Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1 to 25 of 832 results

1. The Holy Spirit Doesn't Have A Copy Machine

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

... in your life ever since you were baptized," Aunt Carmen began. "It is the Spirit that has taught you to have faith in Jesus. It is the Spirit that has given you your many gifts for the common good of God's people. The Holy Spirit doesn't have a copy machine. Only you have been given the gifts that you have. The Spirit doesn't want you to be like anyone else. The Spirit gives each one of us a different assortment of gifts. Our spiritual task is to use the gifts the Spirit gives us for the common good ...

2. Imperfect Perfect Copies

Humor

Copy machines are capable of making rapid reproduction of human error, perfectly.

3. Ten Copies

Humor

A woman in the office approached the man standing behind a machine and asked, "How does this thing work?" "Simple," said the man, taking the hefty report she was carrying and putting it through the document shredder. "Now, I'd like to make ten copies," said the woman.

4. Carbon Copy Christians

Philippians 3:17-21

Children's Sermon

Object: Carbon paper and two sheets of white paper and a ball point pen. Good morning, boys and girls! I have a question right away for you today. Do you know what the word "imitate" means? It means to try to do something just like someone else has done it. You can imitate me if you want to. Watch me and do everything that I do (Raise your right hand, then wait for them to do it - smile and wait for them to smile or close your one eye, etc). Why, that’s fine. You know what it is to imitate now, don’t you? ...

5. The End Times

Daniel 12:1-13

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... who thought that he was living in the last days. Those who prefer the traditional sixth-century date of Daniel have suggested that the reason the book of Daniel was known before the time of the end is that there were two copies made: a sealed original and a public copy that would have circulated. It is argued that the sealing was not to conceal it but to preserve the original from corruption (Miller, Daniel, p. 320). The evidence given to support this is a passage in Jeremiah where a real-estate document ...

6. Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

James Merritt

... believed it was the Word of God so their solution was to place the manuscripts in clay jars and then bury them. Most of us have heard of one of the greatest archeological discoveries in history, in 1947, when a clay jar containing the oldest extant manuscript copies of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament were discovered that were about 1000 years old. What is amazing is the entire Book of Isaiah was found in those manuscripts and compared to the English version we have in our Bible today is 99% exactly the ...

7. The Blood of Christ

Hebrews 9:11-28

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... drawn in this passage and so basic is it for the material that follows (which really only elaborates what has now been stated) that it is worth displaying the various elements in two contrasting columns: New…Old the good things already here, v. 11 (9:23–24; 10:1)….shadows, copies, 8:5; 10:1 greater and more perfect tent, v. 11 (9:24)….man-made (“earthly”) place for worship, 9:1 entered once and for all the Most Holy Place, v. 12 (9:25–28; 10:1–3, 10–14)….every day, 7:27; once a year, 9:7 ...

8. But Is It True?

Luke 2:8-20, Romans 16:25-27

Sermon

Scott Suskovic

... fully trusted. So much for the mystery proclaimed by the prophets now revealed to us in Jesus. Now, part of what Ehrman claims is absolutely true. It's true that before the printing press in the 1400s, scribes had to hand-copy the Bible word for word. It's true that there are discrepancies among the copies. It's true that changes were made. The most famous example is the story of the woman caught in adultery in John 8. The earliest manuscripts don't have it. It was probably added later by a scribe. We don't ...

9. Read the Directions

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... of directions for life gives illustrations for every step of the way, and all those illustrations come together in the life of Christ. If you want to “get it all together,” read the directions in God’s Word, assemble the parts of Christian character, and copy the model in Jesus Christ. Use Resources Beyond Yourself But now, there is a last step. In assembling a very complicated product, it is likely that one may have to draw upon resources beyond one’s self. Shaping a human life in the image of God ...

10. The High Priest of a New Covenant

Hebrews 8:1-13

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... dualism upon the author in his argumentation here and in succeeding passages (e.g., 9:23f.; 10:1; see note on 8:2). Does the author believe in the existence of an actual sanctuary somewhere “in heaven” of which the earthly sanctuary is a copy? Although the language indeed sounds like that of the Greek philosophers, it is much more probable that the author takes his idea from the OT where Moses is instructed about building the tabernacle and its furniture by being shown patterns or models. (In addition ...

11. Liking the New and Improving the Old

Isaiah 43:14-28

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... in the church. I have had two billfolds stolen in my life, both of them had been left in a pastor's study and were taken while we were in the worship services. We really need to offer to Christ a "new and improved" me and you! We have a copying machine in our home, and we wonder sometimes how we ever managed to get along without it in the past. But, I rarely use it without thinking of the story I heard about a couple of men who worked in the army in military intelligence. This work often required long ...

12. Personal Greetings

Romans 16:1-27

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... such a powerful epistle with a roster of names (Lectures on Romans, p. 419). Nearly two centuries ago David Schulz began in earnest the historical-critical assault on the final chapter, postulating that Romans 16 is actually a cover letter attached to a second copy of Romans originally ending at 15:33 which Paul sent also to Ephesus, and which introduces Phoebe (16:1–2) as the letter carrier. According to this theory, Romans circulated in at least two versions—a shorter original (chs. 1–15) which was ...

13. Cook Food. Serve Love.

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... life must be Christ’s broken bread, My love his outpoured wine, A cup o’erfilled, a table spread Beneath his name and sign, That other souls, refreshed and fed May share his life through mine. Cook food. Serve love. In 1418 the first copy of what would become the most widely read volume on Christian spirituality appeared. The Imitation of Christ was first published anonymously, but is now accepted as the work of Thomas a Kempis. This book of devotions holds up Jesus’ teachings as the greatest counsel ...

14. The Clone Zone: The Bible and Cloning

Genesis 1:26-28

Sermon

James Merritt

... it like an embryo under controlled circumstances and therefore reproduce any kind of tissue or organ the body might need. As a matter of fact it can go even further. If we let that un-differentiated cell develop completely in a woman's uterus, we could create a copy of you, or commonly known as your clone. Now this has already been done in sheep, mice, goats, pigs, cows, cats, and even rabbits. Though for the life of me why anybody would want to clone a rabbit I cannot figure out. So the cloning question is ...

15. A Child Will Be Born

Isaiah 9:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... the poem back to Robert May, who worked for the department store when he wrote it in 1939. May, who had a sick wife and 6 children to put through school, sold the rights to a children’s book publisher within a month. The book sold more than 100,000 copies. Then, in 1949, a New York songwriter, Johnny Marks, a friend of May’s wrote a 113 word song based on the poem. It took months to convince anyone to record the song, and when he pitched it to cowboy actor Gene Autry anybody remember him? he was turned ...

16. Ahaz King of Judah

2 Chronicles 28:1-27

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... now also providing high places to bring sacrifices to other deities in every town in Judah bears repeating. It comes as no surprise that Ahaz’s policy provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger. 28:26–27 The death-and-burial notice is copied from the source text in 2 Kings 16:19–20, although the customary small changes are made. The most prominent of these is again (as in the case of so many previous kings) that the Chronicler changes reference to the burial place from “with his fathers ...

17. Trials and Temptations

James 1:1-18, James 1:19-27

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... . It is not those who apostasize and fall away but “he who endures to the end” who will be saved (Mark 13:13; Matt. 10:22; 24:13). Thus endurance is one of the cardinal virtues of the Christian life, not a side issue. To endure means to copy Christ in his endurance and to assure oneself of future blessedness. 1:4 The term must finish its work is literally “have its perfect [or complete] work.” It is this phraseology that suggested to many commentators that a specific virtue is in mind. Instead of a ...

18. The Day of the Lord

2 Peter 3:1-18

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... men over Peter’s inconsistent attitude toward Gentile Christians (Gal. 2:14) was brief. For his part, Paul mentions Peter in two of his letters (1 Cor. 1:12; 3:22; 9:5; 15:5; Gal. 1:18; 2:7–9; cf. Acts 15:7, 12). Paul also wrote you. Copies of Pauline letters were sent early on to other churches, quite apart from occasions when the apostle himself gave instructions to that end (Col. 4:16). Peter could be referring to our letter to the Romans (2:4), 1 Thessalonians (chs. 4 and 5), 2 Thessalonians (ch. 2 ...

19. Opposition to the Rebuilding

Ezra 4:1-5

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... while the NIV footnote obscurely seems to imply it. Instead of the actual words in the footnote, “written in Aramaic and translated,” the meaning may rather be that it was written in Aramaic script and had been translated from Aramaic into Hebrew. Then the copy found in the archives was in Hebrew and used the Aramaic square script rather than the old Hebrew script. A number of Aramaisms in v. 7a suggest that it was originally in Aramaic. The extensive quotation in the following verses from four letters ...

20. A Property Purchase

Jeremiah 32:1-44

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the transaction, either transcribed on clay tablets, as is known from Mesopotamia, or on papyrus, as is known from Egypt, would be identical. The unsealed copy would be accessible. The sealed copy would be opened only if the unsealed copy were tampered with or lost. The accompanying divine message (32:15) confirms the announcements of hope found elsewhere in the book, some of which undoubtedly preceded this sign act. Apparently the purchase happens quickly and certainly without the prophet’s forethought ...

21. The Resurrection

Mark 16:1-20

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... of the writings and to prepare editions of the Greek NT, and modern translations based on these editions of the Greek NT, such as the NIV, that can be received with great confidence. These same manuscripts show that such things as accidental damage, faulty copying, and even deliberate scribal changes did happen. But how else could it have been? The Christian who regards the Bible as the Word of God at the same time recognizes that this Word was transmitted through time by human agents who, though they were ...

22. Listening and Doing

James 1:19-27, James 1:1-18

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

23. Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

Ezra 4:6-24

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

24. Trinity Sunday

Mt 28:16-20 · Jn 3:16-18 · Gen 1:1--2:4a · Ex 34:4-9 · 2 Cor 13:11-13 · Ps 8

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... way proclaims and incarnates the grace and love of God, which we experience in Christ. The wrong way lays guilt, bullies, pressures or judges. The wrong way to witness occurs when we point to ourselves or our congregation, rather than to Christ, as the object of faith. Copy right! Outline: 1. Christ gave his church the copyright on the gospel 2. Our duty and delight is to transmit the faith in the right way - to show the love of Christ - to walk the walk as well as talk the talk 3. Harm comes from sharing ...

25. The Kindergarten Kingdom

Mark 10:13-16

Sermon

Erskine White

... friends on the way to school one morning. It is "show and tell day," and Lucy is asking Linus if he remembered to bring anything for the class to see. "Yes, I did," says Linus, as he unfolds some papers. "These are copies I drew of the Dead Sea Scrolls," holding them up for the others to see. "This is a copy of the scroll of Isaiah, chapters 38-40. It was made from 17 pieces of sheepskin and was found in a cave by a Bedouin shepherd boy." Pulling out another piece of paper, Linus says, "Here I've made a ...

Showing results