Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1726 to 1750 of 4884 results

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

William B. Kincaid, III

... significant, of more ultimate value than anything we are able to give. Through the Christ-child, we have life, we know life, and we share life. Because of the Christ-child, we give with a new spirit and a new love and a new freedom. God has shown us the perfect example of giving. Now, we are able to give simply for the love and joy of giving, and our gifts are more than sweaters and ear rings. Now, we can offer a bit of ourselves as a sign that the Christmas spirit has taken root in our lives. Just as ...

1727. Understanding The Holy Trinity

John 16:5-16

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... (steam). The substance is the same. As liquid, solid, or vapor it is still water. God is the basic substance, water, but he comes to the world as Father, Son, and Spirit. Though we use various analogies to explain the Trinity, not one of them is a perfect illustration or explanation. We must be content to let the Trinity be a mystery and accept it by faith as a central biblical teaching. Now we see the Trinity through a glass darkly but in heaven it will become clear to us. The Shield Of The Trinity The ...

1728. Advent 2

Matthew 3:1-12, Isaiah 11:1-16, Romans 14:1--15:13

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... trees could not weather the storms more effectively. Looking more closely, I noticed that the root system was wide but not deep. A foot or two beneath the surface was water, which the roots could not penetrate. Until the day of destruction, the trees looked perfectly healthy. They had plenty of limbs and branches, but the roots were too shallow to anchor them for life. How deeply are we rooted in God's love and holy Word? Are they deep enough to provide an eternal anchor? Epistle: Romans 15:4-13 Sermon ...

1729. Advent 4

Mt 1:18-25 · Rom 1:1-7 · Isa 7:10-17 · Ps 80

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... but it is limited -- to be a slave of God's Son or of sin. Jesus said it well: "You cannot serve two masters ... You cannot serve God and mammon" (Luke 6:24). The irony of it is that it is in this slavery to Christ that we find perfect freedom, the freedom to love and to give. We are called, in our baptism, to become the slaves of Jesus Christ: his apostles, ambassadors, sent into the world to call others to embrace the obedience of the gospel. This message is the essential antidote for the false notion of ...

1730. The Rain Of Bread

Exodus 16:1-36

Sermon

... on the surface of fresh-water lakes, like algae, and at the end of every summer they're harvested, shelled, and dried in the sun so you can't ever tell they had legs. Mmmm. Tasty bugs."1 The Israelites who wandered in the wilderness may have known perfectly well about the natural source of the manna. But whether they did or did not, they recognized that God had provided for them. It was not merely a natural phenomena; it was recognized as God's act of grace. It is like the story of a man who entered ...

1731. Easter 3

1 Peter 1:13-2:3, Acts 2:42-47, Luke 24:13-35

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... . But in this letter, the church is subject to persecution. It is no longer centered in Jerusalem but is a church in exile (v. 17). There is a eucharistic theme in this passage, which links it to the other two readings. Christ is presented as the perfect Passover Lamb who shed his blood for the ransom of the world (v. 19). Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 Two disciples of Jesus are walking away from Jerusalem, toward the village of Emmaus, discussing the events of Good Friday and Easter morning. The risen Christ joins ...

1732. Epiphany 2

Jn 1:29-42 · 1 Cor 1:1-9 · Is 49:1-7 · Ps 27

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... is to do something, but when God calls us, it is being that he is concerned about. The Lord's primary concern is who and what we are. As Christians, we are all called to be saints, to live holy lives. We realize such sanctity not by striving to be perfect, that would be self-defeating, but by offering each moment of our lives to the Lord. Perhaps this would be a fitting prayer for a saint to offer to the Lord: "I'm not much, Lord, but I'm yours. Take me and use me as you will. In Jesus ...

1733. Good Friday

John 18:1-11, Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Genesis 22:1-19, Hosea 6:1--7:16, Hebrews 10:1-18, Hebrews 4:14-5:10, John 19:17-27

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... in fervent prayer that he might be spared from the torment of suffering and death. The Father heard his prayer but did not grant his petition. The writer of Hebrews concludes that Jesus learned obedience (submission) through what he suffered. He was made perfect (mature, complete) through what he suffered, so that he might become the source of all salvation. Gospel: John 19:17-37 Christ the gambler. The soldiers cast lots for the Lord's seamless robe, gambling for the only worldly possessions he has left ...

1734. Lent 2

John 3:1-21, Genesis 12:1-8, Romans 4:1-25

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... poison. Similarly, those who were to look up to the One elevated on the cross would secure release from the effect of sin's deadly fangs. Of course, this point would have been lost on Nicodemus, for he had not yet witnessed the Christ crucified, but it makes perfect sense to those of us who look to Christ for salvation. Note John's theology of the cross. The cross is not the symbol of ignominy and shame but of glory and power. The cross is, in effect, Jesus' throne. "For God so loved the world ..." Personal ...

1735. Maundy Thursday

Lk 22:14-30 · Jn 13:1-17, 31b-35 · 1 Cor 11:17-32 · Ex 12:1-14 · Ps 116

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... cleanses us from pride and the illusion of self-sufficiency. An exemplary Christian. After the foot washing, Christ informed his disciples that he had set an example which they were to follow (v. 15). An exemplary Christian is not one who does all things perfectly but rather one who incarnates the love of Christ. PREACHING POSSIBILITIES Old Testament: Exodus 12:1-14 1. Sermon Title: A Meal Is For Sharing. Sermon Angle: The Passover meal was to be shared with all the people, without the distinctions of sex ...

1736. End times

Mt 24:1-14 · 1 Thess 3:7-13 · Jer 26:1-6 · Ps 105:1-7

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... of the birth pangs (v. 8). The birth of a new human life does not come without pain. This verse suggests that the kingdom of God is not born without pain; a new world does not come into being without acute labor pains. If this world were too pleasant or perfect, we would not be ready to be born into the next. The evil forces won't go down without a battle. The picture portrayed in this mini-apocalypse is that of an all-out war. The forces of Satan are not going to give up until overpowered. As I write ...

1737. Proper 24

Exodus 33:12-23, Isaiah 45:1-7, Matthew 22:15-22, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... 22 The Lord's confrontation with his enemies continues. The Pharisees try to entrap him but Jesus is aware of their malice. They confronted him with a political question. "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" They thought that they had the perfect trap. If he responded "yes," he would make himself opposed to the widespread nationalistic sentiments, which yearned to throw off the dominion of Rome. If he responded "no," he would set himself up as a revolutionary and a persona non grata with the state ...

1738. Proper 4

Genesis 6:1-8:22, Deuteronomy 11:1-32, Matthew 7:21-29, Romans 1:1-17, Romans 3:21-31

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... is the first of 12 lessons from Genesis. Noah was obedient to God's command to build an ark, even when the notion of a flood seemed farfetched and he was probably ridiculed by his neighbors. Noah also demonstrated great faith in the Lord. We have here a perfect synthesis of faith and obedience. Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 11:18, 26-28, 32 (RC); Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28 (E, L) Moses instructs his people to treasure up the word of the Lord in their hearts. Every moment of every day was to be immersed in the ...

1739. Proper 6

Matthew 9:35-38, Matthew 10:1-42, Genesis 18:1-15, Exodus 19:1-25, Romans 5:1-11

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... disciples who seem to have it all together? Most of us are more like sheep than shepherds, in that we are all harassed and helpless to some degree. Yet, by God's grace, we can make a difference. The band of disciples that Jesus sent out were far from perfect, yet they did great things in Christ's name. Mission strategy. The reason so many churches never seem to move out in mission is that they have no mission strategy or it's poorly defined. Jesus was very clear about his as he prepared to send out his ...

1740. Proper 8

Romans 6:1-14, Romans 6:15-23, Jeremiah 28:1-17, Genesis 22:1-19, Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... his son, offered up his Son on the high place of the cross. This time, there was no one to stop the oblation, no substitute for this ultimate sacrifice. It was a sacrifice on top of a sacrifice. Christ had already offered his life to the Father in a perfect sacrifice of obedience. It's not that God needs our sacrifices or even desires them. What God does desire is a sacrificial spirit within each one of us. The supreme sacrifice of Christ was not offered to placate an angry God, but to elicit within us the ...

1741. The Great I AM

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... set her free?" they ask. If Jesus says, "Stone her," they will reply, "We thought you taught mercy and forgiveness." If Jesus says, "Set her free," they will reply, "Are you above the law of Moses which teaches that a woman caught in adultery should be stoned?" A perfect trap, or so it seems. Jesus writes in the sand. What does he write? Perhaps the names of the men who had stones in their hands. Then Jesus looks up. He looks into the eyes of the trembling woman. He looks into the eyes of the accusers. "Let ...

1742. I Am The Light Of The World

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... exhaled the darkness out of himself while inhaling the light and that he felt that he had truly come to be a "little Christ" for God. God had cast out the darkness in him and was, therefore, making him an effective instrument. He didn't mean that he was a perfect instrument, or that he had no darkness in himself, but only that as he felt the light of God was taking over his life, he himself could shine more brightly in the world. That is a good story for all of us. We need to be breathing in the light ...

1743. I Am The Real Vine

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... of divorce where spouses fear being hurt again if they trust someone, fear keeps many out of the kingdom of God. "Believe, just trust me," God says. Fears of expectations also keep some people as outsiders to real faith, really abiding. What will God expect of me? To be perfect? To become a missionary to Africa? To follow the rules? To stop my resentment? To shut down my fears? "I can't! I just can't do it!" God's expectations are that you trust him to do for you what you can't do for yourself. "Believe me ...

1744. Justified By Greed: Biography of a Pharisee

Micah 5:1-4, Zechariah 9:9-13, Isaiah 9:1-7, Matthew 27:45-56, Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-49

Drama

Lynda Pujad

... rebellion and lead them away from us. He is full of deceptive tricks. I'd like to ask you when these magic signs and situations were going to stop. We don't need things like this in society. It gets people aggravated and out of control. Everything was perfectly fine before. Soon, I knew we had to try to take Jesus and totally destroy him before he destroyed us. We had no choice. The Pharisees that turned away from us said that the Scriptures helped prove that he was the Jewish Messiah. They pointed out that ...

1745. Seder Service: The Passover Haggadah

Bulletin Aid

Robert L. Linder and Rabbi Sol Ester

... , Jews valiantly defied the overwhelming forces of the inhuman tyrant. Those martyrs lifted up their voices in a hymn reaffirming their faith in the coming of the Messiah, when justice and peace shall finally be established for all men. R: "I believe with a perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah; and though he tarry, nonetheless do I believe he will come!" Let us pray: O Lord, remember Thy martyred children; remember all who have given their lives for Kiddush Hashem, the sanctification of Thy name. R ...

1746. Grampa Noah And When The Flood Came

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... can be seen by all. It may mean movingthe pulpit to one side.) Josh: Grampa Noah, how come you built the ark in thefirst place? You did it out of faith, right? Peter: You did it because God told you to do it,right? You had to do everything just perfect, right? Noah: Slow down! It started out as a big religiousproject. I'm not sure where my heart was on it. But itseemed to me to be what God wanted. Ellie: Why did the Lord want it? What did He say? Noah: Oh, the people were violent. There were wars ...

1747. I Want To Go South, Lord

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... promised a son. Here we are in our lateseventies and no son. No son to inherit the land You aregiving me. Are You ever going to come through for me? God: YOU SEEM TO WANT EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW. (Yes, I do want everything right now.) Abram: Lord, I left a perfectly good life at Ur. Ididn't complain. I've done all you asked. But there's noson. God: I'M WORKING ON IT. (You're working on it.) Abram: Big deal! You're working on it. God: YOU HAVE TO GIVE ME TIME. (Give you time!?) Abram: How much time ...

1748. God, The Father

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... pray at all." "You have spoken correctly," Jesus said, surprising everyone. "What is your understanding?" "Well, God is our Lord. We must approach Him with awe, reverence, respect ..." "And," Jesus interjected, "fear." "Yes," Samuel replied, "fear. We cannot really approach God. He is perfect. We are not. He cannot tolerate sin or wrong. He can only receive those who are righteous." Suddenly Samuel felt very odd. He knew his words were right, but his heart felt strange. "You have heard it said by men of old ...

1749. The Poor In Spirit

Sermon

John A. Terry

... are all promises about the true kingdom to which we belong. The beatitudes are descriptions of those who will receive the promises of the kingdom. The blessed are the agents through whom the kingdom of God becomes visible in our world. They are people not yet perfect, but converted, people headed in the direction of God's kingdom. We value God's Kingdom as the supreme good. These are not commandments but invitations to be accepted. These are not goals to be strived for, but ways we are to relate to God's ...

1750. Grampa Noah And When The Flood Came

Genesis 6:1-8:22, Genesis 9:1-17, Genesis 9:18-29

Drama

Jerry Eckert

... seen by all. It may mean moving the pulpit to one side.) Josh: Grampa Noah, how come you built the ark in the first place? You did it out of faith, right? Peter: You did it because God told you to do it, right? You had to do everything just perfect, right? Noah: Slow down! It started out as a big religious project. I'm not sure where my heart was on it. But it seemed to me to be what God wanted. Ellie: Why did the Lord want it? What did He say? Noah: Oh, the people were violent. There ...

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