Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1526 to 1550 of 3852 results

Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:36-43, Matthew 13:47-52

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... and a pitchfork. But the Bible declares that there is an intelligent, active spiritual presence in this world opposing God. This Satan and his followers were angels who rebelled against the rule of God and were cast out of heaven. Satan tries to connect with the original sin in all of us, attempting to separate us from God and make this world resemble hell. II The second truth declared is that God is patient and kind. In Jesus' parable, the owner of the farm does not clean out the weeds right away. God ...

1527. God’s Chosen Country

Isaiah 40:1-31

Sermon

Susan Hedahl

... chosen for him. As with most babies, there were gifts to accompany the arrival of Jesus. But the notable thing about these gifts is that they were not only those of the Child, but earmarked for those who awaited him. The gifts of God, originating with Holy One, carried the imperative of certain responses within them. The gifts of the Child would be the life-long responsibility and trust of those who anxiously awaited the Lord. What were the gifts? The prophets of Israel repeatedly listed them, noting that ...

1528. The Birthplace Of Humanity

Isaiah 9:1-7

Sermon

Susan Hedahl

... . Those longing for the Savior had received prophetic hints that Bethlehem would be an important location. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be the ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in travail has brought forth; then the rest of his brethren shall return to the people of Israel. (Micah 5:2, 3 RSV) Wise men needed to get ...

1529. Forgive Us Our Debts - Sermon Starter

Matthew 18:21-35

Illustration

Brett Blair

... extension, but the man would not hear of it and he had him thrown into jail. This story got back to the king who went into a rage. He called in the forgiven servant and said that because of his conduct, he was now to be thrown into jail. His original debt was reinstated. Now the question is, what was Jesus attempting to say to Simon Peter? 1. First, forgiveness carries a heavy price. 2. Second, a forgiven soul should be a forgiving soul.

1530. Forgive Us Our Debts

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

Brett Blair

... , but the man would not hear of it and he had him thrown into jail. This story got back to the king who went into a rage. He called in the forgiven servant and said that because of his conduct, he was now to be thrown into jail. His original debt was reinstated. Now the question is, what was Jesus attempting to say to Simon Peter? Through this parable Jesus says Peter you can be forgiven. But, forgiveness carries a heavy price. And, a forgiven soul should be a forgiving soul. I Let’s look at the first ...

1531. Reclaiming Our Covenant

Genesis 9:18-29

Sermon

Donald Macleod

... a friendship and make it secure. In the old Presbyterian ritual for the Sacrament of Baptism for Infants, as he sprinkled the water, the minister said, "John Smith, child of the covenant...." This meant that the child was heir to a series of covenants: God’s original with his ancient people of Bible times, the covenant of the parents when they made their marriage vows and now this new step when they declared their accountability to God to bring up their child so that one day he or she will respond, "Jesus ...

1532. A Perspective on the Ascension

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Donald Macleod

... , the high priest, at an early trial: "We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20 RSV). With this strange new power they set out from Jerusalem, their home base, and like concentric circles the Word went out under Christ’s original command, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation" (Mark 16:15 RSV). One thing more: the first Ascension story gives to us today in the church new meaning and significance to the words "waiting," "power" and "witness." It gives also ...

1533. Readying the Twelve for Mission

Acts 1:12-26

Sermon

Donald Macleod

... well known and acceptable to all. Then a season of prayer was decided upon, followed by a casting of lots which put responsibility upon each one to vote as his or her conscience seemed to be led by God. Matthias was chosen, and now the original band of chosen disciples again numbered twelve. What, now, do we make of all this? As this post-Easter season ends, is there a message here for modern church people? Consider these three observations: 1. It says something to the whole worshiping congregation of the ...

1534. See the Resemblance

John 1:1-18

Illustration

Larry Powell

... was characterized by the absolute "giving" of himself. He was, as one theologian puts it, "radically obedient" to God. In the same spirit, he was "radically giving" to others, always reaching, touching, healing, praying, searching, loving. The Bell Telephone Company did not originate the concept of "Reach Out and Touch Someone." The concept was in the mind of God before creation and the practice is as old as Eden. It was perfected in Jesus Christ, proclaimed in the New Testament, and is as relevant today ...

1535. What Kind of Cross?

Mark 8:31--9:1

Illustration

Larry Powell

... not always consistent with what the cross represents. If a person in ancient Rome had adorned himself with a cross, it would have been the equivalent of someone today wearing the likeness of the electric chair around his neck. The cross was originally not considered to be a thing of beauty. It conveyed pain, humiliation, and death. It still does, except in the Christian context. Another dimension was added to Calvary ... victory. Jesus issued a call to discipleship, but the invitation contained an inherent ...

1536. Religion In A Nutshell

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

Robert Allen

... commandment, he said: The second most important commandment is this: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." There is no other commandment greater than these two. This is also a quote from the Old Testament. It comes from Leviticus 19:18 and in its original context it had to do with other Jews. After all, it was permissible to hate Gentiles. But, Jesus took the old law and widened its meaning to include all people - Jew and Gentile alike. This broader meaning was a revolutionary idea for Jesus to ...

1537. The Ultimate Christmas Gift

Psalm 85:1-13, Ephesians 2:11-22

Sermon

Erskine White

... in the manner and spirit of our Savior, whose word is peace and who is our peace, even Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 1. One other significant approach to peace was the attempt to limit the way wars were conducted. Building upon ideas which originated in classical philosophy, Augustine and others in the medieval church proscribed rules for initiating and conducting a "just war" - the war must be fought for a just cause, the war must be declared by a legitimate authority, civilians are not to be attacked, the ...

1538. Comfort

Isaiah 40:1-31

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

... of present-day Baghdad. There they were held against their will in servitude to their captors for nearly seventy years, separated from parents and children, husbands and wives, most never to see each other again. It was a long captivity. Few of the original captives lived to return. Generations of children were born and grew up there having only heard stories of the land from which their parents or grandparents had come. Through all those years the idea of returning was kept alive. Jerusalem was still "home ...

1539. Remember Who(se) You Are

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

... blue planet with shining oceans, swirling clouds and gleaming polar ice. The ancient creation theorists had little idea of either the vastness or roundness of the earth, or of the extent to which it is a watery world. Nevertheless, they reasoned that the world originated from and was founded upon a watery abyss, which in some translations of this passage is called "the deep." Their story is that the word of God brings forth creation from primordial chaos. God speaks and it happens. Creation by the Word of ...

1540. Wade In The Water

2 Kings 5:1-27

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

... in most places, and rather sluggish. One is not apt to be swept away by its current. So, to wade out and bathe in this torpid tributary was beneath Naaman’s dignity. It is interesting that again Naaman’s help comes from a very humble source. The original idea to seek out Elisha, you remember, came from a slave girl - a servant to Naaman’s wife. Now it is an ordinary soldier who brings Naaman to his senses. What is there to lose, after all? "If the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult ...

1541. Simon of Cyrene - Reluctant Reliever or Submissive Servant?

Mark 15:21-32

Sermon

Carl E. Zahrte

... me! I saw him suffering agony on that Cross, the like of which I had never seen before, and I pray, I will never see again. You might think that once we got to the site of the crucifixion, I would have dumped my burden and hurried back to my original destination. But I could not bring myself to leave. Many other people had gathered at the scene by then, and some of them were jeering at him, shouting in a mocking voice, "If you are the son of God, come down from the cross. Let the Christ, the King of ...

1542. We Do Not Have To Stay The Way We Are!

Joel 2:1-11

Sermon

Durwood L. Buchheim

... changed into envy, hate, greed and suspicion. Movie people came to the little Texas town and groups began to fight among themselves as to how the story should be told and who was to get the credit and receive the profits. Such is the power of sin. That sin is original in us is not a popular idea. I would much rather deal with my sinful activities than a sinful "me." But the truth of the matter is that I am not sinful because I do bad things, but I do bad things because "by nature I am sinful and unclean ...

1543. God’s Great Promise To Sarah!

Genesis 17:1-27

Sermon

Durwood L. Buchheim

... what are mothers for? But it was a most unfair and unjust arrangement and I am ashamed at how long it took me to see and begin to appreciate just how unfair and unjust our society has treated women. Consequently, I have no problem with the doctrine of original sin. I have seen too much evidence of it in my own life. All of this came to mind as I worked on this familiar Abraham story. I have heard and preached many sermons on Abraham. In my confirmation classes, Abraham was a well-publicized hero. The Bible ...

1544. Bethlehem: Capitol of the Universe

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

J. Ellsworth Kalas

... another church was erected in the sixth century, and it has been restored through the years. We call it the Church of the Nativity. Probably many of us are uncomfortable with this church, perhaps even repelled by it. We wish the birthplace were still preserved in its original form, as a crude, rugged cave. But if a church had not been built at this spot, I doubt that it would still be available to us as pilgrims. And if it were, no doubt it would be owned and operated by commercial interests, who would have ...

1545. The Garden: All Things New

John 20:1-9

Sermon

J. Ellsworth Kalas

... of the tomb, all was restored. And how right that it should have happened to Mary of Magdala. In the ancient story of Eden, it was the woman, Eve, who first went wrong. Mind you, it didn’t take Adam long to follow her, and he wasn’t even very original about it, but Eve led the way into the trouble. Now it was another woman, Mary Magdalene, who was first to see the full way out. And if ever any woman was the daughter of Eve, it was this Mary! She was surely one of the lost ones, a kind ...

1546. A Dead Man in a Witch’s Cave

1 Samuel 28:1-25

Sermon

R. Blaine Detrick

... a second-hand experience - Ichabod! The Eternity of "Ebenezer" When we sing the hymn, "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing," the second stanza begins with the words, "Here I raise my Ebenezer ..." Perhaps you have wondered, "What on earth does this mean?" But the origin is the Bible and Samuel - not Charles Dickens and Ebenezer Scrooge! Here is the background. The ark of the covenant - symbolic of the presence of God - had rested for about twenty years in an obscure place: at a farmer’s home in a small ...

1547. A Man With Lips on Fire

Isaiah 6:1-13

Sermon

R. Blaine Detrick

... 53:12). As Paul, the apostle, closed his ministry (as reported in the book of Acts), he too used the words of Isaiah (Acts 28:25-27; Isaiah 6:9, 10). In addition, some of the best-known passages from Saint Paul and from Saint John found their original expression in Isaiah. For instance, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Paul said it - but Isaiah said it first! (1 Corinthians 6:2; Isaiah 64:4). "Now is ...

1548. John Calvin, God’s Man

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

... he received his college degree in law. In 1533 Calvin joined the Reformation and broke with the Roman Catholic church. He had had a religious experience in which he believed he had received a mission to restore the church to its original purity. He left France for Protestant Basel and there wrote his famous "Institutes of the Christian Religion" in 1536. It gave Protestant beliefs its most systematic formulation. A friend, Guillaume Farel, persuaded Calvin to visit, and then remain, in Geneva, Switzerland ...

1549. John Wesley: Religion of the Heart

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

... shape of our church. Mother Suzanna educated the kids. She was a strict disciplinarian. From her, Wesley must have received his methodical way of organizing. While in college, John started a "Holy Club" for students who wanted to practice the religious life. Methodism points to its origin in those clubs. Wesley developed a set of rules for the best use of one’s time: 1. Begin and end every day with God 2. Be diligent in your calling 3. Employ all spare hours in religion 4. Avoid drunkards and busybodies 5 ...

1550. When Something is About to Happen

Mark 13:32-37

Sermon

Thomas Long

... is left for the church to do is to whistle its liturgy in the dark, collect the pledge cards, and keep the mimeograph machines humming. Because nothing is about to happen. Even the second generation of Christians, the ones to whom the New Testament was originally addressed, were not immune to this loss of faith in the coming kingdom of God. In the beginning a passionate hope kept the line taut between their present experience and God’s future, but as the days wore on and the suffering became intense, and ...

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