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 576 to 600 of 4934 results

576. The Storm

Acts 27:13-26

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

27:13 With a light wind blowing from the south, they had high hopes of reaching the more desirable anchorage of Phoenix some forty miles to the west. At first all went well, though Luke gives the impression that rounding Cape Matala was achieved only after some anxious moments. The emphatic way in which he introduces the statement that they sailed “closer” (than was desirable) along the coast of Crete implies that their ability to weather the point was for a time in doubt. 27:14–15 But then, as they were ...

577. Lent 4

Luke 15:11-32, 2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2, Isaiah 12:1-6, Joshua 5:1-12, Luke 15:1-7

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Joshua 5:9-12 Joshua and his people keep the Passover at Gilgal. Under Joshua's leadership the Israelites cross the Jordan to the Promised Land. In preparation for the conquest of the land, all were circumcised as a renewal of the Abrahamic covenant. Also, the first Passover was kept in the Promised Land at Gilgal. It marked the end of the wilderness wanderings. On the day of the Passover, manna from heaven ceased and the people began to eat the fruit of the land. Old Testament: ...

578. When Will The Pain Go Away?

Matthew 24:1-35

Sermon

George Johnson

A young mother in her 30s with three children came to her pastor to talk about her husband's impending death. He was dying of cancer. "I'm afraid," she said. The pastor listened and asked a few questions to help her express her fear. One of the questions he asked was, "Are you afraid of losing your faith?" There was silence. "Yes," she said. And then there were more tears. There are times when one feels abandoned by God. If God really loved me would this be happening? Prayers don't seem to be answered. All ...

579. Lent 4

Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 · 1 Cor 1:18-31 · 2 Cor 5:17-21 · Isa 12:1-6 · Jos 5:9-12

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Joshua 5:9-12 Joshua and his people keep the Passover at Gilgal. Under Joshua's leadership the Israelites cross the Jordan to the Promised Land. In preparation for the conquest of the land, all were circumcised as a renewal of the Abrahamic covenant. Also, the first Passover was kept in the Promised Land at Gilgal. It marked the end of the wilderness wanderings. On the day of the Passover, manna from heaven ceased and the people began to eat the fruit of the land. Isaiah 12:1-6 Rejoice in God's ...

580. Have You Heard about Grace?

Romans 5:1-11

Sermon

Mark Trotter

On October 31, over 450 years ago, Martin Luther began what came to be known as the Protestant Reformation. If you are a United Methodist, then you stand in that Reformation tradition. Like anything that happened over 450 years ago, much of the Reformation is dated and is no longer interesting or helpful to us. It was concerned with questions raised in the 16th century, which are not our questions. But there is at least one permanent contribution that Luther has made for all of us, and that is to emphasize ...

581. Put It In A Sack, Swing it Over Your Head and Scream Like A Chicken

2 Kings 5:1-14

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

My favorite old TV show is the Dick Van Dyke Show. I have all five seasons on DVD and no matter how many times I watch them, they still make me laugh. In one particular episode titled "The Impractical Joke" one of Rob Petrie's co-workers, Buddy, pulls a practical joke. Rob gets mad and at first wants to get even but then decides that the best way to get even with Buddy is to do absolutely nothing. It will (and does) drive Buddy nuts waiting for Rob to do something to get even. And in the end, Buddy is so ...

582. Family Re:Union - (PG) Parental Guidance Required

Psalm 127:1-5

Sermon

James Merritt

The headline in the BBC News said it all. When I read it, I thought to myself, “They said more than they intended to say and they were exactly right.” Here was the headline – US Homebuilding At All-Time Low.”[1] What they were referring to was the fact that the rate of construction of new homes in the United States fell by 15.5% in December of 2010. It hit an all-time low. In fact, the rate of new construction from December 2007 to December 2010 was down 45%. In reality, they weren’t really referring to ...

583. Warnings and Exhortations for Jerusalem and Judah

Zephaniah 1:1-3, Zephaniah 1:4-13, Zephaniah 1:14--2:3

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

1:1 Whereas Nahum and Habakkuk have rather nonstandard introductions, the introduction to Zephaniah follows the pattern of other prophetic books; it is especially close to that of Hosea. First, its editors describe the book as a whole as The word of the LORD. The word dabar can signify a section of a discourse such as a sentence, but it commonly signifies a complete discourse of some kind, such as a message or command or promise or statement (cf. 2:5). Thus little stretch would be involved in describing a ...

584. How Do We Forgive?

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

King Duncan

An elderly man wandering on a lonely beach found a magic lamp. Naturally he rubbed the lamp and a genie appeared. The genie told the old man he would grant him any wish. The man thought for a while and said, “My brother and I had a fight 20 years ago and we haven’t spoken since. My wish is that he would finally forgive me.” The genie clapped his hands, a bright light shot across the sky, and then he said, “Your wish has been granted.” Then the genie said, “You know, most men would have asked for wealth and ...

585. Gratitude

Ephesians 5:15-20

Sermon

Will Willimon

"…be filled with the Spirit,...always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father." I didn't care for him when we first met. He's not the sort of person that you warm up to at first. It takes time, and life, before he becomes part of you. Don't ever think that he comes naturally. You have to work at getting along with him. When we first met, I was young, very young, maybe two or three. My mother never tired, during those early years, of trying to get us together ...

586. Step Ten - Perseverance

Lk 12:35-48 · 1 Cor 10:1-13 · Ps 15:1-5

Sermon

John A. Terry

Step ten: "Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it." The 12 steps are a long journey, and the texts for today are ones that help us continue on the long journey. This passage from Corinthians is one I think should be a history teacher's delight. It is a mode of scriptural interpretation known as "typology." It is a form of historical study. This method sees events in the history of Israel as "types" of events like other events. Here the redemptive events in Israel' ...

587. A Date With Destiny

Hebrews 10:19-39

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

Some years ago an English journal ran a contest. A prize was offered for the best definition of a "friend." A friend. How would you define a friend? Thousands of replies poured in: A friend is someone "who multiplies joys, and divides grief!" said one. No, thought another; a friend is someone "who understands our silence." A third person suggested: "A friend is a volume of sympathy bound in cloth." But the publishers picked this one as the winning entry: A friend is "the one who comes in when the whole ...

588. Thanks For All You've Done

Colossians 1:15-23, Colossians 1:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

The story is told of a professor of philosophy at a major university in this country who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years, he had taught this class and no one had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever "really gone against him." ...

589. Does God Give Out Blank Checks?

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

One of my favorite authors is Father Andrew Greeley, who, when he is not writing newspaper columns, popular (and somewhat racy) novels, and technical sociological treatises, somehow finds time to write passable books on theology. Greeley is so prolific that some have suggested that he is a committee rather than one individual man. Some critics say that he has never had an unpublished thought; but perhaps some of the criticism leveled against him might come under the heading of jealousy...from folks who ...

590. New Beginnings

John 1:1-18

Sermon

King Duncan

Welcome on this first Sunday in a new year. Did you know that New Year’s Day is the one holiday that is almost universal? It is the world’s most observed holiday. I trust you’ve made your New Year’s resolutions one of which is to be in worship each week. Well done for this first Sunday. I won’t ask you if you’ve resolved to lose the weight you gained between Thanksgiving and Christmas, or if you’re planning on joining a health club, or if you’re going to run five miles a day. Five miles, by the way, is my ...

591. Radical Love is Risky (Series: Radical Love in a Risky World)

Luke 6:27-36

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

“Some people see things as they are and ask, ‘Why?’ Others dream of things that never were and ask WHY NOT?” Those words of George Bernard Shaw contain the sermon for today. Jesus blew the lid off conventional morality in the 1st century and the 21st century by instructing his followers to ‘Love your enemies.’ The first hearers were shocked by it. Theologians through the ages have tried to explain it. The survival of humanity today may depend on our living it. I want to talk today about ‘why not?’ Why not ...

592. Pastor, Don't Talk About That!

Romans 6:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

It is very difficult to reconcile the attitudes of modern day society, including modern day church goers, with the teachings of the Gospel. For example, in a recent survey of church goers, a majority of those surveyed said that the church is very important, but a majority of that majority said, and I quote, “the church should never try to influence my thought or behavior.” (1) That’s a bit worrisome. “The church should never try to influence my thought or behavior.” That means many of you want me in my ...

593. The Sound of Joy

Genesis 17:1-27, Genesis 18:1-15, Genesis 18:16-33, Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Rejoice in the Lord always….again I say rejoice!” (Phil 4:4) “I grieve if my brother dies because I no longer have personal communion with him. But I can have a deep, abiding joy, for I know that death does not have the final word. It has been conquered in Christ’s death and resurrection.” (2 Tim. 1:10) We are a people born of laughter! Literally, we are all as Christians part of God’s holy people, in a covenant begun with Abraham and Sarah many years ago, when this elderly couple was granted an ...

594. The Story Of The Scandalized Neighbors

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

John M. Braaten

I don't know what this world is coming to. It seems to me that parents don't do as good a job raising their kids as they used to. Consider my neighbor. His punk kid ran off with a wad of money last year. A couple of days ago he came back looking like death warmed over and what are they doing? They're throwing a party for him. From what I've heard they are going to spend a bundle on it. Sounds like the affair will be bigger than a wedding bash. If you ask me it's scandalous, celebrating as though he was a ...

595. Clean Light

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Sermon

William F. Dunkle

Puritans love this scripture seemingly above all other. Oh, probably not really, but it so often seems so when overly pious people start proof-texting against what most of us think are normal and general social practices. A most distinguished overseas divine was delivering the famous Cole Lectures at Vanderbilt University just as Nashville, Tennessee, happened to be stirred up over an approaching local option election to legalize the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some enthusiastic young church people asked ...

596. Proclaiming Jesus Christ

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

It is not easy to promote someone else. Human nature rises up against it. If we believe in our self-worth and capabilities, why should we try to sell someone else? Yes, and why should we seek to gain acceptance of a religious leader, who will eventually cause us trouble. For example, Jesus for some was not only an irritant; he was an anathema as well. As usual, Saint Paul is not much interested in whether you like or accept him as a person. His driving mission is to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord. He and ...

597. Birthpangs of the New Age

Romans 8:22-23

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

598. Abba, Your Kingdom Come

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

Ron Lavin

The provoking incident for Jesus teaching his followers what to pray and how to pray is that the apostles watched Jesus and listened to his prayers. Nobody had ever prayed like this. His prayers were uniquely personal and profoundly humble. The apostles wanted to know more about prayer. So do we. "Lord, teach us to pray," they said (Luke 11:1). We have the same plea today. There is a vague sense that we don't pray enough, nor with as much focus as we should have. There is a longing among Christians today ...

599. The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh

Nahum 1:1-15

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Yahweh’s Commitment to Exact Redress: After the introduction in verse 1, Nahum begins by expounding the theological truths that undergird his message. Verses 2–8 are rather like a psalm of praise, though in form and content there is a significant difference between verses 2–3a and 3b–8. The significant principle asserted in verses 2–8 is that Yahweh is active in the world punishing nations that behave as his foes . . . his enemies (v. 2). After the opening description of Yahweh, Nahum goes on to describe ...

600. Introduction and “Hello”

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: Paul introduces himself as a fellow Christ follower and reminds his Corinthian friends that calling Christ Lord should generate life patterns that reflect such a relationship to Christ. Understanding the Text If anything strikes someone who begins reading 1 Corinthians, it is how Paul packs content into every word from the outset. When we realize how well he knows the Corinthian congregation even on a personal level and recognize that this is at least his second letter to the church (5:9), it is ...

Showing results