Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1926 to 1950 of 2962 results

1926. A Theological Curveball

Luke 20:27-38

Illustration

Larry R. Kalajainen

... grasp than he does of how to address the questions which little kids ask. A first-grader brought a drawing of a skeleton into class where she teaches English as a second language. The title across the top of the drawing read "Inside of Me." It was designed to teach children that everyone has a skeleton inside of them. He unfolded it proudly and showed it to the class. One little girl from India was astounded at the thought that she and others had this scary-looking skeleton inside them, and so she pressed ...

1927. Luke 23:33-43

Luke 23:26-43

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the crucifixion? Why does the church present Jesus’ death certificate just before entering the season that announces his birth? And why is this gruesome re-telling of Jesus’ execution as a common criminal offered as the gospel reading for a Sunday liturgically designated as the “Reign of Christ” or “Christ the King” Sunday? In short, how is Golgotha supposed to get us “in the mood” for Bethlehem? Didn’t the stable and cradle come before the cross? Luke’s gospel keeps the actual details ...

1928. Advent 1

Matthew 24:36-51

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

... your name and join their unending hymn: All: Holy, holy, holy Lord... Leader: O God of light and darkness, sound and silence, work and rest, our lives are in your hands. All that has been created and all that is yet to be is by your design. When your people lost their way the prophets cried out for your peace to prevail. When the people again remembered your word of judgment and life, they climbed mountains, as pilgrims, seeking to know your will. And then Mary, the chosen Mother of God traveled through ...

1929. Matthew 11:2-11

Matthew 11:1-19

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... than himself and his own mission of preparation. Perhaps a hint of the root of John’s hesitation is found in the title he uses in reference to Jesus. From his prison cell John hears about “what the Christ was doing.” The designation of “Christ” or “Messiah” referred to a biblically foretold figure, but whose mission was not yet precisely revealed. The most common and most cherished perception of the Messiah involved political or military leadership, a new leader for the Jewish people who would ...

1930. Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew 1:18-25

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the writer makes it clear, as does Luke in his own birth narrative, that Joseph, the direct descendant of all those previous generations, is NOT Jesus’ biological father. Instead of making it perfectly obvious that Jesus could absolutely claim the designation of “the Messiah” as his birthright, Matthew’s narrative would seem to undermine that very argument. Yet it is Jesus’ true messianic identity that Matthew’s text is intent upon unveiling. As he begins to describe how Jesus’ birth takes ...

1931. Santa Claus

Illustration

Charles L. Allen

... later is said to have attended the important Council of Nicaea. St. Nicholas has long been associated particularly with the interests of scholars, mariners, and especially children. He is the patron saint of Greece and Russia. Centuries ago, December 6 was designated as the day when he should be honored. The proximity of his day to the birthday of our Lord made him an obvious representative of the charitable character of Christmas. In colonial America the Dutch name Sant Nikolaas was mispronounced as Santa ...

1932. Matthew 2:13-23

Matthew 2:13-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... by Nathaniel’s snide remark, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth” (John 1:46). From Matthew’s post-resurrection standpoint, this scriptural affirmation of Jesus’ “Nazoraios” identity is a strongpoint. Jesus’ outsider, outcast status as one who is “called a Nazarene” is part and parcel first, of the divine design that guided all the events of Jesus’ life, and second, of a promise made and a promise kept.

1933. Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew 3:13-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... John’s baptism as a precursor to his own mission activities. The language of “dikaiosyne” also recalls the description in Isaiah 53:11 of the suffering servant, “The Righteous One” who “shall make many righteous.” Jesus’ unswerving obedience to God’s design for the salvation of the world takes him first to the Jordan River. But it will ultimately lead him to a hill called Golgatha. Matthew’s description of Jesus’ baptism has three components: 1) the opening of heaven; 2) the descent ...

1934. Leaving Home

Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

... Wahoo is the Indians’ team symbol. The dentist, Dr. Fred Scott, said he normally puts the logos on lower back molars, where it doesn’t show when people smile. A decoration can add $50 to $100 to the cost of a crown. One of Scott’s dental designs was for his son, John. “John is studying mortuary science in school,” Scott said. “He wants a casket [on his crown].” Well, it takes all kinds, but many people like to carry home with them. Home gives us our identity. We have deep emotional ties there ...

1935. Matthew 5:38-48

Matthew 5:38-42

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... unique covenantal relationship with God that made the Torah a reality in the lives of the people. Jesus insists his listeners “love your enemy” so that they may fully embody their identity as “children of your Father in heaven” (v.45). Being designated “sons” or “children” of God had already been established by the covenant relationship (see Deuteronomy 14:1). It is a status recently inferred by Jesus in his reference to “your Father in heaven” in Matthew 5:16. As children of God Jesus ...

1936. “Your Honor:” Jesus’ Honor Code of Turning the Other Cheek

Matthew 5:38-42

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... system.” It is easy to see a wicked and warped world in the actions of a father murdering his daughter because he feels she has “shamed” his system of standards. It is more difficult to see our own participation in other human-designed “honor” roles that abuse. We “honor” those with wealth. We “honor” those with celebrity. We “honor” those with power. We “honor” promises that bring us more at the expense of others. We “shame” those who are poor. We “shame” the homeless. We ...

1937. Your Honor: Jesus' Honor Code of Turning the Other Cheek

Matthew 5:38-42

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

1938. Romans 5:12-19

Romans 5:12-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to all because all have sinned” succeeds in asserting that human sinfulness is both in our DNA and in our own decisions. We are both victims and perpetrators of sin. Before Paul can proceed with his comparison he takes a brief side trip, one designed to address the period of time after Adam’s initial sinning but before God revealed to Moses the laws that defined sin. Paul’s argument is simple but profound: while transgressions committed during that interim period may not have been against the Torah ...

1939. We’re Kind of Stupid That Way

Matthew 4:1-11

Illustration

Brett Younger

... , "Tigers will do anything for a tuna fish sandwich!" The final frame shows Hobbes, hanging by his foot from a tree, munching on a tuna fish sandwich. He says to no one in particular, "We're kind of stupid that way." Every day we are tempted, even by traps we design ourselves. And we fall we become less than we can be. Without giving it much thought, we choose what's easiest. We seldom consider how much more is possible. We take tuna fish when we could do better. We're kind of stupid that way.

1940. A Life in God’s Great Adventure

John 3: 1-17

Illustration

Lee Griess

Pastor Lee Griess recounts a childhood memory of having a little, old motorcycle. It was primarily designed for off-road use, but sometimes he'd ride it on the streets of the town where he grew up. Going twenty miles an hour (because that's as fast as the old thing would go) down the smooth streets in town was pretty boring. There wasn't much risk ...

1941. John 4:5-42

John 4:1-26

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... s text insists that Jesus “had to go through Samaria,” a mandate that ignores the TransJordan route and suggests to some scholars that this was a missional, not a geographical choice. If so, Jesus’ side-trip into Samaria was part of divine design, not just an easier road. This week’s gospel text is lengthy. It encompasses the entire Samaritan sojourn and Jesus’ multiple exchanges between the local woman, then with his disciples, and finally with the villagers’ eventual response to his words and ...

1942. The Five-a-Day Rule

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... and consumed. Right? Of course, it goes without saying that the contents of all those Easter baskets have disappeared, except, of course, the nasty black jelly beans. On this Sunday the spiritual and sugar high of Easter Sunday is wearing off. Hence the colloquial designation of this week as “Low Sunday.” After the “high” of Easter, we come back to the everydayness of life. It is when we are most “low” in energy, in desire, in hope that we start to entertain the most doubts about ourselves, our ...

1943. It's Not Fair!

1 Peter 2:13-25

Sermon

King Duncan

... . Their cars weren’t even scratched. (1) Strange things happen. And sometimes these events don’t seem quite fair. Actress Helen Hayes used to tell of walking down the Champs Elysees in Paris with former Broadway star Mary Martin, who was wearing a new designer outfit. A bird came down, went swoosh, and made a mess on Mary’s expensive outfit. Helen expected Mary to blow her top. Instead Mary simply said, “For some people, they sing.” That brings us to our theme for the day. Sometimes life isn ...

1944. A Community of Practice, Not a Community of Perfection

Romans 7:7-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... ,” “if it feels good do it” devotees. Those are the ones who cannot even hear the dissonance between “what they want” and doing “the very thing I hate” (v.15). But they can’t escape from how God made them: a musical instrument designed to vibrate according to the resonance of the eternal. This is the Church: an orchestra of instruments that need constant tuning. Daily, sometimes hourly, tuning. Just like any musical instrument. And it is the Church that Jesus picked from the beginning to be ...

1945. I Don’t Weed Because…

Mt 13:24-30, 36-43

Humor Illustration

King Duncan

... what to make when they invite me over for dinner. I don't iron because . . . I choose to believe them when they say "Permanent Press." And finally: I don't pull weeds in the garden because . . . I don't want to get in God's way, He is an excellent designer!

1946. The Mouse Christmas

Drama

Frank Ramirez

Note: This short play is written for a children’s choir and is designed to be performed simply, with or without memorization. It is about a woman whose nativity set was ruined by a flood. All that is left is the stable and the empty manger along with some old scraps of cloth. She leaves these pieces out in sadness and walks away. The ...

1947. Send Her Away!

Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

King Duncan

... to place Adopt a Highway road signs on a one mile stretch of road advertising the KKK. The Klan’s victory was crossed out the following month when their organization was removed from the program. The reason? The state legislature decided to name the Klan’s designated portion of road (I-55 south of St. Louis) after civil rights activist Rosa Parks and the Klan never showed up to clean. I suppose the only cleansing the Klan is interested in is racial cleansing. (5) I think that is a delightful story. It ...

1948. Christ the King

John 18:33-37

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... is, of course, different from the calendar year. The liturgical year begins with Advent, the time we set aside for reflection about the coming of Christ. Advent is followed by Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. Some churches intersperse periodically what is designated as "Ordinary Time," those times we remember the work of God and the life and ministry of Jesus apart from special times of celebration. So we travel from the Lord's miraculous birth to his death and resurrection, with all the ...

1949. Laugh, Thomas, Laugh!

John 20:19-31

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... it that one tradition is for priests to gather on the Monday following Easter for cigars, brandy, and jokes to celebrate the God who does this surprising, transforming thing — my kind of Presbytery meeting. Related to that is this tradition of designating the second Sunday of Easter (which some liturgical calendars call "Low Sunday") as "Holy Humor Sunday." We bring bells and noisemakers of all sorts and use them heartily at any points in the service that reflect celebration — "alleluia" and "joy." The ...

1950. A Winsome Witness

Acts 8:26-40

Sermon

David E. Leininger

He was an Ethiopian bigwig. Apparently, he was what was called a "God-fearer" — the designation given by Jews to those who were not Jewish but who had expressed faith in their God. No matter how devout this fellow might have been, he would never have been welcomed as a convert — he was a eunuch. Hebrew law was explicit: "No one whose testicles are crushed or ...

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