Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 4301 to 4325 of 5000 results

4301. In All Things Be Thankful - Sermon Starter

Ephesians 5:20

Illustration

Brett Blair

Back during the dark days of 1929, a group of ministers in the Northeast, all graduates of the Boston School of Theology, gathered to discuss how they should conduct their Thanksgiving Sunday services. Things were about as bad as they could get, with no sign of relief. The bread lines were depressingly long, the stock market had plummeted, and the term Great Depression seemed an apt description for the mood of the country. The ministers thought they should only lightly touch upon the subject Thanksgiving ...

4302. Thankfulness Can Be a Matter of Perspective

Matthew 6:25-34; John 6:25-35

Illustration

How many of us have been jostled and crammed into a tiny airplane seat recently, only to lament delays caused by weather, extra fees demanded by the airlines for overweight bags, or the tiny bag of pretzels that have replaced meals on so many flights? It seems like the collective mood on airplanes is pretty grumpy these days. But imagine what our ancestors just a few generations ago would have said if we could tell them about our ability to fly from city to city with such ease and frequency? Imagine trying ...

4303. For That I Am Especially Thankful

Matt. 6:25-33; Psalm 100; Eph. 4:20; Luke 17:11-19; John 6:25-35

Illustration

During a harvest festival in India, an old widow arrived at her church with an extraordinarily large offering of rice - far more than the poor woman could be expected to afford. The itinerant pastor of the church did not know the widow well. But he did know that she was very poor and so he asked her if she were making the offering in gratitude for some unusual blessing. "Yes," replied the woman. "My son was sick and I promised a large gift to God if he got well." "And your son has recovered?" asked the ...

4304. The Gratitude Attitude

Matt. 6:25-33; Psalm 100; Eph. 4:20; Luke 17:11-19; John 6:25-35

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

Rev. John R. Ramsey tells how in one church a certain person provided him with a rose boutonniere for the lapel of his suit every Sunday. At first he really appreciated it but then it sort of became routine. Then one Sunday it became very special. As he was leaving the Sunday Service a young boy walked up to him and said, "Sir, what are you going to do with your flower?" At first the preacher didn't know what the boy was talking about. When it sank in, he pointed to the rose on his lapel and asked the boy ...

4305. Better Not Bitter

Matthew 6:25-33

Illustration

If we are not thankful then we can become bitter. If we are not thankful, then it becomes too easy to sit around and ponder the question: why me? Dr. Jim Moore, pastor of St. Luke's UMC in Houston wrote a book entitled "You Can Grow Bitter or You Can Grow Better." He writes that he got the idea for the title from a young woman who once came to him in a most tragic moment in her life. She had tears in her eyes and her knuckles were white as she twisted a handkerchief. She had just received word that her ...

4306. Seven Things to Be Thankful For

Matt. 6:25-33; Psalm 100; Eph. 4:20; Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

Seven things to be grateful for: For automatic dishwashers. They make it possible to get out of the kitchen before the family come in for their after-dinner snacks. For husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house. They usually make them big enough to call in professionals. For the bathtub the one place the family allows Mom some time to herself. For children who put away their things and clean up after themselves. They're such a joy you hate to see them go home to their own parents. For ...

4307. Have You Taken Inventory Lately?

Matthew 6:25-34, Psalm 100:1-5, Ephesians 4:17--5:21, Luke 17:11-19, John 6:25-59

Illustration

The renown teacher and author Dr. David McLennon tells a story of his very first job in a small town general store. This was the day before mails and supermarket chains at least it was in his community. At age thirteen he was hired as a handy boy. He would sweep the flour, bag items for customers, put up stock. On one particular Saturday, he recalled, he heard the owner say to one of the clerks "It's that time of the year again, it's time to take inventory." Dr. McLennon wrote that this was a word that had ...

4308. Taking Our Blessings for Granted

Matt. 6:25-33; Psalm 100; Eph. 4:20; Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

A story is told of Abraham Lincoln. One day the President summoned to the White House a surgeon in the Army of the Cumberland from the state of Ohio. The major assumed that he was to be commended for some exceptional work. During the conversation Mr. Lincoln asked the major about his widowed mother. She is doing fine, he responded. How do you know asked Lincoln. You haven't written her. And then Lincoln added: "But she has written me. She thinks that you are dead and she is asking that a special effort be ...

4309. God in the Ordinary

Ps 100; Luke 17:11-19; Matt 6:25-34

Illustration

Once upon a time, there was a far-away land that was ruled by a vicious king. His iron hand reached into every corner of his subjects' lives. Every corner - except one. Try as he might, he couldn't destroy their belief in God. In his frustration, he finally summoned his advisors and asked them: "Where can I hide God so the people will end up forgetting about him?" One suggested hiding God on the dark side of the moon. This idea was debated, but was voted down because the advisors feared that their ...

4310. First National Thanksgiving Proclamation

Matt. 6:25-33; Psalm 100; Eph. 4:20; Luke 17:11-19; John 6:25-35

Illustration

George Washington

Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; Whereas, both the houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to ...

4311. Kingdoms in Conflict - Sermon Starter

John 18:33-37

Illustration

Brett Blair

Perhaps you have heard this story. It's a great story: Many years ago, when Hitler's forces occupied Denmark, the order came that all Jews in Denmark were to identify themselves by wearing armbands with yellow stars of David. The Danes had seen the extermination of Jews in other countries and guessed that this was the first step in that process in their countries. The King did not defy the orders. He had every Jew wear the star and he himself wore the Star of David. He told his people that he expected ...

4312. Part of the Ritual

John 18:33-37

Illustration

Brett Blair

The story is told about the baptism of King Aengus by St. Patrick in the middle of the fifth century. Sometime during the rite, St. Patrick leaned on his sharp-pointed staff and inadvertently stabbed the king's foot. After the baptism was over, St. Patrick looked down at all the blood, realized what he had done, and begged the king's forgiveness. Why did you suffer this pain in silence, the Saint wanted to know. The king replied, "I thought it was part of the ritual." I am here to tell you that your king ...

4313. We Hold These Truths to Be Self-evident

John 18:28-40

Illustration

John A. Dane

I don’t know who first uttered these words but they set forth a terribly important bit of wisdom: If there is nothing above us we will be consumed by all that is around us. Our nation’s Founding Fathers recognized its truth when they wrote: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Our human dignity, rights and freedoms come to us not from ...

4314. Second Coming and Faithfulness

Lk 21:25-36; Mt 25:1-13

Illustration

King Duncan

During his 1960 presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy often closed his speeches with the story of Colonel Davenport, the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives: On May 19th, 1780 the sky of Hartford darkened ominously, and some of the representatives, glancing out the windows, feared the end was at hand. Quelling a clamor for immediate adjournment, Davenport rose and said, "The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I ...

4315. Preparation for Christ's Coming

Luke 21:25-36

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

Maybe you've heard the story of the little boy who decided to write a letter to God one Christmas. He started out by writing: "Dear God, I've been a really good boy this year." Unfortunately, he remembered that God was all knowing and all seeing and he decided that he couldn't lie to God. So, he crumpled up that letter and started over. This time he wrote: "Dear God, I know I haven't done everything I should have, but I really tried to be good." He stopped and crumpled up that letter, too. It was obvious ...

4316. Luther on Signs of Christ's Coming

Luke 21:5-38

Illustration

Martin Luther

These words by Martin Luther should stand as reminder to us all that end times forecasting is worthless - unless you are viewing the "End Times" as the whole period after His Resurrection. First published in 1522, the excerpts are the 6th and 7th paragraphs of his sermon titled: Christ's Second Coming: or the Signs of the Day of Judgment; and the Comforts Christians Have From Them: I do not wish to force any one to believe as I do; neither will I permit anyone to deny me the right to believe that the last ...

4317. The 365 Hour Gift

Luke 15:11-32

Illustration

Ann Landers

An attorney I very much admired once said that the greatest gift he ever received in his life was a note his dad gave him on Christmas. It read, "Son, this year I will give you 365 hours. An hour every day after dinner. We'll talk about whatever you want to talk about. We'll go wherever you want to go, play whatever you want to play. It will be your hour." That dad kept his promise and renewed it every year.

4318. Fellow Passengers to the Grave

Luke 21:25-36

Illustration

Charles Dickens

"I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come around, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys..."

4319. Faith in Jesus Christ

Luke 21:25-36

Illustration

Will Willimon

Princeton preacher James F. Kay puts it this way, "If the Gospel is good news, it is not because it predicts a bright, shiny future based on our morality or piety. The Gospel is neither a cocoon that insulates us from the sufferings of this present age nor a pair of ear plugs that shuts out the groaning of creation....The Gospel is Good News, not because it predicts a future based on our good behavior or other present trends; the Gospel is Good News because it promises a future based on God's faithfulness ...

4320. The Eternal Words of Christ

Luke 21:25-36

Illustration

Donald Deffner

You have perhaps heard the story that came out of the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. There was a battleship whose forward watch spotted a light that appeared to be heading straight for the battleship. A radio message was sent saying, "Unidentified ship: you are on a collision course. Change direction 10 degrees starboard." The reply came back: "No. You need to change direction." The battleship again sent a message saying, "This is a United States warship. Change direction 10 ...

4321. I Must Go Myself

Illustration

Brett Blair

The story is told of John Henry Newman, who, in the 1800's, was an Anglican minister in England. His religious pilgrimage ultimately took him to Rome and the Roman Catholic Church. He ultimately would become a cardinal in the Catholic Church and the most preeminent leader of that church in Europe. If you go into almost any Catholic church today you will find a Sunday school class called the Newman class. That was named after John Henry Newman. While serving as Cardinal, he received a message from an ...

4322. Without You We Are Sunk

Luke 21:25-36

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

A little boy offered up a Thanksgiving Day prayer for the family and prayed: "Dear God, this is Jimmy. Thank you for Thanksgiving and Christmas and all of the holidays. Thank you for the turkey and dressing and Mom and Dad and even for my little sister, even though some times she can be a pain. Thank you for books and TV and game boy. Thank you for loving us. Oh, yeah. And take care of yourself, God. Because without you, we're sunk. Amen." No matter what timetable we come up with. No matter what schedule ...

4323. Today’s Experts

Lk 21:25-36

Illustration

King Duncan

I read recently that when the city fathers of the grand metropolis New York City planned for the future growth of their city, they laid out the streets and numbered them from the center outward. When they began, there were only six or seven streets. In their planning maps, they projected how large they thought the city might grow. Reaching beyond their wildest imagination, they drew streets on the map all the way out to 19th Street. They called it "Boundary Street" because they were sure that's as large as ...

4324. So You Want To Go To Bethlehem, Do You?

Luke 3:1-6

Illustration

Johnny Dean

Each year, during the season of Advent, the church sets off on a journey. We begin to prepare our hearts and our minds for the coming of the Christ-child, so that this time he will have a proper place to be born. And we think we know the way to Bethlehem. We can find it on the map. It's not that far from Jerusalem, by today's standards; shouldn't be a problem. But the problem is that so much has changed since our last visit. A whole year has passed, a year that brought many changes in our lives, some of ...

4325. The Color Purple

Illustration

Brett Blair

For those using the liturgical colors of the season of advent: Whenever I reflect upon the fact that purple is the color of Advent, I am reminded of an historical story. When Louis the IV was a young boy growing up in France the Royal family employed one of the best teachers in the land to instruct him on the ways of royalty. When he arrived the first thing that he did was to give the young prince a purple tunic. Your grace, he said, I cannot give you orders, for I am but a commoner. How can a commoner ...

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Antonyms: deficient, imperfect

Showing 4301 to 4325 of 5000 results

4301. In All Things Be Thankful - Sermon Starter

Ephesians 5:20

Illustration

Brett Blair

4302. Thankfulness Can Be a Matter of Perspective

Matthew 6:25-34; John 6:25-35

Illustration

4303. For That I Am Especially Thankful

Matt. 6:25-33; Psalm 100; Eph. 4:20; Luke 17:11-19; John 6:25-35

Illustration

4304. The Gratitude Attitude

Matt. 6:25-33; Psalm 100; Eph. 4:20; Luke 17:11-19; John 6:25-35

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

4305. Better Not Bitter

Matthew 6:25-33

Illustration

4306. Seven Things to Be Thankful For

Matt. 6:25-33; Psalm 100; Eph. 4:20; Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

4307. Have You Taken Inventory Lately?

Matthew 6:25-34, Psalm 100:1-5, Ephesians 4:17--5:21, Luke 17:11-19, John 6:25-59

Illustration

4308. Taking Our Blessings for Granted

Matt. 6:25-33; Psalm 100; Eph. 4:20; Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

4309. God in the Ordinary

Ps 100; Luke 17:11-19; Matt 6:25-34

Illustration

4310. First National Thanksgiving Proclamation

Matt. 6:25-33; Psalm 100; Eph. 4:20; Luke 17:11-19; John 6:25-35

Illustration

George Washington

4311. Kingdoms in Conflict - Sermon Starter

John 18:33-37

Illustration

Brett Blair

4312. Part of the Ritual

John 18:33-37

Illustration

Brett Blair

4313. We Hold These Truths to Be Self-evident

John 18:28-40

Illustration

John A. Dane

4314. Second Coming and Faithfulness

Lk 21:25-36; Mt 25:1-13

Illustration

King Duncan

4315. Preparation for Christ's Coming

Luke 21:25-36

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

4316. Luther on Signs of Christ's Coming

Luke 21:5-38

Illustration

Martin Luther

4317. The 365 Hour Gift

Luke 15:11-32

Illustration

Ann Landers

4318. Fellow Passengers to the Grave

Luke 21:25-36

Illustration

Charles Dickens

4319. Faith in Jesus Christ

Luke 21:25-36

Illustration

Will Willimon

4320. The Eternal Words of Christ

Luke 21:25-36

Illustration

Donald Deffner

4321. I Must Go Myself

Illustration

Brett Blair

4322. Without You We Are Sunk

Luke 21:25-36

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

4323. Today’s Experts

Lk 21:25-36

Illustration

King Duncan

4324. So You Want To Go To Bethlehem, Do You?

Luke 3:1-6

Illustration

Johnny Dean

4325. The Color Purple

Illustration

Brett Blair

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