Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 4076 to 4100 of 4957 results

4076. Shadrach, Meschach, Abeddnego: Unexpected

Daniel 3:1-30

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... very real possibility that Jesus, Mary and Joseph might have actually eaten marshmallows while in exile in Egypt. You see, historians estimate that the marshmallow came into being over 4000 years ago. Marshmallows date back to ancient Egypt. Some historians claim marshmallows got their name when pharaohs discovered that by squeezing the mallow plant which grows wild in marshes, a sweet, sticky substance surfaced. Honey was flavored with the extract. The delicacy was so special, it was reserved for gods and ...

4077. A Chance To Be Made Whole

Matthew 9:18-26

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... 't believe. But something of what Jesus had taught, something of the miracles that Jesus had performed had planted itself in this man's heart. The hope of the Messiah that all Jews carry in their hearts was awakened enough to see Jesus might very well be who everyone claimed he was. And out of love for his daughter he had to take the chance, A Chance for his life and his daughter To Be Made Whole. He took that Chance and Jesus raised his little girl to new life. III. The Response A. I think the real message ...

4078. John 2:1-11

John 2:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... reference in John’s gospel, a narrative reminder of both the first covenant God made with the Hebrew people at Sinai (Exodus 19:16) and the new covenant that would be established when Jesus rose on “the third day.” John’s “third day” reference claims divine activity and presence in Jesus’ ministry in the past, for the future, and in the midst of the here and now. That a wedding celebration is where Jesus performs his first “sign” sets the stage for the different kind of ministry Jesus will ...

4079. When the Wine Fails

John 2:1-11

Illustration

John K. Bergland

... joy is our wedding day. It's the day we celebrate before God and all our friends the love in our life. Marriage vows are the most profound vows one can make. No other vows are more tender, none are more sacred. No other pledge will so radically shape and claim an individual. The two become one. A home is born. A haven for family is founded. Your place to be is created. But, alas, in too many marriages and in so many lives the wine fails.

4080. Be A Barnabas

Acts 4:33-37

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... can also be a Barnabas simply by remembering that no matter where you go, Christ goes with you. Through the power and presence of God's Holy Spirit, Jesus is your constant companion. All you have to do is show it in all you do. It's not enough to claim to be a Christian if your lifestyle and actions say the opposite. The 5th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy is just around the corner and I ran across a story that I think really sums up what being a Barnabas is all about. [Show Clip - "Bob Appleby" promo for ...

4081. Overcoming Obstacles - Together

Luke 2:1-7, Psalm 107:1-9

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... kind of Catholic, who finds himself throttling a nun, you must know the fundamental building block of our society is the family. Whose very model is the holy family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. How can you, as a single father and as a Catholic, possibly claim to bring up your children without a mother? There is absolutely no precedent for it in the religion you eligibly believe." There's a long pause. And the lawyer says: "Cat got your tongue, Mr. Doyle?" Doyle's thinking and finally responds: "There is. There ...

4082. The Adventure Begins

Ephesians 1:15-23, Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... time to teach it to us. And we took the time to listen and embark on the Adventure of Faith. So you see, it's God's Story but it's also Our Story. II. Our Story A. It becomes Our Story as God's Story interacts with and lays claim to our lives and our faith. As we read the Word and the words, we join in the adventure and stand with Mary as she hears the Angel tell she is the one woman, out of all women, who has been chosen to be the mother of Jesus, the Son ...

4083. Cross Eyed: Triumph

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... for someone to swallow and still maintain their belief in Christ as the Savior. Besides that, it doesn't really match up with what the other Gospel writers and people like Paul and Peter, James and John all have to say as eye witnesses. There are those who would claim that the church has perpetrated some secret cover up of the true events of that day. The only cover up was put out by the perpetrators of Jesus' death. If you'll look at Matthew 28:11-15 (NRSV) Basically it says, the guards scattered, a few of ...

4084. Cross Eyed: Promise

John 3:14-21

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... Jesus could have just hit Nicodemus with a 2X4 and gotten it over with. But Nicodemus didn't seem to mind and didn't take offense. Maybe he was used to the way Jesus taught, or thought or spoke. There's one school of thought that claims Nicodemus was really Mary's brother and therefore Jesus' uncle. Jesus was talking about the Jewish leaders who were about to reject him as the people who choose darkness over light. They were living in darkness because they had forgotten their purpose in life as individuals ...

4085. Amazing Authority

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... . According to these nobodies, you know you're nobody if: "Your twin sister dies and they bury you instead. "Your own reflection in the mirror ignores you. "You had your picture taken beside a tree and everyone admires the tree." One applicant said, claimed that the government returned his taxes unopened. Another lamented that all of his mail was addressed to "Occupant," and the post office had returned it with the legend, "No longer at this address." Many of us have the feeling; that our lives really ...

4086. Luke 4:14-21

Luke 4:14-30

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the activity of “release” as the hallmark of the new era being proclaimed by the prophet’s words. Note also that this text repeats and affirms all the activities Jesus himself has just experienced in Luke’s gospel. The prophetic claim is that the “Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” has “anointed me,” and has now “sent me” to bring this message of “release.” This “release” language had different connotations for the first century synagogue audience Jesus addressed. In Leviticus ...

4087. The Dachshund Dilemma

Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

King Duncan

... splendid way. St. Paul was probably the second most influential person who ever lived, after Christ himself. Wonder how effective Paul would have been had it not been for Barnabas, who had that marvelous gift of encouragement. When Saul of Tarsus claimed Jesus Christ had turned him around, the disciples in Jerusalem refused to believe it, or accept him. They gave him the cold shoulder. You can understand their feelings. The Jerusalem disciples thought Saul had joined the spy business. They suspected their ...

4088. The Lake Wobegone Effect

Luke 4:14-21

Illustration

Arthur G. Ferry

A scandal is brewing in the hallowed halls of Academe. It has to do with test scores given to our young people. A West Virginia doctor noticed sometime back that all 50 states claim that their students score above average on standardized test scores. That, of course, is impossible for everyone to be above average. Someone has even given this scandal a thoughtful name the Lake Wobegon effect. Lake Wobegon is author Garrison Keillor's mythical town where "All the women are strong, all ...

4089. Luke 4: 21-30

Luke 4:14-30

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... It is the most mercurial of crowd-creatures Jesus addresses in the Nazareth synagogue. The crowd-creature is known as a hometown crowd. When Jesus first declares that Isaiah’s prophetic message is “fulfilled,” and “today,” the crowd responds favorably. The hometown crowd claims Jesus as a local boy. The other two synoptic gospels put Jesus’ local lineage more in a scandalous light (see Mark 6:2-3; Matthew 13:54-56). Luke’s rendition has the Nazareth Jews approve of his teachings and prophetic ...

4090. Whose Voice Speaks Louder?

Illustration

William G. Carter

... the young man? The Christian church, circa 200 A.D. Whose voice speaks louder? Your family's voice or God's voice? That is the issue for today, and it is not easily settled. As much as we prepare our children for independence, it is painful when they begin to claim it. As seriously as we nurture our children's faith, it can be unsettling when they begin to take faith seriously.

4091. Blessed Are Those Who Hand Over Their Controllers

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The hundred miles of open water separates the most southern tip of Florida from the most northern coast of Cuba. It’s a stretch of water that has claimed hundreds of lives since the Cuban revolution. Flotillas of “boat people” seeking freedom and family in the US have created desperate “boats” out of anything that might possibly float long enough to reach US soil. The goal of these “boat people” is simple: hit dry land. As long as these ...

4092. Your Face Gives You Away

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon

King Duncan

... mainstream dating site. Here is what was discovered. The people who use Internet dating sites are taller, richer, skinnier and better looking than the average Joe or Jolene at least that is what they say on their profiles. For example, 4% of the online daters claim to earn more than $200,000 per year. Wow! That compares with fewer than 1% of typical Internet users who actually earn that much. Twenty-eight per cent of the women on the site said that they are blond, a number far beyond the national average ...

4093. Facetime and Facebook

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... ’s founder, and he was desperately trying to “save face”-–for himself and for the past and future generations of his family. In Asian cultures “face” is everything. “Face” is arguably the most positive social value a person can claim. One’s “face” is the combination of honor, reputation, responsibility, prestige, and worthiness that one must maintain within all social interactions. To “lose face” is to behave in such a way that every aspect of one’s being—-social, emotional ...

4094. Live and Learn

Isaiah 55:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , as his companions. Jesus was a teacher. Those he called were his “disciples.” Another word for “disciple” (mathetes) is “learner.” When Jesus gave the Great Commission to his disciples he didn’t tell them to go be “teachers.” He called them to claim their status as life-long learners and to pass that love for learning along to the world: “Go therefore and make ‘disciples’ of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). A call to discipleship is a call to enroll more and more people in “Jesus ...

4095. God Said...

Luke 15:1-32

Illustration

Norm Linville

Is there a better picture of forgiveness in the whole Bible? It reminds me of a story about a woman who had upset her pastor because she claimed that she had conversations with God. She had attracted quite a following in the church and every day people gathered at her house, got on their knees, prayed, sang hymns and listened to her describe what God was saying to her. The pastor thought all this was getting out of ...

4096. I Died on the Battlefield

Matthew 27:32-56

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

... name, with another name written beside it. The case finally went to the emperor himself. After examining the evidence, Napoleon said, "Through a surrogate, this man has not only fought, but has died in his country's service. No man can die more than once, therefore the law has no claim on him." Two thousand years ago, Jesus went to the cross to bear the penalty that rightly belongs to us. He died in our place. And through Him, our names are written in the book with His name written beside ours.

4097. Resurrected Place (Series: Living on the Resurrection Side of Life)

John 14:1-4

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... to a better place, it certainly makes life more comfortable on earth.” Jesus is preparing a place for you, a place to be, a place to be here in this world of responsibility and concerns, a place over there where we shall be in the presence of the Lord forever. Claim your place in the Kingdom of God. It has been prepared for you. Brought to you by FaithBreaks.org

4098. Blessed To Be A Blessing

Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... treat everyone you meet like an old goat? Or do you treat them like the sheep of Jesus' flock? You and I have been blessed beyond measure. We know the Good News. We were created in the image of God. From the very beginning of time God has claimed us as his very own. Even when we disobeyed and were rebellious, God sent His only Son to bring us back home. Through Jesus, God made the ultimate sacrifice and paid the ultimate price for our sakes. Through Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection from the grave ...

4099. Jesus Saves, We're Called To Invest

Matthew 25:14-20

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... figured if his master was going on a long journey, there was a chance he might never come back. If the servant put the money in the bank, he would have to register it in the master's name. And when his master didn't come back, the heirs could claim it. However, if he buried it in the backyard, there wouldn't be any record of the money. And if the master didn't come back, the servant would have it for himself. If the master came back, the servant couldn't be accused of dishonesty because he could produce ...

4100. Who's Working In You?

Philippians 2:1-13

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... of the campus. It would have been better for the no-smoking campaign if he had never come to speak. Saying one thing and doing another is something nobody respects. It doesn't make any difference what you say. If your actions don't match your words, you can claim to be a saint but if you act like a stinker, someone's going to get wind of it real quickly. There was a Dilbert cartoon a couple of weeks ago where Dogbert tells Dilbert, "I decided to start a discount religion. The tithing would only be 5% and ...

Showing results