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Showing 2151 to 2175 of 4986 results

2151. Ascension

Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 110:1-7, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:36-49, Luke 24:50-53, 2 Kings 2:1-18

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... something out of science fiction. The story highlights Elisha's faithfulness to Elijah as he made the story from Gilgal to Jericho and the Jordan River. The prophets of Bethel and Jericho tried to destroy Elisha's faith in God - to no avail - and he stayed with Elijah until "a chariot of fire" separated them. Because Elisha saw Elijah's departure, his request for a "double share" of Elijah's spirit was granted, and it became evident to the people at Jericho who perceived this and fell down and worshiped him ...

2152. Easter 7

John 17:20-26, Psalm 47:1-9, Acts 7:54--8:1a, Acts 16:6-10, Acts 16:16-40, 1 Samuel 12:1-25, Revelation 22:7-21

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... 34 (E, C) - "A Vision Becomes A Nightmare." 1. It began as a vision of a man from Macedonia calling out to Paul and his companions, "Come over and help us." They responded and their first convert was a woman named Lydia, who invited them to stay with her after she was baptized. 2. Paul healed a slave girl who appeared to have "powers of divination," a soothsayer and this brought the Jews down on them, demanding their arrest. 3. Beaten, jailed, and chained, their vision was marred and became a nightmare. But ...

2153. Proper 10

Colossians 1:15-23, Colossians 1:1-14, 2 Kings 2:1-18, Deuteronomy 30:11-20, Psalm 69:1-36, Psalm 25:1-22, Luke 10:25-37

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... did nothing about helping him. It was the eighth person, a young man with long hair and a beard, who had not been in church, that stopped, took the man's pulse, saw he was alive and then went to a nearby telephone booth and called 911; he stayed there until the paramedics arrived and, only then, went his way. 1. There is probably an even higher percentage of people today who don't stop to help people in trouble than there was in Jesus' day, but the reasons may be different. Fear of being tricked or trapped ...

2154. Proper 19

Luke 15:8-10, Luke 15:1-7, Psalm 51:1-19, Exodus 32:1-33:6, Hosea 4:1-19, Hosea 6:1--7:16, 1 Timothy 1:12-20

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... RC); 32:1, 7-14 (E); 32:7-14 (L) Here is one of the better known stories of the Old Testament, stemming from the wilderness experience of God's "exodus people;" they made a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain in dialogue with God. Moses had stayed on Mt. Sinai for too long a time, and the people of Israel fearing that he would not be back, persuaded Aaron to fashion the "molten calf." Aaron was a willing participant in the disobedience of the people, whom God had commanded not to make or worship any ...

2155. Proper 24

Luke 18:1-8, Psalm 121:1-8, Exodus 17:8-16, Genesis 32:22-32, Habakkuk 1:1-4, Habakkuk 2:2-20, 2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... we live! He is real and he is good and gracious. Jesus has taught us that dramatically! 4. So even if, and/or when "the sky is falling," Jesus calls on us to pray persistently not to wear God down and get what we want from him, but to stay in communication with him and make contact continually with the One who sustains us in life and the only One who can save our souls. Exodus 17:8-13 (RC) At the reaction - almost advice - of various exegetes to this passage in this liturgical context, I would bypass this ...

2156. Proper 26

Psalm 65:1-13, Psalm 145:1-21, Psalm 32:1-11, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12, Haggai 2:1-9, Exodus 34:1-28, Isaiah 1:1-31, Luke 19:1-10

Sermon Aid

George Bass

... is mentioned and the theological predicament of some - many? - of the Thessalonian Christians is catalogued. Paul's concern for the Thessalonian community finds a parallel in Jesus' concern for Zaccheus, and Jesus' "Zaccheus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." Through this letter, Paul visited the Thessalonian congregation. Luke 19:1-10 (RC, E, L, C) This familiar story which may, or may not, be based on an actual incident in Jesus' ministry, has all the ingredients necessary ...

2157. Epiphany 3

Mark 1:14-20

Bulletin Aid

Wayne B. Keller

... on special days ... I'll just wait her out." 2. Avoid it. Withdraw into your illusions. "I need someplace in my life that never changes; and if the church demands that I change, I'll quit." 3. Condemn it. Use most of our energy staying angry. "I'll pretend that the pastor's wrong, stupid, naive, misinformed, liberal, socialist, communist. He's obviously not a Christian, and we're no longer the church." Give three to five minutes for silence to consider these things. Following the silence, offer another ...

2158. The Transfiguration

Mark 9:2-13

Sermon Aid

Wayne B. Keller

... mountain where people take vacations. Ask if the children have ever had a vacation in the mountains. Some probably have. Invite them to describe their appreciation of getting away from it all. The disciples had a similar experience, and they wanted to stay forever. "Let's build a motel, sauna, restaurant, or tennis courts. " (loose translation.) Mountains are to be visited, not lived on. Jesus tells us, along with the disciples, to return to school, to our homes and communities to do his work. Proclamation ...

2159. Advent 4

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon Aid

Wayne B. Keller

... Gates" "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" Music for Preparation: Medley of Advent Hymns Response to the Proclamation: "Let There Be Peace On Earth" Response to the Confession: "If Only God Would Speak With Us" Music for Dismissal: Medley of Advent Hymns (Ask the congregation to stay and listen to the hymns, and to point out that these have been chosen to observe the Advent, not the Christmas season.)

2160. When Will The Pain Go Away?

Matthew 24:1-35

Sermon

George Johnson

... to grieve and, therefore, has failed to energize people with hope. Weeping, he says, comes before newness. Hope is discovered when there is a willingness to embrace the darkness. Jesus said to his disciples as he faced the cross, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful ... stay with me." That's embracing the darkness. Be Rooted In Community Hope is not a private virtue. It is not discovered by an individual effort alone. Rather, it is a gift of the Holy Spirit manifested in the gathered faithful. One of the main ...

2161. What's The Bottom Line?

Matthew 21:33-46

Sermon

George Johnson

What are your thoughts when you first wake up in the morning? What am I going to wear today? Is the bathroom free? What's the weather like? Can I stay in bed just a little bit longer? I am waking up earlier now that I'm on the other side of 50, the second side of life. My thoughts early in the morning are usually around the day's appointments. Let's see, Lois needs that article by 9. I ...

2162. When is Patriotism An Idol?

Matthew 22:15-22

Sermon

George Johnson

... we do not recognize this temptation with its modern application, it may be a sign that we have not come to grips with what it means to follow Jesus. There is strong peer pressure, pressure from our surroundings - popular opinion polls, the need to stay employed. No one wants to be considered unpatriotic, different. Everyone should love and serve their own nation with honor. We are thankful for what our country has given us. Patriotism is good except when it becomes an idol. There is strong pressure to try ...

2163. This Is My Body

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sermon

Thomas Slavens

... life. After the death and Resurrection of Jesus, two of his disciples were going to a village called Emmaus. As they walked along, Jesus joined them; but they did not recognize him. When they arrived in Emmaus the two persuaded their unrecognized fellow traveler to stay the night with them. The Gospel of Luke indicates that he became known to them in the breaking of bread. As Christians break bread together on this World-Wide Communion Sunday, may we all feel that the Christ is not far away but here with ...

2164. Breakfast on the Beach

John 21:1-14

Sermon

Steven Burt

... , “It’s the Lord!” Peter could hardly help but plunge excitedly into the water, slogging toward shore with legs that felt like rubber as they strained against the water. Yet the question remains, “Why does Peter, in particular get so excited?” After all, everyone else stays with the boat and catches up later. I think the next part of the text gives us a clue. It says: “When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.” A charcoal fire! You know, there ...

2165. Prepare The Way Of The Lord

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

James Garrett

... joys of the season is sharing it with friends and family. I have no desire or intent to put any of these down -- to make you feel guilty about them. They’re important preparations that touch our attitudes and our basic emotions. However, let’s not forget to stay with the main event. The main event features a baby in the manger. The Christ Child. Focus on the meaning of his birth for your life and for our world. Let the voice in the wilderness of old speak to us in our wilderness. The spiritual needs to ...

2166. Jesus’ First Sign

John 2:1-11

Sermon

James Garrett

... a great man you are, Harry. But you and I both know you ain’t.” When Sam Rayburn discovered that he was quite ill, he announced to the House of Representatives he was going home for medical tests. Some wondered why he did not stay in Washington where there were excellent medical facilities. He supplied the answer when he told Congressman Jim Wright, “Bonham is a place where people know it when you’re sick, and where they care when you die.” Jesus put great emphasis upon friendship. He ministered ...

2167. Two R-Rated Stories

John 7:45--8:11

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... kind of rough on the minister. He would say, ‘I know what you fellows want down there at the church. You want another name and another pledge. Right? Isn’t that the business you’re in? Another name and another pledge.’ It embarrassed my mother. She would stay in the kitchen and cry. Once in a while they would have a guest evangelist and he would come with the pastor and the pastor would say, ‘Here is the toughie, see him!’ My father would always say something like, ‘You don’t care about me ...

2168. Jesus Is Taken Up To Heaven

Acts 1:12-26, Acts 1:1-11

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

... way as you saw him go into heaven." 1: Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of ...

2169. God Commands Abraham To Offer Isaac

Genesis 22:1-19

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

... him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, 3: "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you." 1: Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the ...

2170. Into The Whirlwind

2 Kings 2:1-18

Sermon

Robert Allen

... of Israel -- the God of Hebrews called Yahweh or the materialistic god called Baal. But Elijah never showed more courage than when he was in the wilderness and walked into the unknown whirlwind. Many people, facing the mystery of the unknown, beg others to stay close by. But, Elijah was not clingingly dependent on anyone. He courageously faced the unknown. Every day we are facing the whirlwind of the unknown future. We don’t know what lies before us, but courage is a choice. We can choose to courageously ...

2171. God Moves In Mysterious Ways

1 Kings 17:7-24

Sermon

Robert Allen

... someone who is naked, or giving food to someone who is hungry. The things that matter to God are people and you are becoming a part of God’s mysterious ways when you have a concern for people. I took a confirmation class to Camp Egan one spring. We were staying in the cabins and at the same time, there was a travel trailer club that was in the camp. When I discovered that Jim Egan was the man who had given the campgrounds and many of its buildings to the church, I asked him if he would come and talk ...

2172. Marked In God’s Book

Sermon

George Bass

... our names, and believers may rest assured that there is a place for them in God’s eternal kingdom. God will never forget his people or their names, according to St. Paul. One of the last things my wife and I did at the end of a sabbatical stay in Cambridge, England, five years ago, was to go out and visit the American Military Cemetery, outside of Cambridge, with a University of Maryland math professor and his wife. The professor had served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and wanted very much to see ...

2173. Marked At The Cross

Sermon

George Bass

... hand”; Jesus knew that all was well and that he was returning to the Father who had sent him to redeem the world. Another of my students tells how she visited her grandfather’s farm with her family when she was a little girl. Her grandfather asked if she could stay a few days after her parents went home; she could and did. Her father had said, “Now be a good girl, Barbara, and I will be waiting for you on Friday when they stop the train to let you off at the crossing west of our farm.” When the time ...

2174. Joy Songs, Trumpet Blasts, And Hallelujah Shouts!

Joshua 5:13--6:27

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

... have been endowed with free will, with a mind of our own. The paradox is it often gets us into deep trouble. Too much free will and too much mind of our own and not enough of God's will veers us off the spiritual path. Sometimes we stay too close to a particular tradition and it stifles growth, progress, and development. What if the Israelites refused to change and kept their own battle plans? They would have been thoroughly beaten by their enemies. Your enemy can destroy you just in your refusal to look at ...

2175. Advent's "Invisible" Man

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

... clear they could not have survived without his presence. You don't have to say much, just be much. Have presence and be present when people need you most! Who waited on Mary hand and foot when she was pregnant with Jesus? Who found the place for them to stay on that cold, windy night when the keepers of the inn turned them away? Who stoked the fires and bailed the hay? Who ran the errands and brought them food to eat? Who kept watch when Herod's lackeys were running wild in the streets looking to smoke the ...

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