Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 151 to 175 of 4943 results

151. A Message About Babylon

Jeremiah 50:1--51:64

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... s people. They will talk about it once they return to Zion. 51:11–14 This section of the oracle begins with commands shouted to the future invaders of Babylon. They are told to prepare for battle by preparing their weapons (sharpen the arrows; take up shields), rallying (lift up a banner) and positioning the army (reinforce the guard, station the watchmen, prepare an ambush!). Here for the first time Babylon’s enemy is given a name, the kings of the Medes (see Additional Notes). The divine rationale for ...

152. The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... . That people often suffer for their own wrongdoing is standard OT and NT thinking (e.g., 1 Cor. 11:29–30), but the story of Job shows that one must not assume this always to be the case. Second, even when people came to realize that he was taking up their sufferings and pains (v. 4a), they had not said all that needed to be said. Behind the servant’s action (or passion) lay the master’s will. But what were Yahweh and the servant trying to achieve through this act of identification? The answer is that ...

153. Job Considers a Legal Dispute with God

Job 9:1–10:22

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

Big Idea: Job wants God to declare him righteous, but he cannot envision how to bring this about. Understanding the Text In chapters 9 and 10, Job takes up the challenge made by Bildad in 8:5 to plead with the Almighty. As he contemplates this possibility, Job focuses on his legal status before God. In this speech he begins to work out in his mind how he might approach God with his situation, and how God might respond ...

154. When God Gets Excited

Mark 2:1-12

Sermon

James Merritt

... that only God can forgive sins." So, they throw down the gantlet and Jesus takes it up. "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins - He said to the paralytic, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.'" (Mark 2: 9-11, NKJV) Notice what Jesus does, He uses the physical to get to the spiritual. Jesus healed the man's legs to prove He ...

155. Who Do You Say I Am?

Mark 8:27-30

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

... I am convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, that he had to undergo great suffering, be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes, and be killed. Then after three days he rose again. And I acknowledge that if I want to follow him, I must deny myself and take up my cross; because those who lose their life for Christ's sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. I am not ashamed of what I believe, and I am not ashamed that Jesus Christ is my Savior. Blessing Leader: Can you follow someone whom ...

156. Half-Price Crosses

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... was burned to death within the church building. Christians today are the most persecuted religious group in the world, and the persecution is intensifying. Crosses are not cheap everywhere. Jesus said, "If anyone wants to be my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross dally, and follow me." In that context, a cross refers to some suffering or sacrifice that you undertake voluntarily out of love for Christ and concern for other people. Carrying a cross will not earn you a ticket to heaven. Those ...

157. The Discipline of Discipleship

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... And part of the problem is the fact that there are several definitions for the term DISCIPLE. In the context of the church, people might quote Jesus to provide a definition: "If any want to become my followers (or be my disciple), let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Or they might say "a disciple is one who has turned his or her heart over to Jesus Christ." That's FINE...as far as it goes. It means discipleship is defined in terms of worship and of sacrificial service: doing acts ...

158. The Thing With Two Heads

Matthew 16:13-24

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." [24] Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Peter was a walking contradiction. He was the disciple who had a bold heart of gold but feet of clay. And it seemed that the only time he took his foot out of his mouth was to change feet. Peter kind of reminds me ...

159. The Trial Before Felix

Acts 24:1-27

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... members of the delegation expressed their agreement with the case presented by their advocate, but no other witnesses were called and one wonders how they expected to press these charges in the absence of anything but wild accusations. 24:10 Felix did not take up the suggestion that he should question the prisoner. Instead, he indicated that Paul should speak for himself. The apostle began as Tertullus had done, with the captatio benevolentiae, but in this case nothing was said that was not true (2 Cor. 13 ...

160. Elijah Taken Up to Heaven

2 Kings 2:1-18

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... of a living person, that they have in mind. They do not find Elijah, of course, either living or dead. They are thus invited to draw the conclusion that we and Elisha have already reached: Elijah has indeed been taken up into the heavens. Whether that “taking up” is itself a kind of death or simply translation to a different sort of life is never resolved by the narrative. There are hints of death all around: the conversation about double portions in verses 9–10; the tearing of the clothes in verse 12 ...

161. The Way Up Is Down!

Mark 9:30-37

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... right side up! The lesson seems simple but the disciples do not understand. Later, near the end of his ministry, Jesus returns to this theme and demonstrates what he means by stooping to wash the disciples' feet. On the day after he washes their feet, Jesus takes up the cross, society's ultimate symbol of sin and shame, and dies the death we all deserve. After his resurrection, God exalts him and makes that cross the world's ultimate plus sign. D. L. Moody was a shoe sales clerk when he overheard someone in ...

162. While This House Lies In Ruins

Haggai 1:1-15

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... a great thing happens. God no longer speaks of "these people." He says, "I am with you." They came and got the job done. The remnant is found. There is always a remnant, a portion of God's people waiting to be called out of the chaos, ready to take up the gauntlet, ready to work for the kingdom. No matter how fallen the age, there is always a remnant of ordinary people who will work great wonders for the Lord. Most important of all, the stage is set. Literally. This is the Temple. Yes, it will be desecrated ...

163. Managing Your Anger

Romans 12:9-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... Ali got into boxing. He never found the thief. But from that day forward, he says, every time he got into the ring, he looked across at the other fighter and told himself, "Hey, that's the guy who stole my bicycle!" (5) I'm not suggesting that we take up boxing when someone has wronged us. Though, it may not be a totally bad idea. But rather than letting our anger be a stumbling block, let it be a stepping stone. Anger can be a great motivator, as long as we can appropriately channel it. Gilda Carle, who ...

164. But First...

Luke 9:57-62

Sermon

King Duncan

... to have eternal life, Jesus answered, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:21). And we read in all three of the Synoptic Gospels the command: “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Jesus doesn’t want fans. He wants followers. Jesus wants people who will do more than simply sit in a pew and clap and cheer. He ...

165. True Fasting

Isaiah 58:1-14

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... here, and the material reminds us of Isaiah 1–12. It thus expounds something of the nature of “justice” and “right” (56:1). At the same time, the concern with shalom is not the only reappearance of a theme from chapters 40–55. The material takes up issues from both chapters 1–39 and chapters 40–55. 58:1–9a Chapter 58 deals with two aspects of misunderstanding of devotion, first the misunderstanding of fasting. Again the Preacher picks up the Poet’s words from 40:1–11 but uses them in ...

166. Marketplace Christianity

John 2:13-22

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... in fact refers most often to heathen populations, foreigners, and non-Israelites).[5] God’s “house” includes not just Israelites but all peoples of the world who God wishes and hopes to draw to himself. Jesus, Son of God, seeker of “lost sheep,” takes up God’s prophetic anger at the exclusion of the gentiles from the Gentile Court, the only place designated for them in the Temple to worship and pray. Instead, they’ve been treated like a cheap commodity, as dispensable as the goods they are ...

167. Real Security

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

... men - who sit around wondering and waiting; they have nothing to do. They have lost jobs and security and, in some cases, find no meaning or purpose in life any longer. Everything in life is fragile and delicate and easily lost, isn’t it? Jesus never said, "Take up your cross, follow me - and be certain that you will find security in this life." Rather, he told us to follow him and serve God and our brothers and sisters on earth who need our help. Where did we ever get the idea that the Christian life ...

168. Plain Talk

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... the houses to meet in and provided the financing for the movement. Paul, in his letters, announces proudly that he is financially independent. He is not dependent on anyone. He earns his own way. Later Paul will take up an offering among the Gentiles for the poor in Jerusalem. Now you can't take up an offering among the poor. You have to take it from people with substance. So there is evidence that some lived according to the literal teaching of Jesus to have no possessions. Then, later, poverty was adopted ...

169. Being and Doing as the People of God

1 Peter 1:13-2:3

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... you can’t read the Gospels without being confronted with it: Do unto others as you would have them do into you. Love one another as the Father has loved you. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself Take up the cross. This is what Jesus was calling for when He said in Matthew 11:29: “Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me.” Two common words help us: disciple and apostle. A disciple is a learner, a follower. The word has the same root meaning as pupil. An ...

170. There Will Be Peace

Isaiah 11:1-16

Sermon

King Duncan

... not come as quickly as they had expected, they began to moderate their views on war. Sometimes it is necessary to don armor and fight in order to keep evil people from forcing their will on the weak and innocent. At such times it is permissible to take up arms, but this should be the last resort. War should always be the last option available. And we should always look for ways to be peacemakers. Further, we should always look for that day when the Messiah comes for the final time and the “wolf will live ...

171. Do You Believe In Miracles?

Matthew 15:29-39

Sermon

James Merritt

... . If you accept the Bible as a historically reliable book, much less the Word of God, then it really doesn’t matter what other people believe. The evidence for miracles, particularly in the life of Jesus, is just overwhelming. By the way, let me take up one small objection here. Many times people will say something like this, “The Bible is not a science textbook. Miracles have to do with science. Therefore, it is irrelevant what the Bible says since it deals only with history and theology.” There is ...

172. Healing of the Water

2 Kings 2:19-22

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

173. Elisha is Jeered

2 Kings 2:23-25

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

174. The Mighty Mustard Seed

Mark 4:26-34

Sermon

King Duncan

I have a question for our retirees this morning. Did you pick up any new hobbies when you retired from your job? Most people I know say they are busier in retirement than they were in their working years, so taking up a new hobby may be difficult. So, let me ask our non-retirees, what hobby do you hope to adopt in your retirement years? I ask this because I was inspired by reading about a retired Canadian man named Young S. New. New picked up an interesting new hobby when ...

175. What’s In It For Me?

Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

Richard A. Jensen

... version of obedience to God’s will. We need to say to such a temptation what Jesus said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" God turns our question and our expectation of life upside down. God in Jesus Christ offers us personal victory through taking up our cross. It is in taking up our cross, it is in taking up a symbol of death, that we find life. It is in losing our lives for the sake of the gospel, that we find our lives. It is in giving that we receive. It is in losing that we win. It is in dying that ...

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