Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 2451 to 2475 of 4967 results

2451. When You’re Free (In Christ), Sacrifice Is No Burden!

Matthew 10:24-39

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... on you to endure the sacrifices for the sake of others.2 But Matthew has Jesus add another point about why Christianity involves its trials and sacrifices. In verses 24 and 25 of chapter 10 at the start of today's gospel lesson, Jesus says that the disciple is not above, but is like the teacher. It's the same with regard to the relationship between master and slave. And then Matthew has Jesus say, "If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household ...

2452. If Your Sense of Purpose Ever Becomes a Burden, Remember Your Value

Matthew 10:40-42

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... or what sort of faith they had.2 Think of it! To the world, these nomadic leaders of the church did not look like much, were not worthy of the hospitality usually extended to important and distinguished people in ancient times. But Jesus tells his disciples and us that a core element of living the way of Christ (living with a Christian purpose) is to extend hospitality even to these wanderers, not because of how they seem to be, not because of what they look like, but because their teachings and actions ...

2453. Ecological Politics

Matthew 14:22-33

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... sense and yet everything is okay? More quickly than it had blown in the storm whimpered away. Suddenly the skies were clear, the stars bright, the air fresh and the sea shimmering as it reflected sentinel fires on the shore. Living With A Story Too Big What were the disciples to make of this? Nothing, really. You just get on with your life, and tell the tale over drinks every chance you get. For a while at least. But then you begin to hold it and review it and wonder at it. Not so much the freak storm, or ...

2454. Eat and Run

Exodus 12:1-14

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... what would happen to him in Jerusalem, and within a few months it had occurred. Jesus told them that he would rise again, and within three days of his death he had. Jesus told the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high, and within two months came the Day of Pentecost. Jesus also told his followers that he would return. It did not happen as quickly as they expected. Soon the apostles needed to begin answering the churches' questions ...

2455. Can I Give Enough?

Mark 12:41-44

Children's Sermon

Marti Kramer Suddarth

... a time, so that the coins would make a loud noise when they fell. Finally, a poor widow came in. She probably slipped in very quietly, hoping no one would notice, and she only had two very small coins. Of course, we know that Jesus noticed. He told his disciples that her gift was worth far more than all of the money given by the people showing off. Do you know why? Jesus wasn’t looking at the amount of money. He was looking at the hearts of the givers. The people giving large amounts of money probably had ...

2456. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the faith community is for them to reclaim their own experience of truth: “Remember that I told you these things when I was still with you.” In the second half of today’s text Paul reaffirms the complete connectedness of committed disciples in community. Paul is so moved that this is an official second thanksgiving section. Once again the text stresses the familial connectivity of those addressed. But this is no bloodline kinship. The common ground to which Paul appeals, participation in the “first ...

2457. The True Nature of Happiness

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Brett Blair

... is the man who has a palace in the city and a summer home in the mountains. 4. Blessed is he who has won the applause of his pears. 5. Blessed is the woman who is recognized as a darling of society. But on this special day Jesus shared with disciples and, indeed, with all of history, that this concept of happiness is a foundation built on sand. Happiness is not at all based upon what we have. True happiness is based upon who we are. Happiness is not based upon the kind of house that we live in; it depends ...

2458. The Triumph and the Tragedy

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... on the Emmaus road tell the resurrected Jesus, who walks along with them, yet whom they do not recognize, that they had hoped that this Jesus was the one to redeem Israel (Luke 24:21). When Jesus appears to his disciples before his ascension, the disciples are still asking, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). They wanted Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom and to make them his lieutenants. Gee, were they disappointed. They wanted Churchill and they ...

2459. Was There No Other Way?

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

King Duncan

... to pay the ultimate penalty for our faith. This may be the first reason that Jesus had to die. He could not ask his disciples to pay a greater price than he was willing to pay. There is a second reason why there was no other way. WITHOUT THE ... crown for my soul, for my soul, to lay aside his crown for my soul.” That is why it had to be. Jesus could not ask his disciples to make a sacrifice he was not willing to make himself. There was no other way to reveal the awfulness of man’s sin and the awesomeness ...

2460. Hear Him

Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... word and image evokes the history of Israel and reveals the power of God’s covenant promise to the Hebrew people. Like the greatest prophets of the past, Jesus journeys upward first. Mountaintop experiences involve high altitude to increase divine amplitude. As the disciples watch in amazement Jesus’ face and clothing take on all the classic features associated with heavenly beings. His face “radiates” and shines with light. His clothes glow with “dazzling” whiteness. Suddenly Jesus and the ...

2461. John 9:1-41

John 9:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the story of deepening blindness when the chance for faith is rejected. In keeping with traditional ancient storytelling techniques, the details of these events are presented in a series of two-character scenes. The first scene is played out between Jesus and his disciples (9:1-5). The text seems to assume the continuation of the same time frame and place from 8:59 the temple area during the Feast of Tabernacles. Their encounter with “a man blind from birth” sparks the question of “who sinned” from ...

2462. The Scope of Love

John 14:15-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... to do to him. The pastor immediately texted her back with three words to the text: “Forgiven, Forgotten, Forever.” That’s the stability of a gyroscope. Finally, Christ‑breathed love has the sightedness of a telescope. The promises Jesus made to his disciples were for both the “now” and the “not yet.” Love is never negated just because the values it upholds are “not yet” a reality in this world. Christ‑breathed love never fails, it is only the world that fails to perceive and embrace ...

2463. The Rewards Program for Christians

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... into our lives. Steal a sticky kiss from a two year old. Grace your desktop with a grocery store bouquet of flowers. Make and devour a S’more in the office microwave. Take a furtive walk through the park and soak in the beauty. As Jesus’ disciples we are still counted among those who are called to “welcome” Jesus’ missionary messengers. If life is sweet for you today, keep a look out for co-workers or companions who are suffering through a sugar-free desert. Offer them a “reward” of a “thank ...

2464. Romans 8:26-39

Romans 8:18-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... will ultimately experience the “sword” (see 1 Cor.4:10-13; 2 Cor.4:7-12; 6:4-10; 11:23-27; 12:10). Just as Paul has never experienced any “separation” from Christ’s love in all his pain and suffering, so too can all disciples count on the steadfastness of Christ’s loving presence in whatever comes their way and gets in their way. The biblical text Paul uses as his “proof text,” his scriptural evidence that Christians should not think their faith in Christ is flawed because they experience ...

2465. There Is Always More Need

Matthew 14:13-21

Illustration

Roger G. Talbott

... who need someone to care about them; the youth in our community who have nowhere to go and nowhere to grow; and that pee-wee team that needs a new coach. Yes, we know how the disciples felt. Matthew doesn't have to tell us. We know that they felt frustrated and maybe even angry. Matthew doesn't have to tell us how the disciples felt. He does have to tell us how Jesus felt. He felt "compassion" for the crowd. That is, he felt what they felt. He felt the pain and desperation that would drive people to come so ...

2466. Looking Up: Looking Out

Mark 9:2-9

Sermon

Robert J. Elder

... not to talk about it until after Easter; and since they hadn't the faintest idea then what Easter was or what it would mean, they pretty much, as Mark says, "kept the matter to themselves" (Mark 9:10). Wouldn't you? Jesus didn't talk about it, the disciples were forbidden to talk about it. And here we are, challenged to talk about it. So what are we supposed to do with it? Just let it stand there, maybe, that's one option. It does speak for itself, really, doesn't it? All the elements of the story speak ...

2467. Do You Love Me?

John 14:15-31

Sermon

Kristin Borsgard Wee

... suffering. Job told us all about it. When we are suffering, pushed to the limits of our endurance, we ask questions. Perhaps it is when we are suffering that we are better equipped to listen for an answer. Job asked a lot of questions. I think Job, Jesus' disciples, and all people who suffer are raising questions that can be summed up in one great big basic question. When we cry to God out of our suffering, it is simply our way of asking God, "Do you love me?" Pentecost was God's definitive answer to that ...

2468. A Strange Authority

Mark 6:1-13

Sermon

Kristin Borsgard Wee

... lacking self-confidence. After all, they had just come from Jesus' hometown where he had been totally rejected. So what did Jesus do? Well, he didn't sit down with his followers and complain about the narrow-minded people of Nazareth. Instead, he gave his disciples a pep talk and some basic instructions. Then he gave them his authority and sent them out to do the miracles of healing he had already been doing. He could have done something very different. He could have reminded them that they would always be ...

2469. The Heart of the Matter Is the Heart!

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... does not always follow what God says in his word and so it cheats itself and those with whom it comes into contact. This is the problem that Jesus sees in the Pharisees. The Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean' hands?" — Mark 7:5 No one knows better than Jesus that the Pharisees took the Ten Commandments that were given to Moses at Mount Sinai and so intertwined them with their ...

2470. The Final Exam

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

Steven Molin

... and tells them "How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a man to enter the kingdom of God." "Then who can do it?" the disciples wondered. "Humanly speaking," Jesus answered, "it is impossible. But with God, all things are possible." Let's review: The young man wants to gain God's approval and go to heaven, but how can he be certain? Follow the commandments. Been there, done that, he tells Jesus. Okay, here's ...

2471. On The Night When He Was Betrayed

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Sermon

Nancy Kraft

... believe that Judas could have turned on Jesus like this and gone through the charade of participating in Jesus' last meal with his disciples. What's even more amazing is that Jesus himself knew exactly what was going on, and he still gave himself to the one ... like Peter who promised he would never leave Jesus and then turned around and flatly denied even knowing him. It's for people like the disciples who cowered in fear as soon as Jesus left them. That's the way this holy meal began. It's a meal given for ...

2472. Eternal Life Is Now

1 John 5:9-13

Sermon

Nancy Kraft

... the unpleasantness was finally over? If that's the case, why does anyone bother with living? Why don't we all just end our lives so we can go to heaven and live happily ever after? Because heaven isn't the goal. Eternal life is. Jesus' final instructions to his disciples don't even mention heaven. He doesn't tell them to go out and tell everybody how they can get to heaven. He told them to go out and teach other people about the Jesus way of living in this world. And he promised to be with them every step ...

2473. Eyes on the Prize

2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

Sermon

Gibson “Nibs” Stroupe

... we also believe in life before death. Paul would urge us to ground ourselves in the "here and now," rooted here because the "unseen" world sustains us. Too many of us in the church tend to focus only on life after death, but I believe that Paul urges disciples in all ages to focus also on life before death, that being raised up with Jesus and dwelling in an eternal home means not only a promise of life after death but also the possibility of life before death. I remember the ride well. Caroline and I were ...

2474. Resurrection Order of Events

Illustration

Merril F. Unger

... depart, Jn 20:3-10 Mary Magdalene returns weeping, sees two angels, then Jesus, Jn 20:11-18 The risen Christ bids her tell the disciples, Jn 20:17-18 Mary (mother of James) meanwhile returns with the women, Lk 24:1-4 They return and see the two angels, Lk 24:5; Mk ... 16:9 To the women returning from the tomb Mt 28:8-10 To Peter later in the day Lk 24:34; 1 Cor 15:5 To the disciples going to Emmaus in the evening Lk 24:13-31 To the apostles (except Thomas) Lk 24:36-45; Jn 20-19-24 To the apostles a week ...

2475. John 1:43-51

John 1:43-51

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... echoes Genesis 1: “In the beginning . . .” “In the beginning was the Word.” The very first speakers exclaim and expound Jesus’ divine identity. In John’s first chapter, over the course of four decisive days, first John the Baptist and then the newly called disciples proclaim Jesus to be the “Lamb of God” (v.36), the “Messiah” (v.41), the one about whom Moses wrote (v.45), the “Son of God” (v. 35, 49), and the “King of Israel” (v.49). There is no pussy-footing around about Jesus ...

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