Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1426 to 1450 of 5000 results

1426. Secret Swerve

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Lori Wagner

A secret is like a dance you do in the dark. It’s cautious with its steps, limber in its quiet strength, and loyal to its passion. It swerves past danger and leans into adventure, all the while sidestepping to keep safe from detection. For a time, it avoids the revealing the light it knows but cannot reveal. Yet it looks forward to the coming dawn when the beauty and force of its power breaks free. Mary and Joseph shared a secret –a powerful secret that would change the world. She carried within her dark ...

1427. Listening Within

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

When asked to sum up what he had learned in his hospital in Lamberene, Albert Schweitzer said two things. “First, we all carry within us our own best hospital. We need to learn to listen to what our body is telling us.” Have you not found that to be true? When we deprive our body of some basic need, it will act up to remind us that something is wrong -- something needs attending to. Symptoms of sickness are attempts of our body to get our attention to those needs. The second thing Dr. Schweitzer said he ...

1428. The Paradox of the Yoke

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Most people would not prefer to be fastened into a yoke. Yokes are rigid. They are entrapping. They are hard, and they are inhibiting. Yet, you wouldn’t want to plow a field without one –if you lived in the first century that is. Think of it perhaps this way. You’re going on a hike through the wilderness. In order to survive well, you carry a fairly heavy, bulky backpack on your back. It may feel uncomfortable, hot, and annoying, but without it, you’re left to fend for yourself in the mountains and the ...

1429. The Reckoning

Matthew 14:13-21, Genesis 32:22-32

Sermon

Lori Wagner

How many math wizards are out there today? Anyone? I’ve always been amazed at those phenomenal people who can compute sums and fractions in their heads in the matter of moments. Or how about accountants? Tax accountants! Hear me? Oh man! You have to have a certain personality I think to be a tax accountant, amen? Or what about statisticians? Or those who program AI! Rocket scientists? Physicists? Math wizards! When I was in school, we called these super amazing computational people “geeks.” Now, I’m ...

1430. Revising The Agenda

Matthew 16:21-28

Sermon

William G. Carter

Whenever I hear this Bible passage, I smell potato soup. One day when I was about fourteen years old, my mother announced we were going to church for something called a “sacrificial” supper. She said it had something to do with the season of Lent. That was curious, too. We were a low-church Presbyterian family. Liturgical seasons didn’t mean much to us. Any talk of Lent didn’t make much sense. At least, not until that night. There we were, one Sunday night in late winter. The fellowship hall was half-empty ...

1431. Seize the Now

Philippians 2:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

I want to ask you a question this morning: where would you eat if you didn’t have long to live? That was the title of a 2019 newspaper article written by Jay Rayner, the food critic for The Guardian newspaper in the UK. Back in May 2019, Jay received a letter from a reader named Hugh Paton. Hugh had just received a diagnosis of terminal cancer. He thought that the advice to “eat, drink and be merry” might be the best way to spend his remaining weeks or months, so he asked his favorite food critic to ...

1432. When God Leads

Joshua 3:7-17

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever been in a situation that needed leadership and direction before it got out of hand? Sometimes one good leader can keep a situation from descending into chaos. But that kind of leadership can be hard to find. When the COVID-19 pandemic first started, health departments around the nation organized mass vaccination clinics in every community. The challenge of vaccinating hundreds or thousands of people each day in a safe and timely manner proved to be a logistical nightmare. The health ...

1433. Nothing Special Friday

John 18:1-19:42

Sermon

Mary Austin

If you were out at work this morning, or running errands, you know that most of the world is having a typical day today. People are going to the bank, to exercise, to shop for groceries. People are going to work and coming home. They are getting coffee, standing in line for a bagel, and chopping food for dinner. They’re typing away, writing emails, developing code, designing buildings. Other people are giving or receiving medical tests, taking chemo and radiation, sitting through the hours of dialysis. All ...

1434. When It’s Good, It’s Really Good

John 15:9-17

Sermon

Mary Austin

We continue hearing Jesus speak about how we should live in the world and remain connected to him, even without his immediate presence. He was talking to his disciples here, and we listen in, for words that apply to us, too. John 15:9-17: As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy ...

1435. Recush

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

The title for today’s sermon is an obscure Hebrew word. I remember it more than 25 years after first learning it because my professor made it memorable. We were studying the passage in Genesis where Abraham heard that his nephew Lot had been taken hostage. Abraham went to battle to free Lot and “brought back all the goods (recush, שׁוּﬤרּ) and also brought back his nephew Lot.” Genesis 14:16 (NRSV). “Goods” is a really vague word. It’s like our word “stuff.” We asked what “goods” would entail and our ...

1436. Creation Reborn

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

When I was a pastor in rural southern Alberta, we held our Easter Sunrise worship services in a cemetery. It was difficult to gather in the dark, since neither mountains nor forests hid the spring-time sun, and the high desert plains lay open to almost ceaselessly unclouded skies. Still, we mumbled in hushed whispers as we acknowledged one another, and saved our booming tones for the final rousing chorus of “Up from the grave he arose…!” We did not shake the earth as much as we hoped. But we were confident ...

1437. Investing Our Inheritance

Deuteronomy 26:1-15

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

A friend once told me of an experience he had as a child. When he was eight years old he went with his family to visit an uncle who lived on a farm. He always looked forward to these visits because his uncle had horses that he let the children ride. When it was his turn to go for a ride, he rode the horse until he was out of view of the house. Then he slipped to the ground. He wanted to try mounting the horse as he had seen cowboys on television do it. So he got behind the horse and took a running start ...

1438. Allowing God To Do A New Thing

Isaiah 43:14-28

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

There was a pilot with three passengers -- a boy scout, a priest, and an atomic scientist -- and a plane that developed engine trouble in mid-flight. The pilot rushed back to the passenger compartment and exclaimed, "The plane is going down! We have only three parachutes, and there are four of us! I have a family waiting for me at home. I must survive!" With that, he grabbed one of the parachutes and jumped out of the plane. The atomic scientist jumped to his feet at this point and declared, "I am the ...

1439. Witnesses For The Lord

Acts 10:23b-48

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

Hear these powerful words of Erasmus.How much more wonderful the work of redemption is, in comparison with creation. It is more marvelous that God was made man than that He created the angels; that He wailed in a stable than that He reigns in the heavens. The creation of the world was a work of power, but the redemption of the world was a work of mercy.1 So we gather on this glorious Easter morning to celebrate God's wonderful work of mercy. As we celebrate Easter today, we seek to make it a celebration ...

1440. Transforming Love

Acts 9:1-19a

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

Edwin Markham's little poem has so much to say to us about the ability of love to transform. He drew a circle that shut me out -- Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in.1 One of the most amazing stories to come out of the Bible is the account of Saul's life. Through this story we see a leading opponent of the church being transformed into the church's greatest advocate. In today's passage of scripture, we encounter the conversion experience of ...

1441. A Maturing Faith

Acts 16:16-40

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

In today's passage of scripture we see clearly that there are different levels of maturity represented in faith. Each level requires greater depth and a greater level of trust. For those who can attain the highest level of faith, though, the impact of their witness for Jesus Christ is greatly enhanced. A Superficial Faith The first level of faith is superficial faith. This is faith that deals with people and teachings only on the surface level. There is no depth of understanding or application or ...

1442. A Shroud Unto Life

Luke 24:1-12

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

Who will ever forget those first pictures? There were pictures of starving men and starving women and starving children. These pictures stunned the world when they first hit our television screens. Pictures of Ethiopia. Pictures of an incredible famine. Millions of lives were at risk. And the world hardly knew about it until we saw the pictures. It was the pictures of the starving children that probably carried the most power. Babies sucking desperately at mother's empty breast, sucking for their life. ...

1443. A Great Prophet Has Arisen Among Us

1 Kings 17:8-24; 2 Kings 4:1-37

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

"Shunem: Site of the Prophet Elisha's Resurrection Miracle." If they had had road signs in the days of old this might have been the sign that welcomed you to Shunem. All the people of Shunem and all the people in the cities around Shunem surely knew of Elisha's miraculous feat. This was an area known for its prophets! Elisha's prophetic forerunner, Elijah, was the first prophet to raise a young man to life. It happened in Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8-24). Perhaps it is not surprising that Elisha also raised a ...

1444. Transfiguration

Luke 9:28-36

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: There needs to be a transfiguration in all of us. We need to carry the spiritual experience with us out into the world. Summary: Ralph has just had a wonderful spiritual experience in church and wants it to last forever. Mabel, his friend, tells him he doesn't have to stay in church to do that -- he can "take it with him." Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: Church Props: None Costumes: Clothes appropriate for church. Time: The present Cast: Mabel Ralph RALPH: Wasn't today's worship wonderful? MABEL: ...

1445. Doubters All, Part II

John 13:31-38

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme:Trust Jesus. Summary: After class, Gerrie and Tommie continue their discussion of Christianity versus other religions. This time they discuss Jesus as Savior, the One who died for us all. This is the second in a four-part series. Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: A college campus Props: Gerrie -- books and a rose Tommie -- books and a recent newspaper Costumes: Dress appropriate for professors Time: The present Cast: Gerrie Tommie (TWO FEMALE PROFESSORS WALKING FROM A CLASS) GERRIE: (CARRYING BOOKS ...

1446. Doubters All, Part III

John 14:15-31

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: Love Jesus. Summary: Gerrie and Tommie are still talking about Jesus and Christianity. Gerrie is at the point of believing and Tommie helps her. This is the third of a four-part series. Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: A college campus Props: Gerrie -- books Tommie -- books and a recent newspaper Costumes: Dress appropriate for professors Time:The present Cast: Gerrie Tommie (TWO FEMALE PROFESSORS WALKING TO CLASS) GERRIE: (CARRYING BOOKS) Well, here we go again. TOMMIE: (CARRYING BOOKS AND A RECENT ...

1447. Doubters All, Part IV

John 17:20-26

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: Follow Jesus. Summary: Gerrie and Tommie are still talking about Jesus and Christianity and now Gerrie is a believer and a human dynamo for the Lord. However, she forgot one important part -- the leading of the Holy Spirit. Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: A college campus Props: Gerrie -- books and a Bible Tommie -- books and a recent newspaper Costumes: Dress appropriate for professors Time: The present Cast: Gerrie Tommie Todd -- an acquaintance (TWO FEMALE PROFESSORS WALKING FROM A CLASS) GERRIE ...

1448. Unforgiveness

Luke 7:36-50

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme: Forgiveness is necessary for relationships. Summary: Things are in an uproar at the Peskey home. One thing leads to another and Rena, the mother, brings up something in her husband Sam's background for which she cannot forgive him. Playing Time: 3 minutes Setting: The Peskey house. Props: Sam -- a newspaper, Rena -- a pile of dirty clothes and a tennis shoe Costumes: Contemporary, casual Time: The present Cast: Sam Peskey Rena -- his wife Tiff -- their daughter, age 16 SAM: (ENTERS, CARRYING A ...

1449. Alesander The Mediocre

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

Theme\n It is never pleasant to be humbled but it is necessary to be \nused by God. \nSummary\n Alexander is the type of ruler who cannot get started with a \nproject, blames others for his misfortunes, and ends up hurting \nhimself and his people; but he is finally humbled before God. \nPlaying Time 7 minutes\nSetting The throne room, Macedonia\nProps Agamuse -- a pot of mud\nCostumes Ancient Greek with half masks and cothurni\nTime Ancient Greek\nCast ALEXANDER -- the king of Macedonia\n CHOREGUS -- the ...

1450. Easter Jogging

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

He is Risen. "He is Risen, indeed," we respond. We sound the trumpet. We decorate the altar in gold. We sound the bells. We sing out the alleluia's in the loudest crescendo we can. We turn out in larger numbers than any other time of the church year to celebrate this Queen of Feasts. And well we should. No matter how large the observance and how great the celebration we cannot make it grand enough to capture the fullness of its meaning for us. We are always going to have trouble with Easter because, no ...

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