Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 851 to 875 of 2404 results

851. Paul: The Man and His Message

Romans 9:1-29

Sermon Aid

T. A. Kantonen

... , hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger" (2 Corinthians 6:4-5). When he lists in detail the obstacles he had to conquer (2 Corinthians 11), he is inclined "to boast a little," confident that humanly speaking his boasting is based on solid achievements and that he is "not in the least inferior" to anyone else. Whatever "thorn in the flesh" afflicts him, he uses it as a handle for getting a firmer grip on the grace of God. He is so sure of his stand that he ...

852. Minute Accounting

Matthew 12:22-37

Sermon

Herchel H. Sheets

... true no less of one’s careless or idle words than of one’s planned words. In fact, it may be more true of these, for they are spoken without being censored. Much of our speaking is censored speaking; we are trying to say what we ought to say to achieve certain purposes. And that may or may not be a true index of what is in our heart. Indeed, Dr. Alfred E. Plummer has said that "The carefully spoken word may be a calculated hypocrisy."2 But when we speak "without thinking," we speak what is in our heart ...

853. Voluntary Blindness

Matthew 6:1-15

Sermon

Herchel H. Sheets

... , and the snare was broken."9 He might have been wrong in blaming his friends for their open commendation of him, but he was right and wise in discovering the danger he was in and looking to the Lord for deliverance. Any time our good deeds or achievements or qualities become conspicuous to us, we are in spiritual danger and need to remind ourselves again that, after we have done all we can do, we still must say, "We are unworthy servants" (Luke 17:10). We can make no claims upon God. We are too unworthy ...

854. Blinding Specks

Matthew 7:1-6

Sermon

Herchel H. Sheets

... signify a kind of spirit that makes one unreceptive to that grace. In Jean Anouilh’s play, Becket, Bishop Folliot, not for the most commendable reasons, opposes Thomas Becket’s appointment as Archbishop. The King is determined that he shall be Archbishop, and eventually achieves his goal in spite of Folliot’s opposition. But he is disappointed in Becket, and in time determines to get rid of him. He goes one night to the church where Folliot has just concluded a service of worship to discuss his desire ...

855. Mighty Faith

Matthew 17:14-23

Sermon

Herchel H. Sheets

... using both exaggeration and pictorial language to make his point. He had no intention of encouraging persons to try to move physical mountains with their faith. But he did want them to possess the quality of faith which would enable them to achieve victories more marvelous than large-scale engineering! In comparing this faith with a mustard seed the intangible with the tangible - he was not suggesting that one needs only a little of it. Rather, he was indicating the direction of its influence, the nature ...

856. The Art of Living Until

Matthew 24:36-51

Sermon

Leonard Mann

... ." But it isn’t yet. The question is: How are we to live in the meanwhile? What is our insight for living until? Question: Until the final vindication of right and truth, how do we deal with them? Answer: Just as though that vindication were achieved already. Question: Until the final judgment of values, how do we measure them? Answer: As though that judgment were made already. Question: Until the ultimate triumph of Christ, how do we relate to him? Answer: As though he were the victor now, for indeed he ...

857. Your Image of Tomorrow

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Mann

... himself to be that divine event. He seemed to have the idea that all of time and circumstance, up to then, had conspired to accomplish only one purpose, and that was just to get him into the world. He saw himself as creation’s ultimate achievement, the apex toward which all else had forever been aimed, and beyond which nothing of any notable quality would ever appear again. There isn’t much future in that. This man John was a different type; beyond himself he saw something else, something better ...

858. The Time of Our Visitation

Sermon

Leonard Mann

... born into the world, manage to get themselves identified somewhat with the humanity which inhabits this globe. They come onto the scene and move to some extent into it. Some may go no farther than to be merely identified with a family. Others may achieve identification in some way with a community. And a few will reach into history. Observe how this happens. Beethoven worked hard, struggled, suffered, and strove - and got himself identified with a portion of humankind as a maker of music to inspire and lift ...

859. Wimps Become Warriors

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... in your Sunday School class or your Bible study group that you shared what the Spirit has been doing in your life? NEXT, A THIRD CHALLENGE IF YOU WOULD LIVE A PENTECOSTAL LIF HEAD." Remember, if you are not attempting something that you could not possibly achieve without God's help, your aim is too low. I like the story of two caterpillars which were crawling along. They looked up and saw a beautiful butterfly flitting around. One caterpillar turned to the other and said, "Charlie, you'll never get me up in ...

860. How to do Extraordinary Things

Mark 6:30-44

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... story a few months ago about Tony Brown, a high school student in Browning, Montana? Last year in a train accident, Tony lost both his legs just beneath the knees. Nevertheless, his coach and friends urged him to go out for the wrestling team. He did and achieved a winning record, wrestling on his knees without his prostheses. Now, he is hoping to coach wrestling as a profession. Tony is a reminder that all of us can do extraordinary things. That is God's will for us. Listen to this word from St. Paul to ...

861. A Favored One

Sermon

James Bjorge

... and obstacles that have caused the people of God to rise to the occasion and attain maturity in the Lord. If that is true, then we have been errant in always trying to make life easy. We have unwittingly deprived ourselves and others the satisfaction and achievement that comes only to the fighter. Our prayers should change from pleas for ease to requests for strength to meet the tasks of the day and hour. Let us never pass over the role of Mary with light thoughts. She played a profound part in God ...

862. Jeremiah and the Potter

Jeremiah 18:1--19:15

Sermon

Don Yocom

... that they are sometimes cracked pots! His patience with us has been a mighty long, weary thing. God has a purpose for which He wants to use us. He wants to bring His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. God’s people believe He will ultimately achieve His purpose. Many may hinder it, but they cannot completely stop God. History shows that no one has ever been able to keep God from doing His ultimate will. Mankind may try to break God’s laws, but mankind only breaks himself on them. For, behold again the ...

863. SURVIVAL IN THE RAT RACE

Psalm 46:1-11

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

... and universities. His point is simple. We are tense. We are at war within ourselves, and the hostilities. His methods called "Transcendental Meditation," is the process of withdrawal from the world for a contemplation of peace and joy within oneself. He says you can achieve bliss by just enjoying what you are. But that sounds like heresy, doesn’t it? Oh, we can easily point out the limitations, the fallacies, of the system, but he does make his point. We forget that Jesus Christ exemplified the same thing ...

864. Why Should I Go On Living?

Matthew 12:38-45

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

... the right books on child psychology. I had ballet lessons and piano lessons, so that I would have my proper dose of culture. At the right time, I had my teeth straightened and my ideas straightened. My parents always had conferences with my teachers, and I was an achiever and I had the proper grades to show it. In high school, I had the proper amount of social popularity. I belonged to the proper clubs, and I had the proper number of dates at the proper times. Now, here I am in college preparing for life ...

865. Perhaps Next Summer...

Acts 24:1-27

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

... young lives being destroyed by the postponement of the higher demands of life. The story, for instance, of marriage today is the story of the marriage of unprepared children. Marriage is not a goal any more, to be worked for, strived for, and finally achieved. Marriage is a PLEASURE to be GRABBED! In the philosophy of a Swinburne, who says: "Seize the cash - let the credit go." I see couples being married today with no other qualifications for marriage than that they are two bodies that are hungering for ...

866. Chapter IX

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Frank H. Seilhamer

... that belief come true. Giving the person that kind of a boost can help make him the better person he wants to be. Modern psychology has pointed out the wisdom of such a mind-set. You get better responses with praise and reward than you ever achieve with destructive criticism or fear. If you use force, people will respond only when you are around to threaten and carry out your punishment. When men respond to love, and its positive pull, their efforts go on when you are nowhere in sight. This is true wherever ...

867. Crossing the Great Divide

Matthew 27:11-26

Sermon

Michael J. Anton

... behind him through the valley, walking in his tracks. To become childlike instead of childish, to become responsible instead of irresponsible. And what Jesus asks of us, he provides the strength and power to fulfil. What Jesus demands of us, he gives us the resources to achieve. He has given us another washing in our Baptism to cleanse us of all our Pilate tricks. He continues to share with us the body and blood that refresh and pick us up to keep moving through the valley. He calls us to pray freely and ...

868. DOCTOR OF THE LAW

Luke 5:17; Acts 5:34

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

... could aspire to this position, no matter what his economic or sociological status. If a man left the vocation to devote himself to one of the most famous doctors, under whom he might study. After however long a period of time was necessary for him to have achieved a sense of readiness to teach, he was on his own, with students following him. They more than studied the Law; they scrutinized every part of it and analyzed its application to the every day life of the Jews. To this degree, they went far beyond ...

869. MAGICIAN, SORCERER

Micah 5:12; Acts 8:9

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

... are ever made in connection with it. In fact, the magicians who perform it are, as a rule, the most outspoken skeptics on the subject of genuine magic. It is their business to mystify, and they know that their public is easily fooled. They achieve their effects by the skillful use of illusioned trickery. The first magicians of this type were probably those very priests who were supposed to perform genuine magic. To mystify and impress their followers they used tricks which were closely related to the modern ...

870. SINGER

2 Chron. 29:28; Neh. 13:10

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

... have of these performers is far off base. Actually, they were wretched men of low morals, who couldn’t hold a job. This was probably the same situation in ancient Israel before the establishment of the monarchy. It was only then that the singers achieved a degree of respectability. Of course, there had always been the indigenous balladeers, and we are grateful that there were these men, because they kept alive many of the legends and traditions of the people, that were later incorporated into the biblical ...

871. STONECUTTER

1 Chronicles 22:2

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

... , the art of stonecutting and masonry was introduced. Naturally, if stone was so good for the homes of the people, it had to be the material that was used for the house of God. After all, God required the finest efforts of his people, and their best achievements. So, as our text tells us, David started his project with orders to round up all the craftsmen that would be needed - among them stonecutters. If we read the accounts of the construction of the Temple, as recorded in the first book of Kings, we find ...

872. Parents, Tend Those Lambs!

John 21:15-25

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... into style. She noted a recent study of 2000 fifth and sixth graders, some of whom were reared by strict parents and some by permissive ones. More of the children who had been strictly disciplined possessed high self-esteem and were high achievers, socially and academically. The children's comments revealed that they were actually happier than the undisciplined children. They loved the adults who made and enforced the rules. Your children and youth will not always appreciate your rules. It has been said ...

873. Broken and Beautiful

Luke 18:9-14, Psalm 51:1-19

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... ; he gave 10 percent of all his income. Methodists and Baptists would fight over such a man. Jewish law required that the faithful fast or go without food just one day per year. Holy Harry did it two days per week. He was a religious over-achiever. Holy Harry stood at the front of the sanctuary, off to himself. He glanced around at the other worshippers; some he eyed with contempt. Then offered a prayer which if translated into modern terminology would sound something like this: "0 Lord, how thankful I am ...

874. The Forbidden Anger

Matthew 5:21-26

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... both sorry about the accident. But I want you to know that you are more important to me than all the trains in the world." He embraced his son. They both wept, for different reasons. They experienced the shalom of God's grace. Only when we confess our failures to achieve God's ideal can we know the grace of the Cross. As we receive and share that grace, we find new strength to reach farther toward God's ideal.

875. At The Manger By Invitation

Luke 2:8-20

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... to Jesus empty-handed. Yes, the wise Men brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But the shepherds brought nothing but humble and contrite hearts and a glimmer of faith. God is unlike any earthly dignitary. He is not impressed by our achievements or credentials or resumes. In approaching Him, we need no letters of referral. He welcomes anyone with a humble and contrite heart and a glimmer of faith. The Victorian poet, Christina Rossetti, penned these immortal words of Christmas: "What shall I give ...

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