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 226 to 250 of 4946 results

226. The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Acts 20:13-38

Sermon

James Merritt

Let me begin with a story of a Christmas that a certain young man would never forget. It was the first time that he had been given money by his parents so he could go and buy them a Christmas gift. For several years he was always getting something from his parents, but never giving anything to his parents. He finally realized one day, “Something is wrong with this picture.” Being too young to work and not being smart enough to ask for an allowance he went to his mom and dad and offered to do some extra ...

227. Everything Must Go: If I Were a Rich Man

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

James Merritt

If I had announced ahead of time that today I wanted to give a message only to people who were rich you realize that this room would be mostly, if not totally, empty. Most of you, if not all of you, wouldn’t show up for two reasons. First of all, most of you do not think of yourselves as being rich. If you heard that announcement, your first response would be, “We aren’t rich so we will sleep in.” You are actually the second reason why nobody would come, because what you would do is say, “We don’t need to ...

228. God Can’t Keep a Good Secret!

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord, and he set me down in the midst of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me round among them; and behold, there were very many upon the valley; and lo, they were very dry. And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord God, thou knowest." Again he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold ...

229. When Will The Pain Go Away?

Matthew 24:1-35

Sermon

George Johnson

A young mother in her 30s with three children came to her pastor to talk about her husband's impending death. He was dying of cancer. "I'm afraid," she said. The pastor listened and asked a few questions to help her express her fear. One of the questions he asked was, "Are you afraid of losing your faith?" There was silence. "Yes," she said. And then there were more tears. There are times when one feels abandoned by God. If God really loved me would this be happening? Prayers don't seem to be answered. All ...

230. Getting Off the Merry-Go-Round

Romans 8:1-11

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Have you ever been stuck on a playground merry-go-round? You know how it goes. You start slow, pushing with your feet to gain more speed until you are running. Then you finally jump on to the spinning merry-go-round holding on for dear life. That is when you find yourself stuck. On the one hand, the centrifugal force of the spinning merry-go-round threatens to throw you off. On the other hand, you hold on for dear life to the railing because you are afraid of what might happen to you if you fall off. And ...

231. Everything Must Go: Striking It Rich

1 Timothy 6:3-10

Sermon

James Merritt

I didn’t grow up poor, but I certainly didn’t grow up rich. If you were to divide the middle class into lower, middle, and upper my family would probably have been close to the upper part of the lower end. We lived in decent houses, but never one that had air-conditioning or a fireplace. Probably the nicest car we ever drove was a brand new Volkswagen Beetle. I wore decent clothes, but never name brands. The most money my dad ever made in a week was $100 dollars. Every summer my dad would raise ...

232. Keeping His Word

John 14:23-29

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

Keeping our word has a long and positive history in our nation. For generations, a man was known by whether or not he kept his word. His word was his bond. Deal after deal was made on that basis. The essentials of the business world found it always helpful and even necessary for commerce to run smoothly. Some of us can remember vividly how these agreements functioned. Woe be unto that man who did not keep his word! If it happened more than once or twice and there were no extenuating circumstances, he was ...

233. How To Handle Criticism? Keep Moving

Luke 9:51-56

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

How do you like it when people criticize you? The person who first said “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me” either lived as a hermit or was an out-and-out liar. Words can hurt. Words do hurt. Words can hurt a lot. Words can hurt a lot more and do a lot more long-term damage than any puny stick or stone. Studies have shown how lasting an impression, how lifetime an impact, words can have on children. Children who receive constant criticisms about their looks, or their brains ...

234. Keeping Shut About the Good News

Acts 3:1-10; Acts 4:13-20

Sermon

John E. Harnish

A parable, a statistic and a post script… The Parable Once upon a time, a group of people in a small town realized their town was in trouble. So they built a swimming pool, opened it to the neighborhood and invited everyone to come. And the people came. And they were happy. They discovered a new sense of community and the whole town was renewed. The idea spread to other towns and soon there were swimming pools in every town and every neighborhood. Soon there were so many swimming pools, they decided to ...

235. Can a Rich Person Go to Heaven?

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

King Duncan

A man named Murray put the following announcement in his local synagogue’s newsletter: “LOST: a black leather wallet containing precious family photos, personal ID documents, and $875. Finder can keep the photos and documents but please return the money, to which I am attached for sentimental reasons.” One man replaced all the windows in his house with expensive double-pane energy efficient windows. A year later he got a call from the contractor complaining that his work had been completed a whole year and ...

236. All Dressed Up and No Place To Go

Isaiah 61:1-11

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

It was in the sixties that a dynamic music teacher came to the local Junior High School. You will remember that was the decade in which youth began dressing in the sloppiest possible way. Hundreds of young people were attracted to the charm of this man and joined his many projects. We were present at the program featuring the chorus. I was so impressed with the number of youth who filed onto the risers that I counted them - roughly two hundred. Some spark in this teacher ignited a latent sense of beauty ...

237. The Stop That Keeps Us Going

Illustration

"This is the stop that keeps you going." This sign may be seen posted alongside highways at various places. It normally advertises some place of business which caters to people who travel. In the sparsely populated range country of Wyoming, it can be seen at a gasoline station which stands alone with nothing within fifty miles on either side. Without an occasional stop for servicing and refueling, the finest of motor cars would soon sputter to a standstill. A similar sign might be posted by any homemaker ...

238. Leaving A Legacy

1 Kings 2:1-12

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for 18-year-old David Neuer when he met Pope Pius XII in the summer of 1949. David was serving in the navy and was away from home for the first time. David could see the Pope sitting on a chair carried by Swiss guards. It was one of those times when you could feel the excitement surge from the crowd. David had the opportunity to personally greet the Pope. The Pope held out his hand. "I did not know what to do," David remembers of that special day. As David shook his ...

239. The Discipleship Question: Do You Wish To Go Away?

John 6:60-71

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

John C. Purdy, a staff member of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., has written a challenging book entitled Returning God's Call: The Challenge of Christian Living. In it, Purdy suggests that we need a new metaphor for the Christian life. He points out the inadequacy of the old metaphors such as "a soldier in God's army," "a scholar in the school of Christ," "a traveler a long the Christian way," "a citizen of the commonwealth; "and a member of Christ's body." Each of these metaphors has served us well in the ...

240. How to Keep Your Head When Others Are Losing Theirs (Fruit of the Spirit: Peace)

Galatians 5:22

Sermon

James Merritt

What do men want most in their homes? A survey was taken a few years ago to determine what men care about most, and what they hope their wives will understand. The results were shocking. Men did not want expensive furniture, well-equipped garages, or a private study in which to work. What they wanted most was tranquility at home. In other words, they wanted peace.1 I am convinced that everyone is looking for peace. Recently I was in Jerusalem, and I took a taxi down to the Old City. The cab driver was a ...

241. The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

James W. Moore

Have you heard the story about the elderly woman who lived in a small town in East Texas... who had car trouble on the way to the supermarket one morning? Her car stalled at a stop sign... she tried everything to get her car started again, but no luck. Suddenly, a man in a pick-up truck came up behind her and with obvious agitation he started honking his horn at her impatiently. She doubled her efforts to get her car going. She pumped the gas, turned the ignition, but still no luck... the man in the pick- ...

242. Going Fishing

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

David E. Leininger

An old-timer sat on the river bank, obviously awaiting a nibble, though the fishing season had not officially opened. A uniformed officer stood behind him quietly for several minutes. "You the game warden?" the old-timer inquired. "Yup." Unruffled, the old man began to move the fishing pole from side to side. Finally, he lifted the line out of the water. Pointing to a minnow wriggling on the end of the line, he said, "Just teaching him how to swim."(1) Mark Twain once spent a pleasant three weeks in the ...

243. On Keeping Quiet about Easter

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

Is there anything more frustrating than to be reading an interesting article in the newspaper, only to find that the article is “continued on page 7, section C”.... and then turn to page 7, Section C., only to find that someone has either torn off that page or cut an article from the other side and thereby wiped out the conclusion of the story? That’s sort of the way it is with the Gospel of St. Mark. I. SCHOLARS HAVE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME THAT MARK’S GOSPEL IS CUT SHORT AT THE END OF VERSE 8. They know ...

244. Going Into Labor

Mark 13:1-8

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

The Baldwin Hills dam was built on a steep hillside in Southern California overlooking a packed residential community. It was considered an architectural wonder, at least by its designers. It also rested squarely on an earthquake fault. The designers insisted that the fault line would not affect their structure. Nestled away on a hillside, where it would not interfere with development, it served as a storage facility for the waters that follow in the form of rain and snow melt. Then, on December 14, 1963, ...

245. You Can Never Go Home Again

Mark 6:1-6

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

Thomas Wolfe penned the immortal words, “You can never go home again.” Our Gospel documents that truth in a unique way. Early in his ministry, Jesus and his disciples made a tour through his hometown. The people in Nazareth were unable to accept him as the inspired Teacher. Their judgment was limited to how they had always known him: a child, a young man, a carpenter, a local boy. They were unable to see him as Jesus the Rabbi and the Christ to be. And so they rejected him. It was on that occasion that ...

246. Go Fly A Kite

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The health care debate is getting intense, and tense. This past week an unnamed congressman was told by another member of Congress to “Go fly a kite.” There is another meaning to that phrase than “Buck Off” or “Go Jump In The Lake.” I think I can count on all of you over 40 having seen a movie named “Mary Poppins.” Am I right? How many of you have never seen that Disney classic? . . . Wow. [React to how few, or how many.] Those of you who have seen this movie know that it’s a story about a magical nanny ...

247. Keeping on Top

Romans 12:21

Children's Sermon

Object: A cork, tub, or pan of water. (It would be good to have enough small corks to pass out). Good morning to you, boys and girls. I say that to you every week, don’t I? Maybe you could help me find something new to say. In the New Testament they sometimes said, "Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ," or "Grace be to you." Well, anyway, maybe you will help me find something new to say to you. Has anybody ever called you a cork? You heard me right, has anyone said to you, "Hi, Cork?" No? Well, that’s ...

248. Why Should I Go On Living?

Matthew 12:38-45

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

The question came to me again this past week, as it does again and again with almost monotonous regularity: "Pastor, this friend of mine has decided to commit suicide. I think he’s really serious about it. What can I do about him?" The story, too, was typical. Here was a young man twenty-two years of age. He had been married and divorced while he was still in high school. He joined the Marines and was married the second time. He was sent to Vietnam where he became somewhat of a hero. He was credited as ...

249. Be Hatched or Go Bad

Mark 16:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Christ is Risen! [The people respond:] He is risen indeed! Happy Easter, everyone! “Because I live,” Jesus said in John 14:19, “you also will live.” I wonder: how many of you are sitting out there, festooned in your Easter Sunday best, but your fingers are slightly stained? How many of you colored Easter eggs this weekend? I do think I can see some pinks, blues, greens, and purples shining on your fingers from all the Easter eggs you colored, hid, found, cracked, or consumed. Take comfort in this: you are ...

250. Let's Go Fishing

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

David E. Leininger

An old-timer sat on the river bank, obviously awaiting a nibble, though the fishing season had not officially opened. A uniformed officer stood behind him quietly for several minutes. “You the game warden?” the old-timer inquired. “Yup.” Unruffled, the old man began to move the fishing pole from side to side. Finally, he lifted the line out of the water. Pointing to a minnow wriggling on the end of the line, he said, “Just teaching him how to swim.”[1] Mark Twain once spent a pleasant three weeks in the ...

Showing results

Showing 226 to 250 of 4946 results

226. The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Acts 20:13-38

Sermon

James Merritt

227. Everything Must Go: If I Were a Rich Man

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

James Merritt

228. God Can’t Keep a Good Secret!

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

229. When Will The Pain Go Away?

Matthew 24:1-35

Sermon

George Johnson

230. Getting Off the Merry-Go-Round

Romans 8:1-11

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

231. Everything Must Go: Striking It Rich

1 Timothy 6:3-10

Sermon

James Merritt

232. Keeping His Word

John 14:23-29

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

233. How To Handle Criticism? Keep Moving

Luke 9:51-56

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

234. Keeping Shut About the Good News

Acts 3:1-10; Acts 4:13-20

Sermon

John E. Harnish

235. Can a Rich Person Go to Heaven?

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

King Duncan

236. All Dressed Up and No Place To Go

Isaiah 61:1-11

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

237. The Stop That Keeps Us Going

Illustration

238. Leaving A Legacy

1 Kings 2:1-12

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

239. The Discipleship Question: Do You Wish To Go Away?

John 6:60-71

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

240. How to Keep Your Head When Others Are Losing Theirs (Fruit of the Spirit: Peace)

Galatians 5:22

Sermon

James Merritt

241. The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

James W. Moore

242. Going Fishing

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

David E. Leininger

243. On Keeping Quiet about Easter

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

244. Going Into Labor

Mark 13:1-8

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

245. You Can Never Go Home Again

Mark 6:1-6

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

246. Go Fly A Kite

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

247. Keeping on Top

Romans 12:21

Children's Sermon

248. Why Should I Go On Living?

Matthew 12:38-45

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

249. Be Hatched or Go Bad

Mark 16:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

250. Let's Go Fishing

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

David E. Leininger

An old-timer sat on the river bank, obviously awaiting a nibble, though the fishing season had not officially opened. A uniformed officer stood behind him quietly for several minutes. “You the game warden?” the old-timer inquired. “Yup.” Unruffled, the old man began to move the fishing pole from side to side. Finally, he lifted the line out of the water. Pointing to a minnow wriggling on the end of the line, he said, “Just teaching him how to swim.”[1] Mark Twain once spent a pleasant three weeks in the ...

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