Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 601 to 625 of 4934 results

601. So, You Want to Get Well?

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon

Ron Lavin

There are four stories going on in this text: 1) the story of a humble leader, 2) the story of a sick woman, 3) the story of a dead little girl, and 4) your story and mine. We want to be sure to get at the truth of the Bible stories, but we also need to look at the personal connection, the application of the text to our lives. That's your story and mine. In other words, preaching Bible stories must not only be true to the text; preaching also must make a difference. This text about Jesus' healing power is ...

602. As Mortals See

1 Samuel 15:1-35

Sermon

Charles Curley

I made a big mistake when I began to read and study in preparation for this sermon on 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13. I decided to go back first and read all of Chapter 15, just to see what could possibly have happened to King Saul to bring us to the tragic point in the story of Israel where we read: "Samuel grieved over Saul, and the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel." (1 Samuel 15:35) And that was my mistake, reading Chapter 15, because I got hooked on Saul! Instead of finding Saul a tyrant, ...

603. Good Soldiers, Bad Wars

Joshua 11:1-23, Matthew 8:5-13

Sermon

Erskine White

It has become commonplace for the church to talk about peace in recent years; indeed, dozens of church statements have been issued for the purpose of condemning war. And this is entirely appropriate, since Christ has charged His people to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) in a world which is weary of war. But amid all the verbiage of ecclesiastical pronouncements, the church has been nearly silent about soldiers! It's as if we have nothing to say to the people who risk and give their lives. The soldiers seem ...

604. PROPER 13

Lk 12:13-21 · Col 3:1-11 · Ecc 1:2; 2:18-26 · 2 Ki 13:14-20a

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

THE LESSONS 2 Kings 13:14-20a A sick and dying Elisha promises victory over Syria to Joash, king of Israel. This, the last appearance of Elisha, concludes the series of Lessons on Elijah and his successor, Elisha. The scene is Elisha on his death-bed. Joash, king of Israel, comes to him for guidance. He and the country are in deep trouble. Syria is oppressing Israel. With the symbol of a bow and arrow, Elisha promises victory over Syria as Joash shoots an arrow from Elisha's window toward the East. Again, ...

605. The Choice Is Always Ours

Ecclesiastes 9:1-12

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

ROBERT L. BENEFIEL was one of the early pastors to do extensive clinical pastoral training after seminary and then carry the spirit and insight of that experience through a lifetime career in parish ministry. His sermon published here was developed in the context of parish work and reflects his integration of both psychological and sociological perspectives in ministry. The Choice Is Always Ours deals with issues of meaning in relation to the experience of being overwhelmed in life. Benefiel deals with the ...

606. The View from Jesus' Pew

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

David E. Leininger

There is an old story of a father going to church with his three daughters and giving them each two quarters to put in the offering. When the offering came around the oldest put in her two quarters, the next did the same, but the last held onto hers. When she was going out of church, she pulled the pastor down to her level. "Sir, my daddy gave each of us kids two quarters to put in the offering. Sally put hers in the offering plate, and Julie put hers in, but I wanted to give mine to you." When the pastor ...

607. The Problem With Giving Up Chocolates

Mark 8:34-38

Sermon

King Duncan

The story is told about a gung-ho drill sergeant who always demanded the best from his soldiers. One day he stared in pained disbelief at a sloppy squad of new recruits wearing their uniforms for the first time. For a moment the sergeant was speechless with rage. Then he screamed in frustration, "Just step out here and look at yourselves!" Now, I don't know how he expected them to do that ” "step out and look at themselves" ” but his basic concept was on target. There is a time when all of us should step ...

608. A Way Made Ready

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

Darrick Acre

Have you been out to see the Christmas lights yet? It is time for the annual excursion, when you pack the car with people on a chilly December evening, and drive around to all the neighborhoods and parks made beautiful by cities or neighborhood associations with lights, lights, and more lights, in a variety of colors and hues. There are bright reds, blues, and greens; beautiful, pastel pinks and yellows; and of course the brilliant elegance of white. As you drive along, there are elves and carolers, Santa ...

609. Is Anything Unforgivable?

Mark 3:20-30

Sermon

David G. Rogne

One morning I was roused from sleep around 3 a.m. by the ringing of the telephone. The person on the other end of the line was distraught because, she said, she had committed the unforgivable sin. It is interesting to me that such calls often occur at such an hour, after the bars have closed. The woman went on to say that at some point in her life she had really been angry about something, and had said, "Damn the Holy Spirit." Now she was remorseful, but she knew that Jesus had said that blasphemy against ...

610. Noah: The Bearer Of An Alternative Possibility

Genesis 6:1-8:22

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I read recently of a young man, recently married, who chanced to meet an old friend. The friend had already notched several anniversaries on his belt. After a bit of small talk, the veteran said to the rookie: "How's married life treating you?" "To tell the truth," said the young fellow, "things don't seem to be going all that well. My wife is always telling me what to do...bossing me around...acting as if I can't think for myself." "Had that trouble myself," said the man with many years of marriage behind ...

611. Plain Talk

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Mark Trotter

Some months ago when Dan Burton and I were planning the order of worship for this Sunday, he suggested that he write an anthem on the Beatitudes for this service, since the gospel lesson for this morning, as you heard, is from the Gospel of Luke, and Luke's version of the Beatitudes. The only problem is that Luke's version of the Beatitudes is not the one that we are familiar with. The much more popular version of the Beatitudes is to be found in the Gospel of Matthew. In Matthew, the Beatitudes serve as ...

612. A Matter of Trust

Galatians 1:11-24

Sermon

King Duncan

One of the questions that is becoming more a matter of concern all the time is this one who can I trust? We live in a strange world. Did you know that you can now buy trust in a bottle? All of you aspiring politicians listen up . . . all you guys who want to win over a member of the fairer sex . . . all of you who have a questionable product to sell to an unsuspecting public. A New York City lab claims to have put trust in a bottle. According to their ads, “After showering in the morning simply spray a ...

613. The Life You've Always Wanted

Acts 5:27-32

Sermon

Charley Reeb

The other day I came across some interesting epitaphs. There is one in Nevada which reads: “Here lays Butch, we planted him raw. He was quick on the trigger, but slow on the draw.” This one is in Georgia: “I told you I was sick!” What about the one in Mary- land: “Here lies an atheist, all dressed up and no place to go.” There are two worth noting in South Carolina: “He fought a good fight, but his knife was dull”; “Where she is, is better than where she was.” But there is one in England that hits too ...

614. What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

Matthew 13:36-43, Matthew 13:24-30

Sermon

Tom Garrison

Each year, there is a Senior Recognition Sunday for our high school and college graduates. We do this because graduation is a significant milestone for all of us — not just for the graduates themselves, but also for their families and friends and all those who have contributed in some way to the educational processes of our community. The event of graduation can be described in many ways. For one thing, it is a proud time, for it represents the completion of a long and arduous process. No matter how one ...

615. Divine Divestment

Mark 10:17-27

Sermon

Will Willimon

The Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, came home after church one Sunday and wrote of his disgust at what happened there. ''In the magnificent cathedral the Honourable and Right Reverend Gehei111e-General Ober-Hof Pradikant, the elect favourite of the fashionable world, appears before an elect company and preaches with emotion upon the text he himself elected: 'God hath elected the base things of the world, and the things that are despised' and nobody laughs."(1) Today I am to preach on Mark 10:17-27. ...

616. The Family

Genesis 37:1-36

Sermon

Will Willimon

Because we are all at the beginning, let us begin at the beginning with the Book of Genesis, a Bible book whose name means ''in the beginning." Let us begin with a family story, which seems appropriate, appropriate considering that many of you students have begun your college careers by separating from your families in order to come to Duke, a separation which pains some of you and delights others. We begin with a family story. It's a story not about just any family but the first family, since the head of ...

617. How Does One Prepare For The Unknown?

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

George Johnson

What is one of the most foolish things you have ever done? Pay good money for a suit or dress that you never wore? Buy a car that turned out to be a lemon? Invest your savings based on good advice, but end up losing it all? Have an affair that you thought would be brief and secret, but turned out to bring havoc on everything? But who likes to be reminded of one's foolishness? What is one of the wisest things you have ever done? Saying "yes" to the one you married, or "no" to the one you almost married? Was ...

618. The Ten Commandments #2: No Idols!

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

David E. Leininger

Back to Basics. Commandment # 2 - No Idols. Listen to what Isaiah has to say on the subject: All who make idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit; their witnesses neither see nor know. And so they will be put to shame. Who would fashion a god or cast an image that can do no good? Look, all its devotees shall be put to shame; the artisans too are merely human. Let them all assemble, let them stand up; they shall be terrified, they shall all be put to shame. The ironsmith fashions it ...

619. To Forgive Is Divine

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

King Duncan

One of the hardest tasks any of us has is to forgive someone who has hurt us. Leo Buscalgia tells about one of his students who was jilted by her boyfriend. The young woman felt both hurt and rejected. At the time she felt she would never get over it. In her confusion she didn't understand her intense feelings to cause him harm in some way. It is a natural to want to hurt someone who has hurt us. This young woman had never been so hurt before in her life. Deep down, though, she knew she had to forgive. As ...

620. I Am Unworthy

Jeremiah 1:1-19, Jeremiah 6:1-30

Sermon

King Duncan

"Five Things Christians Should Never Say," #4 Texas pastor and author James W. Moore tells about a pastor in San Diego, CA who was called into the sanctuary early one morning. The custodian wanted him to see a strange offering that had been left on the altar. There were a pair of brown corduroy pants, a belt, a white T-shirt, a pair of tan suede boots, and a note. There were bloodstains on the shirt and on the note. The note said: "Please listen to God." It was signed, and there was a phone number. The ...

621. Furnishing It with Love

1 John 4:7-18

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

There’s a popular song which says: I’d like to build the world a home and furnish it with love, Grow apple trees and honey bees, and snow white turtle doves. I’d like to see the world for once all standing hand in hand, And hear them echo through the hills for peace throughout the land. Well, why not? Why not a life furnished with love? Over the last 30 days, nearly a thousand of you have been trying to build a life that really matters. You are earnestly seeking to put God first, to love others well, to ...

622. The Ladder from Our House

Genesis 28:10-19a

Sermon

Stan Purdum

There is a wonderful story about a city mayor. It happened that during one particular year, the mayor made trips to both Washington DC and to Israel. According to the story, while in Washington, the mayor visited the president in the oval office. During the visit, the mayor noticed three telephones on the president's desk and inquired about them. "Well," said the president, "The black one is a regular telephone, the white one is for calls within the White House and the red one is a hotline to God." "Gee," ...

623. Ruth Meets Boaz

Ruth 2:1-23

Understanding Series

Michael S. Moore

Naomi’s Reality: 2:1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz. Jewish tradition is full of fables about Boaz. The Talmud identifies him as the minor judge Ibzan (Judg. 12:8) and reveres him as a patriarchal figure on the level of a Kirta or a Danil in Canaanite myth (b. B. Bat. 91a). According to the Talmud, he becomes a widower on the very day Ruth arrives in Israel and is rich enough to throw lavish wedding parties for every one of ...

624. David Anointed King over Judah

2 Samuel 2:1-7

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

David’s Rise to Power Begins: Chronicles, which is primarily concerned with the history of the house of David, gives little detail about the reign of Saul. First Chronicles 10 records Saul’s death in the same form as 1 Samuel 31 but with the addition of a negative summary of Saul’s reign. Chapter 11 of 1 Chronicles then moves to the meeting of the whole nation with David at Hebron that is described in 2 Samuel 5:1. The pains and struggles that accompanied the birth of David’s reign and the role of Ish- ...

625. War Between the Houses of David and Saul

2 Samuel 2:8-3:5

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

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