Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1426 to 1450 of 2561 results

1426. "Hold Your Horses!"

Acts 1:12-26

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

"... wait for the Promise of the Father." When you were a child, did your parents ever say to you, as mine said to me, "Hold your horses!" I must have heard that phrase literally hundreds of times as I was growing up: when I wanted school to be out for the summer, when I fretted because a meal was not ready, when I wanted to do something exciting "now," when I spoke too hastily, when I demanded something be done immediately, when I couldn’t stand still while mother measured a hem in a skirt - I can hear it ...

1427. Solomon’s Search

2 Chronicles 1:1-17

Sermon

Richard F. Bansemer

The sermon is based on the question asked of Solomon by God in the seventh verse of the first chapter of 2 Chronicles: "In that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, ‘Ask what I shall give you.’ " Imagine yourself alone at night in your own home. Your wife or the husband is gone for the evening, visiting with family in another city. All the kids are elsewhere. It’s been a strange kind of night for you. You watched a little television but found it silly to watch by yourself. You started into a ...

1428. Father Damien

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

Carroll Gunkel

Leprosy is no longer the scourge of humanity it once was. This is mainly a tribute to the drug penicillin, which has practically eliminated leprosy from this earth. Before that miracle, however, men and women stricken with the disease were subjected not only to the reality of great suffering, slowly leading to death, but also to the tragedy of exile from their communities and separation from those whom they loved. Lepers were the living dead. Ancient Egyptians called leprosy "death before death." In the ...

1429. On Being a Beautiful Christian

Mark 14:1-11

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

To have courage without pugnacity, To have conviction without bigotry, To have charity without condescension, To have faith without credulity, To have meekness with power, and emotion with sanity, To have love for humanity without mere sentimentality - that is Christianity. (Charles Evans Hughes) Being a "beautiful Christian" is that second mile that a true experience of Christ produces in us. There are no "ugly Christians" not really. When I was a student at the Duke Divinity School the bells were just ...

1430. A Liturgical Drama For Advent

Drama

Tom Eberle

Advent The seasons of the church calendar are like the headings for each act of a theater production. They provide the particular setting in which one element of the divine drama of God’s revelation in Christ is presented to us. The liturgical seasons are sometimes thought of as optional observances, like a fancily-iced cake. They make worship more attractive, but are not part of the basic recipe. This collection of liturgical dramas for worship is written, not as frosting, but with the intention that the ...

1431. The Circus and My Faith

Ps 139 · Mt 22:37

Sermon

Robert Noblett

The Bible admonishes us to love God, but it also embellishes on the point. It admonishes us to love God with all the heart that we have, all the soul that we have and all the mind that we have. Our intent in these pages is to land on the third dimension of our love for God, our willingness to love God with our minds. That may strike some as a bit unusual - loving someone with our mind (we usually love with our hearts), but then loving God is a different matter than loving our spouses or our children. ...

1432. Leah

Genesis 49:29--50:14

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

An elderly woman of keen mind and understanding heart stood gazing at Whistler’s portrait of his mother. "It’s a remarkable painting of a lovely lady," murmured the viewer, "but there is too much peace and calm to be the likeness of a real mother." To be sure, serenity and tranquility are marked qualities of motherhood, yet there has been far more sorrow, pain, and discord in the long history of women than the pacific sweetness of "Mother Machree" would indicate. Ours is a world which traditionally has not ...

1433. Your Image of Tomorrow

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Mann

"Among those who are born of women ..." If you are thinking of the human race, this is a rather inclusive statement; I can’t think of very many people it leaves out! And this is a statement of Jesus as he offers a summa cum laude of highest praise to one of his associates in the dissemination of truth and light. He says, "Among those who are born of women, there has not arisen a greater prophet than John the Baptizer" (Matthew 11:11; Luke 7:28). What was it that was so great about John - this son of ...

1434. The Beauty of a Childlike Faith

Matthew 18:1-9

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

An eight-year-old boy was away at summer camp for the first time. His parents did not receive a card from him for a whole week. So, they telephoned to check on him. Frankly, they were a bit disappointed to discover that he hadn't really missed them at all. He was just very busy having a wonderful time. His mother asked, "Have any of the other kids gotten homesick?" He replied, "Just the ones who have dogs back home." Children will almost always tell it just like they see it. The candor and ...

1435. Is Someone Knocking?

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Have you ever been blamed for something that was not your fault? It's not pleasant. I heard about a retired Admiral who had such an experience. He was taking his six-year-old grandson on a tour of the great Plaza Hotel in Detroit. They were riding the elevator to the top when suddenly a young woman turned and slapped the Admiral sharply across the face. The Admiral, with great restraint, kept his dignity. As a true gentleman he said nothing. Up a few floors the young lady got off the elevator. Then the boy ...

1436. Where Are You?

Genesis 3:1-24

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

The largest and most tragic industrial accident in history occurred in 1986 in Russia. It was the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. But it was not really an accident. Now that the Cold War has ended, more information is available about that tragedy. Two electrical engineers were on duty that night. Whether they were sober or not is unclear, but they were playing around with the machines. These engineers had to override manually six separate computer-driven alarm systems. One by one the computers said, "Stop! ...

1437. Here Comes Jesus

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

James Bjorge

Johnny Carson has a side-kick who opens the evening television talk show with a phrase that never varies. Big Ed McMahon bursts forth with the introduction, "Here’s Johnny!" Then the talk man comes forth from the wings to entertain his audience and television viewers. As the herald of the show, Ed McMahon plays an important role in getting the show off the ground with gusto. Jesus was coming to stage the greatest drama the world would ever witness. It would unfold the mighty act of redemption. While he was ...

1438. THE OLD MAN IS WASTING

Drama

Jerome W. Nilssen

In JAREL’S apartment. There is a table in the room, with a telephone on it. JAREL is seated. SETH is standing, with a deck of cards in his hand. JAREL Look, I never invited you here, I never asked you to come in, and I absolutely do not want to go back to him. And, finally, I don’t want to play any silly game. SETH Don’t knock what you haven’t tried. JAREL I could always try calling the police. You’re not exactly a guest. SETH Go ahead. I’ve got my story ready: FAITHFUL BROTHER-IN-LAW REBUKED IN ...

1439. A Real Pepper-Upper

Sermon

Michael J. Anton

PENTECOST I’m tired. I’m tired of slugging it out every day in that office or on that line where nobody really cares whether I live or die. I’m tired of being treated like a number. I’m tired of being called nosey when I’m just trying to help. I’m tired of being unappreciated and taken for granted. I’m tired of being an armchair psychologist and trying to figure people out. I’m tired of yelling and screaming at my kids. I’m tired of yelling and screaming at my parents. I’m tired of cooking meals and ...

1440. Thy Kingdom Come

Luke 17:20-37

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

I usually read that section of the newspaper called "Letters to the Editor." It is always interesting though not always noble or edifying. For example, someone from another section of the country will suggest some way to improve Memphis. Then for the next two weeks, local folks will write in, declaring that if that foreigner doesn't like the way we do things, he can go back where he came from. Some time ago a letter appeared which sparked my interest. At that time a local Christian named Carolyn McKenzie ...

1441. Broken and Beautiful

Luke 18:9-14, Psalm 51:1-19

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

If I were to call you a "broken" person, you would probably resent it. But the Bible says that a certain kind of brokenness is essential if we are to be close to God. That late Southern humorist Lewis Grizzard could tickle the funny bone of almost anybody. But when he wrote about his father, he could make you cry. His father was a soldier, a veteran of World War II who returned to military duty in Korea. There in brutal warfare against the Chinese, Mr. Grizzard, Sr. saw more suffering and horror than he ...

1442. Our Scheduled Appointments with God

Hebrews 10:19-39

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

That epic movie "Titanic" is breaking attendance records at the theaters, proving yet again that the awful tragedy of 1912 continues to fascinate people. 1645 passengers died that night in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. Over 600 were saved. As the movie demonstrates, most of the survivors were people who stayed close together and encouraged one another. That same principle applies in our faith journey. The evil one (Satan, the devil) is angered by every profession of faith in Christ. Each person ...

1443. Facing Life’s Central Tests

Mark 14:32-42

Sermon

Robert Allen

It was a beautiful spring afternoon in Eastern Oklahoma when my secretary told me that Oleatha was on the phone. Oleatha was 67 years old and she had been having problems. She often became confused. She had a tendency to forget. Once, she had gotten lost going from church out to her home on a bluff that overlooked the lake. At the insistence of her family, she had gone through a battery of medical tests. The reports were in and Oleatha wanted me to come by and visit her. When I drove into her driveway, I ...

1444. Why Don’t You Send Somebody?

Isaiah 63:7--64:12

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

In the entrance of the magnificent modern cathedral of St. Michael in Coventry, England, a most enigmatic statement is emblazoned upon the floor in large gleaming brass letters that demand to be read. There is no escaping it, for one has to walk over it to enter the nave. It says, "TO THE GLORY OF GOD THIS CHURCH BURNT, NOVEMBER 14, 1941." The incredible irony of that statement is what grabs the attention. "To the glory of God?" How can that be? That’s the kind of statement one inscribes under a stained ...

1445. Call Waiting

1 Samuel 3:1--4:1

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

Samuel was one of those children born rather late in the life of a woman who dearly wanted a child. To have a child was Hannah’s most earnest prayer. Indeed the writers of the scriptures regarded a child born late in life as an indication of God’s special favor. Hannah, Samuel’s mother, must have thought so too, and while he was still an infant, as soon as he was weaned, he was offered into the service of the Lord in thanks to God for his birth. That’s how it happened that this young boy named Samuel came ...

1446. And Now For Something Completely Different

Isaiah 43:14-28

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

At the end of a week-long retreat in a mountain camp setting a somewhat different kind of worship service was taking place. It was at the end of a day that had been set aside for introspection and talking about feelings of self-worth. There had been some discussion about how to deal with feelings of guilt and the need to feel forgiven, and how it is often easier to forgive someone else than to forgive oneself. Since this was a retreat of church people there was frequent reference to the forgiving nature of ...

1447. Obedience to God

Drama

Curt M. Joseph

Characters: Joseph of Arimathea - a pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin; calm, methodical, and a seeker of wisdom and truth. Nathanael an apostle of Jesus; warm, gentle, caring. Philip an apostle of Jesus; excitable, and not quite sure of himself. The play opens with only an empty bench in the middle of the stage. Joseph: (He comes on stage hurriedly. Looks around. When he can’t see anyone, he begins to speak out loud, as if to himself.) I can’t believe it. I’ve missed him again! (Looks around at the ...

1448. Jesus the Hope of the World

Drama

Curt M. Joseph

Characters: Thomas - apostle of Jesus; skeptical and cynical; tries hard to hide his fear. Peter - apostle of Jesus; strong personality. John - apostle of Jesus; compassionate and caring. Mary Magdalene - disciple of Jesus; strong and faithful. The play begins with only Thomas onstage. He has a small sack, large enough to contain an extra robe, etc. He is packing the sack. He looks around. Thomas: Now, let me see, am I missing anything? (He looks into the bag.) Robe, sandals, money sack. Yes, it looks like ...

1449. God So Loved the World

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Richard A. Jensen

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) That is John 3:16, one of the best known and often-quoted verses in the entire Bible. Martin Luther once called it the "Gospel within the Gospels." If you watch any sporting events on television, you will almost always see a banner strategically placed so the camera will include it that simply reads: "John 3:16." Some group of people has chosen this method to hold up the ...

1450. THE JOY OF CHRISTIAN LIVING

Galatians 4:21-31

Sermon Aid

John W. Rilling

Rejoice! There is a beautiful promise in the Bible that they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Saint Paul soars on eagles’ wings in 1 Corinthians 13, he runs very well in Romans 12. But occasionally he plods - and we faint. The author of the second epistle of Peter admits that even for him there are some things in Paul’s letters that are hard to understand. What he might have had in ...

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