Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 4151 to 4175 of 5000 results

4151. Clothed in Human Flesh

John 6:35, 41-51

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

If something is too good to be true, then it probably isn't true at all. Such is one of the lessons that life teaches us. We learn early on that all too little is what it seems to be. We learn to be skeptical, to question, to doubt. And yet, sometime in life most of us are also taught to believe, even in the face of our skepticism. When does that happen? When did you first really believe something? The authorities complained about what Jesus was saying. He was after all, Joseph and Mary's boy. They watched ...

4152. Human Knowledge

John 6:25-59

Illustration

Brett Blair

Listen to this statistic: Knowledge is exploding at such a rate more than 2000 pages a minute that even Einstein couldn't keep up. In fact, if you read 24 hours a day, from age 21 to 70, and retained all you read, you would be one and a half million years behind when you finished (Campus Life) An amazing statistic. Now tell me when do you suppose this information was compiled? It will alarm you that these statistics do not take into account the Internet. They do not even take into account the personal ...

4153. A Piece of Him

John 6:35, 41-51

Illustration

At the time of the Napoleonic Wars, the famous British Admiral Horatio Nelson was due to be buried in St. Paul's Cathedral. His sailors lifted his casket over their shoulders and majestically carried his body into the cathedral. Draping his coffin was a magnificent Union Jack. After the service, the sailors once more carried his body high in the air, this time to the graveside. With reverence and with efficiency they lowered the body of the world's greatest admiral into its tomb. Then, as though answering ...

4154. Knowledge

John 6:35, 41-51

Illustration

Staff

Scholars have concluded that a peasant in tenth century Europe was exposed to roughly the same volume of information in his lifetime as is published in one daily edition of daily newspaper.

4155. 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-control, and hatred with love. The family is the strongest educator, but moral teachings in the family ...

4156. Be Careful How You Live - Sermon Starter

Eph 5:15-20; John 6:63

Illustration

Brett Blair

Years ago, Harry Emerson Fosdick, then at the height of his influence as minister of the Riverside Church, New York City, was making a tour of Palestine and other countries of the Near and Middle East. He was invited to give an address at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, where the student body comprised citizens of many countries and representatives from sixteen different religions. What could one say that would be relevant or of interest to so mixed and varied a group? This is how Fosdick began ...

4157. O, Lord Give Me a Penny

2 Peter 3:8

Illustration

Staff

A man asked God, "What does a billion dollars mean to you who are all powerful?" "Hardly a penny." God said. Then the man asked God , "And what are a thousand centuries to you?" God answered "Hardly a second!!" Thinking he had God backed into a corner, the man then said, "Then if that's the case, O, Lord give me a penny !!" God replied, "Sure, just give me a minute." Wisdom isn't outsmarting God, wisdom is living in and with God. Wisdom is being in Christ and surrounded by Christ. Wisdom is eating and ...

4158. Bread from Home

John 6:51-58

Illustration

Staff

I'm reminded of a true story of a soldier who was severely wounded. When he was out of surgery, the doctors said that there was a good chance for recovery, but as the days progressed he wouldn't eat anything. The nurses and nuns tried everything, but he refused all food-drinking only water and juice. One of his buddies knew why the soldier wouldn't eat - he was homesick. So his friend offered to bring the young man's father to visit him. The commanding officer approved and the friend went to the parents' ...

4159. Full Devotion

John 6:51-58

Illustration

Edwin D. Peterman

Several years ago a couple of reporters conducted an experiment on the streets of Miami, Florida. They printed up a copy of the Bill of Rights in the form of a petition, put it on a clipboard, and then stopped people on the sidewalk and asked them to sign it. As you know, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are the Bill of Rights, and they were adopted and put into effect in December of 1791. The reporters were surprised at people's reaction when asked to add their names to the so- ...

4160. Christ in Me and I in Him

John 6:56

Illustration

Staff

A minister is walking along the ocean with his small son. The boy questioned his father about Sunday's sermon. The boy said, "Dad, I cannot understand how Christ can live in us and we live in him at the same time." Further down the beach, the father noticed an empty bottle with a cork in it. Taking the bottle, he half filled it with water, re-corked it and flung it out into the ocean. As they watched the bottle bob up and down he said, "Son, the sea is in the bottle and the bottle is in the sea. It is a ...

4161. Backsliding - Sermon Starter

John 6:56-69

Illustration

Brett Blair

There was once a term frequently used in the church. In the old days it was used often. You rarely ever hear it today. Indeed, in all my years in the ministry I have never preached a sermon on the topic until now. Despite the infrequency with which it is mentioned, the concept, I think, is still valid. It is backsliding. The term backsliding, I discovered in my research, was popularized in the 1600's by John Bunyan in his very famous allegory Pilgrim's Progress. In the story, you may recall, the character ...

4162. Difficult Sayings

John 6:56-69

Illustration

Brett Blair

That great American writer, Mark Twain, wrote: "Most people are bothered by those passages in Scriptures which they cannot understand; but as for me, I always notice that the passages in Scripture which trouble me most are those which I do understand." I suspect that, at times, we all would like to walk away from the church and never come back. We want a God different from the one we find in Jesus. Flesh and blood? Yes. But demanding? No. Resurrected? Yes. But crucified? No. Salvation? Yes. Repentance? No ...

4163. I Quit

John 6:60

Illustration

Staff

A guy joins a monastery and takes a vow of silence. He's allowed to say two words every seven years. After the first seven years, the elders bring him in and ask for his two words. "Cold floors," he says. They nod and send him away. Seven more years pass. They bring him back in and ask for his two words. He clears his throat and says, "Bad food." They nod and send him away. Seven more years pass. They bring him in for his two words. "I quit," he says. "That's not surprising," the elders say. "You've done ...

4164. I Am the Path

Jn 6:56-69; Mk 12:35-40

Illustration

Brett Blair

Stanley Jones tells of a missionary who got lost in an African jungle, nothing around him but bush and a few cleared places. He found a native hut and asked the native if he could get him out. The native said he could. "All right," said the missionary, "show me the way." The native said, "Walk," so they walked and hacked their way through unmarked jungle for more than an hour. The missionary got worried. "Are you quite sure this is the way? Where is the path?" The native said, "Bwana, in this place there ...

4165. Everything Changes When You Are Called

John 6:56-69

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

John C. Purdy, a staff member of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., has written a challenging book entitled Returning God's Call: The Challenge of Christian Living. In it, Purdy suggests that we need a new metaphor for the Christian life. He points out the inadequacy of the old metaphors such as "a soldier in God's army," "a scholar in the school of Christ," "a traveler a long the Christian way," "a citizen of the commonwealth; "and a member of Christ's body." Each of these metaphors has served us well in the ...

4166. I Shall Be Alive When You Are Gone

John 6:56-69

Illustration

W.B. Hinson

Thinking of the fullness and duration of this wonderful life, W. B. Hinson, a great preacher of a past generation, spoke from his own experience just before he died. He said, "I remember a year ago when a doctor told me, 'You have an illness from which you won't recover.' I walked out to where I live 5 miles from Portland, Oregon, and I looked across at that mountain that I love. I looked at the river in which I rejoice, and I looked at the stately trees that are always God's own poetry to my soul. Then in ...

4167. A Flattened 9 to 5 World

John 6:25-59

Illustration

Thomas H. Yorty

Duke Chaplain William Willimon writes," The reason this passage is so tough is that we are modern people who live in flattened, cause-effect world full of data and facts. We simply may not have the intellectual imagination to deal with words and images like those Jesus serves up today." Willimon is on to something. We do live in a flattened 9 to 5 world. Force life into bite sized data, facts, time-frames. Translate our joy and sorrow into tidy cause and effect formulas. When something terrible happens how ...

4168. A Commitment to "Words of Life"

John 6:56-69

Illustration

Brett Blair

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Their conviction resulted in untold sufferings for themselves and their families. Of the 56 men, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army. Another had two sons captured. Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from wounds or hardships of the war. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships sunk by the British navy ...

4169. Creeds and Deeds - Sermon Starter

Mark 7:1-23

Illustration

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 ...

4170. Melting Mountains of Ice

Illustration

King Duncan

William Lloyd Garrison was the greatest abolitionist this country has ever known. He was a publisher of a newspaper called the Liberator, an antislavery publication. Garrison was an angry man, angry with indignation caused by the unbelievably inhumane treatment many of the slaves experienced. He hated slavery with everything that was in him. One day one of his best friends, Samuel May, tried to calm him down. He said to Garrison, "Oh, my friend, try to moderate your indignation and keep more cool. Why, you ...

4171. Tradition Is a Powerful Thing

Mt 15:1-20; Mk 7:1-23

Illustration

King Duncan

Years ago Harry Emerson Fosdick told about a church in Denmark where the worshipers bowed regularly before a certain spot on the wall. They had been doing that for three centuries bowing at that one spot in the sanctuary. Nobody could remember why. One day in renovating the church, they removed some of the whitewash on the walls. At the exact spot where the people bowed they found the image of the Madonna under the whitewash. People had become so accustomed to bowing before that image that even after it ...

4172. A Tradition of Fighting

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Illustration

There is a story about a young, newly ordained minister who went to serve his first church. He noticed that on the first Sunday, when he said the prayers, the congregation on the left side of the church stood at the beginning of the prayers, and the congregation on the right side remained seated. The young minister thought this was a bit odd, but he kept going in the prayers—until he began to hear some murmuring between the two sides, then the murmuring turned into grumbling and then people yelling at each ...

4173. The Paint Bucket

Mark 7:18

Illustration

Staff

Jesus asking his disciples, "Are you so dull?" reminds me of the man who was hired to paint the lines on the highway that divide the lanes. Now the company didn't have a lot of resources so he had to do his painting on foot. After the first day at work his supervisor was very impressed when he learned that this new employee had painted three miles' worth of lines. Unfortunately, the next day his results were not quite as impressive. He was only able to extend the lines for two miles. The third day he only ...

4174. Holding to Tradition

Mark 7:1-23

Illustration

Brett Blair

The pharisees obsession over ritual uncleanness reminds of the story about two monks, Tanzan and a younger monk, walking down a muddy street. They arrived at the river crossing and there was a lovely young girl dressed in fine silks, who was afraid to cross because of all the mud. "Come on, girl," said Tanzan. And he picked her up in his arms, and carried her across. The two monks did not speak again till nightfall. Then, when they had returned to the monastery, the young monk couldn't keep quiet any ...

4175. The Frail Old Man

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Illustration

Staff

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about Grandfather," said the son. "I've ...

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Antonyms: deficient, imperfect

Showing 4151 to 4175 of 5000 results

4151. Clothed in Human Flesh

John 6:35, 41-51

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

4152. Human Knowledge

John 6:25-59

Illustration

Brett Blair

4153. A Piece of Him

John 6:35, 41-51

Illustration

4154. Knowledge

John 6:35, 41-51

Illustration

Staff

Scholars have concluded that a peasant in tenth century Europe was exposed to roughly the same volume of information in his lifetime as is published in one daily edition of daily newspaper.

4155. They Will All Be Taught By God

John 6:35, 41-51

Illustration

Ralph Waldo Emerson

4156. Be Careful How You Live - Sermon Starter

Eph 5:15-20; John 6:63

Illustration

Brett Blair

4157. O, Lord Give Me a Penny

2 Peter 3:8

Illustration

Staff

4158. Bread from Home

John 6:51-58

Illustration

Staff

4159. Full Devotion

John 6:51-58

Illustration

Edwin D. Peterman

4160. Christ in Me and I in Him

John 6:56

Illustration

Staff

4161. Backsliding - Sermon Starter

John 6:56-69

Illustration

Brett Blair

4162. Difficult Sayings

John 6:56-69

Illustration

Brett Blair

4163. I Quit

John 6:60

Illustration

Staff

4164. I Am the Path

Jn 6:56-69; Mk 12:35-40

Illustration

Brett Blair

4165. Everything Changes When You Are Called

John 6:56-69

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

4166. I Shall Be Alive When You Are Gone

John 6:56-69

Illustration

W.B. Hinson

4167. A Flattened 9 to 5 World

John 6:25-59

Illustration

Thomas H. Yorty

4168. A Commitment to "Words of Life"

John 6:56-69

Illustration

Brett Blair

4169. Creeds and Deeds - Sermon Starter

Mark 7:1-23

Illustration

Brett Blair

4170. Melting Mountains of Ice

Illustration

King Duncan

4171. Tradition Is a Powerful Thing

Mt 15:1-20; Mk 7:1-23

Illustration

King Duncan

4172. A Tradition of Fighting

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Illustration

4173. The Paint Bucket

Mark 7:18

Illustration

Staff

4174. Holding to Tradition

Mark 7:1-23

Illustration

Brett Blair

4175. The Frail Old Man

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Illustration

Staff

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