Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2101 to 2125 of 4933 results

2101. Proper 13

Matthew 14:13-21, Psalm 17:1-15, Genesis 32:22-32, Romans 9:1-29

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter - Psalms 17:1-7, 15 First Lesson - Jacob has a unique experience of God. Genesis 32:22-31 Second Lesson - Paul writes with anguish for the unbelief of his own kindred. Romans 9:1-5 Gospel - Jesus would rather feed people than turn them away. Matthew 14:13-21 CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. People: And also with you. Leader: In the morning come to know God's true love. People: This morning we put our trust in the gracious kindness of the eternal ...

2102. Proper 26

Joshua 3:7-17, Psalm 107:1-43, Matthew 23:1-39, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter - Psalms 107:1-7 First Lesson - Joshua leads the people of Israel through the Jordan River to the promised land. Joshua 3:7-17 Second Lesson - Paul also uses a masculine analogy to explain his fatherly discipline of the church in Thessalonica. 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 Gospel - Jesus chides the Pharisees for not practicing what they preach. Matthew 23:1-12 CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. People: And also with you. Leader: Receive God's message, not ...

2103. Ezekiel: The Problem of Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:1-10

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached about daughters prophesying, young men seeing visions, and old men dreaming dreams. The Church was born not on what was, but what can be when the Holy Spirit fills the hearts of the faithful. Maybe it is still true that dreams and visions more than facts and functions shape the future of our faith. One of the most visionary prophets of the Old Testament was a priest named Ezekiel. He lived about 2,600 years ago. He witnessed the terrible siege of Jerusalem by the ...

2104. Be Hatched or Go Bad

Mark 16:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Christ is Risen! [The people respond:] He is risen indeed! Happy Easter, everyone! “Because I live,” Jesus said in John 14:19, “you also will live.” I wonder: how many of you are sitting out there, festooned in your Easter Sunday best, but your fingers are slightly stained? How many of you colored Easter eggs this weekend? I do think I can see some pinks, blues, greens, and purples shining on your fingers from all the Easter eggs you colored, hid, found, cracked, or consumed. Take comfort in this: you are ...

2105. Obedience: Our Gift to Jesus

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sermon

Richard Gribble

One day a man went to his son's bedroom and found him sitting on his bed with a whole stack of comic books around him. The father said to his son, "Matthew, where did you get the comic books?" Matthew responded, "I took them out of the library." "You took them out of the library? You mean you stole them from the library?" The boy responded, "Yes." The father called the library and said he was going to march his son immediately down with the comic books to apologize and to restore all he had stolen. After ...

2106. Spiritual Gifts and Spiritual Growth

1 Corinthians 14:1-25

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: Although the Spirit’s gifts do not grant status to their recipients, the gifts that benefit and build up Christ’s community are of greater significance and value than those used only for the personal benefit of the individual. Understanding the Text Paul now returns to his discussion of spiritual gifts begun in chapter 12. To fully appreciate chapter 14, however, chapter 13 cannot be dismissed as a digression or a simple aside. Although 14:1–25 seems to focus primarily on tongue speaking and the ...

2107. Eliphaz

Job 4:1–5:27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

4:1–14:22; 15:1–21:34; 22:1–27:23 Review · Three Cycles of Dialogue: Job has no idea how true his last few words are. He has spoken them of his past. He will soon discover that they anticipate his future. The frustrating dialogues with the friends lie ahead—agitating trouble has indeed come. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar will by and large collectively affirm a traditional doctrine of divine retribution: God rewards good and punishes evil. Job will declare his innocence. The friends will increasingly grow ...

2108. Judgment

Isaiah 5:1-7, Isaiah 5:8-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Isaiah may have sung his parabolic poem about the vineyard (5:1–7) at a wine festival, surprising his listeners with the application. He sings about a “friend” (NIV “loved one”) who gives himself with exacting care to the preparation of a vineyard. The vineyard, however, produces only sour grapes. Isaiah asks what else this “friend” could have done for the vineyard. The rhetorical question must be answered! The prophet then explains that the vineyard represents the people of Israel and Judah and that the ...

2109. Jesus Morality

Matthew 10:40-42

Sermon

Tom Garrison

There is one question that every one of us has to deal with at least a hundred times a day and that is "What ought I to do in this given moment?" Sometimes the issues at stake are far-reaching, such as with the questions "Should I ask her to marry me?" or "Should I go into law or medicine or the ministry?" At other times the issues are less momentous, such as "Do I want toast or cereal for breakfast?" or "Do I wear khakis or jeans today?" However, in each case a process of evaluating and choosing between ...

2110. Characteristics of Christ That You and I Need

Mark 8:27-35

Sermon

King Duncan

Some of you will remember a delightful story Pastor Chuck Swindoll once told about a missionary who was sitting at her second story window when she was handed a letter from home. As she opened the letter, a crisp, new, ten-dollar bill fell out. She was pleasantly surprised, but as she read the letter her eyes were distracted by the movement of a shabbily dressed stranger down below, leaning against a post in front of the building. She couldn’t get him off her mind. Thinking that he might be in greater ...

2111. Elvis and the King

John 18:33-37

Sermon

King Duncan

The Rev. Susan Sparks, senior pastor of Madison Avenue Baptist Church in New York City has published a wonderful sermon online contrasting two kings, Elvis Presley, the king of Rock ’n Roll and Jesus, the King of all creation. You may remember comedian Adam Sadler’s comparison of the two men: Jesus said: “Love thy neighbor.” . . . Elvis said: “Don’t be cruel.” Jesus is part of the Trinity; Elvis’ first band was a trio. Jesus is the Lord’s shepherd; Elvis dated Cybil Sheppard, etc . . . You will find many ...

2112. Living a Jesus Powered Life

Genesis 9:1-17, Genesis 6:1-8:22, Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands…” --Hebrews 4:1 The story of Noah is one of great depths, no pun intended. Actually, maybe it was intended! We all know it’s a covenant story, the story of yet another attempt God makes on establishing a lasting and binding relational covenant with God’s self and God’s people, those created in the image of God. But it’s also a story of relationship, love, bonding, and a brand-new start in a fresh, new place. A place without the turbulence of ...

2113. Written on the Palms of His Hands

John 20:19-23

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Hand and eye recognition techniques are popular today. Whether you want to get into your computer or through security at the airport, today, you can simply place your finger or hand on a glass screen, and whoosh, you’ve been recognized! You don’t need a password, don’t have to do anything except be who you are. Your identity is engraved on the palm of your hand! Our palms may help machines remember who we are, but we also use the “palms” of our hands to remember things we hold dear. Ever want to remember ...

2114. Celebrating the Virtue of Humanity

Ephesians 2:1-10

Sermon

Richard Gribble

Many years ago on one very bitterly cold evening in Northern Virginia, an older man waited for a ride across the Potomac River. The wait seemed endless; his body became numb and stiff from the frigid north wind. As he waited, he heard the faint steady rhythm of approaching horses. Anxiously he watched as several horsemen rounded the bend. He let the first one pass without an effort to get his attention. Then another passed by and still another. Finally, the last rider neared the spot where the old man sat ...

2115. Sent

John 9:1-41

Sermon

April Yamasaki

Last week a friend sent me a copy of her recently released book. When I opened the outer package that gave my address, I discovered another layer of wrapping, this time brown craft paper adorned with a golden leaf and a brief handwritten message in green ink. On the back, a sticker matching her book cover completed the package. Her book was so beautifully presented that I hesitated to unwrap it further, but when I did, I discovered another heartfelt and handwritten message on the book’s inside cover. ...

2116. Spirit Soaked

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

What depletes you? We live in a culture that is highly stressed. Since COVID, people suffer more from anxiety than any recent time in the past. Prices are up. Salaries have stayed the same. Houses, whether rentals or purchases, have become unaffordable for many. People are suffering from loss, grief, and anxiety from overworking, lack of financial stability, worries about the future, and most of all, lack of an emotional or spiritual anchor. Many retirees, thinking they can escape the rat race, now suffer ...

2117. Doing What Matters?

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

John B. Jamison

Let’s begin with a question. If you met someone who was hurting, who had lost their job, or were maybe afraid of losing their home, or were worried about their children, if you truly wanted to show God’s care for that person, what could you do? While you think about your answer, let’s remember the story Luke tells us today. A lot has happened in a very short time. Jesus was baptized, he began gathering disciples, he performed a miracle at a wedding in Cana, he went to Jerusalem and caused a major ...

2118. The Giver Becomes The Receiver

2 Samuel 7:1-17

Sermon

Harold Warlick

The text for today lifts before us Yahweh's choice of the family of David as the vehicle for God's divine gift to humankind. Yet the message marked a transition in David's status. According to the passage, David wanted to build Yahweh a "house." He proposed to do what all self-serving rulers in that ancient world would have done. Much of Israel's worship life was well established at that point. The tent which housed the Ark of the Covenant was a recognized institution. A conviction began to emerge that God ...

2119. When Sarah Laughed

Genesis 12:1-8

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: A picture of an old man with a beard, a photo of a woman laughing, or a walking staff Lesson: What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? Good morning, boys and girls. Today I would like you to meet an old friend of mine who lived a long time ago. His name was Abraham. Have you ever hear of him? (Let them answer.) Good. Abraham lived a long, long time before Jesus was born. He was a person very special to God. One day God asked him to leave his home and to ...

2120. Epiphany 4

Luke 4:14-30

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

CALL TO WORSHIP Young and old, give praise to God, who sustains us from childhood to adulthood, through birth and through death. PRAYER OF CONFESSION God of all places, familiar and foreign, forgive us if we are open only to the word of the strange prophet and closed to the truth when it comes from a familiar person. Excuse the pride that discounts what our neighbors and friends can do, assuming that only the distant expert could be wiser than ourselves. Pardon the doubt that prevents doing in our place ...

2121. Proper 25

Joel 2:28-32, Joel 2:18-27, Psalm 65:1-13, 2 Timothy 4:9-18, Luke 18:9-14

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

Call to Worship Happy are you to choose to be here, having been chosen by God to be brought near to worship in God's sanctuary. Be satisfied with the goodness of this house of prayer. Prayer of Confession Great God, mighty and awesome, you are above all pettiness and unmoved by cheap bargaining. Forgive our stubborn narrowness. Our preference for people just like us, our suspicions about those alien to us, our double standards of caring for those of our own kind and those of our customs or races. Excuse ...

2122. From Rejection To Redemption

Ruth 3:1-18

Sermon

Zan W. Holmes

Gloria Steinem has written a book titled Marilyn. It is based on the life of Marilyn Monroe, the Hollywood movie queen of the 1950s who lived an up and down life and eventually ended her life by committing suicide. In the book Gloria Steinem tells of a brief conversation that Marilyn Monroe had with her maid toward the end of her life. Marilyn said, "Nobody's ever gonna love me now, Lena. What good am I? I can't have kids. I can't cook. I've been divorced three times. Who would want me?" Her maid Lena said ...

2123. Getting Ready

Luke 3:4-5

Children's Sermon

B. Kathleen Fannin

Object: A broom. Lesson: Advent; waiting; preparation; making room for Jesus. Having invited the children to come to the front of the sanctuary, I turn to the steps leading into the chancel area and begin to sweep, using the broom I have brought for this purpose. As the children arrive, I move to one side so they can take their places on the steps. "What was I doing as you walked up here?" I begin. "Sweeping," they answer. "Why was I doing that?" I continue. "To get the floors clean," comes their response ...

2124. Wishing And Working

James 2:18-19

Children's Sermon

Mark A. Hultquist

Object: A wishbone from a turkey (or a drawing of a wishbone). Do any of you know what this is? That's right; it is a wishbone. As the name suggests, you are supposed to make a wish, pull one side of the wishbone, and if you get the larger part, your wish is supposed to come true. I would guess that all of you have wished for something at one time or another. It may have been wishing when you blew out the candles on your cake. Or perhaps it was making a wish list at Christmas time. Wishing is fun! It helps ...

2125. Used Food

Romans 5:8

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: Some apple cores, a bone with some meat on it, and a cold piece of toast with a bite taken out of it. Lesson: But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Good morning, boys and girls. Today I brought lunch along so that we could have a snack in the middle of the morning. Don't you just love snacks? (Let them answer.) I was in kind of a hurry this morning so I just picked up a sack that was sitting on the counter in the kitchen and brought it with me. I am not ...

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