Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1101 to 1125 of 4884 results

Psalm 121:1-8, Genesis 12:1-8, Romans 4:1-25, John 3:1-21

Sermon Aid

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

... to validate his contentions. He works in an adroit manner, reaching back through Israel's history, around Moses and the law, to "Abraham, our ancestor according the the flesh" (4:1). In vv. 2-8 Paul correlates two passages of scripture to create the perfect proof that one is saved by faith, not works. First, the apostle cites Genesis 15:6 to show that Abraham's belief in God was the occasion of his being reckoned righteous; then, he quotes Psalm 32, which uses language similar to the Genesis quotation ...

1102. Proper 12

Genesis 29:15-30, Matthew 13:31-35, Matthew 13:44-46, Matthew 13:47-52, Romans 8:28-39, Psalm 105:1-45

Sermon Aid

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

... Lord, The Spirit of all grace. The young, the old, inspire With wisdom from above; And give us hearts and tongues of fire, To pray and praise and love. Spirit of light, explore And chase our gloom away, With luster shining more and more Unto the perfect day. Spirit of truth, be thou In life and death our guide; O Spirit of adoption, nowMay we be sanctified. The Old Testament lesson suggests the following confession of sin: M: Let us confess our sins before God and one another. [silent recollection] M: For ...

1103. Proper 19

Exodus 13:17--14:31, Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 14:1--15:13, Exodus 15:1-21

Sermon Aid

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

... The crossing of the Red Sea is the story of the creation of a nation, and for the next few weeks in the liturgy we will be tracing the history of that nation's formation in the desert. They were not created a perfect people. In baptism we are also a new creation, but we are not a perfect people and are always in the process of growing into our baptisms as we learn what it means to put on Christ. Both the epistle and the Gospel lessons are examples of what it means to be growing into Christian maturity. Paul ...

1104. Changed Lives - Nicodemus

John 3:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... God’s Spirit. I think of that child whose only words were “bright and morning star.” She is smarter than many of us. We think happiness is to be found in a fat bank account, a position of prominence in the community, a perfect family. These are nice, but they will not meet our deepest need. “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” ------------------------------------------------- 1. http://www.ashlandmethodist.org/05‑02‑06.html. 2. Richards, Lawrence O ...

1105. It's Thanksgiving Time!

Psalm 100:1-5

Sermon

James W. Moore

... second word is "Giving." III. THIRD, THE WORD IS "TIME." O how important is timing. Ask any athlete. Ask any comedian. Ask any musician… they will tell you that "Timing is everything!" It's true also in faith. This was part of Jesus' greatness. His timing was perfect. Remember how He said: "The time is fulfilled." "The time is now." "The Kingdom is at hand." There was an urgency about it. "Don't put it off!" "Now is the time!" Remember how poignantly the poet Edgar Guest put it in his poem called Tomorrow ...

1106. How to Live a Sizzle-When-It-Drizzles Life

John 10:1-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... those who experience John 10:10 life--whole life, abundant life, sizzle-while-it-drizzles life--they have something the “thief” can never touch. Let’s be as upfront and down-to-earth as we can be this morning: A John 10:10 life is not a perfect life. An abundant life is not a pain-free life. An abundant life is not a “charmed” life. In fact, I will guarantee you this: even though you are a disciple of Jesus, even though you have experienced God’s amazing grace, there will be periods when every ...

1107. Acts 17: 22-31

Acts 17:16-34

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... are not dead; thou livest and move and have our being”); then a line from Aratus’ (c. 310 BCE) in “Phainomena”-–“In every way we have to do with Zeus, for we are truly his offspring”). Paul, the Pharisaic Jew, is perfectly comfortable using classical pagan writers as valid authoritative sources in order to aid his argument before the Athenians. While Paul’s next admonition sounds like the company line of a Pharisaic Jew against idols, there are Hellenistic arguments against identifying the ...

1108. An Emmaus Experience

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Mark R. Smith

... all the dishes aren’t put up or the floor hasn’t been mopped in a few days. Oddly enough, that is the same reason many people are hesitant to invite Christ into their lives. They feel as though their lives are too messy to have someone as perfect and powerful as Jesus come in. What do you think would have happened if the disciples had said, “Well friend, I’d love to invite you in, but our house is a wreck. Maybe next time.”? They would have missed the biggest blessing of their lives. They would ...

1109. Waves of Worry

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

... one!" The sub had been so far beneath the surface that it had reached the area known to sailors as "the cushion of the sea." Although the ocean may be whipped into huge waves by high winds, in this area, the waters are never stirred. This, I believe, is a perfect picture of the peace that comes from Christ's Spirit. The waves of worry, of fear, of heartbreak, cannot touch those resting in Christ. Sheltered by His grace and encouraged by His Spirit, the believer is given the ...

1110. Why God Made Moms…

2 Timothy 1:5

Illustration

... . 4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine. What does your Mom do in her spare time? 1. Mothers don't do spare time. 2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long. What would it take to make your Mom perfect? 1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery. 2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue. If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be? 1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd ...

1111. A Mother’s Prayer

2 Timothy 1:5

Illustration

... responsive. Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child, then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood. Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart. Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection. Now I glory in God's perfection of my child. As a mother, there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest of all is love.

1112. Fortunate Gifts

Mt 10:40-42

Illustration

King Duncan

... wouldn't fit anyone in the missionary family. Obviously, the woman hadn't given much thought or time to the project. But the other presents didn't completely fill the barrel they were packing. So someone folded the coat and stuck it in. It made perfect packing material. After Christmas, a thank-you letter arrived from the missionary family. They thanked the church for their many gifts and especially for the "miracle" gift. It seems that, during a storm, a destitute man knocked on their door. He was so ill ...

1113. Romans 7: 15-25a

Romans 7:7-25

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... a cry to Paul’s lips: “Wretched man that I am. Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (v.24). Those who live under the authority of the Mosaic law have no answer for this dilemma. But Paul, once a Jew now a Christian, has the perfect solution: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (v.25). The human condition may not have changed. The fragmented will of a Jesus follower may be just as incapable of doing the good as that of any pagan. But now there is an alternative to despair ...

1114. The Only One Who Is Number One

Exodus 20:1-3

Sermon

James Merritt

... you shall have no other gods before Me." I. God's Declared Revelation Before the commands are given, there is a preamble. Now we know what a preamble is. In our own Constitution the preamble reads: "We the people, in order to form a more perfect union, and provide for the common defense, and to insure to ourselves and to our posterity and domestic tranquility, do ordain and establish this constitution of the United States of America." Now that states that the source of the authority of the government comes ...

1115. Honor To Whom Honor Is Due

Exodus 20:12

Sermon

James Merritt

... 21 now, and in college. I can't believe it. My job is less demanding and I finally have time for them. But they have their own interests and there is no time for me. To be perfectly honest, I'm a little hurt. It seems like yesterday that they were 5 and I would give anything to live those years over. You can bet your life I'd do it differently, but they ... 445. [5] Ross Campbell, How to Really Love Your Child, (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1977), p. 73. [6] Michael Horton, The Law of Perfect Freedom, p. 134.

1116. The Supreme Worth of the Second Birth

John 3:1-9

Sermon

James Merritt

... the new birth is the Scriptures. The mother of the new birth is the Spirit. That is why Jesus said in Jn. 3:5, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." James summed it up perfectly when he said in Chapter 1, verse 18, "Of His own will (God's will) He brought us forth (God's work) by the word of truth, (God's word) that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures (regeneration). II. The Operation of Regeneration "Jesus answered and ...

1117. The Truth about Truth

John 8:31-32

Sermon

James Merritt

... in-cheek view of what might be called, "The Apostle's Creed" of the humanist. He has captured the spirit of our age perfectly: We today believe in Marx, Freud, and Darwin (the holy trinity). We believe everything is okay, as long as you don't ... either, and I've been adjusting it everyday to the bell that I hear every afternoon from the factory at four o'clock!" That is a perfect picture of the society in which we live. Dear friend, we will never know what time it is, and the clocks of our lives will always ...

1118. Heaven: The Home of a Godly Family

John 14:1-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... anything more appallingly idiotic than the Christian idea of heaven?" (There's one thing I can think of that's far more idiotic, and that's the philosopher that made that statement.) The imminent theologian, Ted Turner, said, "Heaven is perfect. Who wants to go to a place that's perfect? That would be just plain boring."3 (At this point, I don't believe Ted Turner is in any danger of being bored after he dies.) There are three things that I want to say unashamedly without equivocation, hesitation, or ...

1119. The Only Way to Fly

2 Timothy 3:15-17

Sermon

James Merritt

... can take a flight on Divine airlines. It's a great airline. It takes people to heaven every day. When you get on you are escorted by angels, you're piloted by the Lord Jesus, guided by the Holy Spirit, met by your heavenly family. This airline has a perfect record; never had a crash, never lost a passenger, doesn't promise a smooth flight, but it does guarantee a safe landing. Everybody that gets on this plane flies first-class. By the way, the plane's never late. There are no delays. It is always right on ...

1120. How to Keep Your Head When Others Are Losing Theirs (Fruit of the Spirit: Peace)

Galatians 5:22

Sermon

James Merritt

... you cannot rejoice in the Lord, unless your focus is on the Lord. When your focus is on the Lord, you will rejoice in the Lord, and when you rejoice in the Lord, you will have the peace of the Lord. Isa. 26:3 says: "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." You remember when Jesus came walking on those stormy waves to the disciples in that boat. Peter wanted to come to Him, and Jesus invited him to step out of the boat into that water. You remember that ...

1121. Winners Never Quit and Quitters Never Win (Fruit of the Spirit: Patience)

Galatians 5:22

Sermon

James Merritt

... Now why does God allow difficult people and demanding problems into our lives? It is to develop maturity. James said in the first chapter vv.3-4, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." The word for complete means mature. God's goal for you is maturity, and patience may be a bitter plant, but it always bears sweet fruit. For full- blown patience makes for a full-grown Christian. Troubles ...

1122. How to Live the Good Life (Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness)

Galatians 5:22

Sermon

James Merritt

... to those who love Him." (Rom. 8:28) We know that God's word is good. The Bible says in Ps. 119:39, "Your judgments are good." We know that God's ways are good. "Every good and perfect gift comes from above." (James 1:17) We also know that God's will is good. Paul spoke of the "good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:2) If you are going to talk about good, then you are going to have to talk about God. Because without God, there is no good. We don't have to wonder what ...

1123. A Trip to God's Woodshed

Hebrews 12: 5-11

Sermon

James Merritt

... his discipline. III. The Proper Responses to Discipline Now I say again, nobody is going to escape God's woodshed, because nobody is perfect. As God's children, you cannot escape discipline. V.7 tells us that as children of God we are to "endure chastening." So ... preacher, "Uncle Buddy" Robinson, said. He said: "If the Lord is your Shepherd, then you are the Lord's sheep, and He has a perfect right to shear you any time He needs wool and you have no right to bleat." c. You Can Receive It The word "endure" ...

1124. The Thrill of Victory Beats the Agony of Defeat

Judges 7:1-17

Sermon

James Merritt

... , I've smoothed a line here and polished an arm there, taken a few flakes of marble from the forehead and so on." They said, "But those are only trifles. Is that all you've done?" Michael Angelo replied, "They may be trifles, but trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle." You see, these were the careless. While their heads were buried in that water, they could have been attacked and killed by the enemy. There are two dangers in any war. The first danger is to overestimate the enemy. That's what ...

1125. Building Your Home on the Rock

Matthew 7:24-27

Sermon

James Merritt

... safe place to live, where the atmosphere is ideal, the winds gentle, the rains controlled, where the sun always shines, and the climate is perfect. That place does not exist anywhere on earth, nor does it exist anywhere in life. There's another true story that is also very ... does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him." (I Jn. 2:3-5) Now if you want your house to last through ...

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