Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1151 to 1175 of 2962 results

Jeremiah 16:1--17:18

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

... of Israel in which by their “own act” they would spoil the heritage God had planned for them. Then, using the model of Psalm 1, Jeremiah paraphrases the Psalm to remind the people that they would not have to be a part of any negative response to God’s designs. There is no reason why the people of God should be put to shame. They are born by the spirit of God to enjoy the privileges that God is willing to offer them — God’s loving providence and care. There definitely is hope for them to be able to ...

1152. The Fruit of Forgiveness

Genesis 45:1-28

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

One of the outstanding personages of the modern era was Howard Hughes. Mr. Hughes was regularly featured in the news from the 1920s through the 1970s. He set world speed records in his day for air travel. He designed and produced new planes. He contributed much to the advancement of commercial air travel. He produced motion pictures in Hollywood and made considerable innovations in that industry. He managed and enhanced the oil drill tool industry he inherited from his father and became the second richest ...

1153. Keeping the Glow On

Exodus 34:29-35

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

... met with God in the mountain where he heard the still small voice of God to assure him that God was still present in Elijah’s life and ministry. These special, unique, and revelatory experiences were intended to give comfort, approval, and meaning to ministries designed to witness to the presence of God in the lives of God’s people. These revelations were never intended to be spectacular and sensational moments of when and how God comes only in glory. We shall see from the First Reading that the purpose ...

1154. Eager For The Journey

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

Brett Blair

... do with my life. I came to understand that I am not the light or the source of light. The light [or truth] is there, and it will shine in many dark places only if I reflect it." He concluded: "I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have, I can reflect light into the dark places of the world...and change some things in some people. Perhaps others may see and do likewise." That’s how it happened to Alexander Papaderos. Listen to how it happened ...

1155. Christian Liberty

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Brett Blair

... destitute people. The producer interviewed her as she made her rounds in that dreadful place. Throughout the program commercials interrupted the flow of the discussion. Here is the sequence of the topics and commercials: lepers (bikinis for sale); mass starvation (designer jeans); agonizing poverty (fur coats); abandoned babies (ice cream sundaes) the dying (diamond watches). The irony was so apparent. Two different worlds were on display--the world of the poor and the world of the affluent. It seems that ...

1156. What Is Your Other Plan?

Acts 2:1-41

Illustration

James W. Moore

Erasmus, the famous Renaissance scholar, once told a classic story which was designed to emphasize how important it is that we take up the torch of Christ’s ministry with great commitment. In the story, Jesus returns to heaven after His time on earth. The angels gather around Him to learn what all happened during His days on earth. Jesus tells them of ...

1157. Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide (Long Version)

John 3:1-36

Illustration

Staff

... has refused to ban the production, distribution, or use of this damaging chemical due to its "importance to the economic health of this nation." In fact, the navy and other military organizations are conducting experiments with DHMO, and designing multi-billion dollar devices to control and utilize it during warfare situations. Hundreds of military research facilities receive tons of it through a highly sophisticated underground distribution network. Many store large quantities for later use. Nathan Zohner ...

1158. Neighbors Who Never Met

Luke 16:19-31

Sermon

Brett Blair

1159. The Ten Commandments #6: No Murder

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... Genesis deals with that subject: God tells Noah after the flood, "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you."(1) If we were not supposed to eat meat, God would have given us another kind of teeth, because what we have are designed to eat meat. "You shall not murder" means humans, not animals. Are there certain circumstances where human beings can be killed? Abortion. War. Capital Punishment. Euthanasia. Much has been written on each of these ethical questions, and there is no way we could possibly ...

1160. The Ten Commandments #7: No Adultery

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... as it was. Adultery has the potential of introducing something "foreign" into the bloodline. Come inheritance time, this could get very confusing, not to mention incredibly nasty. No adultery! An instruction to keep folks morally pure? Only accidentally. This was designed to put one more protective fence around the family. The penalty for adultery was death. Leviticus: "And the man that commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death."(3) The method ...

1161. The Ten Commandments #10: No Covetousness

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... that we have mentioned here. In exasperation, Dr. Kissinger asked, "But what would you have us DO?" Coffin responded, "As a minister, it is my task to say `Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.' It is YOUR job to design the irrigation system." "You shall not covet"...and in particular the things that are the DUE of your neighbor...for the good of society, at least as good a concept as boiling the water in the harbor. When we begin to take the commandment seriously ...

1162. Sunday Dinner

Leviticus 19:1-37

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... around and screaming like banshees, hearing mothers and fathers yelling at them to watch out for their Sunday clothes and each other's skulls. Every so often, the preacher and his family would be invited to join them. Of course, as the resident "Holy Man" I was the designated pray-er...careful not to go on too long with the blessing. It was wonderful. No one will ever have to explain to any of the Robinson clan what it means to be family; no one will ever have to explain what it means to belong or be ...

1163. A Theology of Work - Labor Day

Deuteronomy 5:1-33

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... , our national Labor Day observance DID grow out of a conflict. Let me tell you a story...a true one. Are you familiar with the name George Pullman?(2) His company made the sleeping cars for the railroads, the "Pullman Car." In 1880, George designed and built a town near Chicago - Pullman, Illinois - to provide a community for his workers that would be protected from the seductions of the big city. The town was strictly organized: row houses for the assembly and craft workers; modest Victorians for the ...

1164. The Voice

1 Samuel 3:1--4:1

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... Youth Fellowship to ski in Vail. Will said, "You're the one who introduced her to Jesus, not me." "But all we ever wanted her to be was a Presbyterian," said the father, meekly. Hmm. Dr. Willimon writes, Some of you have heard my theory of church design: I think the reason why we pad our pews, and bolt the furniture down to the floor, print up the service in a bulletin, and carefully, deliberately plod through the prescribed acts of worship is an inner fear. We tie everything down, we make church so ...

1165. David and Bathsheba

2 Samuel 11:1-27, 12:1-31

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... in front of God and everybody with a higher vantage point, remember that the rooftops of houses in ancient Israel were flat and served as additional living and working space. The ancient Israelites also had water gathering and storage systems on their rooftops designed to trap dew and rainwater and carry it into cisterns through pipes.(4) I doubt that any of us remember life before indoor plumbing, but these rooftop systems were the next best thing. Now what? David could have been a gentleman and turned ...

1166. Civil War Isn't!

2 Samuel 18:1-18, 19--19:8

Sermon

David E. Leininger

Civil War ISN'T! Of course! If it is CIVIL, it is not WAR. If it is WAR, it is anything but CIVIL. And every war that has ever been fought with that designation, from our own a century-and-a-half ago, to some of the horrific conflicts we see on the news from Africa and the Middle East. Our lesson tells the story of Israel's ancient Civil War, the attempted overthrow of King David by his son, Absalom. Absalom was David' ...

1167. Sermons in Stones

Psalm 19:1-14

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... often feels like barren, cold winter, so unaware of the miracles that are being created in our spirits. It takes the sudden daylight, some unexpected surprise of life, to cause our gaze to look upon a simple, stunning growth that has happened quietly inside us. Like frost designs on a winter window, they bring us beyond life's fragmentation and remind us that we are not nearly as lost as we thought we were, that all the time we thought we were dead inside, beautiful things were being born in us.(2) A sermon ...

1168. Hungry People

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... security guards in the halls? Did you ever live in a neighborhood where the sound of gunfire at night was "normal"? You talk a lot about being dirt poor and having no money. Since when does money mean happiness? The kids at school who have the expensive cars and designer clothes are the most miserable. When I am your age, I won't do much looking back, I'll just thank God that I survived. Hmm. What is a youngster to do these days? "Lord, we have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." Perhaps not even ...

1169. Angels

Psalm 91:1-16

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... we can scarcely comprehend. God has given angels higher knowledge, power and mobility than we. They are God's messengers [and] ministering spirits, whose chief business is to carry out God's orders in the world. God has given them an ambassadorial charge, designated and empowered them as holy deputies. Angels speak. They appear and reappear...(4) What does the Bible say about angels? (5) First of all, the term: "angel" is derived from the Greek word angelos which means "messenger." Angelos and the Hebrew ...

1170. Good Medicine

Proverbs 10:1-32

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... is for priests to gather on the Monday following Easter for cigars, brandy, and jokes to celebrate the God who does this surprising, transforming thing.(2) (Sounds like my kind of Presbytery meeting.) Related to all that is this tradition of designating the second Sunday of Easter (which some liturgical calendars call "Low Sunday") as "Holy Humor Sunday." We bring bells and noisemakers of all sorts and use them heartily at any points in the service that reflect celebration - "alleluia," "joy," even the ...

1171. Integrity

Song of Songs 2:1-17

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... about politics. Let's talk about sex again. And the reason we are talking about both in the same sermon is not that the previous administration has come back, but that the lectionary has these two passages appearing together. That was not by design - the lectionary passages during Ordinary Time (of which this is the 22nd Sunday on the church calendar) do not necessarily relate to each other. But perhaps there is something providential going on today as this wonderful poem celebrating sex is joined to this ...

1172. Religion and Politics

Isaiah 1:1-31

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... writings of this passionate, prophetic pastor whose life has been dedicated to issues of social justice and national morality. He writes, The separation of church and state is a sound doctrine, but it points to an organizational separation. It is not designed to separate Christians from their politics. For our faith certainly should inform our common life, as well as our personal, more private lives.(6) Our natural tendency as Americans is to shy away from any melding of religion and politics. Actually ...

1173. Make It Right!

Matthew 5:21-26

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... " or "empty-head" or "contemptible one" or just plain garden-variety "idiot." The reason we find it so often not translated is that the meaning is expressed by tone of voice as anything.(4) It is the kind of name-calling, the kind of insult, that is designed to cause someone else pain. Why would Jesus come down so hard on something as seemingly trivial as name-calling? Because name-calling is a source of pain and division between people, and such ought not to be. But there was more that came under the heat ...

1174. Winning over Worry

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... about those clothes, so much so that they spend inordinate amounts of time and money making sure that they have nothing but the best - they WORRY about them...but Jesus says DON'T. To be sure, he is NOT saying that everyone will be provided with the latest designer fashions; what he IS saying is that they do not make any difference. As far as God is concerned, clothes do NOT make the man (or the woman), because if they did, the flowers and the grass would be higher up on the scale of things than WE ...

1175. The Ultimate Question

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... if he actually started any water fights with the disciples, but I would not rule it out either. Call that scene artistic licence. That certainly came into play with the depiction of Satan. The Evil One is portrayed alternately by a man in a twentieth century designer suit with slicked back hair, looking for all the world like a wizard of Wall Street, and a beautiful woman dressed in a bright red gossamer gown that blows wildly in the wind. We encounter him/her/it as Jesus is tempted in the wilderness at ...

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