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 1976 to 2000 of 2815 results

1976. Compassion Fatigue

1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... though it were a toy made of cardboard. How could these sea creatures survive in the setting of that pressure? Scientists, writing about that phenomenon, told us that inside these sea creatures was an opposite and equal pressure to that which was outside them. That’s a parable to us. That’s the way it must be in your life and mine. The indwelling Christ is to be cultivated to the point that inside us His power prevails, and gives us the strength to go on where our own strength fails. We can survive the ...

1977. If You Get Too Close to the Cross, You Will End Up Carrying It

Mark 15:21-32

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... pass a cemetery called Calvary. Since people went there only occasionally, the train stopped only on signal. As the train neared the cemetery, the conductor would call our: “The next station is Calvary. Is there anyone for Calvary?” Here is a parable of the train of life. It stops regularly to discharge passengers in the marketplace, the beauty salon, the amusement center, and other stations of popular appeal. But Calvary requires a definite request if we choose it as our destination. . . To experience ...

1978. The Prize of the High Calling of God

Philippians 3:12-4:1

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... before nine. Something died inside her that day. She had stopped all the clocks at twenty minutes before nine – sealed up every window of the house, and never took off her wedding dress. There she sat, while her world wasted and withered away. That’s a parable for us. Crying over the past, we stop the watches of our life, and bury ourselves in regret and grief and guilt. Either of these actions – clinging to the past, or crying over it – drains us of energy, blinds us to the magic of the present ...

1979. The Vocation of Leadership: A Prophet Among Them

Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... again. But one night I had another dream in which a voice spoke to me. The voice implored me to return to Ireland, and preach the Gospel. When I awoke I felt as if I were a slave again – but now God was my master.” (Celtic Parables, Robert Van De Weyer, Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN, 1999) I share this picture story to immediately ground us, and reveal my perspective on the vocation of leadership from a Christian perspective. The second picture is a story. When I was a pastor in Memphis at Christ United ...

1980. Why Being A Christian Has Worn You Down v2

1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... it were a toy made of cardboard. How could these sea creatures survive in the setting of that pressure? Scientists, writing about that phenomenon, told us that inside these sea creatures was an opposite and equal pressure to that which was outside them. Now that’s a parable for us. That’s the way it must be in your life and mine. The indwelling Christ is to be cultivated to the point that inside us His power prevails, and gives us the strength to go on where our own strength fails. We can survive the ...

1981. The Work of An Evangelist

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... of rebuking should not be added to our list of spiritual gifts. Have you ever thought of that? “Rebuking” as a spiritual gift? King David was certainly fortunate that the prophet Nathan had this gift. What courage it took for Nathan to rebuke David through the parable of the unjust rich man. You remember the story. David had gotten Bathsheba pregnant, then plotted the death of her husband, Uriah. Nathan told him the story of a poor family that had only one lamb. A rich man, not wanting to use a lamb ...

1982. The Gospel Of A Second Chance

Luke 13:1-9

Bulletin Aid

H. Burnham Kirkland

... : Remember that the Lord your God will always be your help, your strength, and your redeemer. People: In the shadow of God's wings I will sing for joy. All: Praise be to God! Collect Lord, we take courage and feel new hope as we hear again the Parable of the Unfruitful Fig Tree. Our lives have not borne the fruit they should have because of our sinful ways. We give you thanks for the promise of another chance, and for the gardener in your vineyard, even Jesus Christ, who offers to work with us in overcoming ...

1983. Humility And Hospitality

Luke 14:1-14

Bulletin Aid

H. Burnham Kirkland

... Lord, Jesus Christ. We open our minds and hearts to hear the Word of God, and to learn what is expected of present-day disciples of Jesus. Come, let us worship! Collect Lord Jesus, we come to sit at your feet and listen again to some of your parables that we might better understand what it means to be your disciples in today's world. Bless our time together, we pray, and send us forth as your messengers to proclaim by word and deed your love for all humanity. Amen. Prayer Of Confession O God, humility does ...

1984. God Hears Our Prayers

Luke 18:1-8

Bulletin Aid

H. Burnham Kirkland

... , O Lord, People: and teach me your commands. Leader: Your commandments are my eternal possession; they are the joy of my heart. People: I have decided to obey your laws until the day I die. Collect Lord, speak to us again through the parables of your Son, Jesus Christ. Open our minds and hearts to a better understanding of your faithfulness, your righteous judgments, and your loving concern for us, your children. May our faith be strengthened and our determination to be your loyal disciples renewed. We ...

1985. The One Who Came Still Comes; The One Who Spoke Still Speaks

Mark 11:1-11

Sermon

Michael Milton

... souls through the unimaginable, inconceivable sight of God hanging on a cross for those He loves. My beloved, I can give you no clearer message of the humility of Jesus than to point you to His love for you on the cross. How can you resist this humble Savior? The Parable of the Donkey and the Mule Once upon a time there were two gold miners who went out west to make their fortune. They both found gold, but they needed a good animal to get that gold out of the mine. One miner invested the money he had in a ...

1986. All Keyed Up

Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... from society's traditional morality and civility, that it is like the ancient world's fear of the barbarians at the gates. Here is another test. This could be called the "Lazarus" test, named for the poor man who slept on the doorway of the rich man in Jesus' parable. The rich man had to step over Lazarus to get into his house to feast sumptuously at his table. The fact is that the poor, the sick, the homeless, are now a permanent part of our environment. That didn't use to be. They are literally on the ...

1987. Simeon's Song

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... That is held up as an example for us. That scene added a phrase to the English language, "the widow's mite," but it is also gave a glimpse into the reality of first century life. To be a widow meant to be poor. Then Jesus told the parable of the "Importunate Widow," the woman, you will remember, who banged on the door of the judge, demanding that he pay attention to her and give her justice, thus providing us with another example of life in the first century, that widows were often cheated, taken advantage ...

1988. Victory at Sea

Exodus 13:17--14:31

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... , which is probably why I don't do it very well. The story, A River Runs through It, is not really a story about fishing. It is the retelling of one of the oldest stories in the world. "A father had two sons." That is the way Jesus began his parable of the Prodigal Son. But it goes back farther than that. It goes back to the story of Jacob and Esau. And it goes back farther than that. It goes back to the story of Cain and Abel, the children of the first parents, back to the beginning of time ...

1989. Good Neighbors

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... to be said. BEING A GOOD SAMARITAN MAY MEAN GETTING INVOLVED IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS. That’s a gap in many people’s faith. They do not realize that being a Good Samaritan may affect how we approach the ballot box. Let me tell you a story, a modern day parable: It’s a story about a town that could be reached only by a narrow road--a road with a bad curve in it. There were frequent accidents on the road, especially at the bad curve, and the preacher would preach to the people of the town about being ...

1990. Pigs Get Slaughtered

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... the punch line, “Pigs get slaughtered.” “Bulls make money. Bears make money. Pigs get slaughtered.” He is saying, “Beware of being greedy when you are investing in the stock market. You may overreach and lose everything.” Jesus said somewhat the same thing. He told a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ...

1991. By Faith

Hebrews 11:1-40

Sermon

King Duncan

... ground, and brought the yeast back to life. It started growing again and BURST out of the ground! Even its grave couldn’t contain it, so irresistible was the life of that yeast which Judy had mixed in her bread dough. (6) I see Judy’s experience as a parable of the life of faith. Faith is a gift which must be received. Once we receive it and come to depend upon it, we discover that it is self-validating, and thus it grows and grows until it can overcome any obstacle, even death. “By faith Noah built ...

1992. Divine Dinner Party Decorum

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... closest relatives. Remember around the table such wonderful things happen. Invite everyone to the table. They are all members of the extended family. 1. Fred Craddock, Interpretation: Luke (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1990), p. 175. 2. I am indebted to Robert Capon, The Parables of Grace (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988), pp. 117-128, for his delightful rendering of the dinner party at the home of the Pharisee. It inspired this interpretation. 3. Homiletics, Volume 7, Number 3, July-September, 1995, p. 40.

1993. The God of Lost Sheep

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... the control tower checked in to ask why Pat hadn’t landed, he readily admitted his mistake. With their help, Pat made a safe landing. (2) If you have ever been lost, you know what a helpless feeling it is. H.H. Staton in his book, A Guide to the Parables of Jesus, tells the story of having been on an ocean liner headed to the Middle East. Nine hundred miles out to sea a sail was sighted on the horizon. As the liner drew closer, the passengers saw that the boat--a small sloop flying a Turkish flag--had run ...

1994. Forgiveness and Reconciliation at Last!

Genesis 45:1-15

Sermon

Arley K. Fadness

... for us. We are gifted with spiritual gifts, talents, abilities, passions, dreams, aspirations, and needs. Yet, as Oliver Wendell Holmes sadly observed, "Most of us go to our graves with our music still inside of us." The third purpose of God is to find the lost. Jesus' parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son illustrate God's saving purposes. We are saved by the cross of Christ made personal in our baptism, and God then goes to work on us so we can find and play the music that is within ...

1995. View from the Mountaintop

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... Land? Do not the lack of racial justice, of repentance, of economic fairness keep us from the promised land of peace and harmony? As unyielding as we might think God's decision not to let Moses into the land of Canaan might be, isn't this story a parable about our society? We could melt the barriers between us and embrace each other as brothers and sisters if we could put away the sins of racism and injustice. We could enjoy prosperity, security, and stability if we could put away our sins. Our sins keep us ...

1996. Rocky Water

Exodus 17:1-7

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship One: Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us. All: We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that ...

1997. No Time for Napping

Matthew 25:1-13

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." (Ephesians 5:14) Collect Tell us in a parable, or tell us plainly. Write it in large words, Lord, that we might read while moving fast, or speak to us quietly in the still of the long night. We want to hear your holy word today. We want to understand. May we comprehend with the help of your Spirit. ...

1998. A Radical Faith

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... Sunday Schools. We picture Jesus as a man, like us, who was a teacher primarily. These pictures show people gathered around him, eager to receive his wisdom and to hear the lovely words he would say to them. Or there would be pictures illustrating his parables, like the Good Samaritan, somebody helping someone out of love. Those are the pictures we are familiar with. But the medieval church had different pictures of Jesus. These pictures were of Jesus in the last days, with a sword in his hand, slaying his ...

1999. Being More than Civil

1 Corinthians 1:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... the New Testament he sees something else there. He says, "To get to heaven, according to the New Testament, all we need to do is cry `Help,' and God welcomes anyone home who asks for help, for grace." In fact, the stories of Jesus, especially the parables of Jesus, say that God takes the initiative in offering us grace. That was the most astonishing thing about Christian preaching. Not only does it say that grace given to us is unmerited, it says that God has taken the initiative to offer it to us. Did ...

2000. Body Language

Mark 7:1-23

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... corrective to Paul. It's a Jacobean correction. He is saying, Paul is right, for starters, Paul's right for beginners, but the mature Christian is a follower of Jesus. In fact, that is the easiest way to identify a Christian. He or she looks like Jesus. He told a parable once, one of his simplest, and yet one of his most profound and challenging. He said, "What do you think? A man had two sons. He sent them both into the field to work. The first one said, `I'll go,' but he didn't go. The second one said ...

Showing results