Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: disciple, evangelist, the 12, the twelve, son of Zebedee, fisherman, incarnation, word became flesh, I Am sayings, apostle, sons of thunder, eternal life, darkness and light, eyewitness

Showing 726 to 750 of 1652 results

726. Comfortable Christianity Is a Big, Fat Lie

Matthew 7:15-23

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

... Jesus said twice for emphasis, once at the beginning and once at the end of his parable of the trees in verses 16 through 20. For Matthew this was the crucial test of who and who not to listen to. Root determines fruit; actions reveal ... is easy; the mercy is that we have been instructed ahead of time that it is narrow and hard and treacherous and lined with false prophets. John Oxenham wrote a poem about the choice we make deliberately or by default: "To every man there openeth A way, and ways and a way. And ...

727. Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?

Matthew 9:35-10:8

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

... those oppressed or possessed by Satan (Mark 5; Luke 13:10-16; Job). He healed some that were sick for the glory of God (John 9:1-33). In some cases God even healed those sick unto death (John 11:1-44; Isaiah 38). Yes, the Lord healed many. But ... Timothy's stomach disorder (1 Timothy 5:23). He didn't even heal his own wounds of crucifixion on the cross. And in John 5, Christ walked off leaving an entire crowd unhealed except for one. Now, understand this, dear people: The Lord always heals, either right ...

728. Prison Break

Matthew 28:1-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... in USA are behind prison bars (some recent studies put the figure as high as 1 in 100). If we focus just on those over 16 and under 70, one out of every 80 US Americans are locked away behind jailhouse bars. And for those who are finally released, freedom is ... and Papers from Prison. Think of Gandhi’s writings, or Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” (1963). John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress (1678) was written in prison. While in prison Bunyan wrote to a friend these words: ...

729. After the Casket Is Closed

Luke 23:46

Sermon

James Merritt

... . By far and away his favorite term for God was "Father." In John 14-16 Jesus teaches the disciples the longest lesson He ever taught them, and He referred to His Father 45 times. Then in John 17 He prays the longest prayer. In that prayer He calls God ... again with a loud voice and he yielded up His spirit." The Greek word for "yielded up" means literally means "to send away." John said he delivered his spirit. "And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." (Jn. 19:30) The word "give up" literally means " ...

730. What Child Is This?

Isaiah 9:6-7

Sermon

James Merritt

... loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (Jn. 3:16) God's Christmas gift to the world was a person of deity wrapped up in the package of humanity. Now understand that Jesus ... Jesus, before the beginning was Jesus, because Jesus was God. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. On down in verse 18 John said, "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him ...

731. The One Habit of Highly Effective Christians

John 4:19-24

Sermon

James Merritt

... says that we are "to exalt the Lord in Spirit-filled worship." Though that statement may be last in order, it is first in priority. In John 4 we read the story of the Lord Jesus meeting a woman at a well. She was a Samaritan woman, but worse than that she was a ... your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" 11 Cor. 6:16 says, "For you are the temple of the living God." Do you know what your body is twenty-four hours a day? It is a place of ...

732. O Holy Night

Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon

James Merritt

... God. Even though He did not cling to His equality with God, He claimed it, and those who heard Him knew that He claimed it. John 5:18 tells us, "Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that ... for us that we might be saved. You see, God didn't send Jesus because He had to, He sent Jesus because He wanted to. John 3:16 says, as you know, "For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son." Likewise, Jesus did not come because He had to. ...

733. Yet Alive....Are We?

Romans 12:1-13

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... a compelling message. 3. AND ALIVE WITH OUTREACHING LOVE In response to a question about what it means to be a Methodist, John Wesley wrote a pamphlet which has become a classic, called "The Character of a Methodist:" The distinguishing marks of a Methodist are ... we may Jesus gain. 1. UM Hymnal, page 552. 2. Al Bamsey, "United Methodist Identity Crisis," Christian Century, May 16, 1984, page 510 3. Quoted in Context, July 2005, page 4 4. Susan Rauch, Director of Conference Spiritual Leadership Development, General Board ...

734. Floating on Your Back

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... the boat capsized and they were in the water. The life preservers were still tied to the boat while the boat was being swept out to sea. John realized there was no way he could swim the six miles back to shore while holding his little girl. To save them, he would have to swim ... %20Song.htm. 4. “The Greatest of These,” by Wallace A. Reed, M.D., Guideposts, July 2001, pp. 14-16. 5. Alan Loy McGinnis, The Friendship Factor (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1979), pp. 51‑52. 6. Bruce and Darlene ...

735. Faith Is the Victory

Acts 10:44-48

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... expressed for the Hebrew people the idea of carrying, bearing, or supporting, such as a doorpost bearing pillars (2 Kings 18:16). Yahweh is called the "God of Amen." God is the solid base, the rock, the support, the "Amen," upon which life ... not trusting God to get something or do something. Faith is trusting God when there is nothing left to get or do. A verse in John reads: "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." Faith is the victory. When will the church come over to the victory ...

736. DisArming Christmas

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... time to declare an end to the positional arms race, and to call consumerism for what it is. London Anglican priest John Papworth, editor of the Fourth World Review, has declared that "Consumerism is the greatest and most virulent social disease in ... in history. Kmart closed 70 stores after two years of losses (its "junk" status caused by $6.8 billion in debt). Over 16,000 retail companies have sought the protection of bankruptcy court in 1996. The Trends Research Institute has announced that "the consumer ...

737. Call to Oneness

John 17:20-26

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... Creed may be a major exception: "one, holy, catholic, apostolic." But aren't we astonished specifically that it makes no mention of love? Maybe we ought to send it back to the church fathers for review and possible editing! Perhaps there is room someplace for John 3:16. We can be certain whatever final form it takes, love will play a prominent part. The church devoid of love cannot be the church of Jesus Christ. The call to oneness remains certain but the time for it to happen appears as elusive as ever ...

738. Good News about Death

John 11:38-44

Sermon

King Duncan

... area of Kentucky named Cody. Cody wanted to be a preacher when he grew up, just like his dad who was a pastor. Once or twice a week Cody would climb on top of a chair in the kitchen, pull out a Bible, and give his best sermon on John 3:16. He always used the same Bible verse. It was his favorite. “For God so loved the world,” the verse begins, “that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Cody believed this promise, and he wanted to make ...

739. Cross Eyed: Triumph

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... , she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." [16] Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher). [17] Jesus said to her, "Do not ... the Savior. Besides that, it doesn't really match up with what the other Gospel writers and people like Paul and Peter, James and John all have to say as eye witnesses. There are those who would claim that the church has perpetrated some secret cover up of the ...

740. Why Should I Read The Bible? (Series: Real Faith for Real People)

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Paul also says in Romans 2:15-16 that, “Pagans, who have not heard the Word, will be saved by following the law written on their hearts through the grace of Jesus ... Thanks Be To God. The Word of God is made flesh in Christ. “The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). Belief in the Bible does not save us. We are saved by the blood of the crucified Jesus Christ, revealed in Scripture. ...

741. Holiness of Heart and Life

Romans 2:21-23

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... in Wesley’s train, and I believe in all scripture we are called to inward and outward holiness – to holiness of heart and life. John Wesley stressed the image of God as well as the Word of God, Human creation In the Divine image was fundamental for Wesley because ... perfection loving God, and loving our neighbor these contain the whole of Christian perfection!” (Quoted in Outler, Wilson Lectures, p. 16). Wesley spoke of inward holiness” that is love of God and the assurance of God’s love for us. And ...

742. In the Lions' Den (Dealing with Stress)

Psalm 16:1-11

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I don’t know when it began, but the symbol has been a pervasive one for a long time “The Lions’ Den”. It is a symbol for the conflicts in life. “They threw him to the lions,” we say of those who cruelly thrust an innocent, unsuspecting person into the most difficult of all situations. “The Lions’ Den” is the place where our testing comes, where we struggle to keep our integrity; where we wage the fiery battle with ourselves as well as with others and/or forces outside ourselves. It may be the arena where ...

743. The World Is Our Parish

John 3:16-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... principle can be applied to our religion too. The first basic buttonhole principle of Christian faith is this: God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but should have everlasting life. Martin Luther said John 3:16 is the gospel in miniature. Evangelical fans at professional football games put it on banners for all the world to see. Many of us in this place learned it from our mother's knees. In times like these, which try our souls, we will be ...

744. Is There More Than One Way to Heaven?

John 4:19-26

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... statement if you make it a narrow position? Was that what Jesus had in mind? I suggest it was not. I suggest that in His salvation act, He was much more inclusive than sometimes we want to proclaim Him to be. Jesus hints at it again and again. In John 10:16, Jesus says, “You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen." In Mark 9:38, Jesus tells his disciples, “Those who are not against us are for us." The verses imply salvation is to be far and wide. Frederick Buechner said ...

745. Checking Out the Scene

John 1:35-42

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... are Jack Nicholson, it’s all about movies. If you are Donald Trump, it’s all about money, power, and prestige. If you are James and John, Peter and Andrew, it was all about fishing. They got up every morning and went out to the Sea of Galilee while the mist was ... the true name of it is the peace of God through Jesus Christ. I found a new verse to live by. It is Isaiah 28:16 “He that believes shall not make haste.” We don’t need more time; we just need more faith in eternity. 2. LOOK Pay attention ...

746. The Power to Be Saved

Acts 4:5-12

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... it through the night. Lord, would you give me a little assistance through the day." Salvation is a matter of survival. B. SALVATION IS NEW LIFE. John Wesley in his sermon on New Birth described it this way: “Before a child is born into the world, he has eyes but sees not. He ... then have to work it out in the nitty-gritty and routines? John Wesley lived and preached the doctrine of Christian Assurance. He based his belief on Romans 8:16. “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirits that we are the ...

747. Scaring the Church, So It Will Be the Church

Matthew 5:13-20

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... one of Job's speeches, but it isn't attributed to anyone. Whose viewpoint does it represent? Sometimes, it isn't clear where one character's words end and someone else's words begin. The third chapter of John begins with Jesus talking to Nicodemus. Do Jesus' words end at verse 15 or verse 21? When we come to John 3:16, the famous passage that reads, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life," is Jesus saying that to ...

748. How Jesus’ Friendship Makes Your Burdens Light

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... to celebrate, even when they played music. But when the same children played funeral, the other kids were celebrating (Matthew 11:16-17). Stubborn, fickle children. Is that not the way it is with us? We complain about how burned out we are ... to the sins of our times. You and I need to be made aware of the sin in ourselves. The other great Reformer of the sixteenth century, John Calvin, put it this way. He [Jesus] tells us that the reason why most men despise his grace is, that they are not sensible of their ...

749. A Career in The Kingdom

Matthew 21:23-32

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... she came, one day, to understand the meaning of her life. At the time she was the "Writer in Residence" at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Fifth Avenue in New York City. She met regularly with the rest of the staff at the church, and developed a ... just a few chapters before this, "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26 cf). Gospel Truth There is a familiar gospel song that breathes with both the pain and the urgency of Jesus' pleading challenge ...

750. By Whose Standards?

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... Barnabas] reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper [huperetes]." And Paul recounting his own conversion experience in Acts 26:15, "Arise, and stand on your feet ... ] and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you" (Acts 26:16). And now, in today's reading: "Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries." A common illustration of ...

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