Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4576 to 4600 of 4946 results

4576. The Cost of Discipleship: Get Lost!

Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

My favorite definition of the cross was given by the daughter of Dr. Joseph Cotton a number of years ago. When walking into the church for the first time, and seeing the cross on the altar, this little girl said, “Daddy, what’s that plus sign doing up there?” Have you ever thought of it that way? The cross as a plus sign. Keep that image in mind as we move through the sermon this morning. I am talking about the cross today because I’m talking about the cost of discipleship. The cost of disciple ship is to ...

4577. Sisters

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

King Duncan

I want to begin with a song. Don’t worry. I’m not going to sing. Perhaps I should say, I want to begin with a song title. I’m not going to ask you how many of you remember the song. It might say something about your age. The song is titled simply, “Sisters.” It’s a classic Irving Berlin tune much beloved by previous generations. It begins by describing how devoted two sisters are to one another. But its famous refrain goes like this: “Lord, help the mister who comes between me and my sister and Lord help ...

4578. I Love a Parade

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

I love Palm Sunday. It's that wonderful day when we march boldly into town waving our palm branches and loving the parade. Yes, yes, I admit. It's probably the parade I like as much as what we're shouting about as the donkey saunters by. But I do. I love Palm Sunday. And did I say, I love parades, too? I remember as a kid going with my mom every year to the Memorial Day parade in the small upstate New York town where we lived. It was exactly what you might imagine it to be. The high school band marched ...

4579. Children of the Heavenly Father

Romans 8:12-25

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Some consider it a secret. Others consider it almost a badge of honor. Some don't want to talk about it. Others almost seem to want to brag about it. What is it? It is "adoption." Some children won't find out that they are not being raised by their biological parents but by their adoptive parents until they are in middle school or even later. Other children are aware of their adopted status from the earliest days of their childhood. It is not something of which to be ashamed. It is essential to their ...

4580. Fresh Grilled Forgiveness

John 21:1-19

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Friends of a young mother, who had just given birth to her third child, were surprised when they received the following 'Thank you' note: "Many thanks for the play pen. It is being used every day. From 2-3 p.m. I get in to read and the children can't get near me." What do you do when you're frustrated, when the stress gets to you or just the hecticness and angst of life catches up to you? We all fall back on something. Some people bake or cook, some people do crafts, some people yell and scream, some folks ...

4581. Don't Be Afraid

Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever noticed that fear can cause people to do some really stupid things? When that terrible earthquake and tsunami hit Japan last spring, it reminded me of a Serbian man named Lucas who was a victim of a giant tsunami that devastated countries around the Indian Ocean a couple of years ago. Lucas, aged 30, was nowhere near where the tsunami hit. He was safely at home in Serbia at the time. However, he was watching television and he was so shocked when he saw the tsunami footage on TV that he jumped ...

4582. The God Who Is Always There

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22

Sermon

David E. Leininger

The always-there God? Do you wonder which God that might be? It could not possibly be the God of heaven ... our God, could it? Our God is on vacation ... someplace. So it seems ... sometimes. Where is God when life starts to crumble and the burdens begin to crush? Could Queen Esther have ever felt that way? She would have had every reason. Perhaps that is why, in the entire Old Testament book that bears her name, the name of God never appears ... not even once. The scene is ancient Persia during the reign ...

4583. Transitions

2 Kings 2:1-12

Sermon

David E. Leininger

This is one of those passages that has its roots deep in the mythology of ancient Israel. It is at least a little bit familiar to us because this is where the film Chariots of Fire gets its name, and this is where we find the origin of the expression, "passing on the mantle of leadership." The story also gives us one of the earliest uses of the term "Father" as a title for a religious leader (if you have ever wondered where that designation in some churches came from). The story is one of transition. ...

4584. Three O’Clock at the Temple

Acts 3:12-19

Sermon

Ken Lentz

A church caught on fire. An elderly man came running to join the others who had come to throw water. After the fire was under control, the minister said to the old gent, "Why, John, this is the first time I've ever seen you at church!" John replied, "This is the first time I've ever seen this church on fire." Many have reduced the number of visits to the neighborhood church. They are, perhaps, tired of unpolished, irrelevant sermons. Perhaps the worship is done by rote and boring, not inspirational, but ...

4585. Holy, Holy, Holy

John 16:12-15

Sermon

Arley K. Fadness

On this festival, The Holy Trinity, we celebrate one of the great treasures and mysteries of the church — the Doctrine of The Holy Trinity. To begin with, one must confess that it is presumptuous on anyone's part to have the audacity, the unmitigated gall, the naiveté, to presume to explain God, the Holy Trinity. No pastor, no doctor of the church, no professor of theology or philosophy, no deacon, no bishop, cardinal, or pope can describe the indescribable, explain the unexplainable, nor comprehend the ...

4586. Choosing a God

1 Kings 18:20-21 (22-29) 30-39

Sermon

David E. Leininger

For sheer drama, there is little in fact or fiction that can surpass the stories of Elijah in 1 Kings. For interesting characters, unusual twists of plot and action, for excitement and adventure, one would be hard-pressed to find anything more entertaining. Elijah could star in an incredible mini-series. The Bible gives little background on this majestic prophet other than to mention his hometown, Tishbe in Gilead on the eastern side of the Jordan. We are abruptly introduced to him in 1 Kings 17 as he ...

4587. Holy Trinity

Psalm 8:1-9, Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, John 16:12-15, Romans 5:1-5

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

Call To Worship Leader: Welcome. Last week was a fiery Sunday. Today is a white one. Today we mark the description of God as three parts — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Another way to describe God as three parts is: mind, body, and psyche. We’re here to sing and pray to God, the Holy One. People: We are here to “keep the sabbath.” We are glad for one day to rest and to do different things from the rest of the week. We want to listen for God, to gain wisdom, and to receive strength. Leader: We are ...

4588. Heaven on Earth

Revelation 21:1-6

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Many years ago when I was going to prep school in Milwaukee, the students loved to walk past a nearby factory from which often emanated some simply wonderful smells. The factory made a product whose name seemed to perfectly fit the heavenly aromas that would occasionally fill the atmosphere of the neighborhood. The factory made Ambrosia Chocolate! For a chocolate lover like myself, there could be no better name for such a delectable food. You see, in ancient Greek mythology ambrosia was the name of the ...

4589. It’s a Good Thing He’s Gone!

Ephesians 1:15-23, Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Today I want you to participate in the proclamation of today's message. Perhaps it will help you to remember the spectacular event and its significance that we are commemorating today. Today is perhaps the most misunderstood and forgotten holiday of the entire Christian church year. Today, forty days after the resurrection of Jesus, the church for millennia has commemorated the ascension of Jesus. The first reading reports that memorable day when Jesus took his disciples to a hill outside of Jerusalem ...

4590. A Baby Changes Everything

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Never leave dry dog food or cat food outside overnight. If you do, chances are that sooner or later something other than your furry family member will amble up to help themselves. One of the most startling creatures to belly-up to the kibble buffet is the opossum. ‘Possums aren’t particularly dangerous to humans (unless they are rabid). But they have mastered the art of looking scary. Flick on the porch light and catch a possum snout down in the dog’s bowl and you will be rewarded with glowing red eyes, ...

4591. Pet Peeves and Pet Pleasures

Luke 3:21-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The weather is always a good source for small talk. In these dark and dreary days of January, that “small talk” is probably even smaller — meaner and more morose. Whether it’s chatting at the check-out stand with a cashier, or making conversation in the cramped quarters of a slow moving elevator, this time of year “weather talk” isn’t likely to be upbeat. “I hate the snow!” “Don’t you just love what the salt does to your shoes, your car, your clothes?” “Tornado warnings in January? Really!!” “It’s dark ...

4592. On God's Side Or In God's Way?

Acts 11:1-18

Sermon

King Duncan

I want to go back for a few moments into TV history. Some of you grew up watching the hilarious Roadrunner cartoons. These cartoons featured a character named Wile E. Coyote. Wile E. Coyote’s virtually endless quest in life was to capture his nemesis, the Roadrunner. The coyote was stubbornly persistent in this quest despite the fact that, not only did he fail time after time after time, but meanwhile he repeatedly plummeted from high cliffs, was blown up, and was continually getting flattened by numerous ...

4593. What the Trinity Does

Romans 5:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

Welcome on this Trinity Sunday, 2013. Tomorrow you can start taking down all the decorations that you put up for this special day in the church year. You did put up decorations, didn’t you? I know the children have been counting down the days in joyful anticipation of this day. I can hear them now, “Mommy, how many days is it until Trinity Sunday?” It is an exciting time. I hope each of you got what you wanted for Trinity Sunday. This is the last day we will sing all the Trinity carols that we have been ...

4594. Re-thinking Our Mission

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

A science fiction story is told about a planet which earth was attempting to colonize. This was a harsh planet with terrible weather and hostile inhabitants. Earth’s best men and women were gathered into teams and sent to do the job. Expedition after expedition came home broken, each one having failed. Finally a new manager was charged with the responsibility of making the colonization work. But something surprising happened. This new executive did not look for the strongest and most qualified people he ...

4595. The Voice-activated Life

2 Peter 1:12-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

When parents are trying to teach their very young children basic social skills one of the first big lessons is “Use your words.” Instead of grabbing, hitting, screaming, or crying, we teach our children to communicate their needs and desires through the use of words. Instead of snatching a toy away from another child we teach our kids to say “May I please play with that for a while?” Instead of screaming and throwing a tantrum, we teach our children to say, “I’m really mad,” or “He was mean to me,” or “She ...

4596. Come One, Come All

Luke 5:27-32

Sermon

James Merritt

It is the most exclusive club in the world. There is only one qualification that will get you into this club. Amazingly, it is not money. Carlos Slim Helù is the richest person in the world. His net worth is $70.6 billion dollars. Bill Gates is the richest person in America and his net worth is $60.4 billion, but neither man can buy his way into this club. It is not fame. The two most famous people in the world, the most recognizable faces are Muhammad Ali and Tiger Woods. Neither one could get into this ...

4597. An Announcement to a Virgin

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

King Duncan

Pastor Ben Patterson tells about his 5-year-old niece, Olivia, and her best friend, Claire, who were participating in a nativity play at school. Claire was playing Mary, and Olivia played an angel. Before the show, a young boy was going around the dressing room proclaiming to all who could hear him, “I’m a sheep.” Then asking, “What are you?” Each child responded politely, including Olivia, who proudly declared she was an angel. The boy then turned to Claire, who was still struggling into her costume with ...

4598. Flight to Egypt

Jeremiah 41:16--43:13

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

Forced to Go to Egypt: The remnant in Judah is now faced with a hard decision. Should they stay in Judah and perhaps face an angry Nebuchadnezzar or should they flee to Egypt? 41:16–18 By virtue of the murder of Gedaliah and his own defeat of Ishmael, Johanan found himself as the de facto leader of the remnant of Judah. His first reaction was to take them all away from Judah and go to Egypt in order to find safe haven. The remnant is described as the soldiers, women, children and court officials. Johanan ...

4599. The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

A New Revelation of Yahweh’s Arm: Like 48:20–21, the end of the previous section, 50:4–52:12, both suggested closure and questioned it. The comment about the impossibility of shalom which followed 48:20–21 led into the new twist to the servant motif in chapter 49. The point is less explicit at the end of 50:4–52:12, but the implication is again that not all the prophet’s agenda has been handled. Everything is in place for the restoration of the community to Jerusalem and for the restoration of the city ...

4600. Good for Nothing

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

The story is told of a man in Easter Liverpool, Ohio, whose oil well caught fire. It was one of those uncontrollable fires and the man offered a $3000 reward to whomever could put it out. Well, all the fire departments from the surrounding cities and villages came and tried, but the fire was so intense that no one could get near enough to begin to work on it. Then a volunteer fire department from the village of Calcutta arrived on the scene. They had one fire truck, one ladder, three buckets of sand, two ...

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