Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 576 to 600 of 4977 results

576. Wanting To Be Seen

Matthew 6:5-6

Sermon

David Belgum

... if our motives, either George's or mine, are ever 100 percent pure. Even when we do a genuine kindness, we usually get a lot back in return. Maybe it is impossible to answer. If my motives were anywhere between 75 percent and 85 percent pure, I'd be quite satisfied. God knows me better than I know myself. Fortunately, he exercises a lot of grace and understanding, forgiveness, and whatever else I need to make up the difference, so I don't really have to worry about it. Case #3: You Now it is your turn to ...

577. The Backside Of God

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... I'm sure no one in this sanctuary has ever experienced such a time -- when a parent would say to a child, or one spouse to another, "Just leave me alone for now. Just leave me alone." And thus saith the Lord. When the people heard this news they were quite distressed. The loss of God's guiding presence on the journey is the equivalent of being stuck in the middle of the desert without a map -- sand as far as the eye can see with no apparent way out. So God is again petitioned by Moses, in today's lesson ...

578. More Than Sex

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... be expressed somehow. Now, we all know that people are different and express their feelings in a variety of ways. Some couples are very demonstrative in showing their affection -- almost embarrassingly so, I might say; others are quite reserved, writing notes or poetry to one another. But we are quite properly concerned when two persons are engaged to be married and seem to have no passion for one another. We fear that the marriage may be one of convenience, perhaps providing an escape from an unfortunate ...

579. Mind Your Manners

Matthew 7:7-12

Sermon

Robert R. Kopp

... positive or therapeutic and must be abandoned as the search resumes. I'll never forget talking to Ralph Wrobley, a lawyer in Kansas City who was an especially good tennis player, about why he quit the sport. "When it became more work than play and evoked more anger than tranquillity," he confessed, "I knew it was time to quit." So I've come up with two ways to determine if your current distraction is therapeutic and worth keeping. First, does your game heal or hurt you? Harold Mele is the most honest pastor ...

580. Where The Halls Cross

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

David O. Bales

... simile -- that shows what the social world of the students along with faculty and staff is like." There were a few attempts, not quite getting it into imagery, but then Josh jerked up in his seat and said, "They're like channel blockers." All the kids ... was pretty sure he didn't know, was that every Sunday Josh Lampson's parents tugged him by the collar to church school. Well, not quite by his collar, but I'd see them arrive, and Josh would look as though he were a conquered warrior with a rope around his ...

581. The Compelling Call

Drama

Karren Boehr

... to make us gods before. You, Zeus? Me, Hermes? A man of God, I am. A god, I'm not. I'll be honest. I was quite shaken. Without God, I am nothing! BARNABAS: And I. If people only knew that the God Of All came to seek and to save those who ... zest for the gospel of Jesus Christ even I am almost jealous. God is doing a good work, a good work. PETER: I noticed Barnabas was quite preoccupied at supper tonight. Is he all right? I noticed he slipped out before the meal was over. PAUL: I assure you, he is fine. A ...

582. When God Asks the Unreasonable

Matthew 3:13-17

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... a bird from clay and then breathing life into it. SAM: I think we can discount that one. Just a clever story. SHARON: All right. When, then? SAM: When did Jesus know He was God? That's the question, right? SHARON: You know the question. Quit stalling. SAM: All right. I'll quit stalling. I don't know. SHARON: Can't we figure it out from the scriptures? SAM: Okay, okay, let's figure it out. One of the Gospel writers says He was in the Temple when He was twelve. Remember that? SHARON: Sure. He was asking ...

583. Who Is God?

Matthew 16:13-20

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... they? PLAYER 1: What are you talking about? PLAYER 2: They put God in their own little box. (GOD PUTS LEMON AWAY AND PUTS A BOX OVER HIS HEAD) PLAYER 1: Who'd want a God like that? PLAYER 2: We are being quite theological today, aren't we? PLAYER 1: Yes, we are. And we're doing it quite well. PLAYER 2: Tiresome, isn't it? PLAYER 1: Yes, it is. PLAYER 2: When it comes right down to it, isn't God just a projection of ourselves and our society? PLAYER 1: Now you are getting deep. PLAYER 2: Here ...

584. The Lesser Commision

Matthew 28:16-20

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... heaven and on earth. THOMAS: I doubt if He means all authority. MATTHEW: He certainly must mean something else. JOHN: Maybe He means "quite a lot of authority has been given to me since I rose from the dead." That would sound better. MATTHEW: Yes, it would ... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. JOHN: I doubt if He means all that He commanded us. That's quite a lot. I suppose if all the commands were written down it would fill the whole world. MATTHEW: How can He be with us always? I admit ...

585. The Season Of The Nativity

Matthew 25:31-46

Bulletin Aid

Wayne H. Keller

... and God. Lord, have mercy on us. (Pray this five times, with an emphasis on each word.) Introduction to the Act of Receiving New Life It is one thing to confess our sin before God; it is quite another to believe that God, specifically, forgives us. It is one thing to confess our sin before God; it is quite another to confess that same sin to the person whom we have offended, or hurt, or ignored. Confession in worship is the first step only. What resolve are we willing to make to go to the other, beginning ...

586. Advent 1

1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Isaiah 63:7--64:12, Mark 13:32-37, Mark 13:1-31

Sermon Aid

E. Carver McGriff

... One has to believe that God can, indeed, do miraculous things in human lives if he was able to turn some of these folks into people of whom it could be said they were "enriched in him with all speech and knowledge." Since we know that there was quite a bit of dissension within the Christian community of Corinth, it would seem that Paul is laying the groundwork for a bit of gentle scolding. Nonetheless, Paul loved these people and, like loving parents, tended to see the best in them. Gospel: Mark 13:24-37 (C ...

587. Advent 4

Luke 1:26-38, Romans 16:1-27, 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Sermon Aid

E. Carver McGriff

... May I, at this point, express my regard for any sincere Christian regardless of any theological differences between us, then express my own belief? I honor the story of Mary's virginity and understand its importance to our tradition. But I can't believe the story quite as written. There are several reasons. First, the idea of sex as being somehow sinful is outmoded and as long as it is experienced honorably and lovingly, it seems to me to be one of God's finest creations. Second, there is no mention of this ...

588. Mary Ponders

Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

... real live infant -- no longer the play doll of girlhood -- must have been overwhelming. But Mary had been no ordinary child and her baby no ordinary infant. Hadn't the angel told her he would be called the Son of the Most High God? It had been quite a year. Back in friendly, gracious, dusty Nazareth there had first been the messenger informing her that she would have a child. Mary knew that someday she and Joseph would be parents, but their marriage had to wait until Joseph was able to provide for a family ...

589. Being A Good Doubter

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Glenn E. Ludwig

... word of caution. Even the faith that is forged by despair and born anew in the resurrection is not immune to doubt. We will always live with the paradox of faith and doubt as two sides of the same coin we call our lives. And the reason for this is quite obvious. Resurrection faith does not come to us like a package in the mail or a gift from grandma at Christmas. We can never possess it as such, for one possesses things and faith is not a thing; it is an experience. Like Thomas, when our experience of God ...

590. When Life Seems Out Of Control

2 Samuel 18:1-18

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... had been beaten and smashed. The executive was found sitting on the patio, his head in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Unfortunately that is an all too common experience. We are going along thinking everything is all right, without a care in the world, when suddenly, quite unexpectedly, something does not go our way and we find ourselves out of control. At those times when we are out of control we can no longer think in rational ways. So we smash a perfectly good lawn mower, we break the storm window ...

591. You Can Be Happy

1 Chronicles 13:1-14

Sermon

Michael B. Brown

... Why so much attention to love? Isn't that topic trite by now? Worn out? The one thing we all know how to do anyway? No. That is the very point. Paul obviously understood that love is the one thing we all think we know how to do and thus quit trying to learn to do any more authentically or effectively. If the topic is "How To Be Happy," our focus sooner or later has to turn to love, for without that, happiness is literally impossible to find. So, what advice did Paul offer his friends in Corinth? Among other ...

592. Father's Day

Psalm 78:1-72

Sermon

Brett Blair

... guess he should have been congratulated for connecting his father in any way with God, even if it was a negative connection. In the book of Proverbs we read these words: Children, hear the instruction of your father. He is the wisdom of God speaking to you. That is quite an order isn't it dad? A huge responsibility that has been placed upon you. You are to be the voice and wisdom of God in your family. I wonder how many fathers today are filling the bill. How are we father’s doing? We are failing. If you ...

593. Need Help Removing That Roadblock?

Exodus 13:17--14:31

Sermon

Steve Burt

... be actually his. Then he'd be free to use it. Excited about the possibility he might be financially and creatively free, the man quit his chicken plucking job and headed for the city. Halfway there he came to a sign that said ROAD CLOSED TO VEHICLES, FOOT ... For what? An inheritance that might be a few bucks and two ugly lamps for his end tables? He thought about the job he had just quit. "It's not all that bad. Pays the rent, puts food on the table. It's backbreaking work, but it's steady. Maybe it's not ...

594. Deadly Sins - A Matter Of Sutton's Law

Romans 7:14-25

Sermon

R. Curtis Fussell

... raise his hand, as a young person did in my congregation, you might say, "A brave person. I'm impressed that you would volunteer to undergo such an ordeal. The average person, the average church member, wouldn't dare.") Quite naturally people avoid revealing their sins. It's quite normal to take actions, sometimes extraordinary actions, to avoid any of our sins being seen. But on occasion the deepest, darkest parts of who we are, are revealed. For instance, driving down the highway another car cuts in front ...

595. Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

William B. Kincaid, III

... will be comforted. We just aren't talking about readjusting. We aren't speaking merely of getting by. We are talking about more than simply making it. We are talking about being comforted. This does not mean we quit crying, or that we no longer miss the person, or that we have somehow gotten over the loss. No, it means quite the opposite. In fact, there are some things we may never get over, but we can learn to live with them. Comfort is not the erasing of a memory, but having our pain soothed to the point ...

596. Why Not Walk On What Jesus Walked On When He Walked On Water

Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon

Roger G. Talbott

... scoff at that. "What do you mean, it's too strong? I've been fishing on this lake all my life. Sure, sometimes you really have to put your back into it, but I've never seen a wind I can't handle. Come on, you sissies, start rowing and quit yakking." So they row harder and harder and the wind picks up stronger and stronger. The waves are starting to slam into the boat, rolling it and getting them wet. Matthew doesn't paint a life-threatening situation. This doesn't appear to be the same kind of storm as ...

597. Easter 6

Acts 8:9-25, 1 Peter 3:8-22, Acts 17:16-34, John 14:15-31

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... your eyes on Jesus. Jesus said: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (v. 15). The verb here is toreo which means "to watch." It is closely related to another Greek word, which means to guard from loss, by fixing the eyes upon. The Jews quite literally kept their eyes on God's commandments by putting them in little boxes by the doors to their houses and placing them in little leather boxes attached by thongs to their foreheads. Jesus' command is that we love him, first of all, and then love each ...

598. Proper 11

Romans 8:18-27, Isaiah 44:6-23, Genesis 28:10-22, Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:36-43

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... those from which all weeds and watergrass have been banished. You've seen the perfectly manicured outdoor carpets that you're afraid to even walk on. Over all, my lawn looks presentable. There is a fairly luxuriant strand of grass and, when it is cut, it looks quite nice. However, when it gets long, you can see the panoply of dandelion and a variety of other outlaw plants. The fertilizer/herbicide I put on once or twice a year doesn't seem to faze the weeds. Last year I tried to zap the weeds individually ...

599. Proper 17

Exodus 3:1-22, Jeremiah 15:15-21; 20:7-18, Matthew 16:21-28, Romans 12:1-8

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... burden of having to proclaim God's judgment. He complains that he is denied the company of merrymakers and must sit alone, racked by pain (v. 17). The prophet has a bad case of loneliness even though he is not really alone. Though he felt quite abandoned, God was with him. Outline: 1. Describe the conditions that led to Jeremiah's loneliness 2. Explain that loneliness stems from alienation from God 3. Describe the symptoms of this alienation in our society 4. Explain that loneliness feeds on self-pity, such ...

600. Proper 18

Romans 13:8-14, Romans 13:1-7, Ezekiel 33:1-20, Exodus 12:1-30, Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... with their cloaks and sandals in place (v. 11). They were to be ready to move out when God gave the signal. They ate the Passover pilgrim style. Some churches serve the sacrament pilgrim style, though some call it continuous communion. At churches that I have served, quite a number of people don't like the pilgrim style. They prefer to pause before the altar and ponder. There is nothing wrong with that unless it serves to make us forget that we are a pilgrim people who must always stand ready to follow the ...

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