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 2901 to 2925 of 4976 results

2901. A Word About the Right Time

Haggai 2:1-9

Sermon

... prosperity. You shall have prosperity of a kind you have not known." "To be with you ..." What good news to hear in these days of loneliness and exile and alienation. The One who made and kept the Egyptian release pledge to Haggai, continues to make it to us and to keep it. Emmanuel, "God with us," not just a friend or a neighbor or a parent or a brother or a sister or even a lover, but God with us. God guarantees it in a strange way, sends our Companion on the way to the cross. It’s confusing until we ...

2902. Beasts, Saints and Chaos

Daniel 7:1-14

Sermon

... some, eighty years; for some, ninety years, is a greater trial than a dramatic confrontation with an athiest. That is why we hear, "Be faithful unto death." That is why, "Do not grow weary in well-doing." If what we are doing is well, then we are to keep on doing it. You notice that weariness, which is much in our minds, is not at all in the mind of the writer. Instantaneity is our thing, not patience. This sense of weariness and loss of a sense of worthwhileness is compounded by a sense of isolation. "I ...

2903. The Fourth Sunday in Lent

Matthew 20:17-19

Sermon

Kendall McCabe

... . God becomes the way we get things done. It seems such a convenient arrangement. We join church and attend, of course. We may even tithe, and that clinches the deal. God has put the divine power at our disposal (for a fee), and we expect him to keep his part of the deal if we keep ours. Naturally, I don't think anyone ever really puts it in terms as crass as those, but the idea is there all the same. Listen to what some people say or ask in the face of crisis: "She was always a good church member. Why ...

2904. Repent!

Acts 2:14-41

Sermon

... . The fear-filled hesitancy of this jail chaplain needs God's forgiveness as much as the crime of the convict. The word repentance comes from the Latin word paena which means inner pain; therefore, all we do or don't do that troubles our souls and keeps us awake at night cries for our repentance. The life which drifts aimlessly needs to be turned around just as desperately as the life leading to jail. The New Testament acknowledges the need to turn from this inner suffering when it speaks of hell. Most of ...

2905. The Focus of Fitness

Jeremiah 18:1--19:15

Sermon

... . As the potter puts the lump of clay on the turntable, it is constantly worked by hand. Water is sprinkled on it to keep the lump soft and pliable. The turntable is there for a reason. If you have ever tried to shape something out of clay ... with the clay. One is, he decides to rework the lump and to start over. But then he looks again, changes his mind and decides to keep it after all. The other alternative approach is, he decides to make a very nice piece out of the clay, but the clay does not cooperate ...

2906. Why I Can’t Sleep in Church

Ezekiel 33:1-20

Sermon

... angel offered his suggestion. "Why not tell them that there is no hell. If they have nothing to fear, we may gain some." But Satan responded, saying, "I don’t think they would accept that either." The third angel offered his advice. He said, "Why don’t we keep heaven and hell, but tell the people that there is no hurry to decide between them. People can wait until the last possible moment." At that, Satan smiled and said, "That’s it! That’s what we’ll do!" Ever since then, that plan has met with ...

2907. A Moment of Brightness

Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

Dean Lueking

... a thing as holy tedium in our practice of the faith and in our worship of the living God. Expect it. Don’t resent it. We say the same things so often in our liturgy. We repeat the same Psalms, offer the same prayers day after day, and keep on resorting to what our forefathers have handed down to us. To be sure, God’s mercies are new every morning and his love is ever unchanging. But our experiences of it may not be constantly bright and transfiguring, simply because we are mortal and not yet complete ...

2908. Wellspring for the Soul

John 4:1-26

Sermon

Dean Lueking

... voice are incomprehensible. Indeed, there is no thirst for his word anymore. There’s no thirst for much of anything. It is to that rocky contour of our inner life that Jesus brings this astounding Word of his. He himself is the wellspring that never runs dry, keeps on gushing up in a living stream of life-giving water that continues into eternal life. Wellspring There is such a water. He is that water. It won’t do to just describe the problem of how life flattens out into desert places of the soul. What ...

2909. Authority Through Servanthood

Matthew 20:20-28, Matthew 20:17-19

Sermon

Dean Lueking

... cheapened by plastic images of great numbers, great wealth, great power in ministry. She washes the feet of the suffering day in and day out. I know her and honor her as a person of great authority. She works hard at honing her skills, and keeps growing in the competence required to minister effectively to people at the far edge of our society. Servanthood is not settling for the least in dedication. She is in earnest about her calling, and I see that depth in her spirituality most Friday mornings as she ...

2910. A Sermon for Passion Sunday

Matthew 27:45-56

Sermon

Dean Lueking

... no comfort, either in the Old or New Testament, that does not have its ultimate foundation in this cry of agony. This word, so filled with the hardest pangs of suffering, has become the welcome word of our victorious brother and Lord through his resurrection from the dead. Therefore Keep Christ Jesus in Life's Center I am not wanting to say that any ordeal is something to relish or look forward to, or that distress and suffering are pleasant and easy to bear. What I am wanting to say is that when you and I ...

2911. The Promise and the Task

Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

Dean Lueking

... of overseas Christians to us and through correspondence and sharing of our blessings. With Hope for the Completion This is the most direct way I know of for Christians to bring the ascension power to bear in such a way as to heal the dangerous suspicions and alienations that keep us apart. We do not see through the cloud that surrounded him at his ascension. Yet he is not on the other side of that cloud; he is on our side. His word, his promise, his task - as we enter into all these we know his presence and ...

2912. Easter 2

Acts 5:17-42, Revelation 1:4-8, Revelation 1:9-20, John 20:19-23, John 20:24-31

Sermon Aid

... Jewish enemies. Behind the shut doors, they met in fear, worry, and despair. It is not likely that the shut doors would have kept out the enemies, for locks are made to be broken. They locked themselves in a room with open doors. Certainly their shut doors could not keep Jesus out. Fear and worry only lock us in and do not lock foe nor friend out. 2. Peace (vv. 19, 21, 26). Three times Jesus greets his followers with "Shalom." It was more than a casual greeting such as "Hello." The men were in need of peace ...

2913. Easter 5

Jn 13:31-35 · Acts 13:44-52; 14:8-18; 21-27 · Rev 21:1-5

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... homes are fast breaking up by separation and divorce and when many homes still intact are miserable, we need to find the formula for keeping our families together and happy. In the text John uses the imagery of the family to describe the new Kingdom of God. If the ... v. 3. -- A home where God takes away sorrow, death, and pain. 2. A House of Love (John 13:34-35). Need: Love is what keeps a home intact and happy. In 1977 Ann Landers learned in a poll she took of her readers that 70 percent of the 30,000 replies ...

2914. Easter 7

Jn 17:20-26 · Acts 7:55-60; 16:16-34 · Rev 22:12-20

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... Christ was soon coming back to earth for the wind-up of history. How long is "soon?" Now even Jesus knew the answer to that. "Soon" may be today or tomorrow or tomorrow ad infinitum. The "soon" may be like a flash flood or a volcanic eruption like Vesuvius. "Soon" keeps us ever on the alert, on tiptoe. 2. Tree (v. 14). The redeemed have the right to the tree of life which exists in heaven. Up to this time humanity has not been allowed to eat of this tree. Adam and Eve were expelled from Eden lest they eat ...

2915. Trinity Sunday

Jn 16:12-15 · Rom 5:1-5 · Prov 8:22-31

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... our hearts with the love of God. Outline: It takes three to save: a. The Father gives peace - v. 1 b. The Son makes it possible through grace - v. 2 c. The Spirit confirms the relationship - v. 5 2. What More Could You Want? (5:1-5). Need: We keep calling, inviting, appealing for people to come and be reconciled to God, to repent, and to join the church. We may forget to point out the blessedness of being right with God. Paul in the text tells what comes to those who are justified, the blessing from God ...

2916. Proper 12

Lk 11:1-13 · Col 2:6-15 · Gen 18:20-32 · 2 Ki 5:1-15

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... not be the right time for God to answer. At the time we ask we may not be ready for the gift. If we do not keep asking, when the time is right, we may not be receptive. C. Because others through whom the prayer is answered may not be cooperative. God often ... answers our prayers through others who may at the time refuse to cooperate with God. Until that cooperation is given, we need to keep praying. 3. A God Who Loves to Give. 11:11-13. Need: We often think of God's unwillingness to give. So, we use ...

2917. Lent 1

Lk 4:1-13 · Rom 10:8-13 · Deut 26:1-11

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... you believe Jesus is the risen Lord. To be a Christian one must go beyond this to tell the world one's faith. To keep this faith to oneself means one does not have the faith. Faith that Jesus is Lord is an explosive matter. Like the Disciples we ... . Some things must be said. We cannot bottle up certain truths which need to be proclaimed. The children on Palm Sunday could not keep from singing praise to Jesus or the very stones would cry out. Though the Apostles were ordered not to preach about Jesus, they ...

2918. THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

James 5:7-12

Bulletin Aid

... served in meekness but he promised to return in glorious majesty. People: We rejoice in the birth of our Savior, and await the day when he will return. Pastor: We do not know when that day will be; but we are told to be patient until he comes, and keep our hope high. People: We celebrate the birth of our Lord who has promised to return to rule the world in justice and righteousness. Collect Almighty God, whose Son was born of lowly birth, and who gave his life in humble service to die upon a cross for our ...

2919. Proper 12

Matthew 13:44-46, Matthew 13:47-52

Bulletin Aid

... too much, we may lose the Kingdom. The choice is ours. People: We want more than anything in the world to be in God's Kingdom. May God help us keep our priorities in order. Collect O God our Father: You have put within our reach the blessings of your Kingdom, more valuable than our minds can comprehend! Give us the wisdom to keep all our possessions and desires subordinate to your Kingdom; that we may receive the blessings inherent in your Kingdom. In our Savior's name we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession ...

2920. Proper 13

Romans 8:31-39

Bulletin Aid

... pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession We do not believe, Father, that the Christian Faith is a mental escape from the reality of sin, or death, or any other evil force. But while we know these powers are real we still fail to experience the victory of Christ which keeps us secure in your love. Forgive us for our spiritual weakness when we have ignored the power of Christ in our lives. Show us the victory which is ours in Christ, that we may live in the strength of your love forever. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen ...

2921. Parable of the Three Stewards

Matthew 25:14-30

Bulletin Aid

... ourselves in it, that life may become more rewarding. People: May God help us be faithful with our stewardship, as we invest our lives in the joy of his love. Collect Gracious Father, whose gift of life includes abilities which demand responsibility: Keep us faithful in commiting our whole being to living the Christian life, that discipleship may lead us into an ever growing and maturing experience of salvation through Christ. In his name we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession Father, we want to be Christian ...

2922. All Saints' Day

Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 2:28--3:10, Matthew 5:1-12

Bulletin Aid

... like after death. Pastor: We know that when we see Jesus, we shall be like him! People: That is our hope, and it motivates us to keep ourselves pure for our Lord. Collect Almighty God, whose love is without end to those who call you Father: Help us to live like Jesus ... . And we look forward to the glories of eternity. But we struggle with our attempts to be pure. Forgive us our sins which keep us impure. Cleanse us with Christ's purity; that, in eternity, sin may no longer mar the image you have given us. We ...

2923. January 1

Matthew 25:31-46, Revelation 21:1-27, Deuteronomy 8:1-20

Bulletin Aid

... others. We serve Christ himself when we serve others. People: May this new year be a new life in which we treat others as though Christ were present in them. Collect Almighty God, whose Son has challenged us to treat others with the same respect we would treat him: Keep us mindful of the service we may give to our Lord, by serving those in need; that both our world, and our Lord, may be blessed by our good deeds. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession We would do anything for your Son, O God ...

2924. Christmas 2

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40, Ephesians 1:1-14, Ephesians 1:15-23, John 1:1-18

Bulletin Aid

... Christ has come. Praise God for our salvation! Collect O God of our salvation, you have dealt with our sin by sending your Son to be our Savior! How grateful we are for being restored in righteousness, not by any merit of ours, but by your Son. Keep us in the spirit of Christmas; that we may always remember his birth in our hearts is our source of true life. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession How quickly Christmas is over, Lord. The carols, the decorations, and left over wrappings are stored ...

2925. Wednesday in Holy Week

Isaiah 50:1-11, Hebrews 12:1-13, John 13:18-30

Bulletin Aid

... would use that evil to share his love with our world. People: God's love is redemptive in spite of man's evil plans. We claim that redemption, and pray for faithfulness to Christ. Collect Heavenly Father, whose Son was betrayed by one of his closest followers: Keep us secure in your love, and firm in our faith, that we may not submit to any form of false allegiance or insincere discipleship. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Prayer of Confession Dear Father, we pause to consider the hurt that Jesus felt when he ...

Showing results