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 3826 to 3850 of 4914 results

3826. Can You Dig It?

Genesis 26:1-35

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

Our scripture today finds Isaac, the son of Abraham, faced with the formidable task of holding his family together, restoring their spiritual legacy and vouchsafing their future amid death threats and vehement opposition from the Philistines. Isaac must decide whether to dig or not to dig the wells of his father and exalt his people to their rightful place in history or allow his adversaries and enemies to foil his plans. The question for Isaac is: Can he dig the wells of hope, prosperity, and the ...

3827. He Commanded Us to Preach

Acts 10:23b-48

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

Opposition to preaching the risen Christ and reaching the Gentiles emerged early in the ministry of the apostles. Peter and the others quickly found themselves on the front lines of defense against attacks regarding the cogency and credibility of the message they were preaching. Emboldened by the presence and power of the Holy Ghost, many of the apostles gained renewed fortitude in proclaiming the message of Christ to Jewish and Gentile communities in the early days of the church. Anytime the gospel is ...

3828. Hissing in the Garden

Genesis 3:1-24

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Today, I want to pick up and continue the series of sermons I have been sharing from the Book of James. I have preached on the Tongue from James 3:1-12, on Troubles as a part of our faith journey from James 1:3-11, and now I want to share another sermon that begins with the letter "T"--Temptation. One of my colleagues tells the story about a church in Kentucky that demonstrates the ancient but ever present power of evil and temptation. It seems a certain contractor had done some much needed repair work for ...

3829. The Big Temptation

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Mark Trotter

Lent is a journey of six weeks, from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday and Easter. It is a pilgrimage for those who want to renew their lives. I have been on tours where the tour leader, at the beginning of the journey, gives an outline of what you can expect to see and how to prepare for it. That is what I want to do as we begin the Lenten journey this morning. The story of Jesus' temptations is to be read on this Sunday, because it provides for us the pattern for Lent. Jesus went to the desert for forty days ...

3830. The Time of Waiting Is Over

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

Mark Trotter

I am going to begin the sermon this morning by telling you about a dream that I had sometime ago. I realize the risk that I am taking in doing this. There are psychiatrists and psychologists in this congregation who may feel compelled after they hear this sermon to hand me their card. Also, you may know more about me after this sermon than you bargained for. But I have been assured that this dream is universal, so I trust that you have had similar ones. Actually it happened many years ago, but I remember ...

3831. Warts and All

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

"Warts and all . . . " I love that expression. But it hits close to home, as I grew up with warts and moles all over my body. Some grew and grew and kept on growing. Others would appear, then disappear, then reappear in another spot. None of my warts or moles looked pretty and round and flat like Cindy Crawford's. Am I the only one here this morning that had to contend with barnacles on the body? Accepting someone warts and all means taking them with all their beauty and blemishes, all their gifts and all ...

3832. A Dead Balloon

Acts 2:1-21

Illustration

Brian Stofregen

A "dead balloon" -- has no life. It continues to lie wherever you put it. It doesn't move. It has no power. Take a "dead balloon" and do what Jesus did -- blow in it. What happens? It's full of air; but it is still dead, going nowhere until that power is released. [As an illustration, the "powered balloon" can be released.] Under the "spirit's/breath's/wind's" power, the balloon can move. It goes out. However, when the wind power within the balloon is released, you don't know where the balloon is going to ...

3833. The Spiritual Gateway

Sermon

Stan Purdum

Picture this: You are on your way to the airport to catch a flight to a wedding where you are in the wedding party only to become stuck in traffic. When you finally get to the airport, you have only minutes left to check in. Unfortunately, there's a long line at the airline desk and you know there is no hope of getting to the front of the line in time. Do you: A. give up and say, "Oh well, they'll just have to go on without me"? B. march up to the front of the line, push people out of the way and say, "Get ...

3834. Romans 8:26-39

Romans 8:18-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

As with last week’s exegesis, the length and depth of the assigned epistle text this week is such that we are going to focus on just the final portion of Paul’s great message (vv. 31-39). Here Paul offers a capstone to his argument, begun in chapter 5, that despite any suffering Christians might experience, it is the love and power of God that will ultimately prevail in the lives of the faithful. Although elsewhere Paul uses the phrase “What then shall we say?” (“ti oun eroumen”) to add “umph” to his ...

3835. The Outlandishness of Lent

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Lent is a solemn season in the Church calendar. Supposedly, it’s not meant to be fun, but rueful. It is a penitential time when devout Christians have typically “given up” some earthly pleasures — meats, sweets, parties, television, movies — to focus instead on spiritual growth — Lenten Bible studies, prayer groups, singular meditation-time. In the words of Lord Williams of Oystermouth, from a 2012 sermon in Rome at St. Paul’s Within the Walls, "Every Lent, we ought to be looking at the various ways in ...

3836. Caring for the Needy and Commissioning Apostles

Mark 3:7-12, Mark 3:13-19

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: Jesus again leaves the urban setting for a ministry at the Sea of Galilee, healing the sick and demonstrating authority over all powers. At the same time, we see the second stage of discipleship as Jesus elects and empowers twelve disciples/apostles, making them the restored new Israel. Understanding the Text This passage (3:7–12) begins a new section of ministry by the lake (3:7–6:6). At the same time, it starts another cycle in Mark (defined by Jesus’s ministry to the disciples, the crowds, and ...

3837. The Beast from the Earth (The False Prophet)

Revelation 13:11-18

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: Believers are called to discernment so they can distinguish true from false worship in order not to compromise with satanic powers. Understanding the Text Revelation 13:11–18 introduces the second beast, the final member of the unholy trinity. This beast appears as the “false prophet” elsewhere in Revelation, pointing to its religious role (16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Mounce summarizes the workings of this evil triad: “As Christ received authority from the Father (Matt. 11:27), so Antichrist receives ...

3838. Hannah’s Prayer

1 Samuel 2:1-11

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Hannah’s Song: In bringing her son to the Lord, Hannah also brings her own worship in a prayer-song. It was not unusual to come to the shrine, or later the temple, with particular praise at times of new birth or special celebration. Neither was it unusual for a woman to bring theological reflection in song; the songs of Miriam and Deborah immediately come to mind. Centuries later, Mary picks up Hannah’s song as she rejoices at the thought of her own son. Whether this song was Hannah’s own composition or a ...

3839. The Trustworthy Lord Over Nature, Nations, and Armies

Psalm 33:1-22

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Psalm 33 is a hymn wherein a liturgist summons the congregation (v. 1) and the musicians (vv. 2–3) to perform their praise of God. The congregation is designated as the “righteous” and “upright,” that is, those admitted through the temple entry liturgy (see on Pss. 15 and 24). The chief quality sought in this liturgy is not moral blamelessness but loyalty to Yahweh (in 24:3–6 “righteousness” is received, not presupposed). The promise of deliverance from death and famine (v. 19), along with the mention of ...

3840. How Does Prayer Work?

1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16)

Sermon

Charley Reeb

If you grew up in the church, I am sure you were taught that prayer is important. Even if you don’t have much of a religious background, there is a good chance you have heard about the benefits of prayer. If you need something, ask God for it. If you need guidance, ask God for it. If you are worried, pray about it. If you need strength, pray for it. But maybe you struggle with prayer because you never seem to get the results you are looking for. You pray and never seem to get an answer. You are frustrated ...

3841. Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?

John 10:11-18

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“I am sending you out among wolves.” Matthew 10:16 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:15 We all know and fear wolves. But some can be clever. How do you recognize a “wolf” when you see one? I think we can all probably answer that question. We need to pay attention to their behavior and not their facade. We don’t need a manual on wolf behavior to recognize when wolves are in our presence. Wolves have a certain identifiable ...

3842. Proper 7

Matthew 10:1-42, Romans 6:1-14, Romans 5:12-21, Jeremiah 20:7-18, Genesis 21:8-21

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 21:8-21 Under Sarah's insistence, Abraham expels Hagar and son. The miracle baby, Isaac, arrived. Seeing her son playing with Ishmael, Abraham's son by the Egyptian Hagar, Sarah orders Abraham to get rid of the boy and his mother. Reluctantly, Abraham sends them into a wilderness with a bag of food and water. But, Yahweh came to their rescue. Old Testament: Jeremiah 20:7-13 Jeremiah trusts God to deliver him from those who oppose his preaching. Epistle: Romans 6:1b-11 or ...

3843. Thanksgiving

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

Letters in the Greco-Roman world had a fairly standard form. They would begin with a salutation, followed by a conventional thanksgiving (often in the form of a prosaic prayer). Next came the body of the letter, often followed by parenesis (concrete directions), and then the closing of the letter. The salutation itself normally contained three parts that first named the sender, then named the recipient, and finally offered a greeting. A typical non-Christian letter from Paul’s day might open as follows: “ ...

3844. The Six Longest Short Verses in the Bible

Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

God has promised to turn our "thoughs" into "throughs." There is a story from the first century B.C. that may be apocryphal. The story took place when much of the world was unexplored, unknown and largely unmapped. Mapmakers had to have some way of portraying those areas of the earth that were as yet unexplored, so they symbolized these regions by dragons, monsters and large fish. The message was clear. Uncharted territories were frightening, fearsome places. Terrors lay buried there. But as many maps ...

3845. Prayers for Epiphany

Bulletin Aid

Rolland R. Reece

Epiphany We wonder, our heavenly Ruler, about the three wise men who brought gifts of frankincense and myrrh to the Christ child, some months or years after his birth. What a presence they must have made in Bethlehem. Did the commonplace appearance of the Holy Family's home cause them to think they might have come to the wrong place? Did they wonder about the plainness of the friends of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus? Perhaps they stepped outside their abode to recheck the position of the guiding star. Did these ...

3846. Strength to Overcome Suffering

Romans 5:1-11

Sermon

James R. Tozer

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. Recently a letter came from a man who had lost his job. Though he faced discouragement and uncertainty, he refused to give in to despair. In his letter to me he said, "I feel as low as ever in my life, but I know this is not the final word ...

3847. No Box Seats In The Kingdom

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

William G. Carter

Historically speaking, the church has usually painted a pretty picture of the twelve original disciples of Jesus. All except Judas have been considered saints. Pious people have named churches after them, often referring to the first disciples as the rocks upon which Christ has built his church. Yet anybody who hears the Gospel of Mark's stories about the disciples gets a different picture of who they were and what they wanted. Sure, the disciples walked the road with Jesus. They listened as he taught. ...

3848. Sight And Insight

John 9:1-12, John 9:13-34, John 9:35-41

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

How dark is dark? I did not realize how dark darkness can be until recently. We were conducting a teaching-preaching mission in Prestonburg, Kentucky. A member of the congregation was president of a local coal mining company which sold its coal to North Carolina's Duke Power Company for the production of electric power. He invited us to inspect his mine. After donning mining clothes and equipment, we were taken one mile into a mountain where we observed the mining operation. There were no lights except the ...

3849. Proper 10

Lk 10:25-37 · Col 1:1-20 · 2 Ki 2:1, 6-14 · Deut 30:9-14

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14 Elisha succeeds Elijah as prophet of Israel. We have just completed a series of Lessons on Elijah and now we start a series of four Lessons from 2 Kings on his successor, Elisha. This first in the series appropriately deals with the transfer from Elijah to Elisha 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 ...

3850. Responding to What We Hear and See

Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon

Joe Pennel

In the semantics of the church, doubt has been a negative word. It is rarely used in a favorable way. Faith, not doubt, is the great word of the church. As I stand here every Sunday morning and look into your up-lifted faces, you look so proper, so content, so believing. You seem to be so certain, so full of faith, and so free of doubt. But, I have a suspicion that the way you look is not the way you are. Beneath the skins of many of you there is planted the seed of honest doubt. Perhaps you do not share ...

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