Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 3451 to 3475 of 4508 results

3451. How Do You View Your Possessions?

Illustration

Peter J. Blackburn

Howard Hendricks writes, "My wife Jeanne and I once dined with a rich man from a blueblood Boston family, and I asked him, 'How in the world did you grow up in the midst of such wealth and not be consumed by materialism?' "His answer: 'My parents taught us that everything in our home was either an idol or a tool'. So how do you view your possessions?"

3452. The Right Excuse

Illustration

Finding the right excuse is not always an easy thing to do. Trying to explain why we are not able to attend a certain party or a way to absent ourselves from an obligation takes forethought and clear thinking. Clear thinking is something that a number of parents in Albuquerque, New Mexico lacked when they wrote excuse notes for their kids. "Dear School: Please excuse John from being absent on Jan...

3453. Timebomb Parables

Illustration

Scott Hoezee

Eugene Peterson suggested that parables are narrative time-bombs. These simple-looking stories lodged inside people's hearts and imaginations, slowly tick-tick-ticking away until finally, BOOM, they exploded into a new awareness when the real meaning behind Jesus' homely stories about farmers and seeds and sheep and bread-making finally sunk in. Well, if all of the parables were like narrative tim...

3454. Save Us from Our Sinful Pride

Illustration

Scott Hoezee

The story is told that one evening a man in a Dearborn, Michigan, restaurant bumped into no less than the famous Chrysler chairman, Lee Iacocca. "Oh, Mr. Iacocca," the man exclaimed, "what an honor to meet you! Say, my name is Jack and I'm having a business dinner with some colleagues over there at that corner table. It would really impress my friends if you could come over in a few minutes and sa...

3455. Rejection Turned to Joy

Illustration

Keith Wagner

Tony Compolo tells the story of the "reject prom." It all began when John Carlson, a Lutheran Minister in Minnesota, believed that senior proms excluded many young adults. It had become an elitist affair for the popular and wealthy. The losers and less fortunate youth stayed away. Carlson planned a party for all those who didn't have a date or couldn't afford to go to the prom. He called it the "R...

3456. The Psychological Tricks We Play on Ourselves

Illustration

Roger G. Talbott

In Tom Wolfe's book about the first astronauts, The Right Stuff, he says that the corps of young test pilots from which the first astronauts were drawn spent a lot of time going to the funerals of comrades who were killed in the planes they were testing. Going home from those funerals, they didn't face the reality that testing experimental aircraft is an inherently dangerous line of work. Rather, ...

3457. Refusing to Share

Illustration

Keith Wagner

There was a little village in the mountains of Italy where the people grew grapes. The mountain sides were covered with vineyards and each family in the community contributed to the making of wine. It was some of the finest wine in the world. Each village had a number of different recipes. Each family would bring their wine to the center of town and pour it into one large keg. As a result, the win...

3458. Wishing to Be Like God

Illustration

D. Wayne Burkette

There is a legend about a simple man who was lifted from the gutter and magically granted three wishes. First he wished for material goods and forth with became very rich. Then he wished for understanding and soon became very wise. At last he used his third wish to express his desire to become as God, and immediately he found himself back in the gutter. So it was with the wicked tenants. Dissatis...

3459. The Cornerstone

Illustration

Phil Newton

When we think of modern day builders laying a corner stone, it is generally a small concrete box that contains current newspapers and other documents for future generations to break open and read about what took place during the era of construction. But not so during this period of time. The corner stone was the key to the rest of the structure. The appropriate stone in size and shape would be pla...

3460. Marriage in India

Illustration

Lisa D. Kenkeremath

In most parts of the world, a wedding is just about the biggest, most lavish event most people will ever attend. In the villages of India, for example, the marriage rites and festivities last for three days. Preparations of food and decorations begin weeks ahead. Bride and groom alike are dressed head to toe in sumptuous fabrics of silk and brocade, gold jewelry set with precious stones, garlands ...

3461. God’s Patience

Illustration

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

Robert Ingersoll, that great agnostic of a day gone by, once said to a contemporary, "I will give God five minutes to strike me dead for the things I have said." After five minutes and nothing had happened, Ingersoll's friend remarked, "Did you think you could exhaust God's patience in just five minutes?"

3462. What Are We Protecting?

Sermon

Roy Howard

To say this parable is difficult to hear, much less interpret, is an understatement. To those who have ears to hear, it will make you wince and perhaps wish to throw up at the ending. But, listeners take heart: that very human reaction should not deter us from the considerable challenge of listening to this parable with the hope that we will be sufficiently unsettled to learn from it. In fact, Amy...

3463. God’s Quality Control Crew

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Self-made. That’s one of the phrases that fills people with pride, especially in this country, where for years “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” was the primary goal to attain. A couple of weeks ago, we talked about the idea of working hard and feeling we deserve our own brand of “fairness” based on our measurement and success paradigms. Last week, we talked about the politics of authority...

3464. Accepted in Heaven

Illustration

Brett Blair & Rick Thompson

You may not recognize the name Campbell Morgan, but if you had lived in the early 20th century you couldn't avoid knowing him. He was a pastor known throughout the world for his preaching and writing. He authored over 80 books. So, it might surprise you that he was one of 150 young men who sought entrance to the Wesleyan ministry in England in 1888. He passed the doctrinal examinations, but then f...

3465. Giving It All

Illustration

Brett Blair

Once upon a time at a church meeting a wealthy member of the church rose to tell the rest of those present about his Christian faith. "I'm a millionaire," he said, "and I attribute my wealth to the blessings of God in my life." He went on to recall the turning point in his relationship with God. As a young man, he had just earned his first dollar and he went to a church meeting that night. The sp...

3466. The Pain of Rejection

Illustration

King Duncan

There is no pain more familiar to many of us than the pain of rejection. We remember those terrible younger years when we were searching for our identity, and acceptance by our peers was so important. Whether it was being the last one chosen for the ball team or standing on the sideline watching another being crowned homecoming queen, most of us know how it feels to be on the outside looking in. ...

3467. The Deadline Will Not Be Extended

Illustration

King Duncan

It's like a tough, old cowhand who sauntered into a saloon and began drinking whiskey by the bottle. The more he drank, the more unruly he became, shooting holes in the ceiling and floor. Everybody was afraid to take on the old cowhand. Finally, the town's little, mild-mannered storekeeper walked up to the unruly cowhand and said, "I'll give you five minutes to get out of town." The old cowhand ho...

3468. He Longs to Dust Us Off

Illustration

King Duncan

What we need to see today is that this same Jesus can help us when we feel rejected. There is a touching story about how a teddy bear sat high on a shelf in a department store that majored in rapid turnover of stock. But there he sat. He was a pretty, brown teddy bear, but he had a problem. He had on a cute pair of bib overalls, but the button that held one strap over the shoulder was missing. The...

3469. Rebellion in the Vineyard - Sermon Starter

Illustration

King Duncan

A friend of journalist David Halberstam was planning a visit to Japan. It would be his first visit, and he was a little anxious because he couldn't speak Japanese. How would he communicate with the people he came in contact with? Since most taxi drivers do not speak English, someone suggested that it might be a good idea to carry with him something bearing the name of the hotel at which he would ...

3470. The Rejected Stone

Illustration

King Duncan

Jesus quoted the words of the Psalmist: "The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner..." (Ps. 118:22) Later Simon Peter would quote these words to the rulers and the elders in testimony concerning the good news of Christ. (Acts 4:11) Later he would cite those words again in his epistles. (I Pet. 2:7) There was a legend that was well known in New Testament times th...

3471. Pentecost 20

Bulletin Aid

Staff

Theme: Rejoice in the Lord Call to Worship Pastor: Lift up your hearts in joyful praise to the Lord! People: We lift them up in thanksgiving for all the wonderful works our Lord has done! Pastor: Pray to God with a thankful heart, and he will fill you with the peace of Christ People: May the peace of Christ keep us in union with him. Collect Most glorious and wonderful Father: You till our heart...

3472. Proper 22

Bulletin Aid

First Lesson: Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 Theme: Other gods Exegetical Note The commandments of the so-called "First Table," i.e., those dealing directly with God (vv. 2-4) actually reflect, not monotheism, but henotheism, i.e., the allegiance to one god without denying the existence of others, in this case the nature gods of the agricultural peoples with whom the Israelites came into contact. Far...

3473. Proper 22

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Exodus 20:1-20 is the account of the revelation of divine law to Israel that occurred at Mount Sinai. Psalm 19 is a hymn in praise of law. Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 - "The Gift of Law" Setting. The most prominent event in Israel's wilderness journey is the revelation of law at Mount Sinai. After Israel is led out of Egypt in Exodus 15 their initial wilderness journey is de...

3474. Speaking of Us

Sermon

Steve Molin

He was, by all accounts, a successful man. This builder of fine homes in an upscale American suburb was known to all as a creative craftsman, a shrewd businessman, a fair-minded employer, and a generous benefactor. But he was aging now, and before he set out for Florida for the winter, he approached his top superintendent and told him that he was retiring. “I want you to build me a home, the fine...

3475. The Case of the Stolen Inheritance

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Jesus’ love for stories is well known. He knew that human beings learn better through stories that demonstrate, resonate, and reverberate with their experiences and lives than simply telling them what they ought to do. The goal for Jesus was not just to infuse learning but to provoke “turning” one’s behavior around in a different direction. This required not just a cognitive register in the brain,...

Showing 3451 to 3475 of 4508 results

3451. How Do You View Your Possessions?

Illustration

Peter J. Blackburn

3452. The Right Excuse

Illustration

3453. Timebomb Parables

Illustration

Scott Hoezee

3454. Save Us from Our Sinful Pride

Illustration

Scott Hoezee

3455. Rejection Turned to Joy

Illustration

Keith Wagner

3456. The Psychological Tricks We Play on Ourselves

Illustration

Roger G. Talbott

3457. Refusing to Share

Illustration

Keith Wagner

3458. Wishing to Be Like God

Illustration

D. Wayne Burkette

3459. The Cornerstone

Illustration

Phil Newton

3460. Marriage in India

Illustration

Lisa D. Kenkeremath

3461. God’s Patience

Illustration

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

3462. What Are We Protecting?

Sermon

Roy Howard

3463. God’s Quality Control Crew

Sermon

Lori Wagner

3464. Accepted in Heaven

Illustration

Brett Blair & Rick Thompson

3465. Giving It All

Illustration

Brett Blair

3466. The Pain of Rejection

Illustration

King Duncan

3467. The Deadline Will Not Be Extended

Illustration

King Duncan

3468. He Longs to Dust Us Off

Illustration

King Duncan

3469. Rebellion in the Vineyard - Sermon Starter

Illustration

King Duncan

3470. The Rejected Stone

Illustration

King Duncan

3471. Pentecost 20

Bulletin Aid

Staff

3472. Proper 22

Bulletin Aid

3473. Proper 22

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

3474. Speaking of Us

Sermon

Steve Molin

3475. The Case of the Stolen Inheritance

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Showing 3451 to 3475 of 4508 results