Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2826 to 2850 of 4972 results

2826. Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sermon

Will Willimon

... support for the community soup kitchen. And during our discussion, one person was so rude to another, so cruel in her criticism of the way that she had been working, that she caused her to leave the meeting in tears. Well, so be it. We have been taught, by some of our best theologians, that Christians can't just leave it on the individual, personal level of love. We must bring our concern to the systemic, the global, the corporate and the social! Justice is more significant than little one-to-one love. But ...

2827. Our Light

Genesis 1:1-5 · Mark 1:9-11

Sermon

Will Willimon

... out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Where are you, God? Isaiah laments, "Truly thou art a God who hiddest thyself."(Isa. 54:15) "If God really exists, why in heaven's name does God not prove that he exists instead of leaving us here in our terrible uncertainty?" asks Frederich Buechner. What would happen, says Buechner, if God took up the challenge and at last demonstrated his existence in some dramatic, irrefutably visible way? Suppose God took the Milky Way, rearranged this or that galaxy, to ...

2828. The Heartbeat of a Christian

1 John 3:16-24

Sermon

King Duncan

... as Christ laid down his life for us, so ought we to lay down our lives for others. That means loving all people—even those who misuse us, and that means doing good to all people—even those whom we may not approve of, and that means leaving our comfort zone from time to time for acts of extraordinary concern. The essence of Christian faith is love. That brings us to something else that is important for us to realize. Love is our primary witness to the world. How will the world know we’re Christians ...

2829. Happiness Full Stop

John 15:9-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... her family and friends. She spoke often of the beauty of life, and how she was so grateful for every moment she had. (7) The amazing thing about a woman like Alice Herz-Sommer is that her time in the concentration camp with her son did not leave her emotionally devastated. I believe it was her sacrificial love for her son that gave her hope and strength in the worst possible circumstances. How can we, as followers of Jesus Christ, ignore the model that the Gospel provides for us? God so loved the world that ...

2830. And That’s All I Need To Know

John 10:11-18

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

... Jesus told in Matthew 18:12-13. “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the 99 on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier ... a relationship with our lord. We know that Christ laid down his life for his herd. We also know, too, that a good shepherd would leave the flock to search for a lost sheep. Are you one of the lost sheep? Have you wondered away from the herd? Are you struggling ...

2831. The Dean's Dilemma

Ephesians 5:15-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... I don’t care how big your bank account is, your life is a disaster.” (2) That’s excellent advice from a man who has amassed more money and power than we could ever dream of. Those things are insignificant compared to being loved and being respected and leaving a legacy of loving God and loving your neighbor. A few weeks ago, I told you about a champion skateboarder named Eddie Elguera who, for a while, lost his way in life. Let me tell you about another young man from the world of skateboarding named ...

2832. The Organic Gospel

Mark 4:26-34

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... challenge ourselves and our churches is to say, “Show me your seeds.” “Show me the fields where you are sowing.” “Show me your love.” “Show me your hearts.” “Show me your faith.” “Show me your walk.” “Show me you can leave the rest to God.” Or perhaps more simply, “When I look at you, will I see Jesus reflected in your eyes?” Pure and organic faith, unsoiled by pesticides, unnatural growth techniques, artificial hormones, alien strategies, will grow the most succulent, mature ...

2833. The Power of the Staff

Mark 6:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... note of everything she was doing. In fact, I became so engrossed in Mama bird’s family that I would perch on my rocking chair each and every day, just so I could observe the entire scenario up close and personal. She gathered bits of grass, twigs, leaves, and other odds and ends and wove them into a nest, tucked into an opening in the side of the house, where a little alcove provided both shelter and protection from predators. Soon, the nest was entirely hidden. But still she flew back and forth, back and ...

2834. The Invitation

Matthew 20:1-15

Sermon

Will Willimon

... us and everyone else until the midnight hour, unhappy until everyone is there. I say to you this is an Easter parable. That's why I’m telling it to you today. It's a story (you can think of others) about a God who refused to leave us alone, refused to leave things with just what's right, a God who came out and pursued us, sought us, found us, sometimes early, sometimes late. You are here this morning, not because you have been given ''what you deserve," (who would want that from God?) but because you have ...

2835. The Gift Of — Darn It! — Waiting

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sermon

Mary Austin

... us a message. But there are flaws in this relationship of ours. I feel that the balance of power is off. Sometimes the phone drops calls, or there’s an odd delay before I hear the other person, leaving us to talk over each other. Experts call this gap before we hear the other person “cell phone latency.” I call it annoying. The season of Advent in the church calendar has a similar feeling of delay and disconnection from the rest of our lives. If you’ve been out ...

2836. For Us Or Against Us?

Mark 9:38-50

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus. Pay attention. People outside our church, even outside our faith, may be doing God’s work, and we should not stop it. The front lines of ministry are no place for protecting what we imagine is our territory. We’ll leave it for God to decide who’s saved. After all, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. But Jesus has more to say in this passage and it is stark. “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me ...

2837. Seeing Is Believing

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... , if you are open to it, this may be a good time to do a healing and anointing time in your service. Invite people forward to be anointing in the power of the Holy Spirit, even as they invite Jesus into their lives and hearts.] As you leave this place, leave healed and refreshed. And may the power of the Holy Spirit remain with you, encouraging you and nourishing you through this week and through your life. Let’s pray: Lord, heal my spirit, even as I open my eyes to the wonder of your presence. Today, I ...

2838. For The Love of God is Giving

Mark 12:38-44

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... on the kitchen floor. There was no foul play. It seems Mrs. Jackson was the widow of a very wealthy husband who died leaving her an estate of over 14 million dollars. There we two brand new Cadillac Sevilles in the garage, each with less than ... in spite of all the horrible things we have done. God loves us. There's a Dennis the Menace cartoon, it shows Dennis and Joey leaving the Wilson's front porch, each with a handful of cookies. Joey has this surprised look on his face and Dennis says, "Mrs. Wilson gives ...

2839. Passing on the Flame

Psalm 138:1-8

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... sins. Our "city of refuge" is Christ. Our mission is to clear the roads so that others won't stumble over the trash and litter that we leave. This church and every Church should be a road that points the way and helps folks on to the city of Refuge. In a very real sense ... sparkling; compass them with love and light. Fill, anoint them; send your Spirit, holy dove and heart's delight. Don't leave these young Christians dangling, struggling and stranded on a fence post. Let's pass on the flame of the faith. Don' ...

2840. The Wedding Planner's Worst Nightmare

John 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... . Then a tree fell on the power lines and caused a blackout at the wedding venue. The bride and groom weren’t fazed by these disasters on their special day. In fact, they, themselves, decided to leave their own wedding early. The bride was a police officer, and the groom was an EMT, and they decided to leave immediately after the ceremony to help the first responders responding to the hurricane. (3) You have to be good at handling stress to be a good wedding planner. Our Scripture this morning is about a ...

2841. Don't Miss Jesus

Luke 2:41-51

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

... view when everything around us is swirling out of control. The prophet Isaiah stated it precisely, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3). The New Testament writer, John, quoted Jesus when he said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). By seeking purity of desire and heart. The beat of our heart ought to be like ...

2842. When Table Talk Won a Super Bowl

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Sermon

King Duncan

... agony in Gethsemane, how they arrested him and all night tortured him, and how he died. I get very near to Jesus then, Sir, and when I go home, he comes with me.” (7) And that is what we pray happens for each of us this evening. That, as we leave this place—having remembered his importance in our lives, and having repented of our sins, and having prepared ourselves for his coming—as we go home, Christ goes with us. 1. Rick Brown, 1Life2Love. 2. USA Today, 12-17-93, p. 1D. Cited in a sermon by Donald J ...

2843. They Should Have Fired That Shepherd

Luke 15:1-3 (8-32)

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

... if he didn’t lose any of the herd while he was off trying to find the one who wandered off, his irresponsibility in leaving the majority unattended would have been enough to terminate him because he just might do it again. If it was my flock, I’d ... on the wine and food for the celebration! I do not understand this! Why not just get a piggy bank, put the coin in there and leave it there. Losing a coin and then after finding it, spending it to have a party to celebrate the finding makes me shake my head in ...

2844. Nobody’s Too Good To Repent

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... what he said. Paul says in our lesson that the ancient Hebrews sinned, even though they had received signs of God’s love, just like we Christians have to this day (vv.3-6). If the devoted followers of Moses sinned, people who had trusted God enough to leave their Egyptian homeland, if they sinned, is it any surprise that we are sinners too? Let’s take a look first at how we 21st Americans are guilty on the very issues Paul warned — idolatry and sexual immorality (vv.7-8). One poll taken early in the ...

2845. Nose Hairs And Disney

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Sermon

Mary Austin

... . He asked her: “Is this trip something we’re doing as a family?” She nodded. “Are you part of this family?” Another nod. “Then you’re going with us... you’re part of our family, and we’re not leaving you behind.” Her behavior still grew worse until it was time to leave for the trip, but they were determined. They headed for Disney on the appointed day, had the usual amount of fun, snacks, rides, and sunburns, and then headed back to the hotel. That night, Timothy asked her how her day ...

2846. Christ’s Call to Discipleship

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

... . The other expectation was to make other disciples. Thirdly, the goal of discipleship is Christlikeness. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to hone us into the character of Jesus through conviction and our willingness change through the transforming power of God. After leaving the synagogue of Galilee, Jesus ventured out to the lakeshore and used a boat for his pulpit. Christ went anywhere people that people would listen. His desire was to see lives changed. One day I received an unusual phone call from a ...

2847. A Caring Woman

Acts 9:36-43

Sermon

King Duncan

... chaplain at Harvard and Stanford Universities. In one of his books, he shares a letter from a young woman he knew. I’ll just read a few quotes from her letter. She wrote, “I’ve often realized that it takes courage to care. Caring is dangerous . . . It leaves you open to hurt and to looking like a fool . . . I have found many places in my own life where I keep a secret store of indifference as a sort of self‑protection.” (4) That’s interesting, don’t you think? “A secret store of indifference ...

2848. When What You Signed Up For...

Acts 16:9-15

Sermon

King Duncan

... faces a difficult situation or a closed door, she doesn’t ask God, “Why?” It doesn’t do any good to ask why, she says. Instead, she asks, “What are you trying to teach me through this, Lord?” Certain things we have to trust to faith. We have to leave them in God’s hands and trust God’s goodness. God’s ways are higher than our ways, and God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts. If you are waiting around for God to answer that question, “Why?” you can end up bitter and find yourself ...

2849. A Question of Trust

Romans 5:1-5

Sermon

King Duncan

... people of Potosí are largely Catholic, when they descend into the mines, they offer sacrifices to a devil they call Uncle Tío. They believe that Uncle Tío holds the power of life and death underground, so they pray to him and offer rolled up coca leaves or alcohol to gain his favor. (2) Saturnino Ortega, a mine boss in Potosí, says, “Outside, we believe in God, who is our savior.” But down in the mines, it’s a different story. He says, “We ask the Devil for favors, sometimes on our knees. Our ...

2850. Constant Companion

John 14:23-29

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... the peace of Christ. Let the Holy Spirit’s healing and quieting power wash over you from head to toe and feel the strength and intensity of your connection with God nurture you and fill you. The Holy Spirit of Christ is your constant companion. When you leave this place, He goes with you, and He stays with you always. May you know and feel His presence and the peace He offers you. Go in peace. [1] John Leland, “How Loneliness is Damaging Our Health,” New York Times, April 20, 2022, https://www.nytimes ...

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