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 2176 to 2200 of 2815 results

2176. James 1:17-27

James 1:19-27

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 1:10-17; Psalm 68:5), it meant showing compassion for the other, caring for those who have no way to care for themselves, offering help when there is no possible expectation of repayment. Where Jesus named his Great Commandment to love others as you love yourself, and told the parable of the “Good Samaritan,” James reminds his Jewish-Christian community of the Hebrew witness of this action-attitude: “care for orphans and widows.”

2177. Life on the Rock

Matthew 7:24-29

Sermon

James Merritt

... ." The Sermon on the Mount is the largest body of the teachings of Jesus recorded consecutively in all of the Bible. Quite frankly, this sermon is probably the reason why Jesus is called the world's greatest teacher. He closes this unbelievable sermon with a parable; a story of two homebuilders. Now in actuality Jesus is not talking about building a home; He's talking about building a life. You see, we are all in the building business. You and I everyday are building a life. Now building a life and building ...

2178. Stewards of Power

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... the end, the Jewish people are saved and Haman is hanged on the gallows he had planned to use to execute Mordecai. The Feast of Purim, an event Jews celebrate yet today, commemorates this incident. For another example, consider the story Jesus told we commonly call the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-34). A servant owed a king 10,000 talents, which was a tremendous sum of money. When he could not pay, the king ordered him, along with all that he had, sold to pay the debt. But the servant ...

2179. The Two Prodigals

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... tend to come down on the side of one prodigal son who lived despicably and then revived triumphantly. The elder brother is either something of a nonfactor or a misunderstood fellow caught in unpopular circumstances. Truly, he is also a prodigal and we hope and pray the parable is not the complete story. A more inspiring conclusion would discover he repented of his arrogance and lack of mercy. Furthermore, we long to hear him tell his father that he is grateful for all that has been given him. It would be an ...

2180. A Samaritan Took Care of Him

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

David R. Cartwright

... Genetic malformation, stem-cell research, cloning, abortion, homosexuality, AIDS, to extend life or terminate it. It's not always crystal clear what to do in these half dead or half alive situations. "What would Jesus do in these borderline situations?" we ask ourselves. The parable of the Good Samaritan answers clearly and unambiguously: Jesus would offer help! So how did the Samaritan take care of the man? If we can determine that perhaps we can find out what we ought to do. First, he used what he had. He ...

2181. Ready or Not, Here I Come

Luke 12:32-40

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... with faith and hope. They don't act faithfully with their eyes focused on the Lord, their lamps lit and dressed for action (Luke 12:35). It's always good to check the context of a sermon text. Both the front side context and the back side context of this parable add meaning to our story. The front side context (Luke 12:13-31) is about a rich, but foolish, farmer who believed in and sought possessions in this life as if they were the ultimate goal of life. The back side context (Luke 12:41-48) is about a ...

2182. What Price Must We Pay?

Luke 6:20-31

Sermon

John Wayne Clarke

... the kind of outlook they should have as well as the kind of life Jesus expects them to live. Both Luke and Matthew start out with related materials. They both present us with what we have come to know as the Beatitudes and both end with the parable of the two foundations. The verses presented here in Luke provide us with an astounding idea. That idea is simple; the value of your life will not be determined by how many years you live. It will be determined by how you used the years you were fortunate ...

2183. Carrying the Burdens of Others

Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... follow me. For those who want to save their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it" (Mark 8:34b-35). Humility means that we should never exalt ourselves, and think we are better than others. Jesus challenged his disciples with a parable: "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor ... [Rather] when you are invited, go and sit at the lowest place, so when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.' ... For all who ...

2184. God Is Rock Solid

Hebrews 12:18-29

Sermon

Clayton A. Lord

... so we do not challenge anyone. God does not hide the truth. He puts it out there for all to see and then lets it work in open hearts and minds. If you want to know what to do to rebuild your world, turn to the Bible. Jesus tells the parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24-27. He suggests that building your life on the Word of God will help you stand tall during life's greatest trials. It will hold fast and cover you when you need it most. We need to hear the truth ...

2185. The Gospel Is Unchained

2 Timothy 2:8-13

Sermon

Donna Schaper

... way of living, more becomes less and most of us are well aware of it. "Fewer finer" is the slogan every good decorator will tell you. Pruning a bush makes it grow beautifully. Letting it overtake your yard has nothing to do with beauty. This agricultural parable means only one thing: focus your attention on the gate, on the right way in to life. Stand guard against the invaders. Who are the invaders? They are like advertisers; they are voices that are only using you. Be welcome in the main gate of the ...

2186. Let The Children Come In!

Mark 10:1-12

Illustration

Michael B. Brown

... work with their fun. So we make it a rule That they must go to school So their elders can get something done. Some children came searching for Jesus. His friends were distressed and inclined To think: "Oh, how terrible To have a fresh parable Suddenly slip from His mind!" So they tried to get rid of the children Surely no major disgrace, Protecting their Master, From certain disaster. By keeping the children in place. "Let the children come in!" shouted Jesus, Then he said something frightfully odd: "They ...

2187. Shoots of Tomorrow

Jeremiah 33:14-16

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

In the parable of The Giving Tree, a young boy would gather his favorite tree's leaves on mild autumn afternoons. He fashioned them into a crown for his head and played king of the forest. The tree was fun to climb, and he loved to eat its delicious apples. The boy enjoyed ...

2188. Choosing to Believe

1 Kings 18:20-39

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... I want to talk about the foundations of belief, and the yes-it-is/no-it's-not story of the ossuary is a case in point. Our text is from the Old Testament, but before going there, I want to point out something from a New Testament passage, Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). As the story goes, there was a certain rich man who lived very well in a fine house and dined on sumptuous meals. Although his name does not appear in the Bible, he is sometimes called "Dives," which comes from ...

2189. A "Somebody Done Somebody Wrong" Song

Hosea 1:2-10

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... lies are revealed, the wounds are nearly impossible to heal completely even if the marriage survives. Like Grandma's shattered lamp - the cracks are always there. That is why the story of Hosea, son of Beeri, seems so personal even these centuries later. It is a parable lived out in real life not only by the prophet but by nearly four out of every thousand people in our neighborhood. Such betrayal may even be in your story as well. But more than all that, Hosea claims, it is God's story. In the beginning ...

2190. Song of the Vineyard

Isaiah 5:1-7

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... 's best known prophets, begins his long and effective career with "let me sing a song." Scholars doubt that the words were ever put to music, but this "Song of the Vineyard" functions more like an introduction to a weightier message. It is likely the parable was preached early in Isaiah's ministry, and is possibly connected to the harvest festival. It's not hard to imagine. Like any festival, the crowd is in a good mood — maybe even a bit intoxicated. After all, it is the grape harvest and what better ...

2191. God's Eminent Domain

Jeremiah 18:1-11

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... eminent dominion that must be recognized, even by the Supreme Court. To quote the psalmist, "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." To assert God's claim to eminent domain Jeremiah uses a story from his own everyday experience, a kind of living parable. Perhaps we can walk with him a while as he journeys to the potter's workshop. Take a moment to look around to see the various bowls and pitchers in various stages of the process — some dried and awaiting the fire, perhaps a few finished pieces ...

2192. No Room for Jesus

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... being built had been cast out. The one who had inspired the whole project was forgotten. The one the temple was intended to honor had been harshly pushed aside, absent-mindedly thrown away, and blatantly ignored. This . . . ancient legend is a painfully relevant parable of the way some people celebrate Christmas today. Sometimes we become so involved in the tasks and details of Christmas that we forget the One we are honoring.” (3) The very busyness of the season may keep us from making room for Christ ...

2193. Simeon and Anna: The Quiet of the Country

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... man answers: “Green is green, stupid. Now stop asking questions.” There follows a poignant scene in which the young girl claws the grass with her hands and gently rubs a leaf against her cheek, trying to experience the reality of “greenness”. That is a parable of the human situation. We want to experience reality. We try to dissect it, claw at it, analyze it, explain it. God helps us here. When He got ready to communicate His greatest idea, He took that idea and wrapped it in a person. Pause ...

2194. God Works from the Inside

Mk 12:28-34

Illustration

King Duncan

... to open the buds, it just falls to pieces and dies. How does God open it into a beautiful flower?" Even before his mother could answer, a broad smile broke across the child's face, and he exclaimed, "Oh! I know! God always works from the inside." That is a parable of the Kingdom. God's works from the inside. His kingdom is alive and it is growing, in our love for one another. That's the "inside work" of the Kingdom.

2195. The Lamb Who Was Lost

Luke 3:1-6

Illustration

James Garrett

John Killinger has taken some of the parables of Jesus and retold them in the language of Christmas. What person among you, taking 100 children to the theater for a performance of A Christmas Carol, if you lose one of them, does not stand the other ninety and nine in the theater lobby and go in search of ...

2196. I Am the Good Shepherd

John 10:1-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... me from that which makes me unfree. He changes me. In him, we are not only reborn; we grow. It’s not enough to experience the cleansing of Good Friday, we need to know the power of Pentecost. It was not enough for the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable to leave the pigs, the pigs had not yet left him. Back home safe in his father’s house, he still had bad habits to master, and he still had new attitudes to cultivate. The disciples sitting expectantly in the Upper Room long after Jesus had departed from ...

2197. I Am the Vine

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Jesus was the master of figurative language. He used stories to proclaim his great truths. He told parables, he painted word pictures, he referred to ordinary things in order that he might underscore extraordinary and eternal truths. The disciples would have been able to identify this image of Jesus, the image of the vine and the branches, fruit bearing and pruning, dead branches burned. They would have been ...

2198. If Daddy Will Hold Me

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

James W. Moore

... in his lap, steadied her head against his shoulder, and held her tightly in his arms. The surgeon then quickly did his work… and sewed up the cut in her eye-lid… and the little girl did not flinch. She just held on tight to her Father. That's a parable for us in our spiritual lives and a graphic reminder that whatever we have to face, we can hold on tight to our Father… and He will see us through. There's a word for that… it's called TRUST or FAITH. It's surely what Jesus had in mind ...

2199. Every Day God Enriches

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... was a monumental task. Fortunately, the team was equal to the task. Seven months later the mission was completed. One art critic said, "You can't even see the fault lines and cracks created by the assault...It is beautifully restored." (1) I think that's a great parable for what God has done for us. We know that we have all sinned and fall short of the Kingdom of God. We don't have to have our noses rubbed in it. We know we're broken. Broken homes, broken hearts, broken promises, broken relationships, they ...

2200. Leap Of Faith

John 8:12

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... fail. What would have happened if Jesus had tried to take a short cut to the Throne of God and given into the Temptations. The FedEx commercial reminds us that some times what seems to be a good idea, isn't. The FedEx commercial reminded me of one of Jesus' parables found Matthew 7:24-27 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because ...

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