Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 2876 to 2900 of 4963 results

2876. The Promising Invitation

Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

Marc Kolden

... will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (11:28-30). It's not only an invitation; it's also a promise: "You will find rest for your souls; my yoke is easy." The words themselves can ease our situation and enliven hope. It is strange, then, that though we know these words so well, if you're like me you probably have little sense of their original setting in Matthew's gospel. The danger in this is that if we do not know their setting, we may misappropriate them and take them ...

2877. Seeing Light In Darkness

John 11:1-16

Sermon

David Belgum

... countries where it is a scarce item during many months. I think of a beloved Danish hymn, which captures the lifesaving function of light. On this island country surrounded by the rough seas, there are lighthouses to guide the fishermen and crews of merchant freighters, who are hoping to make it safe to the harbor at last. What a welcome sight is the blinking light indicating the safe entrance to the harbor and home. Aaberg has a verse in a Danish hymnal that I don't find anywhere else: "Vor Fader har Lys i ...

2878. Preaching On Biblical Personalities

Sermon

John R. Bodo

2879. Jesus, The Servant

John 13:1-17

Sermon

Elaine M. Ward

... Wretched man that I am, who will save me?" And then his own: How could we for a single moment imagine that thought or wonder or wisdom would save us? His words mesmerized me as that figure entered Eiseley, contorting his shape, transforming his doubt into hope, again with Paul's words: "Beareth all things, believeth...." Believe, believe. This is the thread that weaves the night's dying into tomorrow's birth. "I, who do not sleep, can tell you this," he whispered. And then the immortal words: "And now faith ...

2880. Screaming For A Reason Why

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

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

... to fantasy. Let's imagine that we are in that intensive care waiting room. It is late at night. The visiting hours are over. It's quiet. All day long families have huddled in the corners of that room, exchanging stories of how relatives are doing, expressing hope, listening to a doctor, breaking down in grief. The business of the day is over. We are there keeping vigil, waiting for the latest word on a loved one's condition. The doctors and nurses will not be coming in to give reports until the next morning ...

2881. Something New, Something Old

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... into the world in a new and exciting way in his ministry and that many things that people had thought about and hoped about and dreamed about for ages were beginning to become reality. The problem was that persons with old expectations and old mindsets ... If we bring out only the old, we can actually thwart God's graceful purposes! So here you are, bringing lots of old, and I hope most of it "good" old, experiences. But it is always time to bring out that which is new as well to discover what dreams are reality ...

2882. Prayers for Pentecost

Bulletin Aid

Rolland R. Reece

... the church scattered. This is also a powerful and purposeful hour. We come depleted and leave refreshed. We come confused and return clear-minded. We come feeling estranged, but go back to our duties cared for and loved. May we receive our inheritance of joy and hope. May we pass them on strengthened and enhanced. We thank you, Lord, for our church. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. How good it is, our Savior and Creator, to assemble here this morning. Our presence here is our common witness to a ...

2883. Wedding: Second Marriage With Children

Bulletin Aid

Derl G. Keefer

... , patience never fails. Pastor: Do you have rings? Couple: Yes, we do. (Pastor takes the rings from the Best Man and Maid of Honor) Pastor: The circle of this ring symbolizes the never-ending trust, hope, and love that (Groom) and (Bride) have for one another. Pastor: (Groom), place this ring on (Bride's) finger and repeat after me. Pastor (Groom Repeats): I, (Groom), take you, (Bride), to be my wife as a gift from God to treasure for the rest of my life. Pastor: (Bride), ...

2884. Wedding: Unity Candle

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Bulletin Aid

Derl G. Keefer

... patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail. Love is eternal. Eternal love. That is what you will be pledging to each other in front of all your family and friends today, (Bride) and (Groom). "As long as we both shall live," you will say. We are talking about something really strong ...

2885. Wedding: Rooted In Love (for a blended family)

Ephesians 3:14-21

Bulletin Aid

Derl G. Keefer

... those daily and weekly little things that always seem to take our attention. Now and then, leave the dishes, the laundry, the lawn mowing, and the checkbook balancing, and spend time talking about things that really matter: like what you want your family to be like, what you hope people will remember about you when you're gone, how you can add to the good rather than the evil in the world, and how you can be a better person, partner, and parent. Of course, if a tree tries to sink its roots into dry ground ...

2886. Wedding: Eternal Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Bulletin Aid

Derl G. Keefer

... is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail. Love is eternal. "Love" -- what a world of meanings there are in that one word. You said that word to each other, (Bride) and (Groom), and look what happened! Here you are, ready to commit yourselves to a lifetime of loving one another ...

2887. Wedding: Building A Marriage (for a couple fixing up a house)

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Bulletin Aid

Derl G. Keefer

... when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. Congratulations, (Bride) and (Groom)! A few years back, would you ever have guessed that your acquaintance with each other would grow into a friendship and your friendship would grow into love? Now here you are, ready to ...

2888. Equipped To Play

Ephesians 6:10-20

Sermon

Robert R. Kopp

... days, you're looking for a new one." He also likes to say, "The toughest yardage in golf is between the ears." Or as Craig Stadler lamented, "Why am I using a new putter? Because the old one didn't float too well." "The constant undying hope for improvement," Bernard Darwin concluded, "makes golf so exquisitely worth playing." The passion for improvement drives people to all corners of the earth or at least another catalogue for that "this-is-my-last" driver or putter or wedge or glove or racket or rod or ...

2889. Judas, The Obscure

Drama

Peter C. Garrison

... my Father." What would have happened to us all at the death of God? The death of Judas will change nothing because he is already nothing. Listen to me, for in this, my confession, I defend someone who is not here but has already departed from us. He has no hope except in my despair for him. Judas reveals himself to be at once a traitor, and at the same time someone who is not able to believe his own duplicity. At the last meal, when Jesus announced, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me," Judas had ...

2890. Membership Has Its Privileges

Acts 16:16-40

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

... , institutions, and societies. Radical Prayer, you see is prophetic."1 It takes that type of Radical Prayer to have hope beyond the shackles of oppression, poverty, addiction, abuse and hopelessness. Though chained and shackled, they prayed until the power ... I've seen it in the determination of AIDS patients living life with abundance, not denying the reality of the diagnosis of death, but with the hope of a good day, just one day at a time. I've seen that Radical Prayer at the altar when God's people pray. I' ...

2891. Turning Obstacles Into Opportunities

Isaiah 43:14-28

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

... to be possible because of the financial status of his widowed father. Resigning himself to sign up for military service the young man questioned God's presence since he had suffered such hardship in his life. The pastor could only say to the young man, "Don't lose hope. God will make a way for you to go to college." A couple of weeks after the pastors met, a dinner meeting took place between the couple and the potential candidate. A few days later the urban pastor received a call stating that the couple had ...

2892. Saved By The Blood Of The Lamb

Exodus 12:1-30

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

... a bridge to many who are hopeless. This covenant relationship gives meaning to those searching for direction. This covenant relationship is initiated by God for us. To a generation of young men and women whose despair has turned inward, we can say, "There is life beyond material things; there is hope beyond peer pressure; there is a future worth living for. That future begins today -- you are loved; there is ...

2893. Joy For The Journey

Drama

Karren Boehr

... I feel his very presence. MIRIAM: (Almost disgusted) No one has risen from the dead. Hannah, I worry over you. You were there. You saw how he suffered. Yet you refuse to believe it! HANNAH: (With compassion) Oh, Miriam, it is you who do not understand. There is a hope within me. A decision I have made. I choose to believe what Jesus said to us, that he would be delivered to the chief priests and scribes,who would scourge him and crucify him, and the third day he will rise. He will rise, Miriam. He will rise ...

2894. The Insignificant Valentine

Drama

Karren Boehr

... time in the principal's office. He's always in trouble! 2ND GIRL: (Leans down to tie her shoe) Hey, I have an idea. 1ST GIRL: I hope it's a good one? 2ND GIRL: You know how we're always being told in Sunday school to do good to those who aren't good ... ? 2ND WOMAN: (Good-naturedly) How could I forget? That was the only year we didn't have valentines at our valentine's party. We were all hoping if we were nice to you, you'd tell Miss Baker and she'd change her mind. But no such luck! You kept your little trap ...

2895. Graduation Is Not For Angels

Drama

Karren Boehr

... started this project, and you get to see it to the final end. You'll weep a lot, you'll rejoice a lot, and we hope you will see your assigned choose the path that The Almighty has so lovingly mapped out for her. The walk, my friend, has only begun. 2ND ... ANGEL: (Hesitantly, not sure) And I get to stick around for all the action. 1ST ANGEL: You got it! 2ND ANGEL: (Puts mortarboard back on) Whew! I hope I'm up to this. 1ST ANGEL: Me too. But with all the prayers we can't go wrong. Well, what do you say we get ...

2896. Dealing with AIDS

Matthew 5:17-20, Matthew 5:21-26

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... to tell you, Bill said the actual disease might never develop. If it does it might be five or ten years from now. We just have to hope for the best. Mary: The best? There is no best now. Not now. Never again. Why, Eric? Why? Eric: Mary, please. I'm sorry. Please try to ... you to get sick or waiting for me to get sick -- waiting for one of us to catch pneumonia and die. That sounds like a lot of hope. Is that how people go on? Is it? Well, I can't. I just can't! Why should I? Why should I have to? Eric: We can ...

2897. The Lesser Commision

Matthew 28:16-20

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... know. JOHN: We must learn to do as He says, that's all. MATTHEW: Yes, you're right, John. You're right. THOMAS: I mean to have more faith in the Master. I have doubted in the past, but that is going to change. JOHN: I hope it does, Thomas. I hope we all can change when it comes to having faith. JESUS: (ENTERS) Thank you for being faithful and meeting me. (THE DISCIPLES WORSHIP JESUS) THOMAS: My Lord and my God. JESUS: (AS JESUS SPEAKS DISCIPLES FREEZE THROUGHOUT) All authority has been given to me in heaven ...

2898. God's Promise Fulfilled

Isaiah 42:1-9

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... is returned to all. Leader: Then let us carry the good news to all the nations for all to hear! All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect O God, in Your wisdom and love You gave us a Savior to restore light and hope to our dark and bleak world. We praise You and ask You to send us to share Your light with the nations. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord, so often we have failed to remember the commitment we made in our baptism to share the light You ...

2899. The Lord of Life

Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

Call To Worship Leader: Let us gather in the name of the Lord who has given us life itself. People: We were once a people without hope and a people who had no salvation. Leader: Yet God has sent us a Savior to lead us out of darkness into light. People: Let us choose the ways of the Lord; let ... of life for those who will reach out to serve others and eternity for those who are faithful. Forgive us, Lord. In Christ we pray. Amen. Hymns "Oh, How I Love Jesus" "Hope Of The World" "Breathe On Me, Breath Of God"

2900. The Season Of The Holy Spirit

Mark 10:35-45

Bulletin Aid

Wayne H. Keller

... of Good News. Are you willing to hear the Good News, even though you may not like it? (Pause.) Will you be willing to respond to the Good News, even if God disturbs your comfort level? (Pause.) P: When we listen to God without our preconceived notions of what we hope God will say to us, God's Spirit will surprise us, maybe even scare us. M: What do you mean? P: I mean that God's expectations of us may differ radically from our expectations of how God calls us to obedience. M: What are you saying? P: I am ...

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