Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4176 to 4200 of 4489 results

4176. Blessings Beyond Our Dreams (Part 2 )

1 Chronicles 4:1-23

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Last week we began our study of The Prayer Of Jabez, a best-selling book by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson which has become a publishing phenomenon. Jabez begins life with little promise. His name means "pain." Every time his name is mentioned, it is as though he is reminded, "I am a born loser." A distinguished Bible teacher puts it this way: "We have a picture of a young man who has all the cards stacked against him. There was a struggle in the family of Jabez. If you examine the genealogies in the Book of ...

4177. The Second Commandment: What Is Your Golden Calf?

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Today we continue in our series on the Ten Commandments. We come to the second commandment which teaches us: "You shall not make for yourself an idol." We are not to bow down to wood or stone. We learn that God is jealous for us against other false gods who seek us and that the consequences of worshiping false idols can be felt for a long period of time. It can not only hurt us, but our children as well. I love the story told by a man in his 40s who went to hear an old-fashioned Baptist preacher talk about ...

4178. The Seventh Commandment: Indecent Proposal

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Eric Ritz

In the year 1632 the British Corporation of Barker and Lucas produced a handsomely bound edition of scripture. Unfortunately they made one significant mistake in the hundreds of pages of impeccable print. At the inclusion of the Seventh Commandment of the decalogue, they inadvertently omitted the negative from the verse so that the law read, "Thou shalt commit adultery." The printers were so heavily fined for their carelessness that the mistake put them out of business. This famous edition has forever been ...

4179. Dealing with the Hard Moments of the Journey

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

They had every reason to be bitter. The circumstances of life had dealt a tough hand for them to play and handle. On Palm Sunday, 1994, the congregation of the Goshen United Methodist Church was preparing for festive worship services that day. However, seemingly out of nowhere, a tornado came upon the town of Piedmont, Alabama. It is generally known in the insurance industry that a church is the safest place to be. There are fewer fatal accidents per thousand there than in any other location. However, not ...

4180. Easter for Thomas, Too

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Robert Noblett

The urge to be a part of what is going on is very powerful. Or to say it differently, to be on the outside looking in can be unsettling at best. Just remember the last time you came into a room and found a group of people talking excitedly about a news event or something that happened to someone else in the office. You probably went right up to those assembled and in some way signaled your interest in their conversation. Or think of it this way. Whenever you have been part of a group of three -- perhaps at ...

4181. God Help the Fish

Mark 1:9-13

Sermon

King Duncan

Sam Houston was the first president of the Republic of Texas. It’s said he was a rather nasty fellow with a checkered past. Later in life Houston made a commitment to Christ and was baptized in a river. The preacher said to him, “Sam, your sins are washed away.” Houston replied, “God help the fish.” It’s fortunate that you and I were not baptized as adults in a river. Somebody would probably be saying, “God help the fish.” A man named Ray says that at one point in his life he considered joining the Baptist ...

4182. Come On Down

Isaiah 63:7--64:12

Sermon

Curtis Lewis

One of the most popular television game shows is The Price Is Right hosted by long-time emcee Bob Barker. When you receive tickets to attend this highly-watched, fast-moving game show, you become automatically eligible to have your name drawn to become a participant. As the show opens, names are drawn, and an announcer exclaims, "Mary Jones, come on down!" Mary excitedly jumps from her seat and runs down to the front of the game show set to compete with other contestants for an opportunity to go on the ...

4183. The House of Hope

Hosea 2:2-23

Sermon

Curtis Lewis

A friend of mine lives in a remote area of the United States which has a very low emotional quotient. Because of this, alcoholism is rampant, incest is above average, and spousal abuse is prevalent. One of the dominating social ills is the abuse suffered by teenagers. In a recent study released by the state where my friend resides, a survey revealed that one out of every three teenagers has been abused sexually. In order to help these teens who have suffered mentally, emotionally, and physically because of ...

4184. Dying And Rising With Christ

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I have a friend who is a Benedictine monk. The way we live out our lives is vastly different, but I feel a real kinship, a oneness of spirit with Brother Sam. One of the most memorable evenings, one to which I return often in my mind, is the time he and I spent together alone in our home in Nashville, sharing our Christian pilgrimages. The vivid highlight of that evening still alive in my mind was his sharing with me the occasion of his solemn vows, the service when he made his life commitment to the ...

4185. The Christian Life Defined By Prayer

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

My grandmother Dunham came to live with us when I was four or five years old. She was a quiet, gentle woman who spoke very little. But her presence was like a benediction to our entire household. I remember Grandma as she sat on the swing on the front porch. Now you don’t know anything about the South, unless you know that swings on front porches are very important. She would sit in the swing on the front porch, reading the Bible. During our play, we often found her with her hands folded over the open ...

4186. What Really Matters The Price Of The High Calling

Philippians 3:12-4:1

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

The price of a vital faith, and there is a price, the price of a vital faith is continuous struggle. The quest is perennial. We were created God to grow. We were recreated by Christ to grow spiritually. So Paul sets out in this word about pressing toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The pattern is clear. So let me lay it out in the fashion of that old black preacher who said of his preaching, first, I tell them what I’m going to tell them. Then I tell them. And then I ...

4187. Repentance: The No That Is A Yes

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Elie Wiesel is one of the great story-tellers of our time. He is a Jew who has a passionate memory of the Holocaust. He tells stories with a clarity and a passion that sets your soul on fire. In fact, a collection of his Hasidic stories is entitled "Souls on Fire". Let me read you the introduction to that book: "My father, an enlightened spirit, believed in man, My grandfather, a fervent Hasid, believed in God. The one taught me to speak, the other to sing. Both loved stories. And when I tell mine, I hear ...

4188. From Empty Nets to Full Lives

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

J. Ellsworth Kalas

It's funny what experiences and phrases will stay with you from childhood. I still remember a line from a song which apparently was popular, for at least a short period of time, in my early childhood. It was a half-funny, half-pathetic little lament from someone who felt rejected and unsuccessful. As I recall, each verse ended with the phrase, "I guess I'll go eat worms." Most of us can understand the mood of the song, if not the dietary remedy. Every one of us feels like a failure at one time or another. ...

4189. Jesus, Desirous

Luke 13:31-35

Sermon

Frank G. Honeycutt

In the powerful movie, Ulee's Gold, Peter Fonda plays a tired man who is a beekeeper by day. He runs the old family business of collecting and selling the golden honey that pays the bills. It is exhausting work for a man now in his late sixties. Ulee does most of it by himself because he cannot afford to hire someone to help him. He maintains and moves the hives, gathers the trays, separates the honey from the wax, spins the final product into jars, and ships it off to market. He worries about the ebb and ...

4190. The Coronation of Christ

Isaiah 51:17--52:12

Sermon

Elizabeth Achtemeier

In biblical times, when a king was crowned in Israel, two acts took place. First, the king was crowned in the temple and presented with something that was called the "testimony" (2 Kings 11:12; 2 Chronicles 23:11). The testimony was probably some sort of document embodying the basic terms of the Lord's covenant with the house of David. As such, it was the legitimization of the king's rule by God. Second, the king was then led to his palace, he ascended his throne, and the beginning of his rule was ...

4191. Evaluating Our Names

Isaiah 62:1-12

Sermon

Elizabeth Achtemeier

For those who like to preach from all three lectionary texts, the stated readings for this Sunday could cause a preacher great perplexity. How on earth do they all fit together? The Epistle lesson deals with the variety of gifts given by the Spirit to the church. The Gospel lesson recounts Jesus' first "sign" at the wedding at Cana, when the water turned into wine, became the symbol of his blood poured out for us all. Our Isaiah text concerns the eschatological future of Jerusalem. Other than the reference ...

4192. Return and Be Forgiven

Isaiah 55:1-13

Sermon

Elizabeth Achtemeier

On this third Sunday in Lent, all three of our lessons have to do with repentance, but we will look at that specifically in our Isaiah text. Verses 8 and 9 of our Old Testament lesson tell us about the absolute otherness of God. "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, says the Lord." That is a revelation that we need to remember whenever we try to identify the Lord with theological theories from our own imagination, or whenever we try to say that one of our social programs is ...

4193. The Proof Is In the Pudding

Luke 7:18-35

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Some of you will know the name Norman Cousins. For many years he was the eminent editor of The Saturday Review. During his last years he served as a faculty member at the UCLA Medical School. He had developed what was considered an incurable disease—and he discovered that laughter was a way that helped. In fact, he convinced some medical folks to include laughter as a part of their treatment programs. As a part of this, there was a particular room in a hospital in Houston, Texas, called the “Living Room.” ...

4194. The Gospel

Colossians 1:3-6

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

When I first began to think of preaching for you these days, my intention was to look through the entire letter of Paul to the Colossians and hit the high points of that letter. As I began to work more specifically in preparation for this event, I decided that was altogether too expansive. What I needed to do was to be more focused. So, during this time I am with you, I am going to focus on just the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the church at Colossi. In the services this morning I am going to be ...

4195. Chimps, Mount Saint Helens, and the Holy Gust

Acts 2:42-47

Sermon

Bill Mosley

They didn't get a TV Guide so they planned their television viewing by the commercial previews. Sometimes the networks don't tell you everything in the previews, like, this particularly good adventure is a two-part mini-series, and you need to watch tomorrow night, too. And the most dreaded words in the English language flash across the screen: To be continued. You didn't know? You watched the whole show thinking it would all be resolved and over at the end? Then it happened at the most inopportune time: ...

4196. Shalom Shattered

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

Sermon

Arley K. Fadness

It's art class. The student potter, under the watchful eye of the artist-instructor, carefully fashions, spins, and shapes a lump of green clay into a beautiful Grecian chalice. The clay figurine is then fired, soon to be painted and glazed. The potter and the mentor watch through the glass door of the oven as the fire heats the new creation toward a hardy sturdiness -- durable and strong. But then both apprentice and instructor notice, to their disappointment, cracks appearing in the chalice. The firing ...

4197. Improving Our Memory

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship One: What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me? All: I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. (Psalm 116:12-14) Collect We thank you Lord that you allow us to approach this closely to the burning bush, to sit again with the Master as he served his disciples. We praise you for the privilege of knowing Jesus Christ as risen Lord and loving servant. Help us to remember that the way to ...

4198. Life, Death, and Judgment

Romans 14:1-12

Sermon

Jeff Wedge

In 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached a famous sermon with the title, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." In great detail Edwards spoke of the wrath people rightly faced when they confronted the judgment of a God who was angry at the way the people had failed to do what they were called to do. While many people understand only this much about that famous sermon, and hold it up as an example of the worst sort of preaching meant to terrify those who hear what is said, the sermon itself is actually quite ...

4199. Baptism of our Lord

Isaiah 42:1-9, Matthew 3:13-17, Acts 10:23b-48

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 42:1-9 Yahweh describes the character and work of his Servant. This is the first of four servant songs in Isaiah. In verses 1-4 the Servant is described as chosen and well-pleasing to Yahweh, Spirit-filled, patient, and faithful. In verses 5-9, the work of the Servant is to bring the light of salvation to the world, justice, and he shall be a covenant of the people. How does this passage relate to Jesus' baptism? As the Servant was anointed with the Spirit, Jesus at his ...

4200. Proper 21

Exodus 17:1-7, Ezekiel 18:1-32, Philippians 2:1-11, Philippians 2:12-18, Matthew 21:23-27, Matthew 21:28-32

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Exodus 17:1-7 Moses brings water out of a rock. In their wilderness wanderings, the Israelites came to Rephidim where there was no water. The people were angry enough to stone Moses to death. He takes the problem to Yahweh who directs him to strike a rock to get water. Old Testament: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 God appeals to Israel to repent and live. Epistle: Philippians 2:1-13 Paul, in appealing for unity, presents Jesus as the model of humanity and obedience. Paul pleads for unity ...

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