Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 376 to 400 of 747 results

376. Heaven: The Home of a Godly Family

John 14:1-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... wife of Phil Donohue. Her father, the actor, Danny Thomas, who was a devout Catholic, had died. She recounts the day her father died: "Phil and I were both raised Catholic, though we are not so much involved with the church anymore. He's kind of a devil's advocate. But I called him from the plane that day. I was as fragile as an egg. I said, ‘Answer me truthfully: Is there a heaven?' And my darling husband I'm not sure what he believes anymore said, ‘Yes, yes, there is a heaven.' The need to hear that ...

377. Going the Second Mile

Matthew 5:38-42

Sermon

James Merritt

... to my critics." He said the reason is simple. "My friends don't need an explanation and my enemies wouldn't believe it." Now that is wise advice, but having said that I think it is worth noting that Jesus suggested two cheeks, not dozens of them. He was not advocating we become a doormat to people who try to abuse us or walk all over us. Paul went on to say in that 12th chapter of Romans and verse 18, "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Now sometimes that is not ...

378. Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments

Proverbs 24:11-12

Sermon

James Merritt

... to death does nothing bad to the rapist, nor does it do anything good for the woman. Creating a second victim does not undo the damage caused to the first victim. c. A child is a child regardless of how that child is conceived. It is interesting that pro-choice advocates always say that the unborn child is really the mother's and not the father's until she's raped. Then all of a sudden the child is viewed as the father's and not the mother's. A child that is conceived by rape or incest is just as ...

379. Food For Thought

1 Peter 1:13-21

Sermon

James Merritt

... , what was called then, a girdle. This is the picture Peter is painting here. Today we would say "Roll up your sleeves." In other words, get your mental act together; fix your focus on the things that are really important. In one sense, Peter is advocating "transcendental meditation." That is, he is saying we need to mentally levitate above this world, get our mind off of this world, and gravitate toward the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me give you three things Peter talks about in this passage that you ought to ...

380. I Believe in Easter

Acts 9:1-29

Sermon

James Merritt

... readers if they want more information to read the gospel of Luke. William Murray did, and by the time he finished the gospel of Luke, he got on his knees and gave his heart to a resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. Today, he is a powerful evangelist and an advocate of allowing God back into the public schools. How did he come out of darkness? By the light of the Scripture.2 II. The Lord That I Serve Immediately Paul asked two questions, which are the greatest questions you will ever ask in this life. The first ...

381. The Family That Prays Together Stays Together

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

James Merritt

... to the judge. We are God's chosen and God's children. The widow did not have a family. We are a part of the family of God. The widow did not have a husband. Our husband is the Lord Jesus Christ. The widow did not have an attorney. Our advocate is the Holy Spirit. The widow was a stranger dealing with a judge. We are children dealing with a Father. The widow came to a court of law. We come to a throne of grace. The widow came to a hard-hearted judge who didn't want to give her ...

382. A Streetcar Named Desire

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

James Merritt

... fire. Who started the first fire department, invented the lightning rod, and designed the heating stove still in use today? B. Franklin, ages 31, 43, 36. Wit, Conversationalist, Economist, Philosopher, Diplomat, Printer, Publisher, Linguist (spoke and wrote five languages). Advocate of paratroopers (from balloons) a century before the airplane was invented. All of this until age 84. And he had exactly two years of formal schooling. It's a good bet that you already have more sheer knowledge that Franklin ...

383. Power in the Pulpit

Philippians 3:1-11

Sermon

James Merritt

... on the topic "Power of the Pulpit" I could not help but think about a term that originated with Theodore Roosevelt when he was President of the United States. He referred to the White House as a "Bully Pulpit," meaning a terrific platform from which one could persuasively advocate the truth. In a real sense I believe that every church pulpit should be a "Bully Pulpit." I am reminded of the story of a little boy who was talking to his mom, and he said, "Mother, may I be a preacher when I grow up?" His mother ...

384. The Great Depression

Psalm 42:1-11

Sermon

James Merritt

... Bible has done for me in changing my life. Then she added a P.S. By the way, I have been off all medications for three years! Obedience is the key.8 Now I want you to understand. I’m not a doctor nor a professional therapist. I’m not advocating that any of you here on medication should get off of your medication. But I will tell you this. There is no medication and there are no drugs that can substitute for God, His love, His presence, and His Word in your life. You may be in the middle of ...

385. A Purse and Two Swords

Luke 22:35-38

Sermon

... want to know whenever they see telltale signs suggesting that one or both parents are going out for the evening. Namely: "Who's gonna stay with us?" And being told that their sitter is to be none other than the Spirit….who will both comfort and advocate, as well as teach them whatever they need to know….they are temporarily all right with that. Until it occurs to them that even this Sitter may not be able to guarantee their security, given all this talk about death and danger. Which is fueled, somewhat ...

386. Bountiful Faith: Two All Beef Patties, Special Sauce, Lettuce, Cheese, Pickles...Etc

2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun kind of God. A super-sized God who delights in super-sizing every gift simply for the joy of giving. You simply cannot out-give God. Now, let me quickly say, I am not here to advocate for over-eating or promoting cholesterol-saturated fast food. But in the spirit of the theme…this is what God is like: A God of abundant grace A God who is willing to give extravagantly…even to the point of giving his own Son on the cross for ...

387. Ministry By Faith: Does She or Doesn't She?

I Corinthians 16:14, James 2:14-26

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... ; and love neighbor as much as self? I've been reading Timothy Tyson's wonderful book, "Blood Done Sign My Name." He tells of growing up in the South in the 60's, the son of a Methodist preacher in Oxford, North Carolina. His father was an outspoken advocate of racial justice and integration in a time when that was not popular. (With all the kind words spoken about Rosa Parks this week, remember that in the 60's she was not loved, and was roundly criticized by many white folks, both north and south.) More ...

388. A Peculiar People

1 Peter 2:1-10

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... God's own people So if you want to know what makes us peculiar, look at the connected images: 1. WE ARE A HOLY NATION. Right off the bat, it is obvious Peter is not talking about political citizenship in the nation or state. He is not advocating the divine right of kings or manifest destiny. Nor is he suggesting that one political nation or state is somehow more holy than another. He is, after all, writing in the day when the Roman Empire was in full force, literally covering and controlling the known world ...

389. Keeping Shut About the Good News

Acts 3:1-10; Acts 4:13-20

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... is that Peter and John might have been just as surprised as the lame man, when that was exactly what he did! His feet and ankles were made strong. Leaping up, he stood and walked and praised God. Now maybe it's a lack of faith, but I am not advocating we try that at home or at your local hospital room. We can talk about how God heals in our day—the miracle of new knees, new hips, new strength; the need for cancer research, stem cell research, openness to the ways in which science might bring new ways of ...

390. The Revelation Code IV: The Fight at Frodo's Tower

Revelation 19:1-21

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... my life, small potatoes though they may seem against the backdrop of cosmic conflict, our lives matter in the sight of God. It's the same vision which captured the heart and soul of Julia Ward Howe in the 1800s. A staunch abolitionist and an early advocate for women's rights, she envisioned the day of justice and equality for all God's people. She and her husband were volunteers in the sanitation commission and were invited to the White House by President Lincoln because of their work. On the way, they saw ...

391. Searching: MySpace

Hebrews 11:8-13

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... MySpace and launched herself into the Middle East and international headlines." And then this morning's New York Times reports that companies are now checking out "MySpace" before they hire, so you might want to be careful about what you put out there. Now, I am not advocating for MySpace.com, but simply acknowledging it as a metaphor of our times, of our world. Also, at a deeper level, it is a metaphor for all our lives—the search for "My Space," our place in the world. We all search to find an identity ...

392. Romans 13:8-14

Romans 13:8-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... masterfully connected to the more mundane matters of the disciple’s relationship to civil authorities. Paul accomplishes this high-wire walk with one balance-beam line: “Owe no one anything, except to love one another.” The fiscal accountability the apostle advocated in 13:7, “pay to all what is due them,” is transformed into an ethical mandate for everyone. “All” we owe is to “love one another.” Paul’s concern here has no fiscal footing. The question of personal financial indebtedness ...

393. Building Relationships

Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... .” IN OTHER WORDS, SAYS JESUS, THERE MAY COME A TIME WHEN YOU HAVE TO END A RELATIONSHIP. Now I have to be careful here. Some relationships are sacred. Particularly the marriage relationship, and I don’t want to give anyone the idea that I’m advocating severing a marriage relationship. I’m not. But, of course, not even every marriage is made in heaven. Barbara Brown Taylor tells a story about a woman who was already dying of cancer when her husband suddenly dropped dead of a heart attack. At his ...

394. Parades and Crosses — The Challenge of Ministry

2 Corinthians 4:5-12

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... for a special kind of word they don't hear anywhere else. Besides, I got a lot of compliments!" "I understand, I think," said the father. "You did do a fine job up there, and I was mighty proud of you, as always. But let me play the devil's advocate for a minute. It's only natural for people to compliment you and encourage you as a young man. But think how little esteem most people have for a sermon. No one wants to be preached to or to hear a sermon. And you know we have one of the ...

395. The Unshakable Foundation

Hebrews 7:23-28

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... . They wanted control. Find a way to appease and manipulate those cosmic forces and they would find their home on "Easy Street." The society of their day offered two appealing possibilities: the moral rectitude and sacrificial observances of the Mosaic Law advocated in their Jewish tradition, and the repetitive rites and rituals practiced in the pagan cults of their neighbors. The sacrificial system practiced by the Hebrew community in the tabernacle at Sinai, and later at the Jerusalem temple was, at its ...

396. Short Order, Long Order, Melchizedek’s Order

Psalm 119:10-12, Hebrews 5:5-10

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

... service and love. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Heavenly Father, we need no other between your throne and our low state except your Son, high priest forever, naming us, claiming us, calling us, clearing us! High priest discovered when least expected, influence echoing down long centuries, fresh and bright today, our advocate and friend, Jesus, Brother, Lord, and Savior, we praise you with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Hymns Are Ye Able Blessed Assurance For We Are Strangers No More

397. Philippians 2:1-11

Philippians 2:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... ,” “fellowship,” “compassion,” and “tenderness” of Christ available to each member. Notice how these qualities are all community oriented. “Comfort” is “paraklesis,” a term which has its roots in “parakletos,” the familiar Johannine “advocate” or one who stands alongside. Likewise the “consolation of love” described here also employs the “para” prefix, literally meaning the “beside-care” of “agape” love. There is some disagreement among commentators whether the ...

398. The 6 Words that Can Save Your Life

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... is the best human beings can hope to bring into this world. And those who bring “Shalom” into this world I call “Shalomers.” What will it take for you to become a “Shalomer?” What will it take for you to become someone who advertises and advocates God’s peace unto this world? It only takes these 6 words. Are you ready? Can you say them with me? Do you want the peace that only Christ can give? Then say these six words with me: Anxious: Nothing. Prayerful: Everything Thankful: Anything. Then the ...

399. Living Out the Promise of This Child

Isaiah 9:2-7

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

... lurching just a bit. On some level, in some ways we understand that promise, and many of us work to see the promise fulfilled. Look around and see the teachers, the social workers, and counselors. Look around and see the mentors, the child advocates, and volunteers who give their time to see the promise fulfilled. Look around and see the selfless love of parents, grandparents, sisters, and brothers as families strive together to fulfill that promise. And amazingly, in the midst of all this, God reaffirms ...

400. Great Expectations

2 Kings 5:1-14

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

... , a man like Nelson Mandela to survive decades in prison and emerge without rancor or bitterness to be the father of a new South Africa? Who would expect, after all, the likes of an Eleanor Roosevelt to be one of the earliest and most powerful advocates of racial justice in the United States? Who would expect, after all, a Mexican migrant worker named Cesar Chavez to become a leading force for the rights and safety of farm workers everywhere? Who would expect? What are the expectations that govern our lives ...

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