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 126 to 150 of 160 results

126. Becoming What You Are

John 14:15-31

Sermon

Carl Jech

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26) If you have visited the Kremlin in Moscow, one of the things that probably sticks in your memory is the tomb of Lenin. I have heard visitors comment that the emphasis on tombs and monuments in the Soviet Union almost makes it seem as if the Soviet people worship cemeteries. In contrast to being entombed and put on display like a ...

127. Priorities

Luke 12:35-48, Luke 12:22-34

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: Honoring God as king, and being ready for the return of the Lord, must take priority over the ordinary concerns of life. Understanding the Text Several themes from our last section are developed here: God’s fatherly care, the absolute priority of serving God over all other concerns, and especially the tension between material concern and true discipleship—12:22–31 is a sort of commentary on 12:15 and the parable that illustrates it. This last theme of “God and mammon” will be picked up again ...

128. Bildad

Job 8:1-22

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

Does God Pervert Justice?: 8:1–2 The second friend, Bildad, begins without the slightest indication of compassion for Job’s suffering. He immediately condemns Job’s speech, calling it a blustering wind. His goal from the first is to defend the traditional wisdom understanding of retribution. Unlike Eliphaz before him, Bildad seems willing to acknowledge Job’s essential righteousness and encourages patience in waiting for God’s ultimate vindication. 8:3 Bildad’s counterattack proper begins with parallel ...

129. PROPER 13

Lk 12:13-21 · Col 3:1-11 · Ecc 1:2; 2:18-26 · 2 Ki 13:14-20a

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

THE LESSONS 2 Kings 13:14-20a A sick and dying Elisha promises victory over Syria to Joash, king of Israel. This, the last appearance of Elisha, concludes the series of Lessons on Elijah and his successor, Elisha. The scene is Elisha on his death-bed. Joash, king of Israel, comes to him for guidance. He and the country are in deep trouble. Syria is oppressing Israel. With the symbol of a bow and arrow, Elisha promises victory over Syria as Joash shoots an arrow from Elisha's window toward the East. Again, ...

130. The Whole World Is under the Curses of the Covenant

Romans 3:9-20

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Israel fares no better than the Gentiles in being enslaved to sin, because sin stirs up disobedience through the law. In other words, both Jew and Gentile are under the curses of the covenant. Understanding the Text Romans 3:9–20 is the climax of Paul’s argument in 1:18–3:8, concluding that both Jew and Gentile are under sin (implied) because they try to keep the old-covenant stipulation of the law (Jews by way of the Torah, Gentiles by way of the overlapping of natural law / Noahic law with the ...

131. Triumph of God’s People and Kingdom

Daniel 7:15-28

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Big Idea: Although details remain mysterious and persecutions come, God defeats all forces of evil in the end and establishes his everlasting kingdom, in which his holy ones share. Understanding the Text See the unit on 7:1–14 for a discussion of the larger context, structure, and comparisons of this chapter. Within this framework, 7:15–28 is outlined primarily by three personal responses of Daniel that frame its question-and-answer core. First, the confused seer inquires about the vision and discovers ...

132. You Can Depend on It

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

I was standing on a street corner. A man, slightly under the weather, came up and started talking, "Hey, buddy, you know that an alligator lays 10,000 eggs. And, you can depend on it." I didn’t reply, hoping he’d go away. But, "And, out of that, 9,000 float away. The fish eat ‘em." "So ..." I started. "And you can depend on it." He continued, "Out of the 1,000 left, other alligators eat up 900." Sarcastically I said, "And, I can depend on that, I suppose." "Yup, you sure can. Furthermore, of the 100 left, ...

133. Preaching On Biblical Personalities

Sermon

John R. Bodo

As death drew near for a seventy-year-old man, a cousin was heard to say to his wife, "Don't worry, Agatha, it seems dark now, but in time you'll see the light at the end of this tunnel." Some use another cliche, "It's always darkest before the dawn." These are not helpful statements. And Agatha, about to become a widow, simply sighs and says to herself, "No one understands." It may have seemed to the sisters, Martha and Mary, that Jesus did not understand the seriousness of Lazarus' illness. Here their ...

134. Jingle Bells at a Funeral

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Sermon

King Duncan

Dennis Wilson is a backup singer in the country music’s unofficial capital, Nashville, Tennessee. In the book Real Country Humor Wilson tells a true story about a friend of his who sings professionally at funerals and weddings. Sometime back this friend got a call from a lady whose husband had died of a heart attack. She said, “I heard you sing at my cousin’s funeral, and I wondered if you’d sing at my husband’s funeral. He just died.” Wilson’s friend said, “Yes, ma’am, that’s what I do. Did you have ...

135. Five Mission Killers

Matthew 16:21-28

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Although autumn does not officially start until September 22, we all know that this weekend, Labor Day Weekend, signals the end of summer. The "holiday" season is over. It is time to "get back to work" Tuesday morning. And we all, all generations, know it — whether we are in kindergarten class or on a corporate totem pole. After Labor Day it is "business as usual." No more holidays. Holidays used to be "holy days," times to mark the moment by calendar days which paid special attention to historic ...

136. Disrespect Can Be Deadly

1 Sam 2:12-36

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord opposes those who treat him with contempt and withholds his promised blessings from those who despise him. Understanding the Text Samuel’s arrival at Shiloh (1:28; 2:11) provides a contrastive backdrop for the author’s negative portrait of Eli and his sons. The narrator alternates between negative accounts of Eli’s house (2:12–17, 22–25, 27–36) and brief positive observations about Samuel’s growing relationship with the Lord (2:18–21, 26). This culminates in the account of how Samuel ...

137. Keeping Promises

Numbers 30:1-16

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Take solemn promises and commitments seriously. Understanding the Text Following the first census in Numbers is a section dealing with vows, specifically Nazirite vows (Num. 6). Likewise, after the second census Numbers 30 deals with vows, especially women’s vows. Why would a section on vows follow Numbers 28–29, which is on offerings made on holy days? Perhaps because holy days are occasions for completing vows. Numbers 29:39 mentions that “vows” can be completed by sacrifice on holy occasions. ...

138. The Illusion Of Neutrality

Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Sermon

Robert Beringer

Charlie Moran, the old National League baseball umpire, always regarded himself and his decisions highly. He liked to make it clear to the ballplayers who was boss behind the plate. One day, in a very close play at home, the runner and the catcher eagerly awaited Charlie's decision. The umpire hesitated, and the catcher shouted, "Well, is he safe or is he out?" Moran pulled himself up to his full height, cleared his throat, and said to the catcher, "Mister, until I calls it, it ain't nothin' at all!" Of ...

139. When We No Longer Recognize Ourselves

Psalm 51:1-19

Sermon

King Duncan

Andras Tamas is the name officials gave a certain man decades ago in a Russian psychiatric hospital. He’d been drafted into the army, but the authorities had mistaken his native Hungarian language for the gibberish of a lunatic and had him committed. Then they forgot about him. For 53 years. A few years ago a psychiatrist at the hospital began to realize what had happened and helped Tamas recover the memories of who he was and where he came from. He recently returned home to Budapest as a war hero, “the ...

140. Glorious Surprises

1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Did you notice an article in the Commercial Appeal last week about a young man from Costa Rica? Roger Madrigal longed to represent his country in the Olympic white-water competition. But due to lack of funds, it seemed to be an impossible dream. Roger happened to meet a Memphis couple, George and Ginny Steffens, who are members of Christ Church. The Steffens were touched by his situation. Along with some of their friends, they raised enough money to bring him to the Olympic qualifying event last month in ...

141. The Ultimate Success Formula

Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

King Duncan

Jesus would turn over in his grave, if he were in his grave -- which, of course, he is not. However, I want to suggest to you this morning that the ultimate formula for worldly success is found in a portion of his words in Mark 8:34, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." In a secular sense that text alone would guarantee any person's success in the wonderful world of business or art or education or sports or whatever career you may choose. After all, ...

142. Proper 6

Lk 7:36--8:3 · Gal 2:11-21 · 1 Ki 19:1-8

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: 1 Kings 19:1-8 Threatened by Jezebel, Elijah flees for his life and is fed by an angel on his way to Mount Horeb. To understand this pericope, we need to get the background in chapter 18. On Mount Carmel, Elijah calls down fire from heaven to prove that Yahweh is the only true God. This is followed by his slaughter of the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal supported by King Ahab and Queen Jezebel who sends a messenger to Elijah to tell him that within twenty-four hours she will ...

143. The Lamb and the 144,000

Revelation 14:1-5

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: One day believers will stand in the presence of God and the Lamb and celebrate with a new song of redemption. Understanding the Text In chapter 13 the dragon stands on the seashore and calls forth the two beasts to wage war against the saints (13:1–10, 11–18). Chapter 14, the last part of the extended interlude of 12:1–14:20, opens with the Lamb standing victorious with his faithful followers on Mount Zion. The war and struggle of chapter 13 appear in bold contrast to the victory and celebration ...

144. Irrevocable Gifts

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

Sermon

Jeff Wedge

People have had a wide variety of reactions to the idea of politically-correct language. One of the more interesting is a series of books by James Finn Garner. A look at the contents of the volumes gives an insight into the way things are handled. The stories include such titles as the politically-correct bedtime story of "The Three Codependent Goats Gruff," and the holiday story of "Rudolph, the Nasally-Empowered Reindeer." Under the humorous approach there lurks a problem that can cause us real ...

145. Proper 6

Lk 7:36 - 8:3 · Gal 2:15-21 · 1 Ki 21:1--21 · Ps 5

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14), 15-21a For refusing to sell his lot to King Ahab, Naboth is falsely accused and murdered so Ahab can take possession of the land. Here we have only the beginning and ending of a dramatic story involving a king, a subject, and a prophet. To understand it, one must know and tell what happens between the first and last verses of the pericope. King Ahab offers to buy or trade the lot of Naboth whose land is next to the palace for his vegetable garden. Because he ...

146. Soap Opera Silence

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

A few days ago I watched an episode of the television soap opera, "All My Children." I must admit that it was neither the first time nor the last. One of the segments for this particular day took place at the wedding of two of the central characters. The setting was a large living room filled with supportive guests. The clergyman seemed to be a Roman Catholic priest. He was dressed in a black suit and clerical collar and he had a white stole around his neck. He appeared to be very much in control of things ...

147. Epiphany 6

Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE By the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, as happens rather quickly in the Pentecost season, the season has pretty much lost its theological "shape" and impact; the lectionary and the lessons take over and seem to indicate that there has been a movement away from the several theological implications (the incarnation and manifestation of Jesus in the Epiphany season) to a concentration of the ethics of those who belong to the kingdom of heaven. Liturgically, the Epiphany theological frame ...

148. The Love God Wants

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

Judging from current fads in vocabulary, it seems that most of us think that life is too complicated, or at least, more complicated than it needs to be. One clue is the frequency of the words, "basic" and "basically" in our speech. "The basic idea of the proposal is...." "Basically, how do you see the situation?" And most all of us have given in to the fashion of creating nouns out of adjectives as we express the need to "get back to the basics" in everything from education to economics. We long for ...

149. The Waters of Your Baptism

Colossians 2:6-23

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

A few weeks ago I told you about a Baptist preacher in Georgia named Anonymous McBride. He got his name in a strange way. His mother was trying to honor a poet whose work she liked. When Anonymous grew up and became a Baptist preacher, he had a specialty. It had to do with baptism. Because my subject today is baptism, let me tell you the story. Anonymous was very skillful at making Methodists and Presbyterians uneasy about their baptism. He persuaded lots of them that unless they went altogether underneath ...

150. Seek Good, Not Evil (That You May Live)

Amos 5:1-17

Sermon

Paul W. F. Harms

Adolph Hitler had a dream of a thousand-year empire. The years may make us forget too soon and too easily the terror that was Adolph Hitler. The terror was that this little man, not in stature alone, but in smallness of mind, had managed to do in an extraordinary degree what others had done before him, and what we are all capable of doing. What he did, says Kenneth Burke, was to make virtue vice, and vice virtue. When, therefore, the Nazis put six million Jews and millions of others into the ovens, they ...

Showing results