Sermon and Worship Resources

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Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

... to look upon the face of the thief. His words formed slowly, yet firmly, "Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." The thief recognized what God was saying from Calvary. The cross was not an X-mark placed across life, a divine judgment on a human error. The cross was a divine plus-mark for all men. God was saying, "I count you worthy of this!" You will recall the old song, "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree." It is a ballad about a prisoner who had been released from jail. Not ...

2227. The King Who Died

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

King Duncan

... his leg. The mother won this crucial tug-of-war. The boy’s friend stared in gruesome fascination at the stitches in his legs. But the boy was more proud of the injuries to his arms. He held out his skinny arms carpeted with bruises and announced, “These marks were made by my mom because she refused to let go.” It reminds me of a Cece Winans’ song that came out about 8-10 years ago titled “Mercy said, ‘No.’” The chorus went something like this: “Mercy said, ‘No, I’m not going to let you ...

2228. Christianity's First Sermon

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... has come again and again, forever and ever, world without end. Or, if you want to hear the authentic voice is a “postmodern” who is coming to terms with the truth about truth, I quote from one of my precocious students at Drew Seminary, Youth Minister Mark Karris, who wrote this meditation on “Absolute Truth” in the process of his question for an answer to Pilate’s question: Oh absolute truth (Scripture) I thought you were there to comfort me, You made me feel safe and secure. You were a weapon in ...

2229. Learning the Three Step Faith Walk

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... given by the magazine to reach the summit of Britain's largest mountain, Ben Nevis, they would have hiked straight off a sheer cliff and ended up in a broken heap at the bottom of Gardyloo Gully. It seems Trail missed one all-important bearing mark in describing the route, an oversight that would have sent hikers straight to their death. As you might imagine, the magazine quickly issued a correction. It virtuously touted the accuracy of the over two hundred other trails it had published. But as all mountain ...

2230. Out of Order

Mark 6:30-44

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... were hardened and they did not understand. Now that's depressing! Self-Obsessed: But where the disciples really excelled was in being self-obsessed. As soon as they returned from their long mission journey and rejoined Jesus, they burst with news. But according to Mark's gospel these Jesus-appointed, Jesus-empowered apostles did not marvel over the work of God. They didn't rant and rave about the movement of the spirit. They didn't celebrate the power of Jesus' name. They proudly boasted to Jesus of all ...

2231. Warts and All

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... former favorite football teams, and luckless business ventures indelibly etched on their skin. The tattoo only gives a name and a picture to the mark that has been made on their soul. The tattoo reveals a crack, a fissure, in the self-protective wall we all tend to ... summer blockbuster hit X-2 that can transport himself at the speed of sound with only a puff of blue smoke to mark his trail. But the most interesting thing about Nightcrawler isn't his courage or powers. It's his vulnerability and weaknesses ...

2232. Get Out of Your Big Pickup Truck!

John 12:20-36

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , thereby producing much grain (John 12:24)--Jesus' teaching sanctions and elevates human risk-taking. (See also Jesus' parable of the talents [Matthew 25:14\-30].) Early disciples of Jesus left the security of home, temple, and tradition and risked it all on Jesus (Mark 7:5). We worship a risk-taking God. When God created the universe, he took risks by creating a world endowed with freedom. God didn't make us automatons. God gave us freewill, which meant he risked our rejection, and risked our refusal of ...

2233. Looking for Shoots or Roots?

Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... to the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist. Yet even though this is not part of our text for this week, the mere mention of John’s name should remind us of their cousinly kinship, even of an in utero jump for joy that marked their first meeting--making cousin John the first person to celebrate Advent. As out text opens Jesus has just sent his disciples off on their first unchaperoned mission journey. Chapter 10 records Jesus’ lengthy instructions to his chosen twelve as they go out to heal ...

2234. Be Kind

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

James McCormick

... - everybody! He expressed that compassion in kindness. One of his best known parables, the parable of the Good Samaritan, is about one person helping another person in need. It’s about human kindness. It was so important to Jesus, in fact, that he made it the essential mark of authentic discipleship. He said, “This is how people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Not if you believe all the right things. Not if you pray a lot. Not if you give a tithe of your income ...

2235. The Spread of Sin

Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... fact that Cain is driven away from the face of God and from every human community (Genesis 4:14), the Lord nevertheless puts a mark on him, so no one will kill him (4:15). In the flood, Noah and his family and representatives of every living creature are ... And when Jesus Christ sat at table at the Lord’s Supper and offered us the new covenant in his blood, that promise was fulfilled (Mark 14:24). That is what God is doing here and now in our world, good Christians. He is working to keep his word, to reverse ...

2236. The Servant Song

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... role during the week of his passion. Our Lord speaks and does only what he hears from God (cf. John 8:28). He willingly accepts the suffering that comes with that ministry. “Not my will, but thine be done” (Mark 14:36 KJV). He is subjected to scorn and whipping and spitting, like the servant before him (Mark 15:15-20). And finally he is killed for his faithfulness to his God. But God does not desert his servants, not even in death, and so there will come Easter morn when all that Jesus Christ has said ...

2237. The Lonesome George Church

Matthew 4:23-25, Matthew 4:18-22, Matthew 4:12-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the kingdom gets underway. Jesus’ first kingdom action is to invite disciples to join him on this mission. The second unit in today’s text (vv.18-22) details the call of the first four disciples, a scene that very closely mirrors that told by Mark (1:16-20). From this point on Jesus’ mission and message will be carried out in the midst of a community. Although Jesus will remain constantly on the move, his disciples will create a continuous, witnessing community, an ongoing audience for all he says and ...

2238. Ash Wednesday

Mt 6:1-6, 16-21 · 2 Cor 5:20b--6:10 · Ps 51:1-17 · Jl 2:1-2, 12-17

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