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 3576 to 3600 of 4681 results

3576. The Tower of Siloam

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... does not put itself on a pedestal to condemn others. It does not bend to the whims of current events. As a matter of fact, it is not arrogant or rude. It is not jealous or boastful. It does not rejoice in the wrong but rejoices in the right. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. It's a lot like love in this regard. In addition to our longing for our human needs, there is a longing for justice with regard to the crimes, which have been committed that mirrors ...

3577. No ... On

Luke 22:66--23:25

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... of the lover. That is exactly what God is up to in Christ. God in Christ empties himself, takes the form of a servant, and immerses himself totally and deeply in this broken world. Christ carries all that is wrong and ugly with this world. He bears ALS, strokes, thefts, the most distasteful of sins, jealousy, hatred, and even those impersonal economic forces that crush so many, that bites them off, grinds them up, spits them out, and then calls them "a tax write-off." Even Jesus dies on a cross. He goes ...

3578. Holy, Holy, Holy

John 16:12-15

Sermon

Arley K. Fadness

... good, Lord." I sniff the sweet aroma of vanilla carmel floating through the air from the Ponderosa Pine and I murmur, "It is good, Lord." I see a cottontail rabbit and my tethered dogs go berserk. I whisper, "It is good, Lord." I see a midget brown bear — oh — it turns out to be a chunky marmot. He looks like he has been eating pizza all winter long and needs to go to Weight Watchers. I repeat, "It is good, Lord." I meet people — fellow hikers, neighbors, and tourists. When I hike Mount Harney, I ...

3579. When the Going Gets Tough ... the Tough Start Praying!

Luke 17:5-10

Sermon

... . I never imagined, as has been the case for us, that we would worship in so many unique settings, but what rich experiences those have been for us, even though the high school cafeteria with humming pop machines and sticky floors and the acoustics of a ball-bearing factory was difficult for many of us. Some guests never returned and when we asked them why we found that they just couldn't get their souls around worshiping in such settings. Oh, dear ... what's a church to do without a building? And now, as I ...

3580. Getting Back into Shape

John 8:31-36

Sermon

Scott Bryte

... buy your way into heaven; that you had to earn God's favor. Through Martin Luther and countless others, God called the church back to the truth. The Holy Spirit comes to us now, sending us out into the world to bring the light of the gospel to bear against the darkness of this age. Our age, like any age, has many darknesses, but chief among these is this: We are an age that does not expect resurrection. We are an age fixated with, and terrified of death. An age where we are afraid of growing older, afraid ...

3581. Be a Night Light

James 1:1-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . "That was the Visit, wasn't it?" "Yes, that was the Visit. The Light Himself went down there and lived among them; but in a moment, and you will be able to tell that even with your eyes closed, the light will go out." "But why? Could He not bear their darkness and stupidity? Did He have to return here?" "No, it wasn't that" returned the senior angel. His voice was stern and sad. "They failed to recognize Him for Who He was ‑ or at least only a handful knew Him. For the most part they preferred their ...

3582. The News From Nazareth

Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... home of an older cousin. As Luke presents it, "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!'" (Luke 1:41-42). Joyous meeting, right? I wonder. Truth be told, I doubt that it happened just that way. After all, no one had a tape recorder running, and no one actually wrote these events down until some seventy years or so had gone by. What ...

3583. Trouble In the Parsonage

Hosea 1:2-10

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... get back in line or the bad times are just around the corner." There is no question that Israel had given Hosea a lot about which to preach. His various sermons that we have recorded in scripture in the book that bears his name deal with swearing and falsehood, murder and bloodshed, robbery, wicked priests, widely prevailing adultery, perversion, false dealing, oppression, idolatry, drunkenness, and utter heedlessness of God. No trouble finding pulpit topics from week to week. Hosea's problem was different ...

3584. Religion and Politics

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... of bulls and lambs and goats" (Isaiah 1:11). Then God turns thumbs down on fancy religious processions - "this trampling of my courts" (Isaiah 1:12). Forget the extra commitment offerings and the fragrant incense, the special services of worship and celebration. "I cannot bear your evil assemblies" (Isaiah 1:13), God says. Perhaps the most radical announcement of all comes when God even rejects prayer: "When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I ...

3585. Ash Wednesday

Psalm 51:1-17, Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, Matthew 6:1-4, 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... our fascination with death. People: We declare again that through every season we are intentional friends of Jesus. With some dread, we anticipate the week we call “holy.” Leader: Fortunately we know the whole story! For now, let us consider how we bear God in our international neighborhoods. People: We acknowledge the sign of the cross as a symbol of God reaching to us and our stretching toward one another. Leader: It is an ancient symbol of suffering and death. People: The cross is a contemporary ...

3586. The Problem with ‘Hail Mary’ Moments

James 3:13-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... heart is kind beyond all measure gives unto each day what he deems best — lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest. 2 Every day, the Lord himself is near me, with a special mercy for each hour; all my cares he wants to bear, to cheer me, he whose name is Counselor and Power. The protection of his child and treasure is a charge that on himself he laid: “As your days, your strength shall be in measure,” this the pledge to me he made. 3 Help me then in every tribulation ...

3587. Lent 4

Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32:1-11, Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... destroys land and life. Help us as individuals and as a country behave in ways that bring about Christ-friendly societies around this globe no matter what the religious preferences. Mothering God — look with compassion upon the pains we bear: debts, disappointments, multi-generational addictions, disabilities, and despair. Lift us beyond our cynicism to personal responsibility, self-discipline, and real hope. Set us on a path of satisfying relationship with your Spirit; empower us to live as friends of ...

3588. Proper 10

Deuteronomy 30:9-14, Psalm 25:1-10; 82:1-8, Amos 7:7-17, Luke 10:25-37, Colossians 1:1-14

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... and then have your personal conversation with the Holy One. Community Confession (Unison) Ceaseless Creator — we do not want to be like walls out of kilter or people with crooked behaviors. Create in us minds that are eager to live into mystery and to be bear-ers not of plumb lines but of hope and nurturing actions. Let our living reflect the teachings of Jesus and the light of your love. Amen. Sermon Idea The story of Amos’ plumb line is easy to transpose to twenty-first-century politics, international ...

3589. What Does the Bible Really Say about Divorce?

Mark 10:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

... or a dysfunctional marital relationship in one way or another. You may have been through a divorce yourself. Or perhaps it’s been your son or daughter, your sister or brother or a close friend. You may be a child of divorced parents, or perhaps you bear scars not from a divorce, but from a father and mother who maintained their marriage relationship but were so abusive to one another that it would have been better if their marriage had never taken place. So Jesus’ teachings on marriage and divorce are ...

3590. Proper 16

Psalm 71:1-6, Isaiah 58:9b-14, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Luke 13:10-17, Hebrews 12:18-29

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... more angst we feel in our own bodies. Stretch our imaginations to see you at work in other nations and their attempts to honor you. Visit us and world leaders in dreams that are clearly peaceful and genuinely empowering. God of People and Polar Bears — we pray for ourselves and our planet. We want to be your mind and hands in our neighborhoods, responding with compassion to creatures in need. Some days we wonder what real compassion is. Help us not to be blinded by irresponsibility, by ethnic identities ...

3591. Serving the King of Kings

John 18:28-40

Sermon

King Duncan

... are times when military force is necessary to stop the advance of evil in the world. However, we can disagree with them and still admire their commitment to their principles. One woman confronted a Jehovah’s Witness spokesman who was defending his refusal to bear arms. With passion she said, “My son was shot and killed defending your freedom.” The spokesman said calmly, “I’m sorry about your son’s death. I can guarantee you, though, that it was not a Jehovah’s Witness who shot him.” Again ...

3592. Proper 23

2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c, Psalm 66:1-20, Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, Luke 17:11-19, 2 Timothy 2:8-15

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... . Amen. Benediction May Great Mystery follow you around each day and night. May the autumn moon increase your sense of wonder. May clear skies encourage you to look beyond your self. May empowering relationships send you to bless others. Go from this sanctuary intent on your walk with God. Go bearing peace-making words and hospitable attitudes. Amen.

3593. Hebrews 7:23-28

Hebrews 7:11-28

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... priest forever” found in Jesus. The “former priests,” that is, the Levitical priests who served in the Jerusalem Temple, followed the normal human life cycle. In other words, eventually each generation died and had to be replaced. The resurrected Christ bears no such constraints. Because he “continues forever,” Jesus is able to serve as our priest forever, his service for our sake and salvation is without end — “he always lives to make intercession” for us. The Hebrews’ author continues by ...

3594. From Self-Help to God-Trust

Hebrews 7:11-28

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

3595. Jesus - The Leader of Our Team

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... way, the truth and the life,” “the Bread of Life,” the “door,” and “gate.” The powerful image of the vine and branches well illustrates the centrality of Jesus: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Scripture clearly shows how Jesus is the central figure for our personal lives and our community of faith. Too often, however, Jesus is forced to take a backseat to people and ideas that ...

3596. Obedience: Our Gift to Jesus

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities. Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, "Light, bearing on the starboard bow." The captain called out, "Is it steady or moving astern?" The lookout replied, "The light is steady, captain." Realizing that the situation was a collision course, the captain shouted to the radioman, "Send a message, we are on a ...

3597. Passing the Test

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... . All we can do is open our hands to receive ... for we have nothing. It is then that Paul's words begin to make sense. Paul boldly declares, "God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength." He is not just telling us to "grin and bear it." No, these are words to comfort. God is coming to the rescue. "With the testing he will also provide you with the way out, so that you may be able to endure it." What is the "way out"? How can we possibly hope to "endure it"? Christ is the ...

3598. A New Point of View

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... as reflected in Moses and the prophets. Instead of judging sinners, he is the friend of sinners. He eats and drinks with outcasts. He embraces those who seem to be utter failures and losers. He takes upon himself everything that is wrong and sick with this world. He bears it all. He "who knew no sin" ... was "made to be sin." By whom? By God, himself! Why? "For our sake" (v. 21), because God loves us that much. On the cross Christ suffers for us the fate we deserve. And in exchange for that fate, God gives ...

3599. Running the Race

Philippians 3:4-11, 2 Timothy 4:7

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... , a wee bit of exaggeration, the carefully placed rumor, an unfortunate slip of the tongue, a timely deletion on the computer — all become a way of life. Suddenly the race that we loved to run has become the burden we cannot bear. The innocent bending of the rules has become a cancer destroying not only the joy of competition but our relationships with our friends, our neighbors, and our fellow competitors. Infected with distrust, suspicion, jealousy, and even hatred, friendly competition has become ...

3600. A Bloody Cheer!

Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

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