Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 626 to 650 of 900 results

626. The Cost of Freedom

Galatians 5:1-15

Illustration

Brett Blair

On July 3, 1776, the day before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, George Washington wrote a letter to his wife, anticipating the hardships which would soon occur. Here in part are his words: In a few days, you will see a Declaration setting forth the causes which have impelled us to this mighty revolution and the reasons which will justify it in the sight of God. I am fully aware of...

627. The Cracked Cup

Illustration

Brett Blair

When Robert Schuller's son Bob was young, he broke the trust of his parents and lied to his mother and Rev. Schuller. He was dating Linda, his wife-to-be, and was only allowed to see her on certain nights. One night he wanted to see her without permission and told them he was at his friend's house. When they found out the truth, there was a real scene between them. He had violated trust. In the co...

628. The Deeper Magic

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

Brett Blair

It might surprise you to learn that I do not disapprove of the Harry Potter phenomenon. I do not think that Christians who read these books or watch the movie are in any way practicing witchcraft. The books are first and foremost literature. There is, in the movie and book, a great deal of attention given to spells and incantations but from my point of view the main point being made has nothing to...

629. The Deeper Magic - Sermon Starter

Luke 23:26-43

Illustration

Brett Blair

It might surprise you to learn that I did not disapprove of the Harry Potter phenomenon, when it first came out. I do not think that Christians who read these books or watch the movie are in any way practicing witchcraft. The books are first and foremost literature. There is, in the movie and book, a point being made that has nothing to do with witchcraft. I will get to this point in a moment. But...

630. The Dogmatics of Aluminum Foil

Luke 20:27-38

Illustration

Brett Blair

I sometimes marvel at Jesus' patience with the dogmatism and intolerance of the religious leaders. They argued about inconsequential matters and made people follow laws that they themselves could not keep. Here in Luke 20 they are arguing with Jesus, asking him about marriage in heaven. What is so obvious in this scene is that it's a set up. They don't even believe in heaven, the afterlife and res...

631. The Duration of Life

Heb 9:27

Illustration

Brett Blair

A little known segment of the Grimm's Fairy Tales is the called "The Duration of Life." It goes like this: God originally determined 30 years as the ideal span of life for all animals, including mankind. The donkey, the dog, and the monkey considered it much too long, however, and begged God to reduce their years by 18, 12, and 10. Being healthy, vigorous, and somewhat greedy, the man asked to be ...

632. The Earliest Signs of Civilization

Matthew 10:40-42

Illustration

Brett Blair

The famous anthropologist Margaret Mead was once asked this question: What was the earliest sign of civilization in any given culture? He expected the answer to be a clay pot or perhaps a fish hook or grinding stone. Her answer was "a healed femur." The femur, of course, is the leg bone above the knee. Mead explained that no healed femurs are found where the law of the jungle, survival of the fitt...

633. The Early Church's Example

Illustration

Brett Blair

In the early church there was a growing significance of the church in the general population because of the way Christians treated one another. Tertullian, who is called the Father of Western Theology, said, “It is our care for the helpless, our practice of lovingkindness, that brands us in the eyes of many of our opponents. ‘Look!’ they say. ‘How they love one another! Look how they are prepared ...

634. The Effect of Leprosy

Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

Brett Blair

Leprosy effect upon the body is devastating. Where it attacks it causes a loss of the sense of touch. That doesn't sound too bad but consider the implications. When you reach for the stove to pick up a frying pan that is hot you immediately drop it and put ice on the burn. You watch as your skin turns red and blister. Now, if you had leprosy you would grab the pan and feel nothing. You've lost you...

635. The Expert Misses for the First Time

Illustration

Brett Blair

French novelist Alexandre Dumas, who wrote The Three Muskateers, also wrote a memoir which was as fictional and hilarious as his novels. At times he portrays himself as this gallant over the top hero of duels and other's a toast of the town. In one of these stories he has a heated quarrel with a rising young politician. The argument became so intense that a duel was inevitable. Since both men were...

636. The Faith of the Cannanite Woman

Mark 7:24-30

Sermon

Brett Blair

What would you think if I told you that on your tombstone would be inscribed a four-word epitaph? Well, you might respond, it would depend on who would write this epitaph--an enemy or a loved one. It might also depend, you might say, on how well this person knew and understood you. If a newspaper critic wrote of a concert pianist the four words: He was a failure, you could always say: That was his...

637. The Fake Stanford University Story

Illustration

Brett Blair

We include this illustration about the founding of Stanford University as a warning. It is almost all incorrect. Stanford itself has rebutted the story. Perhaps it can be used as an anti-illustration to your congregation on being careful what you hear and read. Here it is followed by the actual facts: In 1884 a young man died, and after the funeral his grieving parents decided to establish a memo...

638. The First and Last Things

Luke 23:26-43

Illustration

Brett Blair

H.G. Wells had the reputation as the apostle of scientific materialism and the deadly foe of organized faith. So it's surprising that in one of his most successful but least known novels Mr. Britling Sees It Through, he made a rather startlingly confession, or at least it appears to be a confession. It is generally thought that the character Mr. Britling is a surrogate for Wells. The character exp...

639. The First Billionaire

Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

Brett Blair

The very first person to reach the status of billionaire was a man who knew how to set goals and follow through. At the age of 23, he had become a millionaire, by the age of 50 a billionaire. Every decision, attitude, and relationship was tailored to create his personal power and wealth. But three years later at the age of 53 he became ill. His entire body became racked with pain and he lost all ...

640. The Forgiving Father (Father's Day)

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

Brett Blair

I heard a minister say one time that in his younger days, when his children were small, he would have family meetings. These meetings were to discuss chores, and family matters, trips, etc. Yet, he admitted, when he would call these meetings, the expression on his children’s faces would usually be: “what have we done wrong, now.” Finally, he said, my wife pointed out to me that the tone in my voic...

641. The Friend At Midnight

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

Brett Blair

Paul Harvey told about a 3-year-old boy who went to the grocery store with his mother. Before they entered she had certain instructions for the little tike: "Now you’re not going to get any chocolate chip cookies, so don’t even ask." She put him in the child's seat and off they went up and down the aisles. He was doing just fine until they came to the cookie section. Seeing the chocolate chip coo...

642. The Friends of Jesus

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Brett Blair

Already there is talk about the next Presidential election, even though the old one finished barely 6 months ago. Pollsters, political pundits, and newscasters are already trying to figure out the candidate for the party out of power, which means dividing the population up according to gender, race, age, sociological standing, religion and a half dozen other categories. While this sort of informa...

643. The Future is God’s Gift

Luke 4:14-21

Illustration

Brett Blair

Let me tell you about a commencement speech that was addressed to Harvard's Senior Class. On the morning of their graduation, seniors gather in Memorial Church to hear the minister offer words of solace and encouragement as they leave "the Yard" to take their places in the world. The 1998 senior class heard the unvarnished truth from the Rev. Peter Gomes, minister at Harvard and the author of sev...

644. The Golden Rule

Luke 6:27-36

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

Exegetical Aim: Treating others the way we want to be treated. Props: Wear shoes with laces. Lesson: [Start this sermon conveying an agitated state.] Okay, I don't want anyone poking me, because I don't like being poked. Okay? (response) Good. Fold your arms and harrumph. Wait a few seconds and reach over and poke one of the older children on the arm. Then fold your arms again. Allow some time f...

645. The Good News of Easter

John 20:1-9

Sermon

Brett Blair

As I look around, I see great events playing out on the world stage: Democracy is being brought to regions of the world that never really understood the dignity of individual citizens or the joy of liberty. World health organizations are working around the clock to stem the tide of SARS a disease which if not fought might become another black plague. An unprecedented ability to communicate ideas a...

646. The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

Brett Blair

The parable of the Good Samaritan arises out of a discussion between Jesus and a Pharisee. Here is a religious lawyer and he is asking a question on the nature of the law. The stage is set by Luke with these words: “Behold a lawyer stood up to put him to the test.” Well, it's not the first time and probably won’t be the last time that a lawyer phrased a trick question. It was the kind of question ...

647. The Good Samaritan - Sermon Starter

Luke 10:25-37

Illustration

Brett Blair

The parable of the Good Samaritan arises out of a discussion between Jesus and a Pharisee. Here is a religious lawyer and he is asking a question on the nature of the law. The stage is set by Luke with these words: "Behold a lawyer stood up to put him to the test." Well, it's not the first time and probably won't be the last time that a lawyer phrased a trick question. It was the kind of question ...

648. The Good Shepherd

John 10:1-21

Sermon

Brett Blair

It is small wonder that the image of the shepherd was frequently upon the lips of the savior. It was a part of his heritage and culture. Abraham, the father of the nation, was the keeper of great flocks. Moses was tending the flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro, when God called him into a special service. David was a shepherd boy called in from the fields to be the King of Israel. The imagery of t...

649. The Good Shepherd - Sermon Starter

John 10:1-21

Illustration

Brett Blair

650. The Goodness and Joy Are Everywhere

John 1:45

Illustration

Brett Blair

Long before Frederick Buechner was a well-known Christian author and Presbyterian minister, as a young man he sat in the dead of winter in Army fatigues somewhere near Anniston, Alabama, eating supper out of a mess kit. The infantry training battalion that he had been assigned to was on bivouac. There was a cold drizzle of rain, and everything was mud. The sun had gone down. He was still hungry w...

Showing results

Showing 626 to 650 of 900 results

626. The Cost of Freedom

Galatians 5:1-15

Illustration

Brett Blair

627. The Cracked Cup

Illustration

Brett Blair

628. The Deeper Magic

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

Brett Blair

629. The Deeper Magic - Sermon Starter

Luke 23:26-43

Illustration

Brett Blair

630. The Dogmatics of Aluminum Foil

Luke 20:27-38

Illustration

Brett Blair

631. The Duration of Life

Heb 9:27

Illustration

Brett Blair

632. The Earliest Signs of Civilization

Matthew 10:40-42

Illustration

Brett Blair

633. The Early Church's Example

Illustration

Brett Blair

634. The Effect of Leprosy

Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

Brett Blair

635. The Expert Misses for the First Time

Illustration

Brett Blair

636. The Faith of the Cannanite Woman

Mark 7:24-30

Sermon

Brett Blair

637. The Fake Stanford University Story

Illustration

Brett Blair

638. The First and Last Things

Luke 23:26-43

Illustration

Brett Blair

639. The First Billionaire

Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

Brett Blair

640. The Forgiving Father (Father's Day)

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

Brett Blair

641. The Friend At Midnight

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

Brett Blair

642. The Friends of Jesus

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Brett Blair

643. The Future is God’s Gift

Luke 4:14-21

Illustration

Brett Blair

644. The Golden Rule

Luke 6:27-36

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

645. The Good News of Easter

John 20:1-9

Sermon

Brett Blair

646. The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

Brett Blair

647. The Good Samaritan - Sermon Starter

Luke 10:25-37

Illustration

Brett Blair

The parable of the Good Samaritan arises out of a discussion between Jesus and a Pharisee. Here is a religious lawyer and he is asking a question on the nature of the law. The stage is set by Luke with these words: "Behold a lawyer stood up to put him to the test." Well, it's not the first time and probably won't be the last time that a lawyer phrased a trick question. It was the kind of question ...

648. The Good Shepherd

John 10:1-21

Sermon

Brett Blair

649. The Good Shepherd - Sermon Starter

John 10:1-21

Illustration

Brett Blair

650. The Goodness and Joy Are Everywhere

John 1:45

Illustration

Brett Blair

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