Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 751 to 775 of 4946 results

751. When Imagination Replaces Memory

Isaiah 42:18-25

Sermon

Harold Warlick

One of the fascinating aspects of being human is our ability to create time. We have memories and can literally sit in the present but remember and live in the past. On the other hand, we also have imaginations and can literally live in the future. We can sit here and imagine what we're going to do as soon as worship is over. Most of our problems in life don't come from our imaginations. They come from our memories. The past presents us with a paradox. On the one hand, a lot of good things have happened to ...

752. The Resurrection Of Our Lord

John 20:1-9, John 20:10-18, Acts 10:23b-48, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Mark 16:1-20

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Through Christ's resurrection we are raised to newness of life. COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Acts 10:34-43 (C, RC, E) Peter witnesses to the Roman officer Cornelius and his household concerning Jesus' earthly ministry, his crucifixion and especially his resurrection. Luke, the author of Acts, points to the Holy Spirit as the source of Jesus' power. The disciples of Jesus, those who communed with Christ, are witnesses to the resurrection. They are to proclaim that Jesus is the judge of the living and the ...

753. The Second Touch for the Out of Touch

1 Kings 19:1-18

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

There’s an old legend that tells how God sent one of his angels to Satan with the message that all the methods the devil uses to defeat Christians would be taken from him. The devil pleaded to be allowed to keep only one. The angel, thinking it an unusual, modest request from the greedy devil, agreed Satan could keep that one. “Which one would you want to keep?” the angel inquired. “Let me keep discouragement,” was Lucifer’s reply. The angel agreed. Satan could keep discouragement. And the devil rejoiced ...

754. 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 ...

755. Getting Your Politics Right

Matthew 6:5-15

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

I grew up with the myth, universally absorbed but rarely argued for except by extremists with bad manners, that whites were superior. Exceptions were acknowledged, but only as exceptions that did not change the rule. Racism was one of the unspoken beliefs of my childhood culture before the Civil Rights movement rose up to challenge the great lie with the potent rhetoric of our founding documents, as in The Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal ...

756. Repeat After Me

Philippians 3:1-11

Sermon

James Merritt

One thing a good teacher knows is that repetition is one of the best ways to teach, as well as one of the best ways to learn. If you think about it, we learn the alphabet by repetition, by saying the letters over and over. We learn how to count the same way. We learn the multiplication tables by repeating them over and over again until we could do them in our sleep. Paul begins this chapter by saying, "For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe." (3:1) Paul is about to ...

757. The Ride of Your Life

1 Peter 1:17-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

With Jesus in charge, you get a white-water-rafting kind of experience throughout life not a dull float downstream, but a hang-onto-your-hat exhilarating, get-wet ride. Jesus offers us a life-substance, not a lifestyle. How much do you have invested in your "lifestyle"? This "investment" counts not only the money, time, energy and enthusiasm spent, but also the satisfaction gained. Think you aren't "rich and famous" enough to have a "lifestyle"? (Ever watch "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous"?) Think again ...

758. The Power of Purpose

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Paul had laid down the flail of the persecutor and took up the torch of the evangel on the Damascus Road. There he began the course of a great adventure, an adventure that sent him trudging through the then-known world – through the deserts and over the mountains, through blinding blizzard and blistering sun, traveling in peril of his own life, shipwrecked, beaten by the Romans, stoned by the Jew. Yet, throwing back his great cloak to show the scars of his beatings there saying, I bear in my body the marks ...

759. When God Speaks

Psalm 29:1-11

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

It was a young adult Sunday school party back in the days when I could still be considered a young adult. It was supposed to be a pool party, but as people gathered, it started to rain. As a pastor, I don't like it to rain on people's parties. I always get the blame. “Howard,” people say, “Can't you do something about the weather?" Normally I reply, “I am in sales not management." That day my explanation gave no satisfaction. So in an act of desperation I stepped up on a picnic table, stretched my hands to ...

760. Back to Real Life

Matthew 2:13-18

Sermon

King Duncan

It’s hard not to feel a little let down after Christmas. A few days after Christmas one year Presbyterian pastor Jon M. Walton was noticing that all the Christmas decorations at one of the local pharmacies had been removed. These decorations already had been replaced with Valentine’s Day trinkets and cards. Red boxes of candy, teddy bears with big hearts on them, red candles for romantic lighting. The clerk behind the counter was complaining to another of her co‑workers, “I hate Valentine’s Day,” she said ...

761. When You Are Wrongly Criticized

Mark 3:20-30

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Anyone here like criticism? How do you respond to criticism? Does being criticized bring you down or fire you up? Do you want to hunker in your bunker or lob your own volley of vitriol back at your critics? Learning how to respond to criticism is a lifetime journey. That’s because critics will be accompanying you from cradle to grave! In every election year there is no shortage of negative, critical remarks flying around the airwaves. Of course all politicians virtuously claim they hate “negative” ads. And ...

762. Be a Night Light

James 1:1-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

How many of you had “night lights” as a kid? Can you remember your “night light?” Do any of you still have your “night light?” What is it about the night that cuts us all down to size? Whatever you felt in the day loneliness, lostness, despair — is magnified in the night. Thank God for “night lights” – those calming, gleaming points of brightness in darkened rooms that helped muzzle monsters and banish the bodysnatchers. All you kids present — I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Adults still use “ ...

763. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:7-12, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

Throughout the book James has been dealing with the root causes of disharmony within the community. In the previous section, he has dealt with their complaining, their criticizing, and their roots in worldliness (3:1–4:12). Now he turns to another theme, the test of wealth. The poor person is totally dependent and knows it. Although such a person may well be consumed with envy and ambition, Christians are more likely to turn to prayer and humble dependence upon God. The wealthier person, however, may be ...

764. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:1-6, James 4:13-17, James 5:7-12, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

765. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:7-12, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

766. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:13-20, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:7-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

767. Jacob's Well

John 4:1-26, John 4:27-38, John 4:39-42

Sermon

Lori Wagner

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3) My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13) Props: a fountain of water (you can find small fountains at most greenhouses or online) running; large pot made of pottery or clay; bottle of spring water; baptismal font or other large bowl of water with nearby towel; fishbowl; glasses of water that look ...

768. God's Bouncer or God's Ambassador?

Acts 11:1-18

Sermon

King Duncan

If I were to start a sentence with the words, “There are two types of people in the world . . .,” how would you finish that sentence? “There are two types of people in the world . . .,” Somebody once said, “There are two types of people in the world—those who divide the world into two types of people and those who do not.” What say you? I think if I were to divide people into two types, I would say, there are rule keepers and rule breakers. Some people just have an internal compulsion to follow the rules, ...

769. When the Rules Change

7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Sermon

David Coffin

A couple who lived in separate apartments fell in love and decided to get married. However, both of their parents informed them that they would have to finance their own wedding, reception and honeymoon. In the good old days in that community, it was one of the couples’ parents who carried much of the financial burden for weddings. The couple decided it was prudent to live together in one apartment, and use the money saved for their wedding plans. For the more traditional people in their church, this is ...

770. Don’t Fall Asleep

Luke 12:32-40

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Awake you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14) In 1908 Jack London wrote a short story, published in Century Magazine called “To Build a Fire.” In the story a man hikes the Yukon trail along with his dog in subzero temperatures despite urgent warnings about the dangers of the extreme cold by those in Sulphur Creek. Thinking he can light a fire whenever he wants if the cold gets too harsh, the man’s overconfidence and insistence on going it alone leads to a ...

771. Forever Plaid

Isaiah 42:18-25

Sermon

William L. Self

A few years ago there was a popular off-Broadway musical which gave a good insight into how life was in the 1950s. The name of the show was Forever Plaid, which was the name of a singing group of four good guys (Sparky, Smudge, Jinx, and Frankie). They wore dinner jackets and bow ties and each vocal arrangement soared to stratospheric heights of harmony. They were the most sought after entertainment for weddings, conventions, proms, and country club socials, but they had bigger plans that included a zoom ...

772. Meeting Jesus At The Well

John 4:1-26

Sermon

John N. Brittain

The familiar story of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well is loaded with meaning. It is a pattern for considering our meetings with Jesus at various times in our lives. The story begins with Jesus asking this woman to perform a simple task, well within her ability: to get him a drink from the well. She did, after all, have the equipment. But she didn't want to do it and was able to provide some good reasons why she shouldn't. Every day of our lives, Jesus Christ asks us to do specific ...

773. Step Nine - Discipline

Mt 5:21-26 · Eph 4:25-32 · Num 5:5-10

Sermon

John A. Terry

Step nine: "Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others." In these passages of Scripture, we have rather specific advice. Let us look first at the Old Testament, the book of Numbers. The bulk of the Law is given in Exodus and Leviticus, and then again in Deuteronomy. This morning's passage is a law of restitution, a special case law, supplemental to Leviticus 6:1-7. It deals with restitution in the situation in which there is no kinsman, that is, no ...

774. The Words We Speak

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Chuck Swindoll in his book, "Flying Closer to the Flame," tells about a married couple who attended a seminar taught by a male demagogue. I refer to that type of man who uses scripture improperly to make husbands domestic autocrats and to turn wives into lowly doormats. Well, the husband just loved everything this man said! But his wife sat there fuming. When they left the meeting that night, the husband felt drunk with fresh power as he climbed into the car. While driving home he said rather pompously, " ...

775. The Ten Commandments: One God, Only One

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

David E. Leininger

A few weeks ago, you no doubt saw or heard about a list of the 100 best English-language novels of the past hundred years. It got quite a bit of comment because virtually no one agreed with the list-makers in their selections, and virtually everyone agreed that the number one pick, James Joyce's Ulysses, is a miserable read. Still, no one could agree on a new number one, nor, for that matter, any substitute list either. About all anyone would grant is that Americans do love lists. In fact, the Arizona ...

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