Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3426 to 3450 of 4976 results

3426. The Eighth Commandment: Why We Need the Police

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... with M. Scott Peck in his book The Road Less Traveled who writes: "Again and again I have emphasized that the process of spiritual growth is an effortful and difficult one. This is because it is conducted against a natural resistance, against a natural inclination to keep things the way they were, to cling to the old maps and old ways of doing things, to take the easy path." Once again I am thankful that the Bible is honest about its characters. We know that stealing took place in the Bible. Jacob stole ...

3427. The Ninth Commandment: Liar, Liar

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... world is when Jesus binds Satan--that ancient serpent--that he shall deceive the nations no more. So this brings us to the holy table today. The testimony that pulsates from the bread and cup is not liar, liar but love, love. Here we find a Love that keeps on loving us even when we lie. Here you will find words of comfort to strengthen you in your journey of faith. Here you will find words lifting you up, not words tearing and bringing you down. At this table you will never be pointed in the wrong direction ...

3428. An Eye-Opening Experience

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... clock in the morning and the husband says to his wife, "Perhaps we should call the highway patrol." The wife replies, "No, no, we must keep the lines open just in case they are trying to call." The time is now two o’clock in the morning and the father is ... It is the boy’s parents wondering if they had heard anything. No, they said they hadn’t heard anything and agreed that they should keep the line open just in case the kids called. About 2:45 a.m. the phone rings; it is the daughter. The car had broken ...

3429. Looks Like We're in for Stormy Weather

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... waves beat into the boat so that the boat was already filling." (Mark 4:37) Think for a moment, identify that last storm of conflict and emotion in your own life. Maybe it is still raging. Perhaps it''s just over and you still have debris to clear. Let us keep that storm in mind and let this boat ride story unfold with you in it. Today, I want to share five observations on how this text might speak to the storms that we will face in life. FIRST, WE MUST ACCEPT THE REALITY THAT THERE WILL BE STORMS IN OUR ...

3430. The Power of Remembrance (Part III)

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... it the orientation of his life to take the Gospel to every person and place he could. That was the main focus. You've heard it said before, "The main focus is to keep the main focus the main focus." Think about it. What''s the main focus of this church? What''s our purpose, our priority? Is that not why we are here--to keep the main focus the main focus? The main focus is introducing people to the Lord, Jesus Christ, to bring about spiritual transformation in their lives. As Paul wrote these words in verse ...

3431. Are You Praying or Pouting? (Part IV)

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... in someone''s prayer closet. I find myself better or worse as I pray more or less. It works with almost mathematical precision. We find, sooner or later, that in prayer we either abandon ourselves or we abandon prayer. Prayer will keep us from self-withholding or self-withholding will keep us from prayer. I find God fading out of my life to the degree that prayer fades out. The fading out of the God-consciousness is the greatest tragedy and loss that this generation has sustained. Through prayer, we begin ...

3432. Blank Walls or Filled Lives (Part V)

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... Paul writes to a church that is fragile and in the infancy of its development. The Philippian congregation did not have the advantage that we do today of some 2,000 years of history and tradition. Paul did not want them to give up but to "keep on keeping on." He writes to let them know how his imprisonment is actually helping, not hindering, the advancement of the Gospel. For me, it has been fascinating to read the great testimony and inspiring stories of faith that have come out of the former Soviet Union ...

3433. The Power of a God-Shaped Attitude

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... exited through a large back room to the backyard, which had a "practice golf green." In this back room was one of the most sophisticated computers his friend had ever seen. He asked his buddy what in the world they used it for. His buddy replied, "Well, we keep the shopping list on it." You and I have the greatest resource in the world available to us when our minds are set on the things above rather than the things below. Our minds are made to reflect the glory of God rather than the trivial pursuits and ...

3434. The Tenacity of Trouble

James 4:1-12

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... knew he must expose the passions of jealousy, materialism and covetousness--and replace them with a God-focused perspective. This is why Paul also taught in the famous love chapter that love is NOT self-seeking, arrogant or rude, it is not boastful--it does not keep a record of wrongs. Now let us jump quickly ahead to verse eleven where James writes, "Brothers, do not slander one another." I hope you will see the connection between these verses. Let me illustrate it this way: Legend has it that one day the ...

3435. Taxes and Tightwads

James 5:1-6

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... on the backs of those who were strongest. By faith, they waded out into the river and much to their surprise, they discovered that the weight on their shoulders actually helped them to keep their footing and to make it safely across the river. Yes, using our money and wealth to help those who are weak and needy allows us to keep our proper footing as well. That is in the spirit of the highest tradition of Christian compassion and concern. It is what our faith commitment is all about. We exist in order to ...

3436. The Tender Touch (Part 1)

James 5:13-20

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... which can be found in a marble wall plaque at the Great Chester Cathedral in England. The cathedral is hundreds of years old: Give me a good digestion, Lord, And give me something to digest; Give me a healthy body, Lord, With sense to keep it at its best. Give me a healthy mind, Good Lord, To keep the good and pure in sight, Which seeing sin is not appalled, But finds a way to set it right. Give me a mind that is not bored, That does not whimper, whine, not sigh; Don''t let me worry overmuch About the fussy ...

3437. The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... begin this series on the 23rd Psalm I would like to invite you to take on an assignment from your pastor. I would ask you to COVENANT with me to read this Psalm once a day--every day--for the next seven Sundays. I would further invite you to keep a journal of how God is intersecting your life in its totality with this marvelous writing of faith. Read it slowly--prayerfully. Read a different translation now and then so as not to be trapped with the familiar. I invite you to do this as an experiment in faith ...

3438. The Lamb Wins

Revelation 5:1-14

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... are not alone. There is a whole host, a Great Hall of Fame from Abraham to the present moment, who are cheering them on from Heaven on every side. There are people who will never know Christ unless they see Him in you. Don''t give up. Keep on keeping on. SECOND, DON''T BE OVERWHELMED BY THE WORLD AND ITS SEEMINGLY LARGE SYSTEMS. Dr. Donald English, noted British Methodist, told of a chain of stores in England named "Lewis". It is one of the largest chains in England. The Lewis firm in Birmingham wanted to ...

3439. Feasting and Fasting for Lent (Part III)

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... and broken dreams. They knew full well of the reality of Hell. I knew the lonely man in the back who mourned the loss of his wife. I knew the pain of the young divorced woman with three kids to raise, and how was she going to keep her house without going bankrupt? I knew the father struggling with alcoholism. I knew the anguish of parents for the prodigal sons and daughters. I knew the family who had experienced the tragedy of a brilliant son killed in an automobile accident. No! These sons and daughters ...

3440. Three Modern Meanings of the Ancient Christmas Story

Luke 2:8-20, Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... the book was that the book had not one but 22 possible endings. You simply chose the one you liked. Dr. Earl C. Davis then said: "There is a sense in which the Christmas story is like that, you choose the ending to it. You can keep it fenced in by Thanksgiving and New Year, and keep the babe of Bethlehem in the cradle forever, or you can let Him grow up and call you to follow Him. The choice is yours!" (3) I am thankful and indebted for all the persons who through the corridor of time have made the positive ...

3441. Mother's Day

Proverbs 1:1-7

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... and dejected. A month ago I married a beautiful and loving woman who is 25 years of age. She is a wonderful cook. She keeps the house in perfect order and never forgets to give me my medicine. She cares for me so much, and I love her ... the home, this church and the world! Everyone of us today is privileged to have a "body"--but what good are these bodies without a heart to keep them alive and well and pump the blood to nurture us? From the opening pages of Genesis, we realize that God knew this before any of ...

3442. A Memorial Forever - Memorial Day

Proverbs 1:1-7

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... people and moments in history from being forgotten. We are called to honor and remember those who have given their lives in order that the soil of our nation remains FREE. We are to remember the sacrifice made by others that freedom''s holy light keeps burning in our hearts and our national conscience. Did our national leaders at some moment recognize the need to prevent us from forgetting too soon? In many towns and villages, Memorial Day is known as "Decoration Day." It sets off the imagery of freedom and ...

3443. The Reality of Fear--The Power of Faith

Genesis 3:1-24

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... God-Bearer," the first words from Gabriel are "Do not be afraid . . . " Now, further remember when the Angel comes to the shepherds keeping watch over their flock in the dark of night, the angel declared "Be not afraid, for behold I bring you good news of ... ''s Bible because they ran out of New Testaments. It was larger than would fit in his front pocket. Realizing this and wanting to keep the Bible with him, he emptied his pocket of bullets so the Bible would fit. Yes, when faith in God replaces the fear and ...

3444. Worry Wart or Winning Warrior

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... way to teach us the biblical principles that by being so worried about tomorrow, we may fail to see the power of the present moment. Phillips Brooks, the distinguished Congregational preacher from Boston, said that he began keeping a diary when he was a 13-year-old boy. He was one of 11 children and was spurred to keep a diary when he overheard his parents discussing how they were going to pay the bills. In fact, his mother fully expected to go to the poor house. Phillips Brooks wrote in his diary that his ...

3445. Great Feast or Sad Fast

Luke 14:1-14, Luke 14:15-24

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... that a grand invitation has been extended by a king to invite persons to a delicious and festive banquet. Our God is a God who invites. One of the things that we notice about this parable is that it instructs us in what gets us into the kingdom and what keeps us out. The kingdom of God or the reign of God is often compared to a grand feast rather than a sad supper. As we open our scripture lesson, we see that Jesus is having dinner at the home of a distinguished Pharisee. Talk about Jesus showing up in some ...

3446. The Ministry of Fading

John 12:20-36

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... has two working members, that means three have asked two to do the work of five. But the issue here is not just fairness, but also meaning. Jesus puts it like this: "Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (v. 25). Somehow, Jesus is saying, it's in the spending of our lives that we find them. And it's in our excessive guarding and holding of those lives that we lose them. No investment, no return. No overture, no symphony. No risk, no ...

3447. Together, But Not Enmeshed

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... people to drift way, because not to do so can mean we are neglecting those already here, and on the way in. Then, too, pruning what is living means realizing we have too many balls in the air; and trying to keep them all in the air means in effect that we will soon be able to keep none of them in the air. So we prune in order to increase effectiveness and fruitfulness. God the vine grower; Christ the true vine; and God's people as Christ's branch managers, who manage themselves in such ways as to produce ...

3448. Entrustment

John 17:6-19

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... don't know how to talk to other people in their lives. Among the questions that retard the tongue would be the following: Will what I say be accepted? Will I be allowed my own convictions? Will the person get angry with me? Can the person be trusted to keep a confidence? What words shall I use? Will the person be a good listener? Will I be belittled, upbraided, or laughed at? This window on the priestly prayer of Jesus can serve as a reminder that all the contents of any heart can be poured out before God ...

3449. If You Are Willing

Mark 1:40-45

Sermon

King Duncan

... his work of salvation, including his ministry of healing. Still, he confronted a problem. There were all these sick people coming to him and he was a compassionate man. He didn’t want to turn anyone away who had need of him. They, in turn, couldn’t keep quiet about what he had done for them. We call this a vicious cycle. He healed, they spread the word, and therefore, there were that many more people to heal. So, even though healing was not his primary objective, people came in droves to be healed. It ...

3450. With a Little Help from My Friends

Mark 2:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

... student and president of Greek InterVarsity, a Christian group on campus. For the past two years, he has paid every guy in his dormitory a weekly visit and invited him to a Bible study. Most guys turn him down. Howell could easily become discouraged. Why does he keep trying to share his faith with guys who don’t seem to care? Because sometimes it makes a difference. As one of Howell’s frat brothers told Time, “In the biggest meathead frat, he’s himself. He’s 100%. And no matter what day I say no ...

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