Sermon and Worship Resources

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Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all...As long as matters are really hopeful, hope is mere flattery or platitude; it is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins to be a strength.

G. K. Chesterton

1127. All You Can Do is Laugh

Genesis 18:1-15, Genesis 21:1-7

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... midst of your turmoil and your fear, even in the midst of your worry and your pain, telling you that a miracle is just around the corner. And get this! Laughter is contagious.It’s communal and connectional. It’s healing. And it’s a sign of hope.Every time you laugh, you lift someone else near you a little bit higher and convince them that divine miracles are real. Our world today needs a little “omuneepo.” We need to fight the viruses of the world, both biological and social, with some good strong ...

1128. How Could We Possibly Forget?

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon

King Duncan

... to regularly pray that God would bless the church in Ephesus. And what was the greatest blessing he could pray for? That they would come to know God better. Because as we grow in our knowledge of God, we grow in our level of love, joy, faith, hope, peace. Something happens when we pray regularly for the church. Our love for our fellow believers starts to grow. Our unity with others starts to grow. I can almost guarantee you that the people who complain the most about their church are the people who pray the ...

1129. You're Never Too Old

Genesis 17:1-27

Sermon

King Duncan

... son. Remember he was 99 and Sarah was 89. Abraham laughed at first. Wouldn’t you? He asked God how could it be that a woman of 90 and a man of 100 could become parents? But again, he believed God. Paul tells us that Abraham “hoped against hope” that the message was true. And Abraham moved forward with faith. As we consider Abraham’s example, we see what faith really is. Faith is a dynamic, forward looking relationship with God. Faith is not sitting on your hands waiting for God to perform a miracle ...

1130. We Would Like to See Jesus

John 12:20-36

Sermon

King Duncan

... of life. Yet these Greek men came to a Jewish Passover festival looking for a humble Jewish rabbi named Jesus. What did they hope to find? Jesus was not a philosopher. No one would compare him to Plato or Aristotle. We have nothing that he wrote, and ... him in our midst. He is here. He is available to us today. To all who would receive him, he is here. Let us take new hope, new courage, let us commit ourselves anew to his work, for we have beheld his glory: the glory as of the only begotten son of the ...

1131. More

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

Sermon

Will Willimon

... , possibility overwhelms necessity in life and we can breathe. So we go forth after church. There are the same quarrels in the car on the way home, same tensions over the dinner table, same blue Monday. Now, however, we are aware of a new world, new hope, new possibility, new dreams, new hunger for something else, in short, we are aware of more. We see how greatly reduced, how tamed has been our truth. We, who have tasted new wine, now thirst for more. The Prince of Darkness whispers "adjust, adapt". The ...

1132. Homecoming

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Will Willimon

... first time away from home, is an easy mark. Still, the father waited, looked down the road in front of the house, straining to see, hoping for sight of the son. We call it the story of the "prodigal son," but just as well we might call it the story of ... he said, "I'm going to prepare a place for you. That you may one day come too." And they were glad at the thought that our hope, in life, in death, is that the same God who raised dead Jesus to life everlasting, may condescend to do the same even for us. On the ...

1133. Having the Right Connection

John 15:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

... cut, Mary took in laundry and ironing to make a little money. But they were barely scraping by. One day, the local grocer accused Mary’s oldest son of stealing food. If you’ve ever felt like your life was spinning out of control, and you can’t see any hope for the future, then you understand the dark place Mary was in. She went home, turned on the gas heater in the house, lay down on the bed with her youngest daughter, and waited for the gas to kill them all. But as they lay there in the quiet, Mary ...

1134. What Do You Expect?

John 6:24-35

Sermon

King Duncan

... story of a man who had a nephew, and throughout the man’s life the nephew had, on every occasion, said to the man, “I hope you will remember me in your will.” So the man died, and the time came, and the family was gathered for the reading of his ... and secure we are. But when we turn our focus to God—searching for God, enjoying God, serving God—the more joy and hope and peace and purpose we experience. We were made to worship God. Worship is giving God the honor and glory that He deserves. But ...

1135. When You Know How It Ends

Mark 13:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

... you wonder how many millions of dollars’ of business decisions and investments could be based on this woman’s advice? I hope her clients get their money’s worth. Reading about her work reminds me of an interview someone did with a New ... can focus on doing good works and sharing God’s love right now in our present circumstances. And in this way, we can invent new reasons to hope. The biblical testimony is that there is a basic pattern to all of life. You and I can’t discern it any more than a fish can ...

1136. The Best Gifts

Titus 2:11-14

Sermon

Mary Austin

... the world, and so people are called to live in a different kind of way. When our lives change, the gift of Jesus lives on. It gets passed on from person to person, through the years. In this amazing gift of Jesus, the lost are redeemed. The hopeless have hope. The struggling find a way to live in God’s light. These are the gifts of Christmas. The story is told (by author Brian Joseph) about a five-year-old boy who unwrapped his gifts of Christmas morning. His mother let him play with them for a while, and ...

1137. A New Identity for a New Year

John 1:(1-9), 10-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... God is that of a new focus for our life. As a child of God, you are now a partner with God in sharing the hope, the love and the truth of Jesus Christ with the world. That’s the family business you have inherited. Think for a moment about your ... you? That is the blessing God gives to those who are His children, those who believe in and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I hope and pray that you will start this New Year with a new identity as a child of God, rooted in love and grace and truth. This ...

1138. The Favorite

Luke 2:41-52

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... ,” or that “one tradition,” or that “one person,” or that “one event,” allowing ourselves to put all of our eggs into a basket that cannot possibly hold the weight of our expectations. And then, we fall. The problem though isn’t that we hope, but that we hope for what we want and not what God wants. What did Jesus say to Peter when he began insisting on his own version of Jesus’ mission and outcome? “Get behind me, satan! You are a stumbling block to my mission!” Peter was his most ...

1139. Rules for Basic Living

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

... it and will help you to overcome…if you let them. There is a song with the thought, “Lean on me” when problems arise and needs are overwhelming. Who do you know that you can lean on? These are the people who bring us hope unlimited! It stems from purpose in life. Hope introduces me to my purpose in life. It was Aristotle who wrote, “It concerns us to know the purposes we seek in life, for then, like archers aiming at a definite mark, we shall be more likely to attain what we want.” What purpose ...

1140. What's a Human Book?

Luke 13:10-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... her, what did you expect when you came to Jesus? In fact, that’s a question I’d like to ask you this morning too: What did you expect when you came to Jesus? Or did you expect anything? I’m so glad you came to church this morning. I hope you feel loved, welcomed, accepted just as you are. But I don’t know your story. I don’t know the beliefs, the questions, or the struggles you may have brought with you today. I don’t know what you expected when you walked through these doors. Maybe you expected ...

1141. To See and Be Seen

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... things, lasted for years, and spread throughout many countries, but the best thing it did was assure us that we are loved just because God created us. We are loved just for who we are. When God sees us, God does not see a mess. But God sees beauty, hope, joy, and pleasure. Even if we do mess up, God will always forgive, receive, and refresh our spirits again, and again, and again. We must never be afraid to approach God. For when we throw off our masks and can stand before the Lord, it will make it easier ...

1142. The Sound of Silence

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

... . They followed Jesus because they had a burden, a heartbreak, a need that only he could fill. It’s when you’ve lost the comforts, the security, the false blessings of this world that you feel the need for God. In fact, those who put their hope in the comforts of this world may miss the greatest blessing God intends for them, knowing God and God’s steadfast love for them. In 1877, Cornelius Vanderbilt, a businessman who made his fortune in the railroad and shipping industry, died. At that time, he was ...

1143. The Complete Picture

John 11:1-45

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

... faced, the Samaritan woman faced, the blind man faced. That Martha and Mary faced. And that’s the question facing you today. Do you believe this? When your heart is broken and everything important to you has fallen apart, and all the evidence says to give up hope. That there is no purpose or meaning to life. That there is no God. And then, as you stand beside the grave of your dead faith, with tears pouring down your face, Jesus says to you, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes ...

1144. The Light from the Cliff

Matthew 5:13-20

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... . It’s not merely that we worship Jesus and proclaim his Light to others through our words and sermons. We are called to allow Jesus access to our very hearts. To allow him to infuse us with a warmth, a light, a fire, an energy, a brightness and hope so bright and encompassing that we can’t help glow in its wake. When others look at someone infused with the love and saving power of Jesus, they may not put their finger on it, but they can tell something is different about that person. People like that ...

1145. The Window Of Time Is Closing

2 Peter 3:8-15a

Sermon

Ronald Love

... a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.” God’s slowness is not a declaration that there is no God, but God’s slowness is an act of mercy hoping everyone will come to believe. Jesus anticipated this problem among unbelievers when he said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and ...

1146. “I Will Sing the Lord’s Praise, for He Has Been Good to Me”

Psalm 13:1-6

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... have sorrow in my heart?” (13:2).16 It is hard to imagine the depth of pain that the friends and family members of the victims were experiencing. Psalm 13 not only helps the reader identify with the sorrow and pain of David but also brings hope as it provides direction. In the midst of distress, speak honestly with God. Literature: Stories for the Journey, by William R. White. In this book, White shares the story of a seminary professor, Hans, who was devastated by the loss of his wife. The grief was so ...

1147. Touched by God

Luke 1:46-55

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... humble, and in a state of deep gratitude for their own role in God’s unfolding plan, when Mary knocked on her cousin’s door. Not knowing what to do, Mary came for help, to the one she knew she could trust not to betray her confidence. She hoped for advice, a way to go forward, a way to stay alive, a way to avoid scandal. Elizabeth gave her so much more than this! Elizabeth confirmed her message from the Holy Spirit of God. Elizabeth recognized her role in God’s magnificent plan of fulfillment for all ...

1148. 2025 Lent Sermon Series

Sermon

Various Authors

... -19 7. Pilate’s Ruse - Luke 22:66--23:25 8. What If It’s ALL True? - John 20:1-18 · Matthew 28:10 Living in Hope by Bonnie Bates 1. Living Through Hard Times - 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 2. Faithfulness in These Days – Romans 10:8b-13 3. Standing Firm - Philippians 3:17 ... Philippians 2:5-11 8. At the Table – 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26 9. We Build the Tomb – Hebrews 10:16-25 10. We Live in Hope – 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 Eyes on the Prize by King Duncan 1. Big Boys Do Cry – Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 2. Grace Under ...

1149. The Great Reveal

Luke 4:14-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... and wonder what he meant to do. The wealthy would watch him cautiously. Those longing for the physical restoration of Israel would put their hopes in him and vie for power in his coming “kingdom.” The poor would come to him for help and healing. Still others would turn ... ’ve never seen people so angry as they were that day. Why? Because Jesus was not including them in his message of hope. Or at least not putting them first. In fact, Jesus is pointing a bony finger in their faces and letting them know ...

1150. Doing What Matters?

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

John B. Jamison

... using people like us to their own ends. But not all of them. If we do care enough to take the time to get to know what is going on with that person, it is usually obvious when someone is playing the game and when someone has truly lost all hope. Still, there may be times our caring is taken advantage of but the real danger we face is that we might refuse to care for those in real need to avoid being taken advantage of by the others. Our role is to care. We’ll let God sort out the ...

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