone magazine featured a bloody mess and it was a huge hit, creating a big stir, selling lots of copies. Wearing nothing but dripping, smeared, puddling blood, the three young stars of "True Blood" posed in way meant to sell magazines rather than report on the series. "True Blood" is an American television drama series. It ...

110. FaithRace

2 Timothy 4:6-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

There is no excuse for not running the race of life. Christians need no longer fear that their lives are going nowhere - like some kind of hamster-wheel marathon. Christians are called to join the faithrace, where the "finish" line is just the beginning of our life in Christ. Paul chose his words carefully when he proclaimed to his long-time companion Timothy that he had fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith. But today, one is reluctant to reinforce the athletic imagery. In medieval ...

111. The Miracle Fruit

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

“Miraculin.” If you haven’t heard of it before, you’ll no doubt hear of it in the future. In fact, you will probably be invited to a “miraculin” party someday. “Miraculin” or “miracle fruit” is a small berry that grows on a plant in West Africa that looks like a rhododendron. The technical name is the “Synsephalum dulcificum” plant. It looks somewhat like a cranberry, or when unripe a coffee bean, and has a slightly citrusy taste. [If you can order some in advance from this website, and get people to try ...

112. Marriage

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

The seventh chapter of Paul’s letter to Corinth is a complex and challenging series of related observations and directions that have often lost or puzzled later readers of the epistle. Paul’s statements in these verses are more often misunderstood than grasped and appreciated for what they say. The commentary that follows will focus on smaller segments of the writing in an effort to elucidate and explicate Paul’s thinking and teachings. Verse 1 states the Corinthians’ position. Verse 2 states Paul’s ...

113. Marriage, Sexual Intimacy, and Spiritual Devotion

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: Husbands and wives must protect each other from sexual temptation and recognize their obligation to take care of each other’s sexual needs. They are co-owners of each other’s bodies. Understanding the Text Although Paul’s discussion on sexual immorality in chapter 6 makes the transition to his discussion on sexual obligations in marriage smooth, chapter 7 introduces a new section that continues through 11:1. After his extended discussion of the Corinthian Christ followers’ troublesome allegiance ...

114. Paul's Chains Advance the Gospel

Philippians 1:12-30

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

Paul’s Present Situation The Christians of Philippi were deeply concerned about Paul. They cherished a warm affection for him; they knew that he was now in custody awaiting trial and that his case was due to come up for hearing soon before the supreme tribunal of the empire. How was he faring right now? And what would be the outcome of the hearing when once it took place? How, moreover, would its outcome serve to advance the gospel throughout the Roman world? Paul knows what is in their minds, and he ...

115. The Fall of Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 36:15-23

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

The Fall of Jerusalem: Judah’s very sad and violent end at the hands of their Babylonian masters is the theme of the second to last subsection in the book of Chronicles. It is clear from this text that the Chronicler’s intention was certainly not to give a factual account of the end of the Judean kingdom but rather to provide a theological interpretation of this event of the past. Second Chronicles 36:21 particularly links what happened in the past to “the word of the LORD” that came to them “spoken by ...

116. 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

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The themes of sin and death, which have been central to the Lenten Old Testament lessons up to this point, give way to divine promise of life and blessing in Genesis 12:1-4a . Psalm 122 takes the divine promise of life and blessing into the setting of worship, where it functions both as a song of praise to God for the gift of peace and salvation, and as encouragement to the worshiper to seek the security of God's grace. Genesis 12:1-4a - "The Working Out of God's Blessing" Setting. ...

117. Israel Unrepentant

Hosea 6:1--7:16

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

Israel’s Hollow Repentance (6:1-6): Contrary to the LXX, which connects this passage with 5:15 by the addition of the word, “saying” (as in the RSV), this pericope is complete in itself as one more record of Israel’s deceitful ways toward God. Overcome by Assyria’s engulfment of them (see the comment on 5:8–15), the Israelites call a day of repentance in the effort to secure for themselves God’s aid once again. Such fasts of repentance are held in Israel whenever there is a calamity of any sort—defeat by ...

118. Blemished Sacrifices and Admonition for the Priests

Malachi 1:6-14, Malachi 2:1-9

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

Reverence for God’s Name: The second speech continues the theme of family relationships and domestic life as a metaphor for Israel’s life with God. Verse 6 introduces the Lord as a father figure and master of a patriarchal household. By the contempt they have shown for the Lord’s table and the food placed on it, the priests have fouled their own home, hurt the other family members, and brought the name of the Lord, their father and master, into disrepute. Yet an opportunity for restoration and renewal ...

119. The Jews and the Law

Romans 2:17-29

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Psalm 51 records the confession of David when the storm of guilt from his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah broke upon him. Psalm 51 is, in fact, descriptive of the human condition, “I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.… Surely I was sinful at birth” (vv. 3, 5). It may be possible to maintain confidence in one’s virtue if one limits or controls the field of comparison. It is common, for instance, in comparative studies of various kinds, to compare the strengths of one system ...

120. Mirror, Mirror ON The Wall . . .!

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

Do you remember the fairy tale "Snow White"? Recall how the wicked witch peered into her magic looking glass and said, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?"\n The mirror's answer was quite disappointing. "It's certainly not you, Ugly!"\n Does your mirror ever do that to you? Sad to say, but thousands of people's mirrors disappoint them each day.\n Have you ever known someone to look at a photograph of himself in his high school yearbook and say, "Golly, I take an awful picture. ...

121. Proper 25

Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew 22:41-46, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, Psalm 90:1-17

Sermon Aid

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

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Deuteronomy 34:1-12 is the account of Moses' death on Mount Nebo, his burial by God, and the passing on of his leadership to Joshua. Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 is a prayer ascribed to Moses. The lectionary does not include v. 13, but it is included here since it introduces the prayer ascribed to Moses. Deuteronomy 34:1-12 - "Standing Tiptoe on Mount Nebo" Setting. Deuteronomy 34 is the account of Moses' death. The chapter consists of careful to graps location in Moab and includes a reference ...

122. Are You Living the Three Advents?

Romans 13:11-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Theme: The Christian tradition invites us to celebrate 3 advents the 4 weeks of advent. It would help your sermon if you wore some kind of “garment” that signified your ordination or calling. The Word-Made-Flesh . . . Exegesis of Romans 13:11-14 It seems strange that as the church’s calendar enters into its most hopeful, anticipatory season, the first of our four Advent readings turns once again towards that final Day of Judgment and end-time scenarios. Yet the eschatological words from Paul to the Roman ...

123. THE NEIGHBORHOOD GAP

Sermon

William McKee Aber

In this pre-Lenten period we are thinking about the gaps in life - gaps between generations, between sexes, between races - in short, all of the separations that exist in our world, pulling us apart and rupturing relationships that were meant to be vital. Our thesis has been that there is in fact a God who is cncerned about gaps - who meets us in the midst of our separation, and who may enable us to bridge the gaps that exist. Today we come to one of the most difficult of all - the neighborhood gap. When, ...

124. Epiphany 2

John 2:1-11, Isaiah 62:1-12, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

Wine Miracle On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you. 6 Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty ...

125. Epiphany 6

Luke 6:17-26, Psalm 1:1-6, Jeremiah 16:1--17:18, 1 Corinthians 15:12-34

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The numbering of the Sundays of Epiphany warns the liturgically-initiated that the climax of the season of manifestation and ministry is approaching, and that with it comes the beginning of Lent. Christmas and the Epiphany of our Lord have diminished in the thought and worship of the churches by this point in Epiphany. Theological clues continue to surface in the name - Epiphany - of the season that the Episcopal and Lutheran churches use for these Sundays. "Ordinary Time 6" and "Proper 6 ...

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