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 2976 to 3000 of 3926 results

2976. Je Suis Jesus

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , all sorts of Hollywood folks became special targets of governmental scrutiny for their involvement in the civil rights movement. We forget that one of the reasons why the older generation didn’t like Elvis was not because of his hips, but because of his support for racial equality and integration. One of those swept up in the fear frenzy was a writer named Howard Fast. When he refused to “name names” and expose his friends and co-workers, Fast was sentenced to a prison term. While incarcerated Fast ...

2977. The Broken

John 8:1-11

Sermon

James Merritt

... in some of the oldest available manuscripts of the New Testament. Though that is true, without going into great detail there are reasons why many conservative, biblical scholars believe that this story does belong in the Bible, because not only does it have strong manuscript support, but the story rings true to what we know about Jesus and it really fits the context of what comes before it and what comes after it. Now, let’s read the story. “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning ...

2978. Lost

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

James Merritt

... trips to places like Nicaragua and Asia and the Congo? Do you understand why I ask you at the end of every service the question “Who? Who did you invite this week? Who will you invite next week?” Now do you understand why we ask you to financially support the work of this church? It is because lost people matter to God. What matters to God should matter to us. It is because heaven is happy when lost people are found. We ought to want to make heaven happy. That is why the most important question a ...

2979. Digging Deeper

Luke 1:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

... do we know that Luke’s gospel is historically reliable so that we can believe what he reported is true? As to the first question, of all of the ancient documents in history, the New Testament has by far and away the most and the oldest manuscripts to support it by far. Here is an example. We believe in Julius Caesar, yet there are only 10 manuscripts that mention Julius Caesar and the oldest one is 1000 years after he lived. We believe in Plato. We only have 7 manuscripts referring to him and the earliest ...

2980. Jesus Prays for Us

John 17:6-19

Sermon

King Duncan

... he pray that? There is strength in unity. When you have friends and family and fellow church members to whom you can turn in times of trouble you can bear almost any pain, any turmoil in your life. The church at its best provides that kind of support, that kind of one-ness. That wonderful preacher Barbara Brown Taylor gives us a picture of a church where unity provides comfort and security. She writes, “Like the brain-damaged young man who shows up one Sunday and asks to become a member of the church. As ...

2981. Have You Had Your Caffeine Today?

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... to their generation, it is the church today. Our society is slipping quite rapidly from being at least tolerant of Christians to being somewhat antichristian. Have you noticed a change, for example, on our television networks? Shows that use to be generally supportive of faith are now openly mocking it. While they exploit sex and violence in ways that would not have been dreamed of twenty or thirty years ago, TV characters not only sleep around without hesitation, but they proudly proclaim to be atheists ...

2982. No Turning Back

John 6:60-71

Sermon

King Duncan

... then told them, point blank, “I am not going to serve this family Communion this way again. Furthermore, I think that you elders need to tell this family that it isn’t going to happen here again. I’d like someone to make a motion to support what the congregation has decided.” So they voted to affirm the congregation’s action. Then the pastor said, “Now, who is going to go and tell these people?” Naturally, nobody wanted to go. “Well,” he continued, “I will go if one of you will go with ...

2983. A Man with No Name

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

King Duncan

... World War I Lauder worked tirelessly to organize and recruit performers for shows given to troops serving abroad. Unfortunately, his own son, Captain J. C. Lauder, was killed in combat shortly before New Year 1917. Despite his son’s death Harry Lauder continued to publicly rally support for the war. He once explained his ability to carry on after his son’s death to a friend. He said, “When a man comes to a thing like this, there are just three ways out of it--there is drink, there is despair, and ...

2984. A Small Town Is Blessed

Micah 5:1-4

Sermon

King Duncan

... the king to repentance and, in doing so, saved Israel (Jeremiah 26:17-19). During this time there was a shocking contrast within both Judah and Israel between the extremely rich and the oppressed poor. Does that sound familiar? Such oppression gained support from corrupt political and religious leaders of that day. This failed leadership caused the nation to become morally bankrupt and therefore ripe for judgment. Micah foretold that there would come a ruler who will “shepherd his flock in the strength of ...

2985. "Gotcha" Questions from Mean-Spirited People

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... . You work with the definitions of this present age wherein marriage is the primary vehicle for eternity. In this understanding a man has the right to take a woman in marriage. In exchange for this taking, the man offers the woman protection and support and the woman is expected to provide children, particularly sons to inherit the family wealth and carry the family name. In this understanding, eternity is to live on in one's children and grandchildren. That is the understanding of this present age, but ...

2986. God's Adopted Children

Ephesians 1:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... a baby that we love even more because it is small. If we don’t judge value on the basis of size, why should God? We may be a tiny part of God’s creation, but we’re far from insignificant. Every bit of evidence from both theology and science supports the proposition that this world was created in our behalf, and we are the most prized creatures in it. But, you may argue, there are so many of us for God to love. There are over seven billion people on earth. How could God know and care about each of ...

2987. Second Chances

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan

... as a Republican member of the United States Senate from Wyoming from 1979 to 1997. In his younger years, however, Alan Simpson’s life was not so circumspect. Not too long ago, Simpson was involved in a Supreme Court case, Graham v. Florida. In a brief in support of the claimant in the case, Simpson admitted that as a juvenile he was--in his own words--“a monster.” At one time he was on federal probation for shooting mailboxes and punching a cop. One day when Simpson was in high school, he and some ...

2988. Waiting For A Messiah

Illustration

Staff

Years ago, when economic issues were overwhelming the average worker, Arthur Garcia, 43, who supported a wife and five children on a $19,000 wage as a worker in U.S. Steel’s South Chicago mill said: “You really want to revolt, but what can you do? I keep waiting for a miracle—for some guy who isn’t born yet—and when he comes, we’ll follow him like he was John the Baptist."

2989. A Flying Buttress

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Someone asked Sir Winston Churchill, “Are you a pillar of the church?” He quipped, “I am more of a flying buttress: I support it from the outside.”

2990. Paying For Slavery

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Henry Thoreau, that rugged New England individualist of the nineteenth century, once went to jail rather than pay his poll tax to a state that supported slavery. Thoreau’s good friend Ralph Waldo Emerson hurried to visit him in jail and, peering through the bars, exclaimed: “Why, Henry, what are you doing in there?” The uncowed Thoreau replied, “Nay, Ralph, the question is, what are you doing out there?”

2991. Dig Down To Build Up

Illustration

Brett Blair

... by starting far below the surface level seems counter to the purpose. But you know there's a good reason for the large hole. To build tall, it is first necessary to dig down until a strong foundation can be built, one that is capable of supporting the skyscraper. A doghouse needs no foundation, and an ordinary house can be built on little more than a concrete slab. But a skyscraper, that’s different. It requires a deep and solid foundation. So it is in our Christian life. Our upward potential is totally ...

2992. Somebody Else

Illustration

Staff

... I. So much to do in this weary old world— So much and workers so few, And Somebody Else, all weary and worn, Is still substituting for you. The next time you’re asked to do something worthwhile, Just give this ready reply: If Somebody Else can give time and support, My goodness, so can I!

2993. The Mighty Have Fallen

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... the impression that everything above is coming to earth. The great mass starts slowly to topple, crackling and exploding even louder at the base, until it comes sprawling down with a fearful momentum. The mighty can fall. The deadly saw of appetite or lust or passion steadily cut away the supports underneath until, what once was great, comes crashing down to earth.

2994. The Limit Load

1 Cor 10:13

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... . This means that there is a limit as to how much weight each truck is allowed to carry. There is a good reason for establishing such limits. If the trucks were allowed to exceed their weight limit, the roads would eventually fall apart, because a given road is designed to support vehicles only up to a certain weight. Likewise, God knows how much we can bear when he allows us to be tested. He has assigned a definite “load limit” to each of us and never exceeds it.

2995. What A Preacher Says

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

A minister was making a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine. As he was pounding away, he noticed that a little boy was watching him. The youngster didn’t say a word, so the preacher kept on working, thinking the lad would leave. But he didn’t. Pleased at the thought that his work was being admired, the pastor said, “Well, son, trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?” “No,” replied the boy, “I’m just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer.”

2996. Preparations for Building the Temple

2 Chronicles 2:1-18

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... starts with Hiram sending a messenger to Solomon after he heard that David’s son had become king, the Chronicler suggests the initiative came from Solomon by omitting 1 Kings 5:1. Solomon is the one taking the initiative in contacting his northern neighbor to support his temple-building project. In this way the focus remains on Solomon as the temple builder. At the beginning of Solomon’s address to Hiram, 1 Kings 5:3–5 includes an explanation of why David could not build the temple, and states that he ...

2997. Jehoshaphat King of Judah

2 Chronicles 17:1-19

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... s life (1 Kgs. 22:36–38), the Chronicler added in 2 Chronicles 19:1–3 his own conclusion, which describes Jehoshaphat’s safe return to Jerusalem as well as the prophecy of Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani. This prophetic voice rebukes the king for his support of Ahab’s army (should you . . . love those who hate the LORD?) and announces that the wrath of the LORD is upon him. However, Jehu the seer also concedes that the king has done some good: he has rid the land of the Asherah poles and set (kun ...

2998. Jotham King of Judah

2 Chronicles 27:1-9

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... Could the reference to the wall at the hill of Ophel be a reference to the Millo, or stepped stone structure, uncovered by archeologists in this area? We know from 32:5 that King Hezekiah strengthened the Millo, and the present text may also refer to this structure, which probably supported a bigger structure on the Ophel hill.

2999. The Fall of Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 36:15-23

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... 25:11 and Jeremiah 39:9; 52:15. The Chronicler, however, omits any mention that some vinedressers and tillers of the soil were left in the land (according to the other three versions). On account of this omission, the Chronicler’s version is often indicated as supporting the so-called myth of the empty land (see Additional Note on 36:20). The last few words of 36:20, until the kingdom of Persia came to power, introduce a new element (which is probably from the Chronicler’s hand), namely, that the exilic ...

3000. The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

Acts 2:1-13

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... had chosen to stay. This was the earliest and most populated area of the Diaspora. The inclusion of Judea next in the list has struck many people as odd. So much so, that several alternative readings have been proposed, though with little textual support (see Bruce, Book, p. 62). A number of scholars, including Bruce, believe that “we should probably think of Judea in its widest possible sense, denoting the extent of the land controlled directly and indirectly by the Judean kings David and Solomon, from ...

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Showing 2976 to 3000 of 3926 results

2976. Je Suis Jesus

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

2977. The Broken

John 8:1-11

Sermon

James Merritt

2978. Lost

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

James Merritt

2979. Digging Deeper

Luke 1:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

2980. Jesus Prays for Us

John 17:6-19

Sermon

King Duncan

2981. Have You Had Your Caffeine Today?

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

2982. No Turning Back

John 6:60-71

Sermon

King Duncan

2983. A Man with No Name

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

King Duncan

2984. A Small Town Is Blessed

Micah 5:1-4

Sermon

King Duncan

2985. "Gotcha" Questions from Mean-Spirited People

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

2986. God's Adopted Children

Ephesians 1:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

2987. Second Chances

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan

2988. Waiting For A Messiah

Illustration

Staff

2989. A Flying Buttress

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Someone asked Sir Winston Churchill, “Are you a pillar of the church?” He quipped, “I am more of a flying buttress: I support it from the outside.”

2990. Paying For Slavery

Illustration

Michael P. Green

2991. Dig Down To Build Up

Illustration

Brett Blair

2992. Somebody Else

Illustration

Staff

2993. The Mighty Have Fallen

Illustration

Michael P. Green

2994. The Limit Load

1 Cor 10:13

Illustration

Michael P. Green

2995. What A Preacher Says

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

2996. Preparations for Building the Temple

2 Chronicles 2:1-18

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

2997. Jehoshaphat King of Judah

2 Chronicles 17:1-19

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

2998. Jotham King of Judah

2 Chronicles 27:1-9

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

2999. The Fall of Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 36:15-23

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

3000. The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

Acts 2:1-13

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

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