Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 426 to 450 of 662 results

Psalm 50:1-23, Isaiah 1:1-31, Luke 12:32-40, Hebrews 11:1-40

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... silence of our hearts. According to your will, give renewed health in body and spirit, that your purposes may be fulfilled in the community of your people. God our Savior, keep us spiritually fit and lively so that we may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. We have this hope, sure and steadfast, that enters the inner shrine of heaven where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become our high priest forever. To our Advocate and ...

427. First Sunday of Advent

Matthew 26:36-46, Psalm 122:1-9, Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:8-14

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... and a peaceful rest. Eternal God, we give you thanks for the remembrance of those most dear to us, whom you have released from the sorrow and sighing of this life into everlasting joy and gladness. Grant that as we cherish their memories we may strive to imitate their virtues and share the fruits of the one Spirit who is embodied by the church of Jesus Christ. Hasten the day when the church militant becomes the church triumphant and we again are united with those whom we have loved and lost a while. We pray ...

428. Parenting 101

Ephesians 6:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

... themselves and to make decisions. Bless me with the bigness to grant them their reasonable requests and the courage to deny them the privileges I know could do them harm. Make me fair, just and kind, and fit me, O Lord, to be loved, respected, and imitated by my children, and help me always remember that better parents raise better children. Let me close with this encouragement. No parents can ever guarantee how their child will turn out. But I will tell you this. The best parents in the world will see to ...

429. James 1:17-27

James 1:19-27

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... ,” live according to God’s word, is what James refers to as the “implanted word.” This is what Luther failed to appreciate about James: that he is offering disciples of Jesus something greater than imitation — implantation. The “implanted word” dwells in all who are faithful followers. To uncover this “implanted word” some specific, positive actions are required: chiefly putting away (“apotithemi”), literally “taking off” (as with clothing) “sordidness” and “wickedness ...

430. Men in Black

Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43

Sermon

James Merritt

... about tares and wheat is this: You really cannot tell the difference until they both ripen together. We're told here in verse 39 that "the enemy that sowed this seed is the devil." Now I want you to remember something. Satan is not an innovator; he is an imitator. His counterfeits are people. While God is sowing the good seeds of his saints, Satan is sowing the bad seeds of his sinners. In fact, I want to show you over in 2 Cor. 11 exactly how the master counterfeiter works. First of all, we are told that ...

431. People Skills

Proverbs 12:26

Sermon

James Merritt

... chose the wrong friends? How many people have lost their families, their marriages, or their businesses, because they associated with the wrong crowd? When you start hanging out with the wrong people, you will start listening to the wrong advice, you will start imitating the wrong example and you will wind up doing the wrong thing. Friendship also entails - keeping a friend. Once you find a friend, you guard that relationship like you would guard the gold at Fort Knox. I really believe there are two super ...

432. A Song for Tomorrow

Psalm 1:1-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... acting like the wrong crowd. Then you pass into the third phase where you "Join in with scoffers." (Psalm 1:1, NLT) This is the worst stage of all. This is when you are really fully trapped with the wrong crowd. First you accept their advice. Then you imitate their action and then you adopt their attitude. That is exactly how the wrong crowd gets into a person's life. First they entice you, then they engage you and then they embrace you. All the psalmist is doing is simply telling us what we already know ...

433. Abba, Your Kingdom Come

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... forgive as we have been forgiven, greatly upset the Pharisees and other religious leaders who first heard these words. They saw that Jesus was saying that God is like that father in the parable who offers forgiveness before the lost son returned and that we are called to imitate God's ways. Do Not Bring Us To The Time Of Trial "Do not bring us to the time of trial" (NRSV) is a better translation than "Lead us not into temptation" (KJV). God tempts no one to sin. In my opinion, the best translation of this ...

434. Counting the Cost of Discipleship

Luke 14:25-33

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... where he would face a cross. Large crowds were gathering. Many people in the crowd thought Jesus was going to establish a worldly empire of power and glory. They were wrong. Many were not interested in being disciples of the way of the cross. In his book, Imitation of Christ, Thomas à Kempis puts it this way: "Jesus has many lovers of his kingdom, but few followers of his way." In today's terms, Jesus has many admirers who think of him as a great teacher or wonderful leader, but are not committed to him as ...

435. Carrying the Burdens of Others

Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... Paul's exhortation to follow the Lord's example must be the model we seek to follow in our lives. Let us faithfully walk the final part of this long journey of Lent. May we voluntarily humble ourselves, to die to self so others may live. We do so in imitation of Jesus, our brother, friend, and Lord.

436. The Good News about Marriage

Mark 10:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

... of touching.’” (1) A satisfying marriage doesn’t come without work, attention, commitment. People come into marriage with all kinds of baggage. For example, we see Mom and Dad relating to one another and, consciously or unconsciously, we often imitate them. Sometimes parents are good role models; sometimes they are horrendous role models for how people ought to interact. Some people, by their very nature, are insensitive to others, including their marriage partner. Loving another human being requires ...

437. The Three Poison Pills of Position, Prestige, and Power - Sermon Starter

Mark 10:35-45

Illustration

Brett Blair

... wants to become great among you must be your servant. The young corporal had these words modeled to him from the man at the top. The disciples, likewise, receive from their leader a picture of servant hood. And it is high time they start imitating their leader. It is now five days before Jesus' crucifixion. Four days before his betrayal and trial. One day before the clearing of the temple. A few hours before the Triumphal Entry. If the Disciples are going to start appropriating Jesus' teachings in their ...

438. Batman: Driven By Guilt or Grace?

Romans 5:1-11; 8:1-2

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... was parody of their comic book hero and not the real deal. The Bat-Man was born in issue #27 of Detective Comics, in May 1939. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, The Bat-Man, now simply Batman, was completely different than Superman or any of the imitators of Superman. (2) Batman's back story was told in just 12 frames. He and his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne were coming from the theater when they were accosted by a gunman who attempted to rob them. Thomas Wayne stepped between the gunman and his wife ...

439. Jonah: Run!

Jonah 3:1-10

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... to go to Nineveh and hold a revival. Tell them they better get there act together and straighten up. I'm watching." Jonah give God a big smile and says, "Sure thing Lord." And the minute God turns His back, Jonah spins around and does a perfect Jesse Owens imitation and runs as fast as he can, in the other direction. If you've gotten to see the movie Evan Almighty you know that Evan was pretty reluctant to say "Yes!" to God, too. Just like Evan, Jonah heads the opposite direction God wants. He jumps onto a ...

440. Batman: Driven By Guilt or Grace?

Romans 5:1-11; 8:1-2; Luke 18:9-16

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

441. Cross Eyed: Focus

Mark 1:9-15

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... are and our relationship with God. We are fed and filled with God's grace once again. And we are reminded that all the world can offer in place of this feast of forgiveness, this all you can eat buffet of God's Grace, is nothing more than imitation, stale leftovers. But there are a couple of other ways to stay focused as well. Mainly, Self Denial or Giving Something Up or Acts of Kindness or Taking Something On. I. Giving Something Up A. Self Denial is an important Christian concept, it allows to walk the ...

442. Radical Love in the Neighborhood (Series: Radical Love in a Risky World)

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... , a catholic, a straight, a gay; he sees a man, a man in need. Compassion does not require heroic gestures of self-denial, just ordinary sensitivity in everyday living. The Samaritan did not set out that day to rescue the perishing. We do not need to imitate Mother Theresa. We just need eyes to see the needs around us. Wherever we go, whatever we do, there are people in pain. Some are left half-dead on the highways of life. Some are teenagers in our own home who feel insecure. Some are families next ...

443. Does Love Really Make the World Go ’Round? (Series: Real Faith for Real People)

1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... Perfect in Love develops Christ-like people. Let us be honest! Is there anybody anywhere, Christian or un-Christian, religious or non-religious, who does not believe that Jesus Christ showed the world a better way to live? What keeps us from adopting His values and imitating His life style? As my fellow Kentuckian Wendell Berry writes, “In times like these when we have been most cruelly hurt by those who hate us, it is hard to speak of the way of peace and to remember that Christ enjoined us to love our ...

444. On the Road with Some Would-Be Diciples

Luke 9:57-62

Sermon

James W. Moore

... starched cowboy shirt; … and a big white cowboy hat. He was all dressed up for a night at the Rodeo… but you could tell that he had probably never been on a horse in his life. He was all decked out in brand-new western garb and doing his best imitation of the John Wayne walk. As he strutted by, one of the rodeo cowboys smiled,.. nudged his buddy and said: “Big Hat, No Cattle.” What did he mean by that? He probably meant that some people like to dress the part, but not pay the price. We will dress up ...

445. Why Did You Bring Us Out of Egypt?

Exodus 17:1-7

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

... to trust. We are called to shed the scales of our cynicism and step forward in joyful abandon. In short, we need to be able to read this story from Exodus with the deep awareness that in this instance, God's people are not offering behavior we need to imitate. In this Lenten time, as we journey in a wilderness of our own making, maybe we could try to trust a little more? Perhaps we could risk a little more? Maybe we could transform this wilderness of cynicism and doubt into a garden of faith and joy. Amen.

446. A Match Made in Heaven

Genesis 29:15-28

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... have to show for it in the end was a wife. No savings. No belongings. No flocks, no herds, no children. Not even seven years of enjoying being married. But that's what Jacob was willing to do; he set the terms. Laban, with another slick imitation of generosity, replied, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man." Always the consummate bargainer, Laban raises the specter of another customer waiting in the wings. He uses the term "give" rather loosely, considering the ...

447. Hidden in Plain Sight

1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16)

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... denominations defend a kind of narrow biblicism with John Wesley's famous self-description as a "man of one book." They are sometimes distressed or puzzled to learn that Wesley suggested his preachers read a passage from the Bible and Thomas à Kempis' Imitation of Christ daily, let alone that Wesley himself wrote on a wide range of topics including what we would call "folk medicine." Obviously, the "man of one book" meant that his total worldview, his understanding of everything, flowed from the truths of ...

448. Dust and Ashes Wednesday

2 Corinthians 5:11 – 6:13

Sermon

David O. Bales

... and with a destiny beyond this world. In Lent, we face the brevity of our life and our impending death and also we encounter the great dignity and destiny God created for us. In Lent, we're allowed and encouraged to study under the apostle Paul and to imitate his service by giving more of our time and possessions to help others. In Lent, we're invited and commanded to follow God's Son and to replicate his pattern of sacrifice for others. Paul says we are dying; yet we live. Jesus promises, "Because I live ...

449. Boast in Our Suffering

Romans 5:1-8

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... to deserve a gift. In fact, with the way they have treated you, you ought to make them suffer rather than to bless them with a gift. But you insist on giving the gift anyway. You remind them that this is a "Christmas gift," a gift that imitates God's gift for us in Christ. In Christ, God loved not only those who did not deserve it, but those who were downright ungodly and undeserving. Even though they were his enemies and deserved his anger and wrath, Christ loved them. "Father, forgive them for they ...

450. Character Approved: Stand Up or Stand Out?

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... his host to invite the “worst” society had to offer. Jesus isn’t adhering to the rules of the world. Jesus is advancing the cause of the kingdom. Jesus isn’t advising his host to make all the right moves. Jesus is admonishing him to imitate God’s righteousness. Jesus isn’t agonizing over etiquette. Jesus is actualizing equality. Jesus isn’t encouraging his followers to stand out. Jesus is encouraging his followers to stand for and to stand up. It’s hard for us in the twenty-first century to ...

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