Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1151 to 1175 of 5000 results

1151. Lust - To Discipline The Eye And The Heart

Matthew 5:27-30

Sermon

R. Curtis Fussell

... advertising industry with its use of sex-appeal to sell us anything from cars to dishwashers. And the pornography industry which is doing a booming business. For instance, while you may not think of it as pornography as such, the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated is its biggest selling issue of the year, and it sells big not because of anything to do with baseball, football, or basketball. There's the widespread and apparently common sexual harassment of women at work, and, yes, every now and then, even ...

1152. Deadly Sins - A Matter Of Sutton's Law

Romans 7:14-25

Sermon

R. Curtis Fussell

... tape number 1, "The Deadly Sins" (1994). 4. Adapted from Jones, ibid. 5. Scott Peck, Further Along the Road Less Traveled: The Unending Journey Toward Spiritual Growth (Simon and Schuster: New York, NY, 1993), p. 45. 6. "I Cost Our Team the Game," by William F. Reed in Sports Illustrated, Vol. 78, April 1993, p. 28ff; adapted from Jones, ibid. 7. Adapted from Jones, ibid. 8. Jones, ibid. 9. Ibid. 10. Cited by Robert Wolff in About Philosophy, 5th edition (Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1992), p. 284.

1153. Understanding The Holy Trinity

John 16:5-16

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... (steam). The substance is the same. As liquid, solid, or vapor it is still water. God is the basic substance, water, but he comes to the world as Father, Son, and Spirit. Though we use various analogies to explain the Trinity, not one of them is a perfect illustration or explanation. We must be content to let the Trinity be a mystery and accept it by faith as a central biblical teaching. Now we see the Trinity through a glass darkly but in heaven it will become clear to us. The Shield Of The Trinity The ...

1154. Christ The King

Ephesians 1:15-23, 1 Corinthians 15:12-34, Ezekiel 34:1-31, Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... a podium decorated with a two-headed Romanov eagle, as black-robed Orthodox priests and men decked in cossack uniforms thundered their approval. The monarchists are not likely to be successful in their quest to restore the monarchy. However, we observe here an illustration of the truth that a society cannot operate long or well in the absence of a supreme authority. In the demonstrations that were a part of the so-called Velvet Revolution, which led to the bloodless overthrow of the Communist government in ...

1155. The Waste In Comparison

Genesis 37:1-11, 12-36

Sermon

... focused on the important purpose that God has given to us. 1. William White, Stories For Telling: A Treasury for Christian Storytellers (Minneapolis, Minn.: Augsburg Press, 1996), pp .122- 123. 2. Quoted by C. Douglas Weaver in A Cloud of Witnesses: Sermon Illustrations and Devotionals from the Christian Heritage (Macon, Ga.: Smyth & Helwys Pub., 1993), pp. 6-7. From Cyprian, Treatise 10.7. in Ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers Down to A. D. 325, ed. by Alexander Roberts and ...

1156. Growing No Feathers

Exodus 3:1-22

Sermon

... a friend on a busy sidewalk and stopped to draw attention to the sound of a cricket. The friend, amazed, wondered how he picked up on that insignificant sound among all the sounds surrounding them. The man responded that you hear what you listen for. To illustrate his point he dropped a coin on the sidewalk. At the sound of that solitary coin everyone all around them stopped and turned in the direction of that sound.3 God drafted Moses because Moses heard the cries of the Hebrews. We are reminded by the ...

1157. Going Through The Waters

Exodus 13:17--14:31

Sermon

... 's power and presence in our lives. May we rejoice in it and share it. 1. Adapted from William Willimon's sermon, "The Gifted," in Pulpit Resource Vol. 23, No. 1 (Logos Productions: Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), p. 10. 2. Adapted from C. Douglas Weaver, A Cloud of Witnesses: Sermon Illustrations and Devotionals from the Christian Heritage (Macon, Ga.: Smyth & Helwys, 1993), p. 73. 3. Source unknown.

1158. Corpus Christi

Jn 6:51-58 · 1 Cor 10:16-17 · Deut 8:1-20 · Ps 116

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... , only the wine or both. She punches in "both." Out pops a hermetically sealed plastic pouch with wafer and tiny cup. The message on the screen: "Have a nice day." Of course, such machines have not been employed by the Catholic Church. This scene illustrates the point of the article. The Eucharist has become a "thing" for many Catholics (other Christians too, we might add). Father Szafranski maintains that the Eucharist is not a thing to be received but the action of the whole people of God. For centuries ...

1159. Easter 2

Jn 20:19-31 · 1 Pet 1:3-9 · Acts 2:14a, 22-32 · Ps 16 · Ps 111

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... or again? - we die daily to selfishness and sin through repentance - we turn the center of our lives over to Christ - we no longer live; Christ lives in us 4. Let us bless God for our new birth (v. 3) and rejoice (vv. 8b-9). Illustration: Many people, even good Christians, are sometimes filled with anxiety about their forthcoming birth into the kingdom of heaven. This story, "The Parable Of The Twins," might provide a new perspective. Once upon a time, twin boys were conceived in the same womb. Weeks passed ...

1160. Epiphany 2

Jn 1:29-42 · 1 Cor 1:1-9 · Is 49:1-7 · Ps 27

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... people today attempt to evade responsibility for their actions by casting the blame on others. 3. Jesus took on himself the guilt of our sin as the Lamb of God. Now we can face our sins honestly. Now we have the power, through faith, to defeat sin. Illustration: Those of us who are white cannot fathom the pain of racial prejudice that blacks and other minorities face in our society. This has been brought to our attention by the riot that followed the first Rodney King trial in Los Angeles. In that riot a ...

1161. Epiphany Of Our Lord

Mt 2:1-12 · Eph 3:1-12 · Is 60:1-6, 9 · Ps 72

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... that God is the source of light and life. "Arise, shine, for your light has come" (v. 1). Darkness may envelope much of the earth, but the glory of God shines upon his people. The question is: What is our position in reference to the light? To illustrate, consider solar panels: in order for the panels to receive the energy from the sun, they have to maintain the proper angle and attitude. Merely being in the sun is not enough, the solar panels must be positioned properly to absorb the sun's rays. To absorb ...

1162. Lent 5

John 11:1-16, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 8:1-17, John 11:17-37, John 11:38-44

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... dry bones, symbolic of the discouraged state of the people of Israel, and the bones came together, taking on tendon and muscle. Then he prophesied again and the Spirit of God came into the lifeless corpses and they were truly alive. This is a graphic illustration of the power of the Word. This is the same principle witnessed in the Genesis creation accounts: God created life through his spoken World. When the Word of God is spoken, the Spirit of God gives fresh hope to the downtrodden and life to the dead ...

1163. Maundy Thursday

Lk 22:14-30 · Jn 13:1-17, 31b-35 · 1 Cor 11:17-32 · Ex 12:1-14 · Ps 116

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... Christian example on and off the track. His life was imbued with spiritual potency, not because of any innate ability, but because the pattern of his behavior fit the pattern of his beliefs. His life was a glorious example of the Christ's life. Illustration: There was a chief executive of a large corporation who did a very unorthodox thing. He would arrive at the office an hour before his staff arrived and proceeded to go from department to department brewing warm coffee. When his employees arrived, the hot ...

1164. Passion Sunday

Mt 26:14–27:66 · Phil 2:5-11 · Is 45:21-25; 50:4-9 · Ps 31

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... play this senseless game. From a human standpoint, Michael's supreme gesture is the height of foolishness. Yet, it is the ultimate embodiment of incarnational love that is willing to take up its cross for the sake of those in bondage to sin and death. Illustration: Death possesses a peculiar power to control our lives. When I was an adolescent, I had the neurotic fear that I might die a premature death if I did something wrong. I have overcome or, at least, controlled this fear by confronting it. The other ...

1165. Proper 15

Mt 15:10-28 · Rom 11:13-15, 29-32 · Gen 45:1-15 · Is 56:1-7 · Ps 133

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... Though Jesus seemed not to hear at first, the persuasiveness of her faith won him over. God doesn't listen because of certain phrases and formulas, no matter how pious they sound. It is faith that connects with the Almighty, though we speak like a babbler. Illustration: In the book, Preaching Through The Church Year, Robert E. Luccock asserts that, if he had it within his power to fulfill his fantasies, one of the first things he would do is place the image or the statue of the Canaanite woman of Matthew 15 ...

1166. Proper 26

Joshua 3:7-17, Amos 5:18-27, Micah 3:1-12, Malachi 2:1-9, Matthew 23:1-39, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... secular world, so that they might bring the gospel to people where they were. It was also the tradition for rabbis in the Jewish religion to gain their living while working with their hands. The dangers of earning one's living from religion are amply illustrated in the Old Testament lessons for today, except the First Lesson for the Common Lectionary. Such religious leaders are exposed to the danger of materialism and of telling people what they want to hear. I'm not suggesting that we can or should do away ...

1167. Reformation Sunday

Jn 8:31-36 · Rom 3:19-28 · Jer 31:31-34 · Ps 46

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... Christ can free us. Outline: 1. Ignorance freezes us. People with mental problems are often frozen in mind and impervious to the truth 2. Jesus' followers are often frozen in spiritual ignorance (v. 33) 3. Christ, the truth, frees us from slavery to sin (vv. 34-36) Illustration: I read of a doll without a face, that was marketed a few years ago. In place of the face there was a mirror. Thus, when the doll's owner looks into the face of her doll, she beholds herself, her twin. Some claim that this can ...

1168. Thanksgiving

Lk 17:11-19 · 1 Tim 2:1-4 · Phil 4:6-20 · 2 Cor 9:6-15 · Deut 8:1-18 · Ps 65

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... . Outline: The Samaritan stopped to return thanks to Jesus. Returning thanks completed the healing process. Thanksgiving involves returning to the Source of blessings (God) and to others through whom God blesses us. Who are those to whom you need to return thanks? Illustration: Let me tell you about Gertrude, a pillar of our little Swedish Lutheran church on the south side of Omaha, Nebraska, who lived for decades with her son, since being widowed. Both mother and son were full of the joy of life, oozing ...

1169. I Am The Alpha And The Omega

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... way, the Alpha and the Omega, the Almighty. Questions For Reflection Or Discussion 1. There are several stories in this chapter. They can help us take abstract ideas like "Alpha," "Omega," and "the Almighty" into our lives. Can you think of other stories which help to illustrate how God is out in front of us, or behind us, or over us? 2. In the story of the monk's silent story, the congregation realized through the silent sermon what the cross meant. Have you ever had the realization of what Jesus has done ...

1170. Grampa Noah And When The Flood Came

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... us to look at the Bible as written bymany different people in many different times and places,and we don't always think in terms of these writers havingpolitical or social reasons for putting down what they didas well as religious reasons. To illustrate this problem, let me ask you to imagine afamily reunion. Old Noah is getting up there in years andthe families, who are scattered to the four winds in thegenerations since the Flood, want the grandchildren to meetthe patriarch, the grand old man, of their ...

1171. I Want To Go South, Lord

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... , we probably thoughtthat those people had an easier time obeying God because Godwas able to speak to them directly. After watching Adam andEve squabble and fall away from God, after agonizing overCain's murderous act, we begin to know better. Let mefurther illustrate how God's graceful involvement with us isnot easier just because we could have direct access. It wasnot easier for Abraham. In these verses of chapter 12, Abraham, known in thosedays as Abram, accepts God's promise of making of him agreat ...

1172. Children

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... the wife of the main character here. But I was quite a disappointment to my colleagues because of how much part I took in household matters and child care. As of this writing, I am the wife my spouse always wanted! I forgot myself the other morning and illustrated a point about doing something because it needed to be done, even if my heart wasn't in it. I spoke of making breakfast and packing lunch for my wife. One of the women in the Bible study class blurted out, "Where have I gone wrong?" The men all ...

1173. Grampa Noah And When The Flood Came

Genesis 6:1-8:22, Genesis 9:1-17, Genesis 9:18-29

Drama

Jerry Eckert

... for us to look at the Bible as written by many different people in many different times and places, and we don't always think in terms of these writers having political or social reasons for putting down what they did as well as religious reasons. To illustrate this problem, let me ask you to imagine a family reunion. Old Noah is getting up there in years and the families, who are scattered to the four winds in the generations since the Flood, want the grandchildren to meet the patriarch, the grand old man ...

1174. Religious Load-Management

Deuteronomy 18:14-22

Sermon

Harold Warlick

... are symbols of a new aliveness in our own experience. They serve as part of a predictable, continuing force, which keeps on happening to people who find new birth out of the darkness of bondage and death. Even we Christians have to manage our load! So be it. 1. This illustration can be found in Harold C. Warlick, Jr., Homeward Bound (Lima, Ohio: CSS Publishing Company, 1991), p. 64.

1175. Turning A Minus Into A Plus

Isaiah 40:1-31

Sermon

Harold Warlick

... us. So be it! 1. J. Alfred Smith, Basic Bible Sermons on Christian Stewardship (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992), p. 99. 2. I'm grateful to John Claypool, Tracks of a Fellow Struggler (Waco: Word, 1974), p. 56, for recognition of the proper sequence inherent in the Isaiah passage. 3. This illustration and portions of the sermon may be found in Harold C. Warlick, Jr., The Rarest Of These Is Hope (Lima, Ohio: CSS Publishing Company, 1985), pp. 93-97.

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