Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4251 to 4275 of 4914 results

4251. God's Gift Of Life

Psalm 139:1-24

Sermon

Erskine White

For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb. (Psalm 139:13) Fathers in earlier generations usually weren't allowed to do this, but I have had the splendid privilege of watching and helping as two of my children were born. The first time, the experience was new and overwhelming. I felt I had witnessed God's hands at work in the world and when our baby was safely delivered, I was left groping for inadequate words to describe what I had seen. The word "awesome" came to ...

4252. Wedding: An Offer from God

Sermon Aid

John M. Braaten

(Name) and (name), you haven't exactly had what would be called a whirlwind romance. Now all those years of courtship and months and months of preparation are being distilled into these brief but precious moments, which comprise your wedding day. What do you say to a young couple who are deeply in love but who are still largely innocent of the demands of love? What do you say to two dear young people who know the joy of a close relationship, but who have yet to deal with the frictions which the intimacy of ...

4253. Easter Sunday

John 20:1-9, Acts 10:23b-48, Isaiah 51:1-16, Exodus 15:1-21, Colossians 3:1-17, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Luke 24:1-12

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The Resurrection of Our Lord, Easter Day, exposes the heart of the gospel and the church year, too. It was the resurrection of Jesus Christ that made the difference in the disciples and the early Christians, changing them into bold witnesses for the crucified and risen Lord; all of the disciples, according to tradition, with the exception of St. John, died as martyrs - witnesses - for Jesus Christ. When Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, told them that "men (would) revile and persecute you ...

4254. Advent's "Invisible" Man

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

The idea of-the invisibility in our culture is no new thing. The great H.G. Wells wrote a book called The Invisible Man. In it he imaginatively explores the development of a professor's ingenious use of science to effect his own invisibility. Invisibility becomes a metaphor for invincibility. His becoming invisible is by his own choosing. He literally disappears with the ingestion of a certain chemical solution, which eventually drives him insane. The point here is this man, Griffin, chooses to become ...

4255. Everything Except God

Amos 5:1-17

Sermon

Richard Hasler

Robert Coles, a child psychiatrist who taught at Harvard University, decided to travel to the South in the early days of the civil rights struggle to see for himself what effect the tension was having upon little children. He soon developed a special interest in Ruby Bridges, a six-year-old black girl in New Orleans. She walked bravely to class each morning accompanied by federal marshals who protected her from the ever-present abuse of an angry mob. How was she able to stand such tension? Where did a ...

4256. Whether We Live Or Die

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Sermon

Sims Robert

“So Moses, a servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab (Deuteronomy 34:5).” In life and in death, Moses was a servant of God. The issue for Moses was not to live or to die but in all things to belong to God. The apostle Paul reflects the same spirit, “None of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself. If we live we live to the Lord and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s (Romans 14:7-8).” All who trust and believe in God belong to God. ...

4257. Wounded Glory

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Erskine White

When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. (John 20:20) Have you ever wondered what Jesus really looked like? The Bible is no help whatsoever in telling us, since it doesn't say a thing about the physical appearance of Jesus. Not a single word. We don't know if He was tall or short, skinny or fat. We don't know if He had a straight nose, crooked teeth, long hair or a beard. Everyone has a portrait of Jesus somewhere in their home, but no one knows what He looked like in the flesh. Have ...

4258. Death of a Twelve-year-old Boy

Matthew 18:1-9

Eulogy

John M. Braaten

Except We Become Like Children Preached at the funeral of a twelve-year-old boy who died of a congenital heart defect. With the knowledge of death stalking him, he endured many open heart surgeries but at each turn his faith was a powerful witness to all around him. As his mother said, "Spiritually he was eighty years old." We have gathered as members of the Body of Christ, and as a community of friends, to share the heartache, the faith, and the hope of the S_ family. The pain of grief is always heavy; so ...

4259. Are You the One?

Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon

Johnny Dean

H. A. Williams, one of the leading preachers and theologians of the Church of England, titled his autobiography, Someday I’ll Find You. That may seem like an unusual title for an autobiography, but if you read the book, as I did when I was a seminary student, it begins to make sense. You see, there was a period in Dr. Williams’ life when he was almost totally incapacitated by phobic anxieties. He was afraid to into the streets and marketplaces, afraid of elevators and escalators, afraid to ride on trains ...

4260. Making Christmas Last

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Brett Blair

A cartoon in the New Yorker magazine said it all. In the middle of the floor is a dried up, withered, Christmas tree. The calendar on the wall reads December 26. Dad is sitting in his chair with an ice pack on his head. Mom is in a bathrobe and her hair in rollers. The floor is a virtual mountain of torn wrappings, boxes, and bows. Junior is reaching in his stocking to be sure that there is no more candy. In the background we see a table with a thoroughly picked turkey still sitting there. The caption on ...

4261. Repentance - King David and Peter

Luke 22:54-62

Drama

Martha L. Leach

Characters: Narrator David Peter Narrator: Tonight we will give some thought to the first of the attributes of Lent repentance. Throughout the Scriptures, the prophets and others have reminded people about their sins and have encouraged repentance. It's a word which conjures up negative feelings because none of us likes to feel like sinful people, and yet we are! Repentance begins with the acknowledgement that we are indeed sinful. Our guests from the scriptures tonight are David, King of Judah, and Peter ...

4262. The Shouting of the Crowd

Matthew 27:11-26

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

Spivey's Corner is a little town in Sampson County, North Carolina. I never heard of it until I lived in a nearby county. I passed through it numerous times on my way back and forth to Clinton and was aware of a terrible automobile accident there. A few years ago, Spivey's Corner became famous, featured on the nightly news, written about in news magazines, and visited by people who would never have thought of going there if it had not gained notoriety. That little community, really a mere crossroads, is ...

4263. Maundy Thursday Service

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Bulletin Aid

Howard Eshbaugh

Call to Worship Leader: Praise the Lord, all nations. People: Christ died for our sins. Leader: Extol him, all peoples. People: Christ was buried but was raised from the dead. Leader: For great is his steadfast love toward us. People: In love God gave his Son. Leader: The faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. People: God's faithfulness has been shown to us In Christ. All: Praise the Lord. Prayer (unison) Father God, we come together on this night to remember Jesus' celebration of the passover with his ...

4264. Encounters With Christ VII (Easter): Jesus & Mary Magdalene

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

James W. Moore

Bill Bryson has written a fascinating book called… The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America. In the book, he tells of traveling to Hannibal, Missouri to visit the boyhood home of the noted author Mark Twain. He described the house as a “trim, white-washed house with green shutters… set incongruously in the middle of downtown.” It costs two dollars to visit Mark Twain’s home and to walk around the site. Bill Bryson said he found the home to be a disappointment. He expressed his disillusionment like ...

4265. Monologue: Sarah

Genesis 20:1-18

Drama

Lynda Pujad

I am a beautiful woman, don't you think so? (Bows) I always have been. My name is Sarah. I have always been a woman of society and I have been pampered throughout my life. My husband is a wealthy man. He is Abraham. As his wife, I was devoted to him and our life together and I followed him from our home in Haran hundreds of miles to the land of Canaan. We left everything we had ever known to follow the instructions of the God who spoke to him. God did not speak to me and I did not understand why my husband ...

4266. Will the Real Jesus Christ Arise?

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Carl Jech

"We do not know where they have laid him" ... Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I am about to ascend to my Father." (John 20:2b, 17a) You may remember the television program "To Tell The Truth." Three people would come out, all claiming to be the same person. After the panel had interviewed all three and everyone had decided who the imposters were, the host would intone dramatically: "Will the real John Doe, please stand up!" Then everyone waited with baited breath as each contestant stirred as if to ...

4267. A Holy Hunger

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

Carl Hoefler

Tonight we come to the altar-table to celebrate Holy Communion. Why do we say, "Holy Communion"? Is there such a thing as "unholy communion"? Yes, there is. When one comes to the Lord's table with a hardened heart and with a life that is turned in upon itself; when one comes with a proud and an arrogant attitude; and when one comes thinking that he or she is worthy of what is about to be received; then, that person will receive communion, but it will not be holy. Jeremiah, who speaks to us in our First ...

4268. No Grey Area

Acts 15:1-21

Sermon

Carl Hoefler

Our text this morning is about one of the greatest spiritual and theological events in the history of the Christian church. Interestingly enough, it was not a dramatic martyrdom, nor a mass miracle, or even a crusade. It was not a worship service, a great sermon preached, or a crowd conversion. It was a church convention - a convention held about fifty years after the death of our Lord. For those of you who have ever attended a convention of the church, it may sound unbelievable that it could be a ...

4269. Self-discipline Is Required

1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

Call to Worship Pastor: The Christian life is like running a race that requires strict self-discipline. People: It is too easy to step out of the race, and take each day as it comes. Pastor: But if we discipline ourselves to live the life Christ is calling us to live, we will enjoy a victory that lasts forever. People: We are striving for determination and self-discipline, that we may enjoy the victory God has for us. Collect God of all power and strength, who has given us the challenge of victorious ...

4270. Christ Has Set Us Free

John 8:31-41

Sermon

In 1493 a history of the world was published in Germany, just a year after Columbus discovered America. The book didn’t end with that; in fact it didn’t even mention it. It did end with a drawing of the Last Day, showing Christ as Judge sitting upon a rainbow. There was a lily in his right ear to symbolize the redeemed whom the angels were ushering into paradise. There was a sword in his left ear to represent the doom of the damned whom the devils were dragging by the hair from their graves and throwing ...

4271. Don't Try So Hard!

Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

"For the man who wants to save his own life will lose it; but the man who loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." (St. Mark 8:35 TEV) "We're only number two; we try harder!" I'm sure you've all seen the magazine ad of the car rental agency that uses this slogan. In a way the slogan strongly reflects some of our national thinking. One of the key doctrines of our American enterprise is hard work. If a person's going to succeed in life, we say, he will have to exert himself. It is often ...

4272. Proper 23

Lk 17:11-19 · 2 Tim 2:8-15 · 2 Ki 5:14-17 · Mic 1:2, 2:1-10 · Ru 1:1-19a

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Micah 1:2, 2:1-10 The people's wickedness is described in spite of Yahweh's work. Through Micah Yahweh summons his people to judgment. Micah was a prophet to Judah during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (740-690 BC). In 721 Sargon II, king of Assyria, captured Samaria and Israel as a nation was in ruins. Micah is sure the same fate awaited Judah because of similar sins. Micah lived in a small town among poor country people. As a spokesman for Yahweh, he was the champion of the poor who ...

4273. Epiphany 3

Lk 4:14-21 · 1 Cor 12:12-30 · Neh 8:1-10 · Isa 61:1-6

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10 Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the returned Exiles. The book of Nehemiah tells the story of the return of the Exiles under Governor Nehemiah during the reign of Artaxerxes. Under Nehemiah the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt and various reforms were introduced. He is known for his relationship with Yahweh and his frequent prayers. Today's pericope tells us of the gathering of the people for the reading of the Mosaic law by Ezra, the priest and scribe. When the people ...

4274. Proper 14

Matthew 14:22-33

Bulletin Aid

Call to Worship Pastor: Our mission as the church is often like a ship, tossed on the sea. People: Church history has recorded many storms; but Christ always brings a calm, encouraging his followers. Pastor: We have our bouts with fear and discouragement, too. But we can be sure our Lord will see us through. People: We worship Jesus, the Son of God who is with us in all our struggles, bringing peace to our souls. Collect Father of grace and power, whose Son gives victory over life's most violent storms: ...

4275. Christmas Eve or Day

Isaiah 51:17--52:12, John 1:1-18, Hebrews 1:1-14

Bulletin Aid

First Lesson: Isaiah 52:7-10 Theme: The announcement of salvation Call To Worship Pastor: Christ is born! People: Christ is born indeed; salvation has come! Pastor: Shout to our world the good news. God has brought peace to our world! People: May our whole world see God's powerful love in the gift of his Son. Collect Merciful God, you have announced to our world the good news of salvation for all people. Help us to be faithful messengers of that good news; that our world may hear, and rejoice in the gift ...

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