Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1226 to 1250 of 1409 results

1226. The Death of Jesus

Mark 15:33-41

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

15:33–41 This portion of the narrative of Jesus’ execution is full of dramatic events, including the darkness from noon till mid-afternoon (v. 33), Jesus’ cry to God (v. 34), his last cry (v. 37), the tearing of the temple curtain (v. 38), and the statement of the Roman officer (v. 39). But at least some of these events hint at the significance of Jesus’ death. For example, the darkness not only suggests in general that something momentous was happening, but it also may be an allusion to Amos 8:9 (“I will ...

1227. Jesus Sentenced to be Crucified

John 19:1-16, John 18:28-40

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The sentencing of Jesus to death takes place within the framework of a series of exchanges between the Roman governor Pilate and the Jewish religious authorities. The time is from early morning (18:28) to noon (19:14) of the day after Jesus’ arrest. The structure of the narrative is determined by the fact that the Jewish authorities, for reasons of ritual purity, would not go inside the palace that served as Pilate’s headquarters (v. 28). Contact with the dwelling of a Gentile—even a temporary dwelling, ...

1228. The Death of Jesus

John 19:28-37, John 19:17-27, John 19:38-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The mention of the soldiers by the NIV in verse 16b makes the natural and probably correct assumption that it was the Roman soldiers of verse 23 who took charge of Jesus. Though the verb took charge is, strictly speaking, used impersonally (i.e., “they” took charge of Jesus, or Jesus “was taken into custody”; see the first note on 18:28), its close link with verse 16a suggests the continuing involvement of the chief priests (and their officials) in all that happened. Clearly, they are present, as is Pilate ...

1229. The Burial of Jesus

John 19:38-42, John 19:17-27, John 19:28-37

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

1230. Two Kinds of Wisdom

James 3:13-18, James 3:1-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

Wisdom for the Tongue Like the Pauline churches, James’ church was a church of the Spirit. Though there were formal offices, such as elder (5:14), there was no ordination process or schooling needed to teach and preach. As a result it was relatively easy for people with some ability, but worldly motivation, to put themselves forward as teachers. (Our modern seminary-ordination process makes this take longer, but it is not successful in preventing it; rather, it makes such a person a more permanent fixture ...

1231. Elijah Taken Up to Heaven

2 Kings 2:1-18

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Elijah Gives Way to Elisha: Elijah’s days have been numbered ever since 1 Kings 19:15–18. The end of the war with Baal-worship will not come about, we know from that passage, until Elisha has succeeded his mentor and Hazael and Jehu have appeared on the scene. We are now to hear of the first of these events, as the prophetic mantle passes from Elijah to Elisha. As Elijah has called fire down from heaven in chapter 1, so in chapter 2 he will be lifted in fire up to heaven, and Elisha will be authenticated ...

1232. Healing of the Water

2 Kings 2:19-22

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

1233. Elisha is Jeered

2 Kings 2:23-25

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

1234. Thank God We're Free at Last

Romans 6:12-23

Sermon

King Duncan

In January 1985, a large suitcase was discovered at the customs office of the Los Angeles International Airport. Inside the suitcase was the dead body of an unidentified young woman. U.S. Customs agents who discovered the body immediately launched an investigation. What they uncovered was a tale of a horrible tragedy that resulted from the desperate desire of two young people for freedom. The dead woman was the wife of a young Iranian living in the U.S. Her desire was to join her husband. However she was ...

1235. How Well Do You Listen?

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon

King Duncan

Bob Woolf in his book Friendly Persuasion tells a hilarious story that former talk show host Larry King once told him. It seems that Larry was a guest on a morning show in Dallas, TX. The woman who interviewed him was the classic host who asks you a question and then looks off in another direction, not paying any attention to what you say in reply. This host had five questions written out by someone else and she checked off each question as she asked it. Larry noticed she wasn’t listening at all. She was ...

1236. Broken Promises

Matthew 21:28-32

Sermon

King Duncan

That creative writer Father Andrew Greeley tells a story--a parable, really--about two sisters who worked as babysitters in their community. A young couple had recently moved into the neighborhood. They hired the younger of the two sisters to sit with their children. Imagine their surprise when they came home to find their home a complete mess, with their kids looking haggard, and the babysitter half asleep on the couch. The next day, however, the children excitedly told their parents how they had fun with ...

1237. Fake News? No! Fake Religion

Matthew 23:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

Best-selling author and popular Bible Study leader Liz Curtis Higgs tells about a lady from Texas named Mae who confessed to doing something that was quite embarrassing. She says that a few years ago she and her husband invited a couple to their home for dinner. The couple brought a pot of tulips as a gift. She says the tulips weren’t particularly pretty. They were in a clay pot with the bulbs partially sticking up out of the soil and they were an ugly color, but these were friends whom they saw often, ...

1238. Pop Star Madonna and the Cross

Mark 8:31-38

Sermon

King Duncan

During an edition of the ABC network television program, “Good Morning, America,” several years ago when rock star Madonna was really hot, co-host Charles Gibson interviewed a jewelry designer. This woman was marketing a new line of crosses designed by Madonna. The crosses were labeled “The Madonna Cross.” Among the things this designer said in the interview was that “Madonna has brought a new dimension to the cross. Never has wearing the cross been more popular than today.” Gibson challenged that ...

1239. Some Greeks

John 12:20-33

Sermon

John Jamison

Jesus was back in Jerusalem for another Passover. According to John’s gospel, this was the third time Jesus and the disciples attended the Passover festival and each time they were there they got in trouble. The first two times they somehow got out of town and made it back up north to Galilee to continue their ministry. It would be much more difficult to accomplish that this time. Everywhere Jesus went he drew a big crowd. People had heard about this teacher from Galilee, and the things he was saying. More ...

1240. Uncertain Certainties

John 20:19-31

Sermon

John Jamison

It was Sunday evening. Easter morning had come and gone, and the disciples had spent the entire day talking about the fact that Jesus had actually been raised from the dead. They were all fired up and making plans for how they were going to go out and spread the word of God and continue the ministry that Jesus had taught them to perform. Right? Not quite. As the sun went down Sunday evening, some of the disciples had gathered together. They were still hiding in a small room somewhere with the doors and ...

1241. United We Stand

John 17:11b-19

Sermon

King Duncan

Today is Mother’s Day, a day when we honor our Moms. We learn many things from our Moms. My mother taught me religion. She used to say things like, “You better pray that comes out of the carpet.” My mother taught me medicine: “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they’re going to freeze that way.” My mother taught me how to be a contortionist: “Will you look at the dirt on the back of your neck!” My mother taught me to appreciate a job well done: “If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just ...

1242. Gouge-Your-Eye-Out Sunday

Mark 9:38-50

Sermon

Rick McCracken-Bennett

There are a couple of Sundays I'd just as soon not preach. One is Trinity Sunday, the Sunday immediately following Pentecost. I've heard more than one priest say that the reason most of us want an assistant or a deacon is so that we can assign them the task of trying to explain how it is we believe in one God, in three persons, and so on. Clergy dislike of preaching on Trinity Sunday is pretty widespread. So-called, Stewardship Sunday is another. It feels to me like I'm singing for my supper. After all, ...

1243. When God's Dream Captures Your Heart

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

Sermon

King Duncan

Writer Dan Miller in his book Wisdom Meets Passion tells of growing up in a conservative, rural family in Ohio. With no radio or TV in the house, Dan found his information in books. Consequently, he became an avid reader. However, when he was about twelve years old, something happened that would change his life dramatically. He was introduced to a phonograph recording [some of you will remember those] by a noted motivational speaker of the time named Earl Nightingale. The record was titled The Strangest ...

1244. Be Ready for the Possibility of the Resurrection

John 20:1-18

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

The last couple of days have been extremely difficult for the followers of Jesus. Thursday, after they had shared a last supper together, the Lord went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. There he was arrested by the religious authorities and put on trial in the court of Caiaphas, the high priest. Jesus was charged with blasphemy: false religious teaching. Had Caiaphas heard sufficient evidence to find him guilty, he could have been sentenced to death by stoning. The high priest was not comfortable with ...

1245. The Value of Doubt

John 20:19-31

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

Is it not interesting the way a nickname can stick to a person? An uncle of mine, now long deceased, was nicknamed “Fat.” As a small boy he was grossly overweight and cruel neighborhood children hung that moniker on him. “Hey, who is the big kid out on the playground?” “Oh, that’s Fat Casteel.” The puzzling part of the story is that as an adult my uncle was not particularly overweight, yet he retained the nickname. Friends and family always called him Fat. It is curious how a nickname becomes a permanent ...

1246. The Awesome Power of FUD

John 21:1-19

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

It happened many years ago, but I remember the experience as if it was yesterday. It was late September and I was in the first grade. The teacher assigned an art project. “Draw a picture of a boat. Do your very best,” she instructed. I was excited. I specialized in drawing boats, particularly the ships of the United States Navy. My mother always praised my boat pictures. With the precision ordinarily reserved for the drafting tables of the shipyard at Norfolk, Virginia, I crafted what I believed was a ...

1247. Can I Get Some Help Over Here?

John 14:23-29

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

It is not an uncommon scene. A couple of young men found their way into the weight room at the local exercise facility. They were, perhaps, thirteen or fourteen years of age; just beginning to approach manhood; each day the sweetness of self-confidence grows within them. At first they lingered at the edge of the weight room admiring that small group that inhabits every work-out facility. These fellows are usually in their twenties or thirties. Their bodies have been sculpted by thousands of hours of ...

We crucified him on a stick, but we have always had a curious feeling that He somehow managed to get hold of the right end of it.

George Bernard Shaw

1249. The Good Hunter

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

During hard times in the darkness of winter in an Alaskan Eskimo village a young man of unequaled courage might go out into the bitter cold in search of food for his people. Armed only with a pointed stick and his compassion for his starving village, he would wander, anticipating the attack of a polar bear. Having no natural fear of humans, a polar bear will stalk and eat a man. In the attack the Eskimo hunter would wave his hands and spear to anger the bear and make him rise up on his hind legs to over ...

1250. The Spirit of Giving

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

A true story: Two weeks before Christmas a nine-year-old girl was walking with her friend down the street, sliding on the ice. The two of them were talking about what they hoped to get for Christmas. They stopped to talk to an old man named Harry, who was on his knees pulling weeds from around a large oak tree. He wore a frayed, woolen jacket and a pair of worn garden gloves. His fingers were sticking out the ends, blue from the cold. As Harry responded to the girls, he told them he was getting the yard in ...

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