Sermons & Worship (Page 21)

Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 3:9-13; Psalm 66:1-9; Ephesians 2:19-22 Well, here we are. It’s the last great holiday weekend of the summer and it’s celebrated with sunscreen, water sports, the last weekend at the lake, and another day to sleep in. Somehow the entrepreneurs haven’t figured out how to get us to buy Labor Day cards and Labor Day gifts…yet. While Labor Day does not mark one of the Christian holidays, there is every biblical reason to understand that our labor, and…

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 150; Matthew 16:13-17 The person who has become known as one of the greatest makers of violins who ever lived was Stradivari. There was also Guarneri, but not as well known. For all of the years since the death of Stradivari, makers of violins have tried to discover his secrets. One of his violins is in a museum in Italy. It is locked in a case that has temperature and humidity controls so that it can…

Scripture: Joshua 1:1-10; Psalm 139:1-6; Hebrews 3:1-13 God never leaves God’s people without a leader. Joshua is set apart by God to lead the Hebrews in the wilderness after the death of Moses. Moses had brought the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt and had led them for 40 years during their wandering in the desert. After the 40 years had passed, a new generation of people now had an identity as God’s people. The time in the desert had…

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-10; Psalm 146:8-10; Romans 12:1-3 When we look at any of the writings of the prophets, we are reminded about how difficult the people of God found it to be faithful in their relationship which they had established with God through the Covenant of the Law. Their greatest difficulty seems to have been with the commandments that were given to maintain that relationship with Yahweh, namely, the ones that God declared to them, saying, Because they were unable…

Scripture: Lamentations 3:19-24; Psalm 33:1-4; Romans 5:1-5 There is a familiar saying, “What was old is new again.” Today’s text from Lamentations is old, about the result of the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah as a whole by Babylon, and it is new again as we witness the war and devastation in this present day. We have already talked about the return and the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem, but we must not forget what the people lived through…

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-4; 2:1-6; 4:6; Psalm 137:1-6; Acts 13:1-3 The Classified Ad might have read: Position open for structural engineer to design and oversee construction of a protective wall, including sturdy gates that cannot be breached by intruders, around the city of Jerusalem. Local laborers are available but will need to be trained since none of them have any experience in wall construction. Materials for construction will include stone and timber. Stone is available locally, but timber will need to…

Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 146:8-10; Luke 10:30-37 Rituals: we all have them, don’t we? Some are the simple things that we do every day, like Getting up at the same time every morning, Having that first cup of coffee before we make any decisions, Having a favorite newscast to watch, Putting on shoes in the same order, Having a routine for who does what around the house. Some rituals are a little more complex. Perhaps in no other area of…

Scripture: Isaiah 26:1-4; Psalm 34:1-18; John 14:2-27 Isaiah describes a people who are invited to enter a strong and secure city; a place of safety and a place of peace.  The inhabitants of the city will be a righteous people, a people who remains faithful to God, a people that has placed its trust in the one true living God. Isaiah records for us a hymn of praise that the people will sing as they enter the city of the…

Scripture: Isaiah 58:10-11; Psalm 5:1-3; Acts 3:1-10 The account that was read from the Acts of the Apostles this morning is an account of commitment and prayer and compassion. All of those things resulted in the miraculous healing of a man who had never walked for 40 years, not since the day of his birth. It was three o’clock the hour of afternoon prayer at the Temple. Everyone of Jewish heritage was expected to pray three times a day, once…