Synonyms: renounce, relinquish, dispense with, forswear, disclaim, disown, disavow, discard, wash one's hands of, give up, stop, cease, drop, forgo, desist from, have done with, abjure, abstain from, discontinue, break off, refrain from, set/lay aside, desert, leave, leave high and dry, turn one's back on, cast aside, break (up) with, vacate, quit, evacuate, withdraw from, surrender, cede, yield, indulge in, give way to, give oneself up to, yield to, lose oneself to/in, uninhibitedness, recklessness, lack of restraint, lack of inhibition, unruliness, wildness, impulsiveness, impetuosity, immoderation, wantonness
Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on
Showing 4576 to 4600 of 4934 results
4576. Nothing Is Impossible
Exodus 13:17--14:31
Sermon
Walter Kimbrough
A marvelous story is told by the synoptic gospel writers about a boy who was possessed by an evil spirit. His father was concerned sufficiently enough to seek help for the boy in a time when all help had failed. The boy was brought to the disciples of Jesus with the request for healing, but they were powerless and confused. The father did not give up hope in the quest of healing for his son. So, with an insistent spirit he saw Jesus and reported on the condition of his son with the declaration of the ...
Sermon
Erskine White
And when it was evening, He came with the twelve. (Mark 14:12-16) We are gathered here in the evening, after the sun is down, so perhaps we can use the darkness around us to better imagine the events which took place on this sacred night so long ago. The story actually begins earlier in the day, when Jesus sends two disciples into Jerusalem to make preparations for the Passover meal. You may remember a sermon from a few weeks ago ("The Boy Who Ran Away") in which I mentioned that Jesus has to use an " ...
4578. The Banquet
John 6:25-59
Sermon
Robert Salzgeber
The people argued, "How can this man give us flesh to eat?" To eat and drink the Lord's portion of an offered sacrifice was considered (later on in the Jewish tradition) a desecration or offensive because it was believed that the sacrifice belonged to God. To consume the life force, to consume God, was believed to be a sacrilege. But despite the religious calcification of the covenant tradition, the heart and spirit of the covenant tradition did break through at various times. One such time was when David ...
Children's Sermon
Brett Blair
Exegetical Aim: We should allow God direct access to our lives. Props: Large map of your city, state, or country, and two large washable markers of different colors. One should be red. The red should easily overpower the other color. Unfold the map and place it on the ground before the children arrive. Have them sit around it. Make sure the markers are not permanent. Lesson: Good morning! (response) I want everyone to sit around our piece of paper. What is this? (a map) Does anyone know what it is a map of ...
Children's Sermon
Brett Blair
Exegetical Aim: How to be big in God's eyes. Props: Measuring tape. Lesson: Good morning! (response) I have a question for you this morning. How many of you are short? (response) Why do you feel short? (response) I wonder who is the shortest. Hold out the tape measure. What is this? (tape measure) Let's find out who is the shortest. Everybody stand up. Here are two ways to proceed: 1. Measure each child, leaving the shortest for last. 2. If you have too many children to measure individually, then measure ...
Drama
Robert A. Lehmann
Theme: A parable of mercy and forgiveness Characters: Narrator Jesus The youngest son The Father, Four solo voices (Solo 2 doubles as the older son) Narrator: Dishonest tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus. Solo 1: Because Jesus was their friend? Solo 2: Well, they didn't have many friends; especially like Jesus. Narrator: They came, and the Pharisees and Scribes murmured, Solo 3: Because Jesus was an important man. Solo 4: And important men had nothing to do with ...
4582. The Emperor’s Son-in-law
Luke 12:22-34, Luke 12:35-48
Sermon
Carveth Mitchell
This Gospel hinges on responsibility, and the culmination of it is in verse forty-eight: "Everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required." One of the favorite stories of the great Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegard, concerns an emperor, touring his domain and receiving the accolades of his people. When the entourage reached the market square of one village, his carriage was surrounded by cheering villagers and peasants. To the amazement of his neighbors, one brash young farmer stepped out ...
Sermon
"But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingly power and shall retain it for ever, for ever and ever." But we are not there yet; neither were the people of the text. Because they were not yet there and we are not yet there, we gather here to reflect that some are already there but the rest of us are not yet there. We have enough trouble without the troublesome word "saint" - "the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingly power and shall retain it for ever, for ever and ever." "But I’m no ...
Sermon
Harold Warlick
I speak to you tonight about forgiveness. We all need to forgive more. People who do not learn how to forgive do not enjoy life. The world hands us many irritating people. Some of them frustrate us to no end. If we embrace resentment instead of forgiveness, our relationships and our careers don't get very far. If you want to be a success in the world - major in forgiveness. A newspaper carried the story of a man who bought a new Cadillac. Every time the car hit a slight bump there was an awful thumping. ...
Sermon
This Gospel hinges on responsibility, and the culmination of it is in verse forty-eight: "Everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required." One of the favorite stories of the great Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegard, concerns an emperor, touring his domain and receiving the accolades of his people. When the entourage reached the market square of one village, his carriage was surrounded by cheering villagers and peasants. To the amazement of his neighbors, one brash young farmer stepped out ...
4586. Epiphany 7
Matthew 5:27-30, Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 5:33-37, Matthew 5:38-42
Sermon Aid
Liturgical Color: Green Gospel: Matthew 5:27-43 Theme: The dimensions of love. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration "Welcome! Worship is a drama-celebration, no matter what form it takes - Sunday mornings, weddings, funerals and memorials. Therefore, it is not something which is basically heard and seen, but something done. Worship as drama is something we do, not something we watch somebody else do. Thus, the worshiper celebrates the presence of God, not by absorbing what's going on as a sponge, but by ...
4587. Proper 16
Matthew 16:13-20
Sermon Aid
Liturgical Color: Green Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20 Theme: Peter's confession, "You are the Christ!" Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration Suggestion: "Jesus asked his disciples, 'Who do people say I am?' Then, he asked Peter, 'Who do you say that I am?' (Matthew 15:16, R.S.V.) Jesus asks us that same question. If someone asked you to respond right now, what would you say, and what difference does that response make in your life, as you related to your mate, children, vocation, vacation, politics, economics ...
Sermon
Wallace H. Kirby
My father was in the theatre business when was growing up, so names like Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer were household words in our family. They were the big studios in Hollywood, the big movie producers. In my father’s office, hanging on a side wall over a bookcase, was a huge picture, probably twenty-four by thirty-six inches. It was taken about 1943 and the caption reads: "Louis B. Mayer and His Stars." Sitting in rows of chairs, on tiers, are a host ...
Sermon
Bill Bouknight
That epic movie "Titanic" is breaking attendance records at the theaters, proving yet again that the awful tragedy of 1912 continues to fascinate people. 1645 passengers died that night in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. Over 600 were saved. As the movie demonstrates, most of the survivors were people who stayed close together and encouraged one another. That same principle applies in our faith journey. The evil one (Satan, the devil) is angered by every profession of faith in Christ. Each person ...
Sermon
Daniel G. Mueller
The purveyors of "positive thinking" like to tell us that if we want something badly enough we can get it, no matter what it is. All we need is the desire, the hunger, the commitment, and if we have these three things, we can accomplish whatever we want. If we fail to achieve our goal, it is only because we didn’t want it badly enough. Positive thinking has much to recommend it, but it has its limitations. One such limitation is this: we cannot always have what we want "just because we want it." All the ...
4591. Days of Promise
Jeremiah 33:1-26
Sermon
Harry N. Huxhold
Without a doubt the most troubling time in the history of the United Sates was the Civil War era. Devastated by the ruins of war, the country was drained emotionally and spiritually. The hostility had developed not only between regions of the country, but it spilled over into families and institutions. At given moments of the war, people questioned whether they would ever be able to recover from the debacle that had been wrought upon the nation. The future was in grave doubt. People lost their perspective ...
4592. Reason for the Season
Luke 1:39-45, Luke 1:46-56, Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20
Drama
Dave Marsh
Director's Notes: This drama is really aimed at the kids. It reminds them of the true meaning of Christmas. It's also good for the adults since it shows us how we can easily stress out and forget about God. The drama is divided into 3 parts. The first part is where everything is going wrong and the Christmas spirit is lost. The second part is where Teri asks the kids questions about what they heard and saw. The third part is where they 'turn back time' and do it all over again - same circumstances, ...
Drama
Dave Marsh
Director's Notes: No one in their right mind carries around a journal of every past failure they've had but many of us store them up in our heads. We need to realize that any sin is 'remembered no more' and is 'as far as the East is from the West" in God's eyes when we give our lives to him. As far as failures that have nothing to do with sin? Well, we just need to forget them, move on, and enjoy our walk with the Father. (Yes, this is the name of an old ELO song - in case you were wondering and you know ...
Sermon
James W. Moore
Have you heard about the little boy who loved going to church? He enjoyed the music, the scriptures, the creeds, the sermon, and the fellowship. The only part about going to church that the little boy didn’t like, were those long pastoral prayers! He really liked his minister, but his minister prayed long, long pastoral prayers... and sometimes it seemed to the little boy that the prayer would never end. Then one Sunday, the little boy’s parents invited the minister home for Sunday lunch... and would you ...
Sermon
Eric Hudson
Jeremiah 31:7-16 Ephesians 1:3-14 St John 1:10-18 A few days ago, in the middle of the week, I had come to the conclusion that I would have nothing to say to you this morning. I felt drained. The developing news of what was happening in south east Asia was just too much. What can you say in the context of Christian worship at a time like that? Sure, we’ve had disasters before. How shocked we all were as we saw the events of September 11 developing in front of our very eyes. And for many people, not only ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Have you ever heard someone describe something they are pleased with like this: "It's the greatest thing since sliced bread." That phrase is meaningless to most of us. Here's the rest of the story. The first electric toaster appeared in 1909. It toasted one side at a time and required constant vigilance: when the toast was done, you pulled the plug. The first automatic electric toaster was designed in 1919 by Charles Strite, a man sick and tired of burned toast. Americans were skeptical at first about ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Maxie Dunnam tells about a recent PEANUTS cartoon in which Lucy--that bossy, assertive, always-take-control character--is playing her role as psychiatrist. She sits in her booth with a banner on the top that says "Psychiatric Help--5 cents," and then down below a sign says, "The Doctor Is In." Charlie Brown is her patient. Lucy says to Charlie, "Your life is like a house . . ." In the next frame, she says reflectively, "You want your house to have a solid foundation, don't you?" Charlie Brown has a kind of ...
Sermon
King Duncan
At this time of year, many children have already written, or are just sitting down to write, their letters to Santa. It's exciting trying to fit all your wishes into one well-worded little note. Maybe it would sound something like these letters: Dear Santa, Please give me a doll this year. I would like her to eat, walk, do my homework, and help me clean my room. Thank you, Jenny. Dear Santa, Thanks for the race car last year. Can I have another one, only this time one that is faster than my best friend's ...
Sermon
King Duncan
The world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his faithful companion, Dr. Watson, were on a camping trip. They were in their sleeping bags looking up at the sky. Holmes said, "Watson, look up. What do you see?" Watson answered, "Well, I see thousands of stars." "And what does that mean to you?" Holmes inquired. "Well," said Watson, "I guess it means we will have another nice day tomorrow." Watson paused for a moment and then asked, "What does it mean to you, Holmes?" "To me," said Holmes somberly, " ...
Sermon
King Duncan
An old prospector came into a saloon in frontier California and ordered a glass of milk with a shot of whiskey in it. While the bartender was fixing his drink, the old prospector wandered over to speak to some of his friends. Before he came back, a man came in wearing a black threadbare coat. He walked up to the bartender and timidly said, "Sir, I'm a poor traveling Methodist circuit rider. I've just made it across the desert. I'm bone dry. Could you let me have that foamy glass of milk I see you've just ...
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