Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1551 to 1575 of 2962 results

1551. A Defiant Response to a Dangerous Theology: Does God Desire to Wipe Us Out?

Gn 6:1-8. 9:6-17

Sermon

... of us or dipping south of us….others of us will wipe our brows and say: "Praise God" or "Thank you, Jesus," without ever giving a moment's thought as to what, if anything, God or Jesus had to do with it. On Sunday, January 9, the psalm designated by the Common Lectionary (for churches and preachers that adhere to the Common Lectionary) was Psalm 29, verse three of which reads: The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. The glory of God thunders upon many waters. Which is followed by verses seven, eight and ...

1552. The Greatest Building

Matthew 16:13-20

Illustration

Chris Bayack

... 80 years to build. Construction on St. Peter's Basilica began in 1506 and was not completed until 109 years later in 1615. But as spectacular as any of these are in the eyes of man, there is one building project that far eclipses all of them. Its design is so spectacular that it couldn't be drawn by even the best architects. It has been under construction not for decades or centuries, but for millennia, and it still is not finished. Its size is not mere acres or square miles, but encompasses all parts of ...

1553. Ministry By Faith: Does She or Doesn't She?

I Corinthians 16:14, James 2:14-26

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... to our life together? Can our faith be seen in our works? One more story. The gospel writer says that once upon a time, there was a crippled man. The good news, however, was that this crippled man had four very good friends. This was the day before barrier-free design, so the crippled man's friends packed him up on his mat and dragged him down the street to try to see Jesus. When they got to the house, the house was packed, so they climbed up on the flat roof and started tearing away the roof tiles and the ...

1554. God Knows....Me!

Psalm 8:1-9

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... and researchers are creating space for wonder, imagination, spirit, soul, mystery and majesty. Science itself is discovering that "just the facts" are not enough. I guess that's why the current debate over evolution and creation, science and the code language "intelligent design" leaves me baffled. I thought we had dealt with all this in backwoods Tennessee in the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925. I thought we had long since discovered that there are two very different kinds of questions which stand side-by-side ...

1555. Why Not Now?

Acts 8:26-40

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... the cost of relocating Will will be incredible. I want share with you a letter from Will's father, Greg, expressing their appreciation for the support and ministry of this congregation. Greg writes: Church for me had been an unyielding series of lectures and ceremony designed to remind me that I was not like Christ and not worthy of his love. History changed the day I walked into FUMC. On that Sunday, I saw a large, enthusiastic church deeply engaged in hearing from Dr. Ritter about a Christ who came to ...

1556. Out of Solitude

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... you can possibly do four or five." Then they say: Klein's action- and anxiety-packed work style may be extreme, but she's really only a couple of juggling pins ahead of most of us. By now, every modern office worker knows that the gadgets designed to lighten our loads also ensnare us; the dingling digital devices that allow us to connect and communicate so readily also disrupt our work, our thoughts and our private lives. [1] All this multi-tasking and screen-sucking has left us frazzed and pizzled...and if ...

1557. Worship and Wonder

John 1:1-14

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... household, we have all been given various gifts—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. And I would expand the list to include: singers and secretaries and social workers builders and businessmen and bean counters doctors and dietitians and designers carpenters and carpet layers and contractors lawyers and lecturers and lovers of children athletes and actors and aerobics instructors All gathered in the Body of Christ. All nurtured in their discipleship by the spirit of Christ. All working ...

1558. Lost in Wonder, Love and Praise

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

John E. Harnish

1559. Gifts: Standing on the Promises

Malachi 4:10

Sermon

John E. Harnish

1560. Will The Real Saints Please Stand Up

Esther 4:1-17

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... , we have all been given various gifts—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. And I would expand the list to include: · singers and secretaries and social workers · builders and businessmen and bean counters · doctors and dietitians and designers · carpenters and carpet layers and contractors · lawyers and lecturers and lovers of children · athletes and actors and aerobics instructors All gathered in the Body of Christ. All nurtured in their discipleship by the spirit of Christ. All ...

1561. Gathered In, Sent Out

1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon

John E. Harnish

1562. Growing Up

1 Corinthians 13

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... household, we have all been given various gifts-apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. And I would expand the list to include: singers and secretaries and social workers builders and businessmen and bean counters doctors and dietitians and designers carpenters and carpet layers and contractors lawyers and lecturers and lovers of children athletes and actors and aerobics instructors All gathered in the Body of Christ. All nurtured in their discipleship by the spirit of Christ. All working ...

1563. Called to be a Christian Community: Cracked Pots and Clay Jars

2 Corinthians 4: 1-18

Sermon

John E. Harnish

1564. Grasshopper Religion

Numbers 13:25-33, 14:1-10

Sermon

John E. Harnish

1565. Praising God on an Oatmeal Box

2 Samuel 6:12-23

Sermon

John E. Harnish

1566. Our Logo the Cross

Matt 16:21-28, 27:32-44; Mar 15:21-32; Lu 23:26-43; Jo 19:17-27

Illustration

Brett Blair

Marketing experts are always quick to tell start-up businesses how important it is to develop a corporate logo. "Brand identity" they call it. Think about it. One symbol can readily identity a billion dollar organization. The ultimate goal of any designer when creating a logo is to develop a mark that identifies the company but also persuade viewers to respond in a specified manner. Logos. So what makes a good logo? Here are the five things that most marketing agencies agree makes a good logo: Simplicity. ...

1567. Wake Well, Wake Welcome

Romans 13:8-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... through grace. We should wake with excited expectation, Paul says, for with every new waking, “salvation” is “nearer now” than when we first signed up to follow Christ (v.11). Paul didn’t pretend to know the divine time-line, but he trusted God’s design for the salvation of all creation. And he anticipated the day he would wake to a new day where the “armor of light” clothing Christ’s followers would clothe all creation. Paul had more than a few good reasons to wake up on the wrong ...

1568. Precious and Privileged Children

Galatians 4:4-7

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... to him. So, his need for us to come to a shelter that protects from hell needs to be met. Just maybe we can minister to the Almighty and have never felt comfortable with that idea. Even though the New Testament throughout designates God as the Father or in male-oriented language, this must be tempered by maternal and typically female characteristics present. The mystery involved here, especially in light of some theological controversies, is indeed substantial. We are working through a period of history ...

1569. Deep Calling to Deep

Ephesians 1:3-14

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... and financial resources, we are brought face-to-face with something quite unpleasant. Well, let's go ahead and ask the question. Are we ignorant of large areas of the spiritual life because we want to be? Perhaps it is because we simply — by design — have other priorities more pressing. Since we "were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit," how can any of these inquiries by relevant? May our dear Lord be merciful! The resolution to our ignorance is mostly found in prayer and study of Holy ...

1570. From Father Failure to Divine Father

Romans 8:12-17

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... self-responsibility, so humankind must stop blaming its behavior on heredity or environment, upon God or fate or determinism, and thus take responsibility for itself. In his freedom, man has introduced war and slaughter, exploitation and oppression. By his own design he has maimed, killed, destroyed, and threatened his own kind with extinction. And for this, the proper religious attitude is contrition, confession, and change. III Therefore, in our worship, in our religious activity, it is our desire to be ...

1571. Where Is Love?

Hebrews 9:1-28

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... of religious ceremony — rites and rituals laid down to properly acknowledge God's "otherness." Among other things, this partitioned area contained the lampstand and a table with special bread to symbolize God's past favor and continuing presence with the people. But even the designated priests went only so far. At the very center of the sanctuary was the holy of holies — and central to that was the Ark of the Covenant with the tablets of the Ten Commandments given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. At the ...

1572. Spite Houses

Matthew 18:21-35

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

... , "Look, you can't build on it and you can't sell it to anyone else. So take our offer or leave it." The millionaire was so angered by their refusal and rebuttal that he decided to get even. He hired an architect and a contractor, and had a house designed for that weird shaped lot. It was five feet wide and ran the entire length of the property. He moved in and set up house in this narrow house. Each room was barely wide enough for a single piece of furniture. His hatred for the people on either side of ...

1573. Time to Clean Up

Psalm 148:1-14, Isaiah 64:1-9

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship Like dry tinder, we wait for God's spark. O, God's people, pray and prepare for renewal. Collect You are the potter, God of craft and design. We are the clay. Mold us into your people as we prepare for the coming of the king. Amen. Prayer Of Confession We confess, our Father, that we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like ...

1574. Do Overs

1 Samuel 15:34, 1 Samuel 16:13, Lamentations 3:22-23

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

... ; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Based on Lamentations 3:22-23) Collect God of discernment, we are grateful you do not see us as the world does, but that you look in our hearts. Magnify our good intent into your grand design. As your anointed children we seek the place you have saved for us in your kingdom. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord, as we grieve over the past, over lost opportunities, disappointing sins, broken relationships, we pray that we will not remain blind to the new ...

1575. Christ’s Twin

Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... Good morning, Pooh Bear,” Eeyore would say. “If it is a good morning,” he would add. “Which I doubt.” Eeyore is the ultimate pessimist. And yet, in spite of his dreary attitude, Fisher‑Price came out with “Ask Me More Eeyore,” designed for children ages three to seven. When you squeeze his left front leg, instead of giggling like many other stuffed animals on the market, Eeyore responds drearily, “Go ahead. Ask a question. If you want.” His twenty random responses include, “Don’t ...

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