Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4026 to 4050 of 4977 results

4026. The Power of Belief

John 20:24-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... she had risen from the ground so rapidly that she had hit her head on the ceiling. If the callers did indeed experience this floating sensation, it must be chalked up to the power of suggestion, says one commentator, since the pull of gravity had remained quite constant throughout the day. (7) Be careful what you believe. The power of belief can help you achieve amazing things, but it can also cause you to do stupid things. Just because you believe, it doesn’t make it true. Meg. F. Quijano of the National ...

4027. Too Good Not to Be True

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

King Duncan

... rope with him, or was he simply being prepared? Fear certainly has its positive aspects, but there is that fine line. Many years ago, there was a Halloween-evening radio broadcast in this country by a young announcer named Orson Welles that caused quite a stir. This broadcast warned Americans that “the War of the Worlds” was beginning and that giant robots had landed in New Jersey. We are told that, as a consequence of that broadcast, there were heart attacks, strokes and suicides. Many people panicked ...

4028. A Shepherd's Love

John 10:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... . Then we FEED them. I give them the plain unvarnished word of God.” “But what’s the third thing?” asked the second evangelist. “Well,” he answered, “Once we’ve found them and fed them, then we FLEECE them!” Some TV evangelists have become quite proficient at fleecing their flock. I hope you understand that nothing could be farther from the example of Christ. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep . . .” Fleecing the flock is a long way ...

4029. Penney's Change

John 3:1-21

Illustration

E. Carver McGriff

... business and every personal decision to God, was resolute in his ethics, living by the teachings of Jesus. You've heard of this man, who told all of this in a book about his life. His name was J. C. Penney. He too insisted throughout his life that Paul was quite right in promising divine help for those in whom Christ's Spirit lives.

4030. We Are Called to Plant

Mark 4:26-34

Illustration

Ron Lavin

... called to plant. God gives the growth. God gets the credit. We cannot boast about the success that comes when the seeds are planted. We must be very cautious about taking too much credit for apparent success in the spiritual area. A visitor to the Vatican was quite impressed with the beauty and power of the place. He asked Pope John XXIII this question: "How many people do you have working here?" With a twinkle in his eye, the pope replied, "About half of them." We must never get puffed up with ourselves in ...

4031. Stilling Storms

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

King Duncan

... suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats” (21-23). That’s quite an example. The only way we can follow Christ’s example is to walk as closely with him as possible, to walk in his steps. We need more than his words, his advice. We need his Spirit to come into us making us new people. Christ can calm ...

4032. We Are All in the Same Boat

Mark 4:35-41

Illustration

... vessel is being raised up on a high wave, about to be crashed down. Two of the disciples are attempting to rouse Jesus who is asleep in the stern of the boat. But if you look more closely, you will discover that there is something that is not quite right. There are too many people in the picture. So you count them. There are fourteen. There should only be thirteen (twelve disciples and Jesus). But instead there are fourteen. It is then that you notice that one of the men in the boat is Rembrandt. He has ...

4033. Paul’s “We-With” Body-Building

2 Corinthians 8:1-15, 2 Timothy 4:9-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... to join in its celebration, hoped that the “Year of Paul” would inspire others to similar missionary zeal and spirit of sacrifice. In his sermon establishing this “Year of Paul” that we Protestants somehow managed to miss (the Orthodox Church celebrated it quite a bit), Benedict XVI noted a long‑standing tradition that said Sts. Peter and Paul met near the basilica before they were martyred, where they hugged and blessed each other. Both Peter and Paul were giants in the church, with different ...

4034. Excellence in Giving

2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Sermon

King Duncan

... . Some are sloppy because they give God only what is leftover. But St. Paul would have none of that. He encourages us to excel in giving. Then St. Paul says, “I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others . . .” Now he’s quit preaching and gone to meddling, as the old joke goes. He wants to compare what we give to what others have given to us. A lot of us play the comparison game. We want to have what others around us have. If they have a big house, we want a ...

4035. Never Ever Give Up!

Mark 5: 21-43

Illustration

James W. Moore

... destroying my body. But what cancer cannot touch is my mind, my heart and my soul. I have faith in God and hope that things might get better for me. But even if they don't I promise you this. I will never ever give up. I will never ever quit. And if cancer gets me then I'll just try my best to go to heaven and I'll try my best to be the best coach they've ever seen up there. [Then, pointing to his 1983 Championship team, he said,] I learned a great lesson from these guys ...

4036. Proper 10

Mark 6:14-29, Psalm 24:1-10, 2 Samuel 6:1-23, Ephesians 1:1-14

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter—Psalm 24 First Lesson—David’s dance before the Lord is quite different from the dance before King Herod in today’s Gospel. 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Second Lesson—Paul rejoices in the eternal purposes of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:3-14 Gospel—The martyrdom of John the Baptist is remembered long after his death and ...

4037. Proper 7

Mark 4:35-41, 1 Samuel 17:1-58, Psalm 9:1-20, Psalm 133:1-3, 2 Corinthians 6:3-13

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... for the Israelites and the Philistines. 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 Second Lesson—The apostle Paul outlines some of the difficulties faced in his ministry and the resources brought to bear in dealing with them. 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Gospel - Jesus has quite different power than his human ancestor King David. Mark 4:35-41 CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. People: And also with you. Leader: God’s name deserves our praise in this house. People: God’s name ...

4038. Proper 8

Mark 5:21-43, Psalm 130:1-8, 2 Samuel 1:17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... you in faith and receive the cure of our spiritual and physical maladies so that we may live at peace and in freedom from what troubles us, through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING God of mystery, many of the things that you do are quite beyond any explanation. Other events move us to joy and dancing with music and many instruments. Let our music also express our questions, as well as our affirmations, that we may rejoice in all things, whether in a minor or a major key. Give us joy also ...

4039. Mark 6: 1-13

Mark 6:1-6

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... teaching will once again find a willing audience. Mark’s text notes that as Jesus teaches in his home synagogue, those who hear him are “astounded.” But their words quickly reveal that the hometown response to Jesus’ words is going to be quite different than those of the other communities Jesus had visited. Notice that as Mark records the first responses of Jesus’ old neighbors, they refuse to even identify him by name. Instead the crowd refers to Jesus dismissively as “this man,” emphasizing ...

4040. How to Fail Successfully - Sermon Starter

Mark 6:1-13

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

... and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." Is there not solid instruction here in our Scripture lesson and from Jesus himself instructions that there may come a time when it's really time to quit? We can try too long. At least Jesus is saying that there are moments when in order to keep on keeping on we need to give up face our losses and accept failure. I think there is an understanding for us here maybe a guide to "how to fail ...

4041. Easter 5

Psalm 148:1-14, John 13:31-35, Acts 11:1-18, Revelation 21:1-6

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... have been patient in your desire to restore your world to its original perfection. You have shown great forbearance to belligerent and stubborn humanity. Forgive our unwillingness to be changed, to be open to others, to open the doors of the church to those quite different from ourselves. We are sorry for the petty quarrels that spoil the resemblance the church should have to a warm and loving family. Continue your patience with us until we are mature in your love and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord ...

4042. We Cannot Not Be Sinners

Mark 6:14-29

Illustration

Scott Hoezee

... less than John the Baptist ended up being killed not because of the machinations of world-class evil or the titanic doings of horrifying figures of towering, marrow-chilling stature. No, John was killed because somebody said something silly in a boozy moment of untoward sexual bravado. It's not quite the end we imagined for God's chosen servant John!

4043. If It Meant Losing Our Heads

Mark 6:14-29

Illustration

Scott Hoezee

... for Christ." To those whose hearts are not touched by the Holy Spirit, even the best preaching (and John's was some of the best the world has ever known) looks like a sideshow, a freak show, the weirdest thing in the world. Preachers today don't have quite the respect and social cache they once enjoyed, but most people don't burst into paroxysms of laughter and giggles when you tell them, "I'm a preacher." What we sometimes forget, however, is that at the heart of what we do as preachers (or what anyone ...

4044. Ephesians 2:11-22

Ephesians 2:11-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... ” letters of Paul. Because Ephesians reiterates many Pauline themes and argues many distinctly Pauline points, but with sufficient differences and disparities, some scholars suggest that Ephesians was written later, after the undisputed letters of Paul. Yet it is also quite evident that the author of Ephesians is a Jewish Christian, one who is intimately acquainted with the gifts and limitations of a Jewish identity. And this is one of the distinguishing hallmarks of Paul’s own writing. The unique ...

4045. God Is Like a Shepherd

John 10:1-21

Illustration

Frederick Buechner

... souls get hungry and thirsty; in fact it is often that sense of inner emptiness that makes us know we have souls in the first place. There is nothing that the world has to give us, there is nothing that we have to give to each other even, that ever quite fills them. But once in a while that inner emptiness is filled even so. That is part of what the psalm means by saying that God is like a shepherd, I think. It means that, like a shepherd, he feeds us. He feeds that part of us which is hungriest ...

4046. Proper 18

Matthew 18:15-20, Psalm 149:1-9, Exodus 12:1-30, Romans 13:8-14

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... an accounting to you, who are ready to judge the living and the dead. So may we all learn to live in the Spirit as you do. Recall to your church those who have gone astray or neglected the assembly of your people. Reconcile those who have quit the church through dissension or prideful controversy. Renew your church in finding new approaches to those outside the church, that adaptability may be an evidence of grace to grow and change for the sake of others. Preserve the best of the past in the present and in ...

4047. When You're Overwhelmed

John 6:1-15

Sermon

King Duncan

... Shall I move my right paw first or my left, or my two front paws together, or the hind ones, or all four at once, or how?” In reply the old she-bear growled, “Leave off thinking and walk.” Sometimes that is what God says to us. Quit analyzing the problem to death and get moving. Sit down. Acknowledge that God has a plan. Make a beginning. And finally, gather up leftovers for the next time. Chances are you’re going to make it through whatever problem is about to overwhelm you right now. The question ...

4048. In Search of Jesus

John 6:16-24

Sermon

King Duncan

... our lesson from John’s Gospel: “Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.” This verse follows the feeding of the 5,000. This crowd of seekers knew that someone quite unique was in their presence. Here was a man with wondrous powers. A magician might pull a rabbit out of a hat, but no magician can take five small barley loaves and two small fish and feed 5,000 plus people. Any reasonable person would say it ...

4049. They Will All Be Taught By God

John 6:35, 41-51

Illustration

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The deterioration of decency has accompanied quite proportionately the deterioration of society's interest in and support of religion. Historically and traditionally, the temple and church have been the schools of virtue. Not so necessarily as places of organizational denomination, but as places that teach children to replace selfishness with unselfishness, dishonesty with honesty, sensuality with self- ...

4050. A Time for Opportunity

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

King Duncan

... to us. Paul writes, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” I don’t think I need to tell you there are addictions out there that are destroying people’s lives. Alcohol is, quite obviously, one of our most serious addictions. As Richard Blummer has written: “We drink for joy and become miserable. We drink for sociability and become argumentative. We drink for sophistication and become obnoxious. We drink to help us sleep and awake exhausted. We ...

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