Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1326 to 1350 of 2962 results

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... s hard to be humble.” Whether or not he actually said it, I don’t know, but it sounds like him. I recall seeing pictures of the famous fighter waving his boxing gloves in the air and saying, “I am the greatest!” How much was media “hype” designed to strike fear into the hearts of his opponents in the ring, and how much he actually believed it himself, is open to conjecture. But once we start saying it, it becomes hard not to believe it. In her biography of Winston Churchill, Kay Halle tells the ...

1327. Salty Saints

Mark 9:42-50

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... as far as poison gas. Or, as Harvard humorist, songwriter, and mathematician Tom Lehrer put it in a song titled “Who’s next?” “The Lord’s our shepherd,” says the psalm. But, just in case, we better get a bomb. Today (and yesterday) is designated as “Peace Sabbath” in churches and synagogues in our community. If there is any one area in which we Christians have compromised with the world’s values more than this, I don’t know of it. Polls regularly tell us that there is basically little ...

1328. Sine Qua Non

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... trip Jesus up. Matthew’s Gospel, written a few years later, indicates the growing hardness of attitude toward the scribes, and conveniently omits Jesus’ commendation of the man. He also says that the scribe’s question was not an honest one, but was rather designed to “trip him up” (Matthew 22:35). But we have none of that here in Mark. Here we have an honest scribe who asks an honest question, and gets an honest and straightforward answer. The man asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the first of ...

1329. On Keeping Quiet about Easter

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... he got to the end of the story. But his Gospel was never finished. The apparent incompleteness of this ending prompted early Christians to add either a short two-sentence ending which appears as a footnote in English versions, or (in most manuscripts) a long ending designated as Mark 16:9-20. What happened to the original ending of Mark? it is fascinating to speculate. Did the author die as a martyr before he had time to finish it? (Luke never finished what he intended to be a trilogy, after writing his ...

1330. The Unfinished Story

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... it when he got to the end of the story. But his Gospel was never finished. The apparent incompleteness of this ending prompted early Christians to add either a short two-sentence ending which appears as a footnote in English versions, or (as in most manuscripts) a longer ending designated as Mark 16:9-20. In heraldry it is not rare to find lions blazoned with two tails. The symbol for St. Mark is the lion, as anyone who has visited the Piazza de San Marco in Venice knows. The Lion of St. Mark is just such a ...

1331. Holy Monday

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... Chet Atkins and Margaret Archer) said: “Woke up this morning, turned on my TV set/ There in living color was something I can’t forget/ This man was preachin’ at me, yeah, layin’ on the charm/ Askin’ me for 20 with 10,000 on his arm/ He wore designer clothing and a big smile on his face/ Selling me salvation while they sang ‘Amazing Grace’/ Askin’ me for money when he had all the signs of wealth/ I almost wrote a check out, but then I asked myself/ Would Jesus wear a Rolex on his television ...

1332. The Ultimate Thirst Quencher (Alternate Addition to the "I Am" series: Living water)

John 7:25-44

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... deep-felt spiritual need that Augustine would conclude that each person has a heart with a God-shaped void--a space which only God himself can fill. Each of us has a thirst which only God can ultimately quench. We are created in the image of God. We are designed for a relationship that no other living creature on the face of the earth is privileged to have. There is a call and claim upon our lives which was placed in us before our birth. I have from time to time mentioned the spiritual writings of the late ...

1333. Connected to Christ: I Am the Vine

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... water line had never been connected to this part of the system. It was a deadly oversight. To live a human life disconnected from the living God is tragic as well. Jesus did more than come to live among us. That is only the beginning. His mission was designed to allow us to live with him--and he with us. We are to abide with him. Abiding is a verb--not a noun. It signifies action and life--giving and receiving. It signifies something is flowing in the pipeline. This is the perspective and principle that ...

1334. The Lord's Prayer: A Surplus of Meaning

Matthew 6:5-15

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... sins and, of course, Jesus Christ was sinless. He was tempted to sin--he had the ability to sin--but he did not. Jesus also would have said, "My Father," rather than "Our Father." However, it is The Lord''s Prayer in the sense that he is the author and designer of its words. The real Lord''s Prayer as known in the Christian Community is found in John 17:1-26. However, for our work and witness, we will use the traditional title for the words found in Matthew 6:9-13 today and for the rest of this sermon ...

1335. The Lord's Prayer: Deliver us from Evil

Matthew 6:5-13

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... Dr. M. Scott Peck has shared with us the insight that EVIL is the word LIVE spelled backwards. So Evil, in the sense that Dr. Peck shares, is the exact opposite of the way that God intended us to LIVE. Instead of living life with God''s design, we "lust" to live on our own dreams and desires. Dr. Calvin Miller shares in his marvelous writing AN OVERTURE OF LIGHT on page 46: "All lust is strong narcotic Nominating different hungers Which we suppose we need: Wine, wantonness, food and leisure All kill us one ...

1336. GIVE ME YOUR SINS: The First Word

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Today we gather in this sanctuary to continue on our Lenten journey that we began on Ash Wednesday. I want to share some thoughts and reflections from what historically has been designated as the First Word--from the Seven Last Words of Jesus Christ from the cross. It should not come as a surprise to anyone that the first word from the cross deals with the real life issue of forgiveness, and really what is being implied here is forgiveness of our ...

1337. Two Conversations with Jesus: The Second Word

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Today I want to share some thoughts and reflections from what historically has been designated as the second word of the Seven Last Words of Jesus Christ from the cross on Calvary. I believe that this is the last known conversation to take place between Jesus Christ and a human being before he died. Today we will think for a few moments about the two ...

1338. Brokenness and Bread

2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... who is in Christ--they are a new creation. This, my friends, was the greatest restoration mission ever completed. Only in Christ is our broken-ness transformed into wholeness--not because of our performance--but by the perfecting work of Christ. In Christ, the design of men and women is restored to its fullest expression since Adam and Eve. Harry Crews was right. There are no perfect people--all are in need of restoration. The choice before us is our own brokenness or the bread which Jesus Christ shares ...

1339. The Eighth Commandment: Why We Need the Police

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... to be trapped in a past pattern of behavior and tradition. Almighty God, through his servant Moses, rescued and delivered his people from the harsh bondage and slavery of Egypt and the Pharaoh. To be sure his people made the most of their freedom, God gave a design, a building code, to ensure they didn't repeat and internalize what had happened to them in Egypt. We have seen so far in our study how the respect of God and God’s name deeply develops our understanding and respect for life and people. Today ...

1340. The Tenth Commandment: How Zacchaeus Got His Groove Back

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... listened and heard the cries of the children of Israel in Egypt and delivered them. Now it was their turn to listen to God. When men and women listen to God’s wisdom and will for human life in these simple but profound words, they discover these laws were not designed to make life miserable but meaningful and marvelous. It can build the beloved community where the other great gift of God, his Grace, can be shared. Amen and amen.

1341. Hissing in the Garden

Genesis 3:1-24

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... must write letters of instruction and insight on how the Christian community is to resist the power of evil and its trappings and temptations. The Bible resounds with a crystal clear message. There is a power at work in the world whose mission is not of God''s design or desire. You may call it a variety of names but nevertheless it is very real. You may call it the devil, satan, the serpent or simply evil. The point is that even Jesus had to wrestle a power hostile to God working on the human scene. The ...

1342. A Faith that Works with a Victorious Attitude

Philippians 2:12-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... being used by God to reach others with the saving knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There can never be joy in a life that has been wasted, but there can be great joy and satisfaction in knowing that you have been part of God''s grand design. Yes, as we conclude our work let us never forget that our relationship to God is never based on unhealthy fear but on faith and reverence that is awesome to be in the presence of. His power alone can transform prisons into monasteries, because we have the light ...

1343. The Importance of the Second Violin

Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... been intrigued by a television commercial I have watched at least 100 times these past six months. The ad shows a conversation taking place between a spokesperson for the Mercedes Benz Co. and an interviewer. They are talking about the design of the Mercedes Benz car, and the Mercedes Benz spokesperson describes the safety feature of the crash absorbing mechanism. The interviewer states that many other models have almost the same safety feature. The Mercedes Benz spokesperson graciously responds, "There are ...

1344. The Servant Who Delivered the Mail

Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... by now you have learned the Biblical principle: There are no unimportant, unknown people to Almighty God. There are only people and nations who gave themselves to unimportant causes. Unless you are working for the Kingdom of God in the manner God has designed for you, it is an unimportant cause. Dr. Calvin Miller shares this powerful insight: "The greatest sin Is calling love hate. The second greatest sin Is calling servanthood ambition. The list need go no further. There are no other sins of consequence ...

1345. Peace or Pieces

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... in an urban area like the Greater Easton area can be frustrating. You fight traffic every day, and after you've fought traffic, you've got to find a parking place. You fight the answering machine, and the telephone. Some of the things that we have designed to make our lives more free and flexible are actually the masters of our lives. We are governed by the technology we have created. No wonder Dr. Chuck Swindoll writes that some Christians look like they have been baptized in lemon juice or battery acid ...

1346. Tackling Troubles Triumphantly

James 1:1-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... most misunderstood--but most marvelous and meaningful--books in the New Testament, the Epistle of James. James is called a general Epistle, which means it is not written to a specific church community, but rather to the Christian Community at large. While it was designed to appeal to Christians in Jerusalem in 52 A.D., its message still speaks to us today with penetrating power and purpose. It offers wonderful words of wisdom for the Christian’s walk and witness. This letter of James was written for the ...

1347. Tripping the Tempter

James 1:1-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... help us to trip the tempter and be faithful followers of our Lord, Jesus Christ. First, we must have a very clear understanding of the power of temptation. The Bible says that there is a power at work in the world whose work and mission is not of God''s design or desire. You may call it the Devil, Satan, the Serpent or simply evil, but whatever you call it, it''s real. Even Jesus had to wrestle this power hostile to God''s working on the human scene. Temptation is powerful, and we all face it, but how we ...

1348. The Taming of the Tongue

James 3:1-12

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... ! Equally significant, it is the major organ of communication that enables us to articulate distinct sounds so we can understand each other. How essential!" (2) However, the following words that come from another woman of the Christian faith are closer to what God designed for the tongue, "Kind words can be short and easy to speak--but their echoes are truly endless." You know her as Mother Theresa. Yes, James writes in the third chapter, tenth verse, "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My ...

1349. The Tender Touch (Part 2)

James 5:13-20

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... way of life and became one of the greatest writers and thinkers of the faith. God, you see, did not answer the form of Monica''s prayer, but God did answer its substance. Yes, God does answer our prayers but not always in the way we envision it or design it. Remember, Jesus is sitting now at the right hand of God the Father, making intercessions for us as our great high priest. On a personal note, I have been praying for God''s direction for six months on a certain issue. I have not gotten the answer yet ...

1350. A Cup Overflowing

Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... the Rotary Club in Battle Creek, Michigan. At the conclusion of the program, realizing that Mr. Penney was ill, a friend asked that he check himself into the Kellogg Sanitarium. J. C. Penney did so on the same afternoon. The doctors gave him a strong shot designed to relax him and allow him to sleep. Instead, the shot had the opposite effect, and he became wide awake and hysterical. After a few days, as his condition deteriorated day by day, J. C. Penney had the premonition that he was going to die. At ...

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