Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 726 to 750 of 4946 results

726. God Outwits Us

Psalm 31:1-24

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Many of you know the name, Brother Lawrence. If you have not read his book The Practice of the Presence of God, you have probably heard a preacher or teacher speak of Brother Lawrence. He served in the kitchen of his monastery and said he experienced the presence of God as clearly in washing pots and pans as in the Blessed Sacrament. Though known as Brother Lawrence, his name was Nicholas Herman. He was born into a peasant family in Lorraine, France, in 1611. At the age of eighteen, he awakened to the ...

727. The Time of Waiting Is Over

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

Mark Trotter

I am going to begin the sermon this morning by telling you about a dream that I had sometime ago. I realize the risk that I am taking in doing this. There are psychiatrists and psychologists in this congregation who may feel compelled after they hear this sermon to hand me their card. Also, you may know more about me after this sermon than you bargained for. But I have been assured that this dream is universal, so I trust that you have had similar ones. Actually it happened many years ago, but I remember ...

728. Rise Above It

John 21:15-19

Sermon

James W. Moore

Let me begin with three quick stories. See if you can find the thread that links them together. First… Have you heard about the couple who had been married for over sixty years? As they approached yet another anniversary… they became nostalgic and reflective about their life together. The husband said: “I have always wanted to ask you something. From the night we married, you have always had a box in your closet. I have never looked in it. It’s your private property, but I have always wondered what is in ...

729. What to Remember When You're Having a Bad Hair Day

Romans 8:28

Sermon

James Merritt

I read a story once about a man that was walking along a mountain road, and he saw an Indian lying in the middle of the road with his ear pressed to the ground. As he got close to the Indian, he heard this Indian talking in broken English. He leaned over to hear what he was saying, and the Indian was mumbling these words: "Truck, Chevy truck, Chevy pick-up truck, large tires, man driving, German Shepherd in front seat, loaded with firewood, California license plate, UBH123." Well, to say the least, this ...

730. What to Wear to the War

Ephesians 6:13-17

Sermon

James Merritt

Just a few years ago I had the privilege of taking my youngest son, Joshua, to Boston, Massachusetts to spend a couple of days there to see the Boston Red Sox play and to tour the city. It was a beautiful time with my son as we saw the USS Constitution, nicknamed "Old Ironsides," we walked the campus of Harvard University. But then we went on an historical walk through the city and came to the old North Church. It was there my imagination took me back to the year 1775, when a man by the name of Paul Revere ...

731. When I Am Tempted

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

James Merritt

I was a freshman in college when what was billed then and still is known as "the fight of the century" took place. I was so excited, because I could only get updates on the radio. This was far and long before cable or pay-per-view TV. It was the talk of the entire campus. For the first time in history, there was going to be a match between an unbeaten, former, heavy-weight boxing champion against the current, unbeaten, heavy-weight champion. It was March 8, 1971, and it was the first fight between Smokin' ...

732. Eyes Fixed Upon the Goal

Philippians 3:8-14

Sermon

King Duncan

Paul W. Powell in his book, The Complete Disciple, describes a picture painted by a famous artist. It is a picture of a wagon train in the old West. Nighttime has fallen. The wagons have been circled for protection. In the center of the circle of wagons is a campfire and a group of rugged men are gathered around it. The wagon master, a muscular man with an uncut beard, has a map spread before him. On the map is a heavy black line which zigzags across the map showing the course they have taken to this point ...

733. The Surrogate

Matthew 1:1-17

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Props: Ring (engagement ring preferably) or letter from a prior wartime soldier (if you can find such) Have you heard the riddle? Question: In a bacon-and-egg breakfast, what's the difference between the Chicken and the Pig? Answer: The Chicken is involved, but the Pig is committed! Commitment is sometimes a “dirty word” in our culture today. People are wary of making commitments that may not last. Our marriage rates are going down. More people are renting homes than buying. Many are buying gold, fearing ...

734. Are You a Lemming or a Lassie?

Luke 12:13-21, Luke 12:22-34, Luke 12:35-48, Luke 12:49-53, Luke 12:54-59

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Prop: red scarves or pieces of red material to pass out during the altar call Some stories just tug at our hearts and warm our toes. Stories about animals seem to do that a bit more than not. In a particular story written in 1859 by Elizabeth Gaskell, two brothers venture out together along with their loyal and beautiful collie dog. Soon, they are lost as a vicious snowstorm whips up around them. Cold and dying, they struggle to survive. Knowing all is lost and desperate to save his younger brother, the ...

735. Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There!

Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

The Cadillac ELR commercial that was made for and launched during the 2014 Winter Olympics, was called “Poolside.” It featured actor, Neil McDonough, blond, handsome, and cocksure, touting not so much the car as the people who made it and, more importantly, the people who can afford to buy it. In fact, if you don’t watch carefully you don’t even know it’s about a car. It was about hard driving, innovative, creative Americans and it poked a playful stick in the eye of those laconic, lazy Europeans. It ...

736. A LITURGICAL DRAMA FOR PENTECOST

Drama

Tom Eberle

Pentecost The Pentecost season accounts for approximately one-half of the church year. Because of its length, this portion of the liturgical calendar loses the conciseness of the other festival seasons. In one sense, though, the length of the Pentecost season is appropriate. Pentecost is the time of the church, living under the New Covenant. For approximately six months, then, the attention of the church is directed toward the living out of this new relationship. The church seeks to demonstrate the full ...

737. What to Do When You Are in a Fix

Exodus 13:17--14:31

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Have you heard of the preacher who returned for an anniversary celebration at the church where he had been the pastor twenty years before? He was greeted by one woman and immediately asked her about her husband. “And how is Bill?” “Oh,” she said, misty-voiced, “Bill is in heaven.” “In heaven? I’m sorry!” but that didn’t sound right. “I mean —I’m surprised!” — but that was no better. “I mean — I’m happy!” Well, that preacher was in a fix, and that’s what I want to talk about today. But to talk about it at a ...

738. Stop Being Afraid

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Marc Kolden

Jesus' instructions to his disciples prior to their first mission continue in today's gospel reading. He has been telling them about all the dangers and hardships they may have to put up with and ends by saying (in effect), "What do you expect? A disciple is not greater than his teacher. If the world gives me a bad time, it will give you one too" (Matthew 10:24-25). So what does Jesus do? Sell them life insurance? Give them bullet-proof vests? Teach them how to diffuse conflict? Hardly. Instead he says, " ...

739. Thanksgiving

Lk 17:11-19 · 1 Tim 2:1-4 · Phil 4:6-20 · 2 Cor 9:6-15 · Deut 8:1-18 · Ps 65

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 8:1-18 The people of Israel must remember God's goodness in leading them through the wilderness into the promised land. Since God has blessed them by bringing them into a rich and fruitful land, thankful lives are called for. When the people enjoy prosperity, the children of God must resist the temptation to pat themselves on the back and take credit for all their good fortune.They must render thanksgiving to the Lord, for he is the source of all blessing. The Lord is the ...

740. Who Are God’s People?

Exodus 19:1-25

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

And they set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain. And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my possession among all ...

741. A Cross In A Cradle

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

King Duncan

Jo Carr tells about a children's Christmas program she once attended: "All the songs had been sung, and the candles lit. The shepherds had come to peek at the baby, and the wise men had brought their gifts. The angels had given their message. Then all the cast in the story of the first Christmas began to leave...wise men, shepherds, angels. Only Mary and Joseph and the child remained. Then Joseph turned to go. And Mary, glancing back at the crib, began to follow. But suddenly she turned back, snatched up ...

742. Annie's Gift

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

King Duncan

Annie tried to keep her feelings of distress from showing. Why was it so hard? For seventythree years she had been struggling to keep her feelings to herself. That was how she was brought up. "Don't make a scene, Annie," her father would say to her. "Show them you've got some backbone." And she had listened. No matter how much she hurt inside, she was usually able to keep her emotions bottled up. Only once had she failed. It was when Frank died. Frank had been her life. Forty years they had been husband ...

743. Are You Turned On to Christ?

1 Peter 1:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Last Sunday, Easter Sunday, was crowded. Crowded with friends. Crowded with newcomers. Crowded with guests and families of members. Crowded with those who come to church twice-a-year. Crowded with those who never-miss-a-Sunday. This week . . . the Sunday after Easter...maybe not so crowded? No wonder it's dubbed "Low Sunday." There is time and elbow room enough to look up and down the pews and see old friends and maybe even ask, "Did you have a nice Easter?" But that question is wrong. Easter isn't over. ...

744. In His Steps

1 Peter 2:21

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

Exegetical Aim: We have been called to follow in the steps of Jesus. Props: Several footprints cut out from construction paper, a sign with the words “Name Calling,” a sign with the word “Meanness,” and a sign with the word “Suffering.” Before the church service, tape the footprints in a trail on the floor of the sanctuary so that they wind around the sanctuary, behind the back seats, and eventually lead to the altar. The more the footprints wind the better. Along the trail, place the three signs at ...

745. Etched in Stone

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

A mother and her two small boys were having a serious discussion about stealing and why it was wrong. “Tell me,” she said, “Why do you think stealing is wrong?” Five-year-old Luke said that stealing was against God’s laws. He had learned about the Ten Commandments in Sunday school. Mother asked the boys if they knew any of the other Ten Commandments. Luke remembered two others: “You shall not murder,” and “Honor your father and mother.” But the boys couldn’t think of any other commandments, until little ...

746. Endurance

2 Corinthians 11:24-27, 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Sermon

Scott Suskovic

When my daughter, Hannah, was five years old we lived in Minnesota. Before she entered kindergarten, she had to take an entrance exam. Being the non-competitive but responsible parent that I am, I decided to help Hannah prepare for this test. I taught her how to count to ten — in four languages. I taught her the colors by buying a box of crayons — 64 count, including turquoise, magenta, and chartreuse. We worked on a puzzle of the United States with each individual state cut out so we could learn the names ...

747. Children of God

1 John 2:28--3:10

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

This section of 1 John is unified by the idea of the children of God: who they are and how one can identify them by their lives. It is a passage dominated by ethics, particularly an ethical concern for righteousness and sin. It compares two “families”: the children of God and the children of the devil. In the background, as always, are the Elder’s opponents, the secessionists, whom he strongly contrasts to his own “dear children.” The unit is built on a structure of four antitheses, four pairs of opposing ...

748. Invincible

John 14:15-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

How many of you have someone in your life who you always know will tell you the truth, even if you don’t want to hear it? Someone you can trust to be entirely honest with you? Someone who accepts you as you are, sees your faults, and will not judge you for them, but who will guide you and encourage you to go the right paths, admit your mistakes, and live authentically in your own skin? Someone who you know cares about you so much that he or she calls you out on your “bads” and celebrates your “goods?” Who ...

749. When The Fat Lady Sings

Mark 13:1-31

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

That great twentieth century prophet of Yankee Stadium, Yogi Berra, said it well when describing the uncertainty of any athletic contest: "It ain't over 'til it's over." Until that last fly ball is caught or strike is called or ground ball is thrown to first base and the last out is made, the game is not over. Anything can happen. And more often than not it has. Everyone has a story about dramatic comebacks in the bottom half of the ninth inning. I suppose that is why Red Auerbach, the former great coach ...

750. The Burdens Of The Past

Haggai 2:1-9, Haggai 1:1-15

Sermon

Robert P. Hines

Recently a young man who participates in Civil War reenactments was giving a talk about his hobby. He shared with the group how a soldier in that war carried his own food supply with him. A bag of food weighed about seven pounds. The rifle he carried weighed ten pounds. The blanket and backpack weighed another forty pounds. This means the typical soldier in the Civil War carried over fifty pounds of material and weaponry with him all the time. Carrying that much weight must have been a heavy burden that ...

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