Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 476 to 500 of 990 results

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Our eight-year-old daughter recently attended a wedding with her best friend, accompanied by her parents and two-year-old brother. As soon as the ceremony began, with typical eight-year-old audacity, the girls immediately slunk sideways away from their seats to get a better aisle view. They had heard that you had to french kiss when you got married and whatever that meant, they didn't want to miss...

477. Sons And Daughters Of God

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever done anything really foolish? I mean, something so stupid that years later you still cringe when you think about it. Dr. James Dobson tells of a friend of his during their days in medical school. One day this man was walking across campus laden with books and briefcase. He passed by a fast food stand, and ordered something to eat and a milkshake to wash it down. He balanced it all o...

478. Children of the Heavenly Father

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Some consider it a secret. Others consider it almost a badge of honor. Some don't want to talk about it. Others almost seem to want to brag about it. What is it? It is "adoption." Some children won't find out that they are not being raised by their biological parents but by their adoptive parents until they are in middle school or even later. Other children are aware of their adopted status from t...

479. The Source of Self Esteem

Sermon

Mark Trotter

About ten years ago the California Legislature funded what they called the "Task Force on Self-Esteem." I remember it received a lot of recognition, a lot of satire and criticism as well. Doonesbury, the comic strip, took after it. For instance it had Boopsy, the actress who has out of body experiences, volunteer to be a part of the task force. Of course the national press jumped on this, and had...

480. Proper 10, Pentecost 8, Ordinary Time 15

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

Confession And Forgiveness Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. All: Amen. Leader: God of seed and soil, of hearts and lives, All: we confess to you that the lures of this world have a chokehold on us. You shower us with true goodness, and yet we cannot take hold of the joy that you intend for us. Hear us now as we call to you. Hear us now as we name that whic...

481. Proper 12

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter - Psalms 139:1-12, 23-24 First Lesson - The dream of Jacob will be identified for thousands of years as Jacob's ladder. Genesis 28:10-19 Second Lesson - Paul defines our relationship with God through the Holy Spirit as that of adopted children. Romans 8:12-25 Gospel - Matthew continues his reporting of the parables Jesus told in preaching to and teaching the multitudes and also gi...

482. Proper 11, Pentecost 9, Ordinary Time 16

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

Opening Litany Leader: Everyday life, home, and family, All: let the Spirit bear witness with our spirit. Leader: In the city, state, and nation, All: let the Spirit bear witness with our spirit. Leader: In waiting and sorrow, in loss and expectation, All: let the Spirit bear witness with our spirit. Leader: In hope, in faith, in all of life, All: let the Spirit bear witness with our spirit. Pray...

483. Trinity Sunday

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter—Psalm 29:1 First Lesson—The prophet’s vision of the holiness and glory of God overwhelms him with a sense of unworthiness to be the divine messenger. Isaiah 6:1-8 Second Lesson—Kinship to God includes the guidance of the Spirit but no exemption from suffering. Romans 8:12-17 Gospel—Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night to learn how spiritual renewal may take place. John 3:1-17 CALL T...

484. Lent 5

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

Litany: A Conversation With The Psalmist Leader: The abyss, the unknown, the feared: All: Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice; let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication. Leader: Shouting, running, searing pain: All: If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, O Lord, who could stand? Leader: Sinking down, deeper, losing oneself, All: for there is f...

485. Lent 5

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS Psalter - Psalms 130:1-8 First Lesson - The prophet is given a vision of hope for the restoration, the resurrection of Israel. Ezekiel 37:1-14 Second Lesson - Paul writes of the spiritual resurrection from the death of sin that the Spirit can perform. Romans 8:6-11 Gospel - In the account of the resurrection of Lazarus, John records some of the most profound promises of our Lord Jesus Chr...

486. Pentecost

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

READINGS First Lesson—The Spirit of God bridges language barriers to begin the creation of one church for Jesus Christ. Acts 2:1-21 [OR] The confusion of language can bring to a halt human cooperation and empire building. Genesis 11:1-9 Second Lesson—Paul reminds the Romans that the Christian family spirit is created by the Spirit of God. Romans 8:14-17 [OR] Acts 2:1-21 Gospel—Jesus promises that ...

487. Lent 4, Lent 5

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship One: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. All: Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! One: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? All: But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. One: I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; All: my soul waits for the Lord more than those who...

488. Do You Want To Be More Spiritual?

Illustration

Clement E. Lewis

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul advised, "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." To the Romans he wrote, "To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." In order to be more spiritual, the mind needs to be fixed on abiding by the rules of spirituality. Our attitude toward God and Jesus Christ in spiritual matters, and in secular conduct has much to do with how we qualify s...

489. Sermon Opener - Deal with It, Get over It, Get Help

Illustration

Leonard Sweet

In 1973 a gang of bank robbers held up the Kreditbanken (Credit Bank) in Stockholm, Sweden. The police interrupted their heist, but the bank robbers proceeded to hold a number of bank employees hostage for six long days. When at last they were rescued these kidnap victims, who had been terrorized and abused by their captors, stunned the authorities by demonstrating considerable emotional attachmen...

490. Like A Sponge

Illustration

Roy Hession

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with one who is already there, in our hearts. Take up a sponge and while it is in your hand squeeze it. In that condition, plunge it in water and submerge it, keeping it in there. It is now in the water and the water is in it. As you hold it in the water, you open your hand, and as you do so the water fills all the pores which you release in this w...

491. God's Children

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

A Sunday school superintendent had two new boys in her Sunday school. In order to register them she had to ask their ages and birthdays. The bolder of the two said, "We're both seven. My birthday is April 8, 1976, and my brother’s is April 20, 1976." "But that's impossible!" answered the superintendent. "No, it's not," answered the quieter brother. "One of us is adopted." "Which one?" asked the su...

492. Triumph of Laws

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A law is a set pattern of how things happen; it is a rule. The law of gravity deems that a heavy slab of concrete will remain where it is placed. Thus sidewalks stay in place. But we all have seen a sidewalk that is heaved up and twisted because once a small acorn fell between the slabs of the sidewalk and now has grown into a massive oak tree whose roots are powerful enough to move great weights....

493. Trinity Sunday

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

THIS WEEK'S TEXT Revised Common: Isaiah 6:1-8 · Romans 8:12-17 · John 3:1-17 Roman Catholic: Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40 · Romans 8:14-17 · Matthew 28:16-21 Episcopal: Exodus 3:1-6 · Romans 8:12-17 · John 3:1-16 COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Isaiah 6:1-8 The story of Isaiah's call by God in the temple, 742 B.C., probably while he was officiating at worship. As Isaiah is viewing the Ark of the Covenant, e...

494. Lent 5

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The two Old Testament texts for the Fifth Sunday in Lent provide stark contrasts between death and life. Ezekiel 37:1-14 is the eerie story of the dried and wind-blown bones that spring back into life as though we were watching a movie backwards. Psalm 130 is a penitential prayer. Ezekiel 37:1-14 - "Can Bones Be Brought Back to Life?" Setting. The primary setting of the boo...

495. Proper 10

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Genesis 25:19-34 is the story of the birth of Jacob and Esau. Psalm 119:105-112 praises divine instruction. Genesis 25:19-34 - "A Story Without Heroes" Setting. The Old Testament lesson for this Sunday begins a four week series of lessons from the stories of Jacob in Genesis 25:19-36:43. In the present form of Genesis, the cycle of stories about Jacob can be interpreted as ...

496. Proper 11

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Genesis 28:10-19a is the story of Jacob's dream at Bethel in which he sees a ladder extending from heaven to earth, receives the divine promise of progeny, and then responds to it, while Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24 is a confession about the breadth of God's presence, which extends from the depths of Sheol to the heights of the heavens. Genesis 28:10-19a - "Putting Conditions on Vi...

497. Things Dads Understand

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: a bag of Tootsie Rolls (pass out the candies after the children's sermon) Good morning, boys and girls. Have you ever had a Tootsie Roll? They're good, aren't they? Did you know that Tootsie Rolls were the first candy in the United States to come wrapped up in paper? That's right, most candies used to be sold in big jars, with no paper around the candy. But Tootsie Rolls were the first ca...

498. Moksha

Sermon

Dr. Ronald Love

Evagrius Ponticus, also known as Evagrius the Solitary, was a Christian monk and ascetic who resided in a monastery in the Egyptian desert. Concerned with the temptations that besought people, in the year 375 AD he compiled a list of the eight terrible thoughts, also referred to as the eight evil temptations. The eight patterns of evil that Evanrius listed are: gluttony, greed, sloth, sorrow, lust...

499. There Is No Condemnation

Eulogy

Deborah D. Steed

Suicide During Lent On behalf of the ____________ family, I want to thank you for being here today to remember ____________ and give thanks to God for his life. Death draws us together within a web of common, sometimes conflicting, feelings. Your presence and support are vital to this family and will be for some time to come. Let us pray: Gracious God, gather us together under the banner of your W...

500. God Works Good

Eulogy

Richard F. Bansemer

Death after a short illness The meditation text is the 28th verse of the eighth chapter of Romans: "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose."Is this a good day? It doesn't feel like it, does it? We gather to give thanks to God for ___________,and to commit her into his care.Is this a good day? For us, it is not an easy one. We ...

Showing 476 to 500 of 990 results