Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2576 to 2600 of 4943 results

2576. Humanity Reaching Out

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

There is a humanity that lives within us and among us that is always responsive to the showing forth of God whenever and wherever it happens. It is in the response of our humanity to the showing forth of God that fullness of life emerges. But there is also an inhumanity that lives among us -- and sometimes within us -- that pays no attention to God and that works to stifle real humanity wherever it lives. It also stifles life. We live our lives, and the world lives out its history, in the conflict between ...

2577. I Wonder about the Miracles in the Bible

John 2:1-11

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Pre-marital counseling can be an adventure for pastors. You never know what two people filled with passion will say. I recall talking with a couple a few years ago about their upcoming nuptials. I was explaining to them the wedding ceremony. When I got to the reference of Jesus being at a wedding reception in Cana of Galilee and turning the water into wine, the soon to be groom interrupted me mid-sentence and asked, “You really don’t believe that happened, do you? I mean, that sounds like a trumped up ...

2578. Job's Second Reply to Eliphaz

Job 16:1-17:16

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

Miserable Comforters Job returns to the discussion even more hopeless than before. Whereas he had expressed a determination to carry his case before God when he last responded to Zophar (chs. 12–14), he now seems almost resigned to defeat and rejection by human beings and by God. By the end of this response to Eliphaz, Job declares his hopelessness and prepares to go down to Sheol unrequited (17:16). 16:1–3 As often before, Job’s response begins with a critique of his friends’ lack of compassion and ...

2579. Jesus' Guide to Wise Investing

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

King Duncan

A sixth-grade teacher posed the following problem to one of her arithmetic classes: “A wealthy man dies and leaves ten million dollars. One-fifth is to go to his wife, one-fifth is to go to his son, one-sixth to his nephew, and the rest to charity. Now, what does each get?” After a very long silence in the classroom, one little fellow raised his hand. With complete sincerity in his voice, he answered, “A lawyer.” He’s probably right. Most of us are quite serious when it comes to money. It is estimated that ...

2580. Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

“Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!” Many of us can still remember television’s Jim Nabors as Private Gomer Pyle, USMC, his eyes closed, a broad smile creasing his face, weaving his head and shoulders back and forth as he said that phrase. Surprises always pleased Gomer. He accepted them as gifts. Maybe that’s because Gomer was easy to surprise. He was naïve and rather simple. His heart was pure and he always assumed the best in, and expected the best from, people. Even when people, or the world, for that ...

2581. Seeking Joy

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

King Duncan

Some technical writers who provide product descriptions and instructions on labels for us to follow, obviously get bored with their jobs. Why else would they add catchy little instructions on the labels that have no practicality except to add a little pizzazz to their work? For example, there is an anonymous manufacturer of cotton T-shirts who added these wash instructions to the inside tag: “For Best Results: Machine wash cold. Tumble dry low. Never iron [the design on the shirt].” He could have stopped ...

2582. Lent 4

Psalm 32:1-11, Joshua 5:1-12, 2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2, Luke 15:1-7

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

A Father And Two Sons Jesus never discussed abstract and systematic theology as far as we have reported. He did communicate profound insights about the nature of God, human nature, and the relationship between God and people. The parable in today's passage is one of those instances where he did so very graphically. The parable is frequently called "The Prodigal Son." It is sometimes referred to as "The Lost Son" or "The Two Lost Sons." The parable does focus on the attitudes and behavior of the two sons. ...

2583. Life's Final Flight

2 Kings 2:1-18

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

Some of the largest ads in newspapers, and some of the best commercials on television, deal with flying. Some people think that flying is "the only way to go," others fly only because they must and "white-knuckle" it all the way, and some simply refuse to fly at all, claiming that "if God intended us to fly he would have given us wings." Some delightful stories come out of airplane experiences. One such tale deals with the time when the passengers in a large jet plane were already anxious because of bad ...

2584. What’s a Sunday For?

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

The text is one you memorized in kindergarten. It’s one of the Ten Commandments. However, what we just heard from the lips of Jesus is his own unique interpretation: “Keep holy the Sabbath day ... The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” That text refers to the day you and I observe as Sunday. And so, I am asking, “What’s A Sunday For?” It is of great interest to me how many Christians think the Sabbath Commandment is about work, while others think it is about rest. What is of even greater ...

2585. Advent's "Invisible" Man

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

The idea of-the invisibility in our culture is no new thing. The great H.G. Wells wrote a book called The Invisible Man. In it he imaginatively explores the development of a professor's ingenious use of science to effect his own invisibility. Invisibility becomes a metaphor for invincibility. His becoming invisible is by his own choosing. He literally disappears with the ingestion of a certain chemical solution, which eventually drives him insane. The point here is this man, Griffin, chooses to become ...

2586. Six Nails of the Cross VI: The Nail of Cruelty

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

I don't know of any time in my life when I have sought more anxiously a relief from the intensity of the drama of the Lenten season. I know that it is not time yet, that the suffering and agony of the crucifixion must precede the joyous proclamation of the resurrection. Yet my heart and my mind revolt against this continual confession of personal inadequacy, of personal pride and guilt. Never before have I longed so for the peace and comfort which my church can give me; for the contented and comfortable ...

2587. This God’s For Real!

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

Is there a God? Can you be sure of it? Couldn’t we just put the whole idea of God into mothballs? Haven’t most people by now? If there is God, he hasn’t shown his face enough to keep us thinking of him, has he? Wouldn’t - shouldn’t - he keep a high profile if he wanted us to know he is for real? In spite of the fact that secularity seems to be taking over in America the way it did some years ago in Europe, surveys still turn up the same conclusions: People by an overwhelming number, even in the high- ...

2588. The Time of Our Visitation

Sermon

Leonard Mann

You know how it was that Jesus of Nazareth began his career as a teacher and public figure in Galilee. You know how John came out of the wilderness and preached to the people who gathered around him on the banks of the Jordan. You know how for many long centuries the Jewish people had looked for the coming of their Messiah. When John appeared, their scholars speculated that perhaps this impassioned wilderness man might, actually be the Expected One. They sent their representatives to inquire of him ...

2589. This Is Our Song

Psalm 121:1-8

Sermon

Michael J. Anton

You are pilgrims. I am a pilgrim. This is our song: "I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?" Like all pilgrims, I’m on a journey. It’s a very important trip. It’s not just a quickie weekend jaunt, in and out of a motel. It’s more than an overnight camp out. It’s even longer than a sweepstakes winning tour of the world. I’m on a journey every day of my life; life is that kind of trip. The trip is sometimes a fearful and anxious one. I lift my eyes to find help somewhere in those hills ...

2590. The Second Touch for the Out of Touch

1 Kings 19:1-18

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

There’s an old legend that tells how God sent one of his angels to Satan with the message that all the methods the devil uses to defeat Christians would be taken from him. The devil pleaded to be allowed to keep only one. The angel, thinking it an unusual, modest request from the greedy devil, agreed Satan could keep that one. “Which one would you want to keep?” the angel inquired. “Let me keep discouragement,” was Lucifer’s reply. The angel agreed. Satan could keep discouragement. And the devil rejoiced ...

2591. The Healing Power of the Cross

Luke 23:26-43, Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-49

Sermon

James W. Moore

Each year on Good Friday here at St. Luke’s, our Chancel Choir gives a magnificent performance of Dubois’ sacred cantata, “The Seven Last Words of Christ,”… a moving musical presentation of the seven sayings of Christ while He was being crucified on Good Friday. How many of those seven last words can; you remember? First, He prays for His executioners – “Father forgive them, they know not what they do." Second, He says to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise." Third, He provides ...

2592. Preparing For God's Great Gift

Matthew 24:36-51

Sermon

King Duncan

CBS News Anchor Dan Rather writes about watching the Flying Valentis while growing up. He writes, "Walking past a vacant lot on our way to school early in the morning, we would come across the Flying Valentis practicing in their long tights and tank tops." The Flying Valentis were a troupe of circus acrobats who traveled and performed throughout the United States. "Although we were used to their art," Rather recalls, "the Flying Valentis never ceased being the wonder of the neighborhood. Every morning it ...

2593. Loved By The Father

Galatians 3:26--4:7

Sermon

King Duncan

Dan Jarrell was speaking at a FamilyLife Marriage Conference when a man came up and handed him a letter. The letter told of this man's lifelong desire to hear his father say, "I love you." His father had died in World War II, when this man was only three years old. His mother had often assured him of his father's love as he was growing up, but it didn't fill the void he felt. One day, this man, now 40 years old, was helping his mother move. She gave him an old Army picture of his father. The picture ...

2594. Sealed with a Prayer: The Seventh Word

Luke 23:44-49

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Tonight, we bring our Lenten journey to a close. We have examined and reflected on the Seven Last Words of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ from the Cross. So far, we have heard our Lord share these words: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." He shares with a repentant thief the promise, "Today you will be with me in Paradise." We saw Jesus commit the care of His mother, Mary, to his closest friend John. Then we heard that powerful cry from the cross, "My God, My God, why hast thou ...

2595. The Hillside and the Basket

John 6:1-15

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

There is a certain rock known as a geode. From the outside it is but a dull-looking stone. Yet crack it open and one discovers a breathtaking array of crystals in a hollow core. I feel like I'm holding an uncracked geode in my hands when I look at a Bible text. I know there is a powerful blessing in the passage. It must simply be opened to the light by preaching. So to the text, the story of the feeding of the multitudes, we now turn. There Was a Need! Our text begins with a human need. Jesus had been ...

2596. The Art Of Borrowing And Lending A Donkey

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Imagine it. You've just bought a brand new BMW. You have had it a week. It only has 200 miles on it. You are coming to church on Sunday morning and you stop by the bank to get a little bit of cash from the automatic teller. While you are there, two men walk up and tell you that their leader has told them to borrow your car because their master is going to ride in it down Poplar Avenue to the center of the city to demonstrate who he is. They tell you that they will have the car back to you in about three ...

2597. Easter 7

John 17:1-11, Acts 1:6-14, 1 Peter 4:12-19; 5:6-11, Psalm 68

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 1:(1-7) 8-14 At his ascension, Jesus promised to send the Spirit to the disciples. The risen Lord meets with his eleven disciples a short distance from Jerusalem where before ascending to his Father, he promises them the Spirit who will give them power to witness throughout the world. Then they returned to an upper room in Jerusalem to pray. With the disciples are Jesus' brothers and mother. This is her last appearance in the New Testament - she is seen among the first Christians ...

2598. In the Darkness of Suspicion, There Is the Light of Devotion

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

It was a few days after Christmas. A mother was busy cleaning up the den, putting everything away, taking the Christmas tree down. Her son came in and saw her and said, “Mama, what are you doing?” She said, “I’m putting all our Christmas stuff away.” He asked in reply, “Why are you doing that?” She answered, “So everything will be back to normal again.” His response to that was, “Mama, I don’t want things to get back to normal again.” On this second Sunday after Christmas, we have the thought in our minds ...

2599. When Do You Feel God's Pleasure?

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

James W. Moore

Jerry Seinfeld once said, “Men don’t want to know what’s on TV, they want to know what else is on TV!” That explains why one night recently I was channel-surfing with my television remote control. Suddenly, there it was… the great movie, Chariots of Fire. It came out in 1981… and went on to win four Academy Awards and one of those Oscars was for “Best Picture of the Year.” The film is based on a true story about the Olympic Games of 1924. One of the main characters in the movie is a young man from Scotland ...

2600. A Trip to God's Woodshed

Hebrews 12: 5-11

Sermon

James Merritt

I heard about a young boy that went off to one of these extremely expensive universities. The bills were coming in monthly to these parents, and they were struggling to keep their head above water. One day his mother received a letter from him that read like this: Dear Mom: I'm writing to inform you that I have flunked all of my courses. I had an accident and totally wrecked my car. I owe the clothing store in town $2000, and I have been suspended for the next semester because of misconduct. I am coming ...

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