Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 4351 to 4375 of 5000 results

4351. Erma's New Year's Resolutions

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

Erma Bombeck

The late Erma Bombeck made these New Year's resolutions: 1. I'm going to clean this dump just as soon as the kids grow up. 2. I will go to no doctor whose office plants have died. 3. I'm going to follow my husband's suggestion to put a little excitement into my life by living within our budget. 4. I'm going to apply for a hardship scholarship to Weight Watchers. 5. I will never loan my car to anyone I have given birth to. 6. And just like last year...I am going to remember that my children need love the ...

4352. Our Children Can Teach Us

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

James W. Moore

Some years ago in a midwestern town a little boy was born blind. His mother and father were heartsick, but they struggled with his blindness the best they could. Like all such parents, they prayed and hoped for some miracle. They wanted so much for their son to be able to see. Then one day when the little boy was 5 years old, the community doctor told them that he had heard about a surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital who was specializing in a new surgical procedure that might just work for their son ...

4353. Christ in the Form of Communion

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

James W. Moore

It was a cold Christmas Eve a few years ago. Will Willimon, Dean of the Chapel at Duke University, was rushing his family to get in the car. They were running late for the communion service. "Where are the sermon notes? Where is the pulpit robe? Don't forget to turn off the lights. Everybody get in the car and be quiet!" On the way to the church… rushing through the traffic, their 5-year-old- daughter, Harriet, got sick at her stomach and she up-chucked all over the car. "Great!" Will Willimon thought, "If ...

4354. Getting along with Mom

Luke 2:41-52

Humor Illustration

King Duncan

A cartoon shows two boys walking to school, discussing their parents. One of them says to the other one, "I've figured out a system for getting along with my Mom. She tells me what to do and I do it."

4355. The Martha and Erma Christmas

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

Brett Blair

How many of you drive yourselves crazy every year trying to have a Martha Stewart's Christmas? You know who you are. And you know as hard as you try you're never able to achieve it. It always turns out to be an Erma Bombeck Christmas doesn't it? I have a letter here that Martha Stewart sent to Erma Bombeck. Hi Erma, This perfectly delightful note is being sent on paper I made myself to tell you what I have been up to. Since it snowed last night, I got up early and made a sled with old barn wood and a glue ...

4356. The Boy Jesus

Luke 2:33-35

Illustration

Brett Blair

You will recall when the old man Simeon held the Christ child in his arms he said, "This child is destined to cause the rising and the falling of many in Israel, and he will be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the hearts of many will be revealed." There are two well-known pictures, each with the same title, "The Shadow of the Cross." One by Holeman Hunt depicts the interior of a carpenter's shop, with Joseph and the Boy Jesus at work. Mary is also present. The Boy Jesus pauses in his work, and ...

4357. If Daddy Will Hold Me

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

James W. Moore

A little girl had somehow received a bad cut in the soft flesh of her eyelid. The doctor knew that some stitches were needed, but he also knew that because of the location of the cut, he should not use an anesthetic. He talked with the little girl and he told her what he must do… and asked her if she thought she could stand the touch of the needle without jumping. She thought for a moment, and then said simply, "I think I can if Daddy will hold me while you do it." So the father took his little girl in his ...

4358. Kids Can Drive You Nuts…

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

King Duncan

Oh, I know, kids can drive you nuts sometimes. A kindergarten teacher was helping one of her students put his boots on. He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want to go on. By the time the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet." She looked and, sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to ...

4359. The Legacy of Determination

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

King Duncan

A pastor looked over the assembled members for his Thursday afternoon confirmation class. Only one teenager was there for the class that should have been filled with fifteen youths. Only one young girl was there to benefit from the pastor's knowledge and preparation. Only she had prepared her assignment from the week before. The lone member of the class was a thirteen-year-old girl. Her mother had left her job as a waitress in order to pick her daughter up at school and have her at the class on time. Her ...

4360. The Spilled Milk Experiment

Lk 2:41-52

Illustration

King Duncan

There's an urban legend about a famous research scientist who had made several very important medical breakthroughs. A newspaper reporter interviewed this scientist and asked why, in his opinion, he was so much more creative than the average person. This scientist answered that he believed it was because of an experience he had with his mother when he was about two years old. He had been trying to get a bottle of milk out of the refrigerator when he lost his grip on it, spilling its contents all over the ...

4361. Joyous All the Time

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

King Duncan

We can learn from our children sometimes. The wife of an Adventist minister was writing about their family life. She said that their family lives in apartments most of the year, because they move from city to city holding evangelistic meetings. One evening, after a meeting, she and her daughter took all of the dirty clothes out of their temporary apartment home to a Laundromat. They closed the door on a naked apartment: the beds were stripped, the towels were taken down, their clothes supply was exhausted ...

4362. Chipmunks Aren’t All Alike

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

Brett Blair

Once upon a time, far, far away there lived an old chipmunk. He was a master gardener, and many chipmunks came to work with him and then went off to start gardens of their own. He believed everyone would want to be a gardener, but, alas neither his daughter nor his son showed the slightest interest. It would seem impossible to work this out because the more the old chipmunk boosted gardening, the more the little chipmunks resisted. The daughter chipmunk said that one of her friends who had graduated in ...

4363. Have You Got a Prayer? – Sermon Opener

Luke 3:21-22

Illustration

Mark Trotter

In the season of Epiphany we look at those special events in Jesus' life where his presence was especially manifested with power. Jesus' baptism is one of those epiphanies. You heard Luke's version read this morning. The Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form as a dove, and a voice came from heaven,"Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased." In newer translations, which are thought to be more accurate, the adjective "beloved" is made a separate phrase to emphasize the intensity of the ...

4364. Baptism: Take My Good Name

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

French writer Henri Barbusse (1874-1935) tells of a conversation overheard in a trenchfull of wounded men during the First World War. One of the men, who knew he only had minutes to live says to one of the other man, "Listen, Dominic, you've led a very bad life. Everywhere you are wanted by the police. But there are no convictions against me. My name is clear, so, here, take my wallet, take my papers, my identity, take my good name, my life, and quickly, hand me your papers that I may carry all your crimes ...

4365. The Power of Small Things

Luke 3:1-20

Illustration

Brett Blair

A young girl by the name of Sofi was born in Siberia, a bitterly cold and desolate area of Russia. A difficult place to be a child but Sofi's life was going to be even rougher than most. She was an orphan. Then suddenly at the age of 2 she was adopted, sight unseen, by Laurie Collis a single mother in Scottsdale, Arizona. She is now doing well. So well that she entered a NASA essay contest to suggest names for the two rovers the Sapce Agency was about to send to mars. She was in the third grade and out of ...

4366. They Keep Getting Worse and Worse

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

A young preacher had announced to his congregation that he would be leaving the church for another call. As he was standing at the door greeting people one of the elderly saints approached him, her eyes were filled with tears. She sobbed, "Oh pastor, I'm so sorry you've decided to leave. Things will never be the same again." The young man was flattered, but was equal to the situation and took her hands in his and most benevolently replied, "Bless you, dear lady, but I am sure that God will send you a new ...

4367. Someone to Call Our Name

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

"After the death of her husband, Prince Albert, Queen Victoria said, "There is no one left to call me Victoria." I know there are a number of you here this morning who have experienced what this woman of royalty experienced. The death of a spouse or loved one simply means that you do not hear your name called the way you remember it being called for so long. Only time helps us to cope with that pain. In spite of her royalty, Queen Victoria needed someone to call her by name. That's what baptism is about. ...

4368. The Water of Our Baptism Is Dangerous

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

There was a multimillionaire businessman, known for his extravagance, who hosted an elaborate, spectacular summer party. Part of his decorations and part of the uniqueness of his party was that he had filled his swimming pool with sharks, barracuda and other assorted dangerous fish. After cocktails and dinner had been served and everyone was just standing around looking at the assortment of dangerous sea life. The business man announced to his guests that he would like to challenge any of them to try ...

4369. If We Could All Be Royal

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

In his book, The Gospel For The Person Who Has Everything, William Willimon tells of a young friend, age 4, who was asked on the occasion of his 5th birthday what kind of party he wanted to have. I want everybody to be a king and queen, Clayton said. So, he and his mother went to work, fashioning a score of silver crowns – cardboard and aluminum foil, purple robes– crepe paper, and royal scepters – sticks painted gold. On the day of the party, as the guests arrived, they were each given a royal crown, a ...

4370. You Are Mine

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

Mark Trotter

A daughter calls home, talks to her parents about the great disappointment in her life, how she feels. She talks about what she can do now. They talk about all this. At the end the parents say, "We wish we could do something." She says, "You have done a lot just being there. I can feel your love. It helps. Thanks for being there." I think it must have been like that when Jesus prayed to God in those critical moments in his life. His identity was confirmed, "You are my Son." He was assured that he is loved ...

4371. The Spirit Has Landed - Sermon Starter

Luke 3:1-20

Illustration

Brett Blair

Back on January 3rd 2010, the Mars rover named "Spirit" began its sixth year of diligent exploration (Spirit landed on January 3, 2004). It had been sending back so many photographs that NASA figured out a way to teach the little rover how to detect changes in images, so that it sends only images back to Earth with new information. For example, if Rover was taking photographs of dust devils, it now pauses and waits until the image changes before taking the next photo. This meant less work for the ...

4372. Sermon Opener - WaterFire Faith

Acts 8:14-17

Illustration

Leonard Sweet

Some years ago the "town fathers" of Providence, Rhode Island were desperate to find a way to revitalize the city's downtown, and especially its dangerous waterfront. So what did they do? They hired an artist. The artist they chose was a multi-media public artist named Barnaby Evans, who is known for combining science and art, nature and the senses, especially soundcapes, to generate something magical. The magic in this case took the form of a sculpture, a sculpture installed on the three rivers of the ...

4373. A Whole New Era

John 2:1-11

Illustration

Phillip Yancy

What about the underlying meaning? What did this strange first miracle signify? In a departure from custom, John fails to interpret for us the miraculous" sign," which for him almost always means a symbol, a kind of acted parable. Some commentators see in it a preview of the last Supper, when Jesus transforms not water into wind but wine into blood, his blood shed for all humanity. Maybe. But, I think not. I prefer a more whimsical interpretation. Tellingly, John notes that the wine came from huge thirty- ...

4374. Miracles

John 2:1-11

Humor Illustration

King Duncan

There is a time-honored story about a skeptic who was continually harassing the local pastor. His one delight in life seemed to be making the pastor appear inadequate intellectually. The pastor bore these challenges to his theology and faith with great restraint. One day the skeptic was heckling the pastor about his views on miracles. "Give me one concrete example of a miracle," the skeptic taunted. "One concrete example." Where upon the pastor hauled off and kicked the skeptic furiously on the shin. The ...

4375. Is Vodka Allowed?

John 2:1-11

Illustration

There is a legend which states that in the late middle ages, the Russian Czar had come to the conclusion that in order to unite his country, there would have to be one state religion to which everyone should belong. He considered carefully all of his options. Finally, he settled on a short list of three, Islam, Buddhism or Christianity. He called representatives from each of the three religions to his court in Russia, and asked them each to state the case for their religion before himself and his advisors ...

Showing results

Antonyms: deficient, imperfect

Showing 4351 to 4375 of 5000 results

4351. Erma's New Year's Resolutions

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

Erma Bombeck

4352. Our Children Can Teach Us

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

James W. Moore

4353. Christ in the Form of Communion

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

James W. Moore

4354. Getting along with Mom

Luke 2:41-52

Humor Illustration

King Duncan

4355. The Martha and Erma Christmas

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

Brett Blair

4356. The Boy Jesus

Luke 2:33-35

Illustration

Brett Blair

4357. If Daddy Will Hold Me

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

James W. Moore

4358. Kids Can Drive You Nuts…

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

King Duncan

4359. The Legacy of Determination

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

King Duncan

4360. The Spilled Milk Experiment

Lk 2:41-52

Illustration

King Duncan

4361. Joyous All the Time

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

King Duncan

4362. Chipmunks Aren’t All Alike

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

Brett Blair

4363. Have You Got a Prayer? – Sermon Opener

Luke 3:21-22

Illustration

Mark Trotter

4364. Baptism: Take My Good Name

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

4365. The Power of Small Things

Luke 3:1-20

Illustration

Brett Blair

4366. They Keep Getting Worse and Worse

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

4367. Someone to Call Our Name

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

4368. The Water of Our Baptism Is Dangerous

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

4369. If We Could All Be Royal

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

4370. You Are Mine

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Illustration

Mark Trotter

4371. The Spirit Has Landed - Sermon Starter

Luke 3:1-20

Illustration

Brett Blair

4372. Sermon Opener - WaterFire Faith

Acts 8:14-17

Illustration

Leonard Sweet

4373. A Whole New Era

John 2:1-11

Illustration

Phillip Yancy

4374. Miracles

John 2:1-11

Humor Illustration

King Duncan

4375. Is Vodka Allowed?

John 2:1-11

Illustration

Showing results