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 1451 to 1475 of 4933 results

1451. Seen The Doctor Lately?

Romans 12:9-21

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

One afternoon, a man went to his doctor and told him that he hasn't been feeling well lately. The doctor examined the man, left the room, and came back with three different bottles of pills. The doctor said, "Take the green pill with a big glass of water when you wake up. Take the blue pill with a big glass of water after you eat lunch. Then just before going to bed, take the red pill with another big glass of water." Startled to be put on so much medicine, the man stammered, "Jiminy Doc, what's my problem ...

1452. The Calling of Our Baptism

Luke 3:21-22; Matthew 28:18-20

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Water—cool, clear, water. Seventy percent of the earth is covered with it. Two-thirds of the body is filled with it. In the beginning of time the Spirit of God hovered over the water and brought life out of chaos. What can be more refreshing on a hot summer day than a dip in the pool? What can be more comforting on a cold winter night than a long hot bath. My doctors have been encouraging me to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. It’s the fastest way to health they say. The Church uses water. We use it ...

1453. The Compassionate Christ

Mark 1:40-45

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

My mother and father-in-law were country music singers before there was country music. With guitar in hand and harmony in their heart, they traveled the hills of Owen County singing at revivals and Sunday dinners on the grounds. One of my favorites was a little ditty that went like this: Your roses may have thorns, but don't forget, Your thorns may have some roses too. The Lord of great compassion loves you yet, And He will never fail to see you through. It is the Lord of great compassion that I would like ...

1454. Luke 6:20-31

Luke 6:17-26

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

If you were raised in a small town or a rural setting, moving to a big city can be a big deal. The intense, fast pace of urban life can seem disorienting and overwhelming. But the reverse is also true. If you are a born and bred city dweller, and move to a scarcely populated, yet closely knit small town or rural community, the rhythms of that lifestyle can appear utterly foreign. For an urban dweller, small town life runs on the rails of a mysterious train of relationships. In both cases the newcomer must ...

1455. Blasphemy Against the Spirit

Illustration

Staff

This statement (Matt 12:32, par Mk. 3:29, Luke 12:10) has been the subject of much questioning. Obviously the reference here is not to the naming of the Holy Spirit in a blasphemous utterance, for in Matt. 12:32 even blasphemy against the Son of man can be forgiven. Among the many attempts at exegesis, the most convincing is the suggestion that the man who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit is he who has recognized that God is working through the Holy Spirit in the actions of Jesus, and who quite ...

1456. A Job Well Done

Col 3:7

Illustration

H. A. Ironside

When I was a boy, I felt it was both a duty and a privilege to help my widowed mother make ends meet by finding employment in vacation time, on Saturdays and other times when I did not have to be in school. For quite a while I worked for a Scottish shoemaker, or "cobbler," as he preferred to be called, an Orkney man, named Dan Mackay. He was a forthright Christian and his little shop was a real testimony for Christ in the neighborhood. The walls were literally covered with Bible texts and pictures, ...

1457. The Lord’s Case Against Israel

Micah 6:1-8

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

Israel Called to Court: Chapter 6 begins the third section of the prophecies of Micah, each of which opens with an imperative to “hear.” The first “hear!” was a command to all the peoples of the earth (1:2), the second to the leaders of Israel (3:1). The third is now directed to the Israelite populace as a whole (6:1) and forms a command to listen to all that follows in chapters 6–7. Scholars differ as to whether 6:1–8 is a unit or whether two separate oracles, verses 1–5 and 6–8, are involved. Certainly ...

1458. Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

Romans 15:14-22, Romans 15:23-33

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Conclusion: Paul concludes his letter with information about his travel plans (15:14–33), recommendations of Phoebe (16:1–2), greetings to co-workers in the Roman churches (16:3–16), and an admonition with regard to dangers facing the churches in Rome (16:17–20). Paul describes his missionary work as focused on outreach to pagans. This is the reason why he wants to visit the churches in Rome, whom he hopes to involve in the mission to Spain, which he is planning. The letter ends with additional greetings ( ...

1459. The Penitential Psalm

Psalm 51:1-19

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Every psalm is special, but with this one we feel that we enter upon holy ground. While it is a confession of sin, it reflects an intimacy with God few psalms can rival. In most psalms, blame for a lamentable condition is attached to enemies or to sickness, but this psalm is uniquely introspective before God. In the traditions of the early church, there are the seven penitential psalms (Pss. 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143). Upon closer inspection, however, we discover that only Psalms 32, 51, and 130 ...

1460. A Spooky Kind of Love

1 Samuel 28:1-25, Matthew 28:11-15

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Last week we remembered that Jesus walks beside us even when we don’t notice He is there. This week we are reminded that God is in charge, even when we try to take matters into our own hands! There’s an old saying, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” The phrase was coined by Allen Saunders in a Reader’s Digest article in 1957, later appropriated by John Lennon in his song, “Beautiful Boy.” I think all of us can resonate with that line, as well as its companion wisdom, “Want to make ...

1461. Follow The Man With The Plan

Sermon

Richard Hasler

In the July 25, 1993, issue of the Cleveland Plain Dealer a fascinating article appeared about secret agent Varian Fry. He was an eccentric, bookish and shy man, one who hardly fits the picture of a secret agent. Nonetheless, this Harvard-educated writer left New York City in 1940 to begin a life of intrigue in France worthy of a Le Carre novel. His mission was to rescue artists, writers and musicians whose lives were in jeopardy because of Hitler's hatred of the Jews. Fry was successful in liberating 2, ...

1462. The Importance Of Giving Thanks

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To help children to remember that part of being human means giving thanks. Material: A batch of homemade cookies (or some other homemade treat) to share. Lesson: Do any of you have a dog at home? ... Do you do anything special when you feed your dog? ... In our house, we have the dog do a trick, like sitting up, before she is fed. And you know what she does when we put the food down? She eats it right away. And you know what else? She never says, "Thank you." Now, of course, I don't expect her to ...

1463. Proper 20

Mark 9:30-37

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

Call to Worship Turn your thoughts to God who is your helper and who will be the mainstay of your life. Prayer of Confession God of the gospel, the One who sends, The One who is sent and returns, the One who is sent and remains with the church, we declare our need of the wisdom that is from above, pure, peace-loving, considerate, open to reason. We can be devious rather than straightforward, hypocritical rather than sincere, unforgiving rather than merciful, cruel rather than kind. Forgive the bitter ...

1464. Stuck with Super Glue

Romans 8:35

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: Some super glue and two pieces of wood to be glued together. Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have ever played with glue? (Let them answer.) It is kind of fun when you have the right kind of glue to play with. Now they make a special kind of glue and while it is the best glue, it is also very dangerous. I brought this glue with me this morning because I wanted to show you something about Jesus and the way that he feels about you. But I never want you to play with this kind of glue, ...

1465. God Is Like A One-A-Day

Philippians 4:13

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: Some vitamins. Good morning, boys and girls. Did you smell fresh air this morning when you got up? Did it feel good to take a deep breath and smell the fall season? Look at the trees, the fall flowers, and the wonderful colors in clothing that people are wearing. This is a special time of the year for all of us. I like fall because it always reminds me that God is really close to us and helping us. Everyone knows that we could not make such a beautiful world, and this all belongs to God. But we ...

1466. A Brand New Page

Matthew 2:1-12

Children's Sermon

Edward G. Hunter

Object: A blank piece of paper and a pencil with an eraser We are still at the beginning of a New Year and many people like to think in terms of getting a fresh start. In a sense, starting over again. Something like a blank sheet of paper, such as I hold in my hand this morning. There is nothing written on this paper. Let's say we haven't done anything in the New Year yet. Most of us would like to put down some very good things we do this year - such as coming to Sunday school and church each Sunday, ...

1467. Prepare The Way

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

Brett Blair

His name was John. People knew him locally as the Baptist. Some would say of him that he was a religious eccentric. Others less kind would dismiss him as being simply a flake. He definitely did not seem to be the kind of “How to win friends and influence people” type of personality to usher in the news of the Messiah’s coming. He just somehow doesn’t seem to fit in with shepherds and wise men and the other characters that we traditionally associate with the Christmas story. Yet, this was God’s unlikely ...

1468. Christian Thanksgiving

Philippians 1:1-7

Sermon

T. A. Kantonen

"I thank my God," says the Apostle. That is what we are asked to do, and our national tradition designates one day each year for this purpose. For Christians, however, giving thanks to God is not confined to a single day or to a special Thanksgiving service of worship. It is the keynote of all our worship. This was known already to the worshipers in Old Testament times. They said, "Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving" (Psalm 95:2) and "I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving" (Psalm ...

1469. You Do Have A Prayer

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

James W. Moore

Some years ago, when Leonard Griffith was pastor of the famous City Temple in London, he wrote a fascinating book entitled Barriers to Christian Belief. In that book he dealt with some problems that have over the years been real obstacles and stumbling blocks for people in their faith pilgrimage… specific problems that hinder people, that burden people, that disturb people… and keep them away from the Christian faith. One of the barriers he listed was…"unanswered prayer." It does seem to be a fact of our ...

1470. If Your Life Were A Movie

Mark 9:42-50

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: None OR a picture of Pinocchio or Pinocchio book How many of you know the story of Pinocchio? What was his problem? (Children respond) He told lies, didn't he? Have you ever told a lie or done something else that was wrong? (response) All of us have done this at one time or another. Not only is it bad, but also a strange thing happens when we tell lies or do something wrong and don't admit it. Our noses don't grow like Pinocchio's did, but we often have to tell another lie to cover up for the first ...

1471. The Lord Is Among Us

Joel 2:18-27

Bulletin Aid

H. Burnham Kirkland

Call To Worship Leader: O God, it is right for us to praise you and keep our promises to you. People: People all over the world and across the distant seas trust in you. Leader: The whole world stands in awe of the great things that you have done. People: Your deeds bring shouts of joy from one end of the earth to the other. Collect Generous and Caring God, we live as though the world owed us, and soon we forget that all we have comes from you. Creator God, we gather to thank you for your many blessings ...

1472. The World Needs Less Mother Goose More Mother Teresa

Isaiah 58:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

A thief in his old age, unable to ply his “trade,” was starving. A wealthy man, hearing of his distress, sent him food. Shortly thereafter, both the rich man and the thief died, on the same day. The trial of the benefactor occurred first in the Heavenly Court. The verdict? He was found wanting and sentenced to Purgatory. At the entrance, however, an angel came hurrying to recall him back to Court. There he learned that his sentence had been reversed. Why? The thief whom he had aided on earth had stolen the ...

1473. Have Your Own Way Instead

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship There is a mystery of free will which we cannot fully fathom, wherein we believe that our choices matter, yet somehow God's will shall be done. Let God's will be done in our choice to worship today. Collect You alone are king. You alone are Lord. Our allegiance to any other things, person, or organization must come not just a distant second, but light years back of our commitment to you and your kingdom. As we balance our time and our heart's desire we pray that you will intrude, reminding ...

1474. Worth a Thousand Points

Luke 18:9-14

Illustration

John P. Jewell

Perhaps you have heard the story of the man who came to the gates of heaven to be greeted by St. Peter. Peter asks the man if he can give a brief history of his life with an emphasis on the good deeds he had done in order to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven. "You will need 1000 points to be admitted," Peter tells the man. "This will be a cinch," the man thinks to himself, "I've been involved in church from the days of my youth." Then he begins to list his activities for Peter. He was an officer in ...

1475. Building Bridges

Illustration

Staff

Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years in farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence. One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a ...

Showing results