Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 4051 to 4075 of 4508 results

Sermon

Chris Ewing

(Note: At the time of reading this passage to the congregation, explain that a single talent was worth more than fifteen years' wages of a laborer [per NRSV footnote to Matthew 25:14] — in other words, easily a cool quarter of a million dollars in today's terms!) "I was afraid," quavered the third servant, "because I knew that you were a ruthless businessman, expecting profit even when it is impo...

4052. Making Wise Investments

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Pay it Forward is a tender movie about a twelve year old boy named Trevor. His seventh grade social studies teacher offered students extra credit if they could come up with a plan to change the world for the better, and put it into action. Trevor, this serious child of a single alcoholic mother, takes on the challenge by doing three people an extraordinary favor and when they try to pay it back, h...

4053. Risky Business

Sermon

King Duncan

Many of you have seen the delightful animated feature, Shrek. You may remember Eddie Murphy as a mouthy, arrogant, tactless donkey who can’t shut up to save his life. In one scene, Shrek, the big green ogre, travels to rescue Princess Fiona, while Donkey tags along with him. While Princess Fiona is trapped in a castle surrounded by boiling lava, Shrek and Donkey cross a wobbly, unstable bridge, a...

4054. Come Home

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

“America’s Got Talent” is one of a dozen or more copy-cat “spin-offs” from the grand-daddy original “discover-unknown-talent” show “American Idol,” a franchise we copied from Great Britain’s “Pop Idol” franchise. This genre of television that includes “The Voice,” “X-Factor” and “America’s Got Talent” focus on finding that rare pearl of stardom embedded amidst the grit and gravel of everyday gifts...

4055. Excuses! Excuses!

Sermon

King Duncan

Excuses, excuses! We all make excuses. Here is a list of excuses that public schools have received from parents of students through the years: “Teacher, please excuse Mary for being absent. She was sick and I had her shot.” “My son is under a doctor’s care and should not take P.E. today. Please execute him.” “Please excuse my son’s tardiness. I forgot to wake him up and did not find him until I...

4056. Be Prudent or Productive?

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

In the Pacific Northwest there are three common prickly plants that populate the hedgerows and fence-lines — blackberries, salmon berries, and brambles. All three flourish without care and create impressive thickets for hiding all sorts of small critters. All three sport impressive thorns. But only one of them is valued and hunted down every fall. Brambles bear no edible fruit at all — lots of sn...

4057. How Big of a Risk Would You Take?

Sermon

King Duncan

Are you a risk taker? Do you know someone who is? A young man enlisted in the 82nd Airborne Division. He was assigned to their jump school. He eagerly asked his recruiter what he could expect at jump school. "Well," the recruiter said, "it’s three weeks long." "What else?" asked the young soldier. "The first week they separate the men from the boys," the recruiter said. "The second week, they ...

4058. When "Well Done" Is Rare

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Jesus was one of the greatest storytellers and communicators who ever lived. He was able to communicate the great spiritual truths and insights about the kingdom of God by using the everyday ideas and items of life. He often taught in parable form. The communication experts of today agree that parables are an excellent way to teach because they allow each person to see themselves and how they are ...

4059. Talents and Trust

Sermon

A half-generation ago, Joseph Heller’s book Catch-22 was all but required reading on every college campus. The title of the book refers to a certain clause in military law, a clause having to do with grounding mentally unstable combat pilots. At one point Yossarian, the book’s main character, talks with Doc Daneeka about grounding an obviously unstable pilot by the name of Orr. Yossarian learns ...

4060. On Living Before You Die

Sermon

Edward Inabinet

The NEWPORT NEWS DAILY PRESS published recently several pages listing accounts with unclaimed money in them. As impossible as it seems, hundreds of people or their families forget the bank is holding money for them in their name. When men and women give their lives to God, many then lose faith in the Creator. They don''t use the treasure He has for them. Our orientation gets mixed up. We aim our ...

4061. Use It or Lose It

Sermon

Johnny Dean

In the window of a restaurant in a small West Texas town there was a sign that read: "Wanted: man to wash dishes and two waitresses." Now, the longer the men of that town thought about that sign, the more they thought, "That just might be an interesting job! The advancement opportunities might be limited, and the pay is probably not much, but..." Then there was an ad in a local newspaper that rea...

4062. Life As An Investment

Sermon

Donald Dotterer

Let us pray: Gracious and eternal Father, we come before you this day seeking to make the most of the gifts which you have given us in life. Lord, as we now hear your word, may we learn how it is that we may serve you with all that we are. Lord, in these moments, grant us wisdom, understanding and peace. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. During the 1992 presidential campaign, one of the slogans which...

4063. Reaching Our Full Potential

Sermon

King Duncan

A young man was seen pedaling around a college campus with a T-shirt reading "I'm going to be a doctor." A sign on the back of his bicycle proclaimed: "I'm going to be a Mercedes." Roy L. Smith once told the odd case of an Australian youth who suffered a concussion while serving with the armed forces in Korea. At the time of his injury the young man was 5 feet 4 ½ inches tall. The blow started s...

4064. The One in the Middle

Sermon

David E. Leininger

The parable of the talents is one of the best known of all Jesus' teachings. Its point is virtually impossible to miss. The master entrusted his servants with talents (a significant amount of money in the ancient world - one talent was the rough equivalent of 15 years wages for the average worker). The servant who received five talents was wise; he invested his talents and doubled their value. The...

4065. Proper 28

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter - Psalms 123:1-4 First Lesson - Deborah is a prophetess in Israel's tradition of male prophets. Judges 4:1-7 Second Lesson - Paul urges moral alertness in view of the uncertainty of the time of the reappearance of Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Gospel - Jesus tells us that our responsibilities are in proportion to our opportunities. Matthew 25:14-30 CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: ...

4066. Proper 28, Pentecost 26, Ordinary Time 33

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

Prayer Of The Day Leader: Your word, O God, is like a two-edged sword, bringing death and life. May this sword fall upon us, that in hearing your word we may be embraced by the hope of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. All: Amen. Offertory Prayer Leader: You breathe life into us, blessed Yahweh, Lord of the universe. All: You breathe life into us and shower us with your goodness. ...

4067. Proper 28

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Being ready for Christ's kingdom. To be prepared, a person need only walk in the light of God's love and invest her/his talents. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Judges 4:1-7 The Israelites were oppressed by the Canaanites. The Hebrews cried out to God, who sent Deborah as prophetess and judge. Deborah sent Barak and a horde of Hebrews against the Canaanite king, Jabin, and his general, Siera. T...

4068. BANKER

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

Matthew 25:27 - "Then you ought to have invested my money with bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest." Certainly, I don’t have to acquaint you with the bankers or with their duties or with their very important place in our society and economy. We all know our friendly neighborhood banker, and we have probably had to rely on him more than once to get us thr...

4069. Service

Illustration

Richard Love

Sir Michael Costa, the celebrated conductor, was holding a rehearsal. As the mighty chorus rang out, accompanied by scores of instruments, the piccolo player a little pint-sized flute thinking perhaps that his contribution would not be missed amid so much music, stopped playing. Suddenly, the great leader stopped and cried out, "Where is the piccolo?" The sound of that one small instrument was ...

4070. Making a Difference

Illustration

There is a little story that comes from a book called the Star Fisher. Picture if you will an early morning along a California beach. An elderly man is walking along the edge of the water and stops occasionally, picks up something, and then tosses it into the ocean. He then walks a few steps more, picks up something, and tosses it into the ocean. A young jogger is running along and has been watchi...

4071. Starting Is the First Step

Illustration

David E. Leininger

Starting is the first step to succeeding. We cannot be afraid of failure. I am a baseball junkie so I can bring you this: in 1915 Ty Cobb set the record for stolen bases, 96. Seven years later, Max Carey of the Pittsburgh Pirates became second best with 51 stolen bases. Does this mean that Cobb was twice as good as Carey, his closest rival? Look at the facts: Cobb made 134 attempts, Carey, 53. Co...

4072. Some Talents are Inappropriate

Illustration

Johnny Dean

One man in a group being received into the church heard the pastor say, "Now God has given each of you a unique talent. When you join the church, you are expected to serve God with whatever abilities you have." Well, it just so happened that this particular man was a reformed criminal. After he was released from prison, he had renounced the life of crime and gone straight. Joining the church, maki...

4073. Somebody Should Have Helped

Illustration

Bill Bouknight

The worst nightmare of every mother happened to a Memphis woman a few years ago. A woman named Anita was stopped for a traffic light at the corner of Highland and Southern. Suddenly a stranger opened the passenger door of her car, grabbed her 2-month- old baby, and ran. Anita's instincts took over. She slammed that car into park, jumped out, and ran after the man. A terrified mother can move with ...

4074. Only 60 Seconds

Illustration

Herman Cain, CEO and president of Godfather's Pizza, Incorporated, is an African-American man who was raised in poverty. He credits his hard-working father for his success in life. Throughout Herman's life, his father worked three or four jobs at a time in order to support his family. In addition to his father, Herman Cain also found inspiration from Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, a former president o...

4075. Don’t Wait to Live

Illustration

Eric Ritz

In my files, there is a poem that describes well the strategy for life employed by the one talent servant. There was a very cautious man who never laughed or played. He never risked, he never tried. He never sang or prayed. And when he passed away, his insurance was denied. For since he never really lived, they claim he never died. You cannot reach your full potential with your efforts crippled...

Showing 4051 to 4075 of 4508 results