Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4526 to 4550 of 4914 results

4526. Oh, That You Would Come Down?

Isaiah 63:7--64:12

Sermon

King Duncan

The Guinness Book of World Records keeps track of some very unusual records. The 1999 edition contains one entry titled “The longest time living in a tree.” It seems a man in Indonesia named Bungkas went up a tree in 1970 and has been there ever since. He lives in a crude tree house he made from the branches and leaves of the trees. No one knows exactly why he took up residence in a tree, but 29 years later he was still there. Neighbors, friends and family have repeatedly tried to get him to come down, but ...

4527. The Lighted Path

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Sermon

Lori Wagner

You can’t see light unless you are in the shadows or the dark. Turn your lights on during a sunny day, and you’ll never know they’re shining. The sun streaming in your windows bathes everything in a natural light. You don’t seek to turn on your lamps when you feel you have enough light already. But spend awhile in the dark, and you’ll soon be longing for any semblance of light. The amount of light we need is also relative. Those who live in the city become accustomed to a huge amount of light –from ...

4528. Choices

Philippians 1:12-14, 19-24

Sermon

Will Willimon

"Why do you enjoy preaching at Duke chapel," the interviewer asked. And I heard myself reply, "Because it's a great privilege to be with young adults, students, who are making so many important decisions in their lives. The way I see it, of the five or six most important choices we make choices about career, education, marriage -- many will be made right here at Duke. And I enjoy preaching to, counseling with, people who are at that stage of life." It is a privilege to be with people asking, "What ought I ...

4529. Mary's Song

Luke 1:46-47, 52

Sermon

Will Willimon

I suspect that many of you are anxious for me to get off my chest quickly whatever it is that I want to say, to get out of the pulpit, so you can get on with the beautiful music of Christmas. We have restrained ourselves throughout the Sundays of Advent, confined ourselves to slow-moving, somewhat somber hymns of hope, anticipation, expectancy. "Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel." Anticipation has become fulfillment. Now, we are at last ready to sing of Christmas. There are Sundays when ...

4530. Mary's Witness

Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

Sermon

King Duncan

There are few things more exciting in life than the birth of a baby. That is true whether you are a commoner or a controversial member of a royal family. We all share the joy when friends or family announce that they are expecting. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have become household names to Americans over the past couple of years, but their lives have not been totally without good cheer. For example, when they gave birth to their first child, Archie, there was such keen public anticipation that Whole ...

4531. For The Love Of God Is Biblical

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

At various times it has been called: The Road Less Traveled -- Life's Little Instruction Book -- Our Owner's Manual and Warranty -- The Promise and The Spiritual Guide To Life, The Universe and Everything On $5.00 A Day Or Less. Some people find it repulsive. Some love it; Some love it so much they have made it their god. It's been on best seller list for more weeks than we can count. What is it? The Bible. Next Sun marks beginning of National Bible Week and since we want to pause and give Thanks next week ...

4532. Have a Very Messy Christmas!

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

John Jamison

I’ll tell you, this had to be something to see. The Jordan River is not a big river like many that we might think of. At its widest, you could still easily thrown a stone across it, and in many other places, you could just step from one side to the other. The wide and deeper spots usually became places where people would gather to fill their water jugs, wash clothes, bathe the children… or just escape from the heat and dryness of the land around the river. Most of the land was a wilderness; narrow paths ...

4533. Shiny Objects

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever heard of Shiny Object Syndrome? Many of us may suffer from this syndrome and we don’t even know what it is. Shiny Object Syndrome is the desire to constantly chase new trends, to try whatever new thing comes along in technology, or management techniques, or fashion or food. There’s nothing wrong with jumping on new trends. It’s good to be open to change. But you know you have Shiny Object Syndrome if you quickly lose interest in each new trend and chase after the next trend that comes along, ...

4534. The Succession

Matthew 11:2-11

Sermon

Lori Wagner

The wildly successful show on HBO called “Succession” is a satire of a wealthy media empire, whose patriarchal mogul is aging. Those vying to succeed him in the business offer varied and conflicting ideas about how the companies should be run, but their tempestuous leader has no current intention of passing the baton. The dark comedy portrays the power, wealth, and often underhanded “politics” of one of America’s elite media monopolies. If the television version of “succession” portrays the worst of human ...

4535. A Reminder of the Graciousness of God

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever been the victim of gossip or rumors? Ever overheard a snide comment that you weren’t supposed to overhear? Knowing that others are judging you, looking down on you, can be a painful experience. There are many warnings in the Bible against gossip and judging others because these activities harm human relationships and they don’t reflect the character of God. I read a news story about a man named Eddie Bueno who must have been the target of gossip or hurtful comments most of his life. Eddie ...

4536. Flash Mob

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

Lori Wagner

One year ago, crowds at London’s many train stations stopped amazed, as flash mobs broke out everywhere to celebrate the end of covid lockdown. Professional dancers, as well as over 100 volunteers contributed to the surprise flash performances. You can see the joy on people’s faces as they sway to the music and collectively cheer and celebrate together.[1] It had been a long, rough season. People needed this. The laughter and smiles were infectious, and a new sense of hope swept through the country. Music ...

4537. Wrapped in a Cloud

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Lori Wagner

The approaching wintry days and nights means cuddling up in your warmest, cozy fleece, as unexpected snow wraps the earth in a thick, opaque, and silent blanket of white. Ever go outside after foot upon foot of snow has obliterated everything familiar from sight? All you see is white. Everywhere white and a kind of strange glowing haze in the frosty, still air. When the sun peers through the haze, it casts an eerie kind of glow. The crystalline particles of snow glisten, almost blinding you with their ...

4538. Growing Into Our Scars

John 20:19-31

Sermon

Mary Austin

There’s something about a scar that begs for a story. When I see someone with an intriguing scar, I always want to know how they got it. It would be rude to ask, and so I don’t, but I keep hoping it will come up in conversation. I wonder what lesson is behind the stitches on the knee …what adventure brought the scar on the forehead…what happened right before the mark on the arm? Sometimes it’s a story of challenge and triumph. Other times it’s a painful reminder of a past hurt. But there’s always a story. ...

4539. Living Bread

John 6:51-58

Sermon

Lori Wagner

The advances of medicine and proactive health in today’s world are astounding. One of the major shifts in our understanding of disease and prevention has come with a new conception of the role of the gut! It turns out, our gut health determines just about everything about our overall health and affects whether or not we may be susceptible to certain diseases, especially those caused by autoimmune. Because of this knowledge, not only functional medicine but conventional medicine has gotten on board with ...

4540. Calculated Christianity

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

Jill J. Duffield

Grit is trending these days. Have you heard of it? There was a viral TED talk by Angela Duckworth in 2013 and then she published a book of the same title in 2018 ― Grit: The Power Of Passion And Perseverance. In a nutshell, “grit” is mental toughness, the ability to persevere and keep at it in order to achieve a long- term goal. Like calculating what it is going to take to build that big tower and then keeping after it, no matter that a storm knocked it down or that the permit got delayed or that thieves ...

4541. Easter 4

1 Peter 2:13-25, Acts 7:54--8:1a, Acts 6:1-7, John 10:1-21

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: God is our Shepherd and guide. In the First Lesson, the church appointed deacons to look after the needs of the church members. They were undershepherds, under the leadership of the apostles. In the Second Lesson, Peter states: "For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls" (v. 25). In the Gospel, Jesus describes himself as the Shepherd and door to the sheepfold. COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 2:14, 36-41 (Look at Lesson 1 for Easter 3) Epistle ...

4542. Proper 6

Matthew 9:35-38, Matthew 10:1-42, Genesis 18:1-15, Exodus 19:1-25, Romans 5:1-11

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: God's people are commissioned for mission. God told Moses, as recorded in Exodus 19, that the Jews were to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. In the Gospel, the Lord empowers the apostles to go out and proclaim the gospel and minister in his name. That is our calling too. COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Genesis 18:1-15 (C) Three men appear to Abraham as he sits by the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham extends gracious hospitality to them and one of the men reveals himself to be the ...

4543. Converting the Converted

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lest sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, saying, ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ " [Matthew 10:5-7] Have you ever wondered why, with a church on almost every corner in America, so much evil abounds? In a country with approximately 120 million church members, 98 million gamble, costing $5.1 billion per year. In a land where seventy-one percent of the ...

4544. How to Recognize a Prophet

Deuteronomy 18:14-22

Sermon

Curtis Lewis

In his autobiography, Up from Slavery, Booker T. Washington tells of being awakened every morning in the slave quarters long before daylight by an old rooster crowing. The sound of the crowing rooster was the sign for the slaves to hit the floor and move out to the field to begin a day of hard work. According to Washington, when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and the slaves realized they had been freed, something changed in the Washington shanty. He recalls awakening the ...

4545. Remember Your Baptism

Romans 6:1-14, Colossians 2:6-23

Sermon

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 ...

4546. Remember Your Baptism

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

4547. Children in the Arms of a Loving God

Mark 10:13-16

Sermon

Michael Milton

I came across some other wonderful prayers of children, which reveal their authentic way of coming to God. Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother. —Larry I didn’t think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset you made on Tuesday. That was cool. —Eugene Are you really invisible or is that just a trick? —Lucy Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident? —Norma Instead of letting people die and having to make ...

4548. Writing the Law on Our Hearts

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

In his wonderful book, Open Secrets, Richard Lischer tells of a retired Lutheran pastor who came to visit him shortly after the elder man's wife had died. Throughout his whole ministry, he had prayed with countless people, providing a bridge between them and God. When it mattered the most though, he couldn't pray. When his wife was dying, he couldn't pray with her, as he had throughout their marriage. He didn't make a conscious decision not to pray with her, he just couldn't do it. He felt as though ...

4549. Lent 3

Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 5:1-11, John 4:1-26, John 4:27-38, John 4:39-42

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Exodus 17:1-7 Upon Yahweh's direction, Moses brings water out of a rock for the wilderness people. God's people are in the wilderness and are thirsty. This is one of a series of complaints of the Israelites during their forty-year stay in the wilderness. This episode follows the pattern of the others: The people complain to Moses, Moses takes the complaint to Yahweh, and Yahweh graciously answers the need. In this case, Moses is directed to strike a rock out of which comes water ...

4550. Joseph – The Promise Believed

Matthew 1:18-25; 2:13-23

Sermon

James Merritt

Today we are going to begin a three week series of messages built around The Promise. What is The Promise? Before I tell you what it is, let me just say that you cannot understand the Old Testament apart from The Promise. You cannot understand the New Testament apart from The Promise. You cannot understand Christmas apart from The Promise. You can't understand your purpose in life apart from The Promise. The Promise goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve had royally blown it. God had put ...

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