Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 151 to 175 of 4959 results

151. Matthew 14:22-36

Matthew 14:22-36

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Save me.” It appears Peter had come far enough on his watery walk to be at arm’s length from his master. Jesus’ saving hand is immediately extended. Jesus describes Peter’s faith with a word that he often uses to characterize all his disciples in Matthew (6:30; 8:26; 16:8; 17:20): “little.” Instead of “faith” Peter has “doubt.” Peter allowed himself to be convinced by the threats of the physical world rather trusting in the power of his relationship with Jesus. Despite their “little ...

152. John 20:19-31

John 20:19-23

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... on what the Fourth Gospel does NOT offer, or suggest Jesus gave some watered down spit-spray of the Spirit at this moment in time, it seems more honest to read John’s text as his presentation of the post-resurrection gift of the Spirit to the disciples. Jesus’ presence in the midst of his followers, the stark testimony of his crucified wounds, his promised gifts of peace and joy, have all been bestowed. Now the promised coming of the Spirit, John 16:7, is breathed out upon those whom he is sending into ...

153. Jesus Transfigured as a Foreshadowing of Future Glory

Matthew 17:1-13

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... ’s return. At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob. (Sir. 48:10 NRSV) Given that the disciples have confessed Jesus as the Messiah (16:16) and have now witnessed something of his future glory with Elijah in attendance (17:2–3), it is not surprising that they are asking Jesus about the coming “day of the Lord” (often signaled in Matthew by “end of ...

154. Failing the Test and Spiritual Failure—Hardness of Heart

Mark 6:45-56

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... are “amazed” like the crowds (1:22, 27; 5:20) and “hardened” like the Pharisees (3:5; 10:5). The heart must be opened to the presence of God in Jesus, and the eye must be opened to see the truth (cf. their blindness in 8:18). The disciples fail in both areas. 6:56 wherever he went . . . they placed the sick in the marketplaces. This is the third summary passage (1:32–34; 3:7–12), and like the others it centers on both the miraculous power of Jesus and his incredible popularity with the people ...

155. The Resurrection

Mark 16:1-20

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... appearance in Galilee, however, we are left to wonder whether the original form of Mark did contain such an account. The final item in the passage is the response of the women to the command of the “young man” (16:8). The women are told to go to the disciples and tell them what they have been told (v. 7). Instead, we read that the women flee in great agitation and fear and say nothing to anyone. It is striking that the parallels in Matthew 28:8 and Luke 24:8–9 say the opposite, describing the women as ...

156. The Bethsaida Boys

Mark 8:31-38

Sermon

John Jamison

... still occasionally struggled with the roles they were to play, especially poor Peter, they had begun to understand what it meant to actually follow this Jesus of Galilee. As we come to the end of this part of the story, think just how hard it must have been for the disciples to figure Jesus out and get it right. Think about all of the times they totally screwed it up, and yet in the end, had the impact that they had. It makes me feel more and more comfortable that, somehow, God will find a way to use us too ...

157. Moving On

Luke 6:12-16, Luke 9:1-9, Luke 10:1-24

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... himself. Jesus moved on all the way to the cross, and fulfilled God’s mission even to death! How did he do it? What does Jesus do to soften the fear of what is to come? 1) he is day and night in prayer; 2) he accustoms himself and his disciples to a “rocking” boat and teaches them how to “rock” the boat themselves; 3) he knows what it means to “kick off the dust” when he is not welcome; 4) his authority, his power, his strength, and his vision come from God, in other words, he knows who he is ...

158. Sermon In A Word

John 20:10-18, John 20:1-9

Drama

Jerry Eckert

... that was the last thing they seemed to want to hear. But John persisted. "What did Jesus say?" "He said, 'I have not yet ascended to my Father.' I don't know what that means. Maybe he will be with us yet before he leaves." That did not encourage the disciples at all. John asked, "What else did he say?" First Person: She looked around at the men and then said, "Tell my brethren that I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God." Second Person: "Tell my what?" Peter said. First ...

159. Portrait Of A Powerful Servant

John 13:1-17

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... piety because it is an anachronism, a once useful practice which is no longer appropriate. Jesus did not deal in mere symbols. He did what needed to be done and did not observe customs and rituals for their own sake. The example Jesus burned into the memories of his disciples was the portrait of a servant. He wanted them to know that the highest calling in life is not to be served but to serve. God called them, as he does us, to minister to the real needs of others. That is the way Jesus used his power and ...

160. Fishing Stories

John 21:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us." (4) Jesus' disciples had to learn this lesson. Manuel Noriega had to learn this lesson. We have to learn this lesson. There is the life we have constructed ... a risk you CANNOT AFFORD NOT TO TAKE. It is a risk to respond to Jesus' call. But obviously it's a risk that the disciples cannot afford not to take. Full of joy, they begin rowing toward shore to greet Jesus. Simon Peter doesn't even wait for the boat; ...

161. The Five Senses

Luke 24:36-48

Sermon

John Smylie

... Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have" (v. 39b). They see him, they hear him speaking, and now they have the opportunity to touch him but they still find themselves disbelieving. What will it take for the disciples to believe the wonder of their Lord's resurrection? Perhaps we could ask the same question of ourselves. What does it take for us to know and believe and allow the truth of Jesus Christ rising from the dead to impact our lives? In a sense, our Lord is ...

162. See Something, Say Something, Do Something, Be Something

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had only one “term,” not terms. And that one term of service was love. Service was not offered with any eye on any bottom line. It was offered as an expression of love. Just before the Last Supper, Jesus offered an act of loving service to his disciples. He washed their feet. He was their teacher, their Master, their Lord. Yet he girded himself with a towel, knelt before them on the floor, washed their dirty, dusty feet, and wiped them dry and clean. There was no dis-claimer in this action. It was a ...

163. Jesus’ Four Surprising Road Rules for the Missional Highway

Luke 9:57-62, Luke 9:51-56

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the power of the image of the Pillar of Salt: Lot’s wife could not stop looking back and she shed so many tears of goodbye she cried herself into a pillar of salt. You cannot walk backwards down the stairs and expect to get higher. As disciples travel the road to Jerusalem with Jesus we must face forward, no matter how harsh the view. So here, one last time are Jesus’ Four Surprising Road Rules: 1) To be on the road with Jesus isn’t a breakneck superhighway to success and superiority, but back-alley ...

164. Jesus Walks on the Water

John 6:16-24

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... world—the boat and the storm on the lake—as give them a glimpse and a taste, however fleeting, of his world. The disciples’ reaction is not expressed (contrast Mark 6:51–52; Matt. 14:32–33). As soon as they reach shore, they drop out of ... the lake, but how he got there remained a mystery to them. If his comings and goings are beyond the understanding even of his true disciples (vv. 16–21), how much more are they beyond the reach of those who seek him for their own purposes? Those who pursue him in ...

165. Jesus Begins His Ministry to Israel

Matthew 4:23-25, Matthew 4:18-22

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... sent by Jesus “to fish for people.” It is a mission centered on the kingdom—in word and deed. It is a community mission (18:1–35). And it is a mission that will be summed upat the end of the gospel in the call to disciple (Gk. verb matheteuo) people from all nations, teaching them to obey all Jesus’ teachings as Jesus himself lives among them (28:18–20). Illustrating the Text Jesus’ message and activity center on the imminent reign of God. Quote: N. T. Wright, addressing how we might live in ...

166. Jesus’ Compassion and Authority to Do the Miraculous

Matthew 14:13-21, Matthew 14:22-36

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... 8); in this passage it is further explicated by Peter’s “doubt” (distazo, also rendered as “waver”). This word is used in the New Testament only in Matthew and only two times (14:31; 28:17). In both cases it describes a wavering of faith in the disciples. Little faith is a faith that does not hold firm in the midst of adversity or confusing circumstances. 14:33 those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” This is the first time in the story line that the ...

167. As I Am A Witness

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Jesus said the same thing well before that in the gospels, as he explained that the world may hate his disciples as they hated him, but still they must witness: “When the Holy Spirit comes, whom I will send to you from the Father –the Spirit of Truth who goes out from the Father –he will testify about me. And you muts also testify, for you have been with me from ...

168. Peter the Petulant

Mark 14:1-11, Mark 14:12-26, Mark 14:27-31

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... . The passing of the mantle. We saw it with Elijah to Elisha. We saw it from Moses to Joshua. We saw it from John the Baptist to Jesus. But now, it had come time for Jesus to pass the mantle to one of his own. And while many of his disciples would follow him, he had chosen Peter to bear the most responsibility, to wear the apron of a Jesus master. Ready or not, Jesus was about to leave them, and it was time to step up. And Peter was noticeably nervous –not just nervous, but terribly insecure. Peter had a ...

169. God Deep In The Flesh

Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

Marc Kolden

... that we receive Christ himself, and who have been praying since long before we ever heard the word "trinity" to a God we address as "our father." Trinity Sunday is a time for seeing how our Christian faith and practice fit with the reality of God. Being a disciple of Jesus means following in this way of embracing the world and its people and its challenges and its joys precisely because it is here that we meet the one who promises to be with us always. Of course, the world is messed up by sin, just as ...

170. Preaching The Miracles

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... breaking" - v. 4B. Only Jesus would supply their need - "That night they caught nothing" - v. 3C. Only Jesus would feed them - "Come and have breakfast" - v. 12. 3. You and the Stranger of Galilee (21:1-1 4). At first Jesus was a stranger on the beach seen by the disciples out in a boat fishing. The stranger comes to us and he is a stranger no longer. How and when does he come and reveal himself to us?A. He comes in the nighttime of our lives - "That night they caught nothing" - v. 3B. He comes when we are ...

171. Transfiguration

Luke 9:28-36 · Matthew 17:1-8 · Mark 9:2-8

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... learn the truth. But, it is even more important that we obey his word of truth. Alone (v. 36) - At the beginning there were only the four of them. Now they were alone again. Moses and Elijah had disappeared. The cloud vanished, and the voice was silent. The disciples looked around and they saw Jesus "alone." So, it all ends with Jesus. He is not only the Alpha but the Omega. When all is said and done, when life is over, the only one left is the One who is "the same yesterday, today and forever." APPLICATION ...

172. A Faithful Follower I Would Be

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... they were doing and then to decide if this was truly what they wanted. And friends, you and I need to give some thought to our discipleship, too. Following him is a way of life. Following him is not to be taken lightly. FOR, YOU SEE, EVEN AS MODERN DAY DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST, THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN IN ORDER TO REMAIN TRUE TO JESUS WE WILL HAVE TO GO AGAINST THE VALUES OF THE WORLD. One of the great leaders of the early church was the Apostle Paul. Paul knew from his own experience the cost of being a ...

173. A Church Shaped By The Great Commission

Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Resident Aliens A congregation of disciples committed to making disciples, which has become apostolic in its style and passion and sees itself as a missionary community in the world, will inevitably also see itself and become a community of aliens who are in, but not of, the world. In September of 1997 there was a ...

174. Proper 7

Psalm 86:1-17, Romans 6:1-14, Matthew 10:1-42, Genesis 21:8-21

Sermon Aid

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

... through the woods at night. Instead, they are reminded of the care of the Creator God for all creation, and they are declared to be an important part of the creation. Third, the line about "whom to fear" contains a genuine ambiguity. What is clear is that the disciples are not to fear other humans, but what is not clear is the identity of the one they are to fear. Some interpreters suggest it is Satan, and others contend it is God. That the reference is to Satan seems more likely for two reasons: (a) the ...

175. Trinity Sunday

Genesis 1:1-2:3, Matthew 28:16-20, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Psalm 8:1-9

Sermon Aid

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

... of the earthly Jesus by/in the power and the presence of the risen Lord Jesus, these words may simply mean that as God sent Jesus, now God sends the Holy Spirit (the spirit of the risen Jesus) to direct and comfort faithful disciples. TRINITY SUNDAY: THE CELEBRATION Ordinary time is always bracketed by special days, whether after Epiphany or Pentecost. After Epiphany the days are the Baptism of the Lord and the Transfiguration. After Pentecost they are Trinity Sunday and Christ the King. Trinity Sunday ...

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