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 1476 to 1500 of 4933 results

1476. The New Census

Ephesians 1:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

From our first days in school, or on the playground, we learn the “Count Off.” To keep track of a classroom full of kids, one of the first things first graders learn from busy teachers is to “count off.” Especially during fire drills or field trips, it is imperative that every child be accounted for. The presence of every one of them is assured by reaching the proper total number. Besides learning to count off to get a total tally, sometimes the kids “count off” by two’s or four’s, a fast, easy way to ...

1477. Obedience Commanded

Deuteronomy 4:1-14

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Obedience and Loyalty to Israel’s Unique God: The historical recollections now give place to urgent exhortation. 4:1–8: This chapter is the natural conclusion to the lessons of this first speech of Moses and comes to a powerful climax in 4:32–40. At 4:44 and 5:1 we are introduced to the second major discourse, which includes the rest of the law itself. With this chapter we also move into the “inner frame” of the book’s structure, comprising chapters 4–11 and 27–30, with their many common themes. Chapters 4 ...

1478. The Year of the Lord’s Favor

Isaiah 61:1-11

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Five Responses to Yahweh’s Promises: Chapters 61 and 62 recapitulate much of chapter 60, but they do so in a new framework. They offer five responses to those promises. Whereas the prophet’s word was a brisk preliminary to Yahweh’s word in 59:21–60:22, in chapters 61–62 the prophet speaks a number of times in a way that has significance in its own right but also introduces recapitulations of the promises. Accounts of a prophet’s own experience or actions appear in the OT because the testimony is in some ...

1479. The Lord Thwarts a Curse

2 Sam 16:1-14

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord vindicates his repentant servants when they humbly submit to his discipline. Understanding the Text Absalom has gained widespread support and declared himself king. Even David’s counselor, Ahithophel, has switched his allegiance. Knowing that Absalom would soon march with his army to Jerusalem, David has hastily left the city and was forced once more to run for his life. In this crisis David has submitted to God’s sovereign will, but he also has prayed and wisely enlisted the support of ...

1480. Special Sale Price

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

One afternoon three children, two boys and a girl, entered a flower shop. They were about nine or ten years old, raggedly dressed, but at this moment well-scrubbed. One of the boys took off his cap and gazed around the store somewhat doubtfully, then came up to the person who owned the store and said, "Sir, we'd like something in yellow flowers." There was something in their tense nervous manner that made the man think that this was a very special occasion. He showed them some in expensive yellow spring ...

1481. Stain Remover

1 John 2:2

Children's Sermon

Teresa L. Major

Object: A bottle or stick of laundry stain remover. Lesson: We put stain remover on clothes to get rid of the dirt and grime, but the only stain remover that will get rid of our sin is Jesus Christ. Do you know what this is? (Children respond. Offer help if needed.) It's stain remover. What does Mom or Dad do with this? (Children respond.) They rub it on the stains we get on our clothes. Have you ever gotten a stain on your shirt or your pants? What makes the worst stain? (Children respond.) How about ...

1482. Low In The Grave He Lay

Isaiah 25:1-12

Eulogy

Barbara G. Schmitz

The past two days are two of the most solemn days in the Christian year. For yesterday, on Good Friday, Christians commemorated Jesus' death. Later that evening, Jesus' body was taken down from the cross, anointed with oil, and wrapped in linen. Then it was placed in the tomb, and a large rock rolled across to seal it. Today, Holy Saturday, is the day that Jesus "lay low in the grave." Jesus' disciples were heartbroken. Their friend was gone: dead. No more miracles. No more healings. No more stories. No ...

1483. The Same Cup

Matthew 20:22

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: A cup and some concentrated juice. Good morning, boys and girls. Have you ever asked your mother to do something that she did not think that you could do and told you so? (Let them answer.) Maybe you wanted to lift something that was too heavy for you to lift, or you wanted to stay up late and your mother told you that you would get too tired. Have you ever done anything like that before? (Let them answer.) All of us have done things like that. We always think that we can do more than we really can ...

1484. Home for Christmas

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Johnny Dean

Beginning with the story of Adam and Eve, the scriptures remind us that the human condition is one of being away from home. You know the story - Adam and Eve had a great thing going for them, but they blew it. Their actions alienated them from God and caused them to be exiled from their home. The apostle Paul would say much later that everything that happened to the human race throughout history can be traced back to the sin of Adam and Eve. Only because of what God voluntarily did in the incarnation, the ...

1485. The Source of Power

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

There are two important assurances Jesus gave to his followers, which are repeated and reconfirmed in this lesson. First, Jesus told his followers that, being fully human, he would die but that they should not let their hearts be troubled. God would raise him from the dead and he would ascend to the Father from Whom he had come. There, Jesus said, he would prepare for each of us a place in the eternal habitation of God. Second, he told his followers that, even though he would no longer walk on the earth ...

1486. The Christian's Road Map

Luke 15:1-7

Children's Sermon

Object: A road map. Good morning, boys and girls. Do you all know where you are? Are you sure that none of you is lost? That's good. Has anyone here ever been lost? Isn't that an awful feeling? I remember one time when I was lost. I thought I knew where I was going and it was the wrong direction. Before long there were fewer and fewer houses, and the couple of houses that I did see had no one living in them. The sun started going down and the trees seemed very tall and made dark shadows across the road. ...

1487. POLICEMAN

Acts 16:28

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

Acts 16:28 - "The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens." A school has rules to keep students from hurting or disturbing each other. Cities, counties, states, and nations make laws that large groups of people may live together in peace. Rules and laws, however, serve their purpose only so long as everyone obeys school rules, because he does not want to interfere with the rights of other people and because he knows that everyone ...

1488. Under the Rainbow

Genesis 9:1-17

Sermon

David E. Leininger

Noah. We learned all about him and the flood in Sunday School. Our kids learned about him this week in Vacation Bible School. Those in my generation had the picture filled in even more vividly about 35 years ago by that wonderful preacher, Bill Cosby. Remember? Cosby has Noah working around the house, down in his rec room, doing a little remodeling...Voobah, voobah, voobah...when a voice comes: "NOAH!" "Somebody call?" Voobah, voobah, voobah. "NOAH!" "Who is it?" "It's the Lord, Noah." "RIGHT...What do you ...

1489. Rejected at Home

Mark 6:1-6

Sermon

King Duncan

Steven was a young man who felt the call of God on his life. He came from a really close family. He finished college and then went off to seminary. After finishing seminary he came back home before going to his first church. He visited with all of his relatives for about a week. He stopped by the church and talked to his hometown pastor. The pastor asked him if he would like to preach that upcoming Sunday. Steven felt honored and took the pastor up on the invitation. Sunday morning came and after hours, ...

1490. Go to Heaven?

Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

Judgment day was the preacher's theme, and he thundered about God's wrath, sin and the day of judgment. A seven-year-old boy listened closely, tugged at his father's sleeve, and asked, "Will they call school off?" He was asking, "What's in it for me?" Judgment day is on Christ's mind here in Matthew 25:31 and following verses. He is describing that fateful day soon "when the Son of Man comes in his glory" (v. 31). All the angels will be with him. Jesus will sit on a throne (v. 31). And before him will be ...

1491. Opening the Door to Jesus

Matt 25:40; Rev 3:20

Illustration

Jimmy Carter

Is there any parallel between the experience of the followers on the road to Emmaus and our lives? Yes, there are times when each of us fails to recognize the presence of Christ or the Holy Spirit. Remember that the Scriptures promise us that Christ is with us—at least potentially—not just as an occasional, miraculous event but at all times. In Revelation 3:20, he tells us, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If any-one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with ...

1492. Underneath the Target

Matthew 25:31-46

Illustration

Bill McDonald

The Sunday School teacher was known for his elaborate object lessons. Sally knew they were in for a fun day where she arrived in his classroom and tacked on the bulletin board was a big target. Bunches of darts lay on a nearby table. The teacher told the students to draw a picture of someone they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting great detail into the drawing right down to the dimples ...

Mark 6:30-44

I feel, and can never cease to feel, myself a partaker in a crime which is constantly being committed, so long as I have extra food while others have none, so long as I have two coats while there exists one person without any. I must seek in my heart at every moment, with meekness and humility, some opportunity for doing the job Christ wants done.

Leo Tolstoy

1494. Jesus Brings New Life

Isaiah 63:7--64:12

Sermon

Richard Gribble

The end of World War II and the onset of the Cold War, which saw the super powers of the United States and the Soviet Union at odds, brought a dark night to eastern Europe, which almost overnight seemed to come under the control of the Soviets and their ideology of Communism. The Iron Curtain, as it came to be known, seemed impenetrable. In 1980, however, at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk, Poland, some brave workers, seeking rights and freedom, provided the catalyst to bring this dark night to an end. The ...

1495. Weekly Resolutions

Illustration

Jonathan Edwards

Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), from the Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 1 Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humble entreat Him, by His grace, to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake. [I will] remember to read over these Resolutions once a week. Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory of God, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration; without ...

1496. A Kiss In the Dark

Humor Illustration

A couple were working together in a factory when the lights went out. When the lights came on again the young lady said, "Frank, you shouldn't have done that." "Shouldn't have done what?" "You shouldn't have kissed me when the lights went out." "I didn't kiss you when the lights went out." He looked around belligerently at the people filing out. "But I'd like to catch the fellow who did. I'd teach him." "Oh, Frank, you couldn't teach him anything."

1497. Allotment for Simeon

Joshua 19:1-9

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Territory of Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulon, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan: 19:1–9 The tribe of Simeon received an allotment within the territory of Judah. Of the seventeen cities assigned to Simeon, fifteen are also mentioned as cities in Judah. Simeon is located primarily in southwest Judah, the western Negev, between Beersheba and the Mediterranean Sea. Simeon remained a district or tribal entity in Judah until the time of King Hezekiah (728–696 B.C.E.; 1 Chron. 4:41–42). 19:10–16 Zebulun borders other ...

1498. The Angel of the Lord at Bokim

Judges 2:1-5

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

Reproof and Response: As we move into Judges 2, we do not move into a new section. Originally there were no chapter and verse divisions in the Bible; these were added in the sixteenth century to facilitate referencing. Most of the time, interpreters divided chapters and verses correctly, but in some cases they did not. Judges 2:1–5 is an instance when they did not. Judges 2 follows closely upon Judges 1, describing God’s response to Israel’s disobedience. It again highlights the most important theme of the ...

1499. Allotment for Zebulun

Joshua 19:10-16

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

1500. Allotment for Issachar

Joshua 19:17-23

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

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