Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 376 to 400 of 4977 results

376. Living as Orphans

John 14:15-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... . Listen to Jesus’ words in this passage, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” Obedience is something we really don’t talk much about in the modern church. Everyone nowadays wants to do their own thing. But Christ is quite clear: if you know yourself to be a child of God then you will live like a child of God. Recently I discovered a humorous fact about outlaws in the Old West. According to the editors of the book Outlaw Tales, there was a well-documented technique ...

377. Out With the Old - In With the New

Philippians 3:12-14

Sermon

James Merritt

... ; when the subjects get too difficult, we have learned to drop out; when the marriage gets unbearable, we simply get a divorce. Well, the old adage is true, "Quitters never win, and winners never quit." Some of the greatest men in history became great because they did not quit. But out of disputes historians now concede that Abraham Lincoln may have been the greatest president in our history. But what you may not know is this: In 1832 he lost his job and was defeated in the race for the Illinois Legislature ...

378. Easter and a Lost World

Acts 17:16-34

Sermon

James Merritt

... . He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (vv. 30-31) Here was the choice—repentance or retribution. Either come to Jesus as Savior, or come to Jesus as judge. But one way or the other, you are going to come to Jesus. Now quite frankly, that was not a real seeker-friendly way to end the message. Paul evidently wasn't too concerned about hurt feelings. His point was—Jesus is alive and you're either going to deal with Him now, or He's going to deal with you later. You can be ...

379. How to Handle the Mess of Stress

Exodus 18:23-27

Sermon

James Merritt

... to stress me out are these recorded messages that businesses use to direct you to where you need to go. Quite frankly, I'm becoming convinced that these are devil-invented and demonically possessed. I read about a counseling center hotline ... believe we ought to burnout; on the other hand, I don't believe we ought to get lazy and rust out. I believe we ought to last out. Quite frankly, I don't want to wear out, I want to work out. The problem is, we crowd the calendar and clutter our lives with so many things ...

380. Walking on the Water

Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon

King Duncan

... about it. When Jesus told those early disciples to fear not he was not telling them to seek safety and security. Rather he was telling them to move forward, but to always trust him. Years ago there was a little comic strip that spoke to this quite beautifully. The comic strip “B.C.,” set in cavemen days, had its hero, B.C., sitting in his fur loincloth, opening a box. A letter in the box says, “Congratulations! You have just purchased the world’s finest fire‑starting kit!” The next picture shows ...

381. Apostolic Instruction

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... to greet him on bended knees. We have anticipated him and our readiness for the event will be manifest to the Savior of humankind. If it is the manger scene, our task is clear. If it is his appearing in the clouds, our task is also quite clear. Don't be caught unprepared! The utmost seriousness of this cannot be underestimated. However, by way of a precaution, we are counseled to "test everything." Remember, when he did not return in the first century, some Christians were caught off guard. 4. The beautiful ...

382. Proclaiming Jesus Christ

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... society. If one gets lost and loses control of life, what is left but a series of failed attempts to be somebody - as defined by worldly values? No wonder we people who totally commit ourselves to Christ appear to be a bunch of idiots! Nothing quite paves and prepares the way for accepting Christ as an unbridled attitude of gratitude. Aren't the people in your church, who really inspire and motivate you, filled with gratitude? To be one of spiritual depth and ungrateful is a contradiction. Of the thousands ...

383. Birthpangs of the New Age

Romans 8:22-23

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... calls some specifically to win others, who really would rather not have the job! Actually, whether we are low-key or quite the reverse our mission is the same. Light must shine out of darkness and we are the agents to make this ... somebody — as defined by worldly values? No wonder we people who totally commit ourselves to Christ appear to be a bunch of idiots! Nothing quite paves and prepares the way for accepting Christ as an unbridled attitude of gratitude. Aren't the people in your church, who really ...

384. The Paradoxical Power of Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... a threatening storm, my friend tried to reassure his little boy who always was terrified by bad weather. With considerable bravado he took his boy to the window, pointed to the creek bed now surrounded with houses, and showed him the storm, reassuring him they were quite safe in the house, that there was nothing to be afraid of, that everything was going to be all right. No sooner had he gotten the words out of his mouth than a tornado swirled up the creek bed, chewing up everything in its path including ...

385. Modeling a Necessary Future

Ephesians 2:11-22

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... are not allowed in the Mormon temple, and Protestant Christians technically are not allowed to receive the Roman Catholic Eucharist. Certain Protestant churches exclude other Protestants from their communion tables. But the writer of Ephesians, like the writer of 1 Peter, envisions quite a different kind of holy temple. This temple is to be built not of stones, but of spirit-filled people who are themselves the living stones of an ever-expanding temple of God. Built on the prophets and apostles with Jesus ...

386. Finding Unity through Christ

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... it a rock, tree, or human being; air was what filled the stuff. Fire was the glue that solidified the earth, air, and water combination. All things existed as a combination where four became one. Ancient civilizations also discovered, I am sure quite by accident, the value of alloy metals. Probably around some evening fire two dissimilar metals were melted, mixed, and then when cooled formed a third metal which was stronger, longer lasting, and more durable than either of its constituent elements. Brass and ...

387. Discipleship: The Beauty and the Cross

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... entire time. Then he was taken to a nice log building, a gift shop, and placed on one of the shelves, waiting to be sold. Everything in this shop was donated and all the money in sales went to assist the poor. When he learned this, the bowl became quite excited. He really wanted to help someone and thus he waited his chance. But nobody was willing to buy him. Yes, no one seemed to look twice in his direction. He was so plain and ordinary, lacking the most elementary charm, while many other items in the shop ...

388. Surprised Saints

Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

King Duncan

... a gift from one of her adoring fans. Gracie didn’t know what to do with the alligator so she put it in her bathtub. Then she left for an appointment. When she returned home she found this note from her maid: “Dear Miss Allen. Sorry. But I had to quit. I don’t work in houses where there is an alligator. I’d a told you this when I was hired, but I never thought it would come up.” (1) Life is full of surprises. Some of these surprises are unnerving like finding an alligator in a bathtub. But some ...

389. The Dawn's Early Light

2 Samuel 7:1-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... good time to confront the challenge of "patriotism," and its role in the life of the family of God. Patriotism seems to be an emotion which rides on a tide of fashion sometimes the currents of public opinion find it praiseworthy and virtuous, then sometimes quite abruptly the irresistible pull of events shifts our field of vision and patriotism appears suspect, shallow, or at the very least quaintly old-fashioned. Regardless of its momentary appeal, none of us can escape from the fact that we are all from a ...

390. Luke 4:14-21

Luke 4:14-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... how each of the three synoptic gospel authors could use the same material, remain true to the sense and power of the story and yet sculpt it to their own purposes. Here, whereas Luke has the same basic story of Jesus' experience in Nazareth, he uses it quite differently from either Matthew or Mark. Luke 4:14-15 combines comments scattered in Mark (1:14-15, 28, 39) to create a summary-type text, one of Luke's favorite compositions. Having already dealt with John the Baptist (3:20), Luke is ready for Jesus to ...

391. Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... would have been thin and ragged and exhausted in appearance. Obviously, all of the inheritance had been spent, evidently quite unwisely. Still, the father's greeting is ebullient and magnanimous. In fact, he really ruins the big scene of contrition ... love the father feels for his older son again pulls him out the door and into the fields to be with him in his anger. For quite a while, the father "pleads" or "entreats" this son to come in and join in the festivities, but the older boy will have none of it. ...

392. Luke 10:38-42

Luke 10:38-42

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... true that most ancient Near Eastern cultures were severely segregated even within families, the genders mixed together infrequently. Informal socializing was nearly always done in single- sex groups. Men and women simply did not mix. Their worlds and their ways were quite different. Yet here sits Mary at Jesus' feet, assuming the role of a good student, a true disciple. When Martha attempts to restore the traditional layout of roles in her home and petitions Jesus for his support, she is gently reprimanded ...

393. Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... and his interaction with his father in verses 25-32 makes a wholly different point, and so should be considered a quite different parable. Yet, although there are a number of possible interpretations for this parable, it is far better to keep all ... rub it is not merely misplaced, it is hiding. It is one thing for my son to lay down his toy and forget its whereabouts. It is quite another for a toy to sneak off on its own and camouflage its location. We live in a world that has crawled away from a loving God ...

394. I Am the True Vine - Sermon Starter

John 15:1-17

Illustration

Brett Blair

... . Instead of literally coming out and saying what he meant, he so often would tell a story and let people draw their own conclusion. Indeed, these hidden messages of Jesus frequently frustrated his disciples. They wished that he would speak literally and not be quite so subtle. This morning we take a look at one of the "I Am" sayings of Jesus. Jesus said: I am the true vine. Now, even the most ardent fundamentalist has to agree that when Jesus spoke these words he was not speaking literally. Obviously ...

395. What Does It Mean to Be Born Again?

John 3:1-17

Illustration

Edward F. Markquart

... of faith but you no longer have the power of faith. And if you have ever come to that time in your life, when things aren't quite right, when your religion has become more of a ritual than a real thing, when it is more of a pattern than power, when it is ... to Jesus' home, rap on his door and say, "Jesus, I need some help. I've got a problem … here… in my heart. It is not quite right." And Jesus will say to you and me, "Come right in. Sit down for a while. Let's talk. And Jesus has this uncanny ability ...

396. What If It Happens To Me? The Fear of Suffering

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

James Merritt

... sufficient for you." (II Corinthians 12: 9, NJKV) I want you to notice that Paul didn't get the answer he was looking for until he quit praying and he started listening. Sometimes we are so busy telling God what He ought to do for us that we can't hear God telling ... have a problem in your life and you've asked God to take it away and He hasn't, maybe it is time for you to quit talking and start listening. It was in the middle of Paul's suffering that God taught Paul some things he would have never learned any ...

397. Being a Woman of God

Acts 16:11-15

Sermon

James Merritt

... the name of the Lord Jesus. So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, ‘The will of the Lord be done.'" (Acts 21:7-14) Now notice that this is a situation where several women tried to persuade a man to do something and the man refused. Now, quite frankly, that may be the only time in the history of the world that four women ganged up on one man, and the man won. But nevertheless, that is what has happened. But look at the response in v.14, "So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying ...

398. The Dark Side Confronted

Hebrews 12:5-11

Sermon

James Merritt

... that use to go to church. In fact, at one time they were very active, but they kind of loss interest and just quit coming. They really did know the Lord, but they had kind of gotten away from God and they were kind of sticking their toes ... by speaking to us in that still small voice in our heart to let us know when we fall out of fellowship with God and quite frankly, that is the way God prefers to discipline his children. That is the way any good parent likes to discipline their children. Wouldn' ...

399. The Kingdom Is Not K-Mart

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

James Merritt

... the cost. The number one problem we have with a lot of our church members on the roll who never show up is they are half finished towers. They ran one lap of the Christian life and they quit. They fought one round of the Christian life and they quit. They played one quarter of the Christian contest and they quit. Jesus then goes on to give another parable. "Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes ...

400. The Dream Work of Teamwork

Nehemiah 3:1-32

Sermon

James Merritt

... our staff to find the right people in our congregation to put in the right places of leadership. I am not exactly quite sure what good management is though I do tend to agree with Casey Stingle, the former great manager in baseball who said, " ... the leadership above them. They have to be a model of the mission statement and the purpose of the organization that they are helping to lead. Quite frankly, we need some of you to step up and step out and be willing to be leaders in this church. We need and we want ...

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