Sermon and Worship Resources

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2376. A Tale of Two Dancers

Mark 6:14-29

Sermon

Mark Trotter

Our lessons for this morning tell of two dancers: one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament. The one in the Old Testament is the king, David; the one in the New Testament is the step-daughter of the king, Herod. Both stories have to do with political intrigue. They are not commonly read as lessons in the Sunday worship, but during these dog days of summer, this is the kind of stuff they give us to read. So we will faithfully look for the word of God speaking to us in these two stories. Let us ...

2377. Proper 10

Genesis 25:19-34, Isaiah 55:1-13, Romans 8:1-17, Romans 8:18-27, Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Genesis 25:19-34 (C) Rebecca gave birth to twins, Esau and Jacob. Because of Isaac's prayers for his barren wife, Rebecca made up for lost time in having twins who fought each other before birth. Esau's great mistake was trading his first-son birthright for one of Jacob's meals. Lesson 1: Isaiah 55:10-11 (RC); Isaiah 55:1-5, 10-13 (E) God's Word shall accomplish his purpose. Lesson 2: Romans 8:1-11 (C); Romans 8:18-23 (RC) Both creation and creatures groan for redemption. Lesson 2: ...

2378. Keep on Praying

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Anyone here this morning trying to housebreak a new puppy? If you've ever tried to housebreak a new puppy, you know that the key to success is consistency. You must always take the puppy out the moment it wakes. You must never let it whine and look like it needs to go without whisking the little creature outside. And if you let the puppy get away with any indoor accidents, you can bet that it will return to the scene of the crime for a repeat version of its indiscretion. The same absolute consistency is ...

2379. First-Class Christianity

Ephesians 5:18-21

Sermon

James Merritt

There was a cowboy who was going to take a stagecoach west. When he went up to the ticket agent, the agent said, "Do you want a first-class, second-class, or a third-class ticket?" The cowboy said, "All the seats are the same, why should I buy a first-class ticket?" The agent said, "You'll find out later on. I would advise you to buy a first-class ticket." The cowboy did. When they reached a muddy hill, the driver called out, "All second-class ticket holders get out and walk." He then said, "All third- ...

2380. Accepting the Lord Once Again

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Richard Gribble

He came softly, unobserved and yet, strange to say, everyone knew him. The time was the fifteenth century; the place was Seville in Spain. He came to announce peace and to proclaim the good news. He came to teach and to cure; he came to bring the light. As he walked by the cathedral, a funeral procession for a little seven-year-old girl was just beginning to form. He heard the sobs and pleas of the girl's mother. Moved with compassion he asked the bearers of the funeral bier to halt. He touched the girl; ...

2381. Mark 6: 1-13

Mark 6:1-6

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Of all the most stressful moments in your life, here’s one that doesn’t immediately come to consciousness - your high school and/or college reunion. Talk about an impossible combination of wanting everyone to see how much you’ve changed, and hoping everyone else is just the same. Yet no one is ever “just the same.” Everyone changes, for better, for worse. Some bright stars fade. Some wall flowers bloom. There are always a few surprising success stories as well as some tears and tragedies. Without ...

2382. I Don’t Like My Options

2 Kings 5:1-17

Sermon

James Merritt

Think about two words: options and decisions. One gives rise to the other. Options are diverse, decisions are difficult. An option only has power when it becomes a decision. The reason why I want you to understand these two words is because basically that is what life is all about. It is amazing to see how one decision can change a life, a family, a nation, and a world. Some unknown people through the years made a decision choosing among options that have radically changed your life to this very present ...

2383. Fish or Cut Bait

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

You may have heard the story about the fisherman who had a fantastic reputation for his ability to catch fish. Everyday he would go out in his boat and bring back an incredibly large number of fish, and his reputation spread far and wide. One day a stranger came to the camp and wanted to go fishing with him. The fisherman said, “Come back to tomorrow morning at 4:30, and we’ll go. The stranger was back the next morning, and two men got into the boat. The stranger was puzzled at what he saw. All the ...

2384. License to Steal

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

So what do you think? Should we manufacture money that doesn’t really exist in order to buy up debts, stimulate banks to lend, and jumpstart our economy? Or do we tighten our belts and hold our breath? For most of us, trying to figure out the monetary wizardry of our economic gurus is about as easy as figuring out how magician David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty “disappear.” Maybe in the end it all comes down to smoke and mirrors — whether it’s magic or the market. But there is one bankable ...

2385. Super-Size Your Faith

Romans 8:18-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

“Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down…in a most delightful way” How many of you can hear Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) singing that? How many of you have no idea who Mary Poppins is? There’s the generational divide right in front of us…although Broadway has just introduced a new “Mary Poppins” musical to catch those of you who only know the more postmodern Nannie McPhee version of the story. [Here’s the link if you want to play it . . . to remind some and acquaint others http://www.youtube. ...

2386. Be Hatched or Go Bad

Mark 16:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Christ is Risen! [The people respond:] He is risen indeed! Happy Easter, everyone! “Because I live,” Jesus said in John 14:19, “you also will live.” I wonder: how many of you are sitting out there, festooned in your Easter Sunday best, but your fingers are slightly stained? How many of you colored Easter eggs this weekend? I do think I can see some pinks, blues, greens, and purples shining on your fingers from all the Easter eggs you colored, hid, found, cracked, or consumed. Take comfort in this: you are ...

2387. Outpouring and Indwelling

Romans 8:1-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Springtime is the season of uncontained optimism. As the days grow longer, and the sun grows stronger, it feels time to do something outrageous. We dig into the earth, carefully plow and pulverize hard clods into fine loam. We remove the weeds and grasses. We add extra nutrients to enrich the prepared soil. Then into that lush, fertile mixture we gently deposit . . . dried up, shriveled, little (sometimes downright tiny), seemingly completely dead bits of matter. We call them “seeds.” Nothing looks less “ ...

2388. Why Christmas Is So Dangerous

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

There is no doubt about it, Christmas is a dangerous time of year. You ever tried negotiating a mall parking lot between Black Friday and Christmas Eve? You know one level of danger. You ever tried to gather together a fractious, far-flung family into one Christmas moment? You know another level of danger. You ever tried buying a toy for the kids or grandkids, a toy where levers don’t break off, where there are no hidden, choky bits, where glitches galore don’t make the toy “unsafe?” You know another whole ...

2389. The Lord's Anger Against Israel

Hosea 13:1-16

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

No Other God and Savior (13:1-8): Chapter 13 is clearly made up of four originally separate oracles—verses 1–3, 4–8, 9–11, and 12–16. All four oracles probably date from the last years of Hosea’s ministry and from the last years of Hoshea ben Imla’s reign, around 724 BC. Thus, they have probably been set in their present place by a disciple/redactor of the prophet’s work. Shalmaneser V is on the throne of Assyria, soon to be replaced by Sargon II, who will conquer the last remains of the northern kingdom. ...

2390. Pharaoh's Dreams

Genesis 41:1-40

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams and Rises to Power: Clothing, a motif throughout the Joseph story, plays a particularly prominent role in this account; it marks Joseph’s transition from prison to the honor of standing before Pharaoh and then his investiture with authority. In this account we read about Pharaoh’s dreams (vv. 1–7), his need for an interpreter (vv. 8–16), Joseph’s interpretation of the dreams (vv. 17–32), his counsel to Pharaoh concerning the coming crisis (vv. 33–38), Joseph’s ...

2391. Spiritual Blindness and the Way to Overcome It

Mark 8:22-26, Mark 8:14-21

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: The materialistic outlook of the disciples constituted spiritual blindness, and Jesus castigated them for their hardened hearts and lack of understanding. Still, there is hope, for the same Jesus who could heal the deaf and blind could also heal their spiritual blindness. Understanding the Text These two episodes complete the section on failure and faith in 6:31–8:26. The first section on the misunderstanding of the disciples recalls their “hardness” (displayed in 6:44–52 [6:52 = 8:17]), and ...

2392. Fighting Wars and Keeping a Promise: David Establishes an Ideal of Kingship

2 Sam 8:1–10:19

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord blesses his chosen servants when they rely on his protection and seek to reflect his character in their dealings with others. Understanding the Text The narrator’s positive portrayal of King David continues in these chapters. Once David became king over all Israel, he conquered the Jebusite stronghold of Jerusalem and then turned the tables on the Philistines. He brought the ark to Jerusalem and intended to build a house (temple) for it. But then the Lord surprised David by announcing ...

2393. Saul’s Finest Hour

1 Sam 11:1-15

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord alone is his people’s Savior and source of security. Understanding the Text In chapter 10 we read of how the Lord gave Israel a king yet placed limitations on him (v. 25). However, not everyone was pleased with this arrangement or with the Lord’s choice of a king (v. 27). Indeed, hesitant Saul appeared to be an unlikely candidate for the job; his apparent qualifications were only superficial. The chapter ends in tension. Would Saul be an effective leader and deliver Israel from their ...

2394. Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

Acts 20:13-38

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

When Paul travels from Troas to Miletus (20:13–16), Luke again highlights the goal of the journey by noting that Paul decides to pass by Ephesus because “he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem” (20:16). In Miletus, however, Paul sends for the elders of the church of Ephesus and delivers a farewell speech (20:17–38). In this context, the speech not only provides a concluding note to Paul’s ministry in Ephesus but also aims at introducing a different stage of his ministry, as he is transformed from a traveling ...

2395. Abner Goes Over to David

2 Samuel 3:6-21

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

The Murders of Abner and Ish-Bosheth: 3:6–11 Although Ish-Bosheth was titular head of the northern tribes and Abner seemingly made no attempt to change that, real power centered around Abner. The fate of the country lay in his hands, and verse 6 implies that he took action to ensure that this remained the case. It is not surprising that Ish-Bosheth, who seems to have left all the decision making to his general (3:8–17), felt threatened by Abner (v. 11). Whether or not Abner had a relationship with Saul’s ...

2396. Absalom’s Death

2 Samuel 18:1-18

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Absalom’s Defeat: 18:1–5 David’s forces may have been more limited than he had been used to in recent times, but he and Joab were skilled in making the most of limited resources and in fighting battles where they were outnumbered. The description of his army’s structure leaves the impression that these are well-organized professional forces, as opposed to Absalom’s perhaps more haphazard arrangements. We are given only an outline, but the campaign appears to have been well-organized. David intended to lead ...

2397. Joab Murders Abner

2 Samuel 3:22-39

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

2398. Ish-Bosheth Murdered

2 Samuel 4:1-12

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

2399. David Mourns

2 Sam 18:19–19:8

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans