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 701 to 725 of 2404 results

701. Peacemaker -- A Liturgy

Drama

Thomas A. Renquist

... in a mysterious plane crash in the African jungle. Sabotage? Shot down by one of the warring factions in the Belgian Congo crisis? No one knows. He had gone there to mediate a cease-fire. Two days after his death, the cease-fire was achieved. The entire world mourned his death. It seemed that everyone had known and heard of the public Dag Hammarskjold -- the peacemaker, the negotiator, the mediator. The whole world had followed his peacemaking triumphs. For example, when China refused to release the dozen ...

702. Giving

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

Brett Blair

... is a waste of time but to Jesus she is the stuff by which Kingdoms are erected. Thus, at its heart, the widow's mite is not a story about giving, it is a story about motivation. Why do we do what we do? What do we hope to achieve by our giving? The Pharisees and Sadducees gave to receive peer recognition. And, said Jesus, they received their reward. People praised them. The woman, on the other hand, gave out of love for God. According to Jesus, she also received her reward. For a few moments this morning I ...

703. The Prize

Philippians 3:13-14

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

... the games and make it to the end of the season? (response) Right, you have to make it all the way through. That's the purpose of the trophy. That's why they are special. They remind us that we have played by the rules and worked hard to achieve something important. Application: Saint Paul said the same thing about being a Christian. He said that as a Christian, he was pressing on toward the goal for his prize. He meant that as a Christian, he was going to play by the rules. What book contains the rules for ...

704. Serving With Water: The Washing

John 13:1-17

Sermon

Steve Swanson

... judges continue to wear robes - and, in England, even wigs? Why are we more apt to believe vitamin ads on TV if the person holding the pills wears a white doctor's coat? Clothing has an effect on us. These effects are often achieved because clothing can classify people according to occupation. People do what they wear. In the largest and broadest way, we divide occupations into two groups - the "white collar" and the "blue collar." Even the rather negative term "red-neck" must originally have had something ...

705. Herod

Matthew 2:1-12

Drama

Dale Bringman

... so long. Half Jewish through my mother, I did much to groom and to beautify the Holy Land. I laid out the magnificent port of Caesarea and named it for the Emperor. I erected fortresses to protect and aqueducts to provide. My crowning achievement was the rebuilding of the Temple at Jerusalem, a most resplendent place of worship. Its double porticos were lined with Corinthian columns. On the central doors was a grapevine fashioned of solid gold. The imposing structure with Solomon's portico intact, could be ...

706. Charity and the Great Adventure

Gen 1 & 2:4-25

Children's Sermon

Louise Ulmer

... children played and sang. The king suggested many things to do, but Charity only said, "No, thank you, Father. I've done that before." The king sat thinking. He thought, my child is like me. Perhaps she would like to work, and create, and achieve great things. Then the king asked, "Would you like to go on an adventure?" Charity's eyes widened. "What is an adventure?" "An adventure," explained the king, "is something difficult you have never done before." A lion came and nuzzled the child. Charity patted ...

707. Beasts, Saints and Chaos

Daniel 7:15-28, Daniel 7:1-14

Sermon

Paul W. F. Harms

... does it carry the image of soft but ineffectual; pleasant but unrealistic; good humored but not tough in the clinches. The book of Daniel is not hesitant to use the term saint because it knows what saint means. "Saints" mean the holy ones of God. Holiness is not an achievement. It is the gift of God himself. Holiness is a gift, notice, not a reward or an award. It is a gift that God first gave baptized ones in our baptism. In baptism he incorporated us into himself and all that he is, all that he means. Our ...

708. Crown of Righteousness

2 Timothy 4:7-8

Children's Sermon

Tim Carpenter

Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate that there are rewards for our faithfulness. Props: A trophy, a medal or certificate of achievement, and construction paper crowns. To make the crowns: Cut V's across the top of the construction paper. Then round the construction paper together and tape it. Make sure you have enough for every child. You should keep the crowns hidden from sight until the end. Lesson: Have you ever ...

709. Life on the Roller Coaster

Matthew 16:21-28

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... is in turmoil. Sometimes these events are caused by things over which we have no control, and sometimes we cause them ourselves. But either way, we have to deal with the outcome. A young man receives a promotion at work, something he has worked long hours to achieve. He wants to share the good news with his wife, so he asks for the afternoon off. When he gets home, he finds his wife with another man. The roller coaster just jumped the tracks. A teenager, at the urging of a group of friends, experiments with ...

710. Making Christmas Last

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Brett Blair

... hard to be serious about Christmas. I mean our culture just doesn’t allow it. How many of you drive yourselves crazy every year trying to have a Martha Stewart’s Christmas? You know who you are. And you know as hard as you try you’re never able to achieve it. It always turns out to be an Erma Bombeck Christmas doesn’t it? I have a letter here that Martha Stewart sent to Erma Bombeck. Hi Erma, This perfectly delightful note is being sent on paper I made myself to tell you what I have been up to ...

711. The Men

Drama

William Grimbol

... I believe he is a prophet. I believe that every prophet calls us back to our original centered ness on Yahweh. Jesus, it seems to me, is telling us that we are too infatuated by our own power, our own wealth, too mesmerized by our own achievements ... a Tower of Babel mentality ... and we are moving farther and farther away from God. Is that so shocking? We are! We are moving away. Look at the morals. Look at the violence. Look at the corruption of faith ... the greed ... the viciousness ... the selfishness ...

712. When the Tie That Binds is a Slipknot

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... this, but sometimes it seems as if no other group of people in the world could be more unchristian than Christians who are at odds with each other. We will lie, we will gossip, we will spread half-truths, we will do anything we have to do to achieve our agenda, to make sure "our side" wins, when the fact of the matter is that neither side can "win" in these conflicts, and ultimately the biggest loser is the church itself. In times of conflict, I recall something a classmate at seminary said once (and I don ...

713. The Dynamics of Doubt

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... all. WHO AM I?THIS OR THE OTHER? Am I one person to-day andto-morrow another?Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,and before myself a contemptiblewoebegone weakling?Or is something within me still like a beaten armyfleeing in disorder fromvictory already achieved? WHO AM I?They mock me,these lonely questions of mine. WHOEVER I AM,Thou knowest, O God,I AM THINE! This is the age of analysis. The most important thing seems to be our "ratings." God is not much interested in popularity polls or Nielsen ...

714. How To Bring Tears To Jesus' Eyes

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... for peace. What makes peace is Christ. He came to Jerusalem with a gift of peace, but they turned him down and preferred the methods of violence. Jesus once said, "My peace I give to you, not as the world gives ... Peace is a gift of Christ, not a human achievement.How is Jesus the source of our peace? Probably the basic problem of the world is that we do not know how to get along with each other. As a result, we do not have peace in our homes, our cities, our nation, and our world. If we had Christ ...

715. He Who Has Ears to Hear, Let Him Hear

Luke 8:1-15

Sermon

Larry Powell

... "main mouths" or the most imposing of the community; not to those who were impressive because of eloquence, wealth, station, ability, or name. He placed his finger upon the great common strain of humanity. Why? In order that they should know that any achievement would not be of themselves nor because of their own supposed influence. It would be due to grace, and God should receive the praise. They would be impressed at the love, providence, and power of God, not with themselves Just knowing that delivers ...

716. Peace as Shalom

Sermon

Alan Bacon Bond

... and ignorant, for they too have their story. "Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. "Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortune of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery, but let this not blind you to ...

717. Ash Wednesday

Sermon

William Luoma

... heart, and to seek his forgiveness and strength? (You may answer "I do.")Do you believe that, to be a follower of Jesus, you must deny yourself and take up your cross daily? (You may answer "I believe.")Do you believe it is foolish to work for great achievements or success if you destroy your soul in the process? (You may answer "Yes.")Do you believe in the mercy of God, which is constant and more vast than all the evil in the world? (You may answer "Yes, I do believe.")Take now, then, these ashes, and ...

718. For What Are We Fishing?

Luke 5:1-11

Illustration

J. Ellsworth Kalas

... pleaded for forgiveness. Falling at Jesus’ knees, he begged,"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." (Luke 5:8) At first glance, that may seem an unlikely reaction to a moment of success. Sometimes, however, it is the experience of achievement which forces us to see how superficial our victories are. Andre Thornton, star home-run hitter with the Cleveland Indians and an exemplary Christian, has predicted that there may be a very real religious awakening among athletes as a result of the exorbitant ...

719. Encounters With Christ V: Jesus and James and John

Matthew 20:20-28

Sermon

James W. Moore

... ‘being a servant.’ That’s a hard lesson to learn, isn’t it?” J. Wallace Hamilton spoke about this some years ago and here’s what he said: “We all have the drum major instinct. We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade. Or – as Carl Sandburg once put it – ‘We all want to play Hamlet.’ Alfred Adler, one of the founders of modern psychiatry, names it the dominant impulse in human nature; he thinks the desire for recognition, the wish to be ...

720. Jesus Reflects -- A Dramatic Monologue

Isaiah 9:1-7, Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20

Drama

Edward G. Hunter

... people are aware of their true, spiritual potential! So many are caught up solely in the day-to-day struggle for survival. Many have become captive to their fleshly desires. Many others have expended all their energy upon self-gratification, using any means to achieve their selfish desires. And it is all so temporal, so transitory! I have found it almost impossible to open their eyes to their true potential. I know it is a frustration for God, himself, who finds it difficult to comprehend the very being he ...

721. Simeon Recalls

Luke 2:21-40

Drama

Edward G. Hunter

... will need the prayers of God's people for his day-to-day struggle. Even under divine command there is pain. I cannot believe that God's plan will suffer defeat. In his great wisdom he has decreed this means for man's salvation, and I am confident God will achieve his goal. Following the night there is always the promise of the glorious dawn!

722. Laughing in Church

Acts 9:1-19a

Sermon

Carl Jech

... the central message of St. Paul's preaching and writing was another surprise twist! "By grace are you saved, through faith!" Jesus lived grace by associating with and accepting sinners. Paul developed that theme of grace in theological terms. Grace turns our usual, achievement-oriented way of thinking upside down. Grace converts us from being people who take ourselves too seriously into people who trust God to take care of the ultimately serious things. We come to church to hear about the grace of God, and ...

723. Some Illusions (Symbols) Are Better Than Others

Acts 14:8-20

Sermon

Carl Jech

... success has its costs and in some ways we often need to be saved even from our success! By its very nature, our success may put us in the position of deliberately or inadvertantly stepping on other people's toes. Faith may not have so much to do with achieving success as with being faithful to a concern for love and justice as we try to do what is best for us. Faithfulness to God's will, that we "love one another," is a much better symbol than success! The popular composer Irving Berlin once said that "the ...

724. Becoming What You Are

John 14:15-31

Sermon

Carl Jech

... against misunderstandings that can arise over the meaning of their new attitude toward the law and ethics. As important as laws and ethical principles are, the basic Christian insights are that (1) laws must never become straight-jackets for us, and (2) we do not achieve perfection by a slavish obedience to law. The purpose of law is to remind us that an abstract notion of perfection is unattainable by one's own efforts, but at the same time to remind us that we should keep moving in the right direction ...

725. Jesus Meets Buddha and Confucius

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Carl Jech

... Tao provides us with many valuable insights. It reminds us eloquently that our efforts to define God are necessarily inadequate. It recognizes the paradoxical nature of life - especially the paradox of faith as something both to be actively achieved (yin) and passively received (yang). And it emphasizes the importance of being involved in the community of humankind, in society. The problematic element in Confucianism is that it fosters such total reverence for cultural community and traditions that ethics ...

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