Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2801 to 2825 of 4490 results

2801. Invest In The Future

Jeremiah 32:1-44

Sermon

Thomas G. Rogers

Cynthia stood before a church group in a neighboring town. She had been invited to share the story of her faith in her successful struggle against death. She stood before the group with a candle in one hand and a pocket lighter in the other. She began, "Three years ago I went to the hospital for a series of tests and I was told that I had malignant cancer. I was also told that, although it was possible for me to take chemotherapy treatments, the chance of them offering any help at all was very slim. My ...

2802. Daring To Trust The Roots

Isaiah 11:1-16

Sermon

Paul E. Robinson

There is so much uncertainty in life that most of us look hard and long for as many "sure things" as we can find. A fisherman goes back again and again to that hole that always produces fish and leaves on his line that special lure that always does the trick. The fishing hole and the lure are sure things. A gardener finds it hard to switch from tried and true varieties of vegetables. Blue Lake or Provider green beans, Silver Queen white corn, Beefsteak tomatoes, Detroit Red beets all have a familiar, solid ...

2803. Exercise Your Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Sermon

Richard Hasler

One of the periodicals that I subscribe to is a denominational church magazine. It keeps me up-to-date on late-breaking news within the church and also has provocative articles on current theological thinking. In the back of the magazine is a section of church ads for employment opportunities. If a person is seeking to relocate that is one place to look. A typical issue will have numerous churches seeking new staff members. Some of these ads use high-sounding language. For example, the kind of pastor or ...

2804. Broadway

Matthew 7:13-14

Sermon

Robert Beringer

Many of our large cities across America have a street which is called "Broadway." Broadway in New York is the center of the theater district; Broadway in San Francisco is the center of the tenderloin; and Philadelphia has its "Broad Street" in center city. But I wonder how many people realize where that term, "Broadway," came from? Many might be very surprised that it came originally from the lips of Jesus Christ. For it was Jesus who put "Broadway" in contrast to the narrow roads that were familiar to the ...

2805. The Right Thing To Do

Psalm 119:1-3

Children's Sermon

Teresa L. Major

Concept: We need to do what is right simply because it's the right thing do, not just to stay out of trouble. Preparation: None. There are many ways to tell if you're growing up. One way is to measure how tall you've gotten. Another more important way is to see what kind of decisions and choices you are making and how you are behaving. Let me ask you a question. What is a rule? (Children respond. Offer help and clarification as needed.) A rule is something that helps us know what we are supposed to do. Is ...

2806. Come, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come!

Matthew 24:36-51

Sermon

Mark Radecke

The same thing has, I'm sure, happened to you: you live your whole life without seeing or hearing a certain word or phrase or expression, and then you see or hear it two or three times within a relatively short period. The first time I saw this particular phrase was a few years back at a synod assembly. I attended a small group session led by a pastor who had just returned from Nicaragua and El Salvador. He was showing some of his slides to help us understand the political and economic situation in those ...

2807. Behold The Man Who Took The Victory

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

One Sunday a man was riding a subway in New York. Suddenly another man and his children got on the subway. They were making all kinds of noise, yelling, throwing things, and running around the car. What had been a peaceful group of people reading their papers and minding their own business was interrupted by all this madness. The father of these children had sat down by this other man who was already on the subway. Finally, this man told the father that his children were bothering a lot of people. The ...

2808. Screaming For A Reason Why

Matthew 26:36-46; 27:45-46 · Job 3:1-26

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

There are three rooms in the city of Raleigh, and though they are different in size and shape, they have one thing in common. The three rooms are located in three hospitals. They are intensive care waiting rooms. Let me describe one of these rooms. It is on the second floor of the Wake Medical Center. Surrounding it are three units: cardiac care, surgical intensive care, maximum intensive care. A lot of us have seen the inside of that waiting room. It is divided into small seating areas, so that the ...

2809. Something New, Something Old

Sermon

John N. Brittain

Matthew 13:31-36a, 44-58; Isaiah 49:1-6 The story is told of an American service man visiting a South Sea island during World War II. His friendly host proudly brought a copy of the Bible out of his hut and said, "This is my most prized possession." With obvious disdain, the GI replied, "Oh, I've outgrown that old stuff!" The islander, whose tribe had recently accepted Christianity and undergone significant changes from their former lifestyle which included cannibalism, responded, "It's a good thing for ...

2810. Dad, Does God Play Football?

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: When Life's Priorities Need Changing Victory in one's Christian life often comes down to priorities, priorities that the world parades before God's people as everyday fare. However, sometimes "everyday fare" can rob us of the very life of Christ. Setting: An ordinary family living room Characters:FATHER: Energetic, an obvious football fanaticSON: Twelve to fourteen years old, warm, open, serious thinker Costumes: Modern casual at home dress; Son has on a football cap Props: Two chairs, or a chair ...

2811. The Heralding Of Advent

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: The Four Sundays In Advent Includes Christmas morning and an additional Sunday, if desired, to round out a longer Christmas season. Advent is a time of great expectation, not only as we remember the birth of Christ, but also as a preparation for Christ's coming again. The four candles of Advent are reminders of who Christ truly was and who he is today: the candle of Justice, the candle of Forgiveness, the candle of Love, the candle of Mercy. Advent is a time of celebration, of heralding forth the ...

2812. Welcoming Christ

Romans 14:1--15:13

Sermon

Frank Luchsinger

For his sixth grade year his family moved to the new community. They made careful preparations for the husky, freckle-faced redhead to fit in smoothly. They had meetings with teachers and principal, and practiced the route to the very school doors he would enter on the first day. "Right here will be lists of the classes with the teachers' names and students. Come to these doors and find your name on a list and go to that class." On the big day, all went as planned. Many students had gathered by the time he ...

2813. Proper 12

Colossians 2:6-23, Hosea 1:1-2:1, Luke 11:1-13, Psalm 85:1-13

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Hosea 1:2-10 God orders Hosea to marry a prostitute and have children. Hosea preached in the same eighth century to Israel (North) as did Amos. His ministry extended over a period of 38 years. Hosea lived in the final days of the northern kingdom during the reign of six kings following Jeroboam. Assyria captured Israel and deported the 10 tribes in 722 B.C. Hosea 1:2-10 is an allegory. His adulterous wife and three children symbolize the fate of Israel because of a broken relationship ...

2814. Lent 2

Luke 13:31-35, Psalm 27:1-14

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

CALL TO WORSHIP Come seek God's face...Wait for the Lord... Take courage... Be strong. PRAYER OF CONFESSION Creating Spirit, hear our confession. We are often forgetful of who we are and in whose likeness we are created. We regret the imbalance in our lives that too often allows our appetites to run away with us, so that we seem to live for eating and drinking and love-making. Our minds are too busy with plans to get ahead and satisfy bodily desires to the exclusion of the refreshment of the spirit, the ...

2815. Whispering The Lyrics

John 14:15-31

Sermon

Thomas Long

Stashed away in a drawer somewhere around my house, now nearly forgotten, is a batch of old 45 rpm records from the '50s and early '60s. Worn and scratchy, long since outmoded by the flashy digital technology of compact discs, these primitive vinyls were once the jewels of a great treasure trove. Elvis' grinding out "Hound Dog," Buddy Holly and the Crickets' hiccuping "Peggy Sue," Chuck Berry's joyful hot licks in "Maybellene," the Coasters' slapstick tour de force "Charlie Brown," the mournful "Tears On ...

2816. The Spreading Word

Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon

Marc Kolden

Jesus told them a parable: Listen up, folks. A farmer went out to plant. This was many centuries ago, before modern machinery. He carried a large bag of seeds and threw them all around by hand. In those days, a farmer threw the seeds (or "sowed" them) before he plowed them under. He would come along later and turn ground over so that the seeds would be covered with soil and could grow. Therefore, he wasn't so worried where he sowed them at this point. But, of course, some of the seeds fell on the path and ...

2817. Thanksgiving

Lk 17:11-19 · 1 Tim 2:1-4 · Phil 4:6-20 · 2 Cor 9:6-15 · Deut 8:1-18 · Ps 65

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 8:1-18 The people of Israel must remember God's goodness in leading them through the wilderness into the promised land. Since God has blessed them by bringing them into a rich and fruitful land, thankful lives are called for. When the people enjoy prosperity, the children of God must resist the temptation to pat themselves on the back and take credit for all their good fortune.They must render thanksgiving to the Lord, for he is the source of all blessing. The Lord is the ...

2818. Children

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

Comment: Sometimes you can prepare a story sermon which reflects a lot of your own experience. And it becomes natural for you to play yourself while making the point of the sermon. The following reflected a lot of my experiences as a young father. Fortunately, my wife did not die, as does the wife of the main character here. But I was quite a disappointment to my colleagues because of how much part I took in household matters and child care. As of this writing, I am the wife my spouse always wanted! I ...

2819. Saul, The Tormented King

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Sermon

Arthur H. Kolsti

He was like a meteor. He blazed brightly and briefly across the skies of Israel before burning out and falling to the ground. You can sum up the life of the first king of Israel in just such words. The priests who wrote about him rejected him outright. But then, they had a special reason for doing that. Saul did not always see things their way. Most of the people he led followed him to the end. Perhaps theirs is the better testimony. You will find Saul's story in the first book of Samuel. It is quite a ...

2820. The Final Questions

John 6:60-71

Sermon

George W. Hoyer

We are all being taught by God. Jesus cited that in one of the lessons from John's gospel we have heard on the last four Sundays. We have been taught. We have learned. Today we have the final exam. The gospel poses a number of questions. They seem to be rhetorical, asked simply for effect. No answer seems to be expected. But how successful would a student be who, seeing his final examination, looks up and says to the instructor, "I assume all these questions are rhetorical"? Are you ready? Give answers to ...

2821. Time Taken, Life Restored

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon

William G. Carter

The woman had been sick for a very long time. So long, in fact, she didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to turn. Everybody suggested a different remedy, but none of them would work. She visited many physicians, but none of them could help. She stayed sick. As time passed, she grew worse. All those medical bills were bleeding her dry. So when she heard Jesus was coming to town, she pushed her way through the crowd. She'd heard about him, of course. The last time he worked on this side of the sea ...

2822. Costumed Christians

Colossians 3:14

Children's Sermon

B. Kathleen Fannin

Object: None. The children's excitement about Halloween piques their interest. Lesson: Discipleship; love; tolerance; Halloween. "This is October, right?" The assembled children nod affirmatively. "And October has 31 days?" A few knowing grins break out as young minds realize where I must be headed. Receiving a positive response, I then ask, "Does October thirty-first have any special significance for any of you?" "Yes!" come the now-vocalized replies. "It's Halloween!" I look slightly puzzled and ask, " ...

2823. The Light Within Epiphany

Isaiah 60:1-22

Children's Sermon

B. Kathleen Fannin

Object: An acorn which has begun to sprout and a plain-looking rock which has been split in two to reveal a bright red interior. (A geode would also be very useful for this sermon.) Lesson: Revelation; light; brokenness; life Text: "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you." "I have a word I would like to ask you to think about ...

2824. Mission Ready!

Mark 6:7-13

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

Picture yourself starting a brand new project. You might want to call it mission. In a parish where most of the communicants were government workers, civilian and military, I was always hearing the word, mission. I had understood mission in a religious context. I learned that mission could have a broader meaning. Life is mission. Business is mission. Career is mission. Mission is a good word. It suggests vision that is supported by good planning. Define your mission clearly. State its purpose briefly. ...

2825. Winners Losers

John 8:31-41

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

The world is filled with winners and losers. Jesus knew all about being a winner. So much so that he shows us how to win, no matter what. I say “no matter what” because in life we cannot, try as hard as we will, avoid loses, failures, accidents, mistreatments, and aging. So, to be a sure winner means that we must find a way of living life so that no matter what inevitable obstacles confront us, we manage to come out feeling right about ourselves and able to keep on with good spirit. To be able to do this ...

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