Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 826 to 850 of 4946 results

826. Give Me A Break!

Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

Larry Goodpaster

Jesus was having one of those days! You know the kind of day when nothing goes exactly the way it was planned. The kind of day when staying in bed seems to be an option that should have been taken the first thing in the morning. The kind of day when the only words spoken to you, or at you, are words of criticism and sarcasm. The kind of day some of us have far too often. That was the kind of day Jesus was having. The picture of that day is painted for us by Matthew in the opening verses of the 11th chapter ...

827. When You Least Expect It...

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Johnny Dean

Before I went to seminary, I was an avid reader. I especially enjoyed reading novels by authors like Stephen King. Often I would literally devour a novel in one or two days. Then, a few weeks later, I would go back and read the same novel again at a slower pace to make sure I hadn’t missed anything the first time through. Seminary requires a tremendous amount of reading, much of it dry as dust and about that interesting, too. Very few of the books we had to read during seminary were less than 400 pages in ...

828. Roadblocks to Jesus

2 Corinthians 6:3

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: A saw horse with a big detour sign printed and hung on it. Today is a good day to be together for it is God's day. When I was thinking about our children's sermon for this Sunday, I could not help but think of this verse in our lesson for today: "We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry." I thought and thought of how I could show you what that verse meant, and I finally thought of a way. Do you see that aisle that runs right down the middle of the church ...

829. Loved People, Love People

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Richard A. Jensen

"Remember who you are, Dick," my Dad would say. "You are a Jensen. You have a family name to live up to." I did not get that speech too often when I was young. I got it often enough, however. It usually came at very strategic times like when I went out on my first date, or got the family car, or left home for the first time. "Remember who you are." My Dad believed, and I think he was right, that he and Mom had instilled certain values in me. Most families have such values. When I went out on my own I was ...

830. A Prayer for the Faithful

John 17:6-19

Sermon

George Bass

Were the disciples of Jesus to hear the prayer in today’s text in the context of our worship - between the Ascension and the Day of Pentecost - it would have taken them back to supper the night Jesus was betrayed. They would have remembered how he got up from the table and washed their feet, and then how he returned to the table and told them that one of them was not clean and would betray him. They would have recalled how he answered Peter’s question, "Who is it, Lord?" with "It is the one to whom I give ...

831. Through The Storm, Through The Night

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

Frank Lyman

Two twelve-year-old boys, Bob and Mike, broke a window while playing baseball. They looked around to see if anyone had seen them. No one was in sight, except for Mike's little brother. They went over and offered him a piece of candy not to tell. He refused it. "I'll give you my baseball," Mike said. "No," said his little brother. "Then what about my new glove?" Bob added. "No!" said the little brother. "Well, what do you want?" they pleaded. With resoluteness, the little fellow said, "I wanna tell." It's ...

832. Love Is Not Easy

Romans 13:8-14

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever noticed that it is not easy to love another human being? Especially those closest to us. In a recent television interview, First Lady Laura Bush reported that early in her marriage her mother-in-law, Barbara Bush, cautioned her not to criticize her husband George W.'s speeches. One day, the First Lady found out why. As Laura and George W. returned from a speech he'd given in Lubbock, Texas, George was pulling into the garage. The future President turned to Laura and asked how she thought the ...

833. Dare To Dream

Joel 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

The past several years a lot of books have been written on what it is that makes churches grow. The key seems to be that growing churches have congregations with great dreams. Their philosophy is that it is better to attempt something great and fail than to seek to achieve nothing and succeed. On this Pentecost Sunday, as we remember how God's Spirit swept into the lives of those earlier disciples and transformed them into dynamic ambassadors of the Good News of Jesus Christ, let us ask ourselves whether ...

834. Handling the Harshness of Life

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

She had every reason to be bitter. The circumstances of life had dealt a ton of harshness for her to handle. Though talented, she went unrecognized for years. Prestigious opera circles closed their ranks when she tried to enter. American critics ignored her compelling voice. She was repeatedly rejected for parts for which she easily qualified. It was only after she went to Europe and won the hearts of tough-to-please European audiences that stateside opinion leaders acknowledged her talent. Not only was ...

835. Escape from the Island of Spiritual Sloth

Matthew 6:16-18

Sermon

Frank G. Honeycutt

I was noodling around on the internet not long ago, doing some research on the "Seven Deadly Sins," and came upon what has surely been an overlooked theological resource in explaining the mysteries of what Gregory the Great, in the sixth century, called "a classification of the normal perils of the soul in the ordinary conditions of life." There is quite a bit of material out there referring to the deadly list of seven but by far the most intriguing theological website was one I discovered titled, "The ...

836. Look Who Is Standing at the Door

James 4:1-12; 5:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

Imagine a happening with me. The scene is a fine restaurant all decorated for the holidays. It is noontime and the restaurant is crowded. Five well-dressed businessmen are seated around a round table enjoying drinks after an expensive lunch. They are entrepreneurs. Each has been successful in building up a business and operating it in a way that has made him wealthy. Since it is the holiday season, they have gathered for a celebration. But they are not celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah. They are ...

837. King of the Mountain

1 Peter 3:13-22

Sermon

Richard W. Ferris

In a large stone cathedral in Europe there was a grand, magnificent pipe organ. On a particular Saturday afternoon, the sexton was making one final check of the choir and organ loft high in the balcony at the back of the church. As he was making his inspection, he was startled to hear footsteps echoing up the stone stairway behind him. He thought the doors were all locked and that no one else was in the church. He turned to see a man in slightly tattered traveling clothes coming toward him. "Excuse me, sir ...

838. How to Turn the Ballot into a Blessing Box

Proverbs 29:2

Sermon

James Merritt

William Paterson, one of the signers of the United States Constitution, and a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, said that juries should always be reminded of the text I'm preaching on today: "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan." (v.2) I would go on to add that not only should juries be reminded of it, but also judges, lawyers, doctors, ministers, teachers; in fact, the entire nation should remember it. There is a crisis in America, I ...

839. What about Laws and Rules?

Matthew 5:17-20

Sermon

Mike Ripski

As you’ve listened to my sermons have you ever experienced whiplash? Have you ever been following along and then suddenly it feels like I’ve tried to take you somewhere new without any warning or preparation? I jumped from A to C without first going through B. Well, I learned it from Jesus. Jesus has healed, made whole, given new life to those whose lives were cursed. He’s teaching them about this new life they’ve experienced. He’s telling them that God wants this new life for everyone. Jesus says to these ...

840. To Catch a Thief

Exodus 20:15

Sermon

James Merritt

I have to admit it and I can't hide it. One of my favorite characters in fiction and one of my all time favorite movies is Robin Hood. Whether it is the version with Errol Flynn (who you baby-boomers will remember) or the version with Kevin Costner (who some of the younger generation will remember), I really loved the action, the swashbuckling fights, the romance, and the legendary archery skill that is displayed. Let's face it - they are fun movies and Robin Hood is a fun character. When you think of ...

841. A Squirrely Holiday

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

It is a sign that we theologians have run out of ways to ponder the existence and being of God when we start naming our theologies after animals but here goes: "Dog Theology" goes like this: "You feed me. You pet me. You shelter me. You love me. You must be God!" "Cat Theology" goes like this: "You feed me. You pet me. You shelter me. You love me. I must be God." I would like to put forth a Squirrel theology. The way squirrels live their lives puts them on a different theological plane than dogs or cats? ...

842. What the Lord Does Best

Exodus 1:1-22

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

There is an old Jewish folk saying which affirms what the Lord does is certainly best, probably. Now there is an ambiguity there, but it’s really a profession faith. What the Lord does is best, probably. Ours is a society that thrives on certainty. The Lord calls us to live with mystery. Ours is a high-tech civilization, so we’re preoccupied with fact. The Lord calls us to live in faith. Last Sunday we began this series of sermons on the book of Exodus, and we’re going to preach through this great book in ...

843. Every Day God Enables

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

I remember reading a book of letters from children to their pastor. One of them read: "Dear Preacher, I'd like to bring my dog to church on Sunday. She is only a mutt, but she is a good Christian. Love, Sissy. PS I'm sorry I can't leave more money in the offering plate on Sunday, but my Daddy won't give me a raise in my allowance. Maybe you could give a sermon about a raise in my allowance. It would help the church get more money." I like that little girl. I'll bet she's going someplace in her life. Not ...

844. When You Have Everything You Need, Except What You Need (Managing Money)

Luke 12:22-34, Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

In New England, there is the grave of an old Yankee skinflint. While he was alive, he offered his future heirs their legacy in advance if they would give him 12 ½% interest on it. When he died, they put this epitapth on his tombstone: Here lies old 12 percent The more he saved, the less he spent The less he spent, the more he saved Oh Lord, can Ichabod be saved? Now that’s a good question, and we could preach a sermon on that. You remember Jesus said on one occasion that it was as difficult for a rich man ...

845. Watch!

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

A ninety-six year old man won fifty million dollars in the lottery. When his family was notified, they called their pastor for help since they were afraid the news might cause the old fellow to have a heart attack. The pastor agreed to help. He went over to visit the elderly man. They talked about the weather and life in general. Finally the minister asked the old man, “Suppose you won fifty million dollars, how would that change your life?” “It wouldn’t,” said the man, “I would still have arthritis. I ...

846. How Much of an Honor?

John 10:1-21

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

Whether you are in school, hanging around the water cooler at work, or just talking around the table at home or at the local restaurant, sooner or later certain questions get asked. They're theoretical in nature, nothing gets settled, but it's all for fun. Questions like: If there was a fire in your home and you are able to assume everyone is safe, what is the one thing you would grab before you left? It's a dumb question really, because if there's a fire you shouldn't grab anything. Go, go, go! Once ...

847. Hill Climbing

Psalm 121:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

Life can sometimes seem like an uphill climb, can’t it? Comedian Red Buttons once did a routine in which he told of a bare dinner table. He was a teen and his family was poor. Around the table stood his family dressed in overcoats because they couldn’t afford heat. There was his mother dividing the half-loaf of stale bread among a dozen kids, who swept up and ate the crumbs. “Then,” adds Red Buttons, “then came the Depression!” Buttons was exaggerating, of course. But it does seem sometimes that, when ...

848. The Tragedy of Caiaphas

John 18:1-27 · John 11:45-47 · Matthew 26:36-75

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64) “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16) Greek theatre became an art form long before the first century. But in the first century it still flourished in the cities of the Roman Empire ...

849. Mercy Me!

Romans 14:1--15:13, Luke 6:27-36, Luke 6:37-42, Luke 6:43-45

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“My yoke is easy, my burden light.” --Jesus What burdens are you carrying this morning? How heavy is your heart? How weighed down is your spirit? Most of the time, when we think about that question, we think of the burdens of responsibility we carry or the weight of grief, the sandbags of unfair treatment levied against us, or hardships, such as unemployment, or health, or broken relationships. Certainly, those burdens of despair and sorrow can weigh heavily upon our hearts. But other kinds of burdens can ...

850. Ready!

Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

David E. Leininger

Wait a minute. What is going on here? This is the first Sunday of Advent on the church calendar, and, more than that, it is almost Christmas. Thanksgiving is over along with “Black Friday.” The shops and malls are playing “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” and “Winter Wonderland,” everything is decorated to a fare thee well but we gather in church today and hear the gospel thundering about suffering and the sun being darkened, the moon without light and stars falling from the sky. Not long ago, my wife ...

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