Good News on Self Interest | The Pastor's Workshop

liturgy

Leader: The word of the Lord to the

Author

Scripture

Matthew 13:14-15, Matthew 11:4-6, Psalm 51:17, Hebrews 3:15, Isaiah 6:9-10

Leader: The word of the Lord to the prophet Isaiah says: You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with the...

Quote

Author

N. T. Wright

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:3-6, Romans 9:30-32, Acts 15:7-9, John 10:16, Colossians 3:11, Acts 28:28, Acts 14:27, Ephesians 3:8-10, Romans 3:29, Galatians 3:28, Acts 10:1-48, Romans 15:9-12, Romans 11:11, John 3:16, Luke 13:29, Ephesians 3:6, Romans 1:16, Revelation 7:9

Paul’s insight that Gentiles are co-heirs, co-members, and co-participants in the gospel is not a mere sociological adjustment—it is a radical theological revelation.

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Gracious God, in Christ Jesus, you

Gracious God, in Christ Jesus, you teach us to love our neighbors but instead we build dividing walls of hostility. You show us how to love one another as sisters and brothers but instead we hide from...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Colossians 3:1-4

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 3:1-4

Ancient lens? What can we learn from the historical context? Context and Tone Paul was writing from prison to a Christian community that he didn’t establish. Rather, it was his co-laborer, Epaphr...

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Jesus: You gave us Your love at a high

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

1 Timothy 2:1-4, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Hebrews 13:20-21, Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 5:20

Jesus: You gave us Your love at a high price – Your own death on the cross in our place! By Your grace you give us eternal life and entrust to us Your creation. Thank You, Lord! We come today as Y...

lectionary

Easter: Resurrection of the Lord

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 3:1-4

Introduction Easter stands out from every other day. It’s time to celebrate and to reflect: how will you “preach the resurrection” and proclaim the new life we have in Jesus Christ? How do we invite ...

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Holy Father, You are perfect and just,

Author

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 1:13-14, Psalm 103:12, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 5:8, Titus 3:5, 1 John 1:9

Holy Father, You are perfect and just, but we are sinful and unworthy. We intend the best in how we live our lives, Yet sin remains in us. Through Your Son, we are able to have redemption and a reconn...

Quote

Author

Patti Smith

Keywords

The idea of redemption is always good news, even if it means sacrifice or some difficult times.

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The good news in Christ is that when we face

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 15:11-32, Romans 8:1, 1 John 1:9, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 103:12

Leader: The good news in Christ is that when we face ourselves and God with the awareness of our need, we are given grace to grow, and courage to continue the journey. Friends, believe the good news o...

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Politics and the Resurrection

Author

Rachel Clark

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:1-28, Romans 13:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, 1 Peter 1:3, Revelation 21:5

It seems that every four years, the American people come through another exhausting political season. No matter who “wins,” there are feelings of frustration and disgust on all sides as we observe the...

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The Failure to Understand & Give Grace

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 34:6-7, Jonah 4:2, Isaiah 1:18, Ephesians 2:8-9 , Luke 15:20-24, Psalm 103:10-12

David Seamands (1922-2006) was an author, scholar, evangelical renewal leader and counselor. In an article for Christianity Today , he shares his earnest experience of many of his patients who we...

liturgy

Merciful God, you have moved and

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Merciful God, you have moved and changed our lives in amazing ways, yet we have kept these stories to ourselves. We confess the times we have kept these stories to ourselves out of fear of rejection a...

liturgy

Father–Father of the Lord Jesus and our

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

1 Peter 2:9, James 5:14-15, 2 Corinthians 5:20, Matthew 9:37-38, Galatians 6:9-10, Romans 12:5, 1 John 3:1

Father–Father of the Lord Jesus and our Father: You’ve blessed us beyond imagination. You redeem us, forgive us and lavish Your gifts on us: Thank You. You choose us, when we wouldn’t choose ourselves...

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Is the Truth Good News?

Author

Keywords

In the novel The Second Coming one of Walker Percy’s characters says about Christians, “I cannot be sure they don’t have the truth. But if they have the truth, why is it the case that they are rep...

liturgy

Father God: You know our thoughts,

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Father God: You know our thoughts, before we speak them. You know our needs, without us saying them. So, You invite us into Your presence, with arms wide open, not to hear our laundry lists of wants a...

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Your Healing Hands

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 4:35-41, Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 5:25-34, Romans 1:16, Acts 3:19, John 11:25

Jesus, Resurrected One Light of New Life Breaker of Chains Bringer of Grace and Hope You are moving, speaking, inviting We hear your call to repentance The turning will save us We hear your Good Ne...

liturgy

Overcoming Fear with God's Grace

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 5:14-16, Acts 1:8 , Mark 5:18-20, 1 Peter 3:15, John 4:28-30; 39-42, Romans 1:16 , 2 Timothy 1:7-8

Merciful God, you have moved and changed our lives in amazing ways, yet we have kept these stories to ourselves. We confess the times we have kept these stories to ourselves out of fear of rejection a...

liturgy

Hear the good news: For the joy set

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 53:5, Romans 5:8, John 14:27, 1 John 1:9, Colossians 1:13-14

Hear the good news: For the joy set before him, Jesus Christ endured the shame of the cross, taking all our weakness and failure. Jesus went to the cross for the joy of having you as part of God’s Kin...

liturgy

Leader: Jesus knows our every weakness,

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 15:11-32, 1 John 1:9, Mark 2:1-12, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Luke 4:18, Ephesians 2:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9

Leader: Jesus knows our every weakness, and loves us still. Awaken to the promise of Christ's amazing grace. Leader: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel. People: In Jesus Christ we are f...

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What Does it Mean to be Blessed?

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Genesis 32:24-30, Numbers 6:24-26, 1 Kings 17:8-16 , Matthew 5:3-12 , Luke 1:46-55, Psalm 34:18

The word blessed has been among the vocabulary I’ve removed from my daily life. In the faith of my young adulthood, it was a word that filled my conversations: a term to close out emails or to d...

liturgy

God–our Father, Lord and indwelling

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Psalm 133:1, 2 Corinthians 9:13-14, Matthew 28:19-20

God–our Father, Lord and indwelling Spirit of grace and power: Thank you for hearing us when we pray whether in songs of rejoicing or through tears of sorrow. Thank you for gifts–for the gifts of musi...

Quote

Author

Frank J. Matera

Keywords

The good news that Jesus brings to the poor in spirit is that the kingdom of heaven is making its appearance, and when it arrives there will be a reversal of fortunes whereby many who are first will b...

liturgy

Prayer of Adoration Loving God—Father

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

John 20:28

Prayer of Adoration Loving God—Father Son and Holy Spirit— we come today as thirsty people to You who are the Spring of Living Water. We come as hungry people to You who are the Bread of Heaven. We ...

liturgy

The Word of the LORD is true and

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 19:9-10, Luke 4:16-21, Acts 8:26-39, Nehemiah 8:1-12, Isaiah 55:10-11, 1 Corinthians 2:10-12, John 14:26

The Word of the LORD is true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb. As we turn to your Scripture, s...

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The Good News Isn’t Sounding Good to Some

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 53:3, Jeremiah 20:7-10, 1 Kings 22:8-28, John 15:18-19 , Acts 5:40-42, Psalm 37:1-2

In Vanishing Grace , Philip Yancey examines the growing negative perceptions of evangelicals. Although the book was written in 2014, these dynamics have only intensified in the era of MAGA and Ch...

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The Parable of the Clown

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

Ezekiel 33:6, 2 Corinthians 6:2, 1 Peter 2:9, Acts 8:4, 1 Corinthians 1:18, Colossians 4:5-6

The Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once told a parable to illustrate the urgency of the gospel message—and the need for all believers, not just clergy, to share it. A traveling circus in Denm...

liturgy

We affirm the good news that this

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

1 Timothy 1:15, 1 Peter 2:24, Romans 6:11

We affirm the good news that this saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He personally bore our sins in His body on the cross, s...

liturgy

Romans 16:25-27

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Scripture

Romans 16:25-27

Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, but now is...

liturgy

Father: Thank You for always being

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Psalm 34:14, Luke 15:20, Hebrews 4:14, Romans 6:4, Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalm 25:4-5, Matthew 11:28-30, Isaiah 41:10, John 14:13, James 1:5, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Habakkuk 3:2, Isaiah 6:8, Matthew 28:19-20

Father: Thank You for always being ready to welcome us and listen to us. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Savior: born like us, experiencing all that we experience yet sinless, who d...

liturgy

Inspired by Jeremiah 33:14-16

Author

Austin D. Hill

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 33:14-16

The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that when it seems all hope is lost, God is still working toward restoration. Friends, believe the Good News today: through the messiah, the righteous branch, our sins ...

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