Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4276 to 4300 of 4986 results

4276. Curiosity and Questions

John 3:1-7

Sermon

Kristin Borsgard Wee

... turned into swords." The emperor awoke and decided to try some of the dust against his enemy. It worked! The emperor's army won the battle. Nahum was immediately taken to the treasury and his bag was filled with precious jewels. Then Nahum returned home. On the way he stayed in the same inn, where he told his story. The same men who had stolen from Nahum decided to take some dust to the emperor. But when their dust was tested it did not turn into swords. All of those men were put to death.1 What conclusions ...

4277. Out of Control

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon

Kristin Borsgard Wee

... the second day, they are beginning to lose heart when, near sunset, they see in the distance three very tall cottonwood trees. They rush toward the trees and see a little house. An old Mexican comes out of the house, greets them kindly, and asks them to stay the night. Inside the little house the man's young wife is stirring porridge by the fire. Her young son is beside her playing with a pet lamb. The family shares their supper with the priests, then gives them sheepskins to use for sleeping on the floor ...

4278. When the Impossible Becomes Imminently Possible!

John 6:1-21

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9 NRSV). We say, "Send them away." However, Christ says, "No! Feed them." Today he says to you and to me, "Feed them. Clothe them in my name. Take care of them in my name. Win them to me!" David and Jeremiah stayed. Jonah went to Nineveh. Churchill was born, and the world has seen what God "already had in mind." So, let us turn our equation around and examine the things Christ had in mind. The Things Christ Had In Mind! Andrew is a bringer. He brought people to Christ ...

4279. Ollie, Ollie, All In Free!

John 8:31-36

Sermon

Steven Molin

... had sinned, no doubt about that. They heard the expectation of God, and they blatantly disobeyed it. As soon as they realized what they had done, they hid themselves. How foolish to think that they could hide from God! How foolish to think that God would allow them to stay hidden. God enters the Garden of Eden and calls out to Adam and Eve, "Where are you?" And they respond "We heard you coming and we were afraid, so we hid from you." And that is the human condition, you see; we know we have messed up, we ...

4280. Destruction Instruction

Mark 13:1-8

Sermon

... t know when there was one minute left to play; the referee would simply blow his whistle and say, "Game over!" I remember our coach telling us that, since we never knew when the game was going to end, the safest thing to do was to get ahead and stay ahead, and then, whenever the game ended, we would be victorious. I would submit to you today that this hockey advice is also good theological advice; the way to be prepared for the ultimate end is to be in a right relationship with Jesus Christ. To come face to ...

4281. The Fred Factor

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Sermon

Scott Suskovic

... it? It has to be that last part where Paul writes: "... for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." When my family went to Romania for a mission trip, my son, Nathan, joined me on the construction site. I went indoors to hang sheetrock and he stayed outdoors in the hot sun digging a ditch — one foot wide and three feet deep. The ground was awful. An adult had to break up the rocks and roots and Nathan had to get into the ditch and take out the pieces. It took forever. The end of the first ...

4282. Epiphany: All about You!

Colossians 3:1-17

Sermon

Scott Suskovic

... . They are not even making eye contact. They are listening, watching, or talking — alone and plugged in, alone with these "weapons of mass distraction." Now, despite my ranting and raving, to be sure our high-tech age has enabled more people to stay in touch with family and friends around the world. I understand that. And we have become empowered to express ourselves and discover information on our own using the web. All good things. From email to blogsites to posting pictures, we are more connected ...

4283. The Struggle for Freedom

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Sermon

Scott Suskovic

... shaped by the limits of legalism but in the freedom that breaks the shackles of those braces and allows us to live Spirit-filled. Paul took three missionary journeys throughout Asia Minor. Typically, he would go into a town, plant a church, train leaders, stay for a significant period of time, and then move on to another town and repeat the process elsewhere. However, there was a problem. Only fifteen years after the death of Jesus, there was already a split in Christianity. There were Jewish Christians who ...

4284. Nocturnal Christians?

1 John 1:1—2:2

Sermon

Nancy Kraft

... in the dark. Maybe that's why it's so attractive to us. If we hide in the darkness, we don't have to see our imperfections. We can even pretend like they don't exist. We can delude ourselves into believing that we're nearly perfect if we stay in the darkness long enough — like people who are raised in a culture where the accepted response to violence is always retaliation with more violence. In the darkness they become so convinced that they are right that they can't see the truth. This can be true for ...

4285. Loving God

1 John 5:1-6

Sermon

Nancy Kraft

... quirky short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne about a man named Wakefield.2 One day, Wakefield wakes up and decides to take a little break from his wife and home in London and rents out a room one block over. He doesn't tell his wife, and he only intends to stay away for a day or two but then the days go on. He watches his wife from a distance for twenty years, never once letting her know where he is or even that he is living at all — for twenty years. The story ends when one day, while Wakefield is ...

4286. Reconciliation Day

Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... lane. He began to follow me very closely. Now, this situation activated some kind of psychological trigger for me, and I responded by tapping my brakes, causing him to swerve into the other lane (fortunately, there was a gap in the line of cars there). He didn’t stay there, though. He swerved back into my lane, and followed me even more closely. I responded by applying my brakes gently, and he proceeded to hit my car‑‑four times before we came to a stop! I got out of the car and started yelling at him ...

4287. The Bridge Over Every Troubled Waters

Philippians 3:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... have been searching for. You will have fulfilled your fondest hopes, your wildest dreams. You will have found the bridge that will take you safely across every chasm, every challenge, every problem of your life. Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians to help them fall in love with Jesus, stay in love with Jesus, and die in love with Jesus. For Jesus Love is the love that determines our destiny, both in the here and now and in the world to come.

4288. Rejection Turned to Joy

Matthew 21:33-46

Illustration

Keith Wagner

Tony Compolo tells the story of the "reject prom." It all began when John Carlson, a Lutheran Minister in Minnesota, believed that senior proms excluded many young adults. It had become an elitist affair for the popular and wealthy. The losers and less fortunate youth stayed away. Carlson planned a party for all those who didn't have a date or couldn't afford to go to the prom. He called it the "Reject Prom." It was such a great time the youth wanted it repeated the following year. Thus the "reject prom" ...

4289. Whose Birthday Is It Anyway?

Matthew 24:36-51

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... . Now on Jason’s birthday, as usual, the unusual happened. Jason’s grandparents came from their home across the state to visit and help celebrate. When they arrived in Jason’s neighborhood, they went immediately to the Browns’ house, down the street, and stayed there for the day. (Older couple approach a door and knock or ring the doorbell.) Mr. Brown: Sounds like someone’s at the door, Lucy. (opens door) Well, hello. May I help you? Grandmother: Oh, hello. We are Jason’s grandparents and we ...

4290. Looking for the Child of Bethlehem

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... Bethlehem came seeking the child. They said an angel had appeared to them and told them that their Savior was born in Bethlehem. Imagine! There we were claiming that the baby in a manger in our stable was the Messiah! (Shepherds exit.) Asher: The young family stayed in Bethlehem for a while after the census and then they fled from the city one dark night. (Mary and Joseph exit hastily.) Asher: Some say it was because of fear of King Herod and his terrible edict against male babies. As far as I know ...

4291. For What Do We Wait?

Luke 1:26-38

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... too long. I’ve got to get home before the letter carrier gets there. My grades are coming today and I’ve got to see ’em before Dad does! Suzie: How come? Bart: I’ve got to make sure my grades are high enough. If I don’t stay eligible for basketball, my dad’ll kill me! If I can just pass biology, everything’ll be all right. Suzie: You might be waiting for your grades but I’m waiting for something really important. Bart: What’s that? Suzie: My allowance. Bart: Your allowance? Suzie: Yeah ...

4292. Two Futures

Luke 2:21-40

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... but really kind of excited, too. Ever get butterflies in your stomach? I’ve got them right now. (rubs stomach, then giggles nervously) “You’re only a child,” they say. Yes, and they wonder, as I wonder, will I succeed or fail? Will I have confidence in myself or stay at the bottom like this yo-yo? (yo-yo spins at the bottom, then when the string is jerked, the yo-yo flies upward) Will I be afraid of dark places and scary challenges? Will I do well in school? Will I keep the faith that I was taught ...

4293. When Maiden Mary Sang the Magnificat

Mark 1:1-8

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... great things for me, and holy is his name ... He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty ...” (Luke 1:47 ff). After Mary had sung her song, the Magnificat, she stayed three months and then went home. And it came true — generations to the present day call Mary, the mother-to-be blessed!

4294. A Christmas Program

Luke 2:21-40

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... not leave Mary behind, since there was no one but me to look after her. So we set out on foot for the “house of bread”; that’s what Bethlehem means. I looked forward to getting back to my hometown, but when we got there, we had no place to stay. The town was full. Every inn was occupied. I hoped someone would take pity on Mary and me, since she was really pregnant. We ended up here in this stable — no heat —no light —no running water. And right here Mary gave birth do Jesus. We wrapped him up ...

4295. You Are in Good Hands with God

Isaiah 40:21-31

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... But the third rope, that bearing the young man, was still moving, for he was still alive. For more than half an hour the young man struggled, with his feet between heaven and earth, life and death, enduring a slow agonizing death before our eyes. We were forced to stay there and watch him the entire time he was still alive. When I passed by him, his tongue was still red and his eyes were not yet glazed. Behind me, I again heard someone cry, "Where is God now?" And then from another part of the camp came the ...

4296. Commissioned for Christ

2 Kings 2:1-12

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... done well in his ministry; he, like Jake Laboon, had run his leg of the race well. Now it was time for him to pass the baton and Elisha was ready. As we heard in the reading, three times Elijah tells his young protégé that he is to stay while the master moves on, but the young disciple wants to share with his master, the prophet, in all respects. His devotion to Elijah is laudable, but possibly more importantly is his desire to follow in Elijah's footsteps. He requests a double portion of the prophet's ...

4297. Thanks for the Memories!

Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14

Sermon

Ken Lentz

... pastries, coffee, and powdered drinks. The northern European model of worship attended by individuals and occasional couples entering and leaving with no "Hellos" and no "Good-byes" is repeated in staid mainline American churches. "The family that prays together stays together" is a rule often confused but rarely practiced. Holy communion, rooted in the Jewish Seder, is a family affair. Nuclear families come forward to the altar and rub shoulders with the greater family, the community of believers gathered ...

4298. Samuel Was the Search Committee

1 Samuel 15:34-35, 16:1-13

Sermon

William J. Carl, III

... . Notice that God often chooses ones we'd least expect. Why? Because God doesn't look on appearance. God always looks on the heart. Look at David, the youngest son of Jesse. David was so young and insignificant that he couldn't even come to the sacrifice but had to stay and tend his sheep. He was the one chosen because God looks not on appearance; God looks on the heart. Some people say, "I'm all used up or I'm too handicapped or I'm too old or I'm too young. God will never want me." That may ...

4299. Wise Leadership

1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14

Sermon

Donna Schaper

... God for wisdom but not boast about it when God gives it to us. What changes the world back to its creation is a combination of boasting in the greatness of God and hauling the world back to its root. The wisdom of a leader is to stay in the positive, even when the negatives are hurled at us. Instead of constantly whining about how bad things are, we talk about how good things are in our godly gifted way. Instead of declaring environmental doom, we speak of environmental enchantment. We mean the words, "How ...

4300. Dedicating Temples

1 Kings 8:1- 6, 10-11, 22-30, 41-43

Sermon

Donna Schaper

... is moved into the new temple, the temple is dedicated, a cloud of glory arrives, people have a mystical experience, and Solomon explicitly takes on the mantle of his father David. Then he begins to "preach" a kind of wisdom that is just amazing. While I am tempted to stay with the spectacle of the service of dedication, the sights and sounds and smells, I am compelled to go to the part of the sermon that Solomon gives and to bring it into a modern context. This is a dress up day. It is a big day. The temple ...

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