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 4876 to 4900 of 4943 results

4876. THE SCANDALOUS GOSPEL

Illustration

John H. Krahn

... the family or in the church. He says, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; ... I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." He continues, "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me." Whether or not this passage is to be taken literally is not the question. Rather, it states that following Christ means standing up for what is right, being principled rather than practical, serving the ...

4877. ARE CHRISTIANS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES?

Illustration

John H. Krahn

... endanger Christianity. And so we return to our question, "Are Christians an endangered species?" Some are and some are not. Although we have the promise of God that the light will never go completely out, our task together with the total church is to make sure we shine brightly. We continue to do battle with the forces of evil from both without and from within. To plan to do less is to risk joining the list of endangered species.

4878. DISCOVER THE JOAN AROUND YOU

Illustration

John H. Krahn

... understand why she felt as she did. Then I told her how I felt about God. I said that I didn’t see him as the one who sent trouble into our lives. Yet he was ready to help us over the rough spots. "Joan, the Lord loves you." I continued, "He wants to be a positive influence in your life." We talked for some time, and she took the brochure. The next day as she left the hospital, she stopped by my room, and we talked some more. She promised to come and talk with me again and go to ...

4879. Being Faithful Servants

Matthew 21:28-32, Matthew 21:23-27

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... of Your mercy and grace. Help us to be faithful servants, Lord, so all might know of Your love. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord, so often like rebellious children we have given You our word that we would serve You only to walk off and deliberately continue doing exactly as we wish. Forgive us, Lord, and extend to us again the chance to walk with You and serve in our daily life. Lead us to be aware of all those around us who need our help and who need to learn about You. In Christ we pray ...

4880. THE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE: I LOVE YOU

Illustration

John H. Krahn

... powerful presence and, unfortunately, we are only occasional guests of one another and may be strangers in eternity. And to you I say, come, do not live another day without my abundant presence." Now may my Father bless and keep each one of you, and may your voices and lives continuously sing the angelic chorus, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

4881. BE EASTER PEOPLE

Illustration

John H. Krahn

... is drawing near. The Lord will return soon to reclaim his fallen creation. When the Lord of the church comes again, how will he find us? Will we be acting like people who have been touched by the meaning of the cross and the empty tomb? Therefore, let us continue to draw near to the Lord with a true heart and a confident faith. We hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering. We consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. We do not neglect to worship but encourage one another. In ...

4882. !!!

Illustration

John H. Krahn

... might add, "We have a great area to market it. We all live in communities stocked with thousands of potential customers. In most cases only forty percent of them are worshiping regularly." I have only the highest hopes for the church’s future. "I believe in the Holy Spirit." Pentecost continues to happen! The Spirit’s power is ours! We must seize the moment and become a dynamic church in every way to the glory of God until the Lord comes again!

4883. HOW TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD

Illustration

John H. Krahn

... the will of God is to be Spirit-filled. In Ephesians 5:17 we read, "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." To not be willing to understand the will of the Lord is to be foolish. Now what is the will? We continue to read in verse 18, "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit." Now most of us are at least qualified to discuss what it’s like to be filled with wine or some other spirited liquid. To be drunk is ...

4884. The Necessity of Moral Commitment

Gen 3:1-24 · Is 28:15

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

... is this business that he calls us to - to live in high moral commitment, by the grace of Christ; and with winsomeness, forgiveness and love to share this "meaningful arrangement," person-to-person, until the Kingdom comes. But, stupidly, we continue to believe "that the reason for our rebellion against God’s order is not irrational pride, but a legitimate determination to achieve self-fulfillment through ‘freedom’ and to devise a better, universal ‘meaningful arrangement’ than God did in the first ...

4885. The Excitement of Meaningful Living

John 10:10 · Matthew 6:33 · Ephesians 3:20

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

... God of love" and, quietly, he experienced calm and peace. He was surprised, although he felt that every cell in his brain was on fire, yet inwardly he was calm. Responding to pain and to fear, he probably would have died; but responding to the Lord, the healing calm continued and took over. He said to himself, "Lord, I belong to you. If you want me to die, that will be your business and I will surrender to you, but I am not going to surrender to death."3 He knew that he could have chosen death that morning ...

4886. The Joy of Being a Caring Person

Mt 25:31-46 · Lk 16:19-31

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

... and their problems? Care about our husbands or wives, our children, our parents? Do we really care for each other? Do we hurt when others hurt? Christ cared. They knew he cared. They knew through him that God cared, and they were healed. Christianity is the continuance of this blessed caring - the act of healing by caring. Christians love the worthy, the loving - also the unworthy and the unloving. That is the spirit of Christ. Some years ago I gave a drunk man, who came for help, a Bible. He sold the Bible ...

4887. A Daughter of Jacob

Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

Richard Hoefler

... the living Lord is always both a repelling and an attracting experience. The evil in us is repelled as we are drawn to the fresh new freedom promised in Christ. As the Canaanite woman was first rejected and then accepted, so the disciples and we must continually experience the struggle of rejection and acceptance, repulsion and attraction which is essential for growth out of our old ways and into the new way which Christ offers to them and to us. Let It All Out When we look at the miracle story from the ...

4888. In Debt Forever!

Romans 13:8-14

Sermon

Raymond Gibson

... rifle by the barrel and lifted it high over his head. With a final howl he brought the butt down on the skull of the Argyll, who sank limply to the ground and did not move. Although it was perfectly evident that he was dead, the guard continued to beat him and stopped only when exhausted. The men of the work detail picked up their comrade’s body, shouldered their tools, and marched back to camp. When the tools were counted again at the guardhouse, no shovel was missing. * That nameless Argyll soldier knew ...

4889. A Thinking Person’s Thankful Prayer

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Raymond Gibson

... on and the disk jockey played Perry Como’s old recording of "What the World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love." Never has a more prophetic statement been made in song or sermon. A casual scanning of today’s newspaper reveals continuing tension between the United States and Iran, politicians bickering with one another, rising prices, dozens of divorces, starving millions in Kampuchea (Cambodia), and concern about whether Russia or the United States has the greater capability for destroying the human race ...

4890. When the Church Is the Church

Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon

Raymond Gibson

... monk of the 13th Century, was so happy as a Christian that he had difficulty containing his joy. Once he said, "I know not how God will dispose of me. I am always happy. All in the world suffer; and I, who deserve the severest discipline, feel joys so continual and so great that I can scarce contain them." The tuba player in a Salvation Army band was playing so loudly that his loud "um-pa, um-pa" was drowning out the rest of the band. The conductor suggested that he lower the volume a bit. The tuba player ...

4891. What It Takes to Stay Christian

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Sermon

Raymond Gibson

... in it from the beginning to the end like the tone of a mighty bell. It begins with a tiny group of people waiting and praying for the birth of a Savior who would redeem humankind and unto whom all nations would turn as their governor. It continues with the account of a small group of ordinary people who followed an extraordinary Man through a cynical and disenchanted time, yet traveling radiant in heart and glorying in the hope that he imparted to them. It ends with a grand vision that "the kingdoms of the ...

4892. The Only Fact That Really Matters

1 Corinthians 15:12-34

Sermon

Raymond Gibson

... his own spiritual life. A voice from within him said, "Horace, you claim to be an unbeliever. But you must believe something. What, then, do you believe?" To which Bushnell answered aloud: "I believe that there is difference between right and wrong." The inner voice continued to question: "Have you put yourself on the side of the right?" "I have not," the young Bushnell replied. He paused, and after a moment added: "But I will." Horace Bushnell knelt down and prayed. When he got up, he was a new man. He ...

4893. A SUNDAY OF THE PASSION [PALM SUNDAY] SERMON-DRAMA

Drama

Tom Eberle

... mark of a Messiah. However, I believe a much more serious problem with your claim is the kind of associates he attracts. I am referring specifically to one of your number, Matthew, the tax collector, who has obviously had underworld connections in the past, and may even continue to do so. Judas: I will admit that we lost some support when Matthew joined our staff. I have kept a close watch an him since he has been with us and I see no evidence of any present underworld connections. Scroll: But does not the ...

4894. A SERMON-DRAMA FOR EASTER

Drama

Tom Eberle

... the catechumens into the life of Christ. Now we are invited by Christ to eat at his table. He has given his life so that we might live. Each time we eat and drink, the life of Christ is given anew to us. By eating his meal we know we continue to share in his life. Narrator: Is that it, then? Just as the story of the resurrection becomes real each time we hear it, so the Lord’s meal provided for us leads us to his presence each time we partake of it. To worship God is not to wistfully ...

4895. Old and New

Mk 2:22 · 2 Cor 5:17 · Is 43:19

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... rests upon the oldness of being an infant; the newness of late childhood rests upon the oldness of being a toddler; the newness of adolescence rests upon the oldness of late childhood; the newness of young adulthood rests upon the oldness of adolescence. Continually throughout our days, the new is built upon the old. William Wordsworth, in thinking back on his own early life, seems to be suggesting this partnership between old and new in some words for which I hold great fondness. What though the radiance ...

4896. Are You Exercising Your Faith?

Mt 4:1-11 · Phil 3:12 · Gen 32:3

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... what was said, developed a deep feeling for special moments in congregational life. Moments like baptism and communion and infant dedication were precious to her. Furthermore, she enjoyed certain theological authors. As she drew near to adulthood, this woman continued to experience her faith as very germane to life. It informed all that she did. It established the terms of her relatedness to other people and likewise to herself. Nothing - money, sexuality, property, politics - was exempt from her faith ...

4897. Must We Have All the Answers?

Gn 2:9 · Deut 30:19-20 · Job 52:5

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... on the bed. He took the woman’s hand and remained with her: The time passed painfully, interminably slowly. And each time I found myself mentally formulating some sentence that would break this silence, something said to me, gently but inescapably, "Be quiet!" So I continued to be silent. Suddenly her eyes opened and her face turned toward where I was sitting. Her hand motioned me. And then I heard ... yes, I heard these words, coming from the depths of her sorrow: "Pastor, give me peace." I had not said ...

4898. Dessert in the Desert

Deut 32:10-12 · Ez 37

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... to do with our penchant for a flaccid and second-hand faith. I think it has to do with our tendency to confuse religious nourishment with being religiously spoon fed. I think it has to do with that deplorable state of affairs where we are continually acted upon (most especially by television and radio) but refrain from initiating ourselves. In essence, my friend, it is absolutely necessary that we exercise our religious muscle and dare to name the name of God as we grow convinced that indeed we have felt ...

4899. The Circus and My Faith

Ps 139 · Mt 22:37

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... would appear and capture one’s attention while preparations were made for the next of what were many main attractions. In short I was taken by the incredible diversity of the circus and saw a richness in that diversity. The circus evidenced a variety that continually refreshes, and so, too, I would submit to you, does the Christian faith for those who hold it. T. C. Grattan once wrote of America, There is constant activity going on in one small portion of the brain; all the rest is stagnant. The money ...

4900. God and the Weather

Matthew 5:45; 16:2-3 · Psalm 18:7-11; 46:1-3, 11

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... in that context as God’s act of caring for those who - were they allowed to live on - would have non-life and not life. I see, for example, in a miscarriage the judgment of nature and ultimately God that a developing life is better terminated than allowed continuance. And a final part of an answer to this thorny question is the affirmation that we worship a crucified God, or a God who suffers even as we suffer. Once more think of the mother or father who beholds the suffering of their child. The sight of ...

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