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 1251 to 1275 of 5000 results

1251. Home By Another Way

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

Characters (in order of appearance) Narrator Wise Man 1 Wise Man 2 Wise Man 3 Servant 1 Servant 2 Servant 3 Merchant Caravan Shepherd 1 Shepherd 2 Angel Angel Choir Mary Joseph Merchant Dream Narrator Props Campfire Table Two chairs Star Three gifts Bundle Tambourines Notes This play uses the journey of the Wise Men to illustrate that God doesn’t always call us down the expected path. It also shows the way God often prefers to work through the simplest of people or situations to bring about his plan. It ...

1252. Because God Said So, That’s Why!

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

Characters (in order of appearance) Narrator David (or Rachel) Esther Shepherd 1 Shepherd 2 Shepherd 3 Shepherd 4 Shepherd 5 Lead Angel Angel 2 Angel 3 Angel 4 Angel Choir King Caspar King Balthazar King Melchior Mary Joseph Props Lectern or podium Chair Bundle with jar inside Bundle with blanket inside Gifts for the Wise Men to give to Jesus Notes This production can be restructured to suit a cast that is predominantly male or female. The lead part of David can easily be transformed to Rachel. In the ...

1253. A Squirrely Holiday

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

It is a sign that we theologians have run out of ways to ponder the existence and being of God when we start naming our theologies after animals but here goes: "Dog Theology" goes like this: "You feed me. You pet me. You shelter me. You love me. You must be God!" "Cat Theology" goes like this: "You feed me. You pet me. You shelter me. You love me. I must be God." I would like to put forth a Squirrel theology. The way squirrels live their lives puts them on a different theological plane than dogs or cats? ...

1254. Good News about Christ

Revelation 1:4-8

Sermon

King Duncan

Today I want to deal with some of the fundamentals of our faith. You may leave here saying, “Pastor, I already knew those things.” Perhaps, but I’ve learned that people can hear something many times, but not have it really connect to their lives. Besides, as we all know, communication is a tricky thing. I heard about a disappointed soft drink salesman who returned from his assignment in the Middle East. His boss asked, “Why weren’t you successful with the Arabs?” The salesman explained, “When I got posted ...

1255. The Spilled Milk Experiment

Lk 2:41-52

Illustration

King Duncan

There's an urban legend about a famous research scientist who had made several very important medical breakthroughs. A newspaper reporter interviewed this scientist and asked why, in his opinion, he was so much more creative than the average person. This scientist answered that he believed it was because of an experience he had with his mother when he was about two years old. He had been trying to get a bottle of milk out of the refrigerator when he lost his grip on it, spilling its contents all over the ...

1256. LOST? Looking For Peace

Matthew 18:21-22, Colossians 3:8-15, Hebrews 11:1

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

There's an old story, and it's a groaner but I'm going tell it anyway. It's about three flies buzzing around a messy kitchen table where somebody had just made a bologna sandwich. The knife used to slice the bologna was covered with little particles of the meat and so was the cutting board. Two of the flies decided to work on the cutting board, while the third fly went to work on the knife. He started at the tip of the knife and ate his way all the way to the end of the handle. Then he decided to fly over ...

1257. Cross Eyed: Rebuke

Mark 8:31-38

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Have you ever said something really dumb? Or said something that came out all wrong? I know I've said a lot of dumb things or just plain wrong things like the time I was preaching about the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham. I clearly had Isaac written in my notes but I called him Isaiah throughout the entire sermon. But there was one Sunday morning when the opening words to my prayer made everybody laugh. As we got ready for the morning pray, what I meant to say was, "Let us bow our heads in and pray silently ...

1258. What Matters In the Light of Eternity: “Prayer Matters”

Acts 2:42-47

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Big Ed went to church and listened to the preacher. When people were invited to come forward for prayer, Big Ed got in line. “What do you want me to pray about?” asked the preacher. “About my hearing,” answered Big Ed. So the preacher promptly put one finger in Big Ed’s ear, lays his hand on his head and prays fervently for Big Ed’s hearing to improve. After several minutes the preacher said, “Amen,” and asked Big Ed, “How’s your hearing?” “I don’t know,” replied Big Ed, “the hearing won’t be until next ...

1259. The Essence of the Gospel

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I don’t know how It Is with you, but I can recall occasions when a text of scripture grabbed my imagination, gripped my mind, burrowed its way into my soul, and became a part of my being. In many instances, I can relive the setting when that happened, and it energizes my life. Our scripture for this is such a case. It was Senior Recognition Day at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, 1958. From the time I answered the call to preach as a seventeen- year-old country boy in Mississippi, I’ve always ...

1260. Jesus' Baptism: Affirmed by God

Mark 1:9-13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Any experience may be perceived differently by those involved. John was an old man and he lay dying. His wife of many years was sitting close by. He opened his eyes for a moment, and saw her and said, “There you are Agnes, at my side again.” She smiled faintly and fluttered her eyes and said, “Yes, dear, here I am.” Then John said, “Looking back, I remember all the times you were at my side. You were there when I got my draft notice and had to go off to fight in the war. You were there when our first house ...

1261. Monkey-hold or Cat-hold Salvation

Luke 15:1-7

Illustration

W. Robert McClelland

Christian thinking about salvation has divided itself into two main streams which I like to think of as: "Monkey-hold" salvation or "Cat-hold" salvation. The difference in theological viewpoint is seen in how monkeys and cats protect their young. A mother monkey will sound the alarm when danger lurks. The baby monkeys come running to her and hold tightly to her fur as she runs to safety. A mother cat, on the other hand, picks her kittens up by the nape of the neck and carries them in her mouth out of harm' ...

1262. The Road No One Wants to Travel

Matthew 16:21-28

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

Some time ago, I was riding a train through central England and a man boarded at one of the stops. As he looked for a seat, he saw my face and beamed at me with great joy. "Hi, Will!" he said brightly, in a wonderful British accent. Unfortunately, I'm not Will. When he sat next to me and I opened my mouth to protest his mistaken notion of who I was, my flat American English paved the way for his embarrassment. Obviously, I was not the person he expected. Nevertheless, we got along "brilliantly," as the ...

1263. A Little Theology at Christmas

Titus 2:11-14

Sermon

John N. Brittain

Scholars who study such things are quick to tell anyone who will listen that Christmas is much overrated as a church festival. If you ask the average person (even the average churchgoer) what the most important Christian festivals are, they will probably answer "Christmas and Easter," and most likely in that order. But, the scholars will point out, they are not even close in theological significance, Easter, with its empty tomb, being the primary reason there is Christianity. There are a number of ...

1264. Hidden in Plain Sight

1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16)

Sermon

John N. Brittain

I had a much-loved professor in seminary who confessed to some of us over coffee one day that he frequently came home from church and was so frustrated he had to go out and dig in the garden, even in the middle of winter. Robert Louis Stevenson once recorded in his diary, as if it were a surprise, "I went to church today and am not depressed." Someone has said, "I feel like unscrewing my head and putting it underneath the pew every time I go to church." Thoughts like these are often expressed by people who ...

1265. Life in the Resurrection Zone

Colossians 3:1-4

Sermon

David O. Bales

Sermon Note: Before this sermon something like the following needs to be included the worship: Leader: Since the earliest days of the Christian faith, Christians have greeted one another on Easter morning: The Lord has risen! People: He has risen indeed! Leader: Our Lord Jesus has risen, breaking the power of sin and death, People: and setting us free to live for him. Leader: The Lord has risen. People: He has risen indeed! In the movie, Shawshank Redemption, the character, Red, is being released from ...

1266. Luke 14:25-33

Luke 14:25-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Journeys always have two directions going at the same time: towards the destination and away from the starting point. The central portion of Luke’s gospel often reminds readers that Jesus is “on the way” to Jerusalem. But the message and examples found in today’s gospel text recall what Jesus, and all who would be called his disciples, must leave by the wayside to move forward “on the way.” Previously Jesus had been speaking to the Pharisees and scribes, the religious elite within Judaism. But now the ...

1267. Here I Am

Hebrews 12:18-29

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Every now and then one of the TV networks offers up one of those shows with an overview of old TV commercials. We look back and laugh at the hairstyles and clothing and laugh. Some the of the more famous and prominent ad characters are still around. Do you remember E.F Hutton commercials. They were for a stock brokerage firm. The TV ads would show two people talking in the midst of a crowd of noisy people: at a party or a sporting event or a restaurant. The two of them would be discussing stocks. One of ...

1268. Swept Clean

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

You've probably heard that joke about the man who asked his wife what she'd like for her birthday. "I'd love to be six again," she replied. So, on the morning of her birthday, he got her up bright and early and off they went to a local theme park. What a day! He put her on every ride in the park. Five hours later she staggered out of the theme park, her head reeling, her stomach upside down. Right to a McDonald's they went for a Big Kids Meal with extra fries and a refreshing chocolate shake. Then it was ...

1269. LENT: The Passion of Christ: "Raised"

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

A little girl came to her mother complaining that her stomach hurt. Mom said: "Oh, honey, your stomach is empty, you just need to get something in it and you'll be fine." About a week later, the pastor came by to visit. While conversing with the mother and her child, he happened to mention that he had a headache. The little girl piped up and said: "Oh pastor, my mommy says that your head is empty, you just need to get something in it and you'll be fine." (1) One of the reasons we laugh is because our ...

1270. See What Love . . .

1 John 3:1-7

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Hearken back to a time in life less stressful. To childhood. A simpler time. Not necessarily a better time, but a simpler time when we weren't in charge and the biggest worry we had was whether or not we were going to get a shot when we went to the doctor's office or whether the teacher was going to give a pop quiz. Think back to that uncluttered time in your life, when 25 cents, 50 cents, a dollar or even five dollars seemed like a great allowance and gave you more money than you could spend in a week. It ...

1271. People of the Book

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

King Duncan

A group of boys and girls was asked to sum up what they had learned from the New Testament. Here is a summation of what they had learned: “Jesus is the star of the New Testament. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Republicans. Jesus also had twelve opossums. The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him. “Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to ...

1272. Hey, Foolish Thing!

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever noticed that some bright people can say really dumb things? When the American baseball player Bill Gullickson signed a phenomenal contract to play baseball in Japan, he was asked what daily life was like in Japan. He replied that the language was the most difficult and different feature. “It’s crazy,” he said. “The only American words I saw were Sony and Mitsubishi.” (1) Well, I guess those are American words. There is no limit to the foolish things people do and say particularly our ...

1273. Waiting And Remembering

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Sermon

David E. Leininger

This was a special night. Eleven of the twelve there with Jesus knew it was special because this was the Seder meal, the preparation for the celebration of the Passover, a highlight of the religious year. Jesus and Judas knew it would be special for another reason — this would be the night of betrayal. Nothing would be the same for that close-knit group ever again. Prior to the meal, Jesus must have been thinking about what he would say so his disciples would remember all that they had said and done ...

1274. The Living Advent Wreath (Love: Pink Candle of the Stars)

Luke 1:26-38

Drama

Frank Ramirez

Note: Pilgrim and Guide have minimal singing parts. Attendant carries the candlelighter and lights the candles in the Advent wreath each week. Faith, Hope, Love, and Trust, representing the four candles of the Advent wreath, enter one per week, then remain through the final weeks. They have mostly singing parts. Mary, Joseph, and Infant have nonspeaking parts and are seated behind a curtain in the final week of presentation. Cast Pilgrim Guide Attendant Faith Hope Love Trust (three people) Mary Joseph ...

1275. The Thoughts of Our Hearts

Luke 2:22-40

Sermon

Robert J. Elder

Luke wrote his gospel to a man we know only by name. He addresses him as "most excellent Theophilus." The gospel of Luke, unlike other gospels, was written for a person who was high in the Roman government — written during a time of religious persecution; and it was the hope of Luke that this would be read by those outside the faith so that they might learn that they had nothing to fear from the Christians. So Luke, a Gentile himself, wrote his gospel to be read mainly by other Gentiles. If that is so, on ...

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