Sermon and Worship Resources

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... to avoid and evade by methods both subtle and not so subtle. The aim is never a better place in heaven. However, some of us who strive to be fully in Christ are accused of that very thing. We can even be described as holier-than-thou disciples who want to outdo others and wear a more expensive crown! They are annoyed by us and sometimes will deliberately stay away from us. This happens not only among laity but among the ordained clergy as well. Sometimes the negative politics of the clergy can be demonic ...

2352. Birthpangs of the New Age

Romans 8:22-23

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... to avoid and evade by methods both subtle and not so subtle. The aim is never a better place in heaven. However, some of us who strive to be fully in Christ are accused of that very thing. We can even be described as holier-than-thou disciples who want to outdo others and wear a more expensive crown! They are annoyed by us and sometimes will deliberately stay away from us. This happens not only among laity but among the ordained clergy as well. Sometimes the negative politics of the clergy can be demonic ...

2353. The Blessing Complex

Philippians 3:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... not to imitate Beethoven or Mozart or Debussy. The artist or musician, inspired by the geniuses of the past, who can find their own unique and genuine gift and express it as fully as possible, that is the one who has received and embraced their blessing. The disciple who is “in Christ” becomes most fully and genuinely themselves. The gift of Christ’s faith blesses us to be ourselves and bless others with the gift of Christ’s faith. That is the blessing of being “in Christ.” That is the blessing ...

2354. Oh, You'd Better Watch Out!

Mark 13:32-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... those lines, “He’s making his list, checking it twice, gonna find out who’s naughty or nice.” (3) Some people think of God that way. And they read the same kind of warning into our lesson for today from Mark’s Gospel. Speaking of his return, Jesus told his disciples, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his ...

2355. Coming Apart So We Don’t Come Apart

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Sermon

George Reed

... while, sooner than planned, the needs of the crowds again press in on them and they, and Jesus, are back to work. In our lives as disciples of Jesus, we find that we need to follow this same pattern if we are to keep from coming apart at the seams. We are in ... and share with them the good news of the gospel. From the time of prayer we move to the time of active ministry. Jesus and the disciples found that the time of prayer ended all too soon and we will find it so, as well. The needs of the world are many and ...

2356. The Passion of the Servant Leader

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... know how to sustain the weary with a word" (Isaiah 50:4a). The most important quality in a teacher who leads is a sense of servanthood. Teachers know more than their pupils, but the true teacher doesn't just impart information. He leads students or disciples by example of selfless service. "What you are speaks so loudly, I can hardly hear a word you say," someone has observed, but words are important, too. One purpose of speaking and teaching is to be able to sustain the weary with words. Jesus spoke and ...

2357. It’s All about Jesus

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... everywhere, but that he is my Lord as well. If we do not translate and apply this creed to our lives, we relegate it to the margins of life as an interesting biblical emphasis. We would be mere admirers of Jesus’ way and words, but not disciples. That Jesus is Lord of all means that as a Christian I come under his ultimate authority. Martin Luther, in The Small Catechism, interprets the meaning of the second article of the Apostles’ Creed like this: “I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of ...

2358. Lord of All!

Acts 10:34-43

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... called to share their faith with others. All evangelists are witnesses, but not all witnesses are evangelists. Jesus, the Lord of all, said to the apostles (and to all Christians): "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations ..." (Matthew 28:18-19). He also said, "... You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Since ...

2359. Ephesians 1:15-23

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... awaits the faithful, but “God’s inheritance.” God’s inheritance is nothing less than the people God has chosen. God’s chosen people, all those faithful who live “in Christ,” belong to God. As if knowing God’s saving designs were not enough for disciples to begin to comprehend, Paul’s final intercessory prayer is that these Ephesian Christians might come to know that God’s great power is available to all who are in Christ. Note that in v.19 Paul switches to second person. In so doing Paul ...

2360. No Green Without Red

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... old-fashioned views about life and women. The son responded that he expected people to "read at red alert" when they approached his writings. He too frequently found himself "reading at red alert" about those issues that he cared deeply about. The church needs more disciples who will live at red alert and minister at red alert. Indeed this sermon should call your people to form a "red party" in the church, with two levels of meaning to living at red alert. First, red signals danger. Part of living at red ...

2361. What's Your Drink?

Isaiah 43:16-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... most complex theological issues and relationships. The Holy Spirit "in-spirited" these fragile followers to use their human faculties to full capacity. The Book of Acts also recounts the joyous attitude and bold, courageous actions that characterized the disciples' lives post-Pentecost. Despite ridicule, beatings, jailings and the ever-present threat of death itself, the presence of the Holy Spirit's living water kept their own spirits buoyant. The enviable fellowship of the early church stemmed directly ...

2362. Keep the Stars in Your Eyes

Ephesians 1:3-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2363. Holy Hocus-Pocus!

Mark 13:1-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2364. Hear the Vision?

1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2365. The One and Only Original Sin

1 Peter 3:18-22

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2366. The Trace of Grace

Ephesians 2:1-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2367. A Go-Ahead God

Mark 16:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... "goes ahead" of us into the future, even to suffering and death. If God goes ahead of us into pain and suffering, torture and death, then how can we doubt God will be there ahead of us wherever life may take us? Just as he was "going ahead" of the disciples into Galilee, the risen Christ will "go ahead" of us into a new classroom. He will "go ahead" of us into a new family. He will "go ahead" of us into a new career. Christians can dare to call out "me first" no matter how scary a new situation might ...

2368. Count Your Wows!

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2369. Parable Power

Mark 4:26-34

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... bit dishonest. Why didn't Jesus come right out and say what he meant? Why did he leave behind all these cryptic sayings, loaded with innuendo, instead of a crisp code of laws or a stack of essays with titles like "How to Be a Good Disciple," "A Brief Definition of the Kingdom of God" or "Seven Key Features of the Coming Kingdom and What This Means to You." But no. Instead we have this cross-eyed, cryptic, incomplete, awkward, and at times seemingly absurd collection of sayings known as Jesus' parables. But ...

2370. Waging Wisdom

James 3:13—4:8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2371. The Great Postmodern Soul Train

Mark 13:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2372. An Advent Attitude

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2373. Stable-Time

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2374. The Perfect Time to Lose Your Luggage

Colossians 3:12-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... had better have some decent soul training under our belts. This means training mind and body and spirit to recognize the false gods of both junky, excessive material accumulation and junky, excessive spiritual accumulation. What Jesus does urge on his disciples is vigilance. This means keeping a watchful, skeptical, critical eye on all the events and leaders and stories that will be trying to gain their attention and allegiance by presenting themselves in an eschatological light. "Do not be deceived," Jesus ...

2375. Will You Join the Jesus Team?

Exodus 24:12-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... a future in the midst of great loss. - Esther and Mordecai worked as a team to see that the Jews were kept safe and their enemy Haman was destroyed. - John the Baptist and Jesus worked as a team to bring the Holy Spirit upon the Messiah's ministry. - The disciples worked as a team as they went out two-by-two to fulfill the mission of the 70. - Paul and Barnabas worked as a team ... Paul and Silas worked as a team ... Paul and Timothy worked as a team so that the message of salvation continued to be spread ...