Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3951 to 3975 of 4977 results

3951. What Must I DO to Receive Life? - Sermon Starter

Mark 10:17-31

Illustration

Brett Blair

... of valuable possession is its capacity to steal our hearts and souls. The rich young ruler is one of those unique characters from the Bible that have come to represent greed. So unwilling was he to part with earthly wealth that he sold his soul in order to keep his money. He wanted to be saved but not at the expense of losing his possessions. The first thing that impresses me when I read this story is that the rich young ruler was so near to the Kingdom. He asked all the right questions. He understood the ...

3952. The Image of Perfection

Mark 10:17-31; Isaiah 64:6

Illustration

Michael Milton

... chalk, bent over, got the spitball, and threw it back. She was a part of the anarchy! June Day was not perfect! She could not keep up her veneer of perfection. She was a party to the crime. It was then, as June's arm was cocked back ready to ... you doing?" I forgot to tell you that the teacher was her mother. But poor old June Day met her match, and she just couldn't keep up her image of being perfect. And you know what? Neither can you. None of us can. We cannot come to God based on our righteousness. Do ...

3953. Maintenance or Mission

Mark 10:35-45

Illustration

Brian Stoffregen

... that conflict is the price of progress, and is willing to pay the price. It understands that it cannot take everyone with it. This causes some grief, but it does not keep it from doing what needs to be done. 8. The leadership style in the maintenance congregation is primarily managerial, where leaders try to keep everything in order and running smoothly. The leadership style in a mission congregation is primarily transformational, casting a vision of what can be, and marching off the map in order to ...

3954. Sowing Eternal Seeds

Isaiah 55:10-13

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

... to his people in exile. Two generations earlier, the Hebrew people had been scattered to the four winds by invading enemies. They had forgotten God's mighty acts, those very acts that had brought about their exodus from slavery in Egypt. They had strayed again from keeping the Law of Moses. Their story is our story, too. The people and places may have changed, but the scenario is the same. God's people forget God, and rebel against God. We forget to set aside a time to read scripture and to talk with ...

3955. Abraham Believed God

Genesis 15:1-18

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... -24). James went on to say, "If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,' and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has ... that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world" (James 1:27). In examining this contradiction, I would first remind us all that neither Paul nor ...

3956. Priceless

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... realized in this world. It's dangerous to try to live by the rules of the kingdom right now. It got Jesus killed, and many other martyrs besides. But there's not only a cross, there's an empty tomb, and trust me, the powers that be would love to keep Jesus on that cross. It's safer that way. The cross was supposed to eradicate the carpenter and all he stood for. It was supposed to end the problem. Just as the death of Stephen, of John, and the other martyrs, was supposed to put an end to Christianity. Just ...

3957. As Seen from the Solitary Broom Tree

1 Kings 19:1-18

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... changes nothing. You'll have a better grip on your situation if you spend less time worrying and more time taking care of your real needs. MIT View: If you're not worrying about work, you must not be very committed to it. We'll find someone who is. 12. Keep Your Sense Of Humor. Begin to bring job and happy moments into your life. Very few people suffer burnout when they're having fun. MIT View: So, you think your work is funny? We'll discuss this with your director on Friday, at 7 p.m.!3 Those suggestions ...

3958. Washing in Old Jordan

2 Kings 5:1-14

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... hope of eternal life? Those of us for whom church attendance is a regular practice are doing a great thing for our lives. That's because week after week we have the opportunity to view our lives from a faith context, to reorient ourselves and to keep in perspective the other rivers of help. We here share our lives with fellow worshipers who struggle with issues of their own lives in light of faith. We learn again the power of praying for one another, of caring about one another. Even when a worship service ...

3959. Thanks for Receiving Thanksgiving

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Sermon

John Wayne Clarke

... an understanding that we are always to give God our best effort in all things we do. When you think of the firstfruit scenario keep this in mind. The firstfruit was the best and the biggest. It is often from that fruit that the best seed is removed and ... ? It says, "We trust God with the best." Someone once said, "Give God your best, expect God's best." That is a good notion to keep in mind. It would be a tragedy of we neglected the many blessings God has so graciously entrusted to our care. We need on this ...

3960. Blindness in Seeing a Society

Mark 10:46-52

Illustration

Jacques Lusseyran

... At least I never hear them talk about them to those who see with their physical eyes. Rather often, however, when blind people are together, suddenly they tell each other what they perceive. Then why do they ordinarily keep quiet about this? I think that basically the reason is rather simple. They keep quiet because of society. To live in society one must at any cost resemble everyone else. Society demands it. In order to adapt to the world of seeing, blind people are obliged to declare themselves unable to ...

3961. Good News for Widows

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

King Duncan

... hair done was her one pleasure in life. Plus, she enjoyed the contact with people at the shop. When the pastor tried to have her keep her meager pledge for the building fund, she corrected him in no uncertain terms. “Pastor, this is the only thing I have to give. I ... had from his egg money and that he wanted to help Pastor Bill become a better preacher. Hinson said there was no way he could keep the money and he called the boy’s father to tell him so. The boy’s father told him that he couldn’t send the ...

3962. Home By Another Way

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

... set up camp for the night. Right over there looks fine. We’ll go pay our respects to the king and see what he knows. And keep an eye on the sky. Servant 2: As you wish, sir. (The Wise Men exit stage left. The Servants move onto the platform stage right ... Begging your pardon, sir, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. The shepherds seemed to think Herod was a cruel man, worried about keeping his power. We might be putting the child at risk if you go back. Wise Man 2: I have had enough of your lip. If we ...

3963. Rehearsal for Christmas Eve

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

... the dumb and the desperate perform in churches.” Besides, he hardly ever comes to services. I don’t think we could count on him to show up. Director: You’re right. It’s a bad idea. Well, we’d better get started. I don’t want to keep the little ones waiting too long. (Director and Stage Manager lead out a group of little children, dressed as both Shepherds and Angels. The children stand in front of the platform. Director sits on the left side of first pew to watch the action. The Stage Manager ...

3964. Thou Sayest I Am King

John 18:28-40

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... were abiding by religious principles, ardently and religiously, and at the same time, they were hounding Jesus to the cross. It happens over and over again. Don’t miss the point. It’s easy to turn our religion into a set of rules and regulations. Easy to keep the letter of the law and completely meet this spirit. Have you seen the recent movie, Footloose? Some people in our congregation who recommended it saw it six or eight times. Now it’s not that good. In fact, it’s really not very good. But it ...

3965. I Am the Ressurection and the Life

John 11:17-37

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... you do not know forgiveness – a wall is there between you and God because you have been dull to his call. You have spurned his love, you have cried, Lord, Lord, but you’ve not done his will. You’ve held back. You’ve not been obedient. You keep protecting yourself, refusing to give yourself to him completely, refusing to give your time, refusing to give your money, refusing to be the witness that he wants you to be. A wall is there – it matters not what the walls are; they may be walls between you ...

3966. Putting Ourselves in the Picture

Matthew 13:44-46

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... not have helped. I came in second because when I crossed the finish line, I still had something left inside me. What a picture. What a picture. If you’re going to win a race, you have to give everything. You can’t hold anything back. You can’t keep anything in reserve. You can’t have anything left inside when you cross the finish line. It’s the kind of story Jesus would tell. It’s the kind of story Jesus did tell. A man sells everything in order to buy the field where the treasure is hidden ...

3967. Jesus Is with Us Forever

Luke 1:39-56

Illustration

David E. Leininger

... I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, "If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?" And Jesus told me, "If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me." So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him - for always." As little Misha finished his story, his ...

3968. Braveheart

John 20:24-29

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... birth. So what? Jesus was a great man, a great teacher. I don't need all this miracle business. I honestly doubt that it really happened that way. Maybe the disciples just made it up for all we know." At the end of their discussion, however, Tommy agreed to keep his promise and go with her on Sundays for a few more months. One Sunday the gospel reading caught Tommy up short. It was about Thomas. That was his name. Thomas had doubts. So did he. He liked what Thomas had to say about Jesus being raised from ...

3969. Living By The Spirit

Galatians 5:16-25

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... and called 911. The firefighters from Station 72 then returned to fight the fire at their own station. There's a lesson in that story for all of us. While trying to minister to others, while trying to live as Christians, we need to make sure we keep our own spiritual houses in order. (4) Wesley said we did that by Staying In Love With God. And we do that by faithful participation in what Wesley called the Means of Grace. Those things which help us Stay In Love With God: Worship, Prayer, Christian Fellowship ...

3970. Living in The Spirit of Generosity

2 Corinthians 9:6-12, Galatians 5:22-25

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... us naturally and Generously. IV. Generous With Our Kindness A. And finally, we are called to be Generous With Our Kindness. Didn't Bob do a good job last week dealing with kindness? One thing I've discovered about Kindness is that it's difficult to give away because it keeps coming back to you. The more kindness you show, the more kindness is shown you. It's sort of one of those immutable laws of the Spirit. It's like trying to out give God, it just can't be done. Somebody said the best way to be kind is ...

3971. Joshua People Obey and Serve

Joshua 1:6-8, 24:14-15

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... to the priests all the "devoted things," the gold and silver accoutrements for the worship of idols, he decided to keep some for himself. Bad mistake. The whole nation suffered. God's favor was withheld. Disobedience Has Consequences and everyone ... every day and when we did the speed limit we felt like we were getting run over by the traffic. Then we began driving fast enough to keep up with the traffic so we didn't impede the flow. And pretty soon you're screaming and hollering at the idiot in front of you ...

3972. A Stone’s Throw From: The Harvest

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... seeds of hope. If we don't have hope, we're dead in the water. Hope feeds our soul and gives wings to our faith. Hope keeps us going. Hope is a like a flashlight in the dark. The movie Desperaux is about a mouse who would rather read books than eat them ... did not know what he was doing, he was just teaching Sunday School. None of us ever know what we're doing. We're simply called to keep sowing seed. We have to leave the rest to God. We know what kind of soil we've become, we know how valuable the seed is. We ...

3973. A Stone’s Throw From: New Life

John 8:3-12

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... a reclusive life of alcohol and gambling. His former girlfriend persuades him to join the match between two greats, even though he keeps saying he has lost his swing. While hitting practice balls one night, a transient caddy by the name of Bagger Vance enters ... final triumph over sin and death, the question for today is "What is it that is still weighing you down? What is it that is still keeping you in the shadows? What is it that you haven't let go of?" It's time to come out of the shadows and into the ...

3974. Spiderman: Saved To Serve

Colossians 3:1-4, 12-17

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... characters flying around like that, saving old girls like me. Lord knows, kids like Henry need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people, setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero." Especially when she says: "I believe there's a hero in all of us that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, who finally allows us to die with pride. Even though sometimes we have to be steady and give up the things we want the most even our dreams. Spiderman did that for Henry. He wonders where he's ...

3975. How Great Is Your Faith

Matthew 15:21-28, Matthew 15:1-20

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon." [23] But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." [24] He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." [25] But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." [26] He answered, "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the ...

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