Sermon and Worship Resources

Matthew 5:17-20

Sermon

James Merritt

... reminded of a dialogue that took place in a class one day when the teacher came in and welcomed the students and said, "Now I want to lay down some ground rules. First, since no one has the truth, you should be open-minded to the opinions of your fellow students." ... You see, I invented this watch and I can tell you there's no other time piece like it in the world." The man said, "Mister, I want to buy that watch, and I'll pay you $2,000 for it right now." The man said, "Oh no, it's not for sale." He reached ...

2627. Murder in the First Degree

Matthew 5: 21-26

Sermon

James Merritt

... I have a rule. We don't fight on Saturday nights. You know why? Because I have to preach on Sunday morning. Now I don't want you to get the idea that we fight the other six nights of the week. Quite frankly, I gave her an unconditional surrender several years ago ... him alive. I put my arms around him and hugged him and kissed him and said, "Dad, I love you. You are my best man." I want to die right with God. To be right with God I must have made every effort to be right with my fellow man. Incidentally, there' ...

2628. For His Eyes Only

Matthew 6:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

... that would qualify you for this job?" Or, they may ask you something like this: "What character qualities do you have that would make me want to hire you?" But if you will think back to any job interview you have ever had you were never asked this question: "Why do ... used the money, said, "Nothing, Sir, I was just glad to help you. I just fulfilled the Golden Rule." The man said, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" He said, "I'd like to be a doctor." The Parliamentarian got this boy's name and years ...

2629. A Bridge over Troubled Waters

Psalm 23:2

Sermon

James Merritt

... in the height of their quiet time. It’s when they’re peaceful, it’s when they’re growing, it’s when they get strength for the journey. If sheep do not eat, and if they do not drink, and if they do not rest, they will die. Any shepherd wants his sheep to be strong and healthy. The good Shepherd Jesus is no different. When we enter into His green pastures and feed on His word, and we get beside the still waters and drink from His Spirit, we are refreshed with His peace. Life is like a symphony. In ...

2630. No Place Like Home

Psalm 128:1-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.” (v.1) The word “blessed” is the Hebrew word for “happy.” God wants every home to be a happy home, but as you are going to see a happy home is a holy home. Incidentally, there’s ... to the Lord, that’s when we are the happiest. Because when you are happy in the Lord, you’ll be happy with each other. I want to say very plainly, but very firmly, you will never have the home that you could have had, or should have had, until your home ...

2631. Almost Persuaded

Matthew 19:16-30

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... over this young man, Jesus suspected that his soul might be in the bank with his stocks and bonds. So Jesus said, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” That ... his fist in the face of Almighty God, saying, “I don’t care what you command or prefer. I’m going to do what I want to. If you don’t like it, tough!” God’s patience with us is incredible and his grace is truly amazing. Because he loves us ...

2632. From Selfishness to Servanthood

Matthew 20:20-28

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... like the saying, “Rank has its privileges.” But among Christians rank has its costs. The higher your rank, the more you must serve. James Moore, a Methodist pastor in Houston, tells about a man who decided to join a certain church. He said to the pastor, “I want to join because I want to be fed.” The pastor replied, “Well, that’s fine, but we all would be better off if you would take off your bib and put on an apron!” (6) Perhaps the pastor was a bit hard on this man, but he needed to make a ...

2633. Holy Habits

1 Timothy 4:1-16

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... I hope so. HERE IS SUGGESTION NUMBER 4 FOR HOLY HABITS IN 2007—I WILL CONTROL MY TONGUE. Of course, we mean with God’s help. One of my New Year’s resolutions is that I will not make any comment about a bad golf shot that I would not want the Lord to overhear. Several weeks ago we conducted the funeral for one of the great saints of Christ Church, D.A. Noel. As I listened to people talk about D.A., I heard this comment countless times—“He would never say a negative word about anybody.” Wouldn’t ...

2634. A Defiant Response to a Dangerous Theology: Does God Desire to Wipe Us Out?

Gn 6:1-8. 9:6-17

Sermon

... renounce having believed it. Clearly, he did the former. But he never did the latter. But the bigger question is this. Where did we get the idea that God uses nature to punish humans? Well, from the Bible, that's where. You may not like it. And I may not want to admit it. But there's ample evidence of it. So what do we do with it? We have to start by looking directly at it. In Genesis 19:24, "fire and brimstone" are said to have rained down upon an entire city, so much so that "the smoke of ...

2635. Are You a Taker or a Giver?

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... told the author, "Trust me, I know some kids who are guilty of parent abuse." He continues, "They feel like they own their parents and that they could just take all their parents' money out of the their bank account and run away if they wanted." One family therapist commented, "Sometimes I think I'm too old-fashioned to practice in today's world. Half the time the children act like adults and the adults behave like children."3 Are we getting the picture? It starts at birth — cared-for, coddled, diapers ...

2636. Christ’s Twin

Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... Christ died for you, you are now a child of God. As a child of God, you can afford to be humble. That is, you can enter all relationships on a win/win basis. You can even afford to be a servant. That is, there are times when you will want to be even more generous with others than you are with yourself. Giving to those who do not merit it. Laying down your life for another. All this is possible to you because of who you are becoming. You are becoming Christ’s twin. 1. (Dallas, Texas: Word Publishing, 1991 ...

2637. Discipleship: The Beauty and the Cross

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... to the family. The bowl was very excited for it hoped that now was his chance to again serve. But what could he do; no one ever noticed him. Then he heard a woman walking toward him. She looked right at him, smiled and said, "This is precisely what I want. You are lovely and will do a fine job of serving my family." The bowl was overjoyed. He had never been called lovely before — servant, yes, but not lovely. The woman picked him up and took him to the counter to pay and as she did the bowl passed by ...

2638. Where Are You From?

John 18:1-19:42

Sermon

David T. Ball

... shoes having failed to spirit me out of that seat and back home no matter how many times, like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, I click their heels and mutter, "There's no place like home," our "conversation," if you can call it that when only one person wants to participate in it, launches into a new phase with one simple question, one that's so hard to avoid answering. And if answered, it gives my seatmate enough to go on to prolong my misery for the remainder of the flight. "So, where are you from?" Oh, boy ...

2639. Keep the Stars in Your Eyes

Ephesians 1:3-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2640. Holy Hocus-Pocus!

Mark 13:1-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2641. Hear the Vision?

1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2642. The One and Only Original Sin

1 Peter 3:18-22

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2643. The Trace of Grace

Ephesians 2:1-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2644. Count Your Wows!

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2645. Waging Wisdom

James 3:13—4:8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2646. The Great Postmodern Soul Train

Mark 13:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2647. An Advent Attitude

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2648. Stable-Time

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2649. The Perfect Time to Lose Your Luggage

Colossians 3:12-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on Madison Avenue. Spirituality sells almost as much now as sex. Tierry Mugler calls his popular scent "Angel"; Karl Lagerfeld names his "Sun, Moon, Stars." The Gap introduces a unisex fragrance OM, which was presented to Gap executives on the Buddha's birthday. "I wanted to do a fragrance about simplicity, sensuality and spirituality." Or look at Kentucky Fried Chicken ads, where a girl is on her bed in a yoga position doing her mantra. Aveda is doing a line of products for Deepak Chopra's wellness centers ...

2650. Just Showing Up Doesn't Get the Job Done

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Resist the temptation to slide into being an "American" Christian. Be present with passion. Be Yourself. It has always been true: Everybody wants everyone else to be just like them. Oscar Wilde said that the first duty in life is to be as artificial as ... " because God has need of the unique gifts and strengths each one of us has to offer to this place and time. God wants you to be just like you. God wants you to be who you are. An old cowboy saying declares: "You can put a boot in the oven, but it won't ...