Sermon and Worship Resources

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Matthew 21:28-32

Sermon

William J. Carl

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think much of the choices Jesus offers in this passage. Think about it with me for a moment. Two sons. The father tells each one to go and do a little work in the vineyard. It’s not much to ask, like mowing the lawn every once in a while. Parents don’t ask their children to do that many chores around the house. Besides, it’s the least they can do to earn their k...

2. Living Sacrifices

Matthew 16:21-28

Sermon

William J. Carl

If we’re really honest we have to admit that Peter speaks for all of us when he rebukes Jesus for saying that he would soon suffer. The main reason Peter does this is that following a God who suffers means we will probably have to suffer, too. Sure enough we were right; for immediately after Jesus puts Peter in his place, he says, “Those who want to be my followers must first deny themselves, take...

3. Rocky

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

William J. Carl

It is said that Winston Churchill never liked talking to subordinates. He always wanted to go to the top because he figured that was the only way he could get any action. So, as the story goes, when Churchill went to heaven, he met St. Peter at the gate and said, “Who are you?” When Peter said, “I’m St. Peter,” Churchill said, “To hell with you, get God!” How did poor Peter get this job in the fi...

4. Straight Talk, Due Process and Grace

Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon

William J. Carl

It never ceases to amaze me how periodically someone joins the church thinking with great naivete that he or she has now left the imperfect, money-grubbing, power-hungry secular world and entered some holy, monastic community where everyone is good and kind and loving and no one ever gossips or spreads rumors or disagrees on any subject. When this happens, I usually watch to see how long it takes ...

5. The Faith Of Outsiders

Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

William J. Carl

Have you ever had an inner emotional pain that would not go away? A depression that would come and go in waves? Sometimes it seemed like everything was completely normal and then it would come upon you totally unexpected. Perhaps it was related to something that happened in your childhood, something so awful that you couldn’t tell anyone, not even your spouse or your best friend because in reality...

6. The Problem With Finding The Kingdom

Matthew 13:44-46

Sermon

William J. Carl

I don’t know about you, but when I finished reading these parables of the kingdom, I wasn’t so sure whether I really wanted to find the kingdom, which may be an odd thing for a preacher to say, I admit. But think about it -- everybody always makes such a big deal about finding the kingdom. Even Jesus. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and… all these things shall be added unto you.” Even Peter Mars...

7. The Problem With Miracles In Our Time

Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon

William J. Carl

If the truth be known, most of us would have to admit that we walk a very fine line between believing and not believing. There are times in our lives when, yes, we do seem to believe all these things we say about God when we read the Bible and sing the hymns in our own churches. There are even times when we’d say, yes, we feel close to God, whatever that means. But there are also those desert time...

8. The Unfairness of God

Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon

William J. Carl

Have you ever noticed how sometimes life just isn’t fair? It’s one of the hard realities we learn early on. No one has to wait for adolescence or old age to find it out. You can learn it in nursery school. Sometimes life just isn’t fair. Little brothers and sisters seem to get such special privileges. The things my little brother and sister got away with! There were times when I really felt like t...

9. Who’s Keeping Score?

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

William J. Carl

What we have in our passage is the contrast between a theology of grace and a theology of keeping score. The first is the one Jesus espouses in this text. The second is the one Peter is pushing and, by the way, the one our world has bought into for centuries. Anne Herbert once suggested that the whole thing started in Eden when Adam and Eve began keeping score. Certainly it was carried on in their...

10. You Provide The Bread

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

William J. Carl

When I was growing up, church picnics were a big thing. I can still see it… long tables with white cloths strung out end to end. Plastic forks and knives, napkins and paper plates on this end. Pitchers of lemonade and iced tea on that end. In between assortments of meat dishes and vegetables down here; various salads and desserts down there. Plenty of rolls and butter. Makes me hungry just thinkin...

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