Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1876 to 1900 of 2561 results

1876. Advent 4

Isaiah 7:1-25, Romans 1:1-17, Matthew 1:18-25, Psalm 24:1-10

Sermon Aid

CSS

THEOLOGICAL CLUE A quarter of a century ago, there was a movement in Great Britain by the Joint Liturgical Group to move Christmas (and other festivals, too) to a Sunday to encourage greater attendance and participation in the festive worship. This did not happen formally (in fact, the anticipated 1980 merger of the Anglican Church with several Protestant communions did not occur, either), but the Fourth Sunday in Advent, through liturgy and lections and popular piety, has clearly taken the shape of " ...

1877. Epiphany 6

Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE By the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, as happens rather quickly in the Pentecost season, the season has pretty much lost its theological "shape" and impact; the lectionary and the lessons take over and seem to indicate that there has been a movement away from the several theological implications (the incarnation and manifestation of Jesus in the Epiphany season) to a concentration of the ethics of those who belong to the kingdom of heaven. Liturgically, the Epiphany theological frame ...

1878. Lent 1

Genesis 3:1-24, Romans 5:12-21, Matthew 4:1-11, Genesis 2:4-25, Psalm 130:1-8

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The structure of the church year determines, in all three years of the lectionary, that this Sunday is, in part, a "pattern" Sunday; it shows that Lent is a forty-day retreat by the faithful, "patterned" after Jesus' solitary sojourn in the wilderness immediately after he had been baptized in the Jordan. As a spiritual journey, Lent is observed in public and in private, in corporate worship and in individual devotions and actions. But, in the use of the Gospel for the Day, again in all ...

1879. Easter 4

Acts 2:14-41, Psalm 23:1-6, Acts 6:1-7, Acts 7:54--8:1a, 1 Peter 2:13-25, John 10:1-21

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The Fourth Sunday of Easter, in years A and B, at least, has the biblical content that the Second Sunday after Easter used to have: namely, Good Shepherd Sunday. John 10 is read in all three years: Year A is assigned John 10:1-10; Year B has the original Good Shepherd Sunday Gospel, John 10:11-16; and Year C contains the last part of the chapter, John 10:22-30. The figure of the Good Shepherd was central to the symbolism of all of the ancient churches, picturing the risen Christ, ascended ...

1880. Proper 4

Deuteronomy 11:1-32, Genesis 12:1-8, Matthew 7:15-23, Matthew 7:24-29, Romans 3:21-31, Psalm 31:1-24, Psalm 33:1-22

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THEOLOGICAL CLUE From this point until late in the Pentecost season, on Sundays there is only the general theological framework of the church year to provide biblical/theological clues for worship and preaching themes. Pentecost, as "the time of the church," is eschatological; the church worships and waits, learns and grows, and witnesses and works for the coming of the fullness of the kingdom in Jesus' promised return. On the Sundays of Pentecost, the church is counting time, not marking time, until the ...

1881. Proper 15 & Pentecost 13

Isaiah 56:1-8, Psalm 67:1-7, Psalm 78:1-72, Exodus 16:1-36, Romans 11:11-24, Romans 11:25-32, Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The phrase used in the title for the day, "after Pentecost," reminds the church and its preachers that the journey to Christ the King Sunday is roughly half-completed. The Holy Spirit is still at work in the church, bringing people to the Lord, undergirding the faith of the believers, and inspiring the people of God to devote themselves to good works and loving service in the name of Jesus Christ. Of itself, the church year "theological framework" has little direct influence upon the ...

1882. The Attitude of Readiness

Matthew 24:36-51

Sermon

Russell F. Anderson

At the time of this writing, the tornado season has commenced. Several communities have been devastated by the devil twisters. Nothing can stop them, but if you know they are heading your way you can, at least, save your life, together with those you love. Several people have lost their lives because they weren't prepared. Tornados can be tracked on Doppler radar. If warning is issued, heard and heeded, it can save life. If our ears are tuned to God's warnings, we won't be blotted out by the moral ...

1883. Epiphany 2

John 1:29-34

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: Green Gospel: John 1:29-41 Theme: Following Jesus' baptism, he calls Peter and Andrew; the significance of the call. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor did this: He began worship by saying, "We have come today, not to escape the world and our responsibility to the world, but, rather, we have come to find out what in the world God has in mind for us in the world." We wait, both fearfully and expectantly, for God's leading, as we celebrate the Presence and Power of the one ...

1884. My God, My God, ... Why?

Mark 15:33-41

Drama

Setting: There is a cross in the front center stage. Only the backlights are on. See diagram on page 50 (in printed version of this book only) which shows actors’ paths across the stage. The centurion is standing holding a spear. Mary Magdalene is the least obvious and is standing or leaning against a far wall. Joseph of Arimathea is seated under the back lights which have cast the cross and the two other witnesses in silhouette. Each character speaks in turn, but oblivious to the others. Text: Mark 15:33- ...

1885. Sunrise Surprise

Drama

Cast (in order of appearance) NARRATOR MARY MAGDALENE JOHN PETER JESUS Production Note At the beginning, and then at the close, of "Sunrise Surprise," it is suggested that the scene be changed by "revolving the stage." This option is possible in a stage or theatre setting where such mechanics can be attended to. For those planning to present the drama in a chancel setting, the stage setting could be changed by manually moving the props; by the use of lighting; or by suggestion on the part of the actors. ...

1886. Sovereignty: God’s Domain

Zephaniah 1:4-13

Sermon

Christian unity kneels before the awesomeness of the sovereignty of God. Sin, more often than we admit, pushes us in directions that exceed anything resembling a belief in human freedom of the will. It is only by his grace we begin to understand, in the Book of Revelation, "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (1:8) I have been brought to my knees by the God of all, who insisted he was before the beginning and after the ending, as we ...

1887. Security: Deeply Personal

Ezekiel 34:1-31

Sermon

Christian unity proclaims security in a personal King, Jesus the Christ! The whole concept of security has taken on new connotations since the Second World War and especially with the news other nations besides the United States have the atomic bomb. Relatively speaking, it has not been too many years that individuals or even nations could cross mountains and/or oceans to gain security from enemies. Our own nation, for generations, was free from direct interference of the ongoing wars and intrigues of ...

1888. The Wizard of Yoj

Psalm 100:1-5

Sermon

Edward L. Palmer

Once upon a time in the Land of Yoj, there was a wizard; and a wonderful wizard he was. He was big. He was handsome. And, as everyone knew, he was the greatest. Never in this land had there been anyone greater or more powerful than he. One night he had a vision. It began as a beautiful scene in which he had been named chief, high potentate of the entire universe. The sun would rise and set at his command. He could make it rain. He could make the winds, the leaves, and the seasons. And he could create in ...

1889. Return to Jerusalem

Acts 20:7-12

Sermon Aid

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Times have changed. It took Paul and his company five days to travel from Philippi to Troas, a journey past some Greek islands that can now be negotiated by steamer in five hours. Ancient Troas or Troy is well remembered because of Homer’s epic stories of its great early glory. Helen of Troy, the beautiful goddess who became an enchanting woman; the long Trojan wars; the episode of the Trojan Horse - what a wealth of mythology and history surrounded the group as they climbed from the ship up the hill and ...

1890. Let Yes Be Yes!

Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

A popular folk song among Christian youth in the 60s went like this: And God said Yes! Yes! Yes! Said Yes to the world once more! Said Yes with a cosmic roar! Said, Open that Other Door! Said Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! In one word, that’s God’s message for this planet. It’s the gospel. It’s the hope we need, the doorway to the future. Each of us has asked ourselves and one another and the silent stars at night: "Must there not be a better world than this? Must our lives not have been meant to be put right, ...

1891. Christians Die Well

Acts 7:54--8:1a

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "it is not desirable that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ...

1892. The Sin of Judging

Matthew 13:36-43, Matthew 13:24-30

Sermon

Dennis Kastens

Another parable he (Jesus) put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Then do you ...

1893. No Other Way To Be Happy

Deuteronomy 11:1-32

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

"Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God ..." "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15) "Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus ..." In a gospel song, these words of the refrain are sung over and over with each stanza. The chorus repeats the truth of our test: Obedience to God’s commands is the only way to get happiness (blessing). People in palaces are not automatically happy. The ...

1894. The Danger of Being Religious

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

"But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord'; for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Two young boys were close friends ...

1895. Eternal Echo Of Easter - Part 1

Matthew 28:1-10

Drama

Esther R. Russ

PROGRAM 1. Candlelight Ceremony Choir 2. In the Beginning Narration 3. "I, Mary, Mother of Jesus" Reading 4. Jesus’ Ministry Narration and Drama 5. Choral Arrangement Depicting the Upper Room Choir 6. The Betrayal Narration 7. Choral Arrangement Depicting the Betrayal Choir 8. The Garden of Gethsemane Narration 9. Choral Arrangement Depicting the Garden Choir 10. The Trials Narration and Drama 11. The Soldiers, Part One Dialogue Drama 12. The Processional and Crucifixion Choir, Drama 13. The Soldiers, Part ...

1896. "American Express Traveler’s Cheques ..."

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Peter Rudowski

Parables - short stories - are very effective ways to communicate ideas. Again and again we read in the Scriptures parables which are used to communicate God’s message to us. Jesus is a master at the short story. He tells us that the kingdom of God is like a father who had a son leave home with his inheritance. The son is welcomed home after a disastrous journey. Or, the kingdom of God is like a woman who lost a coin and celebrates when she finds it. Or, the kingdom of God is like a field with a treasure ...

1897. Reach Out and Touch Someone

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Peter Rudowski

I doubt there is a person in this sanctuary who doesn’t know the AT&T ad which says, "Reach out and touch someone." Cincinnati Bell plays it for us all the time. It is on the television and on our car radios. We are bound to run into it at one of the commercial breaks. If we do not watch television or listen to the radio but we go to the ballgame, there it is on the big scoreboard in centerfield between the innings. In great big letters comes this great big sign, "Reach out and touch someone." The music ...

1898. A Tale to be Told

Matthew 23:1-39

Sermon

George Bass

In James Michener’s recent novel, Space, Astronaut John Pope is asked by the President of the United States of America to make a good-will tour of the world after an astounding flight to the Moon. In Autralia, he meets a Korean newspaper woman, Cindy, whose real name is Rhee Soon-Ka, who wants to write the story of the astronauts for her paper. They go to an inn and talk at considerable length - and innocently - but a story reaches Washington that Pope and Cindy are having an affair. NASA, the State ...

1899. Telling the Right Story

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

George Bass

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "Thou are my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased." The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him. Now after John was arrested ...

1900. Overcoming Self

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Dennis Kastens

Some children were choosing up sides for a game of cowboys and Indians. The first boy who was chosen by the captain of the Indian side came up and whispered to him, "Choose Cory next - he’s so great at dying!" So Cory was chosen. As the game progressed you could see what the boy meant, for when the cowboys threw a bead on Cory and shot him, he let out a moan - no blood-curdling scream, no over-acting - just a moan. He staggered forward and pitched over on his face, twitching once or twice before he went ...

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