Sermon and Worship Resources

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Mark 9:38-50

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... been told they must be "servants of all," are to gain recognition and acceptance in the world not by themselves but by their confessed identity as ones who "belong to Christ" (v.41). As Jesus continues to stress the humility and servanthood that are marks of a true disciple, he also reveals how well he understands the workings of the human mind. As disciples working in Jesus' name and for Jesus' sake, Jesus knows the Twelve can perform works that will evoke wonder and awe. The human tendency to idolize ...

127. Jesus Christ Marked Down 50%

Mark 1: 21-28

Illustration

Staff

... added here and there to make the scene complete. It did not sell. The manager of one of the stores in the department chain panicked. He carried out a last ditch promotion to get rid of those dolls. He brandished a huge sign outside his store that read: "JESUS CHRIST – MARKED DOWN 50% - GET HIM WHILE YOU CAN." And that is the constant danger – that we will remake Christ into a meek, harmless figure – discounted 50% to attract the masses.

128. Mark 9:38-50

Mark 9:38-41

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... who “put a stumbling block” before others is drawn from Isaiah 66:24-—“where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” — a warning of eternal punishment for those who defy God’s will. The mention of the “fire” in Mark 9:48 links it in oral tradition to the “fire” and “salt” sayings that round out this week’s text. The verbal connection links this scriptural reference to the next series of sayings. But a deeper connection between these “salt” and “fire” sayings ...

129. The True Marks of Success

Luke 14:1-14

Illustration

R. Robert Cueni

A hundred years ago, Ralph Waldo Emerson noted three qualities he deemed marks of true "success": the ability to discern and appreciate beauty, the ability to see the best in others, and a commitment to leaving the world a better place. Notice that Emerson does not say that success comes in having the best seat at the table, acquiring more material possessions, or ...

130. The Marks of a Cult

Illustration

Staff

Marks of a Cult: Authoritarian: There is almost always a central, charismatic, living human leader who commands total loyalty and allegiance. Oppositional: Their beliefs, practices and values are counter to those of the dominant culture. Exclusivistic: They are the only group that possesses the "truth." Legalistic: Rules and regulations abound governing ...

131. Mark 1:40-45

Mark 1:40-45

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the man some fairly detailed further instructions. These two seemingly contrary descriptions further suggest to textual scholars that at some point this interaction had been explained more as an exorcism than as a healing event. As with the demons he cast out in Mark 1:25, 34 Jesus sternly commands the cleansed man to keep silent (literally “to no one, nothing”) about his miraculous cure. Yet Jesus also instructs the man to follow the established protocols (as detailed in Leviticus 13:47-14:54) that ...

132. Drawing Not Hitting The Mark

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... found the man who had been doing the shooting, they asked him about the technique he used to attain such accuracy. The answer was simple. He shot the bullet first, and drew the bull’s-eye later. That may be an easy way to have the appearance of hitting the mark, but it is at best a deception and at worst a lie. So it is with goals. We should use them to direct our work and determine if we have accomplished our purposes, not to defend what we happened to do.

133. Prayer for Mark 9: 38-50

Mark 9:38-41

Bulletin Aid

Dennis Koch

Gospel Note The first of the loosely related sayings contained here speaks to the issue of authorization or credentials. Instead of an anticipated institutional response "He who is not with us is against us." Jesus opts for blurring such distinctions, and even hints at a high doctrine of grace. Liturgical Color Green Suggested Hymns O Jesus, I Have Promised Lord Keep Us Steadfast In Your Word O Master Let Me Walk With You Oh, Praise The Lord, My Soul Prayer Help us to remember, Lord,that it is the little ...

134. Prayers for Mark 8: 27-38

Mark 8:31--9:1, Mark 8:27-30, Psalm 19:1-14

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

Call to Worship Love the Lord, who has heard us and listens to our prayers. God has given us a hearing whenever we have cried out to heaven. Prayer of Confession Living and loving God, we worship you more readily in the presence of your friends, than in the company of your detractors. We don't find much blessedness in being persecuted and avoid confessing our faith rather than expose ourselves to ridicule or suffering. We do not have the courage of our convictions and play safe much of the time. Forgive ...

135. Marked For God

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: Some address labels with your name on them, or the name of someone else. Lesson: Good morning, boys and girls. Who do you belong to? [Let them answer.] Do you belong to your mom and dad? Do you belong to your brother and sister or to a class in school? Maybe you belong to me? I have some labels with my name on them that I use sometimes and I wonder, if I put one of these labels on your forehead, if you will all belong to me? [Take the labels and put one on each child.] That's good. I can see that ...

136. Marked At The Table

Sermon

George Bass

“ ‘If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common with me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ said Simon Peter, ‘not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!’ Jesus said, ‘no one who has taken a bath needs washing, he is clean all over….’ ”John 13:1-16 Yes, “the cross is still there,” especially when we eat and drink the Lord’s supper; that meal is always a repast that takes place for us on the water’s edge. Baptism admits us to the holy communion, and every time we partake of the Eucharist the gifts we received ...

137. You Missed the Mark, Peter

Mark 8:27-30, Mark 8:31--9:1

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship You got it right, Peter, when you answered Jesus saying, "You are the Messiah," but you blundered, Peter, by scolding Jesus. Collect Strengthen us to face what we must face, O God, knowing that you will remain by our side. Bring to us those who will call us to the reality of what will happen and to the honesty of consequences. In the name of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Prayer of Confession How often, O God, we start out right, then become self-protective when we hear truths we would rather not ...

138. Marks Of A Champion

2 Timothy 4:7-8

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: Find a jump rope or some other kind of sports equipment. How do you become a champion in a sport? The best way is to practice, practice, practice. The next thing is to eat the right foods and get the right amount of exercise. I brought this rope with me to show one kind of exercise. Exercising can really be fun when you are playing as a child, but for most of us adults exercise is work. We have to push ourselves to walk or jog or swim, but we know that even though it is work, it is good for us. You ...

139. Missing the Mark

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Sermon

Charles Allo

I love movies. I love movies because they make me think. No matter what I am going through, I can walk into the theatre and focus on a story other than mine. I see the images and how they paint a story about situations in life. Real situations. Unreal situations. It doesn't matter. For two hours and seven bucks, I get to experience a situation. Just a combination of circumstances; a state of affairs. In which I become lost, engaged in the flashes and personalities that remind me of my world, a world I want ...

140. The Four Marks of Failure

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

When you're a kid there is nothing better than being on the winning team. Of course, when you're a kid there is nothing worse than being on the losing team. Notice that all those great, feel-good Disney-esque movies don't ever end with the hometown team losing the big championship game. No, the whole point of these happily-ever-after stories is that the under-dog, schlubby, gave-it-their-all losers are transformed into top-of-the-heap winners. For adults, except for those few who make their living playing ...

141. Mark 6:7-13

Mark 6:7-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Jesus channeled his ministry in two directions. One direction led away from his established community of faith, where he performed all manner of healings, feedings and other miracles. His other avenue of ministry traveled inward, focusing on those faithful few whom he had chosen. For them Jesus held special seminars on the meaning of discipleship, where he revealed glimpses of his true nature. In this week's gospel text, these two roads merged into one path as Jesus sent his frail contingent of followers ...

142. Mark 9:38-50

Mark 9:38-50

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The week's gospel text is part of a series of seminars in discipleship Jesus holds for his twelve apostles during their final expedition to Galilee. Jesus' teachings surprise in several ways. Earlier during their travels in this region the disciples had twice failed to comprehend Jesus. When Jesus foretells his impending death and resurrection (vs.30), the disciples are so confused that they are too embarrassed to even ask him to clarify his words. Adding insult to injury, these men then begin arguing over ...

143. Mark 9:38-50

Mark 9:38-50

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

144. Mark 10:2-16

Mark 10:2-16

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The two Markan pericopes making up this week's text offer you a choice between a "safe bet" sermon and a "you'll be sorry" sermon sorry you ever opened your mouth. The "safe bet" sermon would, of course, focus on the second pericope, verses 13-16, where Jesus appears loving, accepting, gentle and non-threatening as he rebukes his disciples for not "letting the little children come" as he sweeps the small ones up into his arms. The "you'll be sorry" sermon is found in the first pericope of today's text, ...

145. Mark 10:35-45

Mark 10:35-45

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

This week's gospel text details the disciples' third and most blatantly wrong-headed response to Jesus' third and most graphic passion prediction. If ever there were showcase examples of selective hearing, James and John's response to Jesus' revelation in 10:33-34 takes the prize. How can we comprehend the fact that Jesus' one precision prediction of the Jerusalem horror is followed by such self-serving bickering? It's possible only by focusing on the opening and closing words of Jesus' teaching. After ...

146. Mark 12:38-44

Mark 12:38-44

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Once Jesus enters Jerusalem and the temple, Jesus' run-ins with the religious authorities are constant. Today's gospel text demonstrates why all those who held traditional positions of religious power found Jesus' presence and preachings so disturbing. In the text immediately preceding this week's reading, Jesus questions the scribe's theology. He challenges their image of a powerful royal Davidic Messiah with his own observation that the expected Messiah will be a much different kind of "Lord" than a ...

147. Production Mark-ups

Illustration

Staff

The great industrialist Charles Schwab was quite disappointed when the workers in his steel mill were not meeting their production quota. He asked the foreman what was wrong. "I don't know," he replied, "I've pushed then and threatened to fire them, but nothing works. They seen to have no incentive to produce." Later, just before the night shift came on, Schwab went back to the plant and asked the supervisor how many heats his crew had processed that day. He was informed it was only six. Schwab took a ...

148. Marking the Obstacles

Ephesians 5:15-20

Illustration

Harold Warlick

Sara Jewett tells the story of a woman who ascended the pathway leading to the home of a retired sea captain in the state of Maine. On the way, the woman sees a number of wooden stakes scattered about the property with no discernible order. Each stake is painted white and trimmed in yellow, like the captain's house. With great curiosity and no small bewilderment, she asks the captain what they mean. He explains. When he first plowed the ground, his plow snagged on many large rocks just below the surface. ...

149. Mark 9:38-50

Mark 9:38-41

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

High school “cliques,” college fraternities and sororities, suburban country clubs: “Invitation Only” private membership groups are not primarily about who they let in. They are most importantly about who they keep out. Exclusivity means some are chosen, but many more are turned away. In today’s gospel text Jesus’ disciples once again reveal just how much instruction they still require. They misunderstand their calling as Jesus’ back-up team. They hear Jesus’ “Follow me” as an “exclusive” invitation which ...

150. The Mark of Forgiveness

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

One Sunday at the New Jersey School for the Deaf, a worship service was held for the children remaining for the weekend. The sign for "Jesus"—the right hand used the little finger to draw the letter J, then ending in the palm of the other hand to signify Jesus' nail imprint. The very name of Jesus tells us of Jesus' suffering and forgiveness of our sins!

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