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 612 results

151. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:13-20, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:7-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

Throughout the book James has been dealing with the root causes of disharmony within the community. In the previous section, he has dealt with their complaining, their criticizing, and their roots in worldliness (3:1–4:12). Now he turns to another theme, the test of wealth. The poor person is totally dependent and knows it. Although such a person may well be consumed with envy and ambition, Christians are more likely to turn to prayer and humble dependence upon God. The wealthier person, however, may be ...

152. The Darkest Hour

Drama

Pamela Urfer

Cast: NARRATOR (the only speaking part), JESUS, two SOLDIERS, PILATE, a PRIEST, three WOMEN, and a MAN Length: 8 minutes NOTE: Due to the scope of the Passion Readings and the fact that the readings are the same for all cycles, the Good Friday skits have been arranged as a series. Cycle "A" covers John 18:1-12, Cycle "B" covers John 18:13-40, and Cycle "C" covers John 19:1-30. Each skit is complete in itself, but the three may be strung together to cover the entire Passion in one presentation. Or they may ...

153. The Darkest Hour

Drama

Pamela Urfer

154. Riddles and Metaphors

Ezekiel 15:1-8, Ezekiel 16:1-63, Ezekiel 17:1-24

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

As a priest, Ezekiel was literate and well educated. His learned background is apparent in his imaginative use of a variety of literary forms and styles. The effect of this creativity on his original audience was evidently mixed; some contemporaries dismissed him as a teller of riddles (20:49; the NIV renders the Heb. meshalim “parables”) or “one who sings love songs” (33:32). Certainly, though, this variety makes Ezekiel one of the most interesting, as well as the most baffling, of the prophetic books. In ...

155. Jesus Defines Himself as Lord in Contrast to the Leaders of Israel

Mark 12:41-44, Mark 12:35-40

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: In three final conflicts between Jesus and the leaders, he (1) reveals himself as more than the royal Messiah, (2) warns about the hypocritical scribes, and (3) contrasts them with the humble widow, who gives her all to God. Understanding the Text While verses 35–37 belong with the controversy stories of 11:27–12:37, they also are part of the final three narratives that conclude the section, presented together as Jesus’s teaching in the temple grounds. There is a double contrast: (1) Jesus’s true ...

156. More Than a Popularity Contest

Luke 12:49-53, Luke 12:54-59

Sermon

King Duncan

How do you measure popularity? These days most people measure popularity by social media followers and likes. But that’s not always an authentic measure. There are companies that will sell large blocks of fake followers to those who want to look more popular than they really are. And this isn’t a new thing. Back in 300 B.C., a performer named Philemon hired audience members to laugh loudly at his jokes. The paid laughers were so effective that Philemon routinely beat out his competitors in local comedy ...

157. Rejecting or Responding to Jesus

Luke 10:1-24

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: How people respond to Jesus and his ministry (and to his disciples’ message) determines their spiritual destiny. Understanding the Text The mission of the seventy-two leads to reflections on the significance of Jesus’s ministry and of the mission that he now shares with his followers. As in the earlier account of Jesus’s transfiguration, we see again here that the drama being played out on the earthly level also has a supernatural dimension, both in the conflict with and the defeat of Satan (a ...

158. The True Story Wins

Matthew 28:11-15

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Prop: a stone or rock, some scissors, and paper; a basket of stones or rocks that can be handed out Participation: During the sermon, all can participate using the hand motions of “rock, paper, scissors” Are you a liar? That might be a question asked of you if you live in the mountains of West Virginia, where the art of storytelling is called “lying.” It is every artist’s desire to become a “great liar.” To be a great “liar” meant that you could not only write a crafty short story, but you could “tell” the ...

159. The Messiah’s Mark

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

New parents are always so eager and anxious for their babies to learn to talk. We cajole and coo and coax them to get out those first precious words. But eventually parental prayers are answered, and the child speaks. Next thing they know, however, Mom and Dad are being grilled by junior or missy who have discovered the all important “Why?” question. There are the science questions — “Why is the sky blue?” “Why does the wind blow?” “Why is water wet?” “Where exactly in our bodies are we located?” There are ...

160. Purim Celebrated

Esther 9:20-32

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

The Authorization of Purim: Having explained current practice (v. 19), the narrator turns his attention to the events that led to the establishment of Purim as a permanent, regularized institution. Though the festival legislation may be historically secondary to the Esther/Mordecai story, the book in its totality appears to follow deliberately the pattern found in Exodus. First, there is a story of threat and deliverance featuring a Jew with unlikely royal connections and a precedent-setting ritual (Exod. ...

161. Rebirth

John 3:14-21

Sermon

John Jamison

The city of Jerusalem was packed with strangers during the Passover feast, so you could walk a long distance and never see anyone you recognized. He was counting on that, as he quickly moved along the streets with his head held low and his face covered. He moved from alleyway to alleyway, looking carefully in all directions before stepping into the openness of a street, making sure there was not someone who might recognize him. But while he tried to remain hidden, he had to be careful to not appear too ...

162. Monologue: Esther

Esther 1:1-22

Drama

Lynda Pujad

(Reminiscing) I had a mother once. Of course, I remember her well. We went through much suffering together, and after she died I missed her greatly. A girl always needs a mother. My parents and I were from Jerusalem. This is Babylonia and it's not my real home, but I am the queen now, and I have adjusted to it. I am Esther, (Bows) and my name is also Hadassah if you prefer to call me by my Jewish name. When I was young, we were deported and brought here as captives by King Nebuchadnezzar. My parents died ...

163. What’s the Good Word?

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

I have always felt sorry for Steven Seymour. You may not remember who Steven Seymour was, but Steven Seymour was the interpreter President Carter took along with him to Poland some years back. Interpreters in such situations face a formidable task. They must do immediately, on the spur of the moment, what it takes the translator of a work of literature hours or days to do at their desk. And poor Steven Seymour mistranslated one of the President’s words of greetings to the Polish people. When the President ...

164. In Corinth

Acts 18:1-17

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

Corinth was the most important city to which Paul had come since leaving Syrian Antioch, and he stayed there longer than in any other city (as far as we know). Luke tells us of the establishment of the church in Corinth, but nothing of its life. For this we must turn to Paul’s letters. So little does Luke say of this church that he has opened himself to the charge of being less interested in Corinth than in Macedonia and Ephesus (Rackham, p. 322). There may be something in this, but the reason lies more in ...

165. Paul in Ephesus

Acts 19:1-22

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

This section and the one before it are a pair. They are both concerned with the relationship of Christianity to an imperfect form of the faith—“the baptism of John.” In this case Paul deals with the situation himself. These verses include also a brief description of his ministry in Ephesus, aspects of which are illustrated in the following section. But again we must turn to Paul’s letters to fill out our knowledge of these years. They show that his achievement in Ephesus was at the cost of much suffering ( ...

166. The Unbelief of the Jews

John 10:22-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The notation of time and place in verses 22–23 is intended to set the stage for a new encounter between Jesus and the Jerusalem authorities, not to locate the events of 9:1–10:19. The time frame of Jesus’ ministry, especially in Jerusalem, is provided by the Jewish religious festivals. The last of these to be mentioned was the autumn Feast of Tabernacles (7:2), the setting of chapters 7–8. Now it is winter and time for the Feast of Dedication (known today as Hanukkah); the events of 9:1–10:19 are assumed ...

167. God’s Saving Righteousness and the Restoration of Israel

Romans 3:21-31

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Paul anticipates here in verses 21–26 Martin Luther's famous question, “How can I, a sinner, stand before a holy God?” The apostle's answer is that at the cross of Jesus Christ, the judging righteousness of God (his holiness) is reconciled to God's saving righteousness (his mercy) such that God is at once both just and the justifier of him whose faith is in Jesus. Understanding the Text Romans 1:17–18 signaled two aspects of divine righteousness: saving righteousness and judging righteousness. ...

168. Creative Preaching

Sermon

Michael Rogness

I would urge every preacher to attempt an experimental sermon occasionally, especially if he or she is normally a very routine, conventional person.51 -- John Killinger Change attracts attention. Every preacher knows this after watching people's attention shift to a child walking up the aisle and out the door to the bathroom. I was in a church once where a bird was flying around the sanctuary. The pastor could just as well have been reading out of the phone book for all the attention the sermon retained. A ...

169. Never Give Up

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Because God never gives up on us, we need never give up. From the many true and apocryphal stories about the life of Winston Churchill comes the report of a singular commencement address. After enduring a lengthy introduction, Churchill is reported to have risen from his seat, strode to the podium and stared fixedly at his audience of new graduates. "Never give up!" he pronounced solemnly. Churchill then turned, walked back to his chair and sat down. As the stunned students momentarily sat in silence, ...

170. Counting the Cost of Discipleship

Luke 14:25-33

Sermon

Ron Lavin

The best thing to say to a pastor after you hear a sermon that moves you is not, "That was a good sermon." That's a little better than saying, "That was a lousy sermon," but in saying, "That was a good sermon," you may be missing the point of preaching. The point of preaching is for the listeners to put the Word of God into action. Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish theologian, says that the role of listeners in a devotional address is not that of an audience at a play. The pastor's role, he says, is not that ...

171. Let Him Kiss Me

Song of Songs 1:1-17

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

Introducing the Characters (1:1-6): The opening verses of the Song give the title and introduce the characters. The central woman (identified in the NIV as “Beloved”) and a group (NIV “Friends”) both speak. The central man (NIV “Lover”) is addressed in the second person and mentioned in the third person. He does not speak here, although admiration of him by both the individual woman and the group forms the core of this section. Both sensory images and royal language are used to describe him. 1:1 The first ...

172. The Man Among Myrtle Trees

Zechariah 1:7-17

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

Superscription to the Vision Reports and Oracles (1:1): Zechariah now describes a series of visions received during one night in the second year of Darius. These reports attach revelations of God’s will and works to aspects of the people’s experience as subjects of the emperor. Zechariah 3:8 provides the key to this way of reading part two of Zechariah when it calls the Jerusalem priesthood a mofet, a sign or portent for the “Branch” to come. In every episode of the vision there is some concrete, present ...

173. Signs, Sayings, and Oracles of Judgment

Ezekiel 12:1-28, Ezekiel 13:1-23, Ezekiel 14:1-11, Ezekiel 14:12-23

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

Laying the Blame and Taking Responsibility: The typical Ezekielian expression “the word of the Lord came to me” recurs throughout the chapters between the second vision of the Glory in chapters 8–11 and the oracles against the foreign nations in chapters 25–32—except in chapter 19. Indeed, in the twenty-six chapters between Ezekiel 11 and 38, this is the only chapter in which that characteristic phrase does not appear. This chapter stands out, therefore, in the larger structure of Ezekiel. Further, after ...

174. The Fifth Trumpet (First Woe)

Revelation 8:6--9:21

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: God sometimes allows evil powers to serve his purposes of judging wicked human beings. Understanding the Text The fourth trumpet ends with a plague of darkness, a regular symbol of judgment and destruction in the Bible (e.g., Isa. 13:10–11; Joel 2:1–2; Amos 5:18; Mark 13:24). Now we see how dense and thick that spiritual darkness can be with the final trumpet judgments. After the first four trumpets, where God’s judgments are poured out primarily on creation (8:7–12), now an eagle warns of three ...

175. Welcome, Joe!

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sermon

King Duncan

Welcome to worship this morning. I’m glad to see you here. And I’d like to offer a special welcome to all our Joes in the congregation this morning, since March 27 is officially “National Joe Day.” I’m not kidding. I don’t know who decides these things, like National Goof Off Day (March 22) or National Waffle Day (March 25), but March 27 is designated as National Joe Day. It’s a day for celebrating anyone with the name Joe. In fact, the founder of National Joe Day invites all people to change their name to ...

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