Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2701 to 2725 of 4943 results

2701. Yes!

Jeremiah 1:1-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

A few years ago there was a hot slogan aimed at kids who found themselves facing the temptations of drugs, alcohol, sex, peer pressure of all kinds. "Just Say No!" Easier said than done . . . as anyone who has longed to fit in, be popular, or just avoid making a scene can tell you. Sometimes to just say no is the hardest thing there is to say. It's so much easier to go along to get along, to blend in with the crowd, to avoid that super-sensitive social radar that picks-up and picks-on anyone who is ...

2702. The Problem with Busybodies

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

Sermon

King Duncan

One of the earliest newspapers in Paris, France, was created in the 1750s by a woman named Madame Doublet. Madame Doublet had an interesting and effective technique for gathering news: each morning, she sent one of her servants to gather all the gossip from other servants who worked in wealthy households. According to Smithsonian magazine, Madame Doublet’s servant may have been “the first reporter in the history of French journalism.” After making the rounds of all the fashionable neighborhoods, the ...

2703. Living in the Red

Galatians 6:11-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Once upon a time there was a court jester who had served the Caliph at Baghdad and his court, keeping them amused whenever they called on him. One day in a moment of thoughtlessness, he offended the Caliph. For his impertinence, the Caliph ordered that the jester be put to death. "However," said the ruler, "in consideration of your many years of service, I will let you decide how you will die." "Well," replied the jester, "if it's all the same to you, O most generous Caliph, I choose death by old age." ...

2704. Abundant Life

John 10:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

The college faculty gathered for their weekly meeting. A professor of archeology brought with him a lamp recently unearthed in the Middle East. It was reported to contain a genie, who, when the lamp was rubbed would appear and grant one wish. A professor of philosophy was particularly intrigued. He grabbed the lamp and rubbed it vigorously. Suddenly a genie appeared and made him an offer. He could choose one of three rewards: wealth, wisdom, or beauty. Without hesitating, the philosophy professor selected ...

2705. What's Your Hospitality Quotient?

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

King Duncan

A certain county agent had to go to a farm in his jurisdiction to talk with the farmer about a matter of county business. Walking up the dirt road leading to the farm, he encountered signs that read things like: “Trespassers will be shot,” “Beware of Dog,” “Keep Out . . . This Means You!” Finally arriving at the door, he was greeted by a smiling, congenial farmer. When the county agent was ready to leave, the farmer said to him, “Come and see me again sometime. I don’t get many visitors up this way.” Well ...

2706. When God's Rule is Taken Out of the School

Job 21:22

Sermon

James Merritt

There is a story about two neighbors who grew up in a farming town. They had suffered through a long dry season, and there wasn't enough hay to keep the cows fed. So one of the neighbors came up with the idea that the two of them ought to go into the hay merchandising business. They bought a truck, drove to another state where they bought hay for $3.00 a bale. They then brought it home and sold it for $2.50 a bale. After about two months in the business, one neighbor looked at the other one and said, "You ...

2707. A Deserter in God's Army

1 Timothy 4:9-10

Sermon

James Merritt

One of the most fascinating cities I have had the privilege of visiting is the City of Rome, Italy. If you ever go there, one of the main attractions in the very heart of the city is the ancient ruins of the Roman Coliseum. This was the place where chariot races were held, and where the Christians were fed to the lions. Right across the way from that coliseum, underground, dug out of rock, are the remains of what was called the Mammertine Prison. It was literally carved out of stone. There were no windows ...

2708. Going For the Gold

Joshua 1:1-9

Sermon

James Merritt

We have just finished two weeks here in Atlanta watching over 10,000 athletes from 197 countries "Go for the Gold." There were plenty of heroes to go around. Who will ever forget Kerri Strug, a little pixie, who courageously vaulted on a severely sprained ankle, to secure the first team gymnastics gold medal in U.S. history. Then there is Carl Lewis who, at 35, won the long jump for the fourth consecutive Olympics, and secured a record time ninth gold medal. Then, of course, the person that Sports ...

2709. Plea for Discipline

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

In a way, Christians are all in the Olympics! We are running the race that determines our eternal abode. We run to win and the prize is the most valuable we will ever seek. No money or property will purchase it. Only self-control under the banner of Christ grants a chance for winning. The apostle is very clear and speaks to all who would enter the race that leads to everlasting life with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is an old/new teaching to whom all Christians for twenty centuries can relate. It ...

2710. Parades and Crosses — The Challenge of Ministry

2 Corinthians 4:5-12

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

He had grown up in a fashionable suburb of a large American city, a cosmopolitan area of considerable size and sophistication. He was a winner from the time he was born; you know, one of those babies that comes into the world with a smile and a confident air that life is friendly and meant for success. Oh, yes, he did his share of crying, and as an infant and pre-schooler, he had his share of sickness. But all in all, he was the kind of boy you would expect to see in a prize-winning television commercial. ...

2711. A Clock or a Compass?

Mark 1:9-15

Sermon

David T. Ball

Do you all have your compasses with you? What? You don’t have compasses? Well, I guess neither do I. How about your watch? Okay! A much better response that time. I have my watch, too — but don’t get your hopes up that I’m planning to keep a closer eye on how long my sermons are taking! I really just wanted to make a point about how much we rely on our watches in comparison to our compasses. And I doubt that very many of us have a compass that we can carry around — we may have one on our car. We know our ...

2712. Salvation in Jesus’ Name

Acts 4:5-12

Sermon

Ron Lavin

It is always important to consider the context of a Bible story to understand it correctly. That is certainly true of Acts 4:5-12, the story of Peter's bold speech before the Jewish religious leaders. By the power of Jesus Christ, Peter and John had healed a crippled man in the temple area in Jerusalem. This healing took place a few weeks after Jesus' death and resurrection. That's part of the front-side context of our story. The front-side context also tells us that the Jewish leaders were deeply ...

2713. Tasting the Gruel of Love

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

King Duncan

One of the most remarkable Christian witnesses in the world today is a man named Charles Colson. Many of you remember him as the political hatchet man for President Richard Nixon. While he was serving as special counsel to the President, Colson seemed to be a dispicable man, seemingly without a conscience. Then, quite remarkably, Chuck Colson had a thorough and complete conversion experience. It was in 1973 during the height of the Watergate proceedings. Please don’t be suspicious. This conversion ...

2714. Facing the Wild Beasts Within

Mark 1:9-13

Sermon

Mike Ripski

I. What Lent is for At his baptism, Jesus heard heaven’s Voice say, “You are my Son, my Beloved; I am very pleased with you.” The Holy Spirit descends upon him to empower Jesus to be who the Voice said he is. But what does it mean to be the Beloved Child of God? Answering that question and living the answer is why the Spirit has driven him into the desert. What does it mean for us to be beloved children of God? And how well are we being who we are? Isn’t this what Lent is for? Will we allow the same Spirit ...

2715. When I’m In Trouble

2 Timothy 4:16-18

Sermon

James Merritt

Everybody at one time or another has read the comic strip "Peanuts" by Charles Schulz. If you have, you can't help but love Charlie Brown. In one of the classic cartoons, Charlie Brown is at the beach building a beautiful sandcastle. He has worked on it all day long and as he stands back to admire his finished work, it is suddenly consumed by a huge wave. Looking at the smooth sand mound that had been his creation just a moment before, with that forlorn look, Charlie Brown says, "There must be a lesson ...

2716. Begin With the Blueprints

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Sermon

James Merritt

Put together one very run-down house, a needy family who deserves a better place to live, several opinionated designers, one week and what do you get? The answer is - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It is not only a fascinating show to watch, but it will touch even the hardest of hearts. Each episode features a race against time on a project that would ordinarily take somewhere between 3-4 months to achieve. A team of designers, contractors, and several hundred workers have just 7 days to totally rebuild ...

2717. Don't Be Afraid Of The Light

John 8:12

Sermon

James Merritt

Pop Quiz Question: What was the very first command that God ever gave in the Bible? Answer: "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3, NASB) Light is a major theme in the Bible. God and light are so interconnected and so inseparable that the Bible even says, "God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all." (I John 1:5, NASB) That verse alone sheds a lot of light on the verse that we are going to be studying today where Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." (John 8:12, NASB) You may not think this is ...

2718. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Luke 2:8-12

Sermon

James Merritt

The two most used words in the English language in the month of December without question are the words, "Christmas" and “Gift". From Ebay to Amazon, from the internet, to the mall, everybody is searching for Christmas gifts. Why do we do this? It is the only time in the year when people all over the world give gifts- oftentimes to people they barely know and many times to people they don’t even like. It all goes back to the very first Christmas gift ever given that God gave to you and to me at the very ...

2719. Jesus: The Promise Received

Luke 2:10-14

Sermon

James Merritt

Jessica was four years old and she had had a perfect Christmas. She got all the presents she wanted. Her cousins were with her to share the holidays. She had eaten her favorite food all day long and as her mother tucked her in for bed she looked up at her at smiled and said, "Mom, I sure hope Mary and Joseph have another baby next year." After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph did go on to have several other babies. However, the first baby born to Mary was not one that they had. It was one that Mary had by ...

2720. Hell under Fire

Matthew 5:22; 28-30

Sermon

James Merritt

We are in a middle of a series that we have entitled "The War of the Worlds" and today the series is really going to heat up (no pun intended!) What we are talking about is the war of the world views. Remember, every person has a world view; a lens through which they see the world they live in, the life they live and it is the guide they use to make the crucial decisions about how they are going to live and what they are going to believe. There are basically only two world views the Christian world view ...

2721. Anxiety Alert – The Fear of the Future

Matthew 6:34

Sermon

James Merritt

Ever since 9/11 we have instituted in this country the Homeland Security Advisory System. Though you haven't memorized it, I am sure you are familiar with it. It looks like this. [Put on Screen]. These levels are assigned based on information gathered by our intelligence agencies to help us be prepared for potential terror attacks in the future. Whether you know it or not, you use this same system every day of your life to chart your level of anxiety. Follow this scenario and chart your "anxiety alert ...

2722. Good News for Widows

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

King Duncan

I have some good news today for widows. [How many of you fall into that category?] Some of you have been widowed and remarried. Some of you still grieve the loss of your life’s partner. If you are a widow, you can probably use some good news. It’s not easy losing a spouse. Some of you have a void in life that nothing will ever fill. But here’s the good news. Jesus is aware of your situation, and Jesus is aware of your faithfulness to the church. Pastor James Love tells about a friend of his, a young ...

2723. You Can't Fool God: Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 4:33 - 5:11

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

A family from South Carolina went to New York City for their vacation. They told all their friends they were going to attend the Broadway musical, My Fair Lady. Unfortunately, the play was sold out when they tried to get their tickets, and they couldn't get in. They were disappointed, but they were also embarrassed. They didn't want to have to go back home and tell their friends they missed the highlight of their trip. In fact, they were so embarrassed that they decided to make their friends think they had ...

2724. Harmony and Humor: The Ties That Bind Christianity’s Many Christianities

Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Let’s begin this morning with a song. Please stand. Most of you know the song “Beneath the Cross of Jesus.” If you don’t, you are hearing our organist/pianist/keyboardist play it right now as I’m talking. On the PC-USA webpage, there was posted a hymn written a week ago by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. It addresses in song the Haitian disaster where, according to the most recent estimates, between 100,000 and 200,000 Haitians perished. The words are sung to the tune of “Beneath the Cross of Jesus.” I invite ...

2725. Whatever Happened to Respect?

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

During the days of the Gold Rush, a young man and his bride set out across the country to make their fortune. Some where along the way they drank some contaminated water, and the young bride died before they could reach Fort Kearney. Heartbroken the young man took her body to the highest hill and buried it, using the wagon bed to make a coffin. He drove down some wooden stakes to mark the grave, thinking that he would go on west and later come back. But as he thought about it, he said to himself, “I’ll ...

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