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 1801 to 1825 of 2815 results

1801. Tragedy and Triumph

Matthew 7:24-29

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... cancer; a little child is crushed to death under the wheels of a car she never even saw. From triumph to tragedy in a flash. Alfred Lord Tennyson said it best in his poem, "In Memorium": "Never morning wore to evening, But some heart did break." Among the parables that Chinese teachers use is the story of a woman who lost an only son. She was grief--stricken out of all reason. Eventually, she went to a wise old philosopher who said to her, "I will give you back your son if you will bring me some mustard ...

1802. Hang in There!

Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... his Jewish followers. By finally coming around and acceding to the woman's cry for help, Jesus was demonstrating the inclusiveness of God's love and thereby taught his disciples that racism had no place in the Kingdom. This encounter was simply one more of Jesus' parables, this time, come to life. TA DAH! Possible. I think that is a stretch, though. How about the language of the encounter? At first glance, Jesus sounds awfully rough. "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." She ...

1803. The Power to Change the Past

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... for you, Lisa. Good for you. What about Simon Wiesenthal and that young trooper? Should Wiesenthal have forgiven him? I do not think he could have. After all, true forgiveness is only available from the party that has been injured. Even the king in Jesus' parable was only able to forgive the debt owed to HIM. Lisa Beamer WAS personally hurt in the death of her husband; Simon Wiesenthal had NOT been personally injured by the young soldier. The only ones who could have offered forgiveness to that boy were the ...

1804. What Do You Believe About Eternal Life

John 14:5-14

Eulogy

James W. Moore

... death spoke to his Philippian friends with a heart overflowing with joy and he said, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice… for me to live in Christ and to die is gain.” And remember also the powerful words of Henry Van Dyke in his Parable of Immortality. “I am standing on the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch until at last she hangs like a speck of ...

1805. Ephphatha...Be Opened

Mark 7:31-37

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... feelings of his Jewish followers. By finally acceding to the woman's cry for help, Jesus was demonstrating the inclusiveness of God's love and thereby taught his disciples that racism had no place in the Kingdom. This encounter was simply one more of Jesus' parables, this time, come to life. Possible. Still a stretch, though. How about the language of the encounter? At first glance, Jesus sounds awfully rough. "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." Mom knew the ill-feeling ...

1806. The View from Jesus' Pew

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... controls a challenge to itself. A money-driven culture seems to want clergy who are "safe" and "tame" when dealing with the spiritual dimension of money.(3) Of course, faithful preaching will not allow avoiding the subject of money. Fully one-third of Jesus' parables had to do with money and possessions - that would be one sermon in three - and that was in a society that was much less money-oriented than ours. If Jesus' emphasis was that strong, what should a faithful preacher's be? And whether he likes ...

1807. Tell It Again, Daddy

Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... , "I have won my battle, and here in this boy is my victory. What we did with the Round Table will be remembered. You will see." Arthur sends Tom off on his mission to tell far and wide the story of Camelot. In a way, that story is a parable of what we commence here today.(3) This is the first Sunday in Advent, the first Sunday in a brand new church year. As has been happening for centuries of Christian history, each year from "December to December" we retell the story of Jesus from beginning to end, and ...

1808. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Luke 13:22-30

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... about this passage that strikes me. There is more to it than simply an affirmation that there will be some who do not make it. You see, just before Luke reports this exchange about how EXCLUSIVE the kingdom will be, he has the Lord giving two brief but comforting parables about how INCLUSIVE it will be: the one about the mustard seed that grew to such a size in a garden that ALL SORTS of birds were able to nest in it, and the one about that little bit of yeast that had such power that it finally permeated ...

1809. Sonny Moneybags

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... boy just stood, watching him go. There is no indication as to whether Sonny ever went in or not. The greatest short story ever written. "Every shot makes somebody happy." Until we think specifically about Sonny, we probably do not realize that almost half of the parable is about him. We hear lots about his father and brother, but only little about the older boy. We appreciate the first part of the story...that no matter how low we go, no matter how vile our sin is, our Heavenly Father is not only waiting ...

1810. The Pitcher Is Not Alone In This

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... ! People began to snicker, and began to even laugh out loud. A third young man stood up in the congregation, came forward, and joined in the singing. When the trio filled out they sounded great! They received an enthusiastic response when they finished. Frank saw this as a parable of balance (or harmony). All the parts of the Body of Christ are needed to make beautiful music. And it is true. Our church cannot be the church that God has called it to be if each of us is not doing our part. (4) This brings us ...

1811. The Secret Ingredient Of Success

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan

... ? Of course not. Here is the secret truth that we need to tell every young person in this land ” the very best work harder. It's true in sports, in business, in music, in every endeavor in life. The secret of life is passion, determination, desire. Jesus told a parable about a man who owned a vineyard. In that vineyard was a fig tree ” a fig tree that had no fruit on it. "Cut it down," the owner said to his vinedresser. "For three years I have been looking for fruit on this tree and have found none. Cut ...

1812. Preparing for the Unexpected

Luke 12:35-48

Sermon

King Duncan

... probably no wiser advice than that. Be prepared. It is wise advice in terms of our relationship with Christ. It is wise advice in our everyday lives. PREPARATION IS OFTEN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE. Jesus wanted us to see that. This simple parable contains one of the great truths of life. People who are prepared have an advantage over those who are not. We can see a practical example of the importance of preparation in the success of legendary Boston Red Sox baseball star, Ted Williams. In ...

1813. The Most Vexing Question In The Bible

Luke 13:22-30

Sermon

King Duncan

... and out. In Luke chapter 14 when his invited guests don't turn up for the banquet, a householder goes out and rounds up people off the street ” the poor and the maimed and the blind and the lame. Are they the last of whom Jesus is speaking? In the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25, the King says to the goats, "I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink . . . sick and in prison and you did not visit me." Then he speaks those devastating ...

1814. Did You Ask How Much It Was Going To Cost?

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

King Duncan

... for you alone," he says. "And because you chose not to enter it, it is being closed forever." (4) Now Franz Kafka wrote many deep and profound things and I would not even begin to pretend I know what he meant by this little story ” but it could be a parable of the Kingdom of God. You and I have a decision to make. Christ has set before us an open door. Christ has given us the opportunity to pursue the kingdom life or to spend our lives as spiritual couch potatoes. Only we can make that choice. Lucy O ...

1815. Who Is Your Lazarus?

Luke 16:19-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his wounds." Jesus was a story teller. Note the contrast between these two characters in his parable. "Rich man. . . purple. . . fine linen . . . luxury." And "beggar. . . covered with sores. . . longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. . . dogs came and licked his wounds." Jesus wanted us to see in our mind's eye, in a way that we could not forget ...

1816. Hope For Those Whom Life Has Cheated

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

... have stopped right there, but not this woman. She "rejected the judge's rejection." She hounded him at every opportunity to give her justice. Finally the obstinate judge gave in to the more obstinate woman and justice prevailed. Then Jesus added a moral to his little parable, "And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?" God is a just God. Let's begin here: WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT IS SOMETIMES VERY UNJUST. We learned early in our discipleship that whatever ...

1817. God Believes In Us, Too

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Dr. Chane M. Hutton

... doubt it. Respond by believing in him and believing in yourself. 1. Bill Lyon in Philadelphia INQUIRER. 2. Liz Curtis Higgs, ONE SIZE FITS ALL, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1993), p. 175. 3. Louis Harris, INSIDE AMERICA (Vintage Press). 4. PARABLES, ETC. 5. (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1991). 6. Charles L. Allen, POWERLESS BUT NOT HELPLESS, (Tarrytown, New York: FlemingH. Revell Company, 1954/1992), p. 28. *Dr. Chane M. Hutton is Pastor of the Langsford Road Baptist Church, Lee's Summit, Missouri ...

1818. Thankful Day By Day

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

King Duncan

... world is being shattered? It has little to do with outward circumstances, does it? It has everything to do with a life of prayer. 1. Don Noy, FOLKTALES OF ISRAEL (Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press, 1963). Cited in Elaine M. Ward, ONCE UPON A PARABLE (Educational Ministries, Inc., 1994). 2. From a sermon by Eric Ritz. 3. FROM THE HEART, (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1991), p. 69. 4. "Where Gratitude and Grace Meet," by Morris A. Weigelt, HERALD OF HOLINESS, May 1995, p. 28. 5. From a sermon by ...

1819. A Soap Opera For Saints

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

King Duncan

... the ultimate result of sin's consequences. And we are confronted with a choice: whether to use this gift of sexuality and human intimacy as God intended it or to pervert it in a continual preference for forbidden fruit. C. S. Lewis spins a remarkable story, a parable really, in his book, THE GREAT DIVORCE. It is about a little red lizard that a certain ghost carries on his shoulder. The lizard twitches its tail and whispers continually to the ghost, who urges him all the while to be quiet. When a bright and ...

1820. Marriages That Last

Ephesians 5:22-33

Sermon

King Duncan

... his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." May it so be for all who choose the marriage relationship. 1. Dennis and Barbara Rainey, MOMENTS TOGETHER FOR COUPLES (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1995). 2. PARABLES, ETC., May 1996. 3. ASPIRE, May 1996. Cited in "Currents," DISCIPLESHIP JOURNAL, Issue 94, July/August 1996, p. 16. 4. Elizabeth Kaye "Arlene and Alan Alda: A Love Story," (McCALL'S, January 1976, p. 16). Cited in Alan Loy McGinnie in THE ROMANCE FACTOR ...

1821. Driven To Serve

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... ? Jesus says that we are to serve children and Jesus says we are to serve the "least of these" ” anyone who is in need. BUT JESUS SAYS WE HAVE ANOTHER SET OF CUSTOMERS. JESUS CALLED THEM SIMPLY "THOSE WHO ARE LOST." Jesus says in that much beloved parable of the ninety-and-nine in Luke's Gospel, "There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." (15:7) Just as we are surrounded by strangers, we are also surrounded by lost people ...

1822. A Time For Hope

Isaiah 2:1-5

Sermon

King Duncan

... Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians. 2: 10-11). One of the great pieces of music that helps us celebrate this special season is George Frederick Handel’s magnificent work, "Messiah." Handel’s life story is itself a living parable of the meaning of the Christian hope. Handel, after a brief flurry of popularity, had been reduced to near poverty. It is said that he felt so defeated that he would wander aimlessly along the darkened streets of London convinced that he was without ...

1823. Are You Going Down?

Luke 2:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... God melting away our rebellion, our bitterness, our loneliness and our fear. That opportunity exists for all who will open their hearts to let the Christ child be born anew within them. He has come down. Let us give him the honor and praise and glory forever more. Amen. 1. PARABLES, August, 1986. 2. Contributed. Source unknown.

1824. A Song, A Star, A Savior

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

... placed directly beneath the dome, and on the table a mirror. When one looks into the mirror, he sees the majestic painting far above. Is that not what the Incarnation is all about? Jesus of Nazareth is the "mirrorimage" of God. Do you remember Louis Cassels’ famous parable of the birds? It was Christmas Eve and the man’s wife and children were getting ready to go to church. He wasn’t going. "I simply can’t understand what Christmas is all about, this claim that God became man," he told his wife. It ...

1825. Congratulations, Joseph, It's A God!

John 1:1-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... That is probably how people felt who came into contact with Jesus. He was simply a man, full of compassion who loved them. But we know how much he gave up to minister to them and to us. "Congratulations, Joseph, it's a God." Fred Craddock once told a parable about a man who moved into a cottage equipped with a stove and simple furnishings. As the sharp edge of winter cut across the landscape, the cottage grew cold as did its occupant. He went out back and pulled a few boards off the house to kindle the fire ...

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