Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 1201 to 1225 of 3926 results

1201. Two-and-a-Half Cheers For Hypocrites

Matthew 6:1-2, Matthew 6:5-6, Matthew 6:16

Sermon

Thomas Long

... and in our time no transgression is more contemptible. Hypocrites conceal sadness with a smile; they say they are happy to see you when they would rather have root canal work than to be in your presence; they give money to charities they do not truly support; they make speeches for causes they don't care about; and they laugh at jokes they don't find funny. In short, hypocrites wear masks, pretending to be who they are not. Religious hypocrites are, of course, the worst of the breed -- and the most inviting ...

1202. Knowing The Voice

John 10:1-21

Sermon

Thomas Long

... cluttered with voices competing for our attention. A cacophony of voices shout for our loyalty, urge us to get into step and to join the followers of this or that bumper-stickered cause: "Have you hugged your child today?" "Support the NRA," "Christians for Choice," "Pro-life Christians," "Save the Rain Forests," "Buy American," "Question Authority," "Promote Family Values," "Fight Taxes," "Worship Next Sunday," "Work for Justice," "Boycott Lettuce." Jesus' voice may sometimes be heard above these clamoring ...

1203. The Seven Last Words Of Pilate

Sermon

Thomas Long

... , and they seem to release their full power only when they are seen in action. In order to grasp their truths, we are compelled to scramble up on a stage -- at least one constructed in our imagination -- to don a costume, to summon a cast of supporting actors, and to put the story into dramatic motion. It is one thing, for example, to hear the story of Zacchaeus; it is quite another actually to see him -- this tiny man swallowed by the always-taller crowd; this lilliputian tax collector lost in a sea ...

1204. Behold The Man Who Trained Disciples

Luke 10:1-20

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

... witness of our lives. We are trained to make a difference by the use of who we are and what we have, and to look at our resources, our talents and our money not as though we are obligated to give them, but as ways to serve and to support ministries of mercy throughout the world. We are trained to widen the Christian fellowship, and to bring others into our church, into groups within our church and under the influence of Christ. That is the kind of disciples we have been chosen to become. Is that what we are ...

1205. Behold The Man Who Tried To Be King

Matthew 21:1-10

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

... who saw Jesus that day wanted to do nothing, and that cost them nothing. Finally, his popularity soon faded. The parade came to an end when Jesus got there. When he arrived in Jerusalem, "All the city was moved saying, 'Who is this?' " His supporters answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth." Then Jesus went immediately into the Temple. He drove out the moneychangers who were cheating people as they exchanged their money for temple-money. From Sunday it was all downhill the rest of the week. His ...

1206. Yes, But How?

Sermon

Lee Griess

... our imperfections out in public. As the little girl said to her classmate who had to sit in the corner, "To err is human, but to admit it is just plain stupid!" How ironic it is then, that Jesus would tell us to repent. Instead of offering a word of support and understanding for our all-too-human tendency to cover up our wrongdoings, Jesus tells us to disclose the evil within us, to admit that we have failed. The apostle John tells us the same thing very clearly when he writes, "If we say we have no sin, we ...

1207. A New Command

Sermon

Lee Griess

... an audience in Washington, D.C., that several high-ranking Roman Catholic church leaders had privately told him that despite the church's public stance against research in genetics and gene reproduction and experimentation in artificial life production, they personally supported his way-out research. According to Ben-Abraham, those church leaders hope to reproduce Jesus Christ from DNA fibers found on the Shroud of Turin. If Dr. Ben-Abraham is right, somebody better tell those venerable church leaders that ...

1208. Details

Matthew 9:35-38, Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Marc Kolden

... the Christian mission went explicitly to the Gentiles and in the Great Commission it is clearly directed to all nations (Matthew 28:19). What's going on? Here is a seemingly little detail that might have large and even negative implications (for example, in support of Christian anti-Semitism). These verses (10:5-6) begin by noting that Jesus gives these instructions to "these twelve" disciples and not to all disciples in all times and places. The twelve's target in this mission is the lost sheep of Israel ...

1209. Stop Being Afraid

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Marc Kolden

... . "What do I have to do to get God to care about me?" Stop being afraid? No, no, no. It's the other way around. God does care about you so you don't have to be afraid. The response to a demand -- to graduate from school, to support your family, to be someone others respect -- is to do something. The response to a promise is altogether different. The response to a promise is to celebrate, rejoice, give thanks -- because someone else has done something. God knows every hair on your head. God even cares about ...

1210. Welcoming Christ

Matthew 10:40-42

Sermon

Marc Kolden

... of" a prophet or a righteous person. The Bible here is not speaking of some sort of generic hospitality but of the sort that we give to certain people because we believe they speak for God or are before us as believers in Christ. This could mean financial support for ministers and missionaries or for fellow believers who are down on their luck. Or, to turn it around, if we are those who come as Christians we are to be aware that people relate to us in light of our faith and witness. That is really obvious ...

1211. The One Thing That Would Make The Biggest Difference

Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon

Roger G. Talbott

... just their presence in this world creates peace around them. The church was meant to be the school in which we learn the art of rebuilding relationships. Heaven knows that there are plenty of schools in which to learn war. Our tax dollars support four military academies and a graduate school called the War College. In fairness, most of the graduates of those schools whom I have been privileged to know are far less combative as individuals than many graduates of business schools, medical schools, law schools ...

1212. Seeing The Unseeing

John 9:35-41, John 9:13-34, John 9:1-12

Sermon

David Belgum

... Jesus' day; it happens today and it always happens. One might have to pay a price for taking a stand. 4. What of the man who was healed? No doubt he had been reduced to sitting at the gate of some street corner with a cup, begging for his meager support. He was not only healed but greatly strengthened. He spoke right up to his betters, the more educated leaders of the religious community, and said, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes" (John 9:30). He was ...

1213. Brainstorms

Sermon

John R. Bodo

... are often identified, individually, as "one of the Twelve." We know little about most of them except for their belonging to Jesus' inner circle. But you can tell a great deal about a man by the company he keeps, the organizations to which he belongs, the causes he supports. Much of who we are can be deduced from the cards we carry in our wallets. Andrew seemed content to be just "one of the Twelve." He did not join James and John when they asked the Master, foolishly, whether they might sit one at his right ...

1214. I Saw The Risen Christ Last Week -- And It Wasn't Even Easter

John 20:10-31

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

... to a wife and daughter after a six-hour operation, explaining in detail what he had had to do to the husband and father, drawing a diagram to make it clearer, taking time to answer questions, being honest about the future, and thanking them for their supportive prayers for him. I felt the joy of Christ on Christmas Eve when a little first grade girl slipped a note to me during a communion service and had printed out in large letters: "I love you, Mr. Kirby. Merry Christmas." I saw Christ again and again ...

1215. Screaming For A Reason Why

Matthew 26:36-46; 27:45-46 · Job 3:1-26

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

... how both of these men faced the reality of where they were in life. Neither of them denied what was happening to them, nor did they veneer their sufferings with some kind of sunshine theology. Job had lost everything: his property, his servants, his children. He lost the support of his wife and his friends. And finally, he lost his health. His questions were very simply put. Why, God? Why did you allow me to be born in the first place? Why didn't I die at birth? If my life was going to be so hopeless and ...

1216. Responding In Anger

Job 7:11-21 · Matthew 21:12-13

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

... seldom are they equal. There is often more wrong on one side than the other. We must not spend time accumulating a list of people on the other side of an issue whom we dislike. We are free to oppose any issue, but we need not hate the persons who support it. If we hate the person, we must forget the issue. Jesus dealt with issues. And we must make sure that our anger is addressed to issues, not to people. The third thing is this: don't bottle up anger, for unfaced anger leads to resentment and hostility. I ...

1217. Hailing The King Of Chaos

Job 12:13-22· Matthew 27:32-44

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

... cautioned me not to read it unless I had a strong stomach. It was an editorial by the columnist, Anthony Lewis. Uniformed government soldiers, arriving in a village, round up the men and women. If the commander feels that those villagers are not firmly supportive of the government efforts to destroy subversion, then they are recognized as subversive, and are lined up and shot to death. The soldiers do not waste bullets on children. They pick them up by the feet and smash their heads against a wall. Or ...

1218. Something New, Something Old

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... that at the very same junctures in life others are strengthened in their faith and transformed? They give their lives to serving others who are going through life's traumas. They are moved to become missionaries or spend time in the Peace Corps. They begin a support group for others suffering the injustice and hurt they have experienced. How is this so? One reason is that some of these persons, faced with a new dilemma, if I may paraphrase Jesus, "(are) like the master of a household who brings out of his ...

1219. What Kind Of Love?

1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... not good, as the Bible teaches, for a person to be alone, physically, emotionally, spiritually, or psychologically alone. If it is true -- and it is -- that much of what we romantically call love has to do more with meeting needs, mutual gratification, and support, then exactly where does gift-love, patterned after the divine gift of God, fit into relationships, to marriage? It is crucial at two points. We display gift-love on those occasions when we are able to detach ourselves, our own needs and desires ...

1220. Meeting Jesus At The Well

John 4:1-26

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... had similar results. People want the church to provide a good community center with an excellent gym and Nautilus-caliber training equipment; they want quality affordable day care and after school care for children; they want a variety of self-help and support groups; and they want sermons dealing with timely issues like money management and enhancing self-esteem. What they do not want are worship services where they are asked to participate or sing hymns; and they do not want sermons dealing with topics ...

1221. Shared Bread

1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Sermon

Alex Gondola

... and eaten the Body of Christ. Now it is time for us to leave, to do good works, to praise and bless the Lord in our daily lives." The New Creation is coming. But the Kingdom of God is also now, whenever we share bread and housing, and time and support with others, for the sake of Christ.

1222. How Not To Throw A Party

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

Alex Gondola

... only believe. We celebrate that coming Banquet Feast every time we come together for Our Lord's Supper. We are the (spiritually) poor, crippled, lame, and blind that Christ calls to himself. Our place is assured. So, can we live in this world in such a way that we support the Kingdom of God when we see it? Can we even help God bring it to others? "When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind ... because they cannot repay you" (Luke 14:13, NRSV). And you will be blessed.

1223. Prayers for Memorial Day, Election, Thanksgiving

Bulletin Aid

Rolland R. Reece

... them they had fought the wrong war. What a dark day that was. Today, we honor all the men and women who have responded to our country's call. We treasure their bravery and loyalty. We also remember those who remained at home praying and working in support of our armed forces. This hour, Eternal Peacemaker, we seek your wisdom on behalf of our country's destiny. We have known from the beginning that we've needed to respond to your truth in the conduct of our affairs and in relationship to other countries of ...

1224. Wedding: Older Couple, Previously Married

Bulletin Aid

Derl G. Keefer

... marry, may each be a part of the other's life. In all decisions the other will be a part of the consideration of the solution. In all problems the other will be a factor to understand. In all joy they will share and in all sorrow be a support to one another. Together they start life with love -- a love that you bless and ordain. Let your blessing rest upon them forever. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. The Exchange Of Rings Pastor: (Groom), please place on (Bride's) finger the ring you ...

1225. Wedding: Short Service

Bulletin Aid

Derl G. Keefer

... Co., Nashville, Tennessee, 1990) Pastor: (Prays extemporaneously)... Pastor: (To Father) Who gives this woman to be married to this man? Father: Her family who loves her. We welcome (Groom) into our family and we pledge to love them both. Our family covenants to support them with our love and prayers, and help when appropriate. (Father gives bride a kiss and then joins the hands of bride and groom.) The Exchange Of Vows And Rings Pastor: Now, (Groom) and (Bride), we are coming to the solemn moment when you ...

Showing results