Sermon Resources on Celebrations

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The Surprise and Celebration of Easter

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New Testament scholar and Anglican bishop N. T. Wright recalls being at a party once when someone decided to read a portion of the seventeenth-century Prayer Book for laughs. The Prayer Book includes ...

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Author

Albert Einstein

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Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life.

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Author

Abraham Joshua Heschel

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Leviticus 23:, Exodus 15:1-21, Nehemiah 8:9-12, Luke 15:22-24, John 2:1-11, Psalm 100:1-2

People of our time are losing the power of celebration. Instead of celebrating we seek to be amused or entertained. Celebration is an active state, an act of expressing reverence or appreciation. To b...

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Author

Brian D. McLaren

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These special holidays give rise to various liturgical calendars that suggest we should mark our days not only with the cycles of the moon and seasons, but also with occasions to tell our children the...

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The Three Annual Festivals in Israel

Author

Christopher H. J. Wright

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Scripture

Deuteronomy 16:11, 14, Exodus 12:24–27 , 2 Chronicles 30:21–23, Acts 2:1–4, 42–47, Luke 15:22–24 , Psalm 100:1–2

There were three annual festivals in Israel—Passover along with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Feast of Tabernacles. You can read about them in Leviticus 23 and...

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Author

Paul David Tripp

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True prayer happens at the intersection of surrender and celebration.

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God of grace, power and glory –

Author

Richard Herman

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Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:57, 1 Chronicles 16:11, Romans 8:28, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 121:2

God of grace, power and glory – Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer – and our Father: When we’re tempted to think it’s all up to us: to change the world, to overcome evil, to establish Your kingdom. to m...

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The Birthday Party

Author

Jason Baxter

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Scripture

Exodus 34:14, 1 Chronicles 16:28-29, Malachi 1:6-10, Isaiah 1:11-17, Leviticus 10:

Imagine celebrating a birthday party for your child. You buy a cake, invite guests, and give her presents. Now imagine discussing the party with your spouse later that night. Your spouse asks you what...

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Joyous Celebration, Confession And Forgiveness

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Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

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Scripture

Isaiah 59:1-2, Jonah 3:4, Romans 3:23-24, 1 John 1:8-9, Psalm 51:10-13

Pastor: Even on this joyous day of celebration let us not forget that we are sinful people who do not deserve the precious gift of salvation that God has given us in the death and resurrection of Je...

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Easter Hymn, Adapted

Author

Hippolytus

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Scripture

Isaiah 25:7–8, Jonah 1:17; 2:10, Matthew 28:5–6, 1 Corinthians 5:7–8, Revelation 21:3–4, Psalm 118:17, 22–24

This is the paschal feast, the Lord’s passing from death to life: so cries the Spirit. …You have protected us, Jesus, from endless disaster. You spread your hands like a mother and, mothe...

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God our Father, Savior and Sustainer—

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Richard Herman

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God our Father, Savior and Sustainer— You are the God who knows our name, and the God who revealed Your name as “I Am Who I Am” and shows us Your face in the face of Jesus. You are known to us ... and...

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Joy must be morally clean

Author

Christopher H. J. Wright

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Galatians 5:19–23 , 1 Peter 4:3–4 , Psalm 100:1–2, Deuteronomy 16:14, Numbers 25:31:16, Exodus 32:34

Joy must be morally clean. God warned Israel not to be tempted by the kind of debauched “joy” of the Canaanite festivals, which included sexual immorality, drunkenness, gluttony, and idolatry. They ha...

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Author

Chris Seay

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We need to take time to connect with the poor, resist our unceasing cravings, and pray. But we also need to gather with friends and family, share in God's good provision, eat delicious food, tell ...

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God of Grace and God of Glory – rich in

Author

Richard Herman

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God of Grace and God of Glory – rich in love and mercy, all powerful and everywhere present: We come to You at Your bidding, trusting in Your faithful compassion and not in our fruitless efforts to do...

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Author

Jerry Seinfeld

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Scripture

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, Proverbs 17:22 , Exodus 18:17-18 , Hebrews 10:24-25, 2 Corinthians 4:16 , Psalm 92:12-14

“When you blow out the candles in that 50th birthday cake your first thought is going to be, ‘The fewer people I have anything to do with, the better off I’m going to be.’” *for contrast (and...

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Celebrating the Risen Christ

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

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Scripture

Luke 24:1–12, John 24:5b-6a

Pastor: Why do you look for the living among the dead? People: He is not here; He has risen! Pastor: Alleluia! Christ is risen! People:He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

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How to Sing “Happy Birthday”

Author

Mia Levetan

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Scripture

Exodus 3:1–12 , Isaiah 43:1–2, 1 Samuel 16:6–13, Luke 15:11–32, John 10:14–16 , Psalm 139:1–6

John Berkley told a story about how he loves live professional choir concerts. At one concert, the conductor asked if anyone in the audience was there celebrating their birthday. Now, it was actually ...

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That’s a Lot of Wine!

Author

Mia Levetan

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Scripture

Genesis 18:1–15, Exodus 16:1–36, 2 Kings 4:1–7 , John 2:1–11 , Luke 9:10–17 , Psalm 23:5

In John 2, Jesus creates an abundance of wine during a wedding. There are six jars that hold 20-30 gallons each (that’s about a half barrel each!). So, let’s do the math… 20x6=120 gallons (or ...

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Heavenly Father, as we live through the remainder

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

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Scripture

Joel 2:12-13, Isaiah 1:18, Jonah 3:5-10, Matthew 6:16-18, Psalm 51:10-12, 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

Pastor: Heavenly Father, as we live through the remainder of this Ash Wednesday, may the crosses of ashes that mark our foreheads be a reminder to us and to those we meet that we belong to your Son....

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Almighty God, we cannot escape your

Author

Austin D. Hill

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Almighty God, we cannot escape your presence. Even in our darkest moments, you are there. When we celebrate, you are there. When we doubt your presence, you still are there. Please forgive us for the ...

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Jesus, Lord—because you took on flesh,

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Isaiah 53:4-5, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Romans 12:15, 1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 34:18, Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus, Lord—because you took on flesh, You know what it’s like to be us. You know what keeps us awake at night, or yanks us out of sleep in the early morning. You know what it’s like to have good days...

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Lord–some of us are running or dancing

Lord–some of us are running or dancing into the celebration to come; others of us are tired, limping or stumbling into it. Either way–You are standing there in Your love, with arms open wide, to recei...

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Lord of Hope and God of all that’s new—Father

Author

Richard Herman

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Scripture

Romans 12:12, Colossians 3:14, 1 Peter 3:8, Ephesians 4:2-3, Psalm 136:1

Lord of Hope and God of all that’s new—Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We’re filled with wonder, gratitude, and joy inspired by the gifts of new life You freely give us. There’s the joy and wonder of eve...

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“Free At Last!” Or Not

Author

Clifton Fadiman

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Scripture

Proverbs 26:23-25, Job 27:8, Proverbs 11:10, Galatians 6:7

Stalin’s death is reputed to have been caused by a seizure suffered during a fit of rage brought on by an argument with Kliment Voroshilov during a Presidium meeting. Livid with fury, Stalin leaped fr...

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The Dicey Side of Christmas

Author

Emily Hunter McGowin

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Scripture

Luke 2:10-11, Romans 12:2, Luke 2:8-20, Colossians 2:8, Matthew 5:16

Christmas (a shortened form of "Christ’s mass”) has been an embattled holiday for much of its history— and not just because talking heads on TV like to argue about the “war on Christmas” every ye...

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Two New Year Prayers for Church Services: A Collect and Prayers of the People

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

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Are you thinking of adding New Year prayers in your church services? Below you'll find two complete, ready-to-use prayers: a collect for the New Year and responsive prayers of the people looking b...

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Christmas in Mosul

Author

Emily Hunter McGowin

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Scripture

John 1:5, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, Matthew 5:10-12, Isaiah 61:3-4, Romans 8:35-37

Living rooms and shop windows aren’t the only places where decorations are meaningful features of Christmas. When Iraqi forces expelled the Islamic State from the predominantly Christian city of Mosul...

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Independence Day to the African Slave

Author

Esau McCaulley

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When Frederick Douglass asked his famous question, “What to a Slave Is the Fourth of July?,” he didn’t simply ask a question about the United States of America . He asked a question about Amer...

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Is Shared Ministry the Future of the Church?

Author

Nicole Vogel

How Shared Ministry Transforms Churches When four local pastors from different mainline churches sat down together, we didn’t start with a big program or a strategic plan. We started with a question:...

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Scripture Guide, Luke 15:1-10

Author

Jacob Traeger

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Scripture

Luke 15:1-10

Context: The Grumblers Jesus tells the three parables of Luke 15 to “the Pharisees and scribes” who were grumbling. Throughout Luke’s gospel account Jesus has been involved in controversy with the Ph...

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