Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1051 to 1075 of 4963 results

1051. A Pair of Ducks and Abundant Life

Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

King Duncan

... where they could rest the mighty buttresses for the bridge. But they discovered a daunting obstacle in their way. Deep in the mud lay an old sunken barge full of bricks and stones. It had to be moved. Yet in spite of every device used, it remained firmly embedded in the mud. At last one of the engineers conceived an idea. He gathered other barges around the sunken barge and chained them to the sunken vessel while the tide was low. Then everyone waited. The tide was coming in. Higher and higher rose the ...

1052. Bethlehem: Where Extremes Meet

Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

Sermon

Gary L. Carver

... comes from being at one with the Father. Yet, when the real God began to make himself clearer and clearer in Christ, Lewis found himself resisting. He wanted to be left alone, to remain free to do as he pleased, to live life on his own terms. He knew instinctively that if God really entered his life, he would come as Lord, and Lewis could not remain as he had been. And so the dilemma mounted, as at one and the same time he both wanted and yet did not want. At times he felt like saying: "Oh, I hope Christ ...

1053. No Intimidation

Luke 13:31-35

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... , towering above it all there is the revelation of our Savior and Lord who told the world 2,000 years ago what he was going to do and then he did it. The field of prophecy is an area of study, at least for one veteran pastor, remaining something of an enigma. Who knows the precious people who have been led astray by those on an ego trip contrived by Satan or disastrously, innocently wrong? Intimidation almost always seems to have a part in a sometimes-gross monster, spiritually killing and maiming. When it ...

1054. The Two Prodigals

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... of a wayward brother? With the attitude and tone of "Mr. Perfect," the father's heart must be breaking. Yet, he manages to reiterate that his son, who was dead has now come to life. He also affirms the elder son and wants him to know he remains a very important son, who shares in all the father has. The father, even in the face of impudence and unbelievable jealousy, does not reprimand him or even indicate his totally selfish behavior. Are we listening? There really are two prodigals and in our time we are ...

1055. Mary Magdalene’s Day

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... and others that are "down home" figures. The difference is seen in whom he claimed to be, especially in the understanding of the ancient church. If we discovered reliable sources proving Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married and had children but otherwise his messiahship remained intact as recorded, how would you and I respond? For many this is not only an awkward inquiry but one causing us to vomit at the mere articulating of it. Jesus was celibate, perfect in all ways, and there is no reason to test ...

1056. A New Continuing

John 14:8-17, 25-27

Sermon

David R. Cartwright

... and the satisfaction they hoped for through the gift and presence of the Holy Spirit that would be with them forever. In John's Gospel, the Holy Spirit does not just appear for a day and then leave. John goes out of his way to tell us that the Spirit remains or "dwells" with us, forever. We can always count on the Spirit to help us to do whatever it is we cannot accomplish on our own. I believe it was Lloyd Ogilvie, former chaplain of the U.S. Senate, who once asked, "What are you and your church trying to ...

1057. Cured Cripples and Crabby Critics

Luke 13:10-17

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... and a pillar of fire by night before the Hebrews as they traveled through the wilderness, so God is out in front of us as we make our pilgrim journey through life." "I never thought of it that way before," Joanne said. She calmed down, but she remained crippled by the sudden loss of her daughter. Two weeks later, her pastor friend said, "I'm going to the hospital to visit a patient. I'd like you to come along." Together they visited Steve, an eighteen-year-old young man who had been diagnosed with terminal ...

1058. Carrying the Burdens of Others

Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... gain our promised inheritance. As the Pauline writer states, "The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself" (1 Timothy 2:11-13). Humility leads to exaltation. As they say, "The ball is in our court." Holy Week is the culmination of the Lenten season. For six weeks, the Christian community worldwide has been on a special and very ...

1059. Jesus Brings Hope

Revelation 1:4-8

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... of the wheat, he built a fire and baked the wheat. The yield was two small wafers. He took his prize home to await his day. Several weeks later, early one morning, White arose. He gathered his precious wafers and pulled out a box that had remained undetected by the IGW officials. Gathering his things he made his way out into the street and across town. In this early morning hour all was still; the slaves were asleep. He entered the tallest building in the world, found the elevator, and pushed the button ...

1060. Jesus Rewards the Just

Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... pastoral epistles, the Pauline author continues the theme of Jesus' reward for the just: "If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful — for he cannot deny himself" (2 Timothy 2:11-13). The clear reality that God rewards the just, those who walk in his ways and seek to follow his path, forces us to evaluate our lives and ask what is necessary to prepare ourselves for the coming ...

1061. The Difference between Knowing and Doing

Galatians 2:15-21

Sermon

John Jamison

... A.D., Christianity was still considered a Jewish sect. However much they knew that they were justified by faith alone, they still relied on works to get it done. As new people responded to the call, they were met with the demands to follow the old laws that remained. If you were Jewish to begin with, there wasn't much problem. But if you were not Jewish, to become a Christian you first had to be circumcised as a Jew. This might have worked for a while, but as Paul and others traveled the world bringing more ...

1062. Claiming Our New Life in Christ

Colossians 2:6-15 (16-19)

Sermon

Clayton A. Lord

... not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit." When we go deep in Christ, we will find all the resources we need to find joy in life and remain confident even when trials and seasons of difficulty come our way. Paul continues with the image of building on the foundation we have received in Christ. With this construction image, Paul lifts up the idea that with Christ as the cornerstone, the life we are building rests ...

1063. Thank God We Can Change

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Sermon

Clayton A. Lord

... when we begin to look at life this way. It reminds us that change can be good. It points out the fact that we don't have to remain the way we are. We can look ahead with thanksgiving and praise God that we aren't yet what we are going to be. If you have even ... big game or series, something extraordinary came along to prevent it from happening. Over the years, the players changed but the curse remained. They just could not win the big game. Then, with their backs up against the "Green Monster," the Red Sox won ...

1064. Who?

Acts 5:27-32

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... today as Heifer International. Millions of animals of all sorts have been given to people in 128 different countries, but the mission - providing a future with hope by working in partnership with the hungry to help provide a long-term source of food in the name of Jesus - has remained unchanged. The fact is, every idea goes through three basic stages. Stage 1 is "It will never work." Stage 2 is "It might work, but it's not worth doing." Stage 3 is "I'm glad I thought of it." We see this not only in the ...

1065. What Are You Looking At?

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... disciples they will receive that same Spirit to go about the same task. It is not a task that any one of us can accomplish by ourselves, but together we are expected to go about it anyway! Perhaps that is the greatest reason Jesus ascended into heaven. Had he remained on earth, the disciples would have continued to crowd around him - and who can blame them? If we had access to the risen Lord, physically and in the flesh, wouldn't we be tempted to attempt to stand by his side? But it's not allowed, not in ...

1066. The Smell of Bread

2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... cannot go. They come to a point where they leave others behind and begin to slip away alone. Like Elisha, those of us around them don't leave — won't leave, shouldn't leave — but the dying person has begun to sever the ties to those who remain behind. That may have been what was going on with Elijah on that journey. The vision of chariot and horses parallels the experience of some as well, both dying and those who gather to be with them. Elisha's cry about seeing the chariots and horsemen of Israel ...

1067. Tears Are Our First Words

John 11:17-37

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . By the spring of 1989, people of East German cities like Leipzig no longer could take totalitarianism. There weren’t many churches left in East Germany. The state tried its best to annihilate all of them. The state did let a few churches remain visibly open to PR the rest of the world that there was freedom of religion. The current chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, is the daughter of a pastor of one of those churches. But most churches became museums, libraries, and office building. The magnificent ...

1068. Journey To The Heart Of Christmas

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

... the back of the sanctuary. They walk up the aisle as Hamid talks. When he finishes, they sit down center stage. Jordana, a kitchen servant enters, and sits stage right. She has a dishcloth over one shoulder and she rubs the other. Hamid leaves the stage, but remains in view, stage left.) Narrator: Hamid was right, the King had come and Mary and Joseph were just putting him to bed. It wasn’t much of a bed, just the feedbox where the animals ate hay. But after walking all day, Mary and Joseph were grateful ...

1069. Miracles? No Problem!

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

... , I’ve got to go now. Mary: I’m still not sure I deserve all this. Gabriel: God has his reasons. What we have to do is just believe in his promises and do what he asks of us. (Gabriel steps back and walks off the platform. The tableau scene remains a bit longer before lights fade. Then the actors exit left.) Joseph: (addressing the real Mary) Don’t be frightened, Mary. It may not be easy at times, but God will give us what we need. Mary’s Mother: I’m going to get your father. Then, you’ve got ...

1070. Thou Sayest I Am King

John 18:28-40

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... a king. What would he say to you and me today? This is Palm Sunday. In Luke’s account of the events of that day, the Pharisees challenged Jesus for accepting the praise of his disciples. And they said to Jesus, teacher, rebuke disciples. But Jesus responded, if they remained silent, the very stones would cry out. Whether we say so or not, Jesus is still king. If we fail to say so, even the rocks will cry out. Wouldn’t it be tragic today, wouldn’t it be tragic if any single person left this Palm Sunday ...

1071. Putting Ourselves into the Picture

Exodus 1:1-22

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... to overthrow the powers of Egypt. So Pharaoh set out to weaken them with hard bondage. Pharaoh did not see that what he was doing to the Israelites really drove them to do what he was seeking to prevent. You see, the only way to make persons glad to remain in a community is to make them feel at home there. You got that? Why haven’t we learned that? The only way to make persons glad to live in community is to make them at home there, and the sense of injustice is the strongest disintegrating force. That ...

1072. You Can’t Stop God

Luke 1:39-56

Illustration

Thomas Long

... others joined in until the whole group was singing at the top of their voices and the puzzled jailers felt the entire cell block vibrating with the sounds of a joyful gospel song. When they went to see what was happening, the prisoners triumphantly pushed the remaining mattresses through the cell bars, saying, 'You can take our mattresses, but you can't take our souls.'" Tom Long says, "It was the hymn singers who were in jail, but it was the jailers who were guilty. It was the prisoners who were suffering ...

1073. Thursday: Broken Bread And Broken Trust

Mark 14:10-26

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... at the foot of the cross with Jesus' mother. And that was John. When the Light of the World was hung on the cross to die; When the Bread of Life was broken for our sakes, when the Light of the World was extinguished that day, only one disciple remained by his side. That first Holy Thursday started as bright and as filled with promise as any other day. What began with a Meal, Lead to the Garden and the Kiss, then the Sword and the Last Healing. And it ended with Jesus being arrested. You know, sometimes it ...

1074. You Can't Fool God: Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 4:33 - 5:11

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. [3] "Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? [4] While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!" [5] Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And ...

1075. Christ Arose

John 20:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan

... . How can a loving God place us in a world where there is so much suffering? In my heart I can only accept one real explanation. It is because the only way we grow spiritually is by struggling with pain. A person who never confronts pain and suffering will forever remain a spiritual infant. But to what end do we grow spiritually? It is so that we might become like Christ, that we might be fit to dwell with him eternally. The only way I can accept some of the deep tragedies I see in this world is to believe ...

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