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 3351 to 3375 of 4972 results

3351. Playboy Or Plowboy -- Let The Party Begin

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

Lee Griess

... to find himself in the pigpens of life. He would never have been caught dead carousing with prostitutes or wasting his resources in riotous living (and that's good!). Even though he had no right to judge, he could not understand what caused his brother to leave. He would not accept the sincerity of his brother's confession and was scandalized at his father's joy and welcome. In the end, his inability to forgive, his refusal to rejoice at the return of another were just as offensive to Jesus as the sins ...

3352. Were We Surprised!

Luke 10:1-24

Sermon

Alexander H. Wales

... the dust off their feet when they have been rejected. In a sense, it sounds like a training session for door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesmen. With this "by the book" marketing technique, they start off to prepare the way of the Lord. They are told as they leave Jesus' side, "Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me." It cannot get any simpler than that. Luke records the return of the 72 by saying that they came back to Jesus in ...

3353. First Sunday In Christmastide

John 15:1-17

Bulletin Aid

David M. Oliver

... , fruit producing process. In order to maximize the fruit bearing potential of a vineyard, the grower prunes the plant down to a few main vines. All the energy of the plant then goes into these vines and into producing fruit rather than producing more leaves. In like manner, God prunes us through the inspiration and instruction of the Bible, the wise counsel and correction of caring Christians and the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). God prunes us in order that ...

3354. The Disciples' Tenebrae

Mark 12:13-17

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... . (The room is dark except for the Christ candle. The Pastor goes to the cross to drape the black cloth. He then goes to the altar to take the Christ candle. Second Person and First Person join him and they walk out to the Sunday school wing together. The people leave quietly in the dark.)

3355. Can Anybody Really Hear Me?

Luke 8:1-15

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... . Can't help but improve business. I could even give my clerks a raise. (Laughs) Mary D: Oh, that'd be great. Ah, Sam, I really ... Sam: Store across the street is my fiercest competitor ... and ... where are you going, Mary? Mary D: (Mary turns to leave) I need to go. Thanks for listening. (Rolls her eyes sarcastically) Sam: Bye. Wonder what she wanted. Little unusual to stop by like that on her day off. (Sam freezes) (Mary sees her old teacher) Mary D: Mr. Harpie! Harpie: Hi, Mary Delight. Long time ...

3356. Reuben: I'm Not A Sandwich

Genesis 37:12-36

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

... I wished to usurp his power. Nonetheless, I alone, among the brothers, would not have killed Joseph. I respected, yes, even loved, my father too much to allow him to suffer such injury and hurt. Yet, Dad called me "unstable as water. "I leave to you to decide for yourself who was the most stable. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending how one views the "accidents" of history, some Ishmaelite and Midianite traders happened by. My brother Judah suggested that instead of killing "Joey," that they sell him to ...

3357. Boaz: I Am Blessed!

Ruth 4:13-22, Ruth 3:1-18

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

... of her. "It was a man named Boaz," Ruth said." He told me not to glean elsewhere, but to stay with his workers, where I would be safe." "Wonderful!" exclaimed Naomi. "He is one of our kinsman redeemers." "He is a -- what?" "A kinsman redeemer. When a man dies leaving no heir, a close relative is expected to buy any land, take care of the widow, and have a male child by her. That way the family name survives, and the widows are cared for. The land then reverts back to the child upon the death of the kinsman ...

3358. Satan Goes to Church

Job 1:1-5, Job 1:6-22

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

... One made his point with me. You can't win them all -- but I certainly do win my share. I understand that you're going to have communion now. Communion services make me slightly ill -- all that stuff about "sacrifice" and "atonement. "It's time for me to leave. By the way, if you don't think I have some influence in this church, just note how regularly many of your fellow worshipers don't show up on Communion Sunday -- think about it. You've not noticed me here before because of some of the myths about ...

3359. Gabriel: I Was There

Luke 1:5-25

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

... the one who would throw off the yoke of the Romans. He was executed yesterday as a revolutionary. He died on a criminal's cross during the time of the earthquake. He was buried in the tomb of one Joseph of Arimathea. He leaves behind his mother Mary, an unknown number of brothers and sisters, numerous friends and followers. No memorial service has been announced. Early Sunday morning, they would have interrupted the regularly scheduled program on Jerusalem TV networks with the following news announcement ...

3360. Pentecost Communion Meditation: Monologue Of A Saint

Acts 2:42-47, Acts 2:14-41

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

... was beginning to get restless, and wondered if there wasn't something more significant he could do in the closing years of his working life. It was a "cushy" job he had. You'd be amazed what the Holy Spirit had to do to get him to leave that endeavor. But the Holy Spirit, working through the bureaucracy of the United Methodist Church, got you two together. (That almost took more power than it required to raise Jesus from the dead -- working through that bureaucracy.) I remember Ed when he was a lad in Ohio ...

3361. Prayer Power, Bible Power And Small Group Dynamics

Illustration

Michael B. Brown

... were different in our church. The choir was better. The preaching was better (proving either that sermons grow stronger in response to prayer or that people become better listeners when they pray for the preacher). People weren't in such a rush to leave after worship. Attendance was up. Young families were beginning to bring their children back. Occasionally a new member would be received. Folks were smiling and chatting in the halls. After a year," she said, "my friend and I didn't have to go looking ...

3362. A Woman Of Substance · Mary Magdalene

Lk 8:1-3

Sermon

Gordon Pratt Baker

... of the Jews." (John 19:26-27; 20:10) But Mary, along with Salome and several other women, had stood vigil throughout the entire ordeal, her very manner an open witness to friend and foe alike of her loyalty to the Master. (Matthew 27:55-56) Nor would she leave until she knew what was to become of Jesus' body. When Pilate finally released it to Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea she followed to see where the two men would lay him. Early in the morning of the first day of the week Mary's sad heart brought her ...

3363. A Patriot · Dysmas

Mt 27:38 · Mk 15:27 · Lk 23:32

Sermon

Gordon Pratt Baker

... his life. A steady deterioration in Israel's internal affairs resulting from bitter rivalries for the throne had led to virtual anarchy in the land. As a consequence one after another of the nation's leaders had been forced to flee into hiding, leaving the populace to the ravages of rampant violence. In fact, not a day passed without conditions worsening. Indeed, so bad had things become that, as John A. Scott puts it, the country's "lawlessness and bloodshed can hardly be described or believed," leading ...

3364. Living In The Resurrection Age

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Donald Dotterer

... gives us signs of his presence and work in the ordinary events of our everyday lives. Think of the birth of a child; reflect upon a Sunday school teacher's commitment and enthusiasm for sharing the gospel. Think about the joy one feels upon coming home after leaving for a period of time. Consider how one is moved, staying to the end with another human being through hours of pain and dying. These are the signs, yes, the miracles of God in our everyday lives. In each one of them, one senses the presence of ...

3365. The Return Of The Lost

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

Donald Dotterer

... flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep." (Isaiah 40:11) The point that Jesus is making with his parable is this: God our Father in heaven is like the good shepherd who would leave his 99 sheep to find the one that has gone astray. The message here is that there is no limit to the distance that God will go to bring us home to his love. For you see, God also knows the joy of finding and bringing home that which is ...

3366. The Condition Of Mercy

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

Donald Dotterer

... of the king that is important for us to appreciate. What he does here is immediately respond with more than the servant has asked. The king not only decides not to sell the man and his family into slavery, but to forgive entirely the enormous debt. The slave leaves the court as a free man. We would perhaps like the parable to end here with a happy ending. However, now we get, as Paul Harvey says, "the rest of the story." The one who is rescued from bondage now comes upon a fellow slave. This slave owed ...

3367. Surprised By Joy

Matthew 13:31-35, Matthew 13:44-46, Matthew 13:47-52

Sermon

Donald Dotterer

... Christian author C.S. Lewis, in an autobiography which he has titled Surprised by Joy, tells of his conversion to Christianity. This book is an account of how Lewis, an accomplished and well-known British intellectual, became a truly Christian person. It is about leaving the superficial religion of his childhood, and his movement to a deep and abiding faith in the God revealed in Jesus Christ. You should really read this book, which is both an amusing and yet very profound account of how, as Lewis describes ...

3368. Surprised By Grace

Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon

Donald Dotterer

... have to live for?"' He was surprised and shocked to learn that 94 percent were just enduring the present, while they waited for the future. They were all waiting for "something to happen." Some of these people were waiting for the children to grow up and leave home. Some were just waiting for next year, hoping that things would be better. Others were waiting to take a trip which they had dreamed about for a long time. Some were waiting for retirement. Others were waiting to die. As I read the New Testament ...

3369. Wedding Sermon - The Solid Rock On Which We Stand!

Matthew 7:24-29

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

... upon it later, as you draw up the floor plans of life you will soon begin building. The truth is this: Love does not consist only in looking at one another. Sometimes love means looking in the same direction. What that direction will be, I leave now to the two of you. But know this: If you are looking together, you will find it. And you will realize that which you dream together ... possess that which you hope together ... conquer that which you battle together ... and learn that which you live together ...

3370. Your Gifts To Each Other

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

Ronald K. Brooks

... of Grandma's secrets. "Now," said the older woman, "I want you to iron one of your husband's shirts." The poor bride had to iron the same shirt six times before the elderly woman was satisfied. But finally she got it. Grandma prepared to leave. The bride, not understanding, said, "But where is my present, Grandma?" The old lady laughed: "Why, __________, I have been giving it to you all morning." __________ and __________ you will receive many gifts today, but the most important gifts you will receive will ...

3371. Good News At A Bad Time!

Luke 2:8-20

Eulogy

Richard E. Merrick

... moods. In all love and concern we want to believe today that because of such an illness, all sense of values was lost and there was no longer a responsibility for those actions taken on the part of our departed sister in the faith. We must leave the entire matter in the hands of a loving God and know that our gracious Creator understands us better than we do ourselves. God is merciful and full of compassion. Each of the Lord's children in distress is made acceptable through the Savior, Jesus Christ ...

3372. What Shall We Say To This?

Romans 6:1-14

Eulogy

Bob Kaul

... the blame is the easy way out of this situation, and frankly, it only makes matters worse. What would happen if we just got really honest and asked the hidden question here? What about suicide? We'd really rather not talk about it, would we? It would be easier to leave that question under the rug. But it won't go away by ignoring it. Let me offer three don'ts about how to deal with what has happened. Don't make this a family secret. Don't try to hide the facts. Rather, put that energy into trying to ...

3373. The Circle Of Life

Eulogy

Charles R. Leary

... his participation in life. ____________, known to his family and colleagues as ____________, had his beginning in this life 85 years ago. ____________ ... baptismal name, ____________, was born ____________. On Sunday morning, ____________, he made his exit from this life. ____________ leaves memories in all who have known him as husband, father, brother, friend and colleague. Those memories will remain for as long as we choose to nurture them. The only way we Christians know how to deal with death is in ...

3374. Of Thimbles And Thread

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

Eulogy

Lawrence H. Craig

... , it just does not fit. Her death is so unexpected, so untimely. The garment of grief is not what God intends for us to wear. Yet it is a part of the wardrobe of life. It is what is worn by you this day. Grief is unfair, uncomfortable, unwanted. It leaves you hurting. You ask, what are you to do? How are you to handle this? You must look to your faith, for it is faith that tells us we are to turn to God. We are not people without hope. In God is where your hope is found and where ...

3375. Mystery Of Death

2 Samuel 12:1-31

Eulogy

John A. Terry

... to one another for strength and sustenance, we also will turn our faces to a new place in which to go -- a new Jerusalem which is ahead for us, even as Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem. In such a time, our hope is in the God who does not leave, who cannot be separated, who embraces us with the warmth of a mother and the protection of a father, who walks with us in the surety of a brother or a sister. Nothing can separate us, Paul says, from the love of God. Nothing. That is our faith. That is ...

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