Sermon and Worship Resources

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Revelation 17:1-18

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... celebrates the wrong things: celebrity, sensuality, and so on. Like Babylon before us, we celebrate what Scripture often censors. Babylon may look wealthy now, but destruction is coming. Film: Wall Street, directed by Oliver Stone. In the iconic film about greed and corruption in the 1980s, Stone provides an insightful commentary on the fleeting nature of wealth. Financial systems can be exploited and manipulated. Great treasures can be amassed. But in just a moment, they can be lost. The corrupt system ...

2. The TV Revolution

Sermon

Michael Rogness

... also a premium on glamour, and plain people have little chance of becoming television stars. Would Abraham Lincoln or Charles Taft have a chance in today's presidential election? Information, education and entertainment are all rolled into one medium on screen. Was Oliver Stone's 1991 film JFK a presentation of history, a documentary, an argument for one view, an art form, or entertainment? For the most people in the audience it was all of the above, because films blur the distinctions. Books are suited to ...

3. The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

Zechariah 4:1-14

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

... with seven “eyes,” set before Joshua the high priest in the temple. Perhaps that is the stone that Zerubbabel sets in its ceremonial position. If so, the stone has two sets of symbolism—the seven fountains (ʿenayim) that remove sin, and the seven eyes (ʿenayim) that comprehend and rule the earth. 4:11–14 Zechariah questions the angel/messenger again and asks about the trees, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” A second question focuses on the branches ...

4. Lamps, Cakes, and the Blasphemer

Lev 24:1-23

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... offenses such as idolatry, magic, and blasphemy. They too offended Israel’s deepest values and required the whole community to act in concert against the offender through stoning. Interpretive Insights 24:2 clear oil of pressed olives. The clear (or “pure” [ESV]) olive oil was “pressed,” better rendered as “beaten” (ESV, KJV, NASB, NRSV). Olive oil extracted by hand pounding with a mortar and pestle yields oil that is purer and burns more cleanly than that obtained by ordinary pressing.2 ...

5. Rooted and Rebooted

Psalm 126:1-6, Luke 13:31-35, 2 Samuel 15:13-37

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”[a] “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” 41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city ...

6. The World Is Crowded With Gethsemanes

Luke 22:39-46

Sermon

Brett Blair

... table is round with beveled edges that curve down to a trough. The trough is angled and funnels into a pot which holds the oil. The top is designed to receive the gethsemane. The tall square stone is lifted up and set on top of the basket and for several hours its tremendous weight is left there to crush the liquid from the olive. It is no mistake that Jesus spent his last evening in the Garden of Gethsemane. From there he would leave to go to the cross and receive the weight of the world, the gethsemane of ...

7. Signs of the End of the Age

Luke 21:5-38

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... to his accusers) yet he warns them that some of them will be put to death (see Acts 7:54–60, Stephen is stoned; 12:1–2, James the brother of John is executed). Finally, Jesus encourages his followers to stand firm and so save themselves. (Luke ... Jesus is still teaching at the temple, although each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives (perhaps in Bethany; see John 12:1, 9; Luke 19:29). Even though his lodgings were outside the city, Jesus would spend his days ...

8. The Triumphal Entry

Luke 19:28-44

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... notes below). Jerusalem, the city of peace, will be besieged by enemies who will dash it to the ground, not leaving one stone on another. The reason for this catastrophe, for this inability to know what would bring peace, is because, Jesus says, Jerusalem ... Jesus, but it was another crowd, among whom no doubt were Pharisees and religious leaders, that called for his crucifixion. On Mount of Olives see note on 22:39 below. 19:41–44 In a fascinating study C. H. Dodd (“The Fall of Jerusalem and the ‘ ...

9. If the Stones Cried Out

Luke 19:28-40

Sermon

King Duncan

... all in.’” (1) At this moment, as Jesus is descending the Mount of Olives, he is announcing to all the world that he is “All in.” At the foot of the Mount of Olives is the Garden of Gethsemane. In less than a week, Jesus would kneel there ... your house today?” One little girl quickly replied, “I would tell my Mommy she better clean the house quick.” (5) I believe the crying stones would tell us that all of us better clean our house quick. Even though we know Christ has provided for our sins to be ...

10. Eternal Echo Of Easter - Part 1

Matthew 28:1-10

Drama

Esther R. Russ

... his words. Voice on Tape: Watch here and pray that you may not enter into temptation Narrator: Slowly, Jesus walked into the garden Gethsemane. The disciples watched him disappear among the olive trees, and then, forgetting the Master’s heaviness, they settled down to sleep. Thus, alone, even in thought, Jesus knelt by a heavy stone, and lifted his face toward heaven. Voice on Tape: Oh, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me! Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done! Narrator: Jesus ...

11. What Difference Does it Make?

Acts 10:23b-48

Sermon

Tony Everett

... of that Ash Wednesday many years ago is still told in Carl’s first parish. You see, the difference between a mixture of olive oil and ashes and a mixture of water and ashes of palm is a painful and caustic difference. The first mixture is a ... pray and obey and pay… but not really welcome to become part of the living and resurrected community of the church. God rolled the stone away from that tomb all right! An angel came to Cornelius and told him to send for Peter (Acts 10:3-4). Yes, that Peter; ...

12. Jesus Is God’s Faithful Son in Gethsemane and at His Arrest and Trial

Matthew 26:31-35, Matthew 26:36-46, Matthew 26:47-56, Matthew 26:57-68, Matthew 26:69-75

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... of night made it difficult to distinguish him from the many other visitors to Jerusalem who might be spending the night in the olive grove. For the motif of secrecy across chapter 26, see 26:16. 26:53 twelve legions of angels. Matthew ties the scene in ... of transition God has Israel stop and set up twelve memorial stones. These stones provided Israel with a tangible and long-lasting reminder of God’s covenant faithfulness. These stones were meant to keep Israel from the temptation of idolatry. As we ...

13. Saintly Citizenship - Earthly Responsibilities

Philippians 3:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... witnessed this. He made quite a bit about it in the press, and as a consequence, according to the story, Judge Oliver lost the opportunity to become the Chief Justice of Apartheidsville. The black pastor wrote him a letter. He apologized. He said, " ... the sky. "But it doesn''t bother you that after all of your work no one will see it hundreds of feet above the ground?" The stone mason looked him in the eye and answered, "God will see it, and that is enough for me." That is exactly the spirit that Paul wanted ...

14. Reevaluating Our Mission for Christ

John 17:1-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... the trees cut down, he knew that the villagers needed heat to survive, and so he began to help them make firewood from the olive trees. Then the snow and ice made it impossible for traders to come up the river and negotiate the mountain passes. So the villagers ... Christian community to assist, lead, and, if necessary, challenge us to use our gifts well and wisely as we daily, stone by stone, build the kingdom of God in our world. Many of us know from personal experience that sometimes utilizing our gifts ...

15. The Bramble King

John 15:1-17, John 15:18--16:4, John 16:5-16

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... , That God may listen to you! “The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I cease giving my oil, With which they honor God and men, And go to sway over ... of the hand of Midian; but you have risen up against my father’s house this day, and killed his seventy sons on one stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother— if then you ...

16. Ingrafted Branches

Romans 11:11-24

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... the beginning of Romans 9 Paul quotes nothing in this section from the OT. The passage is dominated by the illustration of the olive tree, which may have been inspired by Isaiah 56:3–8. Nevertheless, more than anywhere else in Romans 9–11, the script here ... of stupor” (11:7) to prevail, it would spell doom for the Jews. As a whole Israel indeed “stumbled over the ‘stumbling stone’ [of Christ]” (9:32; also 11:9), but their stumbling and fall had resulted in a remarkable paradox. Because of their ...

17. When We Feel Unwanted

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

King Duncan

... accompanied by his disciples and some other supporters to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples on ahead to a village where, he said, they would find a colt of a donkey which ... Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad . . .” And we do rejoice and we are glad. For that stone that was rejected and is now the cornerstone is our Lord and Master. And the new life God breathed into him on that first Easter ...

18. Mark 13:1-8

Mark 13:1-31

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... unearthed measuring forty-two feet long, eleven feet high, fourteen feet deep, and weighing in at over a million pounds. Truly these were “large stones and large buildings.” Jesus’ response to his disciples’ awe was dismissive: “Not one stone will be left here upon another, all will be thrown down”(v.2). At this distant perspective upon the Mount of Olives, Jesus is questioned further by his disciples. They want to know the “when.” They want to know the “why.” They want to know “what ...

19. Cheering Stones

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

Herchel H. Sheets

... brotherhood. People need to hear this good news today. They need to be told what Christ can do, and so someone must cheer. But no stones are likely to do this. If it is to be done, it must be done by those who have recognized who Jesus is and ... in what he is trying to do in our world, and I commit myself to him." Samuel Johnson once spoke regretfully of a passage which Oliver Goldsmith had expunged from his book, The Vicar Of Wakefield. The passage said, "I do not love a man who is zealous for nothing."6 There ...

20. The Sign of the Dove

John 1:29-34, John 1:19-28, John 1:1-18, Luke 3:21-38, Luke 3:1-20, Mark 1:1-8, Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... carefully: Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin Dance me through the panic 'til I'm gathered safely in Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove Dance me to the end of love Dance me to the end of love Oh let me see your beauty ... worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear ...

21. Five Differences between a Franchise Faith and an Authentic Faith

Mark 9:38-41

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... which “chronicles his experiment to live for one year according to all the moral codes expressed in the Bible, including stoning adulterers, blowing a shofar at the beginning of every month, and refraining from trimming the corners of his facial hair ( ... of a Sicilian heart versus the heart of a Roman is perceptible, and even some of us non-Italians can tell the difference. But Olive Garden is designed from the outside in. It is made to look, and taste, and feel like "Italian"... but no true Italian would ...

22. Higher Ground

Luke 24:36-49, Luke 24:50-53

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... dying bore the true fruit and abundance of God’s blessing. It is here near Bethany, on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, that Jesus would give his final blessing to his disciples, perhaps teaching them that the way to be elevated in the sight of ... Micah 4) Jesus the High Priest in the Eternal Order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7) The Story of Jesus’ Ascension (Acts 1) The Living Stone of Zion (I Peter 2) Luke’s Witness to Jesus’ Ascension Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ...

23. The First Easter Sermon

John 20:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan

... of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. What she found there changed the world forever. The stone had been rolled away. His body was gone! So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, ... . And so they called the wrong one. (2) What a bizarre mixup. But at least there was a logical explanation! At least Robert J. Oliver's family and friends could say, "Well it was all a stupid mistake!" But there was no mixup that first Easter. Jesus was dead. ...

24. The Last Parable

Mark 12:1-12

Sermon

James McCormick

... by one the prophets were killed, and now Jesus, the Son, was being rejected. And him, too, they were planning to kill. It was all just as Jesus had said. Remember when he climbed the Mount of Olives, looked out over the city of Jerusalem and wept? He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you, how often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you would not.” How sad! How tragically sad! All he wanted ...

25. On Your Mark, Get Set . . .

Mark 13:1-8, 32-33

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... today's passage from Mark. Mark 13:1-8 (NRSV) [1] As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!" [2] Then Jesus asked him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down." [3] When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, [4] "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are ...

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