Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 801 to 825 of 990 results

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

In mid-August the basketball team of Georgetown University, the “Hoyas,” set out on a ten day “good will tour” of China. They played various Chinese teams in an effort to foster good feelings between the USA and China. The basketball games were a kind of “visual aid” to accompany vice-president Joe Biden’s concurrent visit with Chinese political leaders. On August 18 the “Hoyas” played against th...

802. Seen The Doctor Lately?

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

One afternoon, a man went to his doctor and told him that he hasn't been feeling well lately. The doctor examined the man, left the room, and came back with three different bottles of pills. The doctor said, "Take the green pill with a big glass of water when you wake up. Take the blue pill with a big glass of water after you eat lunch. Then just before going to bed, take the red pill with anothe...

803. When It's Time to Reconcile

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Artist Billy Davis recorded a song a few years ago that goes something like this: “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, I’d like to hold it in my arms and keep it company. 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, wouldn’t we all? Is peace and harmony a pipe dream or a purposeful pur...

804. The Magna Carta of the Human Soul

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

In 1215 the English barons, fed up with the wimpy, weak‑willed rule of King John, forced their way into London. They brought with them a new document for the king to sign. Wisely, the King signed and sealed it at Runnymede, a water-meadow about twenty miles southwest of London. We know this document today as the “Magna Carta,” the “Great Charter,” or literally, the “Great Paper.” This ground‑brea...

805. Heaping Coals and Virtues

Sermon

Jeff Wedge

A French writer and historian once wrote, "We owe to the Middle Ages the two worst inventions of humanity - romantic love and gunpowder." While many people might be tempted to agree that gunpowder has been an invention which has caused many problems for humanity, it is the other item which is surprising to find on a list of the worst inventions of humanity, particularly on the very short list. Ev...

806. Formula For A Glowing Face

Sermon

King Duncan

In The Winter's Tale, Act 1, Scene 2, the King of Bohemia is told that his suspicious host is plotting against him. He believes it because he recalls the look of enmity on his host's face. The king puts it like this: "I saw his heart in his face." Gilbert Stuart took one look at Talleyrand, the French ambassador, and said, "If that man isn't a scoundrel, God doesn't write a legible hand." A self...

807. Leaving ‘Last Chance’ Heading For ‘Needmore’

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Hope. Our world is filled with people whose lives are standing at the Crossroads. Down one road is despondency and despair, and down the other is total misery and dejection. And that's ALL they see because that's ALL they have ever experienced. Somehow in life they missed the exit sign and the turn off to a life of Hope and Joy and true happiness. They don't know there is another road. They are l...

808. Finding ‘Comfort’ Instead of ‘Little Hope’

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." That's what John 6:35 says Jesus told the crowd. Jesus offered them words of hope which lead to words of Comfort. Some of them didn't get it. But some of them did. They realized that God sent Jesus into the world because for the most part, the world was still living in Little Hope....

809. Being A View Master

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

There's an old Peanuts comic, Charlie Brown is busy with a woodworking project one day when Lucy comes by and asks: "How's the birdhouse coming along, Charlie Brown?" He replies, "Well, I'm a lousy carpenter. I can't nail straight. I can't saw straight and I always split the wood. I'm nervous, I lack confidence, I'm stupid, I have poor taste and absolutely no sense of design." And then in the la...

810. The Magna Carta of the Human Soul

Illustration

Leonard Sweet

In 1215 the English barons, fed up with the wimpy, weak‑willed rule of King John, forced their way into London. They brought with them a new document for the king to sign. Wisely, the King signed and sealed it at Runnymede, a water-meadow about twenty miles southwest of London. We know this document today as the "Magna Carta," the "Great Charter," or literally, the "Great Paper." This ground‑bre...

811. We Need Peacemakers

Illustration

Bill Bouknight

When we read the "Letters to the Editor" section of our local newspaper, the anger, resentment, and prejudice we encounter there are often pathetic. I'm reminded of a pastor who was hospitalized. The chairman of the Administrative Board came to visit. He said, "Pastor, the Board passed our solution asking God to help you toward a full recovery. The vote was 23 to 18." The divisiveness in our cou...

812. Proper 17

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Exodus 3:1-15 is the call of Moses, which ends with the revelation of the divine name, while Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b adds an alternative section (vv. 23-26) to the historical hymn of praise that was also the psalm for Proper Fourteen. The replacement section recounts Israel's oppression in Egypt and the calling of Moses and Aaron to save them. Exodus 3:1-15 - "Deciphering ...

813. Romans 13:11-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Today's text comes from a section of Paul's letter to the Romans that exhorts this community to display proper Christian behaviors and attitudes. In verses 8-10, immediately preceding the reading, there is a description of what should be the ultimate guiding principle in every Christian's life - love. The pre-eminence of love is mandated not just to fulfill all the past demands of the law. Love is...

814. God and Government

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Paul declares that government is a divine institution, and so Christians should submit to its authority. He provides two reasons why believers should do so: fear of punishment for wrongdoing, and obedience for conscience’s sake. The specific form that this submission should take is paying taxes. Thus, obeying the authorities is another expression of being a living sacrifice to God. Unde...

815. Submission to the Authorities

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Paul turns to exhortations regarding behavior toward the ruling civic authorities. This is the next logical step after the directions for behavior toward fellow believers (12:9–13) and the directions for behavior toward unbelievers (12:14–21), including those who persecute Christians. Paul gives three commands (13:1, 5, 7). (1) Believers must be “subject” to official government authorities; in oth...

816. Submission to the Authorities

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

In Galatians 6:2 Paul speaks of fulfilling “the law of Christ,” by which he means the spirit and manner of “loving your neighbor as yourself” (13:9). It is this which is the subject of Romans 12 and 13. If grace is the gospel reduced to one word, then agapē is the law reduced to a word (13:9). In chapter 12 Paul spoke of “the law of Christ” as sincere and practical expressions of agapē both inside...

817. Proper 18

Bulletin Aid

Second Lesson: Romans 13:1-10 Theme: Let love be sincere Call to Worship Pastor: God's love is genuine and self-giving. He expects our love for one another to be just as real. People: We are brothers and sisters in Christ, and need to share our faith and love with each other. Pastor: Our love should also be just as real for those who abuse us; for they too, are God's children. People: May our li...

818. Proper 18

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: A word of warning. The Ezekiel 33 text is a word of admonition by God to Ezekiel that he must warn the people of their sins or else he will be held accountable. The Gospel Lesson contains the procedure for dealing with sin in the church. A three-step procedure is outlined for warning the wrongdoer and bringing him back in communion with the church. In the Second Lesson, Paul warns Christian...

819. Proper 18

Bulletin Aid

Theme: The challenge of Christian citizenship Exegetical note The exhortation in the first seven verses of this selection would seem to mitigate against any sort of civil disobedience in the name of Christian conscience. But it must be read in the light of the fact that Christianity itself was an illegal sect (or "cult"!) in Paul's time (or soon after). It also must be balanced (as it has been th...

820. What Taxes Do

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: A street sign, some books, some food stamps. Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have ever heard of the word taxes? (Let them answer.) What are taxes? (Let them answer.) Taxes are money that your parents pay for things that we use. We like to complain about taxes, and we always think that our taxes are too high and they cost too much, but they are something that we must have to ...

821. Breaking News: God and Government

Sermon

James Merritt

No matter what your politics might be, whether you are Democrat, Republican or Independent, by common consensus one of the wittiest and funniest presidents in human history was Ronald Reagan. I came across some of his famous one-liners the other day and I thought you would get a kick out of them. It is true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure why take the chance? I’m not worried about th...

822. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Sermon

Carroll Gunkel

What are you to do if you are a Christian in a non-Christian society? More than that, what are you to do if you are a Christian in an anti-Christian society? What are you to do if you have been reared in a theological atmosphere steeped in Romans 13 with its emphasis on obedience to those in authority? What are you to do if you have been taught that your political leaders hold their mandate from ...

823. Should Christians Always Oppose War?

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Should Christians always oppose war? Pope John Paul II sent a special envoy to Baghdad to support peace. The Pope did not believe a preemptive strike against Iraq met the church criteria for a just war. Methodist Bishops have spoken out against the war. Baptist and Episcopals have also. Christians around the world marched with others against war. All these sentiments were expressed 10 years ago in...

824. Awake, Christ Is Coming

Sermon

Richard Hasler

Erma Bombeck, in her book titled When You Look Like Your Passport Photo, It's Time To Go Home, observes: "You can always tell when vacationers are going or coming. Travelers who are at the beginning of a trip laugh and tell jokes. Their clothes match ... Those returning are impatient. Every plane they board is like the last one out of Baghdad and they are going to be on it." Erma's scintillating w...

825. Romans 13:9-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

We have a lengthy epistle text for this week (Romans 12:9‑21), so let’s jump right in. At first glance the text presents a fairly unstructured, wide‑ranging series of general ethical admonitions. The generic literary description of this style of presentation is “parenesis.” Paul's apparent lack of any one theme and variety of admonitions seems to earn the description of “paranetic” for this passag...

Showing 801 to 825 of 990 results

801. The Home Court Advantage

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

802. Seen The Doctor Lately?

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

803. When It's Time to Reconcile

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

804. The Magna Carta of the Human Soul

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

805. Heaping Coals and Virtues

Sermon

Jeff Wedge

806. Formula For A Glowing Face

Sermon

King Duncan

807. Leaving ‘Last Chance’ Heading For ‘Needmore’

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

808. Finding ‘Comfort’ Instead of ‘Little Hope’

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

809. Being A View Master

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

810. The Magna Carta of the Human Soul

Illustration

Leonard Sweet

In 1215 the English barons, fed up with the wimpy, weak‑willed rule of King John, forced their way into London. They brought with them a new document for the king to sign. Wisely, the King signed and sealed it at Runnymede, a water-meadow about twenty miles southwest of London. We know this document today as the "Magna Carta," the "Great Charter," or literally, the "Great Paper." This ground‑bre...

811. We Need Peacemakers

Illustration

Bill Bouknight

812. Proper 17

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

813. Romans 13:11-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

814. God and Government

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate