Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2201 to 2225 of 4962 results

2201. Seeing Just Enough of God

Exodus 33:12-23

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... marriage, in full flush of love, she went out for a jog. Bursting with a feeling of how delicious her life was, she offered up a prayer of gratitude to God for her marriage, her health, and her faith. Feeling a twinge of guilt for being so carefree, she hoped that she could always be as happy as she was then. I don't think I need to tell you how that expectation turned out. Shortly after her genuine, but naïve prayer, she and her husband moved to a new state. A friend had started an "innovative" ministry ...

2202. Preaching to a Stone

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... knows he won't be around to provide leadership, so he has to preach the sermon of his life to try to mold the tribes into a community that understands who they are. Joshua begins with the authority of a prophet, "Thus says the Lord." We preachers always hope that God has given us the right words, and that God speaks through our sermons. Joshua boldly claims the role of prophet, even speaking in the first person for God. Joshua's sermon recounts what God has done in the history of the community. What God has ...

2203. Jesus' Most Perplexing Parable

Luke 16:1-15

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... to have her husband killed. The apostle that Jesus chose to head the church, Peter, denied he even knew the Lord on the night of Jesus' arrest. Ordinary people like us love stories about imperfect people doing something good. As imperfect people ourselves it gives us a little hope. I will admit that that is not a central theme of the parable of the dishonest manager, but it is what many people hear because that is exactly what we need to hear. Lesson one from the parable: It is only money. It is a renewable ...

2204. Reconciled Enemies

Romans 5:1-11

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

... of sharing the glory of God. One: And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, All: and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, One: and hope does not disappoint us All: because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. (based on Romans 5:1-5) Collect Great are you Lord, and great is our anguish. Great are you Lord, and great are our joys. ...

2205. Spiritual Calisthenics

Romans 5:1-8

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

... by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still ...

2206. Look Who Is Standing at the Door

James 4:1-12; 5:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

... , by his own shrewdness and willingness to take risks and by hard work has become a successful man. They all listen attentively and wait for their turn to tell their stories. They all speak just a little louder than they need to, as if in the hope of being overheard. It is a celebrative ritual they enjoy indulging in on special occasions. In fact, the people at the nearby tables do overhear. For the most part, they share in the admiration. These men are telling stories that the culture has taught everyone ...

2207. A Gift for You

Romans 1:1-7

Sermon

James L. Killen

... that will change the rest of your life. But, once you have guessed what is in it, you may decide not to open it. I hope you will choose to open it - but you may not. Let's talk about that. Our scripture lesson puts things into perspective. We have read ... of importance that he had been sharing with people all over the ancient world. He was sending this letter to the people in Rome where he hoped to go. He really didn't know the people there and he felt a need to tell them ahead of time who he was and what ...

2208. With a Song in Your Heart

Ephesians 1:3-14

Sermon

James L. Killen

... of our sins, and he is at work to make us holy and blameless before him in love. We who have believed, who have set our hopes on Christ, have claimed our inheritance and are privileged to live in praise of God. A person who can sing that hymn with confidence has ... still squabbling over whether the letter to the Ephesians was written by Paul himself or by one of his followers who hoped to represent him. But, almost everyone agrees that the letter represents Paul's teachings well. It is also safe to assume ...

2209. The Reward

1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23

Sermon

James L. Killen

... very important to people in our day, too. Jonathan Kozol wrote a book about the lives of desperately poor people living in a slum of a great city. The book was titled Amazing Grace because the author said the lives of these people were so empty of hope or of promise that they could only find meaning for their lives in the promise of heaven they heard in their little church.1 That promise of a reward in heaven can also mean a lot to people living under oppression or going through debilitating illness and ...

2210. An Enclave of Resistance

Hebrews 1:1-14; 2:5-8

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... they didn't realize they had." What is the human dimension? "Thou hast created us for a little while lower than the angels." For a little while, because our final destiny is to be greater than the angels, to be greater than we could ever imagine. I would hope that you would feel something of that when you come into this sanctuary and you see that as a church, there is a mission fulfilled in just placing this sanctuary here in the midst of the city. We are stewards over this sacred space. Just the church ...

2211. The Heart Has Eyes

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... , "The heart has reasons the mind knows not of." It is the heart that is able to see into that mystery. And it is why Paul said to the Ephesians, "I pray that God will enlighten the eyes of your heart, so you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and the power for us who believe." You will know that inheritance through faith, through the eyes of your heart. Laurence Stookey wrote, "Faith needs visual aids." So the Church has ...

2212. What If He Shows Up?

John 2:13-22

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... us the assurance of an orderly universe, where there is consistency and order. When there is consistency and order, then there is predictability. If the bread always falls with the buttered side down, then we know what to expect from life, and we aren't going to get our hopes up. Life is just a whole lot easier that way. Life is much more comfortable for us when there are no surprises. There is another law. It's not as well known as Murphy's Law. It's a law of logic, called the Law of the Excluded Middle ...

2213. What If It Is True?

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... ever act in this way. Is it true The most tremendous tale of all A babe in an ox's stall That God was man in Palestine And lives today in bread and wine. Joseph believed it was possible. He could believe the promise. It was what everyone in Israel hoped for, but no one imagined it could happen this way. It is the same with us. We know the promise. We rehearse the promise every Christmas. The crowds come to church to rehearse the promise that there will be peace on earth and good will among all people. To ...

2214. While You Are Waiting

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... caveat to warn us, we don't know about such things, and we will never know about such things. We do not know the hour or the day. All we know is Jesus. And whatever the future holds, Jesus will be there as Lord. So look forward with hope to the future. Expect something good to happen in the future. A few years ago there was a delightful biography of Fats Waller. They made a Broadway musical out of it, entitled, Ain't Misbehavin', after his most famous song. Fats Waller, like most black musicians, began his ...

2215. In the Darkness of Suffering, There Is the Light of Life

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

... and hunger, sickness and death, injustice and persecution. Yet, in the midst of all that suffering, the life of Jesus was, “the light of all people.” I want to say to you that whatever it is you face, Christmas holds for you the promise of help and hope, the promise of light and love, the promise of joy and peace. In the darkness of your own suffering, there is a light that still shines. It is the light of Christmas, and for you, Jesus Christ is the light of life. Because the light of Bethlehem still ...

2216. Hoodoo McFiggin's Christmas

Luke 2:1-14

Drama

Matthew Powell

... your pants up to your neck, if you wanted to. The boy gave a dry sob of satisfaction. Then he took out his last present. Hoodoo: It's a book, Narrator: he said, as he unwrapped it. Hoodoo: I wonder if it is fairy stories or adventures. Oh, I hope it's adventures! I'll read it all morning. Narrator: No, Hoodoo, it was not precisely adventures. It was a small ... family Bible. Hoodoo had now seen all his presents, and he arose and dressed. But he still had the fun of playing with his toys. Hoodoo: That is ...

2217. Home For The Holidays

John 1:1-14

Drama

Matthew Powell

2218. In the Darkness of Fear, There Is the Light of Joy

Luke 2:8-20

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

... a people who are afraid. I want to remind you that the light of Bethlehem still shines on us. As that great hymn tells us, “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”1 This is why Christmas is always such good news for us. It has a ... as well. The darkest time of the year, The poorest place in town, Cold, and a taste of fear, Man and woman alone. What can we hope for here? More light than we can learn, More wealth than we can treasure More love than we can earn, More peace than we can ...

2219. Lent 3

Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 5:1-11, John 4:1-26, John 4:27-38, John 4:39-42

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... . Out of this relationship come reasons to rejoice: we share in the glory of God (v. 2); we experience suffering that eventuates in hope (vv. 3, 4); and we are reconciled to God through Christ (v. 11). In our suffering, sin, and weakness, God comes to us in ... amusement. Outline: In the face of the cross we can rejoice because – a. We will share in God's glory - v. 2. b. We suffer with hope - v. 4. c. We are reconciled with God - v. 11. 2. When You've Said It All! (5:1). Need: A popular phrase for Paul, used ...

2220. Proper 12

1 Kings 3:1-15, Matthew 13:47-52, Matthew 13:44-46, Genesis 29:15-30

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... Bible, often quoted and misunderstood. It is not that everything works for good automatically. Rather, it is God who uses everything for our good, both now and ultimately. It is a theocentric rather than an anthropocentric understanding of life. It is a verse of hope to those who endure hardship, suffering, and tragedy. If we know God will bring some good out of misfortune, we can take it cheerfully. 3. Conformed (v. 29). Are youth confirmed or conformed? It should be both - confirm the vows of baptism and ...

2221. Proper 26

Matthew 23:1-39, Joshua 3:1-4:24, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, Malachi 2:1-9

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... sermon is received and accepted - v. 13. WORSHIP RESOURCES Psalm of the Day: Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37 - "O give thanks to the Lord" (v. 1); Psalm 13 - "I trusted in your steadfast love" (v. 5); Psalm 480 - "Hope in God" (v. 5). Prayer of the Day: "Lord, when the day of wrath comes, we have no hope except in your grace. Make us so to watch for the last days that the consummation of our hope may be the joy of marriage feast of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." Hymn of the Day: "Wake, Awake, For Night Is Flying"

2222. The One Thing God Can Not Do

2 Timothy 1:1-2:13

Sermon

King Duncan

... cannot do--God cannot betray God’s own character. God cannot do anything that is unloving. Why? Because God is absolute love. God cannot do anything unholy. Why? Because God is holy. The one thing God cannot do is disown himself, says St. Paul. This is the hope on which our lives are built. If we are faithless, God will remain faithful, because God can’t disown himself. Are we sometimes faithless? Do birds fly? Do fish swim? Human beings sin. You sin. I sin. To be human is to be susceptible to the power ...

2223. Disappointed in Jesus

Matthew 11:2-11

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... as John the Baptist can attest to. And God has the right to put it there. But there is very little good news in prophetic criticizing. The other form of prophetic activity is prophetic energizing. And it is equally prominent in scripture. This form of proclamation is centered in hope. Despite our sin and our failures as God's people, God has not given up on us or the world. And God is about to do a new thing with and for the world that we have desecrated. When those disciples come back to Jesus and ask him ...

2224. Demonstrating the Divine

John 1:10-18

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... have fed the whole Presbytery. And yet, nothing is perfect. When the laying on of hands took place, the only female hands were mine as our Korean brothers and sisters continue to struggle with a gospel of inclusivity. In congregation after congregation, earnest, hopeful, joyful faces watched as promises were made and covenants were sealed with new and eager pastors - and yet, in almost every instance, the average age of the congregation was way over the median age of the communities in which we live and ...

2225. The Embassy at 6601

Matthew 5:21-26

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... plans on the altar of world opinion, first go and be reconciled to your brother or your sister. For love, according to scripture, is not irritable or arrogant or boastful or rude. Love does not insist on its own way, but bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. There is a true story abut two farmers in Canada. One day the dog of one farmer got loose and mauled to death the two-year-old child of his neighbor. The devastated father cut off all relationship with his neighbor ...

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