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 351 to 375 of 1409 results

351. Entertaining Tips for Christians

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

Alex Gondola

Imagine this situation, if you will: a husband comes home from work on a Friday night, say the Friday of Labor Day weekend. And as he drives into the driveway, he sees that there is a rented tent in the back yard. Under the tent are tables and chairs for about forty people. A bandstand and dance floor are assembled in one corner of the tent. Paper lanterns are hanging all around. Now mind you, none of this was there when the husband left for work that morning! Seeing all these preparations and having them ...

352. How Not To Throw A Party

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

Alex Gondola

When I prepare a sermon, I usually begin by reading the assigned Bible passage for that day, often in several translations. Then I free associate, writing down, as fast as I can, my thoughts about the passage as they come. Next I consult commentaries, the writings of learned Bible scholars, about the verses in question. I did all those things as groundwork for today's sermon. But, I also consulted Emily Post. Not the actual Emily Post, the Baltimore-born socialite who used to summer on Martha's Vineyard. ...

353. Prayers for Pentecost

Bulletin Aid

Rolland R. Reece

Eternal God, as accustomed as we are to all kinds of people demonstrating on our streets, we find ourselves taking a second look at the people who gathered on the occasion of Pentecost. First, they were on the street at 9 a.m. -- that seems a little early to us. Second, though they were all supposed to be from Galilee, when they spoke it was in the languages of all the foreigners who were in Jerusalem on that day. Third, their unusual behavior was attributed to the Holy Spirit. Lord, we know that some of ...

354. Wedding: Deciding To Love (for a marriage after divorce)

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Bulletin Aid

Derl G. Keefer

Listen to these words of Scripture as they are found in Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13 (NRSV): 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... When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like ...

355. Where The Halls Cross

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

David O. Bales

I have the two best jobs in the world. I teach social studies at Leon Griffith Junior High School (a fairly small junior high) and I am Sunday School Superintendent at Calvary Presbyterian Church (an enormous church school). Each job is my vocation. I tell people that at school they'll find my room where the halls cross. At church they can look but probably won't find me. I'll be in someone's classroom. At each job I practice what I most deeply believe: it's how you see the world that determines how you ...

356. Membership Has Its Privileges

Acts 16:16-40

Sermon

Rodney Thomas Smothe

Our text today is one of those passages in the New Testament that is well known in the Christian community. The story of Paul and Silas and their dynamic escape from prison has for many years been a favorite among preachers. Many talented and gifted sermon crafters have taken the images of midnight, earthquake, and open doors and painted a picture in the hearts and minds of the faithful. The images of ridicule, imprisonment and deliverance become images of witness, prayer, and the power of God's ...

357. Through The Back Door

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: The Power Of Prayer When Christians pray, the forces of evil tremble. This simple production brings forth this very powerful concept in a very unique manner. Setting: Inside of a church Characters:DEVIL: Mature man; he should be forceful and devious, yet smooth in his presentation. He is educated, "one of the guys," someone totally trustworthy, who is able to switch from soft spoken words to anger in the same sentence WOMAN: Mature woman (can also be a man if desired). Non-speaking part. A bright ...

358. Graduation Is Not For Angels

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: Graduation One of the most important events in the life of a church is the graduation from high school or college of its younger members. This drama emphasizes the stake heaven and prayer have in directing the lives of graduating seniors as they leave home. And it's only the beginning! Setting: Heaven on graduation day Characters: TWO YOUNG GUARDIAN ANGELS: May be male or female Costumes: White robes, tinsel halos under traditional graduation mortarboards Props: Two white boxes for sitting Scene: ...

359. The Night Talker

John 3:1-21

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: "Born Again" This theme isn't understood today anymore than when it was first mentioned. Summary: Nick, the teacher, seeks Jesus, the teacher. He has some questions and Jesus has the answers and the time to explain them. This is a modernization of the Nicodemus-Jesus encounter. Playing Time: 3 minutes Place: Wherever Jesus spends the night Props: None Costumes: Contemporary, casual Time: Last night Cast: Jesus Nick (a teacher) NICK: (ENTERS CAUTIOUSLY) Teacher? JESUS: What is it? NICK: Have you got ...

360. On The Job Training

Matthew 10:1-42

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: There is no peace on earth between the world system and God. They are in constant conflict and taking a stand for the Prince of Peace is often risky. A man's enemies are sometimes masquerading as his friends. Summary: Ed is told by his supervisor that he is being fired from his job because he will not participate in the training provided by the company. Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: A work place Props: None Costumes: Business attire Time: The present Cast ED JOE -- Ed's supervisor ED: (ENTERS AND ...

361. The Sower And The Seed And So What

Matthew 13:1-23

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: The word of the Kingdom of God needs to be sown whether we know the outcome or not. Summary: Ma and Pa are sitting on the porch of their mountain home discussing planting. A parable. Playing Time: 2 minutes Setting: The porch of Ma and Pa Props: Two rocking chairs Overalls to patch A stick to whittle Costumes: Ma -- sunbonnet, flour sack dress Pa -- bib overalls, red long johns Time: Twilight Cast: MA -- old PA -- older MA: (ROCKING AND SEWING, PATCHING PA'S OVERALLS) Pa? PA: (ROCKING AND WHITTLING ...

362. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

John 6:16-24, John 6:1-15

Sermon Aid

Wayne H. Keller

Theme: Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand; Jesus Walks on Water. Do you see the connection? Liturgical Color: Green ADORATION Pastoral Invitation Ask three soloists, well in advance, to sing a line or two, beginning with "I come ..." One may come weary; another, in physical pain; another, experiencing the death of a friend. They enter from the rear of the sanctuary, and sing as they come down the aisle. Once they complete their singing, the pastor asks, "How have you come today?" (Give several time to respond. ...

363. Jesus Teaches the Essence of His Being

John 6:60-71, John 6:25-59

Sermon Aid

Wayne H. Keller

Theme: Jesus Teaches the Essence of His Being the True Bread and Cup. This is too much for many, so they desert him. The disciples, up to this point, promise to stick with him. Liturgical Color: Green THE COMMUNITY GATHERS TO CELEBRATE Pastoral Invitation (Pastor and People) In the name of the Living Bread and Wine, welcome to worship. As we begin worship, I invite you to think about the kind of disciple you are, a devotee or a deserter, especially when things get rough. (One minute of silence.) Now, are ...

364. Advent 1

1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Isaiah 63:7--64:12, Mark 13:32-37, Mark 13:1-31

Sermon Aid

E. Carver McGriff

Psalm Of The Day Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (C); Psalm 80 (E) -- "Lord of hosts, restore us." Psalm 84:8 (RC) -- "Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer." Prayer Of The Day Open our hearts, O God, to the incoming of your Spirit. Sometimes our days are long and we grow tired. Too often, we go for long periods of time with very little attention to your Spirit. Deep within us, though, is a hunger for the richness of that presence. Overcome in us, we ask, our dullness of mind, that we may know your presence and its saving ...

365. The Gift of Lent I: A Widow Gives Her Mites

Luke 21:1-4

Drama

Donald Neidigk

Dramatic Monologue You say you feel sorry for me? Why, what for? Oh, sure, I'm a widow and all I own I could load on one small donkey, but don't feel sorry for me. I'm far richer than you might think. Shall we go sit in the shade of the olive tree there? I'd invite you in, but my house is far too small for all of you to fit inside. Out here perhaps we can catch a cool breeze. The stones, this old log, these will be our chairs. What a wonderful living room our Lord gives us! Yes, I am a widow, and have been ...

366. Gifts of Lent V: A Soldier Gives His Wine

Matthew 27:45-56

Drama

Donald Neidigk

Dramatic Monologue My name is Saint Longinus. The ancient traditions of the church say I was martyred in the service of Jesus. I was just Longinus then. You'll remember me for a number of things I did on that Friday of Holy Week: commanding the execution squad, giving Jesus a drink of cheap wine as he hung on the cross dying, confessing that he was the Son of God, and finally piercing him with my lance to ensure that he was dead. And you wonder why I'm called Saint Longinus? I understand your confusion. I ...

367. A Matter Of Trust

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

Who were they -- these travelers from the mysterious East, who sometime after the birth of the baby arrive in Bethlehem with expensive gifts? They appear for a moment and are quickly gone. The text calls them wise men. They are known variously as magi, astrologers, astronomers, philosophers, mystics or scientists whose interests stretched far beyond Israel. Tradition has assigned them names and races. The scripture identifies the three gifts they brought, leading us to assume there were three wise men. But ...

368. Moving At The Speed Of Light: At The Jordan

Acts 10:23b-48

Sermon

Frank Luchsinger

Peter had long practiced a religion which required the separation of Jews and Gentiles, and following Christ's ascension Peter continued to be a practicing Jew. Through the example of Christ, Peter began to think differently about those who were considered ritually unclean and unacceptable to God. Earlier in Acts 10, Peter has been staying in Joppa in the home of one who practiced an "unclean" profession, Simon the Tanner. From there he receives the call from God to travel to Ceasarea to the home of ...

369. Moving At The Speed Of Light: Jerusalem: What Word Would You

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Sermon

Frank Luchsinger

"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing," asserts Paul in First Corinthians. "But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God." The word of the cross...folly to those who are perishing. To those who are being saved by it -- to us -- it is the Power of God. Imagine, if you will, the scene in Jerusalem: devout Jews gathered from every nation under heaven. There is a sound of mighty wind, tongues of fire light upon each of the disciples, who begin to speak as the Spirit gives them ...

370. The Three Kings--And The King Of Kings

Isaiah 9:1-7

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

A wealthy couple went on a trip to Hawaii. One afternoon the wife went down to the beach. After a while her husband walked down to the beach. He saw a group of people there trying to help someone. He realized it was his wife. He ran up to them and said, "What are you doing?" They replied, "We're giving her artificial respiration." He said, "Artificial nothing. Give her the real thing. We can afford it!"1 When we read about those three mysterious men from the East we need not be concerned about their long ...

371. The Narrow Gate

Luke 13:22-30

Sermon

John G. Lynch

One long, shadowy afternoon, when the light was more smoke than light, a young American of Russian descent wandered along a canal in Leningrad, searching for the Palace of Prince Yarosof, where the monk Rasputin had been killed. Leningrad in winter is not a cheery place. The sun rises late in the morning and sets about 4 p.m. Daylight, always weak and wintry, never rises above a sinister haze. In that light Alex sought his narrow door. He didn't realize quite what he was seeking. Only when he found it did ...

372. Not Yet Quitting Time

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Larry R. Kalajainen

You may remember reading or hearing of the Korean Christian group who predicted that Christ was going to return on October 28, 1992, all Christians would be taken to heaven, and the rest of the world would enter the terrible catastrophes of the end times. Well, we're still here, and unless you count the presidential election which was held a month later as a terrible apocalyptic catastrophe, I don't see that the ordinary catastrophes were much worse than usual. There's nothing new in this miscalculation of ...

373. Hard Questions!

1 Kings 17:7-24

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

Children sometimes ask cute questions, but often they are also incisive. In Children's Letters to God, a child inquires, "Dear God, Where does everybody come from? I hope you explain it better than my father. Ward." Another child queries, "Dear God, Did you mean for a giraffe to look like that or was it an accident? Norma." Then, there are those persons who, in the presence of larger questions, can think only of the obvious and mundane. Yellowstone Park Rangers report that, at the place where Old Faithful ...

374. Proper 24

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8, Jeremiah 30:1--31:40, Luke 18:1-8

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:27-34 The promise of a new covenant. Because of their sins, Yahweh sent Judah into captivity. Now in Babylon they are without a nation, homes, and temple. The time is coming for re-building the nation. This, too, is God's work. As the first step in re-building the nation, Yahweh promises a new covenant (testament). The old Mosaic covenant was broken by the people's sins. The new covenant is to replace the old one. It will be a covenant of spirit rather than of law, ...

375. Proper 8

Luke 9:57-62, Galatians 5:16-26, 2 Kings 2:1-18, Luke 9:51-56

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 Elisha succeeds Elijah as prophet of Israel. Elisha was a faithful and devout disciple of Elijah. So loyal was he that he would not let Elijah out of his sight. Knowing that he was soon going to depart this world, Elijah asked Elisha what he could give him. Wisely Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit. This was granted to Elisha, for when Elisha took Elijah's mantle, he used it to separate the waters of Jordan. The power and authority of Elijah's ...

Showing results