Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4776 to 4800 of 4946 results

4776. The Crack in the Wall

Joshua 2:1-24

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Prop: large wall blocks (people will remove them one at a time as they come forward in the service) You’ve all heard “border” stories, about those crossing their country’s borders into other countries in order to find a better life, or to find security of life itself sometimes. You know too that every country has walls, some you can see and some that you can’t. In USAmerica, there are guarders of our country’s walls who deliberately and illegally assist “border crossers.” They are called cleverly, “cracks ...

4777. The Old, Old Story

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

Lori Wagner

How many words can you use to describe great? Throughout history, the words we use change, according to our values, generations, and interpretations. What was once cool became hot. What was once nifty became neat. What was groovy became excellent. Whether cool, hot, fabulous, far out, boss, chic, deep, or copacetic, we understand what those words mean in the context of their cultural milieu. We express similar feelings as our ancestors or our grandchildren. We just use different words to do it. The ...

4778. The Organic Gospel

Mark 4:26-34

Sermon

Lori Wagner

An old story tells of two men climbing a mountain. The one promises the other, who is feeling down and depressed, that it will be worth the effort. Looking forward to the amazing destination, the latter climbs with his friend as they talk and spend time together. When they reach the top, the second man looks around wondering what all the fuss was about. The view is great, but nothing spectacular is waiting at the pinnacle. His friend then explains to him that the journey was not about the destination, but ...

4779. Briny Faith

Mark 9:38-50

Sermon

Lori Wagner

When the heart malfunctions it sometimes needs a regulator. It’s called a “pacemaker,” a cardiac pacing device that keeps the rhythm of the heart steady and sure. For those who have heart failure or heartbeat issues, the pacemaker resynchronizes the heart and makes the heartbeat more efficiently. The heart’s electrical system controls the heartbeat. But aging, muscle damage from a heart attack, or some kinds of genetic conditions can cause the heart to beat abnormally. It can get sludgy, therefore not ...

4780. Impetuous Faith

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Remember in school that one kid, the “kiss up,” the “butter up,” the “brown nose,” the suck up”? The kid who always raised his or her hand for every question, who always volunteered to help the teacher, who loved to be the class leader, who wanted every time to be chosen first for good behavior? Yup, that’s the one. Every class had one. Every job often has one. Throughout life, you’ll always encounter those who crave special attention, who obsess over being first at everything, who seem to need extra pets ...

4781. A Pep Talk for the Kingdom

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

Legendary football coach Knute Rockne was a master motivator. At the halftime of one game, his Notre Dame Fighting Irish were playing poorly. The team walked dejectedly to the locker room where they braced themselves. They knew Rockne would tear into them. They sat and sat, but Rockne did not appear. Finally, as the team began to head toward the door for the beginning of the second half, Rockne came walking in. He looked around and started to walk back out again. Then with a look of disgust on his face, he ...

4782. Remember...

Deuteronomy 8:7-18

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Recently a man was released from prison at the age of 65. Why was he released? Because the DNA and the investigators assigned to his case found him innocent of all charges. In prison for something he didn’t do. Sixteen thousand days in jail. What were the first words he spoke when he stepped outside the prison walls? He lifted his hands and he said, “God is so good. God is so good. God is so good.” (1) The Hebrew people had spent forty years wandering in the Sinai desert after escaping slavery in Egypt. ...

4783. Transforming Love

Acts 9:1-19a

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

Edwin Markham's little poem has so much to say to us about the ability of love to transform. He drew a circle that shut me out -- Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in.1 One of the most amazing stories to come out of the Bible is the account of Saul's life. Through this story we see a leading opponent of the church being transformed into the church's greatest advocate. In today's passage of scripture, we encounter the conversion experience of ...

4784. Naaman Is My Name!

2 Kings 5:1-27

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

Some of the most profound precepts we ever know come clothed in very basic and elemental forms. A "Peanuts" cartoon strip shows Charlie Brown visiting Lucy who is at her stand offering psychiatric help for a nickel. Charlie says, "I need help! Tell me a great truth. Tell me something about living that will help me." Lucy responds by asking, "Do you ever wake up at night and want a drink of water?" "Sure," Charlie responds, "quite often." Lucy then offers her advice, "When you're getting a drink of water in ...

4785. Priorities

Luke 9:51-56

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: What are the things that keep people from following Jesus? Why don't people give themselves freely to the Son of God? Summary: The three stooges want to follow Jesus but do not know how. Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: A church Props: Three Bibles Three hymnals Costumes: Double-breasted suits for stooges Bathrobes for stooges Curly -- Bowler hat Jesus -- Hebrew, first century Time: Now Cast: Jesus Moe Larry Curly (THREE STOOGES THEME PLAYS. LARRY, CURLY AND MOE SING "HELLO" IN THREE-PART HARMONY ...

4786. Talk Show I

Luke 10:38-42

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: Which is more important, religious duty or religious zeal, the doer or the worshiper? Summary: A talk show with Martha and Mary going at it about which is right, religious duty or religious zeal. This sketch leads right into the Sermon. Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: A TV studio Props: Microphone Costumes: Dress appropriate for church Time:The present Cast: Phil Dennehy -- host Mary Martha -- her sister Lazarus -- their brother Dr. Fitznour -- an expert (THERE IS A PANEL OF FOUR PEOPLE SEATED ON ...

4787. A Tale Of Two Cities

Micah 5:1-4

Sermon

Robert A. Hausman

Our story today is a tale of two cities. The first is named in our text: "But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah ..."(v. 2a). If Bethlehem is little, with what is it to be contrasted? With Jerusalem, of course, the great holy city. Jerusalem was the capital of Judah, the home of the king. It was more than a royal center, however, since it was also the site of the temple, the dwelling place of God on earth. That made it the sacred center, the place where the people were ...

4788. The Call Of The Tradition: Remember And Return

Nehemiah 7:73b--8:18

Sermon

Robert A. Hausman

Ezra read from the book of the law "from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law" (v. 3); and "all the people wept when they heard the words of the law (v. 9). This reading of the word of God stands in interesting contrast to the reading done by Jesus in the gospel for today (Luke 4:14-21). After an initially positive response to Jesus' interpretation of Isaiah, with its welcome ...

4789. Is This The Season To Seek Salvation

Jeremiah 8:4--9:26

Sermon

James McLemore

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved (Jeremiah 8:20). Friends and Family, Family and Friends, the Lord sent me to ask you this question: "Is this the season to seek salvation?" A single mother had to ask this question concerning her teenage daughter. At age eleven, her daughter began to ask questions about God. She told her mother she wanted to go to church. But her mother wasn't religious and did not see any reason why her teenage daughter should be so religious. So she kept her ...

4790. The Last Days

Luke 21:5-38

Drama

Pamela Urfer

Cast: Preacher and Congregation (three women and three men) Length: 7 minutes [Seven stools are arranged in a "V" shape leading away from the audience with the PREACHER's stool at the apex. The PREACHER takes his stool first and settles himself self-importantly. The members of the CONGREGATION file in slowly and take the remaining stools. The CONGREGATION will keep their eyes on the PREACHER throughout their time on stage but their stools should be arranged so that they will not have to turn their faces ...

4791. A Ransom Paid

1 Peter 2:4-12

Sermon

Sandra Hefter Herrma

A few years back, an evangelist came to a modest-sized congregation for a 4-day weekend revival. On the closing night, the congregation formed a circle around the sanctuary and the evangelist turned to the person on her right and said, at a volume easily heard by all, "God loves you. Pass it on." The message was passed through about one-third of the circle when a lady turned to her neighbor and said, "Jesus loves you," rather than "God loves you." Her neighbor caught the error and passed on the original ...

4792. Make Scriptural Hope Your Own

Romans 14:1--15:13

Sermon

Richard Hasler

Snoopy of Charlie Brown comic strip fame is typing a novel. He begins his story, "It was a dark and stormy night ..." Snoopy always starts his stories in this manner. Lucy looks at what Snoopy has written. She goes into a tirade, putting down Snoopy for such a silly beginning. Doesn't Snoopy know that any good story starts with the words, "Once upon a time ..." The last frame of the comic strip has Snoopy starting his story again. Now he is ready. He types, "Once upon a time, it was a dark and stormy night ...

4793. Unconditional Love

Romans 4:1-25

Sermon

Sandra Hefter Herrma

Have you ever stood at the side of a baby's crib, just watching the little chest go up and down, the tiny fingers curl and twitch just a bit, the tiny mouth make sucking movements? At such times, the heart just melts, doesn't it? We cannot help but love this little bundle. What has that baby done to deserve such love, such an upwelling of protective feelings? Nothing, really -- it just was lucky enough to be born your baby! Maybe just an hour ago, you were struggling to get some cereal in her mouth, ...

4794. Biography Of A Changed Person

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Robert Beringer

There are many people who outwardly seem to have their lives all together. They have plenty of money, lots of friends, a good deal of power, and they seem at least on the surface of things to be enjoying the "good life." But inwardly, many of these same people feel lost and alone and empty. What they desperately need is to find a turning point in their lives that will fill that emptiness in their soul. Bill Smith (not his real name) was the pastor of a large and thriving congregation. Everybody loved Bill ...

4795. Brothers

Luke 15:1-7

Drama

Pamela Urfer

Cast: Two brothers, Nathan and Joshua Length: 6 minutes (NATHAN is seated on his stool, looking dejected. JOSHUA enters and goes up to him.) NATHAN: (Jumping up) There you are, brother! I thought you'd never come. JOSHUA: (Taking his seat) It was hard to get away. There's so much going on this time of year. NATHAN: I know. And I really appreciate it. Tell me, how is our father? JOSHUA: As well as can be expected. He's getting old, you know. And life has been hard for him these last few years. NATHAN: I ...

4796. The Breath Of God

John 20:19-23

Sermon

Marc Kolden

Pentecost is the third great Christian festival. On Christmas we celebrated the birth of Christ, our Savior. On Easter we celebrated his victorious resurrection from death. And today we remember Christ's giving of the Holy Spirit. Our story from the gospel of John takes place on Easter evening, after the disciples had discovered that the tomb was empty and Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene. Jesus told her to tell the disciples that he was risen, which she did, but they did not understand. So on that ...

4797. The Downside Of The Practice -- Performance Equation

Romans 8:28-39

Sermon

Robert R. Kopp

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God.... -- Romans 8:28 I'm glad I'm a man. As my son was being born 22 years ago, two thoughts came to mind. First, "What a miracle!" Second, "Thank You, Jesus, for making me a man because I could never do that!" It's like Joan Rivers said, "If a man wants to know what it's like to give birth, all he has to do is take his upper lip and pull it over his head." I'm also aware of sexism in society and church. But as a beneficiary of sexism ...

4798. Take Dead Aim

Hebrews 12:1-13

Sermon

Robert R. Kopp

My wife and I were discussing the state of affairs in America. I said every child of the 1960s knew there was a credibility gap when he said he didn't inhale. I said every golfer knew character would be a continuing issue after correspondents for several golf magazines caught him cheating during a round with two of his predecessors. I said everybody knows he cheated on his wife for years and lied to family, friends, colleagues, and employees. I said he admitted to an inappropriate -- s-e-x-u-a-l -- ...

4799. The Half Pencil Doctor

1 John 3:11-24

Sermon

David O. Bales

Since his dying father placed a hand on his and asked that his ashes be taken to Bloomfield, Iowa, and while there an envelope be delivered to a Doctor Francis Casparis, Roger decided that he had better do it. His father had said, "I have metastatic cancer, and I will be dead within a week." And his father insisted that the envelope go to Iowa with his remains. His father said that Doctor Casparis had saved his life and that the doctor would tell Roger about it, and would help him also. Roger Leeth stood ...

4800. That Heavenly Call

Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: Mary and Joseph -- Accepting God's Call This four-part drama may be presented as a unit or as individual scenes. Written to portray Mary and Joseph's calling as very personal and self-sacrificing, this wonderful story is placed in a setting to which a modern congregation can relate. This series may be utilized as a preparation for Christmas: one segment per Sunday during Advent, or sprinkled throughout the year and culminating near the holiday season. Scene I: Luke 1:26-33 Setting: Modern Nazareth ...

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