Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2751 to 2775 of 4977 results

2751. The Crucified Ruler

John 19:17-27

Sermon

Richard A. Jensen

... . And there we stood in the midst of all this pomp, singing simple Christmas carols. When we had finished singing, we were informed that His Majesty the Emperor would receive us individually. We lined up in single file. That is when my knees shook. It was quite an experience to shake hands with a king in such royal surroundings. I will never forget that day! Monarchs. Rulers. Kings and Queens. Those words call up mighty and majestic images in our minds. If we were to be in the presence of this world’s ...

2752. The Easter Story Is Our Story

John 20:1-9

Sermon

Richard A. Jensen

... now he could send the Spirit to the disciples making them God’s children. His Father became their Father. His God became their God just as he had promised Mary Magdalene. "Do not hold me," Jesus had said to Mary Magdalene. Jesus’ word to Mary at first seems quite mysterious. Whatever could it mean? It is not so mysterious, however. As John’s story of Jesus unfolds, Jesus time and again states that he must go to his Father, he must go to the one who had sent him. In John’s Gospel, Jesus’ going to ...

2753. Repentance and Forgiveness

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Richard A. Jensen

... a while, it was clear that the speeches worked. Wendall Hayes was overwhelmed. He was overwhelmed by the care and concern that these people had for him. He was also overwhelmed by the facts of his life as they presented them. He really never thought it was quite that bad. His family and friends really got to him that night. He did not know what to do but to break down and weep. Wendall could not remember crying that deeply in his whole life. Gladys tried to comfort him. Finally, Wendall spoke. "What do you ...

2754. Wait and Witness

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Richard A. Jensen

... , the curtain of iron, that separates people from people. Our loyalties, of course, place us on the American side of this conflict. We pull for our side to win the struggle of nations. As loyal American citizens in today’s divided world, we sometimes feel quite hopeless about this struggle, about the shape of our future. In the midst of our hopelessness we hear the story of the Ascended One. Jesus Christ lives and reigns at God’s right hand. "The kingdom of this world (shall) become the kingdom of our ...

2755. Discipleship - Path to Fulfillment

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

James W. Robinson

... will reward you" (Matthew 6:4b). To receive recognition that stems spontaneously from appreciation for honorable and hard-earned accomplishments is one thing. That certainly has God’s approval. To seek it intentionally for self-glorification and self-gratification is quite another. The selfish quest is unworthy of Christians, whom Christ calls to self-effacing discipleship for the sole purpose of glorifying the Father. II. That is where the priorities of the Kingdom are to be found, in discipleship. When ...

2756. Finding the Truth That Makes Us Free

John 8:31-41

Sermon

James W. Robinson

... had called him, and he had found the truth in his long and faithful walk with Christ. He was reading his New Testament when the pastor walked into his room. "Isn’t this wonderful!" he exclaimed, pointing to a favorite passage. "I never understood it quite this way." In the fellowship of Christ, he was making fresh discoveries of truth, even as his days dwindled down to a precious few. The beautiful thing about it all is that God’s truth is an inexhaustible treasury of fresh discoveries. The truth never ...

2757. Happiness Is ... the Kingship of Jesus

John 18:28-40

Sermon

James W. Robinson

... of himself, on the defensive, as if sensing that he is somehow outranked by the Carpenter of Nazareth. The other man has the aura of majesty that surrounds only a king or queen. "Are you king of the Jews?" Pilate asks. And later in the interrogation, Jesus makes it quite clear that he does indeed consider himself a king, but that his kingship is not of this world. I. A man was thinking about the nature of Jesus’ kingship one day on his daily early-morning walk. His mile-long hike in the park gives him the ...

2758. What Do We Do Now That We’re Happy?

Isaiah 62:1-12

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... . Having arrived at a peak of eminence and ready to pick the plum, the rewards elude them, and their lives slip away into futility. Like skiers on a slope they cannot remain in place, but slide irrevocably ever beyond the happy moment. Something quite special was supposed to happen to shift life forever from the ordinary and boring. But, nothing automatic took place. The magical moment came and went, and life slipped out from under them ever so relentlessly. Oscar Wilde, among his many marvelous insights ...

2759. Noise Is Anything That Corrupts the Integrity of a Message

1 Samuel 3:1--4:1

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... what the words actually say. Once I gave a person a manuscript to read and evaluate. He kept it for a long time. Finally, we met for lunch so I could hear his comments. Naturally, as a writer I was eager for a critique. We talked about the weather for quite a while. Finally, I said, "Well, tell me what you thought of my manuscript." He said, "I read a few paragraphs and since I couldn’t figure out where you were going with it, I didn’t read on." He tried only to see in the material what he could ...

2760. You Don’t Really Feel That Way

Job 6:1-7:21

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... of our lives, free to affirm the mercies of Christ as he comes to us over and over again in bright new forms of spring. This is why he is called the Gospel of God. Job’s friends counseled him to look on his suffering as punishment. They were quite polished theologians. Buck up, ‘fess up, and straighten up. Were he to admit his fault and purge his sin then his life would return to normal. That friends can have such insensitivity to tragedy may not come to us as a surprise. But, Job did not deny himself ...

2761. The Two Most Important Questions A Christian Can Answer

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

Brett Blair

... task. Consider what this entails. There are 39 books in the Old Testament. These books, Genesis to Malachi, were written over a 1500 year period. They describe events, which occurred over 2000 years of history. There are at least 30 different authors and quite possibly far more than just 30. The books contain many forms of literature: history, poetry, songs, prophecy, wisdom, and story form. And the list of characters and events is staggering. It is The Book of an ancient people. Now how in the world ...

2762. Proper 10

2 Samuel 7:18-29, Ephesians 1:1-14, Mark 6:7-13

Bulletin Aid

Paul A. Laughlin

... the continuity between what their mission is to be and what Jesus’ has been: they are to preach, exorcise, heal, and withal suffer rejection. Remarkable here is the eschatological urgency implied in Jesus’ instructions to "travel light," which makes for quite a contrast with today’s Christian mission, both theologically and practically. Call to Worship Leader: As disciples of Christ, we are given a tremendous mission. People: FOR OUR MINISTRY IS TO BE MODELED ON THAT OF JESUS HIMSELF. Leader: But ...

2763. The Tragedy of the Unprepared Life

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Brett Blair

... that they felt was wrong. The pastor visited with the daughter for a half hour, and did his best to point out some of the issues. Yet, she still chose to go contrary to her parent’s decision. Afterward, the mother said to the pastor that she was quite disappointed that he had not been able to have any success with her daughter. She said, “I thought that you of all people would be able to turn her in the right direction.” He thought to himself: “How can you expect me to accomplish in thirty minutes ...

2764. Waiting With Anticipation

Isaiah 63:7--64:12

Sermon

David M. Oliver

... Sunday of Advent looks forward to the time when God will intervene and reassert the divine reign on behalf of Judah. This announcement is greeted with anticipation and eagerness by some, with fear and trepidation by others. The prophet Isaiah makes this contrast quite plain. In the midst of the nation's struggle, being exiled from their homeland and thus, the Hebrews believed, from God, Isaiah prays: O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence ...

2765. The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

Brett Blair

... sizes, different shapes, different notes, different roles to play. But like the piccolo player in Sir Michael’s orchestra, we often in our own sovereignty decide that our contribution is not significant. Our contribution couldn't possibly make a difference. And so we quit playing. Stop doing that which we’ve been given to do. We drop out. But the Conductor immediately notices. From our perspective, our contribution may be small, but from His, it is crucial. I just have to believe I’m talking to some ...

2766. Jesus Our Lord Is Coming

Matthew 3:3

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

... about the last three Sundays? (Let the children try to name them with some hints if necessary.) Just think, Jesus might have played one of these instruments when He was a boy. Today, I brought a special instrument that I know Jesus listened to, but I am quite sure that He never used it. The name of this instrument is the tambourine and it is a rhythm instrument like the bells, the cymbals, and the castanet. Let me show you how you play the tambourine. (Shake it according to a rhythm that is fairly simple ...

2767. How Old is God?

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

... , yes, I understand, you say that God wasn’t born in your year and that he must be older than any calendar that you know. Hum. Maybe we can’t find out when God was born in time. I have one other friend that I want to ask before we quit trying. Here he is, Clyde Cane. Good old Clyde has been around a long time and he has helped a lot of old people. Let’s see if he can tell us when God was born or how old he is. "Clyde, is God old enough to use a cane ...

2768. The Gift

Drama

Esther Lense

... , etc. They look happy and excited and talk about Christmas in an excited way. A teenage boy enters. BOY: Boy, everybody’s so busy. Busy, busy, busy! All this stuff! Why don’t we just go out and buy presents and hand them to each other and call it quits? Christmas is so corny! The others turn to look at him with astonishment. MOTHER: You don’t like Christmas? How could you not like it? It’s a time of such joy! LITTLE GIRL: Oh, I think you’re terrible. Don’t you want to get any presents? BOY ...

2769. The Snake

Drama

Robert Clausen

... . Go back to your wife. You can start a new life. HARRY: A new life? Let me tell you something, George. I was a nobody before this snake came along ... a nobody. Like a million others. The snake has made a somebody out of me. GEORGE: But why did you quit your job, Harry? HARRY: I've got to be with this snake all the time. GEORGE: What kind of a life is that, Harry? This has cost you your wife, your child, your job ... all you've got left is that snake. HARRY: Listen to me, George. Not a single ...

2770. "The Sawdust and the Circus"

Numbers 27:12-23

Sermon

... the size of Pittsburgh. Circuses, however, seem to be only the little road shows hardly worthy of the title, or else the spectacular extravaganzas that play at Madison Square Garden or the Civic Arena that even with elephants, trapeeze artists, and clowns seem not quite up to the style of the old big top. Needless to say, most of our thoughts about evagelism are nostalgic ones. For better or for worse, the very word "evangelism" connotes to us the revivalism of a by-gone era - Billy Graham notwithstanding ...

2771. "Why Belong to Church?"

John 14:15-31

Sermon

... are built instead of walls. Here, you belong despite your color and financial position or politics. So I joined the church in order to do my part and fulfil my obligation to contribute to a better community and a better world. In Victorious Living we read, "I am quite sure that I should not have survived as a young Christian had I not had the corporate life of the church to hold me up. When I rejoiced, they rejoiced with me. When I was weak, they strengthened me, and once when I fell - a rather bad fall ...

2772. It Might Have Been ...

Luke 22:1-6, Matthew 26:14-16, Matthew 27:1-10, Matthew 26:47-56

Sermon

... not all. He could love, but not totally. He couldn’t get beyond the practicality to the realm of total commitment and love. He couldn’t (based on that incident) give enough of himself. Nor, I fear, could he accept Jesus as he was. No one is quite sure just why he betrayed Jesus but the facts rule out most standard explanations. Surely not greed; he could have received more money that thirty pieces of silver if he was looking for rewards. It was hardly revenge - as some had suggested - for if his anger ...

2773. Let Me Use My Leftovers

Luke 9:10-17

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

... began to pass it out to all the people who were there. Did they have enough? They had more than enough. It was a miracle. It was such a great miracle that they had twelve baskets of food left over when they were finished feeding everybody. That was quite a day. They had more leftovers than when they started and the leftovers were important. I am sure that Jesus used those leftovers. He did not just throw them into the garbage. Jesus would have used them. We are going to use some leftovers today, and I think ...

2774. The Most Beautiful Word

2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

... all in the bath tub, and then she attempted to kill herself in at least three sickening ways. Her husband, her own family, her parents, her friends, and her neighbors were all at a complete loss to explain her actions. The reason was not even made quite clear in a letter that she had written. But there was this one phrase that repeated itself in that torturous note. "She had failed her husband," she said, "she had failed her family, and she had failed her children. She had failed everyone." She didn’t ...

2775. LORD, I BELIEVE

John 9:35-41

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

... ago in Plymouth, England. You never heard of him, and neither had I. But it happened that John Pounds, through his efforts, even though he was just an ordinary tradesman, was responsible for bringing about 500 people to Christ. You see the potential? Twenty-five hundred times 500? Quite a potential, isn’t it? You say you don’t know what to do? Poppycock! Let’s not evade the matter. Our task is right under our noses, if we’ll only stop and look at it. I like the description that I read of a church, a ...

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