Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3276 to 3300 of 4935 results

3276. Are You a Pillar or a Pillow?

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Sermon

King Duncan

There is a corny story about a little girl in a mountain family who laid her head over on her father’s ample midriff in a worship service and went to sleep. Her mother, seeing her daughter cushion her head in this fashion, whispered to her husband in the mountain vernacular, “There, Clyde, now you know what it means to be a pillar of the church.” Her husband was probably more of a pillow of the church rather than a pillar. But that is the question for the day: are you a pillow or a pillar? I would like to ...

3277. The God of Hope

Isaiah 11:1-10, Matthew 3:1-12, Romans 15:4-13

Sermon

King Duncan

There are two basic attitudes toward life--one of hope and one of dread--one of trust, the other of fear--one of optimism, the other of gloom. A misprint of a weather forecast read like this: “There is a five percent chance of . . . today and tomorrow.” I would hope that the odds are better than that! In a “Frank and Ernest” cartoon, you see Frank rousing slowly from his sleep, then looking out at the sun coming up. He says dryly, “Well, the sun is rising in the east . . . so far, so good.” You may know ...

3278. True North

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Sha Jahan was the emperor of India during the 1600s. When he lost his wife he was devastated. In fact, his grief was so great that he decided to build a grand temple that would serve as her tomb. Her coffin was placed in the center of a large piece of land and a big temple was built around it. The emperor was determined to build a magnificent resting place for his wife. However, as the weeks turned into months the emperor’s grief was overshadowed by his passion for the project. He was obsessed with the ...

3279. Despair, Hope, Easter, and Pentecost

John 20:10-18

Sermon

Tom Garrison

In an old poem titled "The Widow in the Bye Street," John Masefield depicts a scene of dramatic agony. A young man is about to be executed for crimes against the state, and in the crowd that is gathered to witness this event stands his widowed mother, who is about to be left all alone in the world. When the trapdoor opens and the rope has finished its work, this pathetic soul crumples to the ground and begins to sob uncontrollably, and those nearby hear her say something about "broken things, too broke to ...

3280. What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

Matthew 13:36-43, Matthew 13:24-30

Sermon

Tom Garrison

Each year, there is a Senior Recognition Sunday for our high school and college graduates. We do this because graduation is a significant milestone for all of us — not just for the graduates themselves, but also for their families and friends and all those who have contributed in some way to the educational processes of our community. The event of graduation can be described in many ways. For one thing, it is a proud time, for it represents the completion of a long and arduous process. No matter how one ...

3281. Building a Winning Team

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

King Duncan

I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but it seems like CEOs and HR departments of nearly every sort of business enterprise as well as every sports coach in the land these days is talking about how to build a winning culture. Building the right culture is said to be the magic formula for uniting your team around a singular vision. Some companies address this challenge by scheduling a team-building retreat. Have any of you ever been on a team-building retreat? These retreats are designed to get people ...

3282. Inside Out

James 5:7-10

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Harvard University once revoked their acceptance of ten incoming students because of inappropriate content they had posted on Facebook. A description of the Harvard College Class official Facebook group states, “Harvard College reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission ... if an admitted student engages in behavior that brings into question his or her honesty, maturity, or moral character.” A recent study showed that over 40% of colleges and universities look at the Facebook pages and other ...

3283. When Everything That Matters Has Been Torn Away

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

If I were to ask you what is the average size of an American family today, what would you say? We’re talking about the number of family members living in one household. According to statistics from 2022, the average American household has 2.5 people in it. (1) I feel a little sorry for that half-person, don’t you? For the last century, families have been shrinking in numbers. This trend is consistent around the world. According to U.S. Census Bureau data from 1850, it was fairly common back then for ...

3284. Godly Sexual Passion For An X-Rated World

Song of Songs 2:1-17

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

The Hebrew word for love, awhab or awrag, means "to pant, to long for, to breathe heavily after." Psalm 41:1 says, "As a deer pants for the waters so my soul longs after you." In John 3:16, the idea is that God so loved the world, so breathed heavily after you and me, that he gave his only Son.... God is passionate for you. His breathing is labored. He loves you. There is a book in the Old Testament that is full of heavy breathing. It is titled, "Song of Solomon," or "The Song of Songs." And it deals ...

3285. I Am Coming Soon

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

See, I am coming soon... -- Revelation 22:12 (NRSV) ____________ Clyde Schmidt was a member of First Lutheran Church. His family had belonged there for four generations. His grandfather was a Lutheran minister. Clyde and his wife, Ida Mae, were pillars at First Lutheran. Clyde's faith was shaken one day when Ida Mae asked him for a divorce. It had been a difficult year. His lumber business was quite demanding. He had not spent as much time with his wife and children as he had desired. In addition, Clyde's ...

3286. Putting God In His Place

Matthew 6:33

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To show the importance of keeping God at the center of life. Materials: A small toy car with a friction motor. Several large cardboard disks, glued together. A pencil. Drill a hole, the diameter of the pencil, through the center of the disk; and drill another hole about one inch off the center. Lesson: By just looking at this toy car, you cannot tell what kind it is; but when I spin the wheels, the sound tells you that this is a special kind of car. Once you have the wheels turning fast, they will ...

3287. Changes

1 Corinthians 7:31

Children's Sermon

Object: a kaleidoscope Good morning, boys and girls. I brought something to look through this morning. You may have seen one before. It's a kaleidoscope. When you look through it into the light, and then turn the bottom of it just the tiniest bit, the design changes. How many of you have seen one before? (Wait for show of hands.) Some of you might even have one at home. What makes the design? (Let them respond.) Sometimes different shapes and bits of colored glass are inside and there are mirrors at ...

3288. Believing The Living Word

Isaiah 55:1-13

Sermon

Ron Lavin

There are few things in life which you can count on, but you can count on these two: the Word of God goes forth, and the Word of God does not return empty. The rain falls to the earth and gives life to flowers, plants and trees before it returns to God who sent it. Water means life. The Word of God is like that water. In the Word and the water we have the possibility of new life beginning. Not every plant grows; not every human being is connected by the Word. But the life is there for the taking. Perhaps ...

3289. Death of a Twelve-year-old Boy

Matthew 18:1-9

Eulogy

John M. Braaten

Except We Become Like Children Preached at the funeral of a twelve-year-old boy who died of a congenital heart defect. With the knowledge of death stalking him, he endured many open heart surgeries but at each turn his faith was a powerful witness to all around him. As his mother said, "Spiritually he was eighty years old." We have gathered as members of the Body of Christ, and as a community of friends, to share the heartache, the faith, and the hope of the S_ family. The pain of grief is always heavy; so ...

3290. Walking the Valley of the Lost

2 Samuel 1:17-27

Sermon

Donald Zelle

After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag; And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said: "Thy glory, O Israel, is slain uponthy high places!How are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath,publish it not in the streets ofAshkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistinesrejoice, lest the daughters ...

3291. Expectations of a Vital Faith James K. Cobb

Exodus 1:1-22

Sermon

The lessons appointed for the ninth Sunday after Pentecost reflect on the issue of the power and presence of God in the context of suffering. This narrative gives us no easy answers. If anything they exclude some cherished complacencies such as belief that God protects his people from suffering and pain and anguish and hopelessness. But in the text, suffering is undeserved and prolonged and bitter. The fact is that ordinary people lose control of their lives and see their children abused and murdered; but ...

3292. Don't Be Afraid of the Future

Matthew 28:1-10

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Occasionally I fly back to South Carolina for a trustee meeting at a wonderful Methodist institution called Wofford College. On a recent trip I had an extra hour or two, so I decided to take a sentimental journey back to the little town of Greer. My father was pastor there when I was a little boy. Right away I noticed so many things that had changed. Our old house has been torn down and replaced. The yard has shrunk. I saw the tree from which my little cowboy friends almost hung me, accidentally, and I ...

3293. Please Pass The Salt

Matthew 5:13-16

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

I have for a long time been a fan of a major league outfielder by the name of Brett Butler. A few years ago he was traded by the San Francisco Giants to their cross-state rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Butler returned to San Francisco for the first time as a Dodger, he was greeted by some cheers and boos. But then Butler did something that turned all the cheers into boos. He walked over and embraced the Los Angeles manager, Tommy Lasorda. After the game, a sportswriter asked him why he did that. He ...

3294. A Terrific Trade

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

My sister Martha is three years older than I and has always been considerably smarter. This put me at a disadvantage. Teachers in school would compare my work to Martha's and wonder if I came from the same litter. When I was four or five and Martha was seven or eight, she sometimes took advantage of my financial ignorance. I would have a dime and she would have a nickel. Showing me that the nickel was clearly larger than the dime, she would suggest a trade. I would gladly do so, wondering how my sister ...

3295. Service Without Witness

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Donald Macleod

Most worshiping Christians are familiar with at least that part of a wonderful prayer by St. Francis of Assisi that goes this way: Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy.1 These words reach into the deepest meaning of service, but note this very significant feature: St. Francis combines serving with being. Many ...

3296. When God Almighty Speaks ... Listen!

1 Samuel 3:1--4:1

Sermon

Richard L. Eslinger

Hannah was among the barren women of Israel. She had no children. But Hannah was also among the faithful women of Israel. So one year, at the time of sacrifice, she made a vow to the Lord. In the midst of her distress, she uttered a tearful prayer: O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt look on the affliction of thy maidservant ... but wilt give to thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life. Later, after the worship and the sacrifice, the family returned home, "and in due time ...

3297. Would You Take The Crown Without The Cross?

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Brett Blair

The local sheriff was looking for a deputy, and one of the applicants - who was not known to be the brightest academically, was called in for an interview. "Okay," began the sheriff, "What is 1 and 1?" "Eleven," came the reply. The sheriff thought to himself, "That's not what I meant, but he's right." Then the sheriff asked, "What two days of the week start with the letter 'T'?" "Today & tomorrow." Replied the applicant. The sheriff was again surprised over the answer, one that he had never thought of ...

3298. Do You Love Me?

John 21:15-25

Sermon

Brett Blair

Let’s begin with Simon out on his boat fishing alongside the other disciples. He is brooding, thinking deep thoughts not quite sure what to make of all that had happened. Then there is a flashback. He recalls how some months earlier he left his fishing nets at the seashore to become a follower of Jesus and how Jesus liked him and included him and changed his name from Simon to Peter (Petros, the Rock) because Jesus felt that Simon was strong, stable, and solid like a rock. But then all of a sudden, things ...

3299. A Happy Ending

Luke 24:50-53

Sermon

Brett Blair

He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” This is what we recite weekly in the Apostles’ Creed. But what do we really know about the Ascension. In the church we spend surprisingly little time on the events of Jesus life following the resurrection, particularly the Ascension. The ascension was that time when Jesus visibly departed from his disciples and came into the presence of God the Father. It represented the culmination of his earthly ministry. The ascension was ...

3300. Would You Take The Crown Without The Cross?

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Brett Blair

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