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 276 to 300 of 4938 results

276. Keeping the Wheels Turning

John 21:1-19

Illustration

John E. Harnish

Years ago, preacher friend Stan Bailey sent this story around in his church newsletter. It's a story about a visitor to a heavy-duty grease factory. He says the visitors were ushered into a large room and a tour host introduced them to the company history and the number of employees at work producing the best machine lubricants in the world. They toured the noisy factory, with lots of machinery and wheels whirling, mixing, packaging-incredible activity. As the tour ended, one of the visitors said, "I didn' ...

277. One Tough Course

Humor Illustration

Tom had never played the course at Jim's Country Club before. As a matter of fact, he hadn't played much golf anywhere. Anxious to impress, he had, shall we say, invented a few tales to embellish his prowess. But, as it must to all such persons, the fateful day arrived. When it was his turn to tee off, Tom took a mighty swing at the ball and missed! Embarrassed, he teed up again and 'whiffed''! Gritting his teeth, he addressed the ball once again and missed a third time! On his fourth try, he managed to ...

278. Just Turn the Knob

Humor Illustration

Have I ever told you about my cousin John? John broke into a store one time. He found a note on the safe door which said: "Please do not blow up our safe. The safe is not locked. Just turn the knob." He did so. . . . Instantly a siren went off, a heavy sandbag fell on him, and the entire premises were floodlighted. As the police carried him out on a stretcher, Cousin John was heard moaning: "My confidence in human nature sure has been rudely shaken."

279. Turn It Around

Humor Illustration

Johnny Dean

Ole is the pastor of the local Norwegian Lutheran Church, and Pastor Sven is the minister of the Swedish Covenant Church across the road. One day they are seen pounding a sign into the ground, which said: DA END ISS NEAR! TURN YERSELF AROUNT NOW BAFOR IT ISS TOO LATE! As a car speeds past them, the driver leans out his window and yells, "Leave people alone, you Skandihoovian religious nuts!" From the curve, they hear screeching tires and a big splash. Shaking his head, Rev. Ole says, "Dat's da terd vun dis ...

280. Following God's Lead

Joshua 5:1-12

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

The book of Joshua is a book of history and vision. While it gives the history of Israel's conquest of the Promised Land, it also gives us a glimpse of God's unfolding revelation for Israel. The underlying theme of this book is found in the character and nature of Joshua as a brilliant military leader and spiritual guide to his people. It is in that spirit that our text begins to take shape. The Israelites spent 39 years in the wilderness because of their disobedience to God and fear of the Canaanites. The ...

281. Low In The Grave He Lay

Isaiah 25:1-12

Eulogy

Barbara G. Schmitz

The past two days are two of the most solemn days in the Christian year. For yesterday, on Good Friday, Christians commemorated Jesus' death. Later that evening, Jesus' body was taken down from the cross, anointed with oil, and wrapped in linen. Then it was placed in the tomb, and a large rock rolled across to seal it. Today, Holy Saturday, is the day that Jesus "lay low in the grave." Jesus' disciples were heartbroken. Their friend was gone: dead. No more miracles. No more healings. No more stories. No ...

282. We Are All One In Union With Christ

Galatians 3:26--4:7, Psalm 42:1-11

Bulletin Aid

H. Burnham Kirkland

Call To Worship Leader: My heart is breaking, and so I turn my thoughts to God. People: He has sent waves of sorrow over my soul. Leader: To God, my defender, I say, "Why have you forgotten me?" People: I am crushed by the insults of my enemies, as they keep asking me, "Where is your God?" Leader: Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? People: I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him. Collect God of all the nations, we give you thanks for the freedom our forefathers guaranteed us. We ...

283. Change in One’s Life

Luke 3:7-18

Illustration

The famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright created an idea called organic architecture. He believed that buildings should be blended into the surrounding natural environment. If you stare at the buildings that he designed on the campus of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, it is very difficult to tell where the edifice stops and the environment begins. It merges and blends. Perhaps we should start talking of organic Christianity. If you look at the life of Jesus you see no sharp line of ...

284. One Little Act

John 1:29-34

Illustration

Leonard Sweet

I read the story recently about a busy airport, where a line of travelers were waiting to buy tickets. The line grew so long and moved so slowly that patience was wearing thin. At the worst possible moment, two boisterous women carrying large suitcases started elbowing their way to the front. A man near the head of the line saw that the two women were pushing and shoving and feared that the situation was getting out of control. Consequently he offered them his own position. This response took everyone, ...

285. I Am the Only One Left Who Cares!

1 Kings 19:9-18

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: A dish with water in it Good morning boys and girls: How strong is water? Some of you probably think water is not very strong. It's gentle and soothing to swim in this time of year, isn't it? And it's true that if I stick my hand in this dish and scoop up some water and let it seep through my hand, the drops of water don't seem very strong. But suppose I let one tiny drop after another keep falling on one spot, how strong is it? Did you know that it could wear a hole in a mighty rock, drop by drop ...

286. One, A Lion

Illustration

Aesop's Fables

We tend to be like the animals who were bragging about their families. Each animal boasted that he or she had a bigger litter than the others. They all bragged without shame. Finally, they turned to the lioness, who had been silent all this time, and asked rather smugly, "And how many children do you have?" "Only one," she replied, "but that one is a lion."

287. Outlook Determines Outcome

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

The book of Acts, commonly thought to be a sequel to the Gospel of Luke, is a book of many blessings. It's a book that illustrates for us how the church began after the ascension of Jesus. It's a book about the role and ministry of the Holy Spirit. It's a book about church growth. It's a book about witnessing. It's a historical book; it's a theological book; it's a book about attitudes, outlooks, and outcomes. The book of Acts begins with the outpouring of God's promised Holy Spirit and how that spirit ...

288. Truth And Its Consequences

Acts 5:17-42

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

How many of us are willing to die for what we believe? The apostles were. They were so convinced that the teachings of Jesus were of God's divine orders that they continued to teach Jesus' resurrection although the religious leaders had forbidden them to continue. As a result of their disobedience they were brought before the Sanhedrin and questioned by the high priest. Once again Peter rose to the occasion and spoke: We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up ...

289. Take A Second Look

Acts 9:1-19a

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

It is very difficult to think of the New Testament without thinking about the Apostle Paul. So much of his influence and thought is found in the letters and epistles of the New Testament writings. Apart from Jesus no person influenced the history of the Christian community more than Paul. Paul's teachings have formed the foundation upon which many of the disciplines of our faith are anchored. In our text today, we examine the transformation that resulted in Paul's conversion and surrender to the will of ...

290. Face To Face

John 14:1-4

Eulogy

Barbara G. Schmitz

Picture, if you will, a small child learning to walk. The parents stand a few yards apart. The first parent directs the child toward the other parent. At first the child looks back to the first parent for encouragement. But at a critical moment near the middle of the journey, the child starts looking ahead to the second parent, puts out his or her hands, and hurries into the welcoming arms (borrowed from Demetrius Dumm in Flowers in the Desert, page 95). Such a critical moment in Christ's journey happened ...

291. To Know Christ As one

Ephesians 3:14-21, Galatians 3:26--4:7

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

Call to Worship Leader: Come, let us enter the house of the Lord for worship this day! People: We were once seen as Jew and Gentile, divided and separated before God. Leader: Through the cross we are all called to know the love of Christ as one. People: Surely God is merciful and gracious and worthy of our heartfelt love. Leader: God is just and righteous and bore our sins that we may have life. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect Almighty and loving God, only in your divine wisdom could your ...

292. The Brokenness of Christ's Body

Luke 22:54-62

Illustration

Robert Beringer

Perhaps the most telling symbol in all the world of our brokenness and our failure to recognize Jesus as the Christ is a church building! The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is built over the traditional site of Calvary and the Garden of Resurrection. It stands today only because some ugly steel scaffolding supports the walls. I found it to be one of the dirtiest and most depressing places in the world! The church is jointly owned by the Abyssinians, the Armenians, the Copts, the Greek Orthodox, ...

293. One of the Secrets to Success

Luke 10:1-24

Illustration

Andrew Tobias, the financial author put it this way. Go down any day to the waterfront, and you will find a crowd of unhappy people. Someone will be having trouble getting the motor on their yacht to crank. Someone else will be scraping barnacles. Another will be repainting. Things just don't make you happy. Property brings problems. It is like an alligator that takes a bite out of your pocket every time you turn around. Don't be burdened by too many material things. As you go through life, one of the ...

294. Didn't Know He Was Lost

Luke 19:1-10

Illustration

Robert Beringer

There are many who are bored, burned out, lonely and empty. Many people have tried to substitute the accumulation of things for good relationships, but no matter how much they get, something is still missing in life. Their pipe does not go down deep enough to draw living water, and they feel lost. There was a little boy who got separated from his parents in a large shopping center. The Security Department quickly located the child, and took him to an office while the frantic parents were paged over the ...

295. Grace That Cost

Luke 19:1-10

Illustration

Robert Beringer

The novelist, A. J. Cronin, tells a story from his own experience as a doctor that catches the wonder of the gift of grace. The Adams family at the close of the Second World War decided to open their home to a little refugee boy with the outlandish name of Paul Piotrostanalzi. The Adams had two daughters and a son named Sammy. Sammy and Paul became inseparable friends, but little Paul was a difficult child, and often disobeyed Mr. and Mrs. Adams. One day, little Paul went swimming in some contaminated ...

296. One Step Closer to Success

Illustration

Charles Kettering

The great inventor Charles Kettering suggested that we must learn to fail intelligently. He said, "Once you've failed analyze the problem and find out why, because each failure is one more step leading up to the cathedral of success. The only time you don't want to fail is the last time you try." Here are three suggestions for turning failure into success: Honestly face defeat; never fake success. Exploit the failure; don't waste it. Learn all you can from it; every bitter experience can teach us something ...

297. A Hole In One

Illustration

Hoagy Carmichael, the story goes, once decided to take up golf. Lessons were arranged with an instructor. At the first session Carmichael was patiently shown the basics of the game: how to hold the club, How to stand, how to swing, etc. Finally, after a half hour of this, the instructor felt Carmichael was ready to drive a few toward the first hole. The ball was teed up. Hoagy stepped up to it, swung, then watched the ball sail down the fairway, bound onto the green and roll into the cup--a hole in one! ...

298. Going Back on One’s Word

Jeremiah 34:1-7, Jeremiah 34:8-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

34:1–39:18 Review · Case Studies in the Failure of Leadership: Incidents from the reigns of two kings, Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, are told in chapters 34–39. The actors include Jeremiah, princes, and the Rekabite family. The stories, not chronological, are prelude to the fall of Jerusalem (chap. 39). “Fire” and “burning” are key words. The stories are a forceful commentary on ungodly leadership and on spiritual rebellion. Here is the account of the total rejection of the word of God, whether received via a ...

299. Warning Not To Turn Away from God

Hebrews 12:14-29

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Each person must study holiness, as the gospel requires, and help others to do the same, taking special care to nip sin in the bud when it arises within the community (12:14–17; cf. Deut. 29:18; 1 Cor. 5:6). Esau exemplifies the person who exchanges the unseen and future inheritance for the sensible and immediate pleasures of this world and, consequently, “falls short of the grace of God,” that is, squanders irrevocably the blessing that was in one’s grasp (Heb. 6:4–6; 10:26–31). Esau’s tears showed ...

300. The Suffering Servant

Isaiah 51:17--52:12

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

There are few passages of scripture in the Bible that speak with such authority, wonder, and amazement. God's ultimate plan for the salvation of humankind was unfolding, but how could they grasp the full meaning of what this Suffering Servant would come to mean to the world? In the Old Testament people offered animals as sacrifices for their sins. Now God was offering not an animal but a lamb of human origin. But how could these people in Isaiah's time understand the full meaning of what God was getting ...

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Showing 276 to 300 of 4938 results

276. Keeping the Wheels Turning

John 21:1-19

Illustration

John E. Harnish

277. One Tough Course

Humor Illustration

278. Just Turn the Knob

Humor Illustration

279. Turn It Around

Humor Illustration

Johnny Dean

280. Following God's Lead

Joshua 5:1-12

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

281. Low In The Grave He Lay

Isaiah 25:1-12

Eulogy

Barbara G. Schmitz

282. We Are All One In Union With Christ

Galatians 3:26--4:7, Psalm 42:1-11

Bulletin Aid

H. Burnham Kirkland

283. Change in One’s Life

Luke 3:7-18

Illustration

284. One Little Act

John 1:29-34

Illustration

Leonard Sweet

285. I Am the Only One Left Who Cares!

1 Kings 19:9-18

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

286. One, A Lion

Illustration

Aesop's Fables

287. Outlook Determines Outcome

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

288. Truth And Its Consequences

Acts 5:17-42

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

289. Take A Second Look

Acts 9:1-19a

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

290. Face To Face

John 14:1-4

Eulogy

Barbara G. Schmitz

291. To Know Christ As one

Ephesians 3:14-21, Galatians 3:26--4:7

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

292. The Brokenness of Christ's Body

Luke 22:54-62

Illustration

Robert Beringer

293. One of the Secrets to Success

Luke 10:1-24

Illustration

294. Didn't Know He Was Lost

Luke 19:1-10

Illustration

Robert Beringer

295. Grace That Cost

Luke 19:1-10

Illustration

Robert Beringer

296. One Step Closer to Success

Illustration

Charles Kettering

297. A Hole In One

Illustration

298. Going Back on One’s Word

Jeremiah 34:1-7, Jeremiah 34:8-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

299. Warning Not To Turn Away from God

Hebrews 12:14-29

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

300. The Suffering Servant

Isaiah 51:17--52:12

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

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