Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1276 to 1300 of 4999 results

Romans 8:14-17

Sermon

John Jamison

... in the process, because they all knew exactly what was going to happen. And the father knew as well. The law was quite clear on this kind of thing. He really had no choice in the matter. The older brother, the one who had stayed home and minded his p's and q ... in mind as he wrote these few paragraphs to the Romans. When Paul said that we were now adopted as sons of God; this is the kind of father of which we are the sons. The choice between law and love is a simple one. Oh, but there is just one other little ...

1277. Listening for the "Ching-ching"

Jeremiah 8:18-9:1

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... their sins, criminal and otherwise, particularly if we have been a victim. Reality-based court shows like Traffic Court and people like Judge Judy have been with us for decades — although not nearly as popular as the fiction. Seeing justice, even the make-believe kind, carried out before our eyes, helps our world to feel more stable, particularly amongst the chaos of our modern times. Revenge can be sweet, even if it isn't so dramatic. Lots of you may remember uttering the so-called Parents' Prayer: "May ...

1278. A Day of Singing

Zephaniah 3:14-20, Luke 3:7-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... around them in the world . . . in creation to see if they could hear angel song. What would this angel song sound like? It would sound perfect. They listened for harmony and perfect pitch in the sounds of nature. It’s a strange thing to do; it’s kind of an odd way to spend Christmas Eve. But that’s what this piano teacher and his friends did. “There’s a romantic notion to what they did,” says Gavin Ellis, but he wondered to himself how many of them actually believed that angels were singing and ...

1279. Family Matters

Luke 2:41-52

Sermon

King Duncan

... was shoulder length in high school. She said, “I told my husband . . . it’s just hair. Let him have it while he still can.” And then they laughed her husband’s head was as bald as a bowling ball. Unknown to Barbara until later on was the kindness of one of the men in the church to David during those teenage years of finding oneself. When this man, named Jerry, died of cancer, David was greatly saddened. Barbara didn’t know the connection and asked why he was so upset. David told her that Jerry was ...

1280. Christmas: Before And After

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

... while. I thought he was some intruder, sneaking in to steal food. But, he kept talking quietly to me, and I soon realized that he was an angel. Then he said I was going to have a baby, so I chased him around some more, because I’m not that kind of girl. He finally made me understand. This child has a very special purpose, and I guess he needs a special introduction to this world. Elizabeth: Five months ago I would have said you were crazy, but then five months ago I never thought I’d be a mother. I ...

1281. “Unto Us A Child Is Born... Next, On Omar”

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

... show wasn’t called “Jacob”! (turning back to Wise Men) But, myrrh is usually used to prepare bodies for burial, isn’t it? Kind of a morbid gift for a baby. Wise Man 1: Are you questioning the wisdom of a Wise Man? Omar: (genuinely humbled) No, of ... 2: All those animals ... and he was sleeping on hay. Not a fitting place. Wise Man 3: Oh, I don’t know. I thought it was kind of warm and cozy. And the innkeeper and his wife made sure it was very clean. The hay was freshly pitched, not the same stuff the ...

1282. The Power of Purpose

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... we may gain the whole world and lose our souls. So we must be careful about what purpose we give our energy to. Not any kind of purpose, but that which will give us lasting meaning, and enable us to fulfill our God-given destiny. Now there are no pet answers ... and God is for you. Respect yourself. A little boy was asked to write an essay on anatomy. And here’s what he said. Your head is kind of round and hard, and your brains are in it and your hair is on it. Your face is in front of your head, where you eat ...

1283. Leap Of Faith

John 8:12

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... do I use the commercials and comment on them. That's a good question. I do it for a couple of reasons. First, it's kind of fun. But secondly and the main reason is that we live in a very multimedia, multi-sensory society. And the world's message is ... me think of the Disciple Matthew the tax collector. He was so far outside the religious community that he had no clue what kind of relationship God wanted with him. And then Jesus walked into his life and everything changed. Matthew hadn't even known what to ...

1284. Living In The Spirit Of Peace

Galatians 5:22-25, Colossians 3:14-15

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... talking about is God's love and the joy which comes from knowing God's unconditional love and the joy of living and loving unconditionally. But what is this Peace Paul was talking about? I. World Peace A. I'm pretty sure Paul wasn't talking about the same kind of Peace which the Miss America or Miss USA contestants always seem to tack on as a codicil to their desires for the world. "I'd like to become filthy rich, marry a famous actor, rock star or politician. I'd like to teach the world to play Rachmaninov ...

1285. A Stone’s Throw From: Heaven

Matthew 16:13-25

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... , who is the one whom even the dead obey; Jesus, who is the one for whom and through whom everything was created; Jesus, who preaches a message of mercy and forgiveness; turns to the Disciples and asks, "Who do people say I am." II. Response They give all kinds of answers. But then the conversation turns personal. Jesus asks, what some would call, the money question: "Who do you say that I am?" At that moment they all stood A Stone's Throw From Heaven. I don't think the responses surprised Jesus at all. I ...

1286. Walking First Class

2 Corinthians 3:12-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... through his wallet without success. The conductor was sympathetic. He said, "Don't worry, Mr. Holmes, the Pennsylvania Railroad will be happy to trust you. After you reach your destination you'll probably find the ticket and you can just mail it to us." But the conductor's kindness failed to put Mr. Holmes at ease. Still very much upset, he said, "My dear man, my problem is not 'Where is my ticket?' The problem is, 'Where am I going?'" (1) We have to have a destination in life. We have to have a purpose in ...

1287. Wednesday: The Way Of The Cross: Oooh, That Smell

John 12:1-11

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... memories. This morning, in the Gospel of John, we look at the story of an aroma that filled a room and evoked several kinds off emotions in the people gather there. Let's look at John 12:1-11 (NRSV). [1] Six days before the Passover Jesus ... out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins." And then I'd like you to think about your life. What kind of aroma do you leave behind? What kind of aroma will people remember you for? Do you live a life of poured out love? Are you living a Christ like, poured ...

1288. A Soul Restored

Psalm 23:2-3a

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... we drink deep of the relationship with Christ, through our relationships with others. Most of the time, we don't even know what kind of impact our faith walk makes on the lives of others. It might be something simple such as the way we live our ... our lives still become Still Waters for others. And you never know what a simple drink of water can do or the impact an act of kindness can have. There's a story told about Christopher Columbus: It seems he was discouraged one day as he walked by a monastery. He was ...

1289. Close Enough For Comfort

Psalm 23:4, John 14:15-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... everyone's fear. The fear of being found out that you're not who you really say you are. That you will be exposed. That kind of fear often freezes us out of doing something to change, doing something to become the person we want to be. And then there's ... will they think? What does God think? God's probably up there, disgusted, ready to thump me on the head and boot me out." That kind of fear cause us to doubt. Fear freezes. But that's not what God wants. II. Faith Frees A. While fear freezes, faith frees. ...

1290. With Overflowing Cup

Psalm 23:5

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... ." Lucy replies, "That's a good one, What do I have to be thankful for?" "Well for one thing," Linus says, "you have a brother who loves you!" Lucy responds, "Sometimes, you say the right things." (1) Sometimes we just need to hear the right thing don't we? A kind or encouraging word. A bit of praise for a job well done or difficult task accomplished. I think the 23rd Psalm is one of the passages that says "the right thing." And sometimes just when we need it. Let's look at it again Psalms 23:1-6 (KJV) [1 ...

1291. Jochebed: Save The Baby, Save The World

Exodus 2:1-10, Numbers 26:59

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... us to do anything about. What can one person do? Well, let me tell you because it's still a "save the baby, save the world" kind of time. We have no idea what any one of the children of the world will grow up to be. They could be the one person ... out of our hands. However, we can change the world. We can "save a baby and maybe save the world" with this simple Act of Random Kindness of purchasing a bed net. Let's show God that we recognize God's children in Africa as our brothers and sisters. Let's show God ...

1292. Shadrach, Meschach, Abeddnego: Unexpected

Daniel 3:1-30

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... does this story tell us. I think it has one big message. No matter what we face in life, no matter how hot the furnace or what kind of fire we find ourselves in, we are not alone, God is with us. The issue isn't whether we'll spared the flames and fires ... . B. I'm sorry but there's no such thing as a fireproof life or even fireproof faith. Accepting Christ doesn't give us some kind of heavenly fire insurance. But it does give us a promise from God. A promise of the very presence of God through Jesus Christ in ...

1293. Nehemiah: The Fix

Nehemiah 1:1-11

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... to ask the King if he could rebuild the walls. This week in the Science Lab we learned that if we're not following God we're kind of like this balloon. You blow it up, let it go and who knows where it will go. We might be trying to get it to the ... filled up with God's never ending love, Nehemiah had to listen. And God's love is never ending. (Use the never empty Water Vase.) It's kind of like this vase. It's never empty. And our faith lives can be like that too, but we have to take time in prayers to listen ...

1294. Who Touched The Remote Control?

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... much time they spent together in meaningful discussion. The father said that they spent about two-and-a-half hours a day in meaning discussion. The pastor was impressed. "That's wonderful! That's more than I spend with my own family, a lot more! What kind of things do you discuss?" Mom rolled her eyes and then volunteered additional information left out by the father. She said, "We only discuss one thing: who gets to hold the remote control for the television!" (1) The remote control. We all have them don't ...

1295. The Wedding Was Saved, but the Marriage?

John 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... for what can happen in a person’s life when he or she invites Christ into his or her heart. Christ can take a sin-filled heart and turn it into one in which the glory of God is revealed. It is said that the writer Leo Tolstoy experienced that kind of transformation. He told about it in a book titled, My Conversion. Tolstoy wrote, “[When] faith came to me; I believed in Jesus Christ, and all my life suddenly changed. I ceased to desire that which previously I had desired, and on the other hand, I took to ...

1296. Show and Tell

Mark 1:16-22

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... you do that?" And Lucy answers, "I hit him over the head with my lunch box." (3) We don't want to be perceived as those kind of Christians. So, out of fear of rejection, fear of saying something wrong, fear of being labeled and fear of not knowing what to say, ... ?" they pleaded. With a grin and a gleam in his eye Jeff's little brother said, "I wanna tell." We should have the same kind enthusiasm for telling the world the Good News that Jeff's little brother had for telling his parents the bad news. (5) Now I ...

1297. Cross Eyed: Anger

John 2:13-22

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... 't see them, they didn't have to deal with them. Besides, how could how could a good Jew stay ritually clean and deal with those kind of people. Israel's earliest calling was to reach out to all the nations of the world. In Genesis 18:18 we read "...Abraham shall become ... angry - but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life." III. How Do We Deal With It A. So, it's not a sin to get angry. It's OK to be angry ...

1298. Amazing Authority

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... of a shower to take, when to brush and how much toilet paper you could use. They were in charge. They might not have been God but they sure acted like they had God on the phone and had put Him on hold to deal with you. That's the kind of authority they had. C. Then There's The Authority of Age: Sometimes there are those who we cherish and whose wisdom and authority come simply from their age. They've lived longer than anyone we know, they've experienced more and seen more than anyone else and their opinion ...

1299. Hope That Hangs In There

Isaiah 35:1-10

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... Is the goal of life to be a star? The gifted may be tempted more than the limited. So many opportunities knock. How can we know the difference between an invitation and an obligation? Is life about POWER? Kings and kingdoms may bow at your command. Can anyone resist that kind of offer—to be in charge, to have control, to do good for your own sake? Jesus found the angels in the desert watching over him. So can you. Oh, how sweet to find that the light is as deep as the shadow, and heaven is nearest when we ...

1300. Winning the War Over Fear (Series: Winning the Wars of Daily Life)

Luke 12:1-12

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... killing the body, has the power to throw you into hell” (Luke12: 4-5). We live in an age of anxiety and fear. If the goal of the Al Qaeda was to instill fear into the hearts of Americans, they have succeeded. Yet Jesus said, don’t let that kind of fear control you. You have a choice. When I announced my subject for today, an elementary student came up to me and said, “When you preach about fear, use the words of Franklin Roosevelt.” “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” I don’t know ...

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