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 101 to 125 of 302 results

101. While This House Lies In Ruins

Haggai 1:1-15

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord's house. Then the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared. You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and you that earn ...

102. Lent 2

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

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 12:1-4a (C, RC); Genesis 12:1-8 (E, L) God appears to a man by the name of Abram in what today would be Iraq, about 1800 B.C., and orders him to leave his homeland and travel to a land that God would show him. God promises to bless Abram and make of him a great nation. In fact, God's promises make Abraham a means of blessing or curse for others. The amazing aspect of this is that Abram was already 75 years of age. Humanly speaking, it didn't seem likely he would see the ...

103. Church As Redemptive Community

Acts 4:32-37

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

Some people aren't comfortable with this passage because it seems to them to be a forerunner of certain social systems which are unpopular in this country: socialism, communism, communes in general. However, let's remind ourselves that this experiment in communal living pre-dates all those unpopular living styles by many centuries. These were people who were still euphoric from the recent infusion of the Holy Spirit. Filled with love for the people around them in life, they wanted to share. They were ...

104. True And False Prophecy

Mark 14:27-31

Drama

Setting: The temple courtyard of the high priest. Caiaphas, entering from the sacristy or the front, will be at a podium or pulpit in the chancel throughout the drama. Everything about his posture and voice should suggest authority edged with arrogance and pomposity. He will be dressed in elaborate vestments or robes, ideally with a Velcro fastening which will make a noticeable tearing sound at the end of the play. Peter will enter from the rear of the nave, and will stay outside the chance! throughout the ...

105. Rejoice

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

King Duncan

William Everett, a Congressman from Massachusetts in the late 1800s, told the story of a congregation in England that needed new hymn books but lacked the money to pay for them. The churchgoers learned that a large company, a maker of patent medicines, would furnish hymn books at a penny each if the books could carry some advertising. The congregation saw no harm in making that concession, and so they ordered the books. The new hymnals arrived at the church on the day before Christmas. On Christmas morning ...

106. Peace or Pieces

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

Eric Ritz

I love the picture which shows two ladies in Las Vegas, running for their lives down a quiet street, being chased by a six foot, 200-pound ostrich, their leisurely morning walk turned now into a desperate chase. The incident is a great picture of how our normal lives can quickly change into one of desperation. The power of "fear" or "faith" is a constant choice we make every day of our lives. Let''s face it, living in an urban area like the Greater Easton area can be frustrating. You fight traffic every ...

107. Put To Death The Old; Put On The New

Colossians 3:1-17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Last week we talked about our lives as Christians being hidden in Christ with God. Today we pick up the theme again, for the larger theme is what it means to live the new life Christ gives us. Baptism is Paul's reference point for talking about life "hidden with Christ in God." A Christian's baptism is not unlike Jewish circumcision, Paul says. In baptism we are marked as Christians. This is a circumcision made without hands, the circumcision of Christ in which we are "buried with Him in baptism." He then ...

108. Are You Living the Three Advents?

Romans 13:11-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Theme: The Christian tradition invites us to celebrate 3 advents the 4 weeks of advent. It would help your sermon if you wore some kind of “garment” that signified your ordination or calling. The Word-Made-Flesh . . . Exegesis of Romans 13:11-14 It seems strange that as the church’s calendar enters into its most hopeful, anticipatory season, the first of our four Advent readings turns once again towards that final Day of Judgment and end-time scenarios. Yet the eschatological words from Paul to the Roman ...

109. Was It Really Necessary?

John 19:17-27

Sermon

King Duncan

A woman was getting swamped with calls from strangers. The reason? A medical billing service had launched an 800 number that was identical to hers. When she called to complain, she was told to get a new number. “I’ve had my number for twenty years,” she pleaded. “Couldn’t you change yours?” The company refused, so the woman said, “Fine. From now on, I’m going to tell everyone who calls that their bill is paid in full.” The company got a new number the next day. This is the day on the church calendar when ...

110. I Am the Vine

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Jesus was the master of figurative language. He used stories to proclaim his great truths. He told parables, he painted word pictures, he referred to ordinary things in order that he might underscore extraordinary and eternal truths. The disciples would have been able to identify this image of Jesus, the image of the vine and the branches, fruit bearing and pruning, dead branches burned. They would have been able to identify with it because Palestine was the land of vineyards. But more than that, the vine ...

111. Altar Your Prayers

Mark 1:29-37

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Lord, out of the silence, we come into Your presence. Truly help us to set aside all thoughts and distractions. Help us to lay them at the Altar as we give this offering of time to hear Your word for our lives. Help us to put our worries and concerns about all of life into Your hands for safe keeping as we worship. In Your hands they don't look quite so big, so urgent, so burdensome. Help us to come into Your presence this morning ready to receive what you would have us hear. Introduction There's an old ...

112. The New Residents of Jerusalem

Nehemiah 11:1-36

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

Moving into the Holy City: At last the time was ripe for the editor to pick up, from 7:4–5, the story of the repopulation of Jerusalem. First, the ideals in Nehemiah’s prayer had to be realized on a communal level: the new focus on the Torah as determinative for the life of the community in chapter 8, the prayer of repentance in chapter 9, and the pledge of commitment to the Torah and the temple in chapter 10. Now 11:1–2 gives the procedure for allocating settlers in Jerusalem, and verses 3–24 list the new ...

113. Robbing God

Malachi 3:6-18

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

Return to Me (3:6-12): The fifth speech returns to the present with an appeal for repentance demonstrated in a concrete act of obedience, tithing. This obligation contributes to proper worship at the temple and to feeding even the poorest of the people. The Lord, who loves Israel, offers them reconciliation and promises blessing. 3:6–7a The opening statement of this address is a stunning non sequitur, “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” The Lord has remained the ...

114. Job Feels Both Confidence and Terror

Job 23:1--24:25

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

Big Idea: God’s justice draws Job toward confidence, but God’s sovereignty intimidates him. Understanding the Text In Job 23, Job rejects what Eliphaz has just said in the previous chapter, when he counseled Job to “submit to God and be at peace with him” (22:21). This is yet another indicator that the communication between Job and his friends is breaking down. Instead of speaking directly either to his friends or to God, Job speaks in a soliloquy, as he did in chapter 3. His internal conversation reflects ...

115. Do You Have Your Key Ready?

John 20:1-18

Sermon

King Duncan

Around the turn of the twentieth century there lived a man named Reuben John Smith. Smith was fond of the comforts of life. Since he had lived a comfortable existence in this world, he thought it only proper to be prepared for a comfortable existence in the next world as well. Thus at his death he left detailed instructions concerning his burial. He was to be buried in a new recliner chair of upholstered russet leather and was to be interred in a sitting position. On his lap was to be placed a checkerboard ...

116. Badger or Bonobo?

Mark 9:38-50

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Have you ever had a run-in with a badger? If you have, you’ll know to avoid doing it again! Badgers can be snarly, vicious, and terribly aggressive, especially if you’ve come too close to their burrow or nest. If one passes on the road in front of you, give it a wide berth. Otherwise, you may be running for your life. With sharp teeth and a feisty attitude, the badger is a naturally aggressive animal with few natural enemies. One horrifying report from Lancaster, UK reports a two-day rampage by a badger ...

117. Proper 15

Luke 12:54-59, Hebrews 12:1-13, Luke 12:49-53, Isaiah 5:1-7, Hebrews 11:1-40

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Isaiah 5:1-7 God's vineyard yields wild grapes. Chapter 5 closes a series of oracles beginning with chapter 1. Today's lesson is a parable of a vineyard. Yahweh planted it and did everything to make it grow and be fruitful. But, the grapes turned out to be wild, that is, sour and bitter. What more could he have done for his vineyard? Nothing. Therefore, the vineyard will be destroyed. Lesson 2: Hebrews 11:29--12:2 Surrounded by past faithful ones, we are to run the race of faith with ...

118. A Whale Of A Tale

Jonah 3:1-10

Sermon

Erskine White

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Arise and go to Nineveh." (Jonah 3:12) I'd be willing to bet a nickel (maybe even a dime) that if ten people were asked what they know about the Jonah story, most of them would say, "the whale." (Of course, the Bible never says that Jonah was swallowed by a whale - all the Bible says is "a great fish" - but everyone calls it a whale, anyway). Everyone remembers the whale, but in point of fact, the whale is the least important part of this ...

119. Luke’s Beatitudes And Woes

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

James Garrett

The Beatitudes are familiar to us. We have heard them many times. Someone gave me an interesting article about the Beatitudes. It is titled: “The Lesson.” “Then Jesus took his disciples up the mountain, and gathering these around him, he taught them saying: “ ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are they that mourn. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are they who thirst for justice. Blessed are you when you suffer. Be glad and rejoice, for your ...

120. The Gold Calf

Exodus 32:1-33:6

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

Suggestions: Use as an anthem. 7 readers - 3 women, 2 young men, 2 older men. As Aaron is three years older than his brother Moses, let an older man with a deeper voice read Aaron's words. Moses, tenor-voiced, should be a persuasive person. Key: 1 = storyteller, a woman 2 = first person 3 = second person, a woman 4 = third person 5 = Aaron 6 = God, a man 7 = Moses 1: When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, 2: "Come, make gods ...

121. Loving

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sermon

Larry Powell

If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (verse 1) A gong has always impressed me as an almost unnecessary instrument. Each time a musician slams into one with a mallet to achieve the dull, disconcerting clash, I fully expect a secret passage to appear, or an oriental servant to fawn onto the stage. Cymbals provide slightly more flexible, functional accents of emphasis. However, both the gong and the cymbal produce but a single monotonous tone ...

122. Power to the Faint

Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

Dennis Kastens

At that time Jesus declared, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and ...

123. Lift High the Christ!

John 12:20-36

Sermon

George Bass

Suddenly, right here in the middle of September, it is Palm Sunday again, the beginning of the week that we call Holy Week or the Week of the Passion of Christ. That strange procession, which must have been first seen by the guards on the city wall as it moved toward Jerusalem, takes shape before our imaginations again. The central figure - Jesus - is seated upon "a colt of a donkey," and people throw palm branches in his path, shouting "Hosanna! Blessings on the King of Israel, who comes in the name of ...

124. Peter Becomes the Rock

Drama

G. Franklin Gray

Cast Narrator Peter Mary of Magdalene John Jesus Nine other disciples Costumes Contemporary dress is recommended for entire cast. For contrast Jesus wears white clothing. Properties Needed Fishing net Short sword about 24 inches long with broad blade tapering from 2 1/2 inches to a sharp point, painted gold. Lights and microphones as needed. The play is designed for presentation in a sanctuary with no scenery. Choir O Come and Mourn McGlohan Narrator Jesus has been crucified and it is now the third day ...

125. Francis of Assisi

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Drama

Michael L. Sherer

"The message of Christ’s death on the cross is nonsense ..." 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Characters: Lector Announcer Antagonist Protagonist (Participants enter and take their places in the chancel. As they come forward, the congregation sings the hymn "Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated." When the hymn is completed, the drama begins.) LECTOR: The message about Christ’s death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved, it is God’s power. For the scripture says, "I ...

Showing results