Sermon and Worship Resources

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 4826 to 4850 of 5000 results

4826. Pleasing Our Family

Mk 1:9-15

Illustration

King Duncan

Few of us ever escape the desire to please our parents. For some persons, that is the primary motivation that drives them on to success even though their parents may have been dead for many years and even though they may not even be conscious of it. We are still trying to please Dad or Mom. For some, that is a crushing burden to carry. For some of us there is that corollary feeling that no matter what we do, we will never measure up to what we perceive as our parents' demands. But rare is that person who ...

4827. The Cross Has Always Caused Problems

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Richard J. Fairchild

A Pastor on Northern Vancouver Island wrote to online study group this message: "I'm having difficulty with the Gospel this week; what is this cross that I am to take up, and what am I to deny in following Jesus?" Another Pastor, a student minister in the United States wrote: “I find this a hard gospel text because it talks about suffering rather than joy.” The cross has always caused problems to people. Brutal and barbaric - the cross was a tool of political power for the Romans. They maintained their ...

4828. Barking Dogs and Daily Bread

John 2:12-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Every year thousands of tourists clog the country roads in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to admire the lush, neat farmlands nurtured by the Amish farmers of that region. The Amish sell their beautiful quilts, home-grown/home-preserved foods, hand made furniture. Driving down the roads in their black horse-drawn rigs, wearing their eighteenth century “plain” clothes, rejecting all modern conveniences, the Amish have become icons of a simple, devout, community-based lifestyle. But Amish country is home to ...

4829. What Makes You Angry?

John 2:13-22

Illustration

King Duncan

Paul Harvey told about a robber in Oceanside, California wearing a motorcycle helmet and carrying a gun who strode into a branch bank. He selected a teller who appeared fiftyish, soft, kindly, an easy mark. He handed her a note demanding money or her life. The woman reached for the cash drawer. Then she looked again at the note and her eyes flashed, her lips clenched. She pulled the entire cash drawer out, but instead of giving him money, she clobbered the robber over the head with the drawer. And again ...

4830. The Darkness of a Youniverse

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Of all the bad ideas that have come out of highly centralized government, one of the worst “bad ideas” has got to be Daylight Savings Time. Benjamin Franklin originally came up with this idea of a “Daylight Savings Time” in the first part of March. It may have been the dumbest idea of his brilliant mind. But it was Woodrow Wilson who implemented Franklin’s suggestion in 1918. After just barely beginning to be able to see to eat breakfast, for the past three weeks we have been plunged back into rising in ...

4831. Born of the Spirit

John 3:14-21

Illustration

Mickey Anders

Windborne! That's a far better moniker for Christians than that mistaken term "born again." That's a phrase we picked up from Nicodemus' misunderstanding of entering a second time into the mother's womb rather than Jesus' terminology "born from above" or "born of the Spirit." "No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and wind - Spirit - pneumatos." Windborne speaks of being carried along by the wind of the Spirit of God. Here is a lifestyle that is not bogged down with the how ...

4832. God Will See You Through

John 12:20-33

Illustration

George Antonakos

I like the story of an unusual account of how the news of the Battle of Waterloo reached England. The report from the battle ground back in those days was first carried by sailing ship to the southern coast and then by signal flags to London. And when the report was received at Winchester, the flags on the cathedral began to spell out the message, "Wellington defeated." And then before the message could be completed, a heavy fog rolled in and with that heavy fog the gloom of a nation filled the hearts of ...

4833. Lent 5

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40, Hebrews 4:14-5:10, John 12:20-36

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:31-34 Jeremiah addresses these words to the Jews in Babylon. Through him God promises to make a new covenant with them. Out of their suffering, sorrow and isolation in exile as slaves, a new covenant will be made. No time was given when the new covenant would be made; Christians see the new covenant made through the blood of Christ. The differences between the old and new covenants are in the facts that the law would be in the hearts and God would be known in an ...

4834. Advent 2

Mark 1:1-8, 2 Peter 3:1-18, Isaiah 40:1-31

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 40:1-11 These verses open the second part of Isaiah dealing with the exiles in Babylon. The opening verses constitute good news to a people sitting in the darkness of bondage and despair. God tells second Isaiah to comfort the people with the news of promised deliverance. They have suffered enough. A highway is to be built for God to come and rescue his people and bring them back to their homeland. In contrast to Yahweh, man is as insecure and temporary as grass. The only ...

4835. Epiphany 2

John 1:43-51, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, 1 Samuel 3:1--4:1

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) In the temple at Shiloh, the boy Samuel is serving the priest Eli. He sleeps near the ark of the covenant, symbol of God's presence. One night Samuel is called. Twice he mistakes the voice of God for Eli's. Then Eli instructs the boy to say, "Speak, Lord, for your servant hears." Samuel obeys and God speaks to him of future happenings in Israel. Epistle: 1 Corinthians 6:11b-20 People in the Corinthian church were sexually immoral for religious reasons. They ...

4836. Epiphany 8

Mark 2:18-22, 2 Corinthians 2:12--3:6, Psalm 103:1-22, Hosea 2:2-23

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Hosea 2:14-20 Hosea was an eighth century prophet in Israel (Northern Kingdom). At this time the popular religion was Baal, a sensuous religion involving infertility rites and cultic prostitution. Hosea used this analogy of sex and marriage to call Israel back to Yahweh. As Yahweh made a covenant at Sinai in the wilderness, Israel is invited to come again into a wilderness where there is no competition from false gods such as Baal to make a new covenant, a new marriage. This new ...

4837. Lent 1

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40, Hebrews 4:14-5:10, John 12:20-36

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

4838. Proper 13

2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a, John 6:25-59, Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: 2 Samuel 11:26--12:13a The deed was done. Uriah was killed in battle and Bathsheba with David's unborn child moves into David's palace. So what? It appeared to be a perfect crime. No one asked questions and no one protested. The catch was, "The thing that David had done displeased the Lord." (2 Samuel 11:27) Now God steps into the story by sending Nathan by use of a story to bring David to a realization of his sin: "You are the man." David confesses and hears the penalty: death of ...

4839. Proper 18

Proverbs 22:1-16, Mark 7:24-37, James 2:1-13

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 It is obvious that this pericope was chosen because of its close relation in content with Lesson 2 which cries out against the unjust treatment of the poor. The most precious value of life is a good name which should be desired more than wealth. Yet, the rich are not to be condemned, for they, too, have been created by God. The person who shares what he has with those who have little is promised God's blessing. Epistle: James 2:1-10 (11-13) 14-17 The ...

4840. Proper 4

2 Corinthians 4:1-18, 1 Samuel 3:1--4:1, Mark 2:23-3:6

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) Samuel was a special gift of Yahweh to his mother, Hannah, who was barren for many years. She went to the tabernacle and fervently prayed for a child. If the child was a male, she promised to give him back to the Lord. After weaning him, she took him to Eli, the high priest, to be a servant in the temple. Three times Samuel mistook Yahweh's call for Eli's. Upon Eli's direction, Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." Then Yahweh disclosed to ...

4841. The Nativity Of Our Lord

Isaiah 9:1-7, Titus 2:1-15, Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 9:2-7 A child is born whose name is wonderful and whose government is characterized by permanence, justice and righteousness. The people of Isaiah's day were in darkness. Assyria had just taken Zebulon and Naphtali to captivity in 734 B.C. Out of this darkness the people see a light of God's promise of a messianic king, a son of God. This produces great rejoicing. His royal names define his character: wisdom, courage, fatherly concern and peace. His government will be ...

4842. John 10:11-18

John 10:1-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

John’s gospel is known for its “I Am” sayings. Among the most familiar of all Jesus’ “I am” sayings is this one: “I am the good shepherd.” This comforting, caring image of the good, guardian shepherd is imprinted on the youngest children in Sunday school and carried forward into adulthood by the crozier, the shepherd’s crook, held by popes, cardinals and bishops. Sheep and shepherds are everywhere in the Old Testament. Abraham, Moses, David—all took their turn at shepherding. It doesn’t seem surprising, ...

4843. A Shepherd's Love

John 10:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

Two television evangelists were talking. One was explaining how he was seeking to be the ideal shepherd to his television flock. “There are three ways I seek to do that,” he said. “What three ways do you mean?” asked the other evangelist. “Well” he explained, “First, we FIND them. Every year we find new stations to carry our ministry. Then we FEED them. I give them the plain unvarnished word of God.” “But what’s the third thing?” asked the second evangelist. “Well,” he answered, “Once we’ve found them and ...

4844. Heart-Healthy Christians

Romans 8:18-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Beach and bathing suit season has begun. And I’ve noticed something I wonder if you’ll agree with me. The coolest new hot trend is “tiny.” No, not tiny swimsuits those have long been fashionable, at least since Brian Hyland’s 1960 hit single “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Polka Dot Bikini.” No, the new big thing is small . . . small and smaller portions of food. Worrying over waistlines has encouraged the food industry to re-package their goodies into “100 Calorie” snack bags. Teenie Weenie versions of Oreo, ...

4845. Mark 4: 26-34

Mark 4:26-29

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

What’s the first task of every communicator, be they teacher, preacher, politician, communicator of any sort? Gain Attention. Get people’s attention. In order to be memorable and to get your message across, you have to be both surprising and familiar. Nobody was better at making the familiar strange and surprising than Jesus. You can hear it coming when he says: “You have heard it said, but I say.” Jesus’ crowd communication combined this technique of defamiliarization with incredible charisma and, as we ...

4846. A Life of Trust

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

Tommy Nelson in his book, The 12 Essentials of Godly Success, tells about a young man named Curt. Curt is thirteen years old. But Curt is physically and mentally disabled. He can’t talk. He’s a bit fragile. He’s just now getting to the place where he can go to the bathroom by himself. He can feed himself. He can hug you and love you. But here’s what Nelson loves about Curt. “He is innocent and pure, and he loves people. You can be a big guy or a little guy, a female or a male, any race, any income, ...

4847. A World of Difference

Mark 4:26-34

Illustration

King Duncan

There comes a time in everyone's life when they are just about at wit's end. Teachers have certainly experienced this. Helen Mrosla remembers teaching a ninth grade class "new math" a number of years ago. Her students were working hard, but she could tell that they just didn't understand the new concepts. And they were growing more frustrated and edgy with each passing class. Then one Friday afternoon Helen decided to depart from her lesson plan. She instructed each student to list each person's name in ...

4848. Mark 4:35-41

Mark 4:35-41

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The sudden disappearance of the Air France flight on its way from Brazil to France was a grim reminder of how powerful are the forces of nature, and how powerless we remain before them. An enormous jetliner, outfitted with all the latest technological gizmos and gadgetry, was apparently swatted out of the sky by the fearsome wind and rain of a howling thunderstorm. The plane and most of those who perished in it remain lost, swallowed up by the depths of the sea. Little wonder that among humanity’s earliest ...

4849. Excellence in Giving

2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Sermon

King Duncan

In today’s lesson Paul talks about “excellence in giving.” It’s tough to talk about giving when the country is going through uncertain times. I don’t know how you felt as you watched the stock market meltdown last fall. For some people it was a very helpless feeling. Some of you watched the money in your retirement accounts slowly disappear. One guy said he took a kind of Zen attitude towards it all. He started off with $50,000 Zen he had $40,000, Zen he had $30,000, Zen he had... Another man said his ...

4850. Protected from the Big and Small

Mark 5:21-43

Illustration

Tom Rietveld

In May 1995, a 34 year old construction worker by the name of Randy Reid, was doing some final welding on top of a nearly completed water tower in one of Chicago's suburbs. At one point, Randy unhooked his safety belt so he could reach for some pipes. But at that same moment, a metal beam slipped off a nearby crane, and bumped the scaffolding Randy was standing on. The scaffolding tipped, and Randy lost his balance. He fell 110 feet to the ground below. In landing, he just missed a pile of rocks and ...

Showing results