Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: beginning, start, origination, genesis, birth, dawning, dawn, emergence, inception, launch, creation, birthplace, cradle, early stages, conception, inauguration, foundation, outset, source, derivation, root, roots, provenance, etymology, descent, ancestry, parentage, pedigree, lineage, line, line of descent, heritage, extraction, background, family, stock, blood, bloodline, genealogy, beginnings

Antonyms: end, conclusion, termination

Showing 1 to 25 of 115 results

1. A Law We Can Live With

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

... life through them. Indeed, they may well be "a law we can live with" in the most profound sense of the phrase. And it is this truth which I would like to consider with you this morning. Having said that, though, I probably ought to confess from the outset that preaching on the Ten Commandments is a rather daunting assignment. We don't usually think of scripture lessons in terms of their required dress code. But if you ask me, there are some passages in which it might be best to follow the examples of Moses ...

2. For Freedom!

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

... me but cannot hope to make good on. This may not be an easy thing to do at first. We’ve all seen individuals who haven’t known what love is all about. An act of kindness shown to an individual like that might be greeted at the outset with suspicion or misunderstanding. It may take a second try before a person who has been consistently looked down upon or ridiculed or made to feel inadequate can sense that this time someone isn’t merely trying to manipulate from a new and clever angle. In the parable ...

3. Follow the Signs to God and Eternal Life

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... the journey. If we are wise we will heed the signs that others provide in order to avoid problems and more directly follow the path home and eventually to God. Signs of God's presence in the lives of his people have been present from the outset, but they were truly manifest in the famous exodus story. We recall that after 430 years, God raised up from among the Israelites the liberator Moses who, along with his brother Aaron, was given the task of speaking with Pharaoh and leading the Israelites to freedom ...

4. Transformed in Christ

John 3:1-17

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... (the governing body of the Jews that was recognized by the Romans), and a rabbi. It is this upstanding and completely legitimate member of the Jewish ruling elite who comes to Jesus, under the secrecy and cover of darkness, to speak with him. From the outset it is clear that Nicodemus recognizes that Jesus is not simply one of the prophets of old, for he addresses him as rabbi, a title used by Jesus' disciples only after they recognize him as the Christ - the anointed one. It is certainly not accidental ...

5. It's My Life, Isn't It?

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Sermon

James McCormick

... persons. What we sow, we reap. I remember the young doctor in one of Lloyd Douglas’ novels. He was bright, gifted, at the outset, idealistic. But, over time, he cut a corner here, made a compromise with his values there, until the night came when he came ... , and the more I live my life under the influence of that, the more I am the better as a result of that. At the outset that may feel restrictive, limiting. In fact, it is the source of our greatest freedom. Not that false freedom to do as we please, but ...

6. God Is Amazing

John 1:43-51

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... people will fly across the nation and the world on planes, for business and recreation, and never give the event a second thought. Only the tragedy of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks makes some pause when they enter a jet way at the airport. At the outset of the twentieth century people were amazed to send a telegram that could be received by the recipient in one day or less or post a letter that might arrive in a week. Today, we complain when our Internet system is not fast enough. The sense of ...

7. A Little Theology at Christmas

Titus 2:11-14

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him. Scrooge was better ...

8. Recognizing the Lord

Isaiah 60:1-6

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... " (Matthew 7:13-14). Jim Thorpe was an unknown, living in obscurity in the Oklahoma territory until he received the privilege of attending Carlisle and was recognized for his athletic prowess. In a similar way, Jesus of Nazareth was born in obscurity, but from the outset was recognized as Lord and king, as prophesied by Isaiah many generations earlier. Jesus, in turn, recognized the presence of God in others. Now, we must do as our master and find the Christ in others. The road will be hard and detours will ...

9. To Whom Do You Belong?

Mark 1:4-11

Sermon

Michael L. Sherer

... to the car and deposited him safely on the passenger seat for the journey home. As they rode along, the child turned to his father and said, “That nice lady asked me, ‘Who do you belong to?’ Didn’t she know I belong to you?” As suggested at the outset, some of this story is true. It’s a cautionary tale and, in some ways, a scary one. But it illustrates one clear truth. When we know to whom we belong, and we trust implicitly that it is indeed true, it makes all the difference in the world. The ...

10. You Are My Witnesses

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

... that all Christian preaching in some form should follow this pattern. What is also obvious about the apostolic witness is that the apostles carried this message to every public forum they could. Beginning at Jerusalem where there was considerable resistance at the outset Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, preached the same message in the public arenas of the major cities of the Mediterranean world until he finally had to address the world from prison in the imperial capital city of Rome. Now, the commission ...

11. The Limits Of Love

Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

... . Ahab had married foreign women, including Jezebel, and had hell to pay for it. Young preacher Jesus could have found a thousand more appropriate Old Testament stories to use as illustrations for this sermon. But he wanted to make the point perfectly clear at the outset of his ministry: God's love did not have national or ethnic borders. The second illustration was not much better. It was an account of how Elisha healed a man named Naaman, who happened to be an officer in the Syrian guard. Not only was ...

12. Exercise Your Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Sermon

Richard Hasler

... . Once we get to know the people in the church at Corinth, we soon learn that they are imperfect people, even like you and I are. Notwithstanding, Paul says these same people are rich in what God has given them and he charges them at the outset -- exercise your spiritual gifts. Before examining the theme of spiritual gifts in some depth, let us note Paul's greeting at the beginning of his letter. Paul begins by asserting his apostleship. He is one "sent forth" by Christ Jesus to do the will of God ...

13. Learn To Wait Creatively

James 5:7-12

Sermon

Richard Hasler

... He's given." Maybe we will have to trick ourselves with some kind of gimmick too, but any posture will do if it helps us to patiently wait before God. Active Waiting Second, how do we learn active waiting? We said at the outset that creative waiting had two sides: patient waiting and active waiting. Let us see what this second part might be. How patient are we in our personal relationships, for example, at the workplace and within the local congregation? Tony Campolo, college professor, motivational ...

14. Week Two Of Lent

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... in the hearts of all and the special recognition within the Communion of Saints. We hear in today's First Reading from Isaiah, "Come now, let us set things right." Lent is a time to get our house in order. It is as we said at the outset of the season our time of preparation, our spring training in the Faith. There are many things we need to get in order. Our readings today suggest what might need our attention and most especially how we should approach this period of preparation. Isaiah gives some very ...

15. Life's Loose Threads and The Tie That Binds

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

... one final blessing upon the beloved servant: Well done, dear Moses, well done. Your work is now complete! Perhaps then, the question we really need to ask is not about Moses' unfinished business, but about what Yahweh still wanted to accomplish. And from the outset, God's desire has been to establish a people of faith -- something which can hardly be achieved unless they are first weaned from the person of Moses in order to walk with the Almighty themselves. Obviously, it would do little good if the one ...

16. Sermons

Sermon

John R. Bodo

... Jewish identity. Eventually, the die-hards would die out, and Nebuchadnezzar's experiment, a pioneer experiment in education for conformity, would have succeeded without using such crude methods as Hitler would use 2,500 years later to get rid of the Jews. At the outset, Daniel and his friends were neither rebels nor heroes. They were quite willing to go along with the king's plan, up to a point. They liked the idea of getting a first-class education, with full scholarships. They did not really mind those ...

17. The Lamb of God

John 1:29-34

Sermon

William B. Kincaid, III

... to God may bring about his own death? There are those who believe that Bethlehem and Calvary were interwoven into Jesus' life from the beginning. When John the Baptist declared that Jesus was the Lamb of God, it sounded like Jesus' crucifixion was certain from the outset. In a culture that sacrificed lambs twice a day in the temple, those words are a kiss of death. "Here is the Lamb of God" can be loosely understood to mean, "Hey, look here, everyone, here's the one that is going to be sacrificed." This ...

18. Leaving A Legacy

1 Kings 2:1-12

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... not seize it for some personal gain, rather God had chosen him for the task. God had shown steadfast love to the people. Solomon wanted to be the best king he could be with concern for the people. If God were testing the young ruler at the outset of his reign then Solomon passed the test with flying colors. Solomon requested wisdom to lead the people. Solomon's request pleased the Lord God. In the dream God responded, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for ...

19. Making the Mystery Work for You

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

... story of Nicodemus who chose a quiet time, late in the evening, to meet Jesus one on one. Many say Old Nick was a weak soul, therefore he had to sneak around in the dark to meet the Lord. I see it differently. By keeping it quiet at the outset he was able to protect his credibility with the high officials. I think of one occasion when the Sanhedrin members began to denounce Jesus as an imposter and Nicodemus challenged that they could not condemn a man until they heard him. That night the visit put Old Nick ...

20. What Can I Do for You?

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

... me confidentially. “You didn’t ask me.” “Ask you what?” “If there is anything you can do for me” To my surprise his question “What can I do for you?” had been radically transformed. Now it came out as “What can you do for me?” At the outset of a new ministry, a man drew me aside after the service. His manner was equally serious, so I assumed the matter was also. “You are always called on by others, no matter the time or circumstances. You always have to be up and ready. I would like ...

21. God’s Flowing and Our Ebbing

Isaiah 6:1-13

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... life. It could be said that in sleeping we ebb and upon rising, flow. Or in conversation between two persons, one becomes quiet (ebbs) so that the other can talk (flow). This celebrated sixth chapter of Isaiah is likewise about ebbing and flowing. At the outset, it is about God flowing and Isaiah ebbing; then later, it is about Isaiah flowing again as he never had before. The powerful phrasing of this account offers insight relative to the central issue in this religious encounter. High and Lifted Up In the ...

22. Jesus Rejected

Mark 15:1-15

Sermon

R. Sheldon MacKenzie

... whose behalf he was put to death. This gospel passage reminds us that right from the beginning there were disciples who abandoned Jesus under pressures of all sorts. Leaving him alone. There were leaders in the church, as in the synagogue, who from the outset denied a commitment to Jesus. Leaving him alone. These verses remind us that those who welcomed him to their city soon rejected him and "the ways of God.” They chose in his place someone who symbolized violence and terrorism. Leaving him alone. And ...

23. Words As Images

Sermon

Michael Rogness

... impact is made by the imagery of the language. A "Controlling Image" Robert Hughes, president of Lutheran Seminary of Philadelphia and long-time teacher of preachers, recommends what he calls a "controlling image" as the heart of a sermon. These images, usually introduced at the outset of the sermon, come back again and again and give unity to the sermon.27 He suggests "framing" the sermon with such an image, where it recurs at the beginning and end of the sermon, thus fixing it in the listener's mind and ...

24. Finding Oneself in the Wilderness

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Thomas Slavens

... are faced largely alone. Why did Jesus go into the wilderness? He went in order to decide what type of Messiah he intended to be, to find himself. It would seem on the surface that the wilderness is a place to get lost, not found. Yet, at the outset of his public ministry, Jesus went into the wilderness to answer for himself at least the question, “What kind of a person shall I be?” Occasionally moderns do well to go into the wilderness to ask themselves that question. A stress in each person is to be ...

25. Jesus Said: “Try Again”

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

James Garrett

... break in… Always be in a state of expectancy, and leave room for God to come as he likes.12 Life is anything but predictable! Human nature is not fixed and settled. We live under hope. That hope is rested in God, not the situation. At the outset Simon is reluctant -- “We toiled all night and took nothing!” The words of a person who has already made the effort and failed. Why should he want to put himself in the position of failing again? How useless this all seemed. Many times quitting is the easiest ...

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