Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2276 to 2300 of 4914 results

2276. God’s Saving Righteousness and the Restoration of Israel

Romans 3:21-31

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Paul anticipates here in verses 21–26 Martin Luther's famous question, “How can I, a sinner, stand before a holy God?” The apostle's answer is that at the cross of Jesus Christ, the judging righteousness of God (his holiness) is reconciled to God's saving righteousness (his mercy) such that God is at once both just and the justifier of him whose faith is in Jesus. Understanding the Text Romans 1:17–18 signaled two aspects of divine righteousness: saving righteousness and judging righteousness. ...

2277. Held In His Arms

Isaiah 51:17--52:12

Sermon

Paul W. Kummer

Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for collecting art. Together they traveled around the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, and many others adorned the walls of the family estate. The widowed elderly man looked on with satisfaction as his only child became an experienced art collector. The son's trained eye and sharp business mind caused his father to beam with pride as they ...

2278. Times Of Refreshing

Acts 3:11-26

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

Our text is part of a sermon preached by Peter following the healing of a crippled man. The witnesses assumed Peter himself had accomplished the healing. Peter, though, was quick to attribute it to Jesus whom God had raised from death. There are a number of ways to explain the ill man's recovery but what's important here is Peter's commentary to the gathered crowd. He first reprimanded them for taking part in the death of Jesus, but hurriedly, he acknowledged that they probably didn't realize the gravity ...

2279. The Same New Jesus

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Carl Hoefler

In most Christian churches Ascension Day is "A Silent Day." The church doors are closed and locked. The nave is empty. The pulpit and the choir loft are unoccupied. The candles on the altar are topped with charred wicks, indicating that worship has happened here in the past, but is in no way happening now. It is curious that we so easily confess the Ascension in our creeds, but we have great difficulty in celebrating it in our churches. Perhaps, this is due to the fact that Ascension is tucked away on a ...

2280. Born Naked With A Cross

Sermon

Ever hear of a baby born wearing diapers? Of course not! Ever hear of a person being born again wearing nothing but a cross? This happened to St. Francis of Assisi. When Francis decided to be a priest; his father disinherited him and brought him to trial before a bishop. Peter Bernardone demanded that his son give back all the money he took from him for the church and the poor. Francis threw a bag of money at his father's feet. Francis shuddered when he saw how his father clung to the money. Francis called ...

2281. If You Had But One Request

1 Kings 3:1-15

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I shall give you." And Solomon said, "Thou hast shown great and steadfast love to thy servant David my father, because he walked before thee in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward thee; and thou hast kept for him this great and steadfast love, and hast given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king in place of David my father, although I ...

2282. Faith A New Potential for Life

Romans 4:1-25

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

"(Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith ... and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness" (Romans 4:20, 22). Faith was the only thing that made Abraham different from the other inhabitants of Ur of the Chaldees. They continued in their blindness and unreality. Abraham left home because he was sure there was a real God somewhere, not one of wood and stone. Believing, Abraham left all, determined to find this God who was real. You and I, also, stand ...

2283. I Knew You’d Come

John 6:16-24

Sermon

Richard Hoefler

When the unsinkable Titanic struck an iceberg and sank, one reporter wrote, "The tragedy of man is that he cannot build a boat to match his boasts." In many ways we have been able to conquer the sea. When it loomed up as a barrier to our progress across the earth we built boats to sail on it, created atomic submarines to travel through it, and designed jets to fly over it. What’s more, we can even swim in it. But we cannot become master of it. The story which forms the miracle we consider now is about a ...

2284. Wade In The Water

2 Kings 5:1-27

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

The lives of the rich and famous hold a strange fascination for those of us who do not find ourselves in that category. From a very surface view it is easy to envy their glamorous and opulent lifestyles. How we’d like to be like them. We could really enjoy having their money, or their influence, or the adulation of the people who crowd around them. How nice it would be to have the athletic prowess of Michael Jordan, or the good looks and acting talent of a Tom Cruise or Geena Davis, the voice of Luciano ...

2285. Even The Demons Believe!

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Daniel G. Mueller

Say the word "demon" and the first thing that might pop into your mind is the image of a child you know. Sometimes we describe an ornery child as "a little demon." But in the Bible, the word demon is never used that lightly. It is a word that is always used seriously and fearfully to describe one of the forces of evil, an unclean spirit. Saint Mark records for us the story of one demon who filled a father’s life with agony because of the way he possessed the man’s son. Shortly after the Transfiguration of ...

2286. You Are A Name!

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

Today a name does not seem to mean much. We glibly ask, "What is a name?" As children we chanted, "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me." A person's name is only a label, a mark of identification. A name answers the question, "Who are you?" Because a name seems to mean little in our time, some give their children odd names. One had the name "Miss Ima Hogg." One mother named her daughter "Alpha Omega" because she was her first and hopefully her last child. A black child was ...

2287. When The Risen Christ Comes Looking For Us

John 21:15-25

Sermon

James W. Moore

On November 1, 1972, our family left West Tennessee and moved to Shreveport, Louisiana so I could join the staff of the First United Methodist Church there as the preaching associate. For the next 12 years, I had the distinct, unique, and amazing experience of working side by side daily with Dr. D. L. Dykes. Dr. Dykes was without question… one of the greatest preachers I have ever heard, one of the most creative and innovative leaders I have ever known, and one of the most lovingly colorful and eccentric ...

2288. On Having The Right Attitude

Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon

King Duncan

Some of you may be campers. Summertime means adventures in the great outdoors. One thing I've discovered is that camping isn't for everyone. Reed Glenn of the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colorado compiled a list of comments received by the US Forest Service from back packers and campers: "Too many bugs and leeches and spiders," wrote one unhappy camper. "Please spray the wilderness to rid the area of these pests." Another wrote, "A McDonald's would be nice at trail head." And one more adventurer wrote, "The ...

2289. The War of Malchus’ Ear

John 18:1-11

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

In the year 1739 a strange scene was enacted before the House of Commons in London. A ship’s captain by the name of Jenkins was brought before that august body, and he showed them a bottle which contained a small, shriveled-up object, which he claimed was his ear. He said that it had been cut off by Spanish coast-guards when his ship was searched on the high seas. “What did you do?” he was asked. And he is supposed to have replied, “I commended my soul to God and my cause to my country.” In his epic ...

2290. This Nation, Under God

2 Samuel 7:1-9

Sermon

Mark Trotter

The sermon for this Sunday is taken from the Book of II Samuel. If you want to look it up, it's right after I Samuel. The two together comprise one of the first histories ever written, written around 1000 years before Christ, so this is important historical stuff. It is political history, written by someone to record the reign of David. It is thought to have been written by Abiathar, who was David's companion during the wars, and when David was made king he made Abiathar his high priest. That would be ...

2291. Proper 18

Exodus 12:1-30, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 18:15-20, Ezekiel 33:1-20

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Exodus 12:1-14 The Passover feast is inaugurated. In preparation for leaving Egypt, Yahweh instituted the Passover. Each family was to roast a sheep or goat and eat unleavened bread. The blood of the animal was to be placed on the doorposts to keep the angel of death from entering their homes. This is to be an annual feast to remind the people of God's deliverance. Old Testament: Ezekiel 33:(1-6) 7-11 He who warns the wicked shall live. Epistle: Romans 13:8-14 Christians are to ...

2292. How to Love God

Matthew 22:34-46

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

In the rock opera Jesus Christ: Superstar, Mary Magdalene sings, "I don't know how to love him." You see, Christ had saved Mary from prostitution and demonic possession, and now she wanted to live to please Jesus, to offer him her lifelong devotion. But how could she express her love? In her earlier years she had easily known how to please men. But Jesus was different. What did he want from her? How could she serve him? Isn't Mary like most of us? Here we are saved and wanting to be devoted to God, but not ...

2293. An Exquisite Attitude of Gratitude

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

On a grey Friday in January 2007, during the peak of the early morning commuter rush, an unassuming young man entered the L’Enfant Plaza train station in Washington D.C. As the crowds rushed by, the man found a place to stand out of the way of the foot traffic. He opened the violin case he carried. He threw into the case a few coins and dollar bills to “prime the pump.” And then he proceeded to begin playing. But this was no ordinary street musician. The anonymous violinist in the train station was Joshua ...

2294. Until He Comes

2 Timothy 4:7-8

Sermon

James Merritt

The last two years of my life have passed by faster than a speeding bullet. Though the pace of being President of this Convention has been exhausting, the honor has been exhilarating. I will never get over the fact that you, my fellow Southern Baptists, have entrusted me with this position. Being President of the Southern Baptist Convention has made me realize more than ever how blessed I am to be a Christian and how great it is to be a Baptist. I am reminded of Charles Spurgeon the great British preacher ...

2295. Tears Are Our First Words

John 11:17-37

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Tears are our first words. The beginning way we have of communicating is through tears. Is there anything that gets a baby more attention than tears? Is there anything that can command complete, immediate devotion more than a torrent of tears. Is there anything that can makes adults feel more dismal, daunted, desperate than the wailing of an infant? Our baby’s tears can bring us to tears as well. In earlier cultures the tears of mourners were gathered into something called a lachrymatory, or “tear-catcher ...

2296. Compound Interest Your Life

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Albert Einstein is noted for his work in the field of physics. That’s where he got his Nobel Prize in 1921. But one of his most famous quotes is one that appears to have nothing to do with physics. Einstein is reported to have said, when asked what is the most powerful force in the universe, “The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest.” What is “the secret of life?” When asked that question at a men’s retreat, “Mike,” a successful entrepreneur whose start-up company went public, making ...

2297. Be A Good Virus

Romans 8:1-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Neither “fish nor fowl.” “Lukewarm.” “Wishy-washy.” “Spineless.” “Mediocre.” These are not good character references. These are descriptions of people who have no personal convictions, no compelling passions, no “take-it-to-the-front-line” faithfulness. Instead, like liquid gelatin, those who have no backbone pour themselves into whatever mold is put before to them for the simplest, easiest gain. The apostle Paul was definitely not a “lukewarm” or “wishy-washy” kind of guy. In fact, he warned the church at ...

2298. The Beginning

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

The Creation of the Earth: Genesis opens with the account of creation, which is as profound as it is simple. It focuses on the way God ordered the earth. The text addresses the heavens only as they have an impact on life on earth. The purpose of this account is threefold. First, it teaches essential facts about the way God ordered the world so that humans might understand their place and role in creation. Second, it leads us to praise God as the wise, all-powerful Creator. Third, it preempts the ...

2299. The Year of Canceling Debts

Deuteronomy 15:1-11

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Release of Debts and Slaves: Those who see the order of the Decalogue reflected in the structure of the laws in Deuteronomy 12–26 relate the whole section from 14:28 to 16:17 to the fourth (sabbath) commandment. The sabbath commandment focused on the needs especially of the dependent sections of the population (5:14) and was motivated by God’s redemptive action on behalf of Israel when they were oppressed slaves (5:15). Chapter 15 is saturated with the same social concern and the same motivation. It is the ...

2300. The Actions of the Triune Godhead Prove Jesus’s Divine Office

Mark 1:9-15

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: Jesus is anointed for his messianic office and confirmed as Son of God by his Father’s own announcement; then he proves his office by defeating Satan in the wilderness. Understanding the Text Jesus has been heralded as the Messiah by prophetic witness (1:2–3) and by the announcement of the wilderness prophet (1:4–8). Now authoritative proof is given with his messianic anointing via his baptism. In a trinitarian act the Spirit descends on him, and the Father announces him as the beloved Son (1:9– ...

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