Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1676 to 1700 of 4914 results

1676. On the Ropes: Round 1 - Doubting God

Habakkuk 1:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

On Saturday, March 25, 1911 at 4:40 p.m.—just ten minutes before closing— a fire broke out on the top floors of the ten story Asch building in New York. 145 of the 500 employed there died that day, trapped in the building by locked doors and collapsed escape ladders, or jumping to their deaths from the eighth and ninth stories. The investigation of the tragedy resulted in rules like fire exits and sprinkler systems that have since saved many lives. But that did not save the lives of people’s sons, ...

1677. Chickens with Eyeglasses

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever known someone who was puffed up with pride? Someone with a big ego? Someone who is an “I” specialist, as in the letter I? Someone whose “I’s or “me’s are a little too close together? When Woodrow Wilson was Governor of New Jersey, a very ambitious young civil servant called him at his home at 3:30 one morning. This young civil servant said urgently, “Mr. Governor, I’m sorry to wake you up, but your State Auditor has just died, and I would like to know if I can take his place.” Mr. Wilson ...

1678. The Believers’ Prayer

Acts 4:23-31

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

4:23 On their release, Peter and John immediately went back to their own people, that is, the believers, and told them what had happened. For their place of meeting, see notes on 1:13 and the discussion on 12:12. Their specific mention of the chief priests and elders again points to the Sadducees as their chief opponents (see disc. on vv. 6, 8). 4:24 The seriousness of what they had to tell and their sense of dependence upon God were such that the whole group fell to prayer. The expression they raised ...

1679. Submission to Rulers and Masters

1 Peter 2:13-25

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

Respect for Authority 2:13 What living the Christian life entails is now spelled out in some practical detail. Peter applies the admonition Submit yourselves to a series of relationships: to civil government (vv. 13–17), to slavery (vv. 18–20), to Christ himself (vv. 21–25), and to marriage (3:1–7). The relationship of Christians to the state was one which soon became problematic, for in the early centuries of the church all states not only were governed by pagans but included pagan worship within their ...

1680. The Israelites Oppressed

Exodus 1:1-22

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

The beginning of Exodus is closely linked with the ending of Genesis. In Joseph’s dying words he beseeched his brothers to believe that God would one day bring them out of Egypt: “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Gen. 50:24) The first chapter of Exodus sets the context and quickly establishes the crisis of the narrative: Jacob’s descendants prospered and multiplied in Egypt, which created ...

1681. Warnings and Exhortations for Jerusalem and Judah

Zephaniah 1:1-3, Zephaniah 1:4-13, Zephaniah 1:14--2:3

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

1:1 Whereas Nahum and Habakkuk have rather nonstandard introductions, the introduction to Zephaniah follows the pattern of other prophetic books; it is especially close to that of Hosea. First, its editors describe the book as a whole as The word of the LORD. The word dabar can signify a section of a discourse such as a sentence, but it commonly signifies a complete discourse of some kind, such as a message or command or promise or statement (cf. 2:5). Thus little stretch would be involved in describing a ...

1682. Worshipping Other Gods

Deuteronomy 13:1-18

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Sources of the Temptation to Go after Other Gods: Continuing the concern for the purity of Israel’s worship, in line with the first commandment, Deuteronomy warns the people of the kinds of situation in which they might be tempted or pressured into deserting Yahweh for other gods. First, the danger of false religious leaders (vv. 1–5); second, the possible conflict of loyalties when close family members are involved (vv. 6–11); third, the pressure of an influential group of leaders in a community (vv. 12– ...

1683. Ethics and Eschatology

Romans 13:8-14

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Ethics and eschatology go hand in hand. Because the age to come has dawned, Christians participate in the new covenant; but because the present age continues, Christians must love others and not cater to the flesh. Indeed, the dawning of the age to come in Christ empowers believers to love others in the present age. The Old Testament law could not accomplish this. Understanding the Text Romans 13:8–14 resumes Paul’s discussion about Christian love in 12:9–21. At the same time, 13:8–14 anticipates ...

1684. Daniel Interprets the Dream and Confronts Nebuchadnezzar

Daniel 4:19-27

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Big Idea: The Most High God blesses and judges even the most powerful rulers of this world regarding their belief in him and their treatment of those they govern. Understanding the Text See the unit on 4:1–18 for a discussion of the larger context, structure, and comparisons of this literary unit. Against this backdrop, 4:19–27 forms the center of this narrative, shifting the story line from the telling of the dream to its interpretation and at the same time changing from first person to third when ...

1685. Daniel’s Dream of Four Beasts

Daniel 7:1-14

Understanding Series

William Nelson

The Four Beastly Kingdoms and God’s Kingdom: Daniel 7 is centrally located in the book; it is also of central importance. It functions as a transitional unit, providing a hinge that connects the two halves of the work. Chapter 7 is tied to what precedes by its language: it is part of the Aramaic section, which runs from Daniel 2:4b through 7:28. It is also part of the chiastic structure of chapters 2–7 (see “Stage Three” under “Language Problem and Literary Development” in the Introduction), which have ...

1686. Shockwaves of Joy

Matthew 28:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

One of the most spectacular characteristics of the Hollywood film industry is special effects. How many times have you walked out of a theater thinking “Wow! How did they do that?” For example, those of you who are James Bond fans might already know that the biggest stunt explosion in movie history was in the 24th Bond movie, Spectre. It’s even listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. It’s an impressive scene. It took over 2,000 gallons of kerosene, 300 detonators, 24 explosive devices and a mountain ...

1687. As I Am A Witness

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Lori Wagner

…Watch —and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. (Habakkuk 5) I am he who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me. (John 8:18) Animation: show/roll photos of Hubbel photos on screen; show model of brain; show markings on bone The Hubbel space telescope has been seeking out and examining unknown universes with its multiple lenses for over 25 years now. First launched aboard the space shuttle Discovery ...

1688. Devour And Conquer

Mark 12:38-44

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

In recent decades, archaeologists have turned their attention to ancient cooking pits and trash heaps because these reveal what ordinary people were doing a long, long time ago. Instead of assuming history is what the rich and powerful rulers were doing in ancient empires, the trash heaps and cooking pits of so-called ordinary people tell us what real life was like. They tell us about what matters to people. They give us insight into value, which may have very little with price. Trash heaps often include ...

1689. The Mud Room

John 9:1-41

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Homes built particularly in rural areas and on farms in the early part of the 20th century often had within them, usually coming in from the back or side door of the house, a special room called a “mud room.” Has anyone here seen a mud room? Perhaps some of you had one in your homes at some point? A mud room had pretty much one single purpose: it was a place for “messiness.” Farmers coming in out of the fields, work-folk coming in from a hard day’s labor in mines, rivers, farms, or creeks, would shed their ...

1690. Loving Against the Grain

Mark 3:20-35

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“You’re mad, bonkers, completely off your head. But I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are,” said Lewis Carroll in his famous story, Alice in Wonderland. A couple of weeks ago, I took a day trip to Ocean City, NJ. Once there, I looked for some new and different things to do and discovered that the town has a “historical museum” of the shore’s history. Being a lover of history, I walked several miles to the museum to take it all in. The entrance to the museum was free but one was asked to sign in. ...

1691. Scandal

Luke 22:14-23:56

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

While Don Richardson was a student at Prairie Bible Institute in the 1950s, his heart burned in anticipation of bringing the good news about Jesus to an unreached tribe. He and Carol found their prayers answered in 1962 as they sailed out of Vancouver harbor toward Netherlands New Guinea. Before long, they were deposited by a missionary plane among the Sawi people, a group of tribes living in the trees of the interior rain forest. The jungle floor was too damp for permanent dwellings, so the Sawi helped ...

1692. Wait and Witness

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Richard A. Jensen

"Can I please, Mommy? Just this once? Let me open my birthday present today. I’ll never ask this favor again. Pretty please?!" Fran was always like that at birthday time. She just could not wait for the day to arrive. She wanted to open her presents as soon as she saw them, birthday or not. Fran’s mother was prepared for this annual tug of war. "No, Fran," she said. "How many times do I have to tell you. You’ve got to wait until your birthday. Lots of things in life are like that. You just have to learn to ...

1693. Proper 14

Genesis 37:1-11, Matthew 14:22-36, Romans 9:30--10:21, Psalm 105:1-45

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The Old Testament texts explore the power of God in history. Genesis 37 introduces the story of Joseph and Psalm 105 reviews Israel's entire history of salvation. Genesis 37:1-4, 12-36 - "The Power of Oppression" Setting. The Old Testament lessons for the next two Sundays come from the story of Joseph. The story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 provides a hinge between the preceding ancestral stories of Abraham and Sarah-Hagar, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Rachel-Leah Genesis 12-36), and ...

1694. Hey, What’s that Sound?

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Sermon

Tony Everett

Here’s a familiar story. Two large oak trees had fallen across Bob’s front lawn during a huge thunderstorm the previous evening. Deciding to cut them up for firewood, Bob went to the local hardware store to purchase a chain saw. “I need the best chain saw you have,” Bob told the store manager. “Yes sir,” said the manager. “This one here will cut up to ten cords of wood in an eight-hour work day.” “I’ll take it,” Bob replied, “I need to get those trees off my lawn and turn them into fireplace fuel for next ...

1695. The Authority of Jesus over Sickness and Death

Mark 5:21-43

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: In these healing miracles two transformations take place: (1) Jesus’s compassion for the sick causes him to ignore the purity laws and bring purity/healing to suffering people; (2) he reverses the status rules of society by making the nameless, unclean woman the model of faith. Understanding the Text This is another of the sandwiching episodes like the one in 3:20–35, as the two stories interpret each other. In the context of this miracle section (4:35–5:43) these comprise the final two of the ...

1696. Advent 4

Luke 1:26-38, Romans 16:1-27, 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Sermon Aid

E. Carver McGriff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: 2 Samuel 7:1-16 If our purpose here were teaching rather than preaching, we could spin a wonderful tale of the rise of King David, and of his transformation of the Israelites. We could relate how David brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, which was to become known as the city of David, and how David wished to build a splendid tabernacle to house the ark. But more conservative voices prevailed for the time being, and David seems to have conceded for the time. The prophet ...

1697. Proper 25

Exodus 22:16-31, Leviticus 19:1-37, Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Matthew 22:34-46, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; 2:1-16

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Loving God and the neighbor. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 Moses goes to the top of Mount Nebo in the land of Moab, where God shows him the promised land. Then he dies and God himself buries him. Joshua inherits the spirit of Moses and the mantel of leadership. He will bring the people into the fulfillment of God's promise. The Deuteronomist summarizes the life of Moses by commenting that there has never since been such a prophet who knew God face to face. Old Testament: Exodus 22:21 ...

1698. Proper 14

Ephesians 4:17--5:21, 2 Samuel 18:1-18, John 6:25-59

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Jesus is the Bread from heaven that truly satisfies us. COMMENTARY Old Testament: 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 David's son, Absalom, rebels against his father to gain the crown for himself. David splits his army into three parts and surprises Absalom's troops near a wooded area. The rebellious army is put into panic and Absalom flees into the woods on his donkey where his hair is caught in the thicket of a tree. He is left hanging there but is still alive. David had charged his men prior to battle not ...

1699. Proper 25

Hebrews 7:11-28, Job 42:7-17, Job 42:1-6, Mark 10:46-52

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: God in Christ is ever available to hear and heed our cries for mercy. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Job 42:1-6, 10-17 The story of Job comes to completion as the sufferer comes to acknowledge his own finitude and God's power. Job does not receive a direct answer to his questions but receives something better, the very presence of God. "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you" (v. 6). This verse contrasts knowledge of God from tradition with a more direct relationship of God ...

1700. The Son Makes Us Free

John 8:31-41

Sermon

Larry R. Kalajainen

On a television movie about a family of Virginia plantation owners during the Civil War, one of the sons married a woman whom his family despised because she was not of their class. She was the daughter of a poor "dirt farmer," without the privileged education, carefully cultivated social graces, or the wealth of the family who lived in the big house on the plantation. She became pregnant with their first child shortly before her husband went off to war with Jeb Stuart's calvary, and reluctantly, the ...

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