Sermon and Worship Resources

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Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

There are only two characters in this short parable which Jesus told to his disciples. One is a man; the other, a woman. But what an odd pair they are. It is difficult to imagine a more striking contrast between two people than that between the judge and the widow. Neither is named, but their very titles suggest the contrast. "Judge" calls to mind authority, power, representative of the law, dis...

2. Food For The Body And Food For The Soul

John 6:25-59

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

A good many years ago in a certain theological seminary in the South there was a professor of theology who was the master of the pithy, memorable saying. He used to give young seminarians about to graduate this advice: "Marry as soon as possible and as often as necessary." He had a classic table blessing which he used frequently, especially at public functions: "Lord, we thank you for food: food ...

3. Good News Among The Rubble

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

The family heard the tornado warning on the radio. They turned on the television; the radar map showed the storm was headed for their town. The wind picked up and rattled the windows. The sky became dark. They went out on the front porch and looked at the sky. And then they saw it: a funnel cloud swaying along the ground like a hungry elephant's trunk sucking up everything in its path. They made a...

4. One Bride For Seven Brothers

Luke 20:27-40

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

You are middle-aged or older if you remember when the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was first released. It was an exuberant, fast-paced musical about seven brothers on the frontier of the United States who were all looking for brides. Such "commodities" were rare in their part of the world. But, of course, in the end each brother got his bride. The story in our lectionary passage for today...

5. The Beginning And The Ending

Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

Some people, when they pick up a new book, look first at the beginning and read a few lines, then they turn to the end to see how it turns out. This gives them a preliminary feel for the book and helps them decide whether they want to read it or not. We are faced with something of the same situation by the lectionary passages chosen for today. They are the first four verses from the Gospel of Luk...

6. The King On A Cross

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

Have you ever looked into the face of a real king? You may have seen phony kings, such as the king of the homecoming parade or the king of the Mardi Gras. Doubtless these make-believe kings were dressed in elaborate, elegant robes and wore gilded crowns on their heads. If we ever think of kings we picture them sitting on golden thrones, dressed in ermine and velvet and jewel-encrusted crowns. They...

7. Then There Was One

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

Does not Jesus say to the ten lepers, "Go and show yourselves to the priests"? He does not say anything about coming back to tell him what the priests said or did; he does not mention that he expects the lepers to return and thank him for their healing. Yet when one does come back to thank him, he asks, "The other nine, where are they?" The one who returns gives no answer to that question. But he...

8. Topsy-turvy Christianity

Luke 6:17-26, Luke 6:27-36

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

Do you know anyone who is financially well off and secure, who has an abundance of things and often dines in the best restaurants, who enjoys life and has a good time, and who is well thought of in the community? You may be such a person yourself, but if not, wouldn't you like to be? In such a situation we could declare that life is good, that we are content, and that the future looks bright. Do y...

9. Walking On Our Hands

John 8:31-41

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

For weeks now the Gospel lectionary readings have come from the Gospel of Luke. But today we encounter an intruder. Our journey through the last chapter of Luke's story is interrupted by another Gospel writer, John, who drops us into the middle of a debate between Jesus and "the Jews." It is well known that the Gospel of John differs in many ways from the other three Gospels. Robert Kysar's book o...

10. When Self-esteem Gets Out Of Hand

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

Once I had a friend who was offended whenever the phrase "we are miserable sinners" was used in the corporate prayer of confession. She did not feel that she was a miserable sinner. And indeed she wasn't in comparison to most of the other people in the church. She was compassionate, kind, thoughtful, and a great teacher of little children in Sunday School. Nor did she "regard others with contempt"...

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