Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1476 to 1500 of 1679 results

1476. Jesus' Baptism: Affirmed by God

Mark 1:9-13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Any experience may be perceived differently by those involved. John was an old man and he lay dying. His wife of many years was sitting close by. He opened his eyes for a moment, and saw her and said, “There you are Agnes, at my side again.” She smiled faintly and fluttered her eyes and said, “Yes, dear, here I am.” Then John said, “Looking back, I remember all the times you were at my side. You were there when I got my draft notice and had to go off to fight in the war. You were there when our first house ...

1477. Facing Our Fears with Faith

Matthew 10: 27-31

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

“Americans will never taste security and safety unless we feel security and safety in our land," said Osama bin Laden a few weeks ago in a video shown around the world. It is the purpose of terrorists to terrorize and it appears these criminals have succeeded in making Americans more fearful than ever before. Never again will we board a plane, open a letter, or enter a stadium with the kind of innocence we assumed before September 11th. How will we learn to live with this kind of fear? To fear or not to ...

1478. The Kingdom for Which We Long

Matthew 13:31-35, Matthew 13:44-46, Matthew 13:47-52

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

We’ve a story to tell to the nations, That shall set their hearts to the right. A story of truth and mercy, A story of peace and light. For the darkness shall turn to dawning, And dawning to noonday bright. And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth, A kingdom of love and light. Do you believe that? We come to the second petition in the Lord’s Prayer this morning and it may take the greatest faith and the greatest imagination of all that we are taught to pray. So we pray “Thy kingdom come, thy will be ...

1479. Checking Out the Scene

John 1:35-42

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

It is the mission of the Church to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus said it plainly: “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” By the waters of baptism we are claimed and cleansed. Along the river of discipleship we are shaped and formed into Christ-likeness. Salvation is God’s free gift to us. The best we can do is to receive it with grateful hearts. Discipleship is a life long ...

1480. Diving Deeper

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Did you hear the story about the toddler who fell out of bed one night? Hearing the fall, the father rushed to the room, picked up the kid, dried his tears, and put him back to bed. When things calmed down a bit, the Dad asked his son, “What happened, what caused you to fall out of bed?” Still sobbing, the toddler said, “I don’t know, I guess I went to sleep too close to where I got in.” Living on the edge is a problem, not just for toddlers, but Christians, as well. Some of us have stepped into the kiddie ...

1481. Where Is He?

Isaiah 60:1-6, Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

One thing is for sure about Christmas. When it’s over, it’s over. Down come the decorations. Away go the songs. Good cheer is bottled up for another year and goodwill is put back in the attic. It’s like all this festivity is good for a little while but we wouldn’t want to risk making it a way of life. But the Church says slow down, you move too fast. Today is the 10th day of Christmas. Epiphany Sunday is a day to celebrate the visit of the Wise Men proclaiming Jesus the Light of the world. This ...

1482. The Door of Prayer

1 Timothy 2:1-8

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

During my seminary days, I pastored two small churches near Bardstown, Kentucky. One of those churches had Sunday night services. Since it has always been a challenge for me to produce one sermon a week worth hearing, the thought of two sermons a Sunday seemed overwhelming. So we had a lot of hymn sings for Sunday night service. At a hymn sing the people present call out their favorite tunes and everybody sort of sings along. Mrs. Stora Barlow was a public school teacher in that congregation. Every time I ...

1483. The Road Home

Luke 2:1-20

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

In a Tom Wilson cartoon, Ziggy is standing in front of a large directional sign at a shopping mall. The familiar “You Are Here" arrow is pointing to a particular spot. Under the sign this question has been added:“Isn't it about time you headed home?" That's what I'd like to talk about tonight. The dictionary defines home as a house we inhabit, often with other people, a pet or two, and enough room to accommodate the in-laws for special occasions. It’s not square footage I'd like to discuss with you tonight ...

1484. What Can Christians Learn from Muslims?

Genesis 21:1-20

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Asadullah Nawabi was six-years-old when the Soviet Union invaded his home country of Afghanistan. Asad and his family escaped to the mountains in fear. They wandered there until they finally found a refugee camp where they lived for two years. Meanwhile, the Council of Churches in Crestwood, KY was trying to do its part in refugee resettlement. That's how Asad, along with his mother and father and brothers and sisters, wound up in that little Kentucky town. I was the pastor of the Methodist church. Sandy ...

1485. Loving Our Enemies, Christian or Crazy?

Matthew 5:43-47

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

In Bill Adler's popular book of letters from kids, an 8 year old boy from Nashville, Tennessee makes this contribution: “Dear Pastor, I know God wants us to love everybody, but he surely never met my sister." Sincerely, Arnold. There is an old jingle I learned as a child that puts it another way: To live above with those we love, well that will be glory. To live below, with those we know, well, that is a different story. In our Quest for Christian Values, we concluded last week that it boils down to loving ...

1486. Hot Air or the Holy Spirit?

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

There was a big spring festival in Jerusalem that day. It may have been similar to Dogwood Days in Atlanta, the Strawberry Festival in Dayton, or Mule Day in Columbia, Tennessee. This agricultural festival was called the “Feast of Weeks" and it took place every spring on Pentecost, 50 days after the Jewish Passover. Jews scattered throughout the world returned to Jerusalem for the celebration designed to emphasize the goodness of God. As people do at community festivals, everyone was having a good time — ...

1487. A Strange Way in and a New Way Out

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

The heroes of this little narrative certainly seem familiar to us. Each year we all receive at least one Christmas card with their picture on the cover. Every card depicts them exactly the same way: long flowing robes, beards, and big turbans. They are always in one of two poses: either kneeling at Jesus' crib or sojourning across the desert on camels. In our carefully carved nativity sets, they rub elbows with the shepherds from Luke. We don't really know them very well, though. Most of us have probably ...

1488. Those Who Most Need a Blessing

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

Can a child pass up a tasty marshmallow? A researcher who wanted to know set up an experiment. He left a succession of four-year-olds alone in a room, seated at a table. On the table was a single marshmallow. The researcher told the children that they could eat the marshmallow when he left the room, or they could wait until he returned. If they waited, they would receive a second marshmallow. The children had a choice: one marshmallow now or two marshmallows if they were patient. The researcher then left ...

1489. God’s Weather Report

Matthew 5:38-48

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

In the 1985 movie, Witness, Harrison Ford plays a tough Philadelphia detective who uncovers corruption within his department. To protect himself and a young boy who has witnessed a murder, Ford's character, John Book, hides out among the Pennsylvania Amish, the community from which the little boy comes. In one scene of the movie, Book and several of the Amish go into town for a day of shopping. While they are in town, the buggies driven by the Amish are involved in a traffic jam with a car. The occupants ...

1490. Faith to Follow

John 3:1-17

Sermon

Lee Griess

How much faith does it take to follow? How much trust in God must we have? What does it mean to be part of the kingdom? How can we be born again? That's the question that Nicodemus asked. That's the theme for our time together this morning. How much faith does it take to follow? I came across an interesting idea this past week. I read an article about businesses that reward their employees when they make a mistake. Have you heard about this new trend? A temporary office-help agency in Washington DC ...

1491. From “Uh-oh” To “Ah-hah!” — An Axe, A Stump, And A Shoot

Isaiah 11:1-10

Sermon

Tony Everett

One hot summer day, a young pastor decided to change the oil in his automobile for the very first time in his life. He had purchased five quarts of oil, a filter wrench, and a bucket in which to drain the used oil. He carefully and gently drove the car onto the shiny, yellow ramps and eased his way underneath his vehicle. Unfortunately, lying there on his back, all he could see when he looked up was a confusing mass of hoses, wires, and unknown metal objects of various sizes and shapes. Uh-oh! "I'll never ...

1492. Backseat Drivers: Named, Claimed, Commissioned

Isaiah 49:1-7

Sermon

Tony Everett

When his oldest daughter, Nancy, was approaching her sixteenth birthday, Harold decided to teach her how to drive an automobile. After a brief orientation session in the family driveway, Nancy took the wheel and proceeded to drive — very cautiously — to the empty parish parking lot three blocks away. Harold couldn't help himself. He braced his feet firmly on the floor boards, both hands rigidly placed against the dashboard, with perspiration dripping from his brow, Harold began a rapid-fire critique of ...

1493. Showing Up

Ephesians 3:1-12

Sermon

John N. Brittain

We lived in Florida for a while in the 1980s and it was then that we learned about Tarpon Springs. Not a large city, it has the highest percentage of Greek Americans of any place in the US. This dates back to the 1880s, when Greek immigrants moving into the area were hired as sponge divers, a trade they had plied back in the old country. Today Tarpon Springs' main claim to fame is the Greek Orthodox Church's Epiphany celebration, which is held every January 6, with the blessing of the waters and the boats ...

1494. Captive Free!

Romans 7:15-25a

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Have you ever felt "trapped between a rock and a hard place"? Have you ever experienced what we sometimes call "double jeopardy," where regardless of what you choose to do, you are "damned if you do and damned if you don't"? Perhaps you have seen a classic example of "double jeopardy." Someone is trapped high up in a burning building. They can't go back into the building because of the fire. But they can't jump either, because it will be to their certain death. Have you ever been on a frozen pond in the ...

1495. Character Approved: Stand Up or Stand Out?

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

August is county fair time. Hooray! Who doesn’t like a county fair? Yes, we are sophisticated, urbane, high-tech people. But there is something about a good old-fashioned county fair that is like catnip. County fairs still draw us to our local fairgrounds like cotton candy draws us to paper cones. Who can resist taking just one ride on the Ferris wheel? Who can resist eating deep-fried something (this summer’s new something hamburger with a deep fried doughnut for its bun!). Who can resist walking through ...

1496. Like Their Heroic Commander

Romans 8:29; John 17:23

Illustration

Christopher Oldstone-Moore

The revolution that ended the reign of beards occurred on September 30, 331 b.c., As Alexander the Great prepared for a decisive showdown with the Persian emperor for control of Asia, he ordered his men to shave. From time immemorial in Greek culture, a smooth chin on a grown man had been taken as a sign of effeminacy or degeneracy. What can explain this unprecedented command? When the commander Parmenio asked the reason, according to the ancient historian Plutarch, Alexander replied, “Don’t you know that ...

1497. Swept Clean

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

You've probably heard that joke about the man who asked his wife what she'd like for her birthday. "I'd love to be six again," she replied. So, on the morning of her birthday, he got her up bright and early and off they went to a local theme park. What a day! He put her on every ride in the park. Five hours later she staggered out of the theme park, her head reeling, her stomach upside down. Right to a McDonald's they went for a Big Kids Meal with extra fries and a refreshing chocolate shake. Then it was ...

1498. Moving Day

John 14:23-29

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Maybe you've heard about the absent minded professor. One day he and his wife were leaving church. The professor confronted his wife: "Ah-ha! So who is absent-minded now? You forgot your umbrella and left it in church, but I remembered mine and I picked up yours, too." His wife set him straight: "That's fine, dear, but the trouble is, neither you nor I brought an umbrella to church today!" The next morning his wife reminded her absent minded husband: "Now, don't forget we're moving today. If you come to ...

1499. Jesus the Toxicologist

Luke 16:19-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Any of you know a hoarder? I don’t mean somebody who can’t throw anything away. I mean somebody who keeps to himself everything he has and can’t let go of anything. In today’s gospel parable the un-named “rich man” lives a hoarder’s life of prosperity and extravagance. He luxuriated in exhibiting the power of his wealth by hosting exquisite banquets every day. He demonstrated his wealth by dressing in the finest, most expensive clothes. Yet he also hoarded his wealth by refusing to extend alms, feed the ...

1500. Made Perfect In Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:2-10

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

When Ben Franklin was the ambassador to France for the newly independent United States of America, his quick wit and well-thought wisdom opened many doors for him and for this new country. At one dinner in 1781 where the guest list included the powers of the day, the French foreign secretary began the dinner with a toast to King Louis XVI, "To His Majesty, King Louis, the Sun, whose shining presence radiates the earth of France." Not to be outdone, the British ambassador rose with the toast, "To King ...

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