Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 1001 to 1025 of 1409 results

1001. Life’s Purpose Is Often Hidden!

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

Life is a messy affair. Our purpose is often hidden. We have a parable today that originally may have tried to explore these mysteries — the parable of the weeds in the field. But once again the explanation that Mathew provided of this parable is probably not original, not something Jesus himself taught. No, it is more likely, New Testament scholars increasingly agree, that Jesus' original point in the parable was to affirm the messiness, hiddenness, of life in a context where sectarian sentiments were ...

1002. A Career in The Kingdom

Matthew 21:23-32

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

When Sadie and Bessie, the famed "Delany Sisters," were in the early years of their second centuries (103 and 105, respectively) they told interviewers, "God only gave you one body, so you better be nice to it. Exercise, because if you don't, by the time you're our age, you'll be pushing up daisies." Fitness gymnasiums ought to put the Delany Sisters on their billboards and quote them into larger profit margins. Some people get into exercise in a very big way. When Teddy Roosevelt was president of the ...

1003. Testing, Testing

Matthew 22:34-46

Sermon

Chris Ewing

Sometimes things happen that push us back to our deepest questions and force us to answer. A marriage breakdown, loss of a job, kids leaving home, or simply the midlife re-evaluation that all of us go through — any of these can push us back to asking what it's all about, what we really want in our lives, what matters and what doesn't ... what we want our life to count for. Sometimes the question gets asked more directly. An Islamic family moves in down the street, and their children ask your children what ...

1004. Eat and Run

Exodus 12:1-14

Sermon

David J. Kalas

At some time or another, we've all had to hurry through a meal and hurry away from the table. And so, at some time or another, we've all found ourselves saying, "I hate to eat and run, but...." Everybody has done it. Everybody knows what it's like. But even though everyone says he hates to eat and run, the truth is that not everyone does hate it. Some folks rather like it. As a little boy, I liked to eat and run in the summertime. When the weather is warm and it stays light later, dinner is just an ...

1005. The Victory Is Ours

Revelation 7:9-17

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

All Saints provides an opportunity to remember and give thanks for all the believers who have lived before us. Some of the saints are people we might have known quite well, we might recognize the names of others, and still there are many more numbering in the millions whose names and lives are known only to God. There are people we knew personally who impact our faith in profound ways: our parents, grandparents, other relatives, good friends, fellow church members, or neighbors who now reside in heaven. We ...

1006. Boast in Our Suffering

Romans 5:1-8

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

The phone rings in the middle of the night. There is only one reason why someone would call you at this time of the night, and it can't be good. The deadpan voice of the police officer tells you the horrible news rather matter-of-factly. Your imagination runs wild. You were not there, but you can hear the tires screeching, the metal smashing, the glass breaking, and the sirens whining. It was not supposed to end this way. She had so much of life yet to live. Your boss calls you into his office. Other ...

1007. True Blood

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The most famous journalist saying of all time is arguably “if it bleeds, it leads.” Rolling Stone magazine decided to take that adage literally. The 18 August 2010 cover of Rolling Stone magazine featured a bloody mess and it was a huge hit, creating a big stir, selling lots of copies. Wearing nothing but dripping, smeared, puddling blood, the three young stars of "True Blood" posed in way meant to sell magazines rather than report on the series. "True Blood" is an American television drama series. It ...

1008. Does God Have Fun?

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

Children's Sermon

Marti Kramer Suddarth

Object: Card stock printed with scripture reference and verses Pictures of the following (look through encyclopedias, children’s science books, and the internet) 1. Puppy 2. aye-aye 3. Crocuses 4. rainbow We’re often very serious at church. Helping people learn about God is very important. But should we be serious all the time? What does God think about us doing things just for fun? Does God have fun? I think he does, and this morning, I’m going to show you some evidence. Exhibit A: puppies. (Show the ...

1009. Handmade By God

Jeremiah 1:1-19

Children's Sermon

Marti Kramer Suddarth

Object: Card stock printed with scripture reference and verse, with the words “I formed you” underlined Have you ever had a really bad day? You wake up late. There’s no hot water left for your shower, and your favorite cereal is all gone, so you have to eat something you don’t like for breakfast. Halfway to school, you realize that when you were brushing your teeth, you missed a spot, and now you have to spend the rest of the day with morning breath. After you get to school, you discover that you forgot to ...

1010. Compound Interest Your Life

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Albert Einstein is noted for his work in the field of physics. That’s where he got his Nobel Prize in 1921. But one of his most famous quotes is one that appears to have nothing to do with physics. Einstein is reported to have said, when asked what is the most powerful force in the universe, “The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest.” What is “the secret of life?” When asked that question at a men’s retreat, “Mike,” a successful entrepreneur whose start-up company went public, making ...

1011. Help Me, I'm Lost

Luke 15:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

It is one of the great adventure stories of all time. A man named Thor Heyerdahl wanted to test the theory that people from South America could have settled the Polynesian Islands in the South Pacific long before Columbus sailed to the New World. So Heyerdahl took a small team of men to Peru, where they constructed a raft out of balsa logs. These logs were tied together with rope much as a group of sailors might have done in earlier, less sophisticated times. Heyerdahl named the raft the Kon-Tiki. He and ...

1012. Growing through the Challenge of the Gospel

Illustration

Shelley Cunningham

Have you ever seen the "Jefferson Bible?" Thomas Jefferson excised those parts of scripture that he felt were superfluous, ambiguous or flew in the face of reason. It was his goal to create a seamless, solid narrative about Jesus, without including supernatural or questionable content that could get in the way or raise doubts. It sounds silly, but don't most of us approach scripture a little like this? We often stick with safe, familiar passages that build us up or reassure us. And when faced with hard ...

1013. Silly Putty, Play-Doh and Potter's Clay

Jeremiah 18:1-11

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Somebody once said: "We are all made of common clay and that is why we all have the same kinds of problems." But someone else said: "We're all created in the same mold, only some of us are moldier than others." (1) There is a place in India where their legends agree with the Bible that humankind was made from dust. But they think that the upper class (or caste) was made from the fertile soil and the lower class was made from ordinary clay. But even I know, if you are going to create pottery, you want ...

1014. Heroes of Faith

Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

A father was sitting on the floor with his three boys getting ready for bedtime prayers. The two older boys were having an argument about their action figures. The issue was whether Superman was better than He-Man. One boy said that Superman could fly, the other countered that He-Man had bigger muscles. And so it went, back and forth, while the youngest boy, Nicholas age four, just watched. Dad turned to Nick and asked: "So who's your hero, Nick?" Without batting an eye, Nick tilted his head, gave Dad one ...

1015. Step Into The Vision

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-15

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

I remember reading once about a group of troops who were waiting for both reinforcements and supplies. Things weren't desperate but they were getting close. They'd radioed headquarters several times and were finally given these instructions. "Troops and supplies are currently being deployed. Suggest you procure a pair of binoculars, go out on the roof and keep your ears to the ground." I've loved binoculars ever since I was a kid. Early in our marriage, I had to have a pair. They weren't very powerful but ...

1016. Step By Step

Acts 11:1-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

[Show Cheaper by the Dozen breakfast Clip] Have you heard about the next Survivor Game show they have planned? Six men will be dropped off on an island with 1 van and 4 kids for 6 weeks. Each kid plays two sports and takes music or dance lessons. There's no access to fast food. Each man must take care of his 4 kids, keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, complete science projects, cook, and do six loads of laundry a day. The men have access to television but only when the kids are asleep and ...

1017. Jesus the Toxicologist

Luke 16:19-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Any of you know a hoarder? I don’t mean somebody who can’t throw anything away. I mean somebody who keeps to himself everything he has and can’t let go of anything. In today’s gospel parable the un-named “rich man” lives a hoarder’s life of prosperity and extravagance. He luxuriated in exhibiting the power of his wealth by hosting exquisite banquets every day. He demonstrated his wealth by dressing in the finest, most expensive clothes. Yet he also hoarded his wealth by refusing to extend alms, feed the ...

1018. Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19-31

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The new movie “Money Never Sleeps” is the sequel to “Wall Street.” Some things never change: the unrepentant Gordon Gecko sticks proudly by his famous dictum “Greed is good.” The rich must, and should, get richer. If the poor get poorer as a result, well, so be it. Social distinctions and animosities between rich and poor are nothing new. A large portion of Torah law addresses the existence of the poor and spells out the moral imperative incumbent on the faithful to provide care and sustenance for those ...

1019. The Grateful Samaritan

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

King Duncan

One night many years ago, Ed Spencer, a student at a seminary near Lake Michigan, was awakened by shouts that there had been a shipwreck offshore from the campus. An excursion boat from the nearby Chicago harbor had collided with a freighter and was sinking. Spencer ran down to the lakeshore from which he could see lights from the boats. A strong swimmer, he plunged into the icy water and started searching for survivors. For six hours Spencer swam out and back, pulling people ashore, battling stormy waves ...

1020. The Ministry Of Do WOP

James 1:17-27

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

A radio announcer on KLOS in Los Angeles, about thirty minutes after a major earthquake, made these two statements: "The telephone company is urging people to please not use the telephone unless it is absolutely necessary in order to keep the lines open for emergency personnel. We'll be right back after this break to give away a pair of Phil Collins concert tickets to caller number 95." (1) A Major was assigned to a new office on a military base. While working to set up his office a Private knocked on his ...

1021. Remember: No Deposit, No Return

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Remember the TV series, Sanford and Son starring Red Foxx and Demond Wilson. It gave us the memorable lines: "Oh, this is the big one, I'm coming to see you Elizabeth" and "You're so ugly if you pressed your face in some dough... you'd have gorilla cookies." Sanford and Son was about Fred and Lamont Sanford who owned and ran a Junkyard. But it was really about all the junk and clutter in their lives. I think it's a parable for our lives, too. You see, we all have a lot of trash and garbage and clutter in ...

1022. We Are Blessed, Adopted and Sealed

Ephesians 1:3-14

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

One of the classic American fairy tales and one of the most watched movies ever is The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland. I remember when Mary and I were first married, we bought our first color TV so we could watch the Wizard of Oz in color. Do you remember the end of the movie. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion have returned from their seemingly impossible task of capturing the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West. They've completed the task and now they want to redeem the promise ...

1023. People of the Book

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

King Duncan

A group of boys and girls was asked to sum up what they had learned from the New Testament. Here is a summation of what they had learned: “Jesus is the star of the New Testament. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Republicans. Jesus also had twelve opossums. The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him. “Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to ...

1024. 8 Signs You're Not Reading Your Bible

2 Tim 3:14-4:5

Illustration

King Duncan

A group of boys and girls was asked to sum up what they had learned from the New Testament. Here is a summation of what they had learned: "Jesus is the star of the New Testament. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Republicans. Jesus also had twelve opossums. The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him. "Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to ...

1025. Totally Immobilized

Luke 19:1-10

Illustration

King Duncan

Mrs. Billie Cannon, a Knoxville, Tennessee homemaker, was preparing to paint her back porch. In order to protect the floor, she very carefully placed around the edges a strip of Scotch tape-the kind with adhesive on both sides. It was her plan to place a drop cloth over the floor and secure it with the tape. Having succeeded in placing the tape around the entire surface, she went back inside the house to get a drop cloth. Returning to the porch sometime later, she found that all of her carefully placed ...

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