Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4151 to 4175 of 4490 results

4151. Jerusalem, Emmaus and the Meaning of Life

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

Formerly a teacher for fifteen years with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, GERALDINE SULLIVAN became involved with Clinical Pastoral Education in the Boston area and subsequently studied for a Th.M. in Pastoral Psychology at Duke University. Presently, Ms. Sullivan is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, a CPE Supervisor, as well as a Fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. She has been on the staff of the Georgia Association for Pastoral Care in Atlanta since 1977 and ...

4152. Creeds or Deeds

Mark 7:1-23

Sermon

Brett Blair

Rev. David Chadwell posed a rather interesting question: Which would you prefer for a next-door neighbor: a person of excellent habits or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a good friend: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a husband or a wife: a person of excellent habits, or a person with a good heart? Which would you prefer for a child: a child with excellent habits, or a child with a good heart? It is wonderful to have a neighbor ...

4153. Old Favorite

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sermon

Harold Warlick

Most of us play favorites, whether we admit it or not. All parents try to love their children with equal devotion. That’s hard to do. My own parents had a favorite: it was my sister, I’m convinced. Yet from her incorrect perspective, I was the favorite. Favoritism seems to be a part of our biblical perspective. Abraham and Sarah favored Isaac over Ishmael. Then old Isaac favored Esau the country boy, but his wife Rebekah favored pompous little Jacob. There’s no doubt old Jacob himself later favored and ...

4154. Changing Seasons, Constant Love

Jeremiah 8:4--9:26

Sermon

John W. Wurster

Another season has come and gone. Promises that were made have not been fulfilled. Good intentions haven’t yielded any tangible results. Dreams have not come true. High hopes have proven to be only wishful thinking. Nothing has really changed; nothing has really improved. The time keeps moving along, but we seem stuck in the same ruts. Old routines remain, prejudices persist, dullness and anxiety continue to be constant companions. Lingering in the air is that nagging sense that things aren’t quite right, ...

4155. Out of the Box

Acts 11:1-18

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

Why do some people always want to put Christians into a tight little box? Why should we limit the gospel to people who have heard it all before? Why shouldn’t we take the gospel beyond the four walls of the church to people who don’t look like us, walk like us, talk like us, or share our views? Why must we always talk to the people who think like we think and do as we do? Why doesn’t our conversation and proclamation go forth to people who need to be converted to Christ? It is true that people in the ...

4156. Diabolical Political Skills

John 17:20-26

Illustration

Glenn E. Ludwig

To believe, to really believe, that we are joined to Christ and to one another and can find wholeness and oneness in that union, puts us in direct opposition to the preaching of the world around us. In a mail advertisement their was a book titled "The Black Book of Executive Politics" and was written anonymous author. This is actually what the advertisement said about this book. Written by a world-class corporate infighter who prefers to remain anonymous, this priceless volume contains 87 street-smart ...

4157. The Christmas Promise: God With Us

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

James W. Moore

G. K. Chesterton, the noted British poet and theologian, was a brilliant man who could think deep thoughts and express them well. However, he was also extremely absent-minded, and over the years he became rather notorious for getting lost. He would just absolutely forget where he was supposed to be and what he was supposed to be doing. On one such occasion, he sent a telegram to his wife which carried these words: “Honey, seems I’m lost again. Presently, I am at Market Harborough. Where ought I to be?” As ...

4158. East of Easter

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

David E. Leininger

Many years ago, in my early days in radio, when I was of an age to have the stamina of youth, I did an all-night show - playing phonograph records in the wee hours for a few long- distance truck drivers, weary parents of infants who refused to sleep, and the occasional drunk. (It is amazing what a man will do for money, isn't it?) The show was called "East of Midnight." That has nothing really to do with the message this morning. I mention it simply to let you in on the title of the sermon, "East of Easter ...

4159. What We Have Is A Communication Problem

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon

King Duncan

A woman dialed the number of what she thought was the local record shop. A man answered. She asked, "Do you have 10 little fingers and 10 little toes in Alabama?" The man had no idea she was talking about a song. He said, "No, but I do have a wife and 15 kids in Louisiana." She asked, "Is that a record?" He said, "I don't know if it is a record or not, but it sure is above average." (1) One of the favorite devices of comedians is that of garbled communication. An Italian gentleman was trying to learn ...

4160. Who Says A Good Man Is Hard To Find?

Luke 7:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

It's not easy being a parent. Someone has said, "You don't really know a person until you have observed his behavior with a child, a flat tire, when the boss is away, and when he thinks no one will ever know." A home without problems of one kind or another is a fantasy. Someone has said that undoubtedly, the first man who ever tore a telephone book in two had a teenage daughter. (1) It's not easy. That's why we set aside one day a year to honor those men who live out in their families the love which they ...

4161. Watch!

Matthew 24:36-51

Sermon

King Duncan

"Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming." (vs. 42). That is what is wrong with many of us today ”we have quit watching. Rather than living on tip-toe in an atmosphere of expectancy we are drowning in pessimism and despair. Even many devout Christians are prone to operate from fear rather than faith. That is why churches are faltering today. We are afraid. We have no faith. How different we are from those earlier followers of our Lord. It was far more difficult for them to be ...

4162. Written In Our Hearts

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

King Duncan

It is amazing to those of us who are parents that God would give us the most precious gift in the world, a small child, and not give us a manual on how to raise that child. If you buy a computer, you get a manual, or a car or a VCR but with the most intricate and complicated gift in the world, a human infant, there is no manual. Having children is not for the fainthearted. As somebody put it, "Children may be deductible, but they are also taxing." I appreciated the story of one mother with four small ...

4163. The Wondrous Possibility Of Change

Galatians 1:11-24

Sermon

King Duncan

The prophet Jeremiah asked 2700 years ago, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." (13:23) In other words, can a person change his or her basic nature? Can the cruel become kind, the vulgar become refined, the coward become courageous? It is an important question. Few of us are all we want to be. Is there any hope for us? Albert Einstein once said that it is easier to denature plutonium than it is to denature the evil spirit ...

4164. Are You Strong Enough To Forgive?

Genesis 45:1-28

Sermon

King Duncan

A woman and her grandmother, a very forgiving and religious soul, were sitting on their porch discussing a member of the family. "He's just no good," the young woman said. "He's completely untrustworthy, not to mention lazy." "Yes, he's bad," the grandmother said as she rocked back and forth in her rocker, "but Jesus loves him." "I'm not so sure of that," the younger woman persisted. "Oh, yes," assured the elderly lady. "Jesus loves him." She rocked and thought for a few more minutes and then added, "Of ...

4165. Show Me The Fish!

Luke 5:1-11

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: a small net, like those used in home aquariums Good morning, boys and girls. Our Bible story today is about fishing. Jesus was out standing by the edge of a large lake when a big group of fishermen came by. They had been fishing all night, but they hadn't caught much. Jesus asked the fishermen to take Him out on their boat, so He could fish with them. Now, these fishermen were probably very tired, and they knew that the best fishing was at night and in the early morning, when the sun wasn't shining ...

4166. Bridges Over The River Kwai

John 20:19-23

Sermon

King Duncan

The movie, The Bridge on the River Kwai, chronicles the work of a group of soldiers, imprisoned by the Japanese during the Second World War. These soldiers were forced to build a railway across a very difficult section of mountains between Burma and Siam. Eric Lomax, a British soldier, is a reallife survivor of that group of prisoners. Throughout his imprisonment, Eric and thousands of other British soldiers were starved and tortured, and many died. When the Japanese officers suspected Eric of having a ...

4167. Living In Sin Or Synergy?

Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

King Duncan

One of the most exciting buzz words in business today is the word "synergy." According to the principle of synergy, when two or more people work together, the total effect of their work is greater than if they had been working independently. For example, one horse can pull 2 tons by itself. That means two horses working separately will be able to pull 4 tons, 2 tons per horse. But when two horses are teamed together, we are told they can pull 18 tons. That's synergy. Here's another example. Suppose you ...

4168. Nothing Is Impossible With God

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

King Duncan

In January of 2002, a hospital in London, England, mistakenly sent letters to over 30 unsuspecting patients informing them that they were pregnant. The hospital's computer system, which normally is used to send form letters telling people that their operations have been postponed, was in the hands of a clerical worker who hit the wrong key. And so, instead of informing patients about a rescheduled procedure, the computer sent identical form letters telling the recipients that they were "great with child." ...

4169. Missing The Real Miracle

John 6:1-15

Sermon

King Duncan

John and Ruth Jones were celebrating the 4th of July by having their extended family over for a cookout. They had planned a spectacular home fireworks display--even though fireworks were illegal in their state. A relative called at the last minute to ask if he could bring a friend to the cookout. John and Ruth graciously said yes. The friend turned out to be a police officer. What were John and Ruth to do? John quietly whispered to their son, John, Jr., "Hide the fireworks--quick." That is no surprise. If ...

4170. The Grief Of God

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

King Duncan

A sermon by Donald B. Strobe, for the University United Methodist Church of East Lansing, Michigan on Sunday, March 30, 2003. I am thankful that, during the forty years of my pastoral ministry, I only had to conduct one funeral for a soldier who was killed in Vietnam. Believe me, one was enough! One was too many! I knew him well; his mother was part of our church staff. I tried to be as comforting as possible to the family, while at the same time reminding all of us of the blasphemy of war. I began by ...

4171. Discerning The Will Of God

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

In the popular cartoon, Marvin, Marvin's mother looks down at little Marvin who has just taken his hammer and broken his toys into thousands of pieces. "Why must you always break your toys, Marvin?" Marvin thinks to himself and then replies, "I'm just practicing for when I grow up. I'm going to be a broker." I don't think many of us want to spend our lives being "brokers;" we would rather builders and fixers. We want our lives to count for something good, constructive, and lasting. We want to make our mark ...

4172. When Death Is Gain

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Edward Inabinet

(For a very faithful choir member who had given most of her life to singing in the church choir.) The Apostle Paul declared, "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Paul loved life and loved his friends, but he knew it was better to die and be with the Lord. ________________ too felt it was time to lay aside the burden of illness and disease and to find that sorely needed rest and refreshment that only Heaven can give. While her death brings sorrow to us, it has brought victory to her. To live in ...

4173. THE HOPE HE LEFT BEHIND

Drama

Angela Akers

SUBJECT: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day CHARACTERS: Martin Luther King, Jr., Angel SETTING: On their way to Heaven PROPS: None (Martin walks into the area where the angel is. He is disoriented by the sight of the angel). Martin: "Wha....Where am I? Am I dead?" Angel: "Yes, Martin, you''re dead. It''s my job to take you to Heaven." Martin: "Wait a minute! There''s a problem here. I need to go back. I can''t go now. My work is not done." Angel: "I''m sorry, Martin, but you have to." Martin ...

4174. In the Meantime: Between the First and Second Comings

Isaiah 2:1-5

Sermon

David Busic

How he knew every day that it was time, still baffles me. Can a two year old have an internal clock? Certainly he knew instinctively when it is time to eat, and I think his body told him that it was time to nap, but how did he know it was time for Sesame Street? But every single day, he knew. “Sessy Steet; Sessy Steet.” And he was right. The songs were what got me. Here, years later, I know every word to “Elmo’s Song.” I suspect that they write these children’s songs intentionally so that they sound like ...

4175. Family Reunion

Mark 3:31-35

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

I. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT FAMILY REUNIONS? My son-in-law calls them “Family Rebellions.” Have you ever visited in a home where they have a photograph on the wall of a family reunion, where 30 or more people, from infants to the aged, are squeezed into an 8 x 10 photograph and frozen on film for all time? The patriarch of the family is usually positioned smack dab in the middle of the first row and is easily identified by that “Gee-did-I-start-all-this” look on his face. Family reunions are funny things. You ...

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