Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1501 to 1525 of 3926 results

1501. The Piety That Isn't

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Sermon

Carl Jech

... in Christmas too loudly." The great preacher Harry Emerson Fosdick similarly gave us a witty nudge toward the piety that isn't, when he said that vital faith is a treasure like good music ... "It needs no defense, only rendition. A wrangling controversy in support of religion," said Fosdick, "is as if the members of the orchestra should beat folks over the head with their violins to prove that the music is beautiful." The amazing truth is that by going easy on the piety, by not beating folks over the ...

1502. Jesus, Mary, Gustav Mahler, Brother Martin, and the Magi

Luke 20:9-19

Sermon

Carl Jech

... all with a 2000-year-old rural paradigm about shepherds and lost sheep." Speaking of what it means to be a prophet, she emphasized how difficult it is for a clergyperson/pastor to be the tradition-shaking prophet, and encouraged clergy to support the laity in the prophetic "creative process, and the apparent chaos which is an integral and essential part of it." Dr. Wold laments that "although the people of our churches have been exposed to persons from different backgrounds, worldviews, and cultural value ...

1503. Giving Away the Store

Luke 22:7-38, John 13:1-17

Sermon

Carl Jech

... and fairness is, ultimately even justice is eclipsed by love in all our relationships with one another and with God. When we suffer with an illness and wonder if life is fair, there comes a point when we realize that the love, faithfulness and support from those around us becomes more important than answering the question of fairness. While some ways of talking about the atonement brought about by the cross of Jesus focus on the satisfaction of God's sense of justice, the overall message of the Gospel ...

1504. The Symphony of God

Acts 5:17-42

Sermon

Carl Hoefler

... of the temple. Gathered about Saint Peter were a few of the apostles. Surrounding the high priest were the influential leaders of the elders of Israel. These two groups stood face to face, eye to eye, and toe to toe. The high priest and his supporters were angry, jealous, and fearful. Saint Peter and his followers were daring, dedicated, and determined. There was no compromise proposed. There was no treaty of peace possible. It was a duel to the death. Now, as we picture this scene in our minds, there is ...

1505. The Mystery of God's Mercy

Acts 13:13-52

Sermon

Carl Hoefler

... who the culprit was that really had been responsible for the killing of Jesus. Pilate would not have done what he did without the request - accompanied by a subtle threat - from the Sanhedrin. And, the Jewish leaders could not have done what they did without the support and the consent of the people. And, the people did not know what they were doing. From the cross, Jesus himself, said to God concerning the people, "... they know not what they do." The people did not know or understand what they were doing ...

1506. Counterfeit Faith

Acts 14:8-20

Sermon

Carl Hoefler

... his sermon talking about the Creator God who made the heavens and the earth. Lystra was a dry and arid country; so Paul stressed in the introduction to his sermon the fact that the God which he represented was the God who sends the refreshing and life-supporting rain. The people listened intently. Then, seeing a man who was crippled from birth, Paul stopped his sermon. In a loud voice he cried out to the crippled man, "Arise, stand on your feet." Immediately, the man leaped to his feet and began to walk. At ...

1507. The Body Illustrates Our Relation to Each Other

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

... Gracious Father, who has created each of us to be different, and yet to be a part of each other, joined together in Christ: Break down the walls we have created by our differences, and fit us together harmoniously as your church, that we may support one another in our common ministry, and serve effectively our Savior, by whom we are united. In his name we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession We are so prone to competition and conflict, Father, when we see differences among ourselves. We need each other; but ...

1508. Jesus' Temptation, and Ours

Luke 4:1-13

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

... Pastor: Temptation is a universal threat to Christian commitment. Even Jesus was tempted to compromise his faith. People: But Jesus was the Son of God, with special powers to resist temptation. Pastor: No more special than the power available to us. We have the same support based on God's Word that Jesus had when he was tempted. People: We want God to help us put his Word in our hearts to strengthen us in times of temptation. Collect O God our heavenly Father, whose Word is a powerful defense against ...

1509. Paul and Barnabas Rejected by the Jews of Antioch

Acts 13:13-52

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

... , in whose name we pray. Amen. Prayer of Confession Our Father, we know Christ's redemption is for the whole world. We are involved in world mission, but we confess our personal feelings sometimes interfere with that worldwide approach. Forgive us when we support far away missions, in absentia, but close the door of salvation to nearby neighbors who do not meet our doctrinal standards. Help us to see the human worth, and savability of all persons; not because of guidelines we establish, but because of your ...

1510. Christ's Compassion for the Sorrowful

Luke 7:11-17

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

... Pastor: Our Lord knows we are people who experience sorrow and grief, and offers himself in compassion. People: Sometimes our sorrow is obvious, and others share our pain. But other times it seems we must bear it alone, and need our Lord's support. Pastor: Christ hurts with us when we hurt. But his compassion also helps to heal the suffering we sometimes must endure. People: May we experience Christ reaching out to us with healing for our hurts. Collect Compassionate Father, who hurts because we hurt ...

1511. Christ Wants Us to Know Him and Follow in Self-denial

Luke 9:18-27

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

... Christ, God's anointed Messiah. People: That is our confession, and that is why we have come to worship him. Pastor: Jesus teaches us that such a confession requires a life of discipleship expressed in self-denial. People: May the confession of our lips be supported by the commitment of our lives. Collect Almighty God, our Father, who sent your Son to call us into committed discipleship: Cause us to understand life as the offering of ourselves to you in response to our knowledge of your Son who came as our ...

1512. Pray for the Church

1 Timothy 2:1-15

Bulletin Aid

Carl Hoefler

... through your Son, who also prayed for the same cause. Amen. Prayer of Confession O Lord, what many blessings your church has given to the generations of twenty centuries! When we think of all that has been done, we are ashamed of how little prayer support we have given. Forgive us for too little concern for the conversion of others to the Christian faith. Convince us to pray daily for all Christians to be a witnessing fellowship of believers. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Hymns "Break Forth, O Living Light ...

1513. Compassion for the Suffering

Luke 13:31-35

Illustration

Glenn E. Ludwig

... make a difference even though she was already 33 years old and would not graduate until she was 39. This she did and later a movement soon grew around her ideas that made it possible for dying patients to live their days in a setting of love and support. Cicely Saunders, out of Christian compassion and a sense of calling to help in a specific way, began this movement in England in the 1950s. It later moved to the Americas and is now used everywhere and in every town. It is called the Hospice Movement, and ...

1514. After A Lost Election, Field Of Dreams

Jeremiah 8:4--9:26

Sermon

James Angell

... Presbyterian Church in the USA. The General Assembly, which gathers annually to decide these things, met that year in Louisville. On the Sunday morning when I departed from Los Angeles for the assembly, I received a friendly ride atop the shoulders of supporters. But in Louisville, I lost. Despite the excitement of new horizons, the highest adventure for me was being preacher and pastor. The second California congregation that was "ours" for a time was in the college town of Claremont, east of Los Angeles ...

1515. The Aim Of Preaching: To Bestow The Kiss Of Life

John 20:19-23

Sermon

James Angell

... within us while our hearts go on pumping away without our having been animated and refreshed by the kiss of life, which is what preaching is mainly all about. For a year now I have been putting up a fight against cancer. And so many have supported and encouraged me in that struggle. Such battles wind up making people like myself newly aware of how many people there are who have the same adversary, or many that are worse. But also how aliveness of soul and aliveness to God are not dependent upon receiving ...

1516. The Stewardship of Money in the Modern Church

2 Corinthians 9:11, 12

Sermon

Dr. John Thompson Peters

... 's true spiritual commitment or lack of it and his use of money. While few if any studies have been made of it, every pastor knows that the correlation between those who are most deeply committed to Christ and His church and the liberal supporters of the church is high. One of the prominent and highly respected pastors in the United Presbyterian Church, and a former secretary of Evangelism for that Church, tells of his early prejudice against knowing what the parishioners contributed. But when he was about ...

1517. Don't Just Stand There! - Get Involved!

Luke 3:1-20, Matthew 6:19-24

Sermon

Dr. John Thompson Peters

... people, Pastor, or you will chase them away. Remember this is a busy and demanding world in which we live and each "cause" must take its rightful place. Go a little easy." But the bold facts remain that there is no evidence in the New Testament to support a "Take it easy philosophy." Jesus would have none of it. And to be truthful with ourselves we know that causes that count today require the same standard. The image of the astronaut is one that captures the fancy of youth today. But do we suppose that ...

1518. Never Cry Uncle - Malchus

Matthew 26:47-56

Drama

Thomas Blowers

... off I was. So when I heard the shouts out in the street and went out to see what was going on when I saw the crowd of palm wavers led by Jesus, I looked at him with neither contempt nor compassion. What I saw was a man with adamant supporters and detractors, a man about whom there was growing controversy. I said to myself, "This man had better take care. This man had better start thinking of himself because if he doesn't he's headed for real trouble." But Jesus didn't take care, did he? Anyway, so when ...

1519. Give Them Good News...

Romans 5:1-11

Sermon

Robert V. Dodd

... , she would no longer be allowed to teach her youth class in Sunday school, she could no longer serve as president of the women's missionary group, and she would not be allowed to sing in the choir. At a time when she desperately needed her church's sympathetic support they let her down, because all they could see was her sin. They were unable to look below the surface and see what she could become in Christ. We have pointed the finger of judgment at others for so long that the very most much of the secular ...

1520. The Brokenness of Christ's Body

Luke 22:54-62

Illustration

Robert Beringer

... and our failure to recognize Jesus as the Christ is a church building! The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is built over the traditional site of Calvary and the Garden of Resurrection. It stands today only because some ugly steel scaffolding supports the walls. I found it to be one of the dirtiest and most depressing places in the world! The church is jointly owned by the Abyssinians, the Armenians, the Copts, the Greek Orthodox, the Syrian Orthodox, and the Roman Catholics. The priests of ...

1521. Is It Well With Your Family? (Mother's Day)

2 Kings 4:8-26

Sermon

Brett Blair

... , but a family that does that has a 45% greater chance that their children will not use drugs. Now don’t miss the point. It is not that there is something mystical that occurs while we eat; it simply suggest that as we eat together we participate in a basic support group. Here is the key. We need to feel secure, a part of a family where there is acceptance. Moms, you well know, there are no manuals that come with parenting, but it does seem to make common sense that we need to get back to some basics like ...

1522. The Power Of God

Philippians 4:13

Illustration

Brett Blair

... two parks and recreation trucks in Central Park came by and stayed with her to light the way. After 11 hours of struggle and over 27 miles, Linda crossed the finish line. People were crying -- even the TV crew was crying --and Linda was crying at the response and support that she had received from God and these people. She thanked God for the power to do such a miraculous thing. Later she was invited to the White House and was pictured on the front page of the New York Times. Her story was not just a story ...

1523. God, The Enemy

Luke 12:1-12

Sermon

... execution of Timothy McVeigh, the man responsible for the worst act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. A USA Today poll taken in April of this year showed that 81 percent of Americans wanted McVeigh to be executed -- and 28 percent of that support was from people who are normally against the death penalty. No matter where you stand on the issue of capital punishment, this particular execution has forced itself on our consciousness. One thing that particularly caught my attention was that in lieu of any ...

1524. The Demons Within - Sermon Opener

Luke 8:26-39

Illustration

Staff

... morning. Mental illness is still just as powerful and divisive as ever. It comes as a curse, and we treat its victims as pariahs to be shunned and isolated. The word cancer can make us squirm with discomfort and fear. We run away rather than offering our support and care. AIDS is just as demonic as any other worldly creature. It ravages individuals while others seek to pretend it will go away if one ignores it long enough. Greed is a demon, threatening to make us slaves of want. Avarice has always been one ...

1525. Master of My Fate; Captain of My Soul

Luke 8:26-39

Illustration

... witnessed the execution of Timothy McVeigh, the man responsible for the worst act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. A USA Today poll taken in April showed that 81 percent of Americans wanted McVeigh to be executed -- and 28 percent of that support was from people who are normally against the death penalty. No matter where you stand on the issue of capital punishment, this particular execution has forced itself on our consciousness. One thing that particularly caught my attention was that in lieu of any ...

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