Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3401 to 3425 of 4681 results

3401. God's Laughter

Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... she "laughed to herself." It was either a laugh of skepticism or a laugh at the incongruity of the idea, but it was a laugh. And though it was not out loud, God heard it, and said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?" That is posed as a rhetorical question, but the intention is to elicit the internal reply of "No, nothing is impossible for God." At that point, Sarah somehow joins the conversation, and probably ...

3402. A Way of Seeing

Genesis 21:8-21

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... approaching from behind. What I want to talk about is a different way of seeing. In some sense, that has been a major theme behind all my sermons. I've no doubt even stated it directly in a sermon or two, but going on the assumption that a crucial point bears repeating, I want to say it again, and illustrate it with some examples. Now to say that I can even sum up several years of sermons in one makes me sound a lot more organized than I am. I did not arrive here with a 3 x 5 card in ...

3403. Endless Line of Blunder

Exodus 1:8

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... famous group of men in history. They are portrayed in more paintings, windows, and statues than any other collection of human beings. Around the globe, hospitals, churches, cities, and countless people are named after them. How feeble did Judah look as Assyria was bearing down on it? Jerusalem figured to be just one more notch in Sennacherib's cruel belt. Yet to this day, Jerusalem and her inhabitants still stand. For centuries, most of what we knew about the once mighty (and long gone) Assyrians was the ...

3404. The Names by Which He Is Known

Exodus 3:1-15

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... name, he is known by someone else's name. Before he was my God, he was the God of my father. Before I know him as my God, I might know him first as "Danny's God." See, then, how our testimony circles around to become our responsibility. When I bear witness to God's work in my life, I discover that his work has been done through so very many people along the way. Some of them have an idea how God used them in my life. Some others have no idea. But they are the names by which he ...

3405. Appointment with Thunder

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... good and it's right. But in the process of teaching them to children, we may express the commandments in a kind of shorthand that shortchanges their meaning. And so we think of "taking God's name in vain" as, simply, "swearing." Or we think of "bearing false witness" as, simply, "lying." We simplify the commandments for children, and in the process lose the full depth and breadth of their meaning for ourselves. The law of God contains the wisdom of God and the will of God. You and I will not easily exhaust ...

3406. Dare to Be Different

Romans 13:11-14

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... often did, corporately. Because he mentions sinful behaviors that we tend to think of as individual or "victimless" sins, things like reveling, drunkenness, and sexual immorality, we imagine him addressing individuals — other individuals at that. But that is not so. Look at the reading again, bearing in mind that the "you" found in verse 11 and implied in verse 14 is the plural you, like the southern "y'all": Besides this, y'all know what time it is, how it is now the moment for y'all to wake from sleep ...

3407. In Spite of Evidence to the Contrary

Romans 4:13-25

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... hope." Or as I would like to paraphrase it, "in spite of evidence to the contrary." Paul draws on the ancient story of Abraham and Sarah to illustrate what this kind of faith is. You know the story. Aged Abraham and Sarah, long past the time of child bearing, both aged, gnarled, and withered, were devastated. Not to have children to carry on the family was a terrible fate to suffer in that world. Worse yet, to have no male heir would put the meaning of your life into question. God had promised Abraham a son ...

3408. Seeing God Work for Good

Romans 8:26-39

Sermon

Larry Lange

... completely ignoring the meteorological disaster outside. It was there, finally, that Larry could see one of those rare glimpses of God working in all things for the good. It was there that the Spirit's intercessions, that the intercessions of Christ himself were bearing fruit, were feeding people who were hungry in body and soul. There in a rust and beige pole building that smelled like fried fish, pine cleaner, cigarette smoke, and mold, where Larry finally began to feel the love of God. Paul's opponents ...

3409. Just a Crazy Story

Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon

Larry Lange

... like you saved us. If we can't get your car started, we can take our truck down. Soon as it's light." They all agreed, nodding their heads, some of them saying, "Amen." One by one, they rose up and each gave Zack a big hug. Zack couldn't bear to tell them that he really didn't want anything to do with running a homeless shelter and a twelve-step program for meth addicts in Seattle, and that what he really wanted to do is get the heck away from all the world's problems and build his bazillion ...

3410. Luke 14:25-33

Luke 14:25-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . To “carry the cross” denotes the ongoing nature of discipleship. The initial decision to “come to Jesus” must be followed by a lifetime of journeying with him, enduring whatever pain and persecution the world might dish out along the way. To bear or carry (“bastazei”) the cross was Jesus’ own experience (John 19:17 uses this same verb). Disciples who make Jesus their first priority will likewise endure suffering at the hands of the world. Jesus follows with two illustrations that are found ...

3411. Crucified Followers

Luke 14:25-35

Illustration

D.D. Whedon

What the Lord here commands is, that each follower should take up, not his Savior's cross, but his own. The requirement is, that as Christ bore his own cross to his own crucifixion, so his followers should bear each his own cross to his own crucifixion. So the great crucified leader is followed by an endless train of crucified followers. They are crucified symbolically, in all their sufferings of mind or body, in behalf of Christ and of truth. Each follower who hath the spirit of his Master, ...

3412. Football Versus Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Children's Sermon

Marti Kramer Suddarth

... :4-8a, Paul wrote: “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” Do you know what these verses mean? They’re talking about the biggest difference between football and love. In football, the object of the game is to get the most points. To ...

3413. Science And The Bible

Isaiah 40:1-31

Children's Sermon

Marti Kramer Suddarth

... the oceans and everything inside, and geology, the study of rock and land formations. God invented oceanography and geology. (Read Genesis 1:11.) “Then God said, ‘Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.’ And it was so.” Does anyone know what the study of plants is called? It’s called botany. God was the very first botanist, or plant scientist. (Read Genesis 1:20.) “And God said, ‘Let the waters bring ...

3414. Four Views of the Gospels

Luke 15:1-32

Illustration

Jerry Goebel

... when he could have known pure joy. Which story am I living out today? Herein is what many theologians call; "the Gospel within the Gospel," and others have simply called; "the best short story ever written." Here is a concept that rocked the theological world and bears the true heart of God; a God who searches for the lost and is wounded when we stray. Here is a dramatic clash between the judgmental religious who believed that God longed to obliterate the sinner and God's only son who came to die for ...

3415. Like Running a Business

Luke 16:1-15

Illustration

King Duncan

... as McDonald's is at what they do, or Coca Cola or Microsoft? What if we were as committed to spreading the good news of the kingdom of God as American business is to winning new customers? This is the point Jesus is trying to make. He wants people who bear his name to not only be nice people but to be people who make a difference in the world.

3416. Finding Financial Freedom

Luke 16:1-15

Illustration

Brett Blair

... head, heard it. The big doll, sitting so pink and smirking in her new pram, could hear it quite plainly, and seemed to be smirking all the more self-consciously because of it. The foolish puppy, too, that took the place of the teddy-bear, he was looking so extraordinarily foolish for no other reason but that he heard the secret whisper all over the house: ‘There must be more money!'" That's the family backdrop to the story of “The Rocking‑Horse Winner." Quite an extraordinary picture: “There ...

3417. LENT: The Passion of Christ: "Tempted"

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, [10] for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,' [11] and 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.' " [12] Jesus answered him, 'It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' " [13] When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time. Lent always ...

3418. Good and Mad

Luke 4:21-30

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... , I gain nothing. [4] Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant [5] or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [6] it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. [7] It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [8] Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. [9] For we know only in part, and we ...

3419. Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19-31

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... mission, one that, while not as self-concerned as his first request, still seems to demonstrate this rich man’s unrequited self-importance. The rich man wants only his own family, his brothers, to receive a special visit from Lazarus so that he might “bear witness” or “warn” (“diamartyromai”) them of the fate that awaits them if they continue to live their lives as he had. Abraham’s response puts the rich man and his rich relatives in their place. Like all sons and daughters of Abraham they ...

3420. Sitting at the Big People Table

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... starve! So I played with my toys Then I sang a few numbers, I stood on my head To get rid of this hunger, Then somersaults, Push-ups, I played tiddly-winks, But Thanksgiving turkey Was all I could think! My belly growled out Like a great grizzly bear, And I knew, Pretty soon, I'd need something down there! Anything, ANYTHING! Liver, or beets! Even heaps of Hungarian pickled pigs' feet! "I'll eat wood like a termite! "Or flies like a frog! "I'll chew catnip like kitties! "Or shoes like a dog!" I was just ...

3421. Remember: Live Worthy of the Calling

Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... instant conversion, there is no such thing as an instant Christian. Ephesians 4:1-16 (NRSV) [1] I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, [2] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, [3] making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism ...

3422. Chosen

John 15:9-17

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. [16] You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. [17] I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. I just love this passage. It reminds us that God is the initiator of our relationship. It ...

3423. The Dawn of Forever

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... his day. Surprisingly, his mother responded, "Nothing much. Ralphie had a fight." His father put down the paper and gazed at Ralphie. "A fight? What kind of fight?" Mom replied, "Oh, you know how boys are. I gave him a talking to. Oh, I see the Bears are playing the Packers Sunday." Distracted by the sports page, the father forgets about the fight. Ralphie beams a smile at his mother for overlooking his bad behavior. Ralphie says to himself, "I slowly realized that I was not about to be destroyed. From then ...

3424. Rolling Thunder or Voice of God?

John 12:20-33

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... and Philip went and told Jesus. [23] Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. [24] Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. [25] Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. [26] Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. [27 ...

3425. 16 2/3% Gratitude

Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

Patrick J. Willson

... the situation, gave him their cards—one lived in New Jersey, another in Oklahoma, the other in California—and he was told to call them if there was anything they could humanly do to make her life happier or easier. These three men arrived each year bearing presents their wives had picked out in the shops of San Francisco and New York. The men had hired a family who mowed the woman's yard, trimmed the bushes, and checked on tree branches and gutters. One of the men prepared the woman's tax returns ...

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