Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4351 to 4375 of 4946 results

4351. Isaac and Rebekah

Genesis 24:1-67

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Finding a Wife for Isaac: Abraham’s last major responsibility in light of God’s promises is to find a wife for Isaac. Otherwise the promise of numerous offspring will perish for lack of an heir. The text does not address why Abraham waited so long to fulfill this responsibility. Abraham commissions his most trusted senior servant to travel to Haran to find a wife for his son. In order to preserve the integrity of his offspring, this wife must come from the line of Terah. The servant is confident that he ...

4352. Worshipping Other Gods

Deuteronomy 13:1-18

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Sources of the Temptation to Go after Other Gods: Continuing the concern for the purity of Israel’s worship, in line with the first commandment, Deuteronomy warns the people of the kinds of situation in which they might be tempted or pressured into deserting Yahweh for other gods. First, the danger of false religious leaders (vv. 1–5); second, the possible conflict of loyalties when close family members are involved (vv. 6–11); third, the pressure of an influential group of leaders in a community (vv. 12– ...

4353. “As the Deer Pants for Streams of Water, So My Soul Pants for You, My God”

Psalm 42:1-11, Psalm 43:1-5

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: Even in adverse circumstances of place, atmosphere, and our own troubled thoughts, we can rally our hearts to joy and hope in God. Understanding the Text Psalms 42 and 43 are distinct psalms in the Hebrew (MT), Greek (LXX), Syriac, and Vulgate, which suggests that they were separate compositions. Yet the seamless relationship of the two poems is indicated by these factors: (1) they share a refrain (42:5, 11; 43:5); (2) Psalm 43 has no title (Ps. 71 is the only other exception in Book 2); (3) both ...

4354. Afraid of Hope

John 20:19-31

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

As Harry Houdini, the Budapest born American by adoption stunt performer who is best remembered for his sensational escape acts, lay dying in November 1926, he made a deathbed pact with his wife Bess. He told Bess that he would try to reach her from the other world. For ten years, Bess kept a candle burning below Harry's picture in their home. Each year on the anniversary of his death, Bess gathered in some friends and held a séance hoping she would hear from her late husband. Needless to say, she never ...

4355. When All Is Said and Done

Acts 16:9-15

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Life has a way of presenting us with defining moments. I re- member facing a defining moment in my ministry. I went to see a man in the hospital who was dying. He was not active in the church I pastored, but I knew who he was. When I entered his hospital room, his whole family was standing in a semi-circle around his bed. They greeted me, and then the man told his family that he wanted a moment alone with me. So they left us alone. As soon as his family had left, he began to cry. I sat by his bed and began ...

4356. Defeating Discouragement

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Yard sales are interesting to me. I don’t frequent them very often, but I am always fascinated by the fact that “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” Someone can’t wait to get rid of old tapes and records — doesn’t want them cluttering up the house anymore. Along comes a complete stranger and he just can’t believe anyone would want to sell them. He buys them for a steal and drives home with a big smile thinking he just committed robbery. He brings the records home, clutters up his own house ...

4357. Face-to-Face with the Kingdom

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Sermon

Tom Garrison

Several years ago I came to one of those "moments of truth" in my life that enabled me to see more deeply into myself and into the challenge of the Christian gospel. Interestingly enough, the issue at stake was my emotional attitude toward the weather. In order to appreciate this situation, you need to realize that all my life I have had a special affection for snow. Of all the seasons of the year winter is my favorite, and the part of winter that I like best is the coming of that "icy white stuff." As ...

4358. What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

Matthew 13:36-43, Matthew 13:24-30

Sermon

Tom Garrison

Each year, there is a Senior Recognition Sunday for our high school and college graduates. We do this because graduation is a significant milestone for all of us — not just for the graduates themselves, but also for their families and friends and all those who have contributed in some way to the educational processes of our community. The event of graduation can be described in many ways. For one thing, it is a proud time, for it represents the completion of a long and arduous process. No matter how one ...

4359. Does Easter Really Matter?

Mark 16:1-8, John 20:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan

James Moore tells a humorous story about a woman named Carol who was the organist at her church. She was an outstanding musician, but she did something no organist should ever do. She overslept on Easter morning and missed the sunrise service. Obviously, she was embarrassed. Of course, the minister and the church forgave her. They teased her about it a little, but it was done lovingly and in good fun. However, the next Easter her phone rang at 5:00 in the morning. Jolted awake by the loud ringing, she ...

4360. The Call of the Wild Within

Genesis 12:10-20, Genesis 12:1-8, Luke 2:41-52

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Coming into movie theatres this week is a remake of Jack London’s famous novel, “The Call of the Wild.”The story begins with the kidnapping of Buck, a pet St. Bernard dog, owned by a wealthy family in the Santa Clara Valley, CA. Abruptly, Buck is removed from his comfortable, genteel life and thrust into the wild Canadian frontier in the midst of the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush. Made to serve as a sled dog, Buck must leave behind his civilized nature and rely instead on his natural instincts to survive. For a ...

4361. Precocious

Luke 2:41-52

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Animation: mouth tape / songbird (if you can bring a real bird…it’s best) [Come into the aisle wearing a tape across your mouth. Pull it off before speaking.] Silence. Sometimes after a day of screaming co-workers, or busy shopping, or upset children, or loud music, you name it, all we crave is….silence. In fact, how many times have you wished your partner, or child, or friend….would just be….silent. There’s something called “noise fatigue.” In fact, studies say that emotional exhaustion can also make you ...

4362. Holy Quail!

Exodus 16:1-36, Numbers 11:4-35

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Anyone here have cravings? What are your cravings? Coffee? Chocolate? Ice Cream? Truffles? Did you ever have that feeling when you just have to have something decadent? Your mouth wants to be naughty! Your eye catches that chocolate cake across the room! You watch it, you try not to, but you do. You can’t help yourself. And then, after all the restraint you can muster, you go for it. You eat the biggest piece you can. Later, you clutch your stomach all night long in pain. Too much chocolate!!! As a people ...

4363. Song of Promise

Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:46-56, Luke 1:39-45

Sermon

Lori Wagner

I have a confession to make: I love Christmas carols. I mean, really LOVE Christmas carols. Can I get a witness? On the radio….on CDs….in the stores….in the car….they just uplift our spirits in this season, don’t they? There’s something about Christmas Carols that just seem to warm the heart and stir the soul. I know you’re not supposed to listen to them until after Advent, but I admit it before God and all of you: I cheat. I listen to Christmas carols before the 12 days of Christmas. Now I know how ...

4364. Excuse Me!

Exodus 3:1-22

Sermon

Carl Jech

The Shadows: Low Self-Esteem Introduction One of the most popular programs in the history of old time radio was The Shadow. "The Shadow" was the alias used by fictional crime-fighter Lamont Cranston. A creaking door introduced each show, followed by the sinister and now-famous words: "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" then came a sinister laugh. (The preacher might risk an imitation.) Have you noticed that the Bible does not seek to cover up the darker side of even its ...

4365. R.S.V.P.

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

Will Willimon

"At Duke," she said, ''we work hard, we play hard." A visitor here on campus, Friday noon through Sunday evening, might get the impression that we are one of those infamous "Party Schools." Late one Sunday night last winter, I was awakened in the middle of the night and asked to deliver a sad message to a Duke freshman. I got up, put on clothes, stumbled out into the night, drove through deserted Durham streets, wondering if I needed aid from Public Safety to get in the sleeping dorm. I stumbled into a ...

4366. Happiness Full Stop

John 15:9-17

Sermon

King Duncan

Good morning, and Happy Mother’s Day to all our mothers and mother-figures in our fellowship of faith. On this special day, we would like to thank all of you who shape our lives and build our families and serve as our safe place as we go out into the world. Mothers have a unique power to influence their children no matter how old those children get. Phil Keith, the former police chief of Knoxville, Tennessee, tells of receiving a call from his mother while he was in the middle of a televised press ...

4367. The Gospel Ship

John 6:1-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“I will make you fishers of men.” -- Jesus [Prop Suggestion: For effect you could play “The Old Gospel Ship” by Iris DeMent as a postlude or ending to this sermon. If you can, use a visual or visuals of boats or ships on the Sea of Galilee.] How many of you like boats? Cruises? How many of you have been on a boat or a ship? How does it feel? Exciting? Adventurous? Exhilarating? Anticipatory? Do you feel happy? Free? For most people, there’s something amazing about fresh salt air, the wind on your face, the ...

4368. Preparing for the King

Luke 3:1-6

Sermon

King Duncan

Even if we dread deadlines, most of us will admit that we work better when we have a deadline staring us in the face. But few of us have to face the kind of deadline the White House staff does when they welcome a new President to D.C. Kate Anderson Brower has written a New York Times best-selling book titled The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House which shares a behind-the-scenes look at all the work that goes into the Presidential transition. There are only about 90-100 residential ...

4369. “Until An Opportune Time…”

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

I need to ask a question this morning. It’s a question to which I think I know the answer, but still, I need to ask. Do any of you ever feel tempted? How about a show of hands? Yes, yes, yes. I see that we have a lot of folks being tempted these days. I don’t think I will trespass into the question of what exactly tempted you. You can keep that one to yourselves. But truthfully, if we go deeply into this, it’s a tough thing to consider, isn’t it? As one who struggles with extra pounds, I am constantly ...

4370. For Us

Luke 22:7-38

Sermon

Will Willimon

Tonight, this night, we are preparing to partake of the Lord's Supper, a sacrament. We will give you a piece of bread, a sip of wine and promise you that God is here. What's going on here? Because we could not, knew not how, had not the means to come to God, God came to us. This is not how we climb up to God—through our good works, our projects, our noble ideals, our beautiful services of worship—tomorrow, between noon and three, we're going to see where all that leads. All of our ladders up to God always ...

4371. Brush It Off

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Everyone has at one time or another been in a vulnerable place, either physically, emotionally, or spiritually. For many, it’s not a comfortable place unless we are entirely familiar with someone, such as our partner, spouse, or a very best friend. Even then, it’s hard for us to open ourselves up and show our weaknesses, our flaws, or even our most intimate dreams. Think about it. How many of you would tell your deepest, darkest secrets to the person sitting next to you? How many of you would share the ...

4372. John and Frank

Matthew 11:2-11

Sermon

John Jamison

Have you ever had doubts about what you believe? I mean really had doubts? You were so certain of everything, but over time questions started arising. Or maybe something happened that shook you really hard, and you began to wonder if all that you believed in was real? Can you relate to that at all? That’s where we find John in today’s scripture. He had spent so many years being the powerful preacher, the one proclaiming his faith that everything was about to change for the better. His beliefs had given him ...

4373. Lose the Cape

Romans 13:11-14

Sermon

Charley Reeb

When I was in college, I went to a friend’s house for a pool party. I remember it being pretty tame by college standards. The parents were home! However, the dad of the house had a great personality. We told jokes, laughed and carried on. Later in the evening, we were sitting by the pool and the father asked me what my major was. I told him it was religion. He laughed and said, “Yeah, right.” I said, “No, I’m serious. It is religion.” He asked, “Why religion?” I told him I planned on being a preacher. He ...

4374. You've Got Spirit

Luke 3:15-22 · Acts 8:14-17 · Psalm 29 · Isaiah 61:1-4

Sermon

Will Willimon

"Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit." Let us pray: "O Lord, how can we know Thee: Where can we find Thee? Thou art as close to us as breathing and yet art farther than the furthermost star. Thou art as mysterious as the vast solitudes of the night and yet art as familiar to us as the light of the sun. To the seer of old Thou didst say: Thou canst not see my face, but I will make all My Goodness pass before Thee. Even so does Thy goodness pass before us in the realm of ...

4375. The List

John 6:27-38

Sermon

John B. Jamison

Before we go to the hillside to hear what Jesus has to say to the crowds, I have a question. Do you ever read those little labels on things you buy — those warning labels? Some of them are simply fascinating. Some of them make you stop and wonder just why they have been put there. For example, I saw a sticker on a wheelbarrow the other day that read, “Not intended for highway use.” I have to admit that I stood there for a few moments with a lot of images going through my head. Or the label on the baby ...

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