Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4176 to 4200 of 4939 results

4176. The Place beyond Punishment

Sermon

Donna Schaper

You can tell a lot about a family by finding out what happens if a child spills something. In some families, spilling your milk is a capital offense. A child can get in a lot of trouble if the milk is spilled. In other kinds of families, spilling your milk is understood as an accident, a thing that happened, and a form of chance or luck. In these families, there is no additional pain or punishment on top of the original pain of spilling. If you are in a poor family, you may not get anymore milk. There may ...

4177. Trouble In the Parsonage

Hosea 1:2-10

Sermon

David E. Leininger

There once was a retreat attended by the clergy of a community for the purpose of establishing support groups. To kick things off the leader broke the participants up into groups of four and instructed them to confide in one another. In one group, a rabbi broke the ice by saying, "I'll begin by sharing one of my most disturbing problems. Occasionally I slip out of town and give in to my craving for pork - I stuff myself with bacon, sausage, ham, pork chops, and sometimes even babyback ribs." At this point ...

4178. Five Ways to be "Holy" During Holy Week

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

“Everyone else is doing it.” Do you remember those words? Do you remember begging your Mom or Dad for permission to do something they would ordinarily not permit by insisting, “But Ma, everyone else is getting to do it!” The typical parental response to such childish logic usually went something along the lines of, “Well, if everyone else jumped off a bridge would you do it too?” (Of course now that grown men and women actually PAY to go bungee jumping off of bridges, that argument might not have as much ...

4179. The Covenant Confirmed

Exodus 24:1-18

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

The Covenant Is Received and Sealed: Exodus 24 is reminiscent of the beginning of the Sinai journey, where the Lord also was present visibly and conversed with Moses. (See the structural outline of Exodus 19–24 in the introduction to Exodus 19.) The narratives of Exodus 19 and 24 serve as bookends for the law of Exodus 20–23, setting the covenant-giving in the midst of the story of God’s grace and guidance. With the covenant, as in the exodus itself, the people initially followed God’s instruction and ...

4180. Three Things You Can Count On

Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

Charley Reeb

One summer I took a month off for a much needed time of renewal. During my time off I decided to do a little research. I wanted to get the perspective of folks who don’t go to church. Preachers are very insulated in a church bubble. Everything we do revolves around church culture for the most part and that is not all bad. But here is the thing — if the church’s main task is to reach those outside of it then it would be wise for me to get the pulse of those outside the church bubble. How can we be effective ...

4181. Speaking from the Heart

Luke 6:43-45

Sermon

King Duncan

It’s confession time. “Uh-oh,” you’re thinking. “What am I suppose to confess?” By a show of hands, how many of you have a junk drawer at home--a place that has become a repository for things you can’t find somewhere else to keep? What’s in your junk drawer? When you open it up, are you surprised by what ends up in there? The average American home has too much stuff in it, and we don’t know what to do with all of it. We cram things in closets. Under beds. In our junk drawer. We may even rent a warehouse to ...

4182. A Vision of Beauty and Hope

Isaiah 2:1-5

Sermon

King Duncan

In 1948, a World War II veteran named Earl Shaffer was the first person to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. This 2,160-mile hiking trail connects Springer Mountain, Georgia, with Mount Katahdin, Maine. It is billed as the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. Shaffer was restless after the war and he was grieving the death of his best friend. He needed to find some peace, so he set out alone on this challenging adventure. It took him through forests and streams and over mountains. He reached Maine ...

4183. The Master's Voice

Matthew 13:53-58, Mark 6:1-6, Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Prop: The King’s Speech [use a clip from the movie near the conclusion in which the king is grateful to have been freed] Being “voiceless” has been the cause of many a revolution. Slavery, women’s suffrage, child abuse, human trafficking —the progress of history is the story of the voiceless finding a voice and struggling to be free. The stifled voice will find a way to be heard. Those who have difficulty “finding” their voice, after many years of not “speaking,” will be freed by the act of speaking. ...

4184. Since He's In Charge, We're In Luck

Psalm 33:4-5, 8-9, 13-22

Sermon

Robert G. McCreight

Introduction At the turn of the century the storm clouds that had long been gathering in South Africa suddenly broke loose. Britain and the English-speaking South Africans went to war with the Dutch-descended Boers. The British newspaper, The Morning Post, offered a young reporter by the name of Winston Churchill the job of chief war correspondent to cover the story. He jumped at the chance. Soon after he arrived in South Africa he was traveling on a troop train when it was captured and he was taken ...

4185. The Church

Acts 6:8-15, Acts 6:1-7

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: The church has had turmoil from the start. It was as difficult then as it is now. The church can only survive if Jesus is the head. Summary: A mysterious visitor from church "headquarters" calls on the Rev. John Baxter, pastor of a modern day church that is having some major problems. The visitor proposes some startling answers for the church's dilemma and firmly implants the solution by a unique object lesson from history. Playing Time: 10 minutes Place: A church meeting room and then thirty years ...

4186. Proper 10

Colossians 1:1-14, Amos 7:10-17, Luke 10:25-37

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Amos 7:7-17 Amos was a prophet of the South in the eighth century. He wrote the earliest book in the Old Testament. Although he was from the South (Judah), God called him, ca. 750 B.C., to go to the North (Israel) to preach. He found the people prosperous, religious, but oppressive of the poor. His message was one of doom: death for the king and exile for the people. His preaching was not accepted. The chief priest told him to go home and preach to Judah. Epistle: Colossians 1:1- ...

4187. Peace as Shalom

Sermon

Alan Bacon Bond

Scripture: Psalm 72:1-71 Peter 3:8-18Isaiah 9:2-7Luke 10:1-12 Text: "Peace be to this house." (Luke 10:5) Our bus pulled off the highway onto an overpass, where it stopped. The road up from Lod airport, near Tel Aviv, had displayed to us the remnants of the wars of Israel. Shelled-out tanks and armored personnel carriers were preserved where they had fallen, as memorials to the men who had fought and died there. Now our eyes were turned eastward, where we could see our first view of Jerusalem. The tour ...

4188. Jesus Reflects -- A Dramatic Monologue

Isaiah 9:1-7, Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20

Drama

Edward G. Hunter

Jesus of Nazareth speaks: This is the 33rd year since my birth, and in my travels I have come to Bethlehem several times. But, this is the first time I have been here on the night of my birth. I felt drawn here this year, for somehow I instinctively feel I will be unable to visit it again. I know those who oppose me seek to silence me, and I fear before long they may succeed. But, I did not come here to reflect on such thoughts. I have come to see once again the place where my mother brought me into the ...

4189. Hunger, Health, and Happiness

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

One sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching him. Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, "When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place ...

4190. Thanks, Lord

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a ...

4191. Practicing and Preaching

Acts 7:54--8:1a

Sermon

This morning's First Lesson from Acts is about a man who could have made the Bible's Guinness Book of Records twice. We remember St. Stephen as the first Christian to be martyred for his faith. He was an outgoing man whose eagerness to tell others of Christ got him in trouble with the Jewish authorities. They had him killed. Just as importantly Stephen was the first Christian deacon. Actually Stephen wasn't expected to be preaching Christ at all. His job was as an administrator, not a pastor. Of more ...

4192. "I Was Hoping for a Longines"

Sermon

Peter Rudowski

Christmas is a time for giving gifts and Christmas is a time for receiving gifts. If you doubt that Christmas is for gift-giving, ask some children what they have been doing for the last three or four days and they’ll tell you they have been trying to guess what Santa Claus is going to bring them. Did Santa Claus hear their requests? They may have searched the closets, they may go look under the beds, they may tear through your clothes as they seek to find those packages wrapped in beautiful paper with ...

4193. Must We Have All the Answers?

Gn 2:9 · Deut 30:19-20 · Job 52:5

Sermon

Robert Noblett

The young man and his father were headed into New York City for a Saturday outing. It had been some time since they had spent much time together, and the father reasoned that a day such as this was just what was needed. As they crossed The Tapanzee Bridge into Fun City, the son asked, "Dad, what is the name of this bridge?" The father answered, "Son, I don’t know." Later they were driving along Fifth Avenue and the son asked his father, "Dad, is that the Empire State Building?" Replied the father, "Son, I ...

4194. Laying Hold On God's Willingness

Matthew 7:7-12

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

We who experienced the nearness of a recent tornado can appreciate the experience of a certain Kansas farmer. He heard that a tornado was coming so he went down into his cellar. It was an awful storm. Windows were knocked out of his house and roofing was snatched away. His barn was blown away and his car flipped over. After the terrible storm finally passed, a neighbor came to the cellar and called down to him: "Is anybody down there?" The farmer replied, "Nobody is down here but me and God, and we are ...

4195. True Love

John 3:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

When Richard Nixon ran for President in 1968, the Vietnam War was at its height. One of Nixon's TV commercials showed a photo of an American soldier in Vietnam with the word "Love" written on his helmet. The image bothered Harry Treleavan, one of Nixon's media men. "It reminds [people] of hippies," he said. "They don't think it's the sort of thing soldiers should be writing on their helmets." About a week later, however, a letter arrived from the mother of the soldier. She said how thrilled she was to see ...

4196. Responding Instead Of Reacting

Jeremiah 28:1-17

Sermon

Dr. B. Bruce Humphrey

Will Rodgers had a reputation that he could make anyone laugh. President Calvin Coolidge had a reputation that he never laughed at anything. Finally, Will Rodgers was invited to the White House. People wondered what would happen. Both men's reputations were at stake. It is said that Will Rodgers came through the reception line and was introduced to the President. "President Coolidge, this is Will Rodgers. Mr. Rodgers, this is President Calvin Coolidge." Will Rodgers leaned forward and said, "I'm sorry, I ...

4197. The Mother Side Of God

John 14:15-31

Sermon

King Duncan

Today is the day when we honor Moms. See if anyone here recognizes this Mom: You stand up to take pictures at your son's school play even after they've asked people not to. You insist your child wear a sweater when YOU'RE cold. You tell your daughter how much prettier she looks with her hair out of her eyes. You hear yourself say [things like], "Your face will freeze like that," and "If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?" There's a used Kleenex stuffed up your shirtsleeve. The first thing you ...

4198. God Has Come

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

Dear Santa, wrote one young fellow, Please give me a tank, a jet fighter, 20 green soldiers, and a bazooka gun. I'm planning a surprise attack on my brother. So don't tell anyone. Thanks, Danny Dear Santa, wrote another, How will you get into our house this year? We don't have a chimney and my father just installed a very expensive security system. Julie Dear Santa, How old are you? How did you meet Mrs. Claus? Is your first name really Santa? Can I be an elf next year? Who is your favorite kid? How do you ...

4199. Thanksgiving: Where Are You Looking for It?

Psalm 103:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Psalm 103:2 Yes, it is that special time of year when the day of Thanksgiving is observed. Can''t you feel the great anticipation building here in the United States of America as we prepare for this day? NOT HARDLY! Well, most likely we think just what do I have to be thankful for? Granted, the Pilgrims had reasons to offer thanks to God, but not in this dog-eat-dog, selfish world. Thanksgiving? No, Preacher, please get real. As David Feddes ...

4200. The Word And Words

Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I wish I had discovered Eugene Patterson long ago. He's a Presbyterian Pastor, and also an outstanding writer. He's the pastor of Christ Our King United Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland. He has been there for 27 years; (maybe I'll make it that long here). This is one of Patterson's simple, matter-of-fact, powerful expressions of truth: "There is no such thing as successful churches. There are, instead, communities of sinners, gathered week after week by the Holy Spirit, in towns and villages all ...

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