Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2101 to 2125 of 4963 results

2101. Prayers for Year A

Bulletin Aid

William S. Carter

... us into service; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and rules with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, within our world today. Amen. THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER · Luke 24:13-35 O Father, we give you thanks for your continual presence among us. Remain with us and excite us with the energy of your love to serve your world; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and rules with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, within our world today. Amen. FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER · John 10:1-10 Almighty ...

2102. Save Us From the World-Savers

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

Carl Jech

... , the outcast, the outsider, the Gentile. The irony is that today the situation may be reversed: Christians reject Jews and Judaism in both subtle and heavy-handed ways. When "Jews for Jesus" tells Jewish people that they can "accept Christ" and still remain Jewish, are they really respecting the integrity of Judaism, or are they actually trying to trick Jews into thinking that they can accept Christ without becoming Christians - without giving up Judaism as a faith commitment? We will come back to this ...

2103. Jesus, Mary, Gustav Mahler, Brother Martin, and the Magi

Luke 20:9-19

Sermon

Carl Jech

... 't it? The simple answer is that all of these people were willing to take a new look at the traditions they had inherited. Like Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof, they could celebrate the glory of tradition! But, like him, they also realized that tradition must remain in dialogue with a changing world. Pinchas Peli is a modern rabbi-turned-teacher who likes to say "I don't come to preach - I come just to think along with you." In his book, Torah Today, published in 1987, he displays his special gift for blending ...

2104. Throw Your Heart at the Sky

John 21:1-14

Sermon

Carl Jech

... truth looming up beyond, then weep not, but give thanks: It is the Lord's voice whispering 'Take Up Thy Bed and Walk.' " Living in the Truth means not being afraid of growth and change. In spite of its multi-dimensional complexity, however, personal truth remains fundamentally simple. Jesus as the Living Truth is a symbol for absolute, simple trust in God's grace. As John Koenig, who teaches New Testament at General Episcopal Seminary in New York, wrote in a 1987 article, "Christ must be named so people can ...

2105. Jesus Meets Buddha and Confucius

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Carl Jech

... traditions that ethics is reduced to little more than etiquette! Moses and the prophets were able to criticize even the most popular opinions or officials of their day on the basis of ethical principles that transcended mere cultural prejudices. It remained for Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism, to make this kind of ethical thought and critisim legitimate in China. Narrow-minded, culturally biased moralism - often masquerading under the guise of "common sense" - frequently produces the opposite of ethics. It ...

2106. A Sword and a Sacrament

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Carl Hoefler

... ... the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty?" It is interesting that even though we use the word "suffering" as a noun, it always carries a verb-like meaning. It may be used as the object or the subject of a sentence; but, it still remains in our experience a verb - an action-loaded word. One knows from experience that, even though confined to a bed, or even if only sitting motionless in a chair, when one suffers, one is still doing something. Suffering is an active means, not a static end. For ...

2107. No Grey Area

Acts 15:1-21

Sermon

Carl Hoefler

... to say after his first day at convention, "If the Devil wants to destroy Christians, he should send them all as delegates to a church convention." After all, the church is a human institution; of course, it is more than that - much more. But, the fact remains that the church is a human institution with all the frailties and faults of a political organization. There are caucuses that meet at night behind closed doors. There is the "good old boy" system where persons in power maneuver the meetings to keep the ...

2108. God's Self-Revelation Through His Spirit

2 Corinthians 2:12--3:6

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

... too infrequent to experience the transformation in our lives you want us to have. Forgive us for hiding behind the veils of shallow faith, weak commitment, and selfish living. Cause your Spirit to reveal our Savior to us in such a way that we may remain in his presence, until his glory becomes a part of our new creation. We pray in his name. Amen. Hymns "God of All Power and Truth and Grace” “I Want a Principle Within” “Jesus, Thine All-Victorious Love” “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian” “Love ...

2109. The Necessity of Repentance

Luke 13:1-9

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

Call to Worship Pastor: Even though crises are not always caused by sin, the truth remains that we must repent of our sins, or face a worse crisis. People: We believe in God's final judgment, but we still excuse ourselves from sincere repentance. Pastor: Jesus illustrated our condition with a fruitless fig tree that was given a final chance to bear fruit. People: We do ...

2110. Be Faithful to the Christian Hope

Colossians 1:15-23

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

... God's love. People: We know Christ has reconciled us to God, but we tend to lose sight of that hope as time goes on. Pastor: The hope of the gospel, which we believed when we first became Christians, requires our commitment if we are to remain reconciled to God. People: We desire to stand firm in the Christian hope, reconciled to God by our Lord Jesus Christ! Collect God of love and mercy, who bridged the gap caused by our sinfulness, offering us reconciliation through your Son: Strengthen our commitment to ...

2111. God's Faithfulness and Compassion

Exodus 34:1-28

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

Call to Worship: Pastor: We are in the presence of a very holy God, who shares his holiness with us. People: God has revealed himself with compassion, love, and forgiveness. Pastor: God is faithful in all he promises, and desires that we, too, remain faithful to him. People: May our lives demonstrate the faithfulness we feel in our hearts to God our Father! Collect Heavenly Father, whose patience and compassion reclaims us as your children: Be near us in everyday life to guide us in your ways; that we may ...

2112. Strengthened for Faithfulness

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

... all that weakens our faithfulness. Pastor: We can be sure our Lord will give us the endurance we need to stand firm in the faith. People: We pray for that kind of strength, not only for ourselves, but for all Christians, that our Lord's church may remain true to him. Collect Most gracious Father, who is the source Of our strength which enables us to be faithful Christians: Grant us the endurance which comes through Christ; that we may be encouraged and fortified to offer you genuine love, and live in true ...

2113. Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Luke 4:1-13

Illustration

Lee Griess

... decided it was time to shed some excess pounds. He took his new diet seriously, even changing his driving route to avoid his favorite bakery. One morning, however, he showed up at work with a gigantic coffee cake. Everyone in the office scolded him, but his smile remained nonetheless. "This is a special coffee cake," he explained. "I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning and there in the window was a host of goodies. I felt it was no accident, so I prayed, 'Lord, if you want me to have one of those ...

2114. Being Ambassadors for Christ

2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... us share the Good News, Lord. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession Lord, You have been so gracious unto us, yet so often we have expected even more from You. You have called us to share the joy of being in Your kingdom, yet too often we have remained silent or we have allowed ourselves to feel that we truly deserve Your blessings. Forgive us, Lord, and renew our spirits so that we may tell others of Your love. In Christ we pray. Amen. Hymns "There's Within My Heart A Melody" "He Lifted Me" "I'll Go ...

2115. Victorious Over the Powers of Evil

Luke 8:26-39

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... our Lord over all the forces of evil! People: In the resurrection of Christ, God wrought a mighty victory over death. Leader: And every entity of evil knows the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. People: Let our hearts not be afraid and our faith in Christ remain strong. Leader: One day every knee will indeed bow before Christ our Lord and Savior. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect O God, the Universe knows You are without equal and humbly bows before You. Give us the courage and power to carry Your ...

2116. Accountable to God

Jeremiah 4:5-31

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... . Leader: God remembers those who are faithful, so let us give voice to our praise. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect Almighty and gracious God, in Your mercy You have again and again led Your children to repent from our sins. Help us to remain faithful, Lord, seeking only Your will in our lives. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession Lord, in our pride we have often turned away from You into sin until You finally allowed us to face the consequences of our choices. Even when You have sent ...

2117. Faithfully Witness Wherever We Are

Jeremiah 29:1-23

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... wherever we are we can give witness to our loving God. Leader: Let our voices be lifted in praise and song for God's wonderful love. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect Most wonderful and loving God, in Your infinite mercy and grace You have remained with us and loved us, even when we have suffered the consequences of our sins. We praise You, O Lord. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession Lord, when times have not been comfortable for us we have turned away from You or questioned how You ...

2118. Promise of the New Covenant

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... the New Covenant of Christ. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession Lord, we have often taken for granted the gift You have given us in the New Covenant. Even if our lives have been changed through Your wonderful restoring word, we have often remained silent, failing to let others know how they also might experience Your love and restoration. Forgive us, Lord, and help us proclaim the Good News of Christ. In Christ we pray. Amen. Hymns "Leaning On The Everlasting Arms" "On Christ The Solid Rock I ...

2119. God's Promised Blessing

Haggai 1:1-15

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... receive. Lord, help us keep our focus on You so we might see the wonders You have planned for us. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession Lord, we have often found ourselves focused and mournful about what is now past and gone forever as we remain stubbornly unwilling even to consider the great things You have in store for Your faithful. Forgive us, Lord, and soften our hearts so we might realize that the greatness of Your tomorrow may well be beyond all we could have ever dreamed or hoped. In Christ ...

2120. Christian Self-Discipline

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

Call to Worship Leader: Let our hearts be filled with joy, for we are redeemed Children of God! People: Our sins have been washed away, yet sin still remains in our hearts. Leader: In Christ we seek to develop control over the lusts that enter our lives. People: We must focus on what is necessary, not on the offerings of the world. Leader: And when we do, the Lord will bless us with contentment, peace, and joy. All: Blessed ...

2121. Our Own Sin Is Hard To See

Luke 15:1-7

Illustration

Lee Griess

... because they were so unbelievably bad. Seven years later, after the Cherry Sisters had earned what in that day was a respectable fortune of $200,000, they retired from the stage for the peaceful life back on the farm. Oddly enough, these successful Broadway "stars" remained convinced to the end that they were truly the most talented actresses ever to grace the American stage. They never had a clue as to how bad they truly were! The parable this morning does not tell us what the elder brother did when his ...

2122. After A Lost Election, Field Of Dreams

Jeremiah 8:4--9:26

Sermon

James Angell

... but who from the starting gate is faced with regular preaching opportunities, and must accept responsibility for both failures and successes. Perhaps most important is the privilege of standing close to people in their sorrows, joys, and general need of God. I remained with that flock in Indianola slightly less than five years. Leaving them broke my heart, for these were people who had given me everything every young pastor needs. Looking back, I can still see those many wonderful faces, and relive most, if ...

2123. Preaching Because We Have Something To Say

Sermon

James Angell

... of the heart. One Sunday at 10:55 a.m. I was stopped in the hallway by a young church member who appeared in great distress. He asked me, as the preacher who would be leading the service, if it would be all right if I asked the congregation to remain a few minutes after the benediction so he might speak to them. His request unnerved me a little. I had no idea what it was he wanted to say. There were only two minutes left before the chimes would ring and start the Introit and Call to Worship. But this ...

2124. Windows Of Wonder

Sermon

James Angell

... t identify their sources because in most instances I've long since forgotten them - or never knew in the first place. But here they are anyway, and they're free. Try to have every sermon include what Dr. Ross Snyder called "one big scene." Remain with an illustration once you begin. And whether it is a major or minor one, sufficiently long enough to allow worshippers to see and feel the action involved, its latent emotional power - rather than settling for a two-sentence "passing reference." Honor the Bible ...

2125. To See Your Face Is Like Seeing The Face Of God

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

James Angell

... ," he said, "how about you?" Inside our 1938 Chevrolet with its once brightly polished but now-mangled front, there were no sounds, no pleas for help nor moans of pain. Only three crumpled human forms on upholstery smeared with blood. I alone remained conscious - stunned and frightened. Mr. Hutchcroft had disappeared, the road soaked up in the night. I took my three unconscious companions and laid them beyond further danger, after trying to see if anyone could speak or had any idea about what had happened ...

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