Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3926 to 3950 of 4934 results

3926. What Happens When You Are Not Number One?

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

In his book, Hide or Seek, James Dobson tells of a time when John McKay, the great football coach at the University of Southern California, was interviewed on television, and the subject of his son’s athletic talent was raised. Son John was a successful player on his dad’s team. Coach McKay was asked to comment on the pride that he felt over his son’s accomplishments on the field. His answer was most impressive: “Yes, I’m pleased that John had a good season last year. He does a fine job, and I’m proud of ...

3927. Reversal and Victory

Judges 4:1-7

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

"When God is going to do something wonderful," author Anne Lamott claims, "God always starts with a hardship; when God is going to do something amazing, God starts with an impossibility."1 All of those ingredients are present in our lesson from the book of Judges. The people were experiencing a crisis, a time of great stress thinking doom was all but inevitable. The situation appeared hopeless and impossible until God raised up the right person to meet the challenge head on. Time and time again, the ...

3928. In Spite of Evidence to the Contrary

Romans 4:13-25

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

The scriptures talk about "faith" in many different ways. One of my favorites is the letter to the Hebrews (11:1) where "faith" is described as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." A similar notion of "faith" is utilized by Saint Paul in today's second reading from Romans (4:18). Paul calls it "hoping against hope." Or as I would like to paraphrase it, "in spite of evidence to the contrary." Paul draws on the ancient story of Abraham and Sarah to illustrate what this kind ...

3929. When the Impossible Becomes Imminently Possible!

John 6:1-21

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

Apart from the resurrection, this miracle of the feeding of the multitude alone excites all the gospel writers so that none of them feels the gospel story is complete without it. An exciting missionary adventure is crushed by John the Baptist's death, and Jesus and his disciples retired across Galilee. It was the backdrop for an incredibly timeless human story. Of all the gospel writers, only John writes, "He [Jesus] himself knew what he was going to do" (John 6:6 NRSV). The New International Version ...

3930. Finding the Right House for God

2 Samuel 7:1-14a

Sermon

William J. Carl, III

Have you ever noticed how some families move a lot? Some are corporate moves, some are military, and some are United Methodist pastors. Whatever the case, every time they move they have to find new lodging. In the military, quarters are often provided. The same may be true for clergy if churches own a manse or a parsonage. But, sometimes you have to look for a new home, which means spending some time with real estate agents traveling here and there to find the perfect house. Of course, no house is ever ...

3931. God Can Turn Your Trash Cans into Treasure Chests

Psalm 51:1-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Southeast Asia is hot. The economies of its countries are sizzling, especially Viet Nam and Indonesia, with the highest growth rates of almost anywhere on the planet. Investors and tourists from all over the world are flooding both countries. Of course, Bali, Indonesia, is where everyone wants to go. But if I could go anywhere in Southeast Asia, it would be the island of Sumatra. Why Sumatra? Because this island is the archipelago of 17,000 islands known as “Indonesia” is where the “manna” of that country ...

3932. The Lost Five Commandments

Mark 12:35-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

When Moses descended from the heights of Mount Sinai, he juggled in his arms not two but three Tablets of the Covenant, with five commandments inscribed on each. At least that’s how Mel Brooks tells it in his classic comedy “History of the World, Part I.” ‘Hear me, o hear me! All pay heed!’ the movie Moses proclaims. ‘The Lord, the Lord Jehovah, has given unto you these fifteen . . . [One stone tablet drops and shatters. A perplexed Moses looks down and mutters ‘Oy!’] . . . ten, TEN commandments for all to ...

3933. Look Who's Talking

Acts 11:1-18

Sermon

David J. Kalas

Professional sports has no statistic for measuring talking. Yet talking can be an important part of the game. We can measure how fast a player pitches or serves. We keep statistics on batting averages, shooting percentages, and quarterback ratings. We track yards-after-catch, on-base percentages, and shots on goal. We record height and weight, wins-and-losses, and times in the 40-yard dash. But we have no way of measuring a player's talking. Nevertheless, even though it doesn't show up on the scoreboard ...

3934. Are You Part of the Scandal?

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

In many local elementary schools, every few weeks the “Lost and Found” box is emptied out and the contents are scattered down the length of the main hall. Coats, mittens, shoes, sweatshirts, gym clothes, are all laid down and spread out in the hopes that their owners will spot them and take them home. But the scene of all those empty clothes creates an eerie sensation, as if it is not the clothes that had been left behind, but that the children themselves have somehow been “lost” — zapped out of their ...

3935. What Really Matters

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

King Duncan

A joke appeared on the Internet recently that many of you women can relate to. A man was praying, “Oh Lord, please have mercy on me, I work so very hard, meanwhile my wife stays at home. I would give anything if you would grant me one wish. Please, switch me into my wife. She’s got it easy at home and I want to teach her a lesson about how tough a man’s life is!” As God was listening he felt sorry for this poor soul and granted his wish. So . . . the next morning this man wakes up at dawn . . . as a woman ...

3936. When God Tests Us

Exodus 32:1-33:6

Sermon

Argile Smith

When we get nervous about the unknown, we can make mountains out of mole hills. But we aren’t by ourselves. Loads of people down through history have made the same mistake. Take the Israelites, for example. God had delivered them from Egyptian bondage through a series of mystifying miracles at the hand of Moses. Then Moses led them on a three-month journey to Mount Sinai. There God called Moses to the top of the mountain for a meeting with him. Soon Moses came down from the mountain with the Ten ...

3937. Ignite: The Fire Burns Brightly

Acts 2:42-47

Sermon

James Merritt

I am going to let you in on a little secret that very few people know about me and that is I am deathly afraid of fire. I prefer colder weather to warmer weather. If I had to choose between being in a sweater at 45° or being in a bathing suit at 95° I would choose what is called “sweater-weather.” I have an inordinate fear of fire and heat. My mother thinks it may be because when I was just a six-month-old baby she accidently spilled hot coffee all over my stomach. She says that is the only time she heard ...

3938. Envision: A Church After God’s Heart

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

James Merritt

It doesn’t happen very often. When it does happen it is so different from everything else that can happen that you realize that it has “this is a God thing” written all over it. At least, for me, on very rare occasions, an opportunity comes along that you realize only God could have put before you. You know it because only God could have engineered all of the circumstances that were necessary to coalesce and come together for this “God thing” to happen. It works like this: God begins to stir your heart and ...

3939. Right Answer - Wrong Conclusion

Mark 8:27-30

Sermon

King Duncan

One of the most important frontiers being explored by today’s scientists is that of artificial intelligence--that is, teaching computers to think like humans. In fact, there are many reputable scientists who believe that by the middle of this century computers will be able to think more efficiently and effectively than human beings. At that point the sci-fi horror movies of robots taking over the planet will have some credibility. But there are skeptics. The great computing science pioneer Alan Turing-- ...

3940. Jehoahaz King of Judah

2 Kings 23:31-35

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The End of Judah: Josiah, like Ahab, humbled himself before the LORD, and judgment, as in Ahab’s case, did not fall during Josiah’s reign. The implication of the analogy is that we may expect it to fall during the reign of Josiah’s son (cf. 1 Kgs. 21:28–29). This is exactly what we find now, as the story of Kings comes to its end. It is not, however, the first of Josiah’s sons to sit on his throne (Jehoahaz) who experiences the full force of God’s wrath (cf. 1 Kgs. 22:51–2 Kgs. 1:18), or even the second, ...

3941. “Unless You Repent . . .”

Luke 13:10-17, Luke 13:1-9

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: God requires repentance before it is too late, but people are more concerned with keeping the rules than with God’s agenda. Understanding the Text These are two separate pericopes, brought together here simply for the convenience of this commentary. First, repentance has been at the heart of the message of both John (3:3, 8) and Jesus (5:32), and Jesus has rebuked his contemporaries for their failure to repent in response to his preaching (10:13–15; 11:32). In chapter 15 he will illustrate God’s ...

3942. Eliphaz

Job 4:1-5:27

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

How Eliphaz Explains Job’s Adversity Big Idea: Eliphaz explains Job’s adversity as a standard case of God’s retribution for sin. Understanding the Text Job’s three friends, who arrived on the scene in 2:11–13, wait until after Job’s opening lament in chapter 3 before they speak. From chapter 4 through chapter 27, the friends and Job speak alternately, as they all try to explain Job’s adversity. Eliphaz is the lead speaker in each of the three cycles of speeches, and his words introduce the key points that ...

3943. Claiming Hope

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

"Hope" is one of the most beautiful words in the English language. It evokes thoughts of sunrises that push back all kinds of darkness. It suggests birth and healing and promise and possibility. Hope makes us able to keep on going, or if we have fallen to get up and try again. Hope is a gift that our faith can give to us that will indeed meet the need of our hungry hearts. Hope is the essence of the Christian faith. The good news is that hope is there for us. But most of us have yet to learn to discover it ...

3944. Elephants in the Room: Anxiety

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

Charley Reeb

I’ll never forget the first day of a golf tournament I played in a couple of years ago. It was at Mangrove Bay and it was my first real competitive tournament. It turned out to be a memorable day but not in the way you might think. I arrived at the course early, all geared up for the round. I hit a few practice balls and putts and was feeling really good about my game. It was a shotgun start and my foursome’s first hole was on the back nine. My partner and I rode out to the hole. We spoke about what a ...

3945. Jesus and Beelzebub

Matthew 12:22-37

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

Opposition Mounts: In chapter 12 Matthew relates a number of incidents that reveal the basis for Pharisaic opposition to Jesus and his ministry. Jesus vindicates his disciples’ plucking grain on the Sabbath (vv. 1–8), restores a paralyzed hand on the Sabbath (vv. 9–14), moves away when he hears of a plot against him (vv. 15–21), refutes the Pharisees’ claim that he drives out demons by the power of Beelzebub (vv. 22–32), calls his antagonists “snakes” who will be held accountable on the day of judgment (vv ...

3946. Jehoiakim King of Judah

2 Kings 23:36--24:7

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

3947. Jehoiachin King of Judah

2 Kings 24:8-17

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

3948. Zedekiah King of Judah

2 Kings 24:18-20a

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

3949. The Fall of Jerusalem

2 Kings 24:20b--25:26

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

3950. Noah and the Robots

Genesis 9:8-17

Sermon

King Duncan

It sounds like a rock group, doesn’t it--“Noah and the Robots?” Some of you probably think the title of my message is a bit frivolous. It may be, but the subject matter we are going to discuss today is not frivolous at all. I read something interesting about the famous novelist Charles Dickens. It seems that Dickens wrote all his great stories in installments. Week after week, Dickens would spin out his tales and the English public would breathlessly wait to see what was going to happen next to such ...

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