Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 826 to 850 of 2844 results

826. The Commitment Question: Will You Lay Down Your Life For Me?

John 13:31-38

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

There is a little church on the Appian Way not far from the city Rome that bears the interesting name "The Church of the Quo Vadis". Those Latin words, Qou Vadis mean whither goest thou?A beautiful legend which has it that a few years after the crucifixion of Jesus, Peter had been in Rome and was under the threat of persecution again. He was fleeing for his life -- leaving the city in fear, when he met Jesus. Jesus was headed into the city, so Peter asked Him the question "Lord, whither goes thou?" And the ...

827. How To Fail Successfully

Mark 6:7-13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

It's amazing what we do with funny stories. We apply them to whomever we wish. For instance, you might hear one funny story with the legendary coach Bear Bryant as the primary actor. When you hear it again, the primary actor may be Johnny Majors. I heard a marvelous story sometime ago about Thomas Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer for the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company -- in fact, he told the story on himself. Lately I've been hearing it about President Clinton. So the story goes with the new ...

828. Homesick For a Future: New Life for the New Millenium

Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I don’t know how it is with you, but occasionally I have flashbacks. Sometimes these are connected with a task at hand, or a decision with which I am struggling, or when I am wrestling with what I perceive as a call of God upon my life. Occasionally these flashbacks are connected with my preaching. It happened a couple of months ago. I was struggling with personal direction issues, but had also begun to think of the assignment of preaching on this occasion. The words of a young man named Nicholas in The ...

829. The Authority of Scripture: God's Breathed Word

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Our father of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, had an attention-getting way of expressing truth. Though he was very wordy in his sermons, he could gather up a world of truth in a few words. His pithy sayings are often quoted and are a source of truth and inspiration. Listen to him: “Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can.” The best way to resist the devil is to destroy whatever of the world remains in us. Every new victory a soul gains comes as a result of prayer. The essential part of ...

830. Why Being A Christian Has Worn You Down v1

1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

A mild little boy, not known for being ugly or mean, was being chastised and about to be punished for pulling a little girl’s hair. His mother asked him, “Son, why did you do it? That’s just not like you.” “Mama,” he responded, “I just got tired of being good all the time.” It happens to all of us, doesn’t it? We get tired of being good. But it’s not just a periodic getting tired now and then – the truth is we get worn out – being Christian and practicing ministry wears us out. We talk about fatigue in all ...

831. Peacemaking and Self Control

Matthew 5:21-26

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

The date was June 11, 1963; the place- The University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. Vivian Malone, a young black woman, enrolled that day as a freshman. Federal troops ensured her entrance, but the doorway was blocked by Governor George Wallace. Holding out for segregation, the governor ultimately failed, and Ms. Malone became the first African-American to graduate from the University of Alabama. Vivian wasn't the only newcomer that day. James Hood was at her side and needed encouragement. So she slipped him a ...

832. Joy in the Journey

119:129-136

Sermon

Michael Milton

This section contains seven of the eight words used to refer to the Law in Psalm 119. Each line of this section begins with the Hebrew letter Pe, though each is a different word. Yesterday my son, as he often does, read cartoons to me. One was Dennis the Menace. Dennis is kneeling beside his bed, devoutly gazing toward heaven, saying his prayers. The caption read, “You’ll be glad to know that I only broke three-ana-half commandments today.” Only three-ana-half! Way to go, Dennis! Well, the cartoon is funny ...

833. Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

There's a new morning ritual. We've only engaged in this ritual activity the last few years. But let's acknowledge how our morning rituals have changed in a very short time. The ritual? Actually it's not just a morning ritual. It's an all-day ritual. But it's most heavy in the morning: deleting the overnight invasion of junk e-mails. In this massive assault, there are always two or three cut-rate, can't-pass-it-up, how-can-you-not-consider-buying-this ads for life insurance policies. Visual versions also ...

834. God's Original Seatbelt (Mother's Day)

John 13:31-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Anybody here this morning remember what it used to be like to drive a car . . . before power steering? before automatic transmission? before air conditioning? before seat belts? Let's stop there for a moment. Before seat belts, parents could pack eight kids into a family car, ages one week to 18 years, with no restraining thoughts or devices. Automobile safety is much more regulated than it used to be. Today we have laws requiring children under four years and forty pounds to be buckled into some sort of ...

835. Advent 2

Matthew 3:1-12, Romans 14:1--15:13, Isaiah 11:1-16, Psalm 72:1-20

Sermon Aid

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

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The future looms large during Advent. We are, after all, entering into a sacred time of hope when we look with expectation toward the consummation of our salvation. If, however, we become too preoccupied with our future, we may miss the salvific work of God in our present lives, which actually grounds our Advent faith. Our Old Testament texts for this Second Sunday of Advent confront us with this danger. Both are messianic texts that soar to breathtaking heights in envisioning the ...

836. Proper 28

Judges 4:1-24, Matthew 25:14-30, 1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11, Psalm 123:1-4

Sermon Aid

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

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS Judges 4:1-7 are the opening verses of the story of Deborah the prophetess and judge. Psalm 123 is a cry to God for help Judges 4 - "Faith in a Topsy-Turvy World" Setting. The book of Judges consists of a series of short stories that follow a set four-part pattern in which (1) Israel sins, (2) God judges or punishes Israel by having a neighboring nation threaten them, (3) Israel cries for help out of their situation of need, and (4) God raises up a savior in the form of a judge, who ...

837. The Play's Playbook for the Game of Life

1 Peter 4:12-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

It is known simply as “The Play.” “The Play” is the name of the greatest game of football ever played--anywhere, anytime. Can anyone here this morning tell me who played in “The Play?” Right: California vs. Stanford. Can anyone tell me the year of “The Play.?” Right: 1982. Can anyone tell me what was so special about “The Play?” Right: With 53 seconds left in the game, Stanford was down 17-19, stuck in their own backfield. It was fourth down, 17 yards to go. But miraculously the Stanford QB (anyone? . . . ...

838. How to Rub People the Right Way

Acts 4:36-37

Sermon

James Merritt

Many years ago during the Colonial era of this country, wealthy ladies were proud of their wide-board oak floors. At least once a week servants would wet-rub and then dry-rub these floors to make them shiny. It was a very simple task involving running a wet mop along the grain of the wood and then a dry mop. But sometimes a careless worker would mop across the grain and it would produce streaks on the floor. When that happened the lady of the house would scold the servant for "rubbing the floor the wrong ...

839. Are You Ready for the Journey?

Mark 8:27-9:1

Sermon

John E. Harnish

It all begins with one emperor penguin jumping out of the water and doing a belly splash onto the ice. Then he rises on his little web feet and the rich, resonate voice of the narrator says: "Like most love stories, it begins with an act of utter foolishness. Each year at about the same time, the emperor penguin will leave the comforts of his ocean home and embark on an incredible journey. Though he is a bird, he won't fly. Though he lives in the ocean, he won't swim. For the most part, he will walk. But ...

840. Being Single-minded

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

The Second Coming of Christ was much in the thoughts of the ancient church. Saint Paul was no exception, as his letters often indicate. Time was growing short and soon the present form of this world would be passing away. The expectation must have been both thrilling and somewhat ominous for Christ's people. There is a particularity about the events coming soon after our Lord's Ascension and the Day of Pentecost. A single-mindedness is virtually demanded. It all has to do with a single God/man they knew ...

841. Philippians 2:1-11

Philippians 2:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Although this week’s epistle reading begins at Philippians 2:1, it is part of Paul’s larger exhortatory section, beginning at 1:27 and continuing through 2:18. The text read today is the apostle’s continuation of the directive first expressed in 1:27, where he challenged the Philippians to conduct themselves in such a way to create a community that reflects Christ himself. A community of faith united in their actions and attitudes will stand firm against the outside forces that oppose Christ and will be ...

842. 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

This week our epistle reading again starts with another of Paul’s signature greetings, this time to the church at Corinth. The apostle adapts the typical Hellenistic salutation to create an utterly Christocentric greeting. Instead of just “greeting” (“chairein”) Paul offers “grace” (“charis”) along with the Hebrew “shalom” (“peace”). Most importantly Paul emphasizes the source of all the “grace” and “peace” he extends to these Corinthian Christians: it comes “from God our Father,” and has been made ...

843. Healing Aerobics

2 Kings 5:1-15ab

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

There's healing for you today. Getting sick is so easy. Consider the dreaded winter "flu season," when all you have to do is encounter one school-age child or shake hands with someone in order to suddenly be the new home base for some exotically named virus that has dismally familiar symptoms. Summertime colds are similarly transmitted, but are much sneakier - they prefer to wait until you are on your long-anticipated fun'n'sun vacation to remind you that sinusitis flourishes in tropical as well as in ...

844. Life's Two Pockets

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Every one of us needs to be reminded constantly of our smallness and our greatness. Some days everything goes right. Some days everything goes wrong. Some days it's "Good morning, God." Other days it's "Good God, it's morning." Every now and again, you wake up to sunshine and blue sky, your favorite shirt is clean, commuter traffic flows along like a river, the boss loves all your ideas at work, you finish early, you discover a $20 bill folded up in the corner of your pocket, dinner is a culinary ...

845. Mark 8:31-38

Mark 8:31-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Mark's gospel begins by focusing on Jesus' power and authority. It is full of wonder-working displays of God's vital presence in the midst of Jesus' early "hometown" work in Galilee. This week's gospel text changes both the direction and the message of Mark's record. Jesus turns himself and his disciples away from Galilee and faces them towards Jerusalem. As the first leg of their travels takes them to Caesarea Philippi, Mark's portrayal of Jesus also shifts. Three different times on this trip (recorded in ...

846. Acts 9:1-20

Acts 9:1-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Acts 9:1-20 recounts one of the church's all-time favorite stories: how Saul of Tarsus, perhaps the most vehement persecutor of Jesus' followers, was transformed into Paul the apostle, the Lord's own voice to the Gentiles. The famous Damascus Road theophany has been held up to all generations of the church as one of the most stirring and miraculous transformations ever recorded. Luke's sense of drama and gift for storytelling skillfully places this first of three accounts of Saul's conversion as a ...

847. 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11

1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

This week's epistle reading may give us two different sets of texts, yet they share similar themes. As the author begins to wind up his first letter to the feeble Gentile Christians of Asia Minor, he continues to offer them encouragement in the midst of confusing and challenging days. There is a distinctly eschatological note sounded by the writer in his continuing advice and comfort. In 4:7, he declares outright that "the end of all things is near," and the images he invokes in the first half of today's ...

848. Mark 8:31-38

Mark 8:31-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

849. Acts 9:1-20

Acts 9:1-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

850. Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)

Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The significance of Paul's conversion experience along the Damascus road is evident by the fact that it is described in three separate places in Acts (9:1-22;22:3-16;26:4-18). Both the remarkable, miraculous nature of this event and the personal transformation of Saul the persecutor into Paul the apostle that results from this encounter make it a tale worth telling and retelling. This first and most succinct version of the event that changed Saul into Paul reveals more than the identity of the voice and ...

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