Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1651 to 1675 of 4508 results

1651. The Iron, Silver, Golden, Platinum and Titanium Rules

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The ability of the human brain to store, retain, and recall enormous amounts of information is miraculously impressive. Unfortunately, sometimes information gets permanently stored that we would love to “dump.” [This would be a great moment for an interactive: Ask your congregation if they have any songs or phrases or quotes that keep ringing in their ears despite all attempts to banish them. What...

1652. Matthew 10:24-39

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The lengthy gospel reading for this week extends over nearly all of Jesus’ third mission discourse. In this third section the examples he gives his disciples are less tightly connected, appearing more as a Matthean grouping of known sayings rather than as a true discourse. The specific mission to Israel is no longer the focus of Jesus’ words. Instead, the experience of the disciples while engaged ...

1653. Matthew 10:40-42

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

These are the final words of instruction to disciples being sent out on mission, and not surprisingly Jesus’ last words strike a positive note. The dire warnings of future rejections, of dissension within families, the specter of carrying one’s own cross: all the negatives are left behind. Now Jesus holds up the prospect of being “received” or “welcomed” as they go out on their missionary journey,...

1654. These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Let us proclaim and offer thanks for our "favorite things": "the beauty of the earth," the "bounty of creation" and the blessings of this life. When the time comes and all is revealed, Jesus announces in this week's text that we disciples are to shout from the rooftops that which Jesus has revealed to us in secret. What had Jesus made known to his first disciples? He was the Son of God. Wha...

1655. Matthew 10:24-39

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The extensive gospel portion read for today brings us the center section of Jesus' missional instructions. The nature of the warnings and encouragements he offers to his disciples are both profoundly personal and eschatologically sweeping just as is the mission of the gospel itself. In verses 24-25, Jesus extends a rather dubious compliment to his followers. His words suggest that there is a close...

1656. Matthew 10:40-42

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

This week's gospel text closes out Matthew's chapter-long missionary discourse. In 10:1, Jesus gives the Twelve their marching orders, and the similarity between the mission of the Twelve and Jesus' own mission is striking. Both healing and preaching are key parts of their repertoire. But the news is not all good, for Jesus reveals to the faithful that they will face along the way hardship and per...

1657. Matthew 10:24-39

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

In the 10th chapter of Matthew's Gospel the focus is completely upon discipleship. Here Jesus gathers his 12 specially chosen followers and gives them authoritative power over the diseases of mind, body and spirit. Matthew's penchant for calling the disciples "the Twelve" purposefully calls attention to their uniquely chosen number - one disciple to represent each of Israel's 12 tribes. Jesus then...

1658. Matthew 10:40-42

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

At the conclusion of the 10th chapter of Matthew, Jesus enumerates once and for all the power and authority that is to be accorded his disciples. All of the chapter focuses on the missionizing responsibility Jesus bestows upon his disciples. Jesus invites the Twelve to be extensions of his own ministry - showing primary concern for Israel (vv.5-6), healing the sick in body and spirit, and expectin...

1659. Matthew 10:40-42

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

We’ve all been offered the “good news/bad news” option at one time or another. It goes like this: “Which do you want to hear first, the good news or the bad news?” Throughout Matthew 10, as Jesus prepares his disciples to head out on their maiden missionary journey, he moves back and forth between offering them the “good news” and the “bad news.” The good news is Jesus gives all twelve of his disc...

1660. Second Nature through Spirit Nurture

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

It is every parent’s dream. It goes like this . . . Your child is a guest at someone’s home. Maybe a friend or a relative. When the meal is over, your child is the one who, without being told, spontaneously rises from the table, gathers their plate and even grabs another place setting, and takes them into the kitchen and put them either in the sink or in the dishwasher. What parent doesn’t live ...

1661. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Jesus’s second discourse—the Mission Discourse: This extended discourse of Jesus is the second of five in Matthew and provides guidance for his disciples’ mission to Israel. Matthew ties the Mission Discourse to Jesus’s own mission by emphasizing their common activities: preaching, healing, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, and casting out demons (10:1, 7–8; cf. Jesus doing the same in chaps. 5–...

1662. Death, Risk, and Confidence

Sermon

Tom Garrison

I shall never forget a most vivid pastoral encounter that I had. There was a fine older member of the church who was terminally ill with cancer, and since he would never be able to come and meet me, I went by his home to meet him. Although we had never met before, I suppose my role prompted him to get right to the central issue of his concern at that moment, which was with the whole experience of ...

1663. Jesus Morality

Sermon

Tom Garrison

There is one question that every one of us has to deal with at least a hundred times a day and that is "What ought I to do in this given moment?" Sometimes the issues at stake are far-reaching, such as with the questions "Should I ask her to marry me?" or "Should I go into law or medicine or the ministry?" At other times the issues are less momentous, such as "Do I want toast or cereal for breakfa...

1664. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

10:1–4 Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. The distinction between exorcism and healing suggests that they are two different functions. This is the first mention of the twelve disciples in Matthew. He assumes they are known to the reader. That there are twelve disciples follows from the fact that they ...

1665. Echoes of Eternity

Sermon

Dennis Kastens

"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the...

1666. Welcoming Christ

Sermon

Marc Kolden

What is this passage about? Is it about the disciples, the twelve? Yes, of course, it is about them; these are Jesus' final words of instruction to them and astonishing words they are! "Whoever welcomes you guys welcomes me," Jesus says, "and whoever welcomes me welcomes the Father who sent me" (10:40). Their mission was God's mission; their words were God's words; the people whom they met encount...

1667. Getting a Grip on Fear

Sermon

King Duncan

Black Bart was a professional thief whose very name struck fear as he terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line. From San Francisco to New York, his name became synonymous with the danger of the frontier. Between 1875 and 1883 he robbed 29 different stagecoach crews. Amazingly, Bart did it all without firing a shot. Because a hood hid his face, no victim ever saw his face. He never took a hostage and ...

1668. Receiving Christ

Sermon

King Duncan

During the War Between the States, a Union soldier from Ohio was shot in the arm during the battle of Shiloh. His captain saw that he was injured and barked an order: “Give me your gun, Private, and get to the rear!” The private handed over his rifle and ran toward the north, seeking safety. But after covering two or three hundred yards, he came upon another skirmish. Then he ran to the east and ...

1669. A Cup Of Cold Water

Sermon

King Duncan

Baron De Rothschild was one of the richest men who ever lived. Legend has it that the Baron once posed before an artist as a beggar. While the artist, Ary Scheffer, was painting him, the financier sat before him in rags and tatters holding a tin cup. A friend of the artist entered, and the baron was so well disguised that he was not recognized. Thinking he was really a beggar, the visitor dropped ...

1670. Who's Your Daddy?

Sermon

King Duncan

(Father's Day) Comedian Johnny Carson said his son gave him a paper which read, "To the man who has inspired me with his fatherly wisdom." Carson said, "Son I didn't know you felt that way about me." His son said, "I don't, can you fax this to Bill Cosby?" Fathers have a hard times nowadays getting respect. Maybe there's a reason for that. Many Dads in our society disappear. And, sad to say, o...

1671. Soap Opera Silence

Sermon

A few days ago I watched an episode of the television soap opera, "All My Children." I must admit that it was neither the first time nor the last. One of the segments for this particular day took place at the wedding of two of the central characters. The setting was a large living room filled with supportive guests. The clergyman seemed to be a Roman Catholic priest. He was dressed in a black suit...

1672. You Are Worth Much!

Sermon

"So do not be afraid: you are worth much more than sparrows!" (St. Matthew 10:31 TEV) The other day I was visiting a man about forty-five years old in the hospital. He was not a member of our parish, but I was informed that he had a spiritual problem and that he might appreciate visiting with a minister. He did have a spiritual problem, one that we all can have at times. You see, the man had bee...

1673. Ready or Not

Sermon

Today is a day when many of us pastors wish we had arranged for a guest preacher. Or that we had scheduled a church picnic with a shortened service and only a brief homily on a "free" text. Jesus' words do not sit well. In Matthew they do not set up a barrier to discipleship as they do in Luke (14:25-27). But even here they feel like a slap across the face. Who really wants to talk to his or her c...

1674. Travel Light

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

Exegetical Aim:Christian missionaries should travel light, free of excess items. Props:A strong large backpack, a gym bag, a number of items that would be needed on a trip, and some unnecessary items. There should be too many to place in the backpack and gym bag. A few heavy items and a few long spindly items (e.g. a fully extended fishing rod) would help to weigh the child down. Other possible i...

1675. Proper 7

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter - Psalms 86:1-10, 16-17 First Lesson - That human rejection does not mean divine rejection is illustrated by the story of Hagar and her son. Genesis 21:8-21 Second Lesson - Paul writes of our baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Romans 6:1-11 Gospel - Jesus instructs the disciples of their place in the scheme of things, the limits of their dignity but also its ...

Showing 1651 to 1675 of 4508 results