Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 4001 to 4025 of 5000 results

4001. What You Hear Is What You Get

Mark 9:2-13

Illustration

Staff

It was unlike Olivier Messiaen, the composer, ever to do things in small measure, especially late in his career. He had a vision of intense realization when he recognized the splendor of the gospel account of the transfiguration. He struggled to represent with music what was for him an emotional understanding…and he struggled to bring the audience to the mountain top with him. "It was in clear weather, whilst gazing at Mont Blanc and the Jungfrau, that I grasped the difference between the modest splendor ...

4002. Would You Take The Crown Without The Cross? - Sermon Starter

Mk 1:9-15; Lk 4:1-13; Mt 4:1-11

Illustration

Brett Blair

The local sheriff was looking for a deputy, and one of the applicants - who was not known to be the brightest academically, was called in for an interview. "Okay," began the sheriff, "What is 1 and 1?" "Eleven," came the reply. The sheriff thought to himself, "That's not what I meant, but he's right." Then the sheriff asked, "What two days of the week start with the letter 'T'?" "Today & tomorrow." Replied the applicant. The sheriff was again surprised over the answer, one that he had never thought of ...

4003. How Can a Christian Become a Christian?

Mk 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

Soren Kierkegaard once asked how a person who is already a Christian can become a Christian. Think about that for a moment. How can a person who already is a Christian become a Christian? Kierkegaard was directing his thoughts toward those of us who have grown up in the church. He was saying that second-hand faith is not enough. It is easy to take the faith we have grown up in for granted, isn't it? After all, it is like the air we breathe. It's always been there. We need something more than that. Baptism ...

4004. At The Right Time

Mark 1:9-13

Illustration

Brett Blair

Most of us have heard the famous "Who's on First" routine by Abbott and Costello. The incredible sense of timing between the two actors and the material helps this to be one of the funniest routines in American entertainment. It is a brilliantly written peace of comedy but it is the timing that makes it funny. Timing is also important in sports. Timing affects the outcome of an event in two major ways - it dictates the order out of the gate and it sets the pace for each of the competitors. In order to be ...

4005. Pain Is Part of the Process

Mark 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was a very devout Roman Catholic evangelist. One of the stories that grew out of his ministry concerns a time when he was baptizing new converts in a river. He would wade out waist-deep into the water and call out for new Christians to come to him, one by one, to receive the sacrament. Once he baptized a mountain chieftain. Saint Patrick was holding a staff, called a crosier, in his hands as the new converts made their way to the water. Unfortunately, as he was ...

4006. Managers Quotes

Mark 1:9-15

Illustration

Staff

A magazine ran a Dilbert quotes contest. These are actual quotes from people in managerial positions: As of tomorrow, employees will only be able to access the building using individual security cards. Pictures will be taken next Wednesday and employees will receive their cards in two weeks. (This was the winning quote from Charles Hurst at Sun Microsystems) What I need is a list of specific unknown problems we will encounter. E-mail is not to be used to pass on information or data. It should be used only ...

4007. Too Tempting

Mark 1:9-15; Luke 4:1-13

Illustration

The story is told of four high school boys who couldn't resist the temptation to skip morning classes. Each had been smitten with a bad case of spring fever. After lunch they showed up at school and reported to the teacher that their car had a flat tire. Much to their relief, she smiled and said, "Well, you missed a quiz this morning, so take your seats and get out a pencil and paper." Still smiling, she waited as they settled down and got ready for her questions. Then she said, "First question which tire ...

4008. Then I Had Children

Mark 1:9-15; Luke 4:1-13

Illustration

Johnny Dean

I used to believe that children were born pure and innocent. Then I became a parent. Now I believe in original sin. When my oldest son was about three years old, I was outside doing some yard work. I took Kevin outside to play while I trimmed the hedges. Holding his hand, I knelt down beside him so that we could look at each other face to face. Slowly and carefully I said, "Now, Kevin, you can play here in our front yard. You can go next door and play in your friend's front yard. You can ride your Big ...

4009. Temptation Can Ruin You

Mark 1:9-15; Luke 4:1-13

Illustration

An enthusiastic but somewhat unscrupulous salesman was waiting to see the purchasing agent of an engineering firm. The salesman was there to submit his company's bid, or price quote, for a particular job. He couldn't help but notice, however, that a competitor's bid was on the purchasing agent's desk. Unfortunately, the actual figure was covered by a can of juice. The temptation to see the amount quoted became too much, so the salesman lifted the can. His heart sank as he watched thousands of BB's pour ...

Mark 1:9-15

Sin gets its power by persuading me to believe that I will be more happy if I follow it. The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier.

John Piper

4011. Pleasing Our Family

Mk 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

Few of us ever escape the desire to please our parents. For some persons, that is the primary motivation that drives them on to success even though their parents may have been dead for many years and even though they may not even be conscious of it. We are still trying to please Dad or Mom. For some, that is a crushing burden to carry. For some of us there is that corollary feeling that no matter what we do, we will never measure up to what we perceive as our parents' demands. But rare is that person who ...

4012. Pleasing Our Parents

Mk 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

When baseball great Henry Aaron hit his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth's remarkable record, this is what he said: I don't remember the noise, the two kids that ran on the field, or my teammates at home plate... I do remember seeing them. But what I remember was my mother out there and she was hugging me. That's what I'll remember more than anything about that home run when I think back on it. I don't know where she came from, but she was there... Hank Aaron a veteran ballplayer, known and applauded by ...

4013. A Humble Servant

Mt 3:13-17; Lk 17:10

Illustration

King Duncan

The story is told of Dr. Charles Mayo who, with his father and brother, founded the world-famous Mayo Clinic. A group of European medical experts was visiting the clinic and were staying as guests of Dr. Mayo at his home. In their own countries it was the custom of these gentlemen to place their shoes outside the bedroom doors for a servant to polish. As Dr. Mayo was retiring he noticed shoes lined up outside the rooms of his guests, but it was too late to wake any of the servants. With a sigh he picked up ...

4014. Just Receive

John 3:16

Illustration

King Duncan

Harvey Penick, a 90-year-old golfer, hit the jack pot with two books on golf: The Little Red Book, and If You Play Golf, You're My Friend. Together these two books have sold nearly two million copies. In the 1920's Penick bought a red spiral notebook and began jotting down observations about golf. He never showed the book to anyone except his son until 1991, when he shared it with a local writer and asked if he thought it was worth publishing. The man read it and told him yes. He left word with Penick's ...

4015. Second Chances

Mk 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

In 1971 a man named Jim Reid moved to Florida to work for Walt Disney World as a surveyor. In his spare time Reid took up scuba diving and searched for sunken treasures in old shipwrecks. One day he put on his gear and dove into a water hazard at the local golf course. To his amazement he discovered in that tiny lake thousands of golf balls. Telling the course manager about his discovery he was offered ten cents a ball for all the balls he could retrieve. Reid made almost as much in one day as he did all ...

4016. I'm Sorry, Father

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Illustration

A Catholic priest working in an inner city was walking down an alley one evening on his way home when a young man came down the alley behind him and poked a knife against his back. "Give me your money," the young man said. The priest opened his jacket and reached into an inner pocket to remove his wallet, exposing his clerical collar. "Oh, I'm sorry, Father," said the young man, "I didn't see your collar. I don't want YOUR money." Trembling from the scare, the priest removed a cigar from his shirt pocket ...

4017. The Potato Salad Promise

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Illustration

Tony Campolo tells about a church that one day every year celebrates student recognition day. One year, after several students had spoken quite eloquently, the pastor started his sermon in a striking way: "Young people, you may not think you're going to die, but you are. One of these days, they'll take you to the cemetery, drop you in a hole, throw some dirt on your face and go back to the church and eat potato salad." We may not like to acknowledge it, but someday, every one of us will have to face the " ...

4018. The Cross Has Always Caused Problems

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Richard J. Fairchild

A Pastor on Northern Vancouver Island wrote to online study group this message: "I'm having difficulty with the Gospel this week; what is this cross that I am to take up, and what am I to deny in following Jesus?" Another Pastor, a student minister in the United States wrote: “I find this a hard gospel text because it talks about suffering rather than joy.” The cross has always caused problems to people. Brutal and barbaric - the cross was a tool of political power for the Romans. They maintained their ...

4019. We Have a Choice to Transform

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Brett Blair

There is a story about two young brothers who were caught stealing sheep. The punishment back then was to brand the thief's forehead with the letters ST which stood for sheep thief. As a result of this, one brother left the village and spent his remaining years wandering from place to place indelibly marked by disgrace. The other remained in the village, made restitution for the stolen sheep, and became a caring friend and neighbor to the townspeople. He lived out his life in the village an old man loved ...

4020. The Starving Family

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Staff

Mother Teresa heard of a family whose nine members were starving to death. She hurriedly obtained some rice and went to the family, giving them enough rice to prepare a meal. But the woman divided the rice into two piles, placed one in a bag and started to leave. Mother Teresa asked where she was going. The woman said she was going to visit another family who she knew was starving also.

4021. This Road Ends in a Knothole

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Brett Blair

Most everyone has come to a place in life where confusion and loss of direction sets in. It usually occurs while you are in your twenties but it can occur at anytime for many different reasons. The situation resembles that of the lost traveler in the heart of the Ozark Mountains. He inquired of a native, "Am I on the road to Kansas City?" "Well," the mountain man said, "Not exactly, Bud. This road just moseys along for a piece, then it turns into a hog trail, then a squirrel track, and finally runs up a ...

4022. Commitment

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

It is characteristic of great leaders to make demands upon their followers. When Winston Churchill became Prime Minister he told the British people that he had nothing to offer them but "blood, toil, tears, and sweat." The Italian freedom fighter Gerabaldi told his followers that he offered them only hunger and death. These were demanding leaders, but Jesus was a thousand times more demanding then they were. Jesus said, "So, therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple ...

4023. Give Me All

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Donald Deffner

One of the most dramatic and world-renowned shifts from "I" to God is the conversion of C. S. Lewis. This little man, who held the chair of medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge, sat in his study without typewriter or secretary and penned the great masterpieces which made him perhaps the most broadly-read Christian writer of our century. C. S. Lewis was an agnostic, but was Surprised By Joy the title of a book in which he tells about "The Shape of My Early Life" as Christ replaced the "I" in his ...

4024. The Greatest Healer

Mk 8:22-26

Illustration

King Duncan

Dr. Arthur Tuuri retired a few years back in Flint, Mich. He once helped a mother who, having given birth, died. He cared for the baby until it was adopted. From that he started The Flint Area Health Foundation, a help for needy children (still in operation today though under the name: Community Foundation of Greater Flint). For years he was head of the Mott Children's Health Center, which helps with medical and dental care. Dr. Tuuri said, "Many people asked me why I devote my life to the poor and ...

4025. No Celebration without Confession

John 2:12-25

Illustration

Brett Blair

Another set of "money-changers" in the church seem to have lost their reason for forgiveness. Catholic priests have expressed concern over the sharp decline in the number of people desiring to take confession. We hear a lot of talk about the word celebration in our church today. There can be no celebration until there is first confession. In the parable of the prodigal son, the banquet does not occur until the boy had first come to himself. A Sunday School class in a church once made an unusual request one ...

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Antonyms: deficient, imperfect

Showing 4001 to 4025 of 5000 results

4001. What You Hear Is What You Get

Mark 9:2-13

Illustration

Staff

4002. Would You Take The Crown Without The Cross? - Sermon Starter

Mk 1:9-15; Lk 4:1-13; Mt 4:1-11

Illustration

Brett Blair

4003. How Can a Christian Become a Christian?

Mk 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

4004. At The Right Time

Mark 1:9-13

Illustration

Brett Blair

4005. Pain Is Part of the Process

Mark 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

4006. Managers Quotes

Mark 1:9-15

Illustration

Staff

4007. Too Tempting

Mark 1:9-15; Luke 4:1-13

Illustration

4008. Then I Had Children

Mark 1:9-15; Luke 4:1-13

Illustration

Johnny Dean

4009. Temptation Can Ruin You

Mark 1:9-15; Luke 4:1-13

Illustration

Mark 1:9-15

Sin gets its power by persuading me to believe that I will be more happy if I follow it. The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier.

John Piper

4011. Pleasing Our Family

Mk 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

4012. Pleasing Our Parents

Mk 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

4013. A Humble Servant

Mt 3:13-17; Lk 17:10

Illustration

King Duncan

4014. Just Receive

John 3:16

Illustration

King Duncan

4015. Second Chances

Mk 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

4016. I'm Sorry, Father

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Illustration

4017. The Potato Salad Promise

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Illustration

4018. The Cross Has Always Caused Problems

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Richard J. Fairchild

4019. We Have a Choice to Transform

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Brett Blair

4020. The Starving Family

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Staff

4021. This Road Ends in a Knothole

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Brett Blair

4022. Commitment

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

4023. Give Me All

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Donald Deffner

4024. The Greatest Healer

Mk 8:22-26

Illustration

King Duncan

4025. No Celebration without Confession

John 2:12-25

Illustration

Brett Blair

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