Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3801 to 3825 of 4944 results

3801. How to Handle Criticism

Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

It is impossible to go through life without being criticized. If you try to accomplish something, you will be criticized. If you are satisfied to loaf, you will be criticized for that. I heard about a department store that made a big fuss over its millionth customer. The store president made a speech in her honor. She was given gifts. Her picture was taken for the paper. After these ceremonies, the customer continued to her original destination – the complaint department. If anyone ever received lots of ...

3802. Bell-Bottoms that Scared the Devil

Luke 6:37-38

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: small bell Good morning, boys and girls and a happy Advent to you! Do you know what Advent means? (Allow time for them to respond.) What does the word "Advent" make you think of when you hear it? For a lot of boys and girls it means getting ready for Jesus to come into our world and be the way He has promised us He would be. Advent is a time of preparing, getting ready, and that is what we want you to do. This Sunday and every day this week and the next three weeks will be spent getting ready for ...

3803. How Life’s Pressures Affect Good Judgment

Mark 6:14-29

Sermon

Brett Blair

In the opera Faust, there is a fight to the finish between Satan and the young man Valentine. During the course of the fight, Satan breaks Valentine's sword and he stands poised to slay him. But the young boy takes the two pieces of his sword and fashions them into a cross. Confronted with this symbol of faith, Satan becomes immobilized and Valentine is saved. It is an interesting concept: A dramatic demonstration of faith. Unfortunately such resolution of faith does not always save you. In fact, it might ...

3804. Out of the Box

Acts 11:1-18

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

Why do some people always want to put Christians into a tight little box? Why should we limit the gospel to people who have heard it all before? Why shouldn’t we take the gospel beyond the four walls of the church to people who don’t look like us, walk like us, talk like us, or share our views? Why must we always talk to the people who think like we think and do as we do? Why doesn’t our conversation and proclamation go forth to people who need to be converted to Christ? It is true that people in the ...

3805. Bound By A Promise

Genesis 15:1-12

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: a jar of honey Good morning, boys and girls. Have you ever tasted honey? It's good, isn't it? All sweet and sticky. Honey was an important food back in Jesus' day, too. That was the only thing people could use to sweeten their food, because they didn't have sugar back then. Did you know that honey is a very special food? There is something about honey that makes it different from every other food on earth. You see, honey never spoils. If honey is stored in a tight container, it never goes bad. ...

3806. I Can Make It By Myself . . .

1 Corinthians 12:12-31, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

Margo Ballantyne was shopping at a store in Scotland when it seemed that the whole world suddenly stopped. As Margo sorted through stacks of scarves, the other shoppers in the store suddenly froze in place. All conversation ceased. Sales clerks refused to make eye contact with Margo or answer her questions. What would you think if you were in Margo's situation? She assumed that she was unwelcome in the store, that she was out of place. But then, Margo remembered that on this particular day, November 11th, ...

3807. The Not-So-Secret Service

Luke 10:1-24

Sermon

King Duncan

Our illusions fall one by one. First the Easter Bunny. Then the Tooth Fairy. Now .007. Surely you know who I'm talking about--Ian Feming's debonair spy, Bond . . . James Bond. He's a fake. A fraud. He's simply unacceptable as a spy. At least that is what MI5 said recently. Our ideas of what makes a good spy have been shaped--or more accurately, distorted---by movies and television. So this particular news item comes as a shock to those of us who grew up on the wildly successful spy movies. In March 2003, ...

3808. To Care for the Earth

Leviticus 25:1-7

Sermon

Edward Inabinet

A health-food enthusiast was dominating conversation at a party. "I don''t eat food with additives, preservatives or anything that''s been sprayed," he said forcefully. "Nor do I eat anything with chemicals added to it." "How do you feel?" asked an interested listener. With a sad look on his face he replied, "Hungry!" This morning we are dealing with a theme that is important to many of us and relevant to all of us--the stewardship of our environment. The care of the earth is dear to God''s heart. It ...

3809. All This and Heaven Too

Luke 18:18-30

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I saw a Gary Larson “Far Side” cartoon recently which I understood. It was set in a cave-like place—dark, dingy—you could feel the chill of the damp air, just looking at it. A row of people are marching into the cave—all sorts of people—well-dressed, shabbily dressed—men, women. Over against the wall of the cave, the devil stands. You know it’s the devil. He has horns, a tail, and a pitchfork. He is surveying his patrons as they enter, a look of glee on his face. On the wall behind him is a poster. It’s ...

3810. Practical Tips For Powerful Prayer

Matthew 6:5-15

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

The most under-utilized power on earth is not ethanol or solar power or even nuclear power. The most under-utilized power on earth is the power of God channeled through prayer. Surveys have revealed that 71 percent of Americans believe that God definitely answers prayer and another 15 percent believe that God probably does. That means that 86 percent of Americans believe that prayer is effective. Nevertheless, just a small percentage of Americans have a specific time set aside each day for prayer. Why is ...

3811. Accepting the Unconventional in Life

Mark 2:13-22

Sermon

Richard Gribble

Once upon a time there was a great teacher, a guru, who had many followers. People came from far and wide to listen, learn, and be enlightened by this man. There were one-on-one classes and apprenticeships for those who came to learn. When the students had finished with their lessons, the guru sent them into the world to share their knowledge with others as masters in their own right. Just before each student left, the guru would give each a special gift -- the teacher taught each student the mantra of ...

3812. John 14:23-29

John 14:23-29

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

As noted in last week's exegesis, John 13:31-14:31 is considered by a majority of scholars to make up the first unit of Jesus' farewell discourse. This lengthy discourse continuing through 16:33 or even 17:26 offers a unique body of material that has no parallel in the synoptic gospels. While last week's exegesis examined the opening statements of this crucial dialogue, this week's text focuses on what most scholars identify as the third and closing section of the first unit of discourse. If John 13:31-38 ...

3813. Epiphany 2

Psalm 40:1-17, Isaiah 49:1-7, John 1:29-42, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter - Psalms 40:1-11 First Lesson - The servant of the Eternal is a light to the nations. Isaiah 49:1-7 Second Lesson - Through Jesus Christ we know God's grace, receive all spiritual gifts, and are sustained to the end, when we will be found guiltless. 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Gospel - John the Baptist titles Jesus the Lamb of God and heaven declares Jesus to be the Son of God who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. John 1:29-42 CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you ...

3814. Get Real

John 15:1-11, 16

Sermon

James Merritt

Her name is Deborah Ricketts. If you ever go to the movies, you will often see her handiwork though you will never see her. She is never listed in the credits, although she ought to get credit for a lot of what you see in the movies. What is her job? She is an independent researcher for the film industry. For anyone who wants their movie to be truly authentic, not fake, the movie to be accurate and the facts to be reliable, all you have to do is send your script and a sizeable check to this former ...

3815. Deliverance through Thanksgiving

Psalm 50:1-23

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

One our big failures as Christian is our continual refusal to discipline ourselves in living with the word of God. We need to study the Bible. It is the source of our life, it is the food for our souls. But not only do we need to study the Bible, we need to read the Bible devotionally, and there is a difference between studying the Bible and reading the Bible devotionally. The sermon today comes out of my devotional reading of the Bible a few weeks ago. But before I get into the sermon, let me share with ...

3816. The Fundamentals of Family Ties

1 Corinthians 13:1

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

At the tender age of 18, I preached my first sermon on marriage and family. It was entitled “When Home is Heaven.” A few months later I got married and reality struck. After a few courses in psychology and shortly before our first son was born, I preached a sermon on the “Twelve Essential Elements of Effective Parenting.” Our children were normal preacher’s kids so I stopped giving advice on raising children. Now that my sons are grown and my wife is out of town, I thought I would end this series of ...

3817. The Power of a Personal Commitment

Romans 12:1-8

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

While my farmer father only had a fourth grade education, he was a wonderful story teller. One of his favorite yarns was about a chicken and a pig who encountered a hungry man beside the road. Moved with compassion, the chicken said to the pig, “Why don’t you and I go together and give this man a great ham and eggs breakfast?” The pig pondered the proposition for a moment and then replied, “For you that would be a contribution; but for me that would mean total commitment.” On this Sunday when we are asked ...

3818. Not So With You

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

How many of us here this morning were born BC? By “BC” I mean “Before Cell-phones?” The first cell phone was invented in 1973 by Martin Cooper. My kids were born AC, but I was born BC. In a world of 7 billion people, there are now 5 billion cell phone subscriptions. Pretty amazing for something under 40 years old. In the last forty years the cyber-cellular age has changed the way we do business, the way we get our education, the way we socialize. The world has never been so closely connected, and there has ...

3819. Drowsy Disciples

Mark 13:1-31

Sermon

David J. Kalas

I watched with amusement, recently, as a gentleman across the table from me at a church committee meeting struggled to stay awake. Our meeting came at the end of what had apparently been a tiring day for him, and now the meeting itself was running long. No one there would question this member’s devotion to the church or his commitment to its work. But he simply could not keep himself awake. His eyes would blur and begin to flicker, his head would start to bob, and finally his chin would sink into his chest ...

3820. Let Us Love One Another

2 John 1:1-13

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

Salutation Second John begins with a greeting or salutation similar in form to other NT letters. The writer and recipients are identified, followed by a wish for God’s blessing. But this introduction also contains material that fits the writer’s and readers’ specific situation and recalls the controversy in which all three letters of John are set. The Elder quickly reveals the two main concerns which are on his mind, and they correspond to the two principal themes of the letters of John as a whole: truth ...

3821. Abram Rescues Lot

Genesis 14:1-24

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Abram Rescues Lot from Captivity: This episode reveals Abram as a strong military commander. Employing shrewd battle tactics, Abram defeats a coalition of four kings from the East who have taken his nephew Lot captive. On his triumphant return Melchizedek, priest-king of Salem, comes out to meet him and blesses him. Abram in turn gives him a tithe of the spoil. This episode describes Kedorlaomer’s campaign against the cities around the Dead Sea (vv. 1–12), Abram’s defeat of these marauding troops (vv. 13– ...

3822. Spiritual Hypocrisy—Living by the Rules, Not by the Heart

Mark 7:1-23

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: In this passage about spiritual hypocrisy Jesus teaches that God’s people must live their lives not by how they appear externally to others but how they really are within. It is not external codes of conduct but the inner life of the heart that really matters. Understanding the Text The theme of failure continues from 6:45–53, as the disciples’ hardened hearts (6:52) link them to the Pharisees (3:5; 10:5) in their inability to comprehend the reality of Jesus and the kingdom (see “The Text in ...

3823. Message to Philadelphia

Revelation 3:7-13

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: Jesus commends his church for persevering in obedience under trying circumstances and reassures them with the promise of his eternal presence. Understanding the Text The message to the church in Philadelphia is the sixth in the series of messages to the seven churches in Revelation 2–3. To the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia, Jesus offers no rebuke but only praise as they endure rejection for his sake. Although this Philadelphian congregation has “little strength,” it has endured opposition, ...

3824. The Temporary Imprisonment of Satan

Revelation 20:1-7

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: In his sovereignty, God temporarily imprisons Satan for a time to keep him from deceiving the nations. Understanding the Text Following the return of Christ in 19:11–21, we read of the imprisonment of Satan in 20:1–3 in preparation for the millennial reign in 20:4–6. Throughout Revelation, Satan appears not as a “figure of power . . . but a figure of deception, and his only triumph is to deceive the ungodly masses into opposing God and worshiping the beast and himself.”1 The judgment of Satan ...

3825. Impurity, Repentance, and Jealousy

Num 5:1-31

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God’s people must deal with ritual and moral impurities. Understanding the Text Following the census of priests and Levites in Numbers 3–4, Numbers 5 introduces laws that involve priests: 1. Cases of ceremonial impurity (vv. 1–4) (cf. Ezek. 44:33) 2. Restitution given to priests for false oaths (vv. 5–10) 3. A priestly ritual regarding a jealous husband (vv. 11–31) In each of these cases the issue involves the need for Israel to be pure. Historical and Cultural Background Requiring those accused ...

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