Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2751 to 2775 of 3926 results

2751. A Truly Universal Operating System

Romans 14:1-12

Sermon

Larry Lange

... afterward. Billius was encouraged when in chapters 3 and 5 the presbyter read that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," but that all are made right with God "by his grace, as a gift" (Romans 3:23-24). This seemed to support Billius' point of view that the observance of dietary laws of any kind were not necessary for salvation. In chapter 8, Billius was reassured that nothing could separate him from the love of God, not even his inevitable participation in a global economy that universally ...

2752. Reasons for Rejoicing

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

... privileged than in most other locations in the ancient world.1 Lydia, a prominent businesswoman, had been Paul’s very first convert in Philippi. Her home became the gathering place for new Christians in the city. Lydia's leadership and support of the congregation have remained constant (Acts 16:14-16). The women of Philippi are respected leaders in both church and society. Pastor Paul is especially concerned about a conflict between Euodia and Syntyche, two leaders at First Church, Philippi. Independent ...

2753. Leaders Worthy of Imitation

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

... it clear that he is not raising money for himself, never has, and never will. The collection he is raising is for the church in Jerusalem and not for him and his team. He is bivocational, having mastered the trade of tent-making, and consequently is self-supporting. A tent is a handy item for a traveling evangelist in the ancient world. It can be rolled into a sleeping bag at night, serve as an awning during the heat of the day, or even become a sail, catching wind over open waters. Paul is the founding ...

2754. All in the Family

1 John 3:1-3

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

... sit in symbolizes God's love. It has no beginning, no middle, and no end. The circle is as eternal as God's love and as the life yet to come. Small group members can more easily explore their sense of spirituality, and seek and give prayer support, thereby deepening their awareness of God's working in all our lives. We all yearn for nurturing relationships — with others and with the Christ in each of us. The community of believers, the church, is the place where we receive and accept God's love. Families ...

2755. A Careful Separation

Luke 14:1-14; Phil 2:5-7

Illustration

Julie Riley

... did you say when she asked you?" Sarah froze; she was horrified that the girl had mistaken her for one of them. She loved and cared for those girls, but in her mind there had always been a careful separation between them and her. She could love and support them, but she could not be one of them. That, I guess is the difference between God's hospitality and ours. God chose to be us. "Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied ...

2756. How Will the Church Be Lighted?

Luke 14:25-35

Illustration

James W. Moore

... Edward Everett Hale put it like this: I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, But still I can do something; And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something I can do. What if every member of your church supported the church just as you do? What kind of church would you have? What if every single member served the church, attended the church, loved the church, shared the church, and gave to the church exactly as you do? What kind of church would you be?

2757. What We Do, We Do to Others, Too

Matthew 18:1-9

Children's Sermon

Marti Kramer Suddarth

... guards watching you and maybe glass wall or iron bars between you. Wouldn’t that make you feel sad? What if that person was one of your parents? If one of your parents was in jail, he or she wouldn’t be able to work and earn money to help support you. What if you didn’t have enough food because your father was in jail instead of home, able to go to work? And even if the bank robber was never caught, that person’s actions still affect you. By robbing banks, he or she is teaching you that robbing ...

2758. Compound Interest Your Life

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... gloating over his gold. “Mike” has used his personal wealth to lavishly fund “orphan disease” medical research (money for deadly diseases that were not well known or widespread). He has built a series of Christian schools in rural areas. And he supports his community in multitudes of silent ways. But “Mike” knew he would never have to worry about “making” money again, only giving money away, because his wealth was “making” it for him through the monetary magic of compound interest. For ...

2759. Play It Safe or Take a Risk

Luke 16:1-15

Illustration

Mark Trotter

Rev. Mark Trotter tells of a mission in Mexico, sponsored by Mercy Hospital, in San Diego, and by Rotary International. Thirteen doctors from San Diego, and twice that number of nurses and other support staff, total of about fifty-five persons, paid their own way to go down as a surgical team to minister to poor children in Tehuacan, in the southern part of Mexico. He says, “The call went out through the Rotary Club in that city for all those who do not ...

2760. Oops! I Didn't See You

Luke 16:19-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... one of her husband’s associates. He was to inform her at the end of the day if that day had been particularly stressful for Disraeli. She knew that on those stressful days her husband would be very tired, dispirited, and need her special attention and support. Whenever she heard that it had been a bad day, Mrs. Disraeli went through the house and turned on every lamp they had, knowing that the twinkling lights of the house always lifted her husband’s spirits and chased away the problems of the day. (6 ...

2761. What Should We Do?

Luke 3:7-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... every Sunday between now and Christmas. And if possible came to the Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion service. Use the Daily Devotional the members of the church have written. It will touch your heart and keep your focus on the real reason for the season. Support the choir and the children tonight at the Cantata. Give yourself through your attendance, as they give themselves to you and God through their presentation. You will be lifted up by the message of the season as it's shared through song. If you ...

2762. Remember: Live Worthy of the Calling

Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... would look like. We had to have a Vision of what we felt God was calling us to do. Someone asked Helen Keller, "What would be worse than being born blind?" She replied, "To have sight with no vision." When we give to God's work, whether it's to support the ministries of the Church or to the Building Fund, we are saying that we have a Vision for what God can do with that money and what God can do with us because we've given that money. (4) 3. Hope: the third tool is Hope. When there is ...

2763. Rich In His Poverty

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... they see it. You may not have been given the singing voice or the gift of playing an instrument. You may not be able to teach Sunday School. But you can pray. We all need that. And you can be faithful in your giving, in your attendance, and in your support of the ministries of the church. We had a member of a church who was 103. She was nearly deaf but she came to church every Sunday that she could. The only time she missed was when the weather was just too bad or she was sick. One Sunday a ...

2764. See What Love . . .

1 John 3:1-7

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... trouble. Or a mother who liked to snuggle. Not every family is like that. Maybe you had a close knit family but there just wasn't enough money so you didn't get to stay a child very long before you had to go to work to help support your family. Or maybe yours was one of those broken families. Sometimes there's abuse. Sometimes there's neglect. Sometimes parents don't have the emotional or spiritual skills to love unconditionally. Or they are carrying so much baggage themselves and they don't know how to let ...

2765. Beneath The Shadow Of The Cross

Mark 15:16-37

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... . Into this merriment in motion rode Jesus on the donkey colt. He smiled and waved, accepting the accolades with humbled honor and a knowing, bittersweet smile. Behind the smile, his eyes were full of the future. He knew the irony of this parade and this show of support. Jesus knew where it would all end. He knew because, while he saw the joy and the hope in the eyes of the people, he also saw the hatred in the eyes of his silent, sullen opponents. So, beneath his smile was sorrow and compassion. When the ...

2766. There Will Be Peace

Isaiah 11:1-16

Sermon

King Duncan

... t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families. 8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary especially one who takes my love and Good News to those who have never heard my name. 9. Here’s a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any ...

2767. Historical Information about the Sadducees

Luke 20:27-38

Illustration

Brian Stoffregen

... the law.... [they] were boorish in their social interactions,... they encouraged conflict with rather than respect for their teachers, were more stern than the Pharisees in recommending punishments for crimes, and ... aroused Herod's suspicions because they supported the Hasmoneans against him. From this data many commentators have surmised that the Sadducees were mostly priests and wealthy, powerful community leaders who sat in the Sanhedrin, were greatly hellenized (i.e., influenced by Greek culture), and ...

2768. Fighting Back Against Falling Back

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... of patronage and political favoritism rejected the order of “work-to-make-things-better” world for the disorder of a social system based on brown-nosing and glad-handing. Those who thought their faith entitled them to a life of support and special treatment disobeyed the apostolic examples of daily toil and labor Paul and his companions had demonstrated personally. To all these wrong-headed notions there was one simple apostolic answer: “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.” Paul rejected ...

2769. Easter 7

Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35, John 17:1-11, Acts 1:6-14, 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

... Blessing Leader: Jesus said, “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world.” Blessed be the one true God who makes you his own. All: Amen. Benediction Leader: May the God of all grace, who called you into his eternal glory in Christ, restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To God be the power forever and ever. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. All: Amen.

2770. The Benediction

Illustration

Susan R. Andrews

... the world to be the very presence of Christ." This is the benediction which is used every week at the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church: Go out into the world in peace; have courage; hold onto what is good; return no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak, and help the suffering; honor all people; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. This, of course, is just an elegant way of echoing John's very tough, very good news: "Repent! for the kingdom of God is at ...

2771. God on The Run!

Matthew 2:13-23

Illustration

John Thomas Randolph

... me— then hold on, for there is more to come. We can imagine Joseph escaping into Egypt with the baby Jesus. But, surely, we think, if Jesus were only a full-grown man, he would not run from Herod. The evidence, however, does not completely support our thought. There were times, even as an adult, when Jesus ran away. During the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalemone winter, some people wanted Jesus to tell them "plainly" if he was, indeed, the Christ. When Jesus answered, "Iand the Father are one," they took ...

2772. Adopted! Thank God!

Ephesians 1:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... least that is how it appears to the casual mind. And it may be that growing up in a Christian culture may even work against us to a certain extent. Some of us have been in the church all our lives. And we have had loving families who supported us and nurtured us in healthy values. How can we be lost? How can we need saving? If we had struggled more with life, we would understand what good news the Gospel really is. Pastor Edward Markquart, a Lutheran pastor in Seattle tells about a young man who approached ...

2773. The Case of the Dancing Men

Psalm 51:1-19

Sermon

King Duncan

... who did call was brought to faith by what she thought was the response of her father to her situation? We don’t know what the phone call meant to her, but what is impressive was the reaction of the man’s real daughter to the letters of support she received from her Mom and Dad who thought she had let them down. “These letters are my treasure,” the daughter later said, “real love letters written by a godly father who never imagined he would have to write them to his own daughter.” Here are a few ...

2774. The Evangelist Has a Shady Past

John 4:1-26

Sermon

King Duncan

... is their weakness as some of you might think. Some of our best known religious figures have been snared by another deadly temptress greed materialism mammon. “God has blessed them really good,” in their own eyes. And God wants their followers to keep supporting them in the manner to which they have grown accustomed. If they do, say these slick performers God will give them every good thing. They conveniently forget Jesus’ words, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” But nobody’s ever thrown out of ...

2775. A Light in the Darkness

Mt 5:13-20

Illustration

King Duncan

... in raised print confusing. So he set out, at twelve years of age, to invent his own system. After three years he perfected the method, but he encountered indifference and hostility when he tried to convince the world that his system was better. Even with the support of the institute's director, he was told again and again that he was too young to have created a workable alphabet for the blind. Years passed. This young man grew older, was made a teacher at the institute, and became a fine organist, always ...

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