Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2501 to 2525 of 4943 results

2501. Zechariah II: Thy Prayer is Heard

Luke 1:5-25

Sermon

John E. Harnish

The problem was there were just too many priests. All the male descendents of Aaron formed the royal priesthood, and as the years rolled on they multiplied. There were just too many to handle the daily religious routine and ritual of the temple, so they were organized in divisions—Zechariah was in the Division of Abijah—then they were assigned on a rotating schedule, maybe only serving a few weeks every year. Then within that band of servants, they cast lots, like the roll of the dice, to see who would ...

2502. Looking Out for Others

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

Being able to synthesize in such a way that harmony can be the outcome is among the many things the Apostle Paul does well. The often-pesky church at Corinth desperately needed such a skill, written and practiced in charity. To follow his inspired advice comes as a gift to all of us, 2,000 years ago or today. The individualistic Christianity, largely the work of Protestants, has been and is both a bane and balm, for us. To do our own thing is commendable and perhaps essential but it can prove utterly ...

2503. Anywhere But Home

Mark 6:1-13

Sermon

George Reed

The Gospel of Mark is filled with action. From the beginning Jesus is teaching, healing, and casting out demons. By the time we get to chapter 6, we have witnessed many miracles which Jesus has done. Then he comes home to Nazareth. Nazareth, that little backwater town that is despised and looked down on by the rest of Israel. Here is their big chance to show that something good can come out of Nazareth. We would expect that the Nazareth Gazette would run the headline, "Local Boy Makes Good" or that there ...

2504. With Friends Like These ...

Job 38:1-7 (34-41)

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is a favorite book of children and adults alike. Things are always going wrong in Alexander's life, and we can identify with his laments. Alexander goes to bed with gum in his mouth and wakes up with gum in his hair. His teacher likes his friend Paul's sailboat picture better than Alexander's invisible castle, which she can't quite see. At the lunch table, while others are enjoying various delicious sweets, Alexander discovers that his mother is ...

2505. John the Stall Cleaner

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

“Prep Time.” Do those two words have as much meaning to anyone here as two other new words to the English language: “Thanksgiving pants.” [Those are pants with elastic or expandable waists.] I won’t ask how many of you are still wearing those “Thanksgiving pants” to church this morning. Anyone who is trying to organize and host a get together during this busy holiday season knows that what takes the most time is “prep time.” Even Rachael Ray, who cheats by having all her veggies pre-washed, her chicken ...

2506. FaithRace

2 Timothy 4:6-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

There is no excuse for not running the race of life. Christians need no longer fear that their lives are going nowhere - like some kind of hamster-wheel marathon. Christians are called to join the faithrace, where the "finish" line is just the beginning of our life in Christ. Paul chose his words carefully when he proclaimed to his long-time companion Timothy that he had fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith. But today, one is reluctant to reinforce the athletic imagery. In medieval ...

2507. UpTime

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Downtime is uptime if it's God's time. It's been a long time now since we marked the celebration of Easter on the church's calendar. It's an even longer time until the seasons of Advent and Christmas return. It seems that the hot, humid days of summer are the time of year we set aside not only to get a break from school or take a vacation from our job, but also as a time when we take a little "time off" from God. The fluidity of summertime schedules means that more families are out of town, and Sunday ...

2508. These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Matthew 10:24-39

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Let us proclaim and offer thanks for our "favorite things": "the beauty of the earth," the "bounty of creation" and the blessings of this life. When the time comes and all is revealed, Jesus announces in this week's text that we disciples are to shout from the rooftops that which Jesus has revealed to us in secret. What had Jesus made known to his first disciples? He was the Son of God. What had Jesus shared with his first disciples? The Good News of the gospel. What had Jesus revealed to his disciples? ...

2509. Ten Commandments of Trust

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Although our coins read "In God we trust," trust is a scarce commodity these days. Perhaps we have forgotten the Ten Commandments of Trust. The issue of trust is one of the most crucial question facing postmoderns today. - The catch phrase of the wildly popular "X Files" TV show declares, "Trust no one; fear everything." - The mistrust between Republicans and Democrats has led to multiple forced government shutdowns as the battle over who can be trusted to balance the federal budget rages. - Social " ...

2510. Joy and Crown

Philippians 4:1

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Life's real "crown of joy" is a life rich and deep in personal relationships. Some banks have recently announced that it will now cost you extra if you want to deal with an actual human being. Convinced that it is cheaper to depend on the speed and efficiency of the unsalaried Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) outside their lobbies, many banks are now levying on customers an additional service charge to use a human teller. It is getting harder and harder to make genuine human connections during the regular ...

2511. And Again I Say...Amen!

Luke 6:27-36

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

What are the marks of an Amen discipleship? How would a Yes spirit manifest itself? The second of a two-part sermon. When your car starts making bad noises _ banging, or whining, or knocking _ you take it in to get its carburetor, or timing, or fan belt adjusted. When some people feel achy or out-of-sorts, they get a chiropractic "adjustment." There are many Christians out there this morning who are also making whiny noises or creaking and cracking and causing pain to others around them. When Jesus urged ...

2512. The Kingdom of God Has Come Close

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The Bible says there are many for whom "the Kingdom of God has come close." Close is not good enough. What is preventing us from experiencing the presence and power of God in our midst? Winston Churchill had just delivered his tremendous "Blood, Sweat and Tears" speech. Harold Nicholson heard it, went home and wrote in his diary: "Winston makes a very short statement, but to the point." (Harold Nicholson, Diaries and Letters 1930-64, ed. Stanley Olson [New York: Atheneum, 1980], 83.) A newspaper editor in ...

2513. Do Not Grow Weary in Well-Doing

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

At the same time Christians are called to rest and not grow weary, we are called to strain for the mark of our high calling and labor for the reign of God on earth as in heaven. In sum, the church is called to be at the same time a rest stop and a rescue shop. There is a Frank and Ernest cartoon that has the two of them riding a road that is marked by an arrow "Road to Success." But up ahead is another sign: "Be Prepared to Stop." In a world that prizes bigness, we need to be reminded that small is ...

2514. Lent 2

Mark 8:31--9:1, Romans 4:1-25, Genesis 17:1-27

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 17:1-27 This is the account of Yahweh's covenant with Abraham. As with Noah, Yahweh offers a covenant with Abraham. Through the covenant Yahweh offers him a people, a land, a son and a God. The outward sign of the covenant is circumcision. The effect of the covenant is a change in Abraham's life symbolized by the change of his name from Abram to Abraham. In response Abraham has the responsibility to walk before Yahweh and to live blamelessly. Yet, when Yahweh informed him ...

2515. How to Fail Successfully - Sermon Starter

Mark 6:1-13

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

It's amazing what we do with funny stories. We apply them to whomever we wish. For instance, you might hear one funny story with the legendary coach Bear Bryant as the primary actor. When you hear it again, the primary actor may be Johnny Majors. I heard a marvelous story sometime ago about Thomas Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer for the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company in fact, he told the story on himself. Lately I've been hearing it about President Clinton. So the story goes with the new ...

2516. Wise, Worshipful, and Wonderfully Wayward

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

We used to tell these people, “Get off your high horse.” I never knew what that meant literally, for they weren’t on any horse, high or low. But we all knew what the expression meant. Is there anyone more annoying, more off-putting, more “fur-rubbed-the-wrong-way,” than someone who is convinced they are “better” than you? Whether they are richer, or smarter, or prettier, or stronger, there are those who love going around “on their high horse.” In junior highs and high schools “cliques” rule the world. ...

2517. Great Expectations

1 Peter 1:3-5

Sermon

James Merritt

Easter, without question, is the greatest event that has ever happened that is the focal point of all history. Every time you write down a date you are using the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the reference point. When you write down the year 2003, you mean 2,003 years from what? Well, you obviously mean 2,003 years from the very event that we are celebrating today—the fact that the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive. But we still have to ask the question—Why is Easter so special? Why do over one billion ...

2518. Decoding the Da Vinci Code (Part Two - Explaining the Facts)

1 Peter 3:15

Sermon

James Merritt

There is a true, but old story about a pastor who went to see a play one time that featured a very famous British actor and the theater was just packed. He noticed that a lot of the people there were members of his church who hardly ever attended church. He happened to meet with this actor the next day and he asked him this question, "How do you draw such large crowds by presenting fiction while I present facts and hardly anyone comes to here me?" The actor, who had been at this man's church before, said " ...

2519. The Masterpiece

Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-28

Sermon

James Merritt

From the time God created the first man, God began speaking to all men. For over one thousand years, God had been speaking and revealing Himself to different people at different times and different places. He spoke to Moses as he wrote the first five books of the Bible. He gave psalms to David, proverbs to Solomon and prophecy to the prophets. For over one millennia God had spoken practically nonstop. Then, when the last prophet named, Malachi wrote his last words and put his pen down, God for the first ...

2520. No Intimidation

Luke 13:31-35

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

Boldness is necessary to accomplish ministry, especially that which is prophetic and points to judgment. Our dear Lord is boldly assertive and wants there to be no doubt about what his Father has sent him to accomplish. He provides both a lesson and model for us. Our timidity in the face of odds is not becoming to those who profess to follow Christ. Only when it covers a determined soul for the faith is it in keeping with our commitment. Let's face it, some of the most timid souls in church can be ...

2521. Counting the Cost of Discipleship

Luke 14:25-33

Sermon

Ron Lavin

The best thing to say to a pastor after you hear a sermon that moves you is not, "That was a good sermon." That's a little better than saying, "That was a lousy sermon," but in saying, "That was a good sermon," you may be missing the point of preaching. The point of preaching is for the listeners to put the Word of God into action. Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish theologian, says that the role of listeners in a devotional address is not that of an audience at a play. The pastor's role, he says, is not that ...

2522. The Good News about Marriage

Mark 10:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

A man laid his purchases on the check-out counter. Among those purchases was a large birthday card. On it was printed, “To my wonderful wife.” The clerk said, “You’ve chosen our biggest and prettiest card.” The man nodded sadly and replied, “Yep, but one day late.” Oops, somebody’s in trouble. But every married person knows that a good marriage takes work. “Marriages don’t last,” comedian Rita Rudner once said. “When I meet a guy, the first question I ask myself is: Is this the man I want my children to ...

2523. A House for Our Home and a Home for Our Faith

2 Timothy 1:1-2:13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

An army officer, his wife, and two children were living in a hotel while he was on a temporary military assignment. One day, a guest in the hotel saw one of the little girls playing house in the lobby. She was saddened for the little girl and said, I’m so sorry that you don’t have a home. The little girl responded quickly, oh we have a home, we don’t have a house to put it in. This is Mother’s Day and the festival of the Christian home and I want to talk about that word of the little girl. But I want to ...

2524. Your King Comes

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

King Duncan

Belle Starr was one of the few women outlaws in the Old West, and so she gained widespread notoriety. One day, Judge Isaac Parker was attempting to try a case, but he couldn’t get the courtroom’s attention. Even the members of the jury had wandered from the jury box to stare out the courtroom windows. What was the source of all the excitement? Outlaw Belle Starr was riding by on her horse, and everyone in town wanted to catch a glimpse of her. The judge had to call a five-minute recess to deal with the ...

2525. In You and Through You

1 Thessalonians 2:9-13

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

In the book, How To Find Out Who You Are, Nelson Price reports that 15 prominent college professors took this challenge: "If all the books on the art of moving human beings into action were condensed into one brief statement, what would that statement be?" The result of their deliberations were four statements: What the mind attends to, it considers; What the mind does not attend it to, it dismisses. What the mind attends to continually, it believes. What the mind believes, it eventually does. If you ...

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