Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 1 to 25 of 1185 results

1. Pursued by Mercy

John 10:11-18 · Psalm 23

Sermon

Will Willimon

... he found the one who was lost. Most sheep are content with an occasional green pasture, a quiet brook here and there. "But there are other sheep," said the Good Shepherd, ''who are not of this fold. I go to seek them as well." (John 10:16). And when this pursuing pastor finds the lost, he puts that sheep on his shoulders, and breathlessly returns to the fold. "I found my sheep who was lost! Rejoice with me." "I lay down my life for the sheep." Is there no limit to his pursuit? We knew him as a mean old man ...

2. LOST? Pursuing Purpose

1 Peter 2:9-10

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... hurt us. We can begin to get rid of the bologna in our lives that keeps us weighed down and separated from God. It's a long process for most of us, not a one time fix. But experiencing forgiveness and forgiving others helps us as we Pursue the Purpose for our lives. B. John Locke in the series Lost, understands or believes that every individual on the island is there for a reason. He voices it in several different places. In Season 1, Episode 19, We see the characters Locke and Boone walking. Only, Locke ...

3. Pursue the Life That Really Is Life

1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... races of 2001. Tim Shutt says "When we won, the first thing that came to my mind was that verse. God wanted to show himself to me." (3) Now listen to the words of Jesus: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled." Pursue righteousness. II. Godliness A. Godliness. We don't hear that word very much any more. We used to hear about Godly people and Godly lives. Maybe it's just the word that's gone out of fashion because what it is about hasn't. Godliness is really piety ...

4. The God Who Must Be Pursued

Matthew 7:7-12

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

... it is against the nature of God the Father to grant what is not good. It is in continuing to ask and seek and knock and pursue God’s wisdom that our desires are changed into requests God can honor. To pray in Jesus name is not to stick a postage stamp on ... , I am happy for others who enjoy what I hope for. My guess is that it is easier for God to bless those who are pursuing him than those who are enchanted with other matters. Empty hands and raised hands are easy to fill. We are beggars in that we are ...

5. Pursuing Dreams

Mk 10:35-45

Illustration

King Duncan

... different being the King and Queen of Sweden and being, say, the Queen of England. The job obviously comes with fewer perks. How about your job? Are you at the place you had hoped to be at this stage of your life? We spend our whole lives pursuing dreams and goals. The aim is to go higher, to become greater. To have more perks, as it were. That is the mark of success. It even affects our families. We want our children to become doctors and lawyers and engineers. Nobody tries to persuade their children ...

6. Laban Pursues Jacob

Genesis 31:22-55

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

31:22–24 Three days later, after Jacob left home in a secretive manner (31:17–21), Laban is informed that Jacob has fled. Immediately he gathered his relatives and pursued Jacob. After seven days, possibly a symbolic number for several days, Laban caught up with Jacob in the hill country of Gilead, close to four hundred miles away—a journey of more than seven days for one driving small herds. The night before Laban overtook Jacob, God warned Laban in ...

7. Pursue A Good Name

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Rabbi Simon said, “There are three crowns: the crown of [the study of] the Law, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of royalty, but the crown of a good name surpasses them all” (Mishnah Avoth 4.13).

8. Saul Pursues David

1 Samuel 23:7-29

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Saul Seeks Out David: 23:1–6 David’s exile did not mean that he had lost his vision for Israel’s security or his concern for the well-being of his fellow Israelites. The news of particular problems at Keilah stimulated his desire to continue fighting on behalf of God’s people. The Philistines were not taking tribute from the Israelite farmers but were looting the threshing floors. They were waiting until the Israelites had done all the hard work and then depriving them of their livelihood for the next year ...

9. Pursued by the Atoning Love

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

One evening a woman was driving home when she noticed a huge truck behind her that was driving uncomfortably close. She stepped on the gas to gain some distance from the truck, but when she sped up the truck did too. The faster she drove, the faster drove the truck. Now scared, she exited the freeway. But the truck stayed with her. The woman then turned up a main street, hoping to lose her pursuer in traffic. But the truck ran a red light and continued the chase. Reaching the point of panic, the woman ...

10. God Never Gives Up on Anyone

John 14:15-21

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... famous work The Hound of Heaven: "I fled Him, down the nights and down the days; I fled Him, down the arches of the years; I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways of my mind; and in the midst of tears I hid from Him." God, the "Hound of Heaven," pursued him without rest; he is doing the same thing for us! We might ask a proper question as we observe the world around us. If God so diligently seeks after us, why is the world in the horrible state we see? Why is war such a common occurrence among nations ...

11. No Fifth Wheels in God’s Economy

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

... enjoy each other for what they are, as well as the ability to love each other with an agape love. The pursuit of love is impossible on the pony called "expectations." It is a doomed quest, because the moment we choose that pony, we are no longer pursuing love in a relationship, no longer seeking the other person’s total good, but are seeking our own fantasy that we superimpose on the reality of what we actually could be enjoying with another. The key to the solution, I think, lies not in withdrawal, not ...

12. A Workman Approved by God

2 Timothy 2:14-26

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... upon the Lord, that is, worship Yahweh, the God of Israel, and none other. Along with the modifier out of a pure heart (cf. 1 Tim. 1:5; the same root as the verb “cleanse oneself” in v. 21), this designation sets off the true people of God (who pursue righteousness, etc.) from the false teachers, who do not truly know God (cf. Titus 1:16) but are ensnared by Satan. Perhaps, too, as with verse 19, it is a word of encouragement to Timothy by reminding him that not all “have bowed the knee to Baal.” 2 ...

13. “The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Lack Nothing”

Psalm 23:1-6

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... place by meandering from side to side along the moral path, and not keeping their eyes on the Shepherd. When the Lord brought them back home (about 536 BC), they could hear him behind them saying, “This is the way; walk in it” (Isa. 30:21)—more pursued than led. Isaiah combines the two metaphors in 52:12 to describe that awesome and treacherous journey of the exiles on their way home, and he promises that the Lord will go “before you” and will also be “your rear guard.” In this case the Lord ...

14. Israel's Unbelief

Romans 9:30--10:21

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... no partiality with God, nor is grace a miserly concession on his part (2:11; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25). Gentiles are not the objects of God’s reluctant benevolence. On the contrary, God richly blesses all who call on him, even Gentiles “who did not pursue righteousness” (9:30). Herein lies the offense of grace, as Jesus illustrated in the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt. 20:1–16). It is indeed bad business to pay laborers who have worked one hour the same wage as those who have worked twelve ...

15. A Visit With An Old Friend

Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... , the "AHA!" moment we preachers search for, is the word that is translated as "follow." Goodness and mercy FOLLOW us. That’s the way we’ve always heard it, right? But the Hebrew word used here can also be translated "PURSUE." Is there a difference between being followed and being pursued? I think so. "Pursue" is a considerably more active word than "follow," don’t you think? I don’t know about you, but even in the presence of an old friend I thought I knew pretty well, this causes a little bit of a ...

16. Living A Triumphant Life

Joshua 5:1-12

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... many battles could be avoided if we sought God's counsel first. I wonder how many wounds could be spared it we pursued our spiritual needs first and foremost. Spiritual Empowerment The second step to living triumphantly is to seek to be powered by ... side, I am concerned that I am on God's side." What steps have we taken to ensure that we are one with God? Are we pursuing the things in life God wants for us? The greatest spiritual blessings will only come to us to the extent that our lives are traveling down ...

17. What Should We Do?

Luke 3:7-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... keep Him and His purpose, both in the world and in our lives, in our every thought, every deed, every purchase, and every word. If we all did that, can you imagine just how different this whole world would be. "What should we do?" PERSIST. III. Pursue And finally pursue Christmas. Don't give up until you have experienced the joy of Christmas. * [Show clip "Ornaments"] Santa, in that clip, sure went through a lot just to get a couple of cookies. How far are you willing to go to make the miracle of Christmas ...

18. Oracles of Restoration

Ezekiel 34:1-31, Ezekiel 35:1-15, Ezekiel 36:1-38, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Ezekiel 37:15-28

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... ” is simply the Heb. word for “blood” (dam), repeated four times in this verse. The first clause, “I will give you over to bloodshed, and it will consume you,” is better translated “I will make you blood (or, perhaps, “bloody”), and blood will pursue you.” The NIV represents one attempt to make sense of this odd phrase. Another is the NRSV “I will prepare you for blood.” Though Tg. assumes the presence of this strange clause, it does not appear in the LXX. Further, the expected ending ...

19. How’s Your Appetite?

Matthew 5:6 · Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

... us to be as eager and ingenious in our attempt to be his followers as is the person whose primary pursuit is to be successful in business. He wishes our appetites for truth and goodness were just this ravenous! Think, too, of the person who loves pleasure and pursues it with all his heart. He is willing to tax his mind and his pocketbook to the limit and beyond in order to win the prize. Is golf his greatest pleasure? There is no limit to the money he will spend for golf clubs, instruction, or membership in ...

20. Crossing the Sea

Exodus 13:17--14:31

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... marched out in orderly divisions of fifty (12:17, 41, 51; see also 13:18). Powerful Pharaoh decided with his “servants” (ʿebed NIV officials) that they had made a mistake in losing the Israelite’s services (ʿabad “serving us”). He pursued them with his entire army, including six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt. Each of the chariots had officers (shalishim) or, more specifically, “commanders of three,” perhaps meaning that the large chariots carried ...

21. Israel Forsakes God

Jeremiah 2:1-3:5

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... popular object of worship. Again, God calls his people to a sober appraisal of their practices. Their way (note again the play on the word “way”) in the valley was to worship Baal. They not only worshiped this false god, but they pursued him like a wild donkey in heat pursues sexual intercourse. A wild donkey does not have to work hard to have sexual intercourse with another wild donkey in heat, so Baal and his devotees don’t have to work hard at promoting Baal’s interests among God’s people. They ...

22. The Jewish Leaders as Negative Foil for Jesus’ Followers

Matthew 23:1-39

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... actions to receive honor from people. Jesus addresses his disciples in this passage; they are not to act like the Jewish leaders he describes. Throughout chapter 23 these leaders are accused of hypocrisy: their outward actions do not cohere with their motives. They pursue religious behavior, such as the wearing of phylacteries and tassels in observance of the Torah, but they do so in order to have their piety acknowledged and to be assigned honor by others. In fact, they seek out places and titles of honor ...

23. The Reversal of the Deuteronomic Curses and Blessings: Replacing Law with Faith

Romans 9:30--10:21

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... The third parallel (9:32–33; 10:3–4) exposes Israel’s misunderstanding of the law. Both texts present two aspects of that confusion—one general, the other specific. In general, Israel failed to perceive that the divine intent was that the law be pursued by faith, not by one’s meritorious works (compare 9:32 with 10:3). More specifically, Israel perpetuates that mistake in its rejection of Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law and the only means of acquiring God’s righteousness (compare ...

24. Acquittal for the Falsely Accused (Ps. 7)

Psalm 7:1-17

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... to be developed in vv. 6–9)—save and deliver me—to underscore the dire urgency: or they will tear me like a lion. 7:3–5 The oath (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:31) is a hypothetical self-curse: if I have done evil . . . , then let my enemy pursue and overtake me. . . . The hypothetical actions mentioned in the “if” clauses echo somewhat those mentioned in the liturgies of temple entry (on the cleanness of one’s “hands” and the doing of evil/wrong to the neighbor, cf. 24:4 and 15:3). In this oath, the acts ...

25. Suffering for Doing Good

1 Peter 3:8-22

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... prayer for others: “To pray is to work.” Again, there must be intense and persistent efforts to seek peace and pursue it. Personal relationships, of course, not politics, are primarily in view here. The phraseology is echoed by other NT writers (Rom ... connected with them. But you need not go in pursuit of them. In the case of peace, however, seek peace (wherever you happen to be) and pursue it (if it is elsewhere)” (Midrash Rabbah 19.2 on Num. 21:21). 3:12 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, not ...

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