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 3901 to 3925 of 3926 results

3901. Recush

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

... of them. I took them to church; the Sunday school covered them with paper and glitter and a few times a year we pull them out for a “joyful noise” offering. People are encouraged to throw coins into them and it’s fun and silly, plus the money supports programs for kids… and I get a frisson of joy, knowing those coffee cans have been put to good use! We used them last week when we covered the story of Esther. Some of you had cans that you could rattle every time you heard the name “Haman,” the ...

3902. Bold Faith

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... someone else. Anyone else! He felt he couldn’t speak well. Did he stutter? Was he shy? Was he nervous? We don’t know. But he definitely didn’t want to do it. In the end, he relented, but he took his brother Aaron along with him for emotional support! And then look what happened! Jeremiah –he insisted he was too young and inexperienced. No one will listen to me! He thought. Boy was he wrong! Samuel –well, he thought God must be kidding when he told me to go behind the king’s back and anoint David ...

3903. The Tale of the Widow and the Wolves

Mark 12:38-44

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... the point of destitution, convincing her that this is what God expects of her, telling her that this is what it means to be “faithful.”[2] This passage is a sharp critique of the misuse of religious office. For God never desires anyone to support any system to the detriment of their livelihood. Instead, God desires that those with means bless, help, and care for the weak and the destitute. This passage defines Jesus’ entire ministry to the poor, the weak, the voiceless, and the unregarded. Here we see ...

3904. A Portion of Thyself

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... ” on earth. He was probably right. There was more wealth and business success and domestic peace in those days than most civilizations have ever known. Antonius Pious was a good ruler and his people knew it. In fact, one of his biggest supporters was the Athenian philosopher Aristedes. Aristedes couldn’t seem to write enough verses in praise of Antonius. He lauded the government, and the beauty of Rome. He praised the magnificence of its buildings and the character of its citizens. Aristedes was a ...

3905. Creation Reborn

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... Bolsheviks bathed the countryside with blood. Rumors persisted that little Anastasia, the youngest of the Romanovs, somehow survived the slaughter. Over the years, a number of women claimed to be her. Some were easily spotted as frauds; others convinced enough supporters to make a serious claim to fame. And then there was Anna ― a nameless, homeless, memoryless wanderer, prone to suicidal fits at the “insane asylum” where she was brought. Nobody knew where she came from. They gave her the name Anna ...

3906. Standing Firm

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Sermon

Bonnie Bates

... . She said to me, in these exact words, “I felt called to write some worship music, so that’s what I have been doing today.” I related to her the conversation with my pastor, the dilemma of only being able to work part time, my concerns. I could hear the support and joy in her voice as she said, “Bonnie, you could work for us part-time forever. Don’t let that stand in your way.” I don’t remember much of the rest of the conversation, but I had affirmed I could have a job if I decided to do ...

3907. Going Home – Part One: Which Me Will It Be?

Luke 4:14-21

Sermon

John B. Jamison

... Jesus. They were not all in one place. Some were Jewish and some were Gentile, so Luke was trying to write in a way that would connect with multiple audiences. To do that, he focused on telling stories that could be read aloud as people got together to support each other. He wrote stories to inspire them and to give them courage, rather than writing a historic record of events that took place. As Luke wrote, he seemed to have had two primary goals: First, to explain who Jesus was and who he became, and what ...

3908. The Great Reveal

Luke 4:14-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... son.” But likely not in Nazareth, one of the most “pious” Jewish towns in the entire region. That one fell swoop, Jesus had revealed the “underbelly” of Jewish Galilee’s most “pious” people. He had challenged his own –and his most proud supporters. This would be the flavor of Jesus’ ministry. This would be God’s mission. To rescue not the pious but the faithful. To lift up not the “know-it-alls” but the repentant. Perhaps Mary remembered Simeon’s blessing in the Temple that ...

3909. The Art of Reflection

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Last week during the Superbowl, a commercial came on for the youth initiatives supported by NFL players. In the ad, the football players led groups of young kids in a kind of “football” cheer that invited the young people to join in declaring, “I am somebody.” “I may be young. I may be small. But I am somebody. My clothes may look different. My ...

3910. Courage to Break

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... is a necessary part of creating something new that will be sturdy and last. On that new road, the topcoat may look slick and smooth, but underneath the surface, that road has experienced a huge amount of digging out, refilling, and repurposing in order to provide support, foundation, and strength for decades to come. When we look at the choice of a smooth road or a bumpy road, we can easily become deceived. When we look at Luke’s examples of Jesus’ experience, it’s easy for us today to look at those ...

3911. Do You Think That I Have Come To Bring Peace?

Luke 12:49-56

Sermon

Will Willimon

... workers in their efforts to attain their rights." In remarks made a few days before the Chinese military's bloody crackdown on student demonstrations in Beijing, Bishop K H. Ting, president of the China Christian Council, declared that Chinese Christian leaders were in support of the students. (The Christian Century, June 7-14, 1989, p. 586). What did you do this summer, this peaceful, restful summer? Well, it was summer. The weather had been mild that year in Judea. The fields were green, cool, winds blew ...

3912. Behold, the One Who Betrays Me Is With Me

Luke 22:14-34

Sermon

Will Willimon

... was arrested, Jesus gathered his disciples in an upper room and shared with them a meal. And what more intimate experience of conviviality, and warmth, and love, than a meal? Jesus and his twelve best friends. And what greater sign of solidarity and support than a communal meal? Scarcely has the meal begun than Jesus drops a bombshell, “One of you will betray me," he announces. (Widespread shock around the table.) Who among us, Jesus' best friends and disciples, could do such a thing? “Behold the hand ...

3913. Starting Over

John 21:1-19

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... , for instance. She had her sights set on a law degree from Ohio Wesleyan College. But then the flu epidemic of 1918 hit, taking her father as a victim. Suddenly everything had changed. Helen could not go to college; she had to get a job to support her mother. For the next ten years, Helen worked at an electrical utility; a simple, repetitive cog in the company machine. Just when she thought she was destined to remain lonely and unmarried, young Franklin Rice stepped in. He was a dashing entrepreneur, an up ...

3914. Stay Close

John 10:22-30

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... made us feel not only safe but warm and cherished, valuable, and loved. Honoring those in our lives on this day set apart means for many of us a wonderful time for remembering those times when that special person was there for us, when that beloved someone supported us and lifted us out of a dark place, that time when sharing a few moments with our “person” felt like the most wonderful and powerful gift in the world to us. Whether that person is still alive or whether passed on into the arms of Jesus ...

3915. The Accent Of Heaven

John 13:31-35

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... arrowheads? But Ms. Mead’s answer surprised everyone. She said that the first sign of civilization was represented, in her mind, by a healed femur. A healed femur? Of course, most immediately wondered what a femur was. The femur is the human thighbone, the main body support of the leg. But why was this a sign of civilization? At the look of uncertain stares, Ms. Mead went on to explain. The law of the jungle, she said, is this: “You fall, you die!” If a large predatory animal chases you, only running ...

3916. The Captain's Voice

Luke 24:44-53

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... scripture. A very creative friend once explained it like this: in a dream, he saw a marvelous apparatus of yellow silk billowing in the breezes next to a cliff. It was a transportation device of some kind, though he could not see either engines or supports. Like a magical tent, it floated in space. Inside was a man whose face seemed so familiar and friendly that my friend knew immediately this was an intimate acquaintance. However, he could not seem to remember how they were associated, nor the man’s name ...

3917. Do You Have JDD?

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... human disciple’s penchant for distractions that inhibit our ability to spend quality “timelessness” with God. This is essentially what is afflicting Martha in our scripture for today. Martha has a case of JDD. Now we know that Martha, Mary, and Lazarus are loyal supporters and friends of Jesus. We know that Jesus spends a good deal of time with them and at their home in Bethany, that he feasts at their table frequently, and no doubt spends some of the Jewish holidays among them and their guests. He ...

3918. For Someone of Distinction

Matthew 5:13-16 · 2 Timothy 4:1-2, 6-8

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

... put a damper upon any gloom and doom that might’ve been in evidence. And there’s also the memory of John as a scholar, a lifelong learner, who would thirst for new knowledge and new insights and better ways of ministry. And along with that came John’s support of women in ministry and his advocacy for social justice. Just as John fit the bill when it came to the definition of a Chautauquan, he also fit the bill when it came to the definition a Renaissance Man. There is also a great memory of John as a ...

3919. For Someone Remembered by Many

Luke 24:13-35 · Acts 20:31-35 · Matthew 16:13-20

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

... and his great range of knowledge, knowing of subjects as obtuse as aviation technology, as deep as ancient cultures and rituals, and as mundane as the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. Joe’s sisters Alma and Sue will never forget their years growing up with Joe and how supportive he always was for whatever they set out to do. Joe will forever be remembered as a man of great faith. He was an altar boy at Most Holy Redeemer Parish and he was a regular at my Sunday mass at St. Joe’s hospital. Joe will ...

3920. The Rhythm of Your Heart

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... Christ’s love and mercy, our actions then will follow. Our hearts determine our treasure. So simple in theory. So difficult in praxis. We so easily would rather blame wealth than look inward at our own true inclinations. But remember…many wealthy people supported Jesus’ ministry, and many wealthy people have done magnanimous and generous deeds within the Church. Jesus does not chastise the man for what he has. He warns him about where he is placing his values! God does not ask us to deprive ourselves ...

3921. The Art of Reconciliation

Luke 12:49-59

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... of the community, including the homeless, local business folk, veterans, children, and others. No member of the community was left out. The result was the image of a man named Tony. Tony had been homeless but with the help of his community, he was supported and lifted back into recognition of his worth. Today, he is employed and a contributing member of his community. Massey’s sculpture of Tony “stands as a testament not only to the unity and generative culture which creativity can foster, but …it is ...

3922. No Excuse

Luke 13:10-17

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... do with our relationship with the ever-present Lord as God comes to us in Jesus Christ. It has to do with how that relationship is lived out in our relationships with other people. It has to do with gentleness, kindness, and humility, as well as our love and support for each other. Do you think that this may not be the case? Ask the biblical writers and over and over their answers were nearly identical: Micah: “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice ...

3923. God Is Like...a Friend

2 Corinthians 5:16-20

Sermon

Kenneth L. Gibble

... What a friend we have in Jesus” run the words of a beloved old hymn, and surely what has made it beloved is the imagery of having Jesus as an intimate companion, someone you can pour out all your troubles to, someone you can count on to be there support and encouragement. The friendship of Jesus teaches us to be friends to others. In the human face of Jesus, we see the friendship of God made plain. We are given the promise of being the friends of Jesus if we will do what he commands. And the commandment ...

3924. Against All Odds

Luke 14:25-33

Sermon

Lori Wagner

In 2009, Simon Sinek came out with both a TED talk and book that changed the way business leaders looked at how to motivate their employees to support the company’s vision and work together toward company goals. They wanted to encourage company loyalty in a world in which job change had become common and wanted to ensure that their employees had the company’s best interests in mind. They also wanted to cultivate a loyal customer base, ...

3925. Prayer Power

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... are terminal find the strength and courage to live the remainder of their lives enjoying family ad friends instead of collapsing into depression and despair. They see some who were declining begin to come back from the brink. They see patients who are alone find support and comfort from unseen companions. They see those dying reach out and smile at unseen angels. They see the things that perhaps we do not see but know from our scriptures and ancestors to be true: God still does miracles. God’s agency is ...

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