Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 451 to 475 of 4946 results

451. View from the Mountaintop

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

Mountains fascinate us. They tower majestically against the horizon, strong and immovable. Looking up at them from the ground is a magnificent delight, as we try to take in their imposing vastness and mystery. If we accept their defiant invitation to climb them, we are rewarded by a spectacular view. Climbing a mountain makes us feel like giants peering over entire cities lying beneath us. Many of us have our favorite memories of a mountaintop view. One of the joys of visiting Virginia in autumn is the ...

452. Pilgrim Living in a Vagabond World

Matthew 7:13-14

Sermon

Leonard Mann

I am thrilled to see a powerful airplane cut a straight path across the sky, above the mountains and the rivers, homing in on some distant destination. I am much moved when I watch a huge ocean liner disengage from the dock, slowly make its way out to the harbor’s edge, and then swing about, point its stately prow toward an oceanside city 3,000 miles away, and open all engines to full power. And I am inspired when I see a man who moves through life as though he is going somewhere and knows where he is ...

453. Dim Visions And Blind Guides

Sermon

Harold Warlick

The societal limits which impinge on our world also affect our personal existence in profound ways. Nowhere is this more critical than in our own dreams and visions. Dreams and visions are important in life. Every action we take in life was designed by someone. Every piece of clothing, every building, every hymn book, every chair, every light fixture, and every automobile existed first in someone's vision. Someone had to have the idea or the dream to turn out the product. The same holds true for the way we ...

454. When Jesus Comes

Luke 8:22-25

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

"Jesus walks in church today, Jesus speaks while people pray Touch and hear one bowed in grief Strengthening a weak belief, Healing habits too long King, Showing judgments reckoning, Granting one a new life's start. His garment's hem just brushed my heart. (Quoted by Leonard H. Budd, Jesus Christ My Healer, Church of the Savior, Cleveland, Ohio). Did that take you by surprise? Plunging right in, quoting a poem, every word of which you need to get to get the picture. You who are regular attenders and hear ...

455. The Work of An Evangelist

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I was driving down Poplar Avenue, one of the main thoroughfares in Memphis, when I noticed a bumper sticker on the car in front of me. In large letters, it said, “I AM A GENERIC CHRISTIAN.” Well, that got my attention. I never thought about anyone being a generic Christian. I saw that something else was written on the bumper sticker and I wanted to know what it was. I’m afraid I got dangerously close to the rear end of the fellow, so that I would be close enough to read what was there. It said, “Ask me ...

456. The Bramble King

John 15:1-17, John 15:18--16:4, John 16:5-16

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Here are their names: Simon (whom he named Peter), Andrew (Peter's brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (who was called the zealot), Judas (son of James), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). "A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of ...

457. Joy in the Journey

119:129-136

Sermon

Michael Milton

This section contains seven of the eight words used to refer to the Law in Psalm 119. Each line of this section begins with the Hebrew letter Pe, though each is a different word. Yesterday my son, as he often does, read cartoons to me. One was Dennis the Menace. Dennis is kneeling beside his bed, devoutly gazing toward heaven, saying his prayers. The caption read, “You’ll be glad to know that I only broke three-ana-half commandments today.” Only three-ana-half! Way to go, Dennis! Well, the cartoon is funny ...

458. Where Can I Be Safe?

Psalm 46:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

Where can I be safe? That is a question many people are asking. All of us want to know that our home is safe, our family is safe, that those we love are protected. Some unknown wit has suggested some signs that you can put around your home to keep it safe from burglars. Perhaps you will find these signs helpful: Sign #1. Dear Mr. Butcher, starting tomorrow, please leave eight pounds of meat for Brutus. Six pounds only makes him angry and vicious! Sign #2. Dear Mr. Mailman, Please be sure to keep all parts ...

459. Sing the Resurrection Song

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

James McCormick

None of the four gospels tells the whole story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. We have to read all four to get the full picture. The well known “seven last words from the cross” for example, are not found in any one gospel account. In order to hear all seven words, you’ve got to read all four of the gospels. And, accounts of the resurrected Jesus’ appearances to his followers are spread throughout the four as well. While all the gospels are important, probably each of us has his or her ...

460. The True Story Wins

Matthew 28:11-15

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Prop: a stone or rock, some scissors, and paper; a basket of stones or rocks that can be handed out Participation: During the sermon, all can participate using the hand motions of “rock, paper, scissors” Are you a liar? That might be a question asked of you if you live in the mountains of West Virginia, where the art of storytelling is called “lying.” It is every artist’s desire to become a “great liar.” To be a great “liar” meant that you could not only write a crafty short story, but you could “tell” the ...

461. Time and Stewardship

Sermon

Larry Powell

Religious authorities in Jesus' day pressed the matter of Sabbath observance to the extent of ridiculous extreme. In addition to those regulations which had long been entrenched in tradition, others were continually being produced by ambitious rabbis. The list of prohibitions was exhaustive. Ploughing and reaping were disallowed on the Sabbath (Exodus 34:21), as was pressing wines and canning goods (Nehemiah 13:15), bearing burdens (Jeremiah 27:21), carrying on trade (Amos 16:26), gathering wood (Numbers ...

462. Don't Forget to Forgive

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

James Merritt

I heard about a man that went to see his doctor because he was feeling absolutely terrible. The doctor gave him a careful examination, left the room to look at some tests, came back in with a very somber expression on his face, and said: "Sir, I don't know how to break the news to you, but you have rabies and you're going to die very soon." The man very calmly got out a piece of paper and began furiously writing. The doctor said: "What are you doing, making out your will?" He said: "Oh no, I'm writing out ...

463. 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 ...

464. Branching Out

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Michael Milton

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15.9-11) Healthy, growing, and branching out. That is what roses are supposed to be doing, but mine, the ones that Mr. Ted Jones [1] planted for me as a gift, were not doing that. Ted asked me a series of diagnostic ...

465. Lean Thine Arm on the Windowsill of Heaven (Growing Old Gracefully)

Psalm 90:1-17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

In my last sermon, I talked about Parent Burnout. I told some of you that you would get equal time. Today, I’m talking about “growing old”. Next to dying, the recognition that we are aging is the most profound shock of our lifetime. The truth is that the sermon is not just for one segment of the congregation; it’s for all of us. We’re all growing old. And as someone has said, “growing old is not so bad when you consider the alternative.” A 90-year-old was asked what he felt like when he woke up in the ...

466. Facing Fears, Kingdom Style

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

I had heard of the place for years, but never seen it until Tuesday in Chicago- The Pacific Garden Mission. Lori and I were on the way from a science museum to an art exhibit (I believe vacations are for learning!), and there it was on the left side of the street. I first knew it through the dramatized radio program Unshackled which tells the stories of those whose lives were turned around by faith in Christ and the help of the mission. Down-and-out to up-and-on is a story line with endless variations. ...

467. Day-Timers or Begging Bowls

Matthew 14:22-33

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

When Christ comes to us, he often appears in unrecognizable form. You may be the only face of Christ some people will ever see. I'm a slow learner. For most of my Day-timer, life I began each day making a list I list; therefore I am - and then spent the rest of the day checking it off, counting it twice, seeing if I'd been naughty or nice. After decades of trying to govern my life by lists, it finally hit me one day that if I can't get even one day according to plan, what am I doing trying to get months ...

468. Divorce-Proofing Your Marriage

Genesis 2:4-25

Sermon

R. E. Lybrand

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to live alone. I will make a suitable companion to help him." So he took some soil from the ground and formed all the animals and all the birds. Then he brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and that is how they all got their names. So the man named all the birds and all the animals; but not one of them was a suitable companion to help him. Then the Lord God made the man fall into a deep sleep, and while he was sleeping, he took out one ...

469. Deep Faith

Genesis 6:1-8:22, Genesis 5:1-32

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“If we were logical, the future would be bleak, indeed. But we are more than logical. We are human beings, and we have faith, and we have hope.” (Jacques Cousteau) “Deep waters call out to what is deeper still; at the roar of your waterfalls all your breakers and your waves swirl over me.” (Psalm 42:7) "For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me.” (Jonah 2:3) “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Now ...

470. A Kingdom Investment Policy

Matthew 6:19-24

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

It is by chance that Damian discovers a huge bag of money near his home. It is just days before British pounds are converted to Euros and the old money is worthless. In the scenes that follow, Damian and his brother spend money as fast as they can, with Damian giving to the poor. Their father eventually discovers their secret, and Damian learns that the money was stolen. This is the moral dilemma and plot of the movie Millions. The thief who lost the money soon figures out that Damian is the finder. They ...

471. While You Are Waiting

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Mark Trotter

One of the prominent themes of the Advent season is the theme of waiting. One of the favorite lessons about waiting is found in Jesus' Parable of the Bridesmaids, which was read as our New Testament lesson for this morning, and was echoed in the anthem performed by the Contemporary Singers, "Keep Your Lamps!" Jesus' parables are often based on customs that were familiar to the audience to which he first addressed them. The Bridesmaids is no exception. I understand that the custom, which is reflected in the ...

472. Finishing Strong

Nehemiah 9:38--10:39

Sermon

James Merritt

The Constitution of the United States had just been signed and America was officially a nation. Benjamin Franklin walked out of the meeting room where many people were anxiously awaiting the news. One lady by the name of Mrs. Powel walked up to Benjamin Franklin and said, "So Mr. Franklin what type of government have your delegates given us?" Benjamin Franklin gave this famous reply - "A republic madam, if you can keep it." What Ben Franklin meant by that was, the Constitution had laid the foundation for ...

473. How To Fail Successfully

Mark 6:7-13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

It's amazing what we do with funny stories. We apply them to whomever we wish. For instance, you might hear one funny story with the legendary coach Bear Bryant as the primary actor. When you hear it again, the primary actor may be Johnny Majors. I heard a marvelous story sometime ago about Thomas Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer for the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company -- in fact, he told the story on himself. Lately I've been hearing it about President Clinton. So the story goes with the new ...

474. Still Sinners, Still Forgiven

Romans 5:1-8

Sermon

William G. Carter

I have an announcement to make. Today's sermon is not for everybody. It was not planned for a general audience. It was not written to whom it may concern. No, today's sermon is intended for people who have a hard time feeling forgiven. The rest of you can listen in. Once in a while, I run across somebody who has difficulty feeling that the good news of the gospel is for them. They don't have any problem believing all the outrageous things that church takes to be true, like God becoming a human or the ...

475. Focus on the Finish

Hebrews 12:1-2

Sermon

James Merritt

It was Mexico City 1968. John Steven Akhwari of Tanzania had started the Olympic marathon with all the other runners hours before, but he finished it alone. When he finally arrived at the stadium there were only a few spectators remaining in the stands. The winner of the marathon had crossed the finish line over an hour earlier. It was getting dark; his right leg was bandaged and heavily bleeding. He was obviously in great pain, but he crossed the finish line suffering from fatigue, leg cramps, dehydration ...

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