Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 476 to 500 of 3160 results

Acts 2:1-21

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... . Then one day, spotting a beautiful and mostly deserted beach, we decided to stop and swim. After we were there a few minutes, we noticed a man and a boy some distance out in the water, and they seemed to be trying to push a raft of some sort toward the beach. They appeared to be having some difficulty, so I waded out, grabbed hold of the raft, and helped them maneuver it to shore. They were quite appreciative and the man began speaking rapidly in Spanish, pointing to the rocks placed on the raft. Adhering ...

477. As Seen from the Solitary Broom Tree

1 Kings 19:1-18

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... the same school. The lab opened in 1996, funded by donations. For the first several months, it was staffed mainly by Mrs. Edwards and her husband, both of whom worked directly with the students. She continues to be involved there today.4 There are all sorts of reasons we can find ourselves feeling like Elijah did, depressed, alone, grieving, burned out, and feeling that there is nothing left for us to live for. That is life as seen from the solitary broom tree. But let us learn the lesson Elijah learned ...

478. Angels and Shepherds: Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... artist could create. Even more subdued now, she said she simply sat down and bathed her eyes and her mind in this natural beauty. It was a time of great praise. It was an earthly moment shot through with a sense of transcendence. The ordinary became sort of ethereal. Mystery was in the common. God was there. Kerry was reserved and reverent as she shared that experience, a bit embarrassed that such simple seeing would hit her with such force. I tried to identify with Kerry and affirm her in her new eyes ...

479. It All Started with 10 Commandments

Mark 12:28-34

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

... Ernest are standing in front of row after row of shelves of books. On top of one of the shelves is a sign, which reads, "Law Library." Franks turns and says to Ernest: "It's frightening when you think that we started out with just Ten Commandments." It is sort of frightening isn't it? We started out with 10 and now we have an estimated 35 million laws on the books in the United States alone. Some of them are very good and deeply needed. But there are some that probably need to be repealed. For example: Did ...

480. Christmas: Before And After

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

... ’s got a reputation to think about. But, I think he believes me. Elizabeth: I think you should tell me about this “angel.” (makes quotation mark gestures) Mary: Well, it was the most amazing thing. I was sweeping up the house, when this person, all in white, just sort of appeared. I chased him around with the broom for a while. I thought he was some intruder, sneaking in to steal food. But, he kept talking quietly to me, and I soon realized that he was an angel. Then he said I was going to have a baby ...

481. The Power of Purpose

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... on it. Your face is in front of your head, where you eat. Your neck is what keeps your head off your shoulders, which are sort of shelves where you hook your overall suspenders. Your arms you’ve got to have to pitch with, and so you can reach the biscuits. ... personal involvement. Don’t let the drag of your job carry over into your leisure hours. Because you may be performing a routine sort of task, doesn’t mean that your free hours can’t be full of meaning. When I think of the financial resources of ...

482. I Am the Good Shepherd

John 10:1-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... college until she was mid-way through that time in her life. And yet after all these years of having been loved and accepted and affirmed by her husband and her children, still she has not overcome that ravaging insecurity of her life. I see it in all sorts of ways. At least 50% of the men with whom I share, at a time when they’re making a career change or when they’re going through a midlife crisis, or when they’re having some family problems, at least 50% of them are really ravaged with insecurity ...

483. The Intimate Gospel: The Word became Flesh

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... dead in his tracks, starts to look around, but remembers that no one can look upon God and live, so he cast the question, sorta sideways over his shoulder, he said, who will I tell them that you are? And the voice came back, tell them I am. Now what sort of answer is that? Tell them I am. What a mystery to grapple with, and that’s the mystery that pervades throughout the Old Testament era, but now the I am has named himself, flesh and bone and blood, the word is incarnated, and the I am is Jesus. Now ...

484. Living By The Spirit

Galatians 5:16-25

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... on the life and faith of others. Therefore we have to mindful of what we do so it does not become harmful to others and their relationship with God. Do No Harm. II. Do Good A. Secondly: Do Good. Wesley said we are called to "Do Good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all. There was a new family who had only lived in the neighborhood about 2 weeks. This homeowner was out mowing when his riding lawn mower broke down. He worked on the mower for about two hours trying to get it back together ...

485. Living in The Spirit of Generosity

2 Corinthians 9:6-12, Galatians 5:22-25

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... With Our Kindness. Didn't Bob do a good job last week dealing with kindness? One thing I've discovered about Kindness is that it's difficult to give away because it keeps coming back to you. The more kindness you show, the more kindness is shown you. It's sort of one of those immutable laws of the Spirit. It's like trying to out give God, it just can't be done. Somebody said the best way to be kind is to "Remember the Golden Rule . . . and remember that it's your turn." I really like that. Samuel Johnson ...

486. Room For A Savior?

Luke 2:22-33

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... when the real mother was found. After all, what was he going to do with a baby? In a way, each of us, is in the same sort of situation as this young man. Every Christmas God Himself walks up to us and asks, "Would you hold my baby for me, please?" And then ... And there is only one prescription. There are a lot of people who will tell you otherwise. They've come up with all sorts of home remedies and alternative medicines. Some of them even seem to help alleviate the symptoms. But many of them are nothing more ...

487. Joshua People: Turning Worlds Upside Down

Joshua 10:12-15, Acts 17:1-9

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... thought was funny but it did illustrate one of the hardest Biblical principles we have to learn. I'm talking about the Bridgestone Tire commercial with the astronauts. Jesus addressed this problem right at the very beginning. The Disciples and followers of that time all had the same sort of feelings that we have. If I'm a Disciple, if I'm living the faith, if I'm doing what I should, life shouldn't be hard. Unfortunately that's a very naïve idea. Life is tough everywhere, we all face the same issues and ...

488. Altar Your Gifts

Malachi 3:10, Luke 6:27-42

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... was. And Abe answered, "The same problem that is wrong with the whole world. I have three walnuts, and each of my boys wants two." That sort of hits the nail on the head doesn't it? And it kind of makes us all want to squirm. We all want more than we ... resentment keeps us from growing spiritually and truly experiencing the depth of God's love. Then there's Duty Giving. This is the Have To sort of giving. It's not filled with resentment but it's not filled with life and joy either. It's that giving that comes ...

489. LOST? Pursuing Purpose

1 Peter 2:9-10

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... is now a Dominican Nun in the Episcopal Church? In her testimony or witness or interviews, whatever you want to call them, she says she felt called by God at an early age. But she was side tracked by the discovery of her tennis abilities. If you remember, she was sort of the brat of the tennis world, always mouthing off to line judges and the crowd. At age 16, it looked like she was going to have it all. The only trouble was she felt alone and cut off in the winner take all, bash them and beat them culture ...

490. Only Jesus

Mark 9:2-9

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... , like the little boy told his mother, we "don't really know how it works." And when you don't know how something works, it's hard to explain. Just look at this passage. Jesus invites Peter, James and John to go up on the mountain to pray. Jesus takes sort of a midweek mini retreat and invites three of the four original disciples to go with him. They were ecstatic. Then up on the mountain top they're praying up a storm, when all of a sudden Jesus flips open his communicator and says, "Two to beam down Mr ...

491. Saturday: The Week Of The Cross: Lazarus, Come Forth

John 11:1-7, 17-44

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... . Jesus didn't intentionally set out to make every religious group in the world mad at him that week, it just sort of fell that way with all the stuff he was trying to get across. Not only that but as long as he was preaching in Galilee, he wasn't ... too much of a threat to the establishment. But the last week he sort of invaded their territory and when he did he became a threat. And so they triangulated on him. Those folks who would have been opposed ...

492. Close Enough For Comfort

Psalm 23:4, John 14:15-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... God, not the problem. I think God planned it that way because the one who is most able to help someone else is the person who has faced the same fears or trials or failures. They understand. It's sort of like being a Grandparent. Until I became one I had no point of reference. Until I became one I just sort of smiled and shook my head or laughed at the stories told about grandchildren. But now that I am a grandparent I know that incredible love you have for these children of your own children. And the joy ...

493. Nehemiah: The Fix

Nehemiah 1:1-11

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... had overthrown Jerusalem and now anybody and everybody could just walk in and do what they wanted with nobody to stop them. It would sort of be like leaving all the doors and windows of your house open and having a big sign in your front yard that ... he could have lunch with him, Zaccheus was so moved and touched by God's love that he was changed and he repented. B. Repenting is sort of like getting a do-over from God. We get to start over. Our lives sometimes are kind of like these glasses. We can fill the ...

494. Who Touched The Remote Control?

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... up to 600 feet away. The tag starts chirping and blinking, and the Loc8tor points you in the right direction so you can find it. It's sort of a GPS for all your remotes. I thought that was really cool. And then I got to thinking, just like the reviewer, if you're prone ... that second cup of coffee. Then it's in the car and off to work, or time to get the kids up and dressed for school. We sort of do it all on out of habit. And there is nothing wrong with that. It's part of who we are. It's part of being ...

495. Cross Eyed: Anger

John 2:13-22

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... treating the people of their mission field and the way they were treating God's Holy Place. Those are some of the things that should make us mad, too. In the movie The Incredibles, Bob is a Super Hero in hiding, so to speak. He's in sort of a Hero Protection Plan. The use of super powers has been outlawed. He's working as an insurance claims representative. His problem is, he has a heart. Mr. Huph, Bob's boss, berates him for helping too many people with their insurance claims. Bob spots someone getting ...

496. Amazing Authority

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... that boy. Doesn't matter if they're true or not, you see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in. You got that?" Impressed, Walter replies, "That was a good speech." Hub says, "You think so? Thanks." In a convoluted sort of way, Hub is trying to teach Walter a lesson like Jesus taught. A lesson that is deeper than historical facts. He's talking about virtues being worth our belief even if other people don't hold to them to be true anymore. In an age when power ...

497. The Gift of Purpose

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... horrified look on her face for a minute, and then she gasped: "Didn't you get my E-mail?" That had to have been the same sort of horrified look that Mary must have had on her face when the Angel of the Lord appeared to her and spoke to her about ... he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." [29] But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. [30] The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. [31] And ...

498. Called by Many Voices

John 10:1-42

Illustration

John H. Pavelko

... wherever he leads them. They have learned to know him and trust him. They are not easily distracted by another shepherd. Move three flocks into a field, place three shepherds at three strategic points and have each of them issue a call. The sheep will sort themselves. You will not need brands to recognize which sheep belongs to which shepherd. Every animal will only follow his/her shepherd. The people of God have been placed in a very large field that is often called the world. Many voices are calling us ...

499. When It Comes to Humility

John 10:22-42

Illustration

Donald B. Strobe

... of geese" and a "flock of birds" but what do you call a gathering of bishops? I settle on "bunch.") There was some sort of unintentional pride involved in the proceedings, for in front of the various clerical dignitaries, along with their names, were written their ... Reverend" so-and so. Whimsically, I printed on my card the "Hardly Reverend"...which, of course, made me guilty of a reverse sort of pride, like the monk in the famous story who said about the various monastic orders: "The Jesuits are ahead of us ...

500. Come To the Water

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... and of course gets played with more. And of course, Woody gets jealous. But what sets them both apart is something they only sort of realize. Here, watch this scene. Woody has awakened after his first night of not sleeping in bed with Andy. He's ... . It's not even that we want to. Oh there are times when we choose to turn away. But then there are other times when we just sort of slowly drift away. Or slowly lose our focus. And that's when the waters of our baptism come into to play. You see, like Woody, we' ...

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