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 3626 to 3650 of 4963 results

3626. Trinity Sunday

Psalm 29:1-11, Isaiah 6:1-13, John 3:1-17, Romans 8:1-17

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... save us from suppression of debate and the lawful expression of dissent. We pray for those who practice the Christian faith under the dangers of persecution and the pressures of atheistic governments that they may be encouraged in their minority positions and remain true to their convictions. May the good news that you have sent into the world continue to be carried by public media and secret sharing where freedom of religion is denied. Inspire your people to political activity in democracies, not divorcing ...

3627. We Cannot Not Be Sinners

Mark 6:14-29

Illustration

Scott Hoezee

... . Even if the alcoholic promises never to take another drink or the adulterer vows never again to wake up in the wrong bed and even if they keep those promises what they cannot promise is that in addition to staying sober or chaste they will also remain just overall sinless. Evil is everywhere and often comes in the most banal, ordinary of trappings. Mark 6 reminds us of this, too. No less than John the Baptist ended up being killed not because of the machinations of world-class evil or the titanic doings ...

3628. Proper 24

Psalm 119:1-176, Jeremiah 31:27-34, Luke 18:1-8, 2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter—Psalm 119:97-104 First Lesson—After all the gloom the prophet offers the hopeful promise of a new covenant. Jeremiah 31:27-34 Second Lesson—The apostle Paul encourages Timothy to continue in his studies of the Holy Scripture and remain faithful to its teaching in the face of opposition. 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 Gospel—Perseverance in prayer is urged by a story of a persistent widow seeking justice before an ungodly judge. Luke 18:1-8 CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus ...

3629. Proper 27

Psalm 98:1-9; 145:1-5, 17-21, Haggai 1:15b-2:9, Luke 20:27-40, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... a ransom for all. Lord of the church, keep all believers by the Spirit in harmonious communion, agreeing on the basic truth, and seeking to love as you love all humanity. May the preaching and living of the gospel bring to faith in Christ all who remain in disobedience and disbelief. Save us from dogmatism, pride, and divisiveness that we may be humble disciples sharing our riches in Christ with those who have not yet laid claim to that treasure. We pray for the world and all its people, but especially for ...

3630. Second Sunday after the Epiphany

1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Isaiah 62:1-12, Psalm 36:1-12, John 2:1-11

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... We value your call to virtuous living, but often live at a lower level. We appreciate the fidelity of our friends and spouses, but sometimes betray and abandon them. You give us a variety of gifts to serve you in the church, but much remains undone because we squander the abilities you have given us on less worthy causes. Forgive our erratic service that reflects incomplete obedience, for the sake of your ever-obedient Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. Declaration of Pardon Pastor: Friends, hear the Good News! Your ...

3631. Palm Sunday

Psalm 31:1-24; 118:1-29, Isaiah 50:1-11, Luke 19:28-44; 22:14-23:56, Philippians 2:1-11

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... gifts. We give thanks to you, God-given Jesus. We give thanks to you, still-given Spirit. Amen. PRAYER OF DEDICATION Source of all goodness, the temporal value of the offerings we bring varies with the marketplace, but the eternal value of your church’s work remains constant as you enable us to serve you in the power of the Spirit. Evermore give us abounding grace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. PRAYER OF DEDICATION No gift of ours can match the gift you have given us in Christ, giving God, but our ...

3632. “Bad Form” and Bad Jesus

Ephesians 2:11-22

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... coach. You couldn’t tell the difference between the three inside the stage coach. Every person was seated without distinction. But when the stage came to the hill, the distinctions emerged. The second-class passengers had to get out and walk. The first class passengers remained in the coach. The third-class passengers had to get out and push. Jesus is ALWAYS third class . . . and when people who claim the name of Jesus stay in the coach and let others do the pushing, it’s swearing time. Have you noticed ...

3633. Bad Form and Bad Jesus

Ephesians 2:11-22

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

3634. Proper 25

Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Psalm 90:1-17, Matthew 22:34-46, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... and thanksgivings and other prayers, we add our intercessions for everyone in the name of Christ our Savior. May your hand be with your church, O Lord, here and everywhere, that others may become believers and turn to you. May all church members remain faithful to you with steadfast devotion, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. Make us worthy to be called "Christians." Like the early church, may we support the church according to our ability, sharing our resources and sending relief where it is ...

3635. John 6:1-21

John 6:1-15

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... a symbolic Eucharistic meal, Jesus here provides a real stick-to-your-ribs chow-down. As important as the amount of food consumed is the amount of food left over and the care taken to “gather up” all the fragments (“ta klasmata”) that remain. Jesus has provided a super-abundance for the people. The twelve baskets full of leftovers suggest that all of the twelve tribes of Israel will be recipients of miraculous sustenance. The ongoing viability of all these leftovers from the Jesus meal contrasts ...

3636. In Search of Jesus

John 6:16-24

Sermon

King Duncan

... was in the hospital. As her husband recalls, nurses repeatedly discovered her “out of bed in the night, sitting beside some other patient who was suffering, soothing her, holding her hand, praying for her.” The doctors appealed to the husband to persuade his wife to remain in her bed. He tried. His wife would “look guilty, grin and promise.” But then he would leave and “she would hear a sob or a cry in the night” and she would forget her promise. After his wife died, the man discovered what she ...

3637. Go Fly A Kite

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . As air travel grew in comfort, speed, altitude, and complexity, the technology that kept flyers tethered to “ground control” became more and more of an intricately tangled web. The simple kite on the end of a single string might not get our bodies aloft, but it remains the simplest, most basic form of free-flying human beings can experience. Is it possible to fly a kite without your soul soaring? All you need to fly a kite is a kid (or a kid’s spirit), a string, tissue paper, two slim sticks. And ...

3638. Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to the community. Foul language, on the other hand, would “grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” In Isaiah 63:10 the Israelites, who had been rescued from bondage by God, nevertheless rebelled and “grieved his holy spirit.” Even so, God’s holy presence remained to guard and guide the people. The Ephesians’ author asks the community to not only avoid grieving the Holy Spirit by the words and witness, but to recall that God’s work is not yet fully accomplished. God’s works are “sealed” for the ...

3639. Did You Know You Can Know You Have Eternal Life?

1 John 5:11-13

Sermon

James Merritt

... live. I want to introduce you to a man that some of you may not know, but most of you have heard of. His name was Charles Haddon Spurgeon. He was a British, Baptist preacher who began his ministry as a nineteen year old young man in 1854 and remained in the same pastorate until his death at age fifty-seven. He was, to put it mildly, a phenomenon. He is the Michael Jordan, the Babe Ruth, and the Tiger Woods of pastors. Long before the modern mega church ever came into being, six thousand people crowded every ...

3640. God's Christmas Tree

1 Peter 2:24

Sermon

James Merritt

... are certain diseases that have to be quarantined, because they are so contagious. God, being a Holy Righteous God, has to quarantine sinners. He has to separate Himself from sinners, because He can have nothing to do with sin or sinful people as long as they remain in their sin. Anyone who is willing to come to Jesus Christ and receive total and complete forgiveness for their sins can have that sin sickness healed and can live the rest of their life knowing there is nothing between their life and God's life ...

3641. Friends

1 Samuel 18:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

... it, they did see each other again, only the next time they saw each other, David was on the run from King Saul. He was out in the wilderness being hunted like a wild animal. We read these incredible words, "David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph and Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And ...

3642. Decoding the Da Vinci Code (Part One - Exploring the Fiction)

1 Timothy 1:4

Sermon

James Merritt

... age when the culture says there is no such thing as absolute truth, there cannot be only one way to God, the Bible does not have a corner on religious truth and God can be feminine just as much as God can be masculine. This fact still remains. In his book, Dan Brown says that "thousands of secret documents exist that disprove Christianity". I just ask him to produce one that has any historical validity and has proven itself to be worthy of believing. I make that statement in light of the third question ...

3643. What If It Happens To Me? The Fear of Suffering

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

James Merritt

... I don't have poor eyesight." If it had probably been a speech impediment, then that would not have been a comfort to those of us who have no speech impediment. Even if it had been a physical handicap, most people today are not physically handicapped. This thorn remains anonymous because no matter what your particular thorn might be, the same God that gave Paul victory over his thorn can give you victory over yours. We don't have to debate why this thorn had come into Paul's life. He tells us twice that it ...

3644. Will the Real God Please Stand Up?

2 Corinthians 13:14

Sermon

James Merritt

... should be: "looking for the "Appearing of our great God and savior Jesus Christ". Listen to Acts 5:3-4, "But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." (Acts 5:3-4) Now these verses tells us that lying to God and lying ...

3645. The Spin Zone

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

James Merritt

... I then go to my house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing. 'Then David said to Uriah, 'Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go.' So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. Now David called him, and he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his bed with his lord's servants, but he did not go down to his house. Now ...

3646. Until He Comes

2 Timothy 4:7-8

Sermon

James Merritt

... return for a bow and an encore, but the young pianist refused. The manager said, "The entire audience is standing and clapping for you; you must go back." The young musician said, "Not everyone is standing. There is a gray-haired man in the balcony who remains seated." The manager peeked out and said, "You're right, but everyone else is standing, he makes no difference. Don't worry about him." The young pianist replied, "He makes all the difference—he is my teacher." When Stephen was about to go to Heaven ...

3647. Am I a Real Christian?

Acts 11:26

Sermon

James Merritt

How would you answer this question? "Do You Consider Yourself a Christian?" That question was asked recently in a nationwide survey and 77% of men and 86% of women in America answered “Yes.” [[1]] The question remains however, what did these people understand the term “Christian” to mean? The term “Christian” is used more today than any other term to describe a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ. People talk about the Christian church and the Christian faith. There is a debate always raging ...

3648. Being a Woman of God

Acts 16:11-15

Sermon

James Merritt

... the misunderstanding. 8. The female can change her mind at any given point in time. 9. The male must never change his mind without expressed written consent from the female. 10. The female has every right to be angry or upset at any time. 11. The male must remain calm at all times unless the female wants him to be angry or upset. 12. The female must, under no circumstances, let the male know whether she wants him to be angry or upset. 13. Any attempt to document these Rules could result in bodily harm. 14 ...

3649. At Your Service Lord

Ephesians 4:11-12

Sermon

James Merritt

... it comes to Christmas. I absolutely live for the Christmas season, and I still get a charge out of seeing all of these wrapped gifts under the tree. But you know I have learned something. No matter how much you pay for a gift, if it remains unopened it is absolutely worthless. Here at Cross Pointe we are determined to help you discover your gift, and develop your gift, and deploy your gift in the service of others. I find two reasons why church members get frustrated, irritated, and lose interest in the ...

3650. Sex and the City

Exodus 20:14

Sermon

James Merritt

... will accompany you everywhere...and forever. Forgiveness won't erase it. Your fall will give others license to do the same. The inner-peace you enjoyed will be gone. You will never be able to erase the fall from your (or others') mind. This will remain indelibly etched on your life's record regardless of your later return to your senses. The name of Jesus Christ, whom you once honored, will be tarnished giving the enemies of faith further reason to sneer and jeer." Maybe you are in a difficult marriage ...

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