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Showing 4651 to 4675 of 5000 results

4651. Philippians 2:1-11

Philippians 2:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Although this week’s epistle reading begins at Philippians 2:1, it is part of Paul’s larger exhortatory section, beginning at 1:27 and continuing through 2:18. The text read today is the apostle’s continuation of the directive first expressed in 1:27, where he challenged the Philippians to conduct themselves in such a way to create a community that reflects Christ himself. A community of faith united in their actions and attitudes will stand firm against the outside forces that oppose Christ and will be ...

4652. Integrity Deficit Disorder

Matthew 21:23-32

Illustration

Otis Young

What are some of the symptoms of integrity deficit disorder? A person who is afflicted with this disorder knows what's right but doesn't follow through and do what's right. He or she makes a promise or commitment, then fails to keep it. Thus when you meet a person with integrity deficit disorder you're never quite sure if you can trust that person or not. A second symptom is also one of the causes: people who have integrity deficit disorder live from the outside in rather than from the inside out. They let ...

4653. Rebellion in the Vineyard - Sermon Starter

Mt 21:33-46

Illustration

King Duncan

A friend of journalist David Halberstam was planning a visit to Japan. It would be his first visit, and he was a little anxious because he couldn't speak Japanese. How would he communicate with the people he came in contact with? Since most taxi drivers do not speak English, someone suggested that it might be a good idea to carry with him something bearing the name of the hotel at which he would be staying written in Japanese. That was exactly what he did. As soon as he arrived in Japan he picked up a box ...

4654. When What’s Holding You Up Lets You Down

2 Samuel 18:33-19:8

Sermon

Shirley Gupton Lynn

Once in Atlanta the relief organization CARE sponsored a No-Show Marathon. For a ten-dollar donation, participants got a race number and a Marathon T-shirt, every runner's status symbol. But the good part is, they didn't have to run the grueling 26-mile course. In fact, in the No-Show Marathon, no one ran at all; they just gathered at a local nightclub and talked about it. Sometimes we wish life were a No-Show Marathon, and we didn't have to run the race. But even when illness, disappointment, and problems ...

4655. The Parable of the Choices

Matthew 21:28-31

Sermon

Shirley Gupton Lynn

In 1897 Remington Arms Company chose not to buy a patented "writing machine." The Underwood Company bought it instead and has sold millions of typewriters since. Remington Arms made a bad choice. In the 1950's Sam Phillips made a record for a young man who wandered into his Memphis studio. The fledgling singer wanted to record his voice for his mother. In 1955 Sam Phillips chose to sell his exclusive recording contract with Elvis Presley to RCA for $35,000. Bad choice. Former President Nixon chose to ...

4656. Ten Million Dollar Winners

Matthew 18:23-35

Sermon

Shirley Gupton Lynn

Years ago, scientists identified two types of human behavior: Type A, in a hurry, impatient, often angry; and Type B, laidback, calm, slow to anger. Physicians found Type A people much more likely to suffer heart attacks. But only much later did researchers come up with a theory as to WHY this is so. Dr. Redford Williams and his associates at DukeUniversity believe it is the hostility alone that damages the heart. He writes: "It isn't the impatience, the ambition or the work drive, it's the ANGER! It sends ...

4657. Matthew 22:15-22

Matthew 22:15-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

When Jesus entered the temple (back in Matthew 21:23), his authority was immediately questioned by the chief priests and elders. Jesus quickly quashed their inquiries, but went on tending to those around him, teaching them through his favorite method — parables. But after unfolding three parables Jesus is again confronted with a question from the religious establishment. This question had been carefully crafted as a "trap" and was loaded with intentional "malice." The unusual group that comes to Jesus in ...

4658. Oh, You'd Better Watch Out!

Mark 13:32-37

Sermon

King Duncan

It always feels strange beginning Advent in November. But the stores are already decorated for Christmas, so why not? I hope the department stores won’t think we’re trying to spoil their party by injecting a little religion into this busy season of the year. It reminds me of an item that appeared in USA Today last year about this time. Authorities in Bal Harbor, FL outfitted the baby Jesus in their outdoor Nativity Scene with a GPS locator as a protection against thieves. The previous Baby Jesus was stolen ...

4659. Accepting the Lord Once Again

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Richard Gribble

He came softly, unobserved and yet, strange to say, everyone knew him. The time was the fifteenth century; the place was Seville in Spain. He came to announce peace and to proclaim the good news. He came to teach and to cure; he came to bring the light. As he walked by the cathedral, a funeral procession for a little seven-year-old girl was just beginning to form. He heard the sobs and pleas of the girl's mother. Moved with compassion he asked the bearers of the funeral bier to halt. He touched the girl; ...

4660. Transformation to the Light

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

Richard Gribble

Once upon a time, a diamond was born. He was nothing striking, but rather rough, like the rest of his family. He lived in the darkness and was very content to do just that. As a young diamond he heard tales of how some of his ancestors had left the darkness to a place of light, but that didn't concern him. One day he began to hear noise in the distance, and it came progressively closer. It was the sound of machinery with men talking and often yelling over the roar of the equipment. As time progressed, an ...

4661. A Clock or a Compass?

Mark 1:9-15

Sermon

David T. Ball

Do you all have your compasses with you? What? You don’t have compasses? Well, I guess neither do I. How about your watch? Okay! A much better response that time. I have my watch, too — but don’t get your hopes up that I’m planning to keep a closer eye on how long my sermons are taking! I really just wanted to make a point about how much we rely on our watches in comparison to our compasses. And I doubt that very many of us have a compass that we can carry around — we may have one on our car. We know our ...

4662. It’s About God

John 3:14-21

Sermon

David T. Ball

I don’t know how many foreign films you’ve seen — subtitled in English, so that you hear the foreign language and read the dialogue at the same time. I’ve seen a few, and for the most part I’ve been impressed by how well the English subtitles seem to flow. They must have translators who are pretty good at expressing in English what is being said in another language. But sometimes the subtitles seem stilted, using a phrase in a way that’s not quite right. And sometimes the way things get expressed in ...

4663. Where Are You From?

John 18:1-19:42

Sermon

David T. Ball

Whenever we travel, we come into contact with new people. Often these interactions remain basic and simple, with us exchanging just the bare minimum of information necessary to complete our interaction, like when checking in for a flight. "Good morning, traveling to San Francisco today?" "Yes." "May I see your photo ID?" "Sure." "Any baggage to check?" "Yes, two pieces." "Two pieces." "Yes." "Okay, you're all set. Departure is from gate sixteen, and boarding begins in fifteen minutes." "Thank you." This ...

4664. Where Is Your Trust?

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

George Reed

If it was not Jesus who was asking the question, our reaction to the speaker would probably be something like, "What? Are you nuts? There's a storm out here!" Of course the disciples were afraid. They are in an open boat on a stormy lake without a global positioning beacon, life rafts, or the Coast Guard nearby. The lake is big enough that they would have little chance of being able to swim to shore in a dead calm and here the waves are high and breaking over them while they are still in the boat. It is ...

4665. What Is Caesar’s and What Is God's? - Sermon Starter

Matthew 22:15-22

Illustration

Brett Blair

A young lady was soaking up the sun's rays on a Florida beach when a little boy in his swimming trunks, carrying a towel, came up to her and asked her, "Do you believe in God?" She was surprised by the question but she replied, "Why, yes, I do." Then he asked her: "Do you go to church every Sunday?" Again, her answer was "Yes!" He then asked: "Do you read your Bible and pray everyday?" Again she said, "Yes!" By now her curiosity was very much aroused. The little lad sighed with relief and said, "Will you ...

4666. A Lifelong Allegiance to God

Matthew 22:15-22

Illustration

King Duncan

The late Danny Thomas lost his life savings of $600.00 at a time when he was out of work. He and his wife, Rosie, had a baby on the way, and they needed money. Danny worked at part-time jobs so Rosie could buy groceries. He also borrowed money from friends. It was a tough time in his life. A week before the baby was born, Danny had the grand total of seven dollars and eighty-five cents to his name. What would he do? "My despair led me to my first exposure to the powers of faith," Danny would later recall. ...

4667. Living Out the Promise of This Child

Isaiah 9:2-7

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

It is impossible for me to listen to these words from Isaiah and not hear the baritone part of Handel's Messiah somewhere in the back of my mind. No matter how many times I read or meditate on this passage, the same music courses through my soul. I guess that's a good thing. For many of us, certain events or words serve as triggers for memories or thoughts. There are some things that cause us to smile, some that cause us to wince, and some that stir the fertile substance of hope in our hearts. Isn't that ...

4668. Time to Come Home

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

Family reunions are amazing things. I don't know if you've ever had the experience, but in these days with families flung far and wide, they are at once, increasingly rare and increasingly important. Some may remember that in the not too distant past, families lived relatively close to one another. But today, for a host of socio-economic reasons that we won't explore, families are often spread out over thousands of miles. Siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and parents often don't see one another for years ...

4669. Following a God Who Flip Flops ...

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

I'd like to share an observation that I've made over the past couple of decades. Perhaps you haven't noticed this, but it seems to me that one of the standards of judgment that we hold for our political leaders is that they must be consistent. We want leaders, it appears to me, who never budge, who never change, and are resolutely the same no matter what happens. Does this ring true for you? A few years back, during a terrible international situation in Africa, the sitting president of the time set a ...

4670. A Sure-Fire Way to End Burn Out

Isaiah 40:21-31

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

We live in a crazy time. There is, in the air we breathe, a sense of freneticism that buzzes around us all the time. People are busy. Too busy. It can be seen in the life of the church, where people who once gave of time and energy, now curtail their efforts because "work" demands so much. Many churches, ours included, now offer dinner at Bible studies and church meetings because people work so late they don't have time to squeeze a meal in if they are planning on coming to church that evening. Each one of ...

4671. What’s New?

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Sermon

Ron Lavin

"What's new?" is a common greeting. There are many answers people give: "A new car." "A new house." "A new boat." "A new suit ... a new dress ... a new coat." Others focusing more on relationships than things answer: "A new boyfriend or girlfriend." "A new husband or wife." "A new friend." Jeremiah, the prophet, focuses not so much on things of the earth or human relations but on a personal relationship with the eternal Lord, a new covenant with God. "The days are surely coming, says the Lord, When I will ...

4672. The Author Who Wipes Away Sins

Acts 3:12-19

Sermon

Ron Lavin

The pastor was very frustrated. It was almost time for the worship service to begin and he couldn't get the microphone to work. He paced back and forth by the baptismal font and stewed and brewed. He tried everything he could think of. Finally, he said, "This blankety, blank microphone doesn't work." At that precise moment, the head usher, who had gone to the master control box for the sound system, turned the switch to "on." The pastor's words were broadcast to the people. The shocked congregation ...

4673. Yesterday, Today, and Forever

Acts 8:26-40

Sermon

Ron Lavin

A pastor in Indiana went to visit an 87-year-old man named Ermil, who was a hospital patient. A member of his church told the pastor about this old man who was an acquaintance. "He's not a believer, but he is really in need," the church member said. "I met him at the county home for the elderly. He's a lonely old man with no family and no money." The pastor was busy taking care of his large congregation, but decided to see the old man. On the third visit, Ermil said, "I'm not very religious, and I don't ...

4674. God’s Surprises

Acts 10:44-48

Sermon

Ron Lavin

The initiating incident in the story of Peter and Cornelius is reverse anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism is prejudice against the Jews. Reverse anti-Semitism is prejudice by the Jews against Gentiles. Gentiles are non-Jews. In the first-century church one of the biggest problems was the big question of what to do with Gentiles who wanted to become Christians. Some Christians insisted that the Gentiles could only become Christians if they were circumcised and became Jews first. Others, including Peter and Paul, ...

4675. Final Instructions

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Ron Lavin

(Note: Suggestion for reading the lessons on Ascension Sunday: In order to get the proper historical flow you may want to read Acts 1:1-11 after reading the Gospel, Luke 24:44-53.) When you love someone, you try to fulfill their final deathbed directions. If your loved one has a last will and testament, you try to carry out the final instructions contained therein. In Acts 1:1-11 we have Jesus' last will and testament, his final teaching about the kingdom of God and his final instructions to the apostles ...

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