Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1576 to 1600 of 4938 results

1576. Mary Magdalene’s Day

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... disciples present. Others mentioned earlier have gone to their homes. What they are talking about we do not know but what we do know is Mary is alone with two angels in white. She must not have been afraid. Our suspicions are that she is not going to give up on finding the Man who must have meant more to her than life itself. She may have been the most dogged of the disciples who believed defeat was not defensible! She recognized him by his voice. Not knowing who he was, she responded to his question of why ...

1577. Mary and Joseph: His Obedient Servants

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... , painful, demanding more than any human should be, almost impossible. Your mate is selfish, even unchristian, maybe hateful and caring. You want to get, but God is saying ‘Stay with it!’ (“Let it be to me according to your Word.”) You’re ready to give up on one of your children. You’ve done everything, given everything – he has spurned it all – walked all over you, used you – you want to call it quits – let him go, but God is saying ‘not yet.’ (“Let it be to me according to your ...

1578. Altar Your Service

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... which shows what I'm talking about. (watch) That's a servant's heart. That's the Heart Jesus wants us all to have as we seek to serve Him and become more and more like Him each day by giving Him our heart. Oh, you don't have to give up your life and become a nun or a priest, but what made Mother Teresa was how she lived her faith. We can all do that. We can live our faith. We can move it from our head to our hearts and hands. Altaring our Serve begins with letting the love ...

1579. Radical Love is Risky (Series: Radical Love in a Risky World)

Luke 6:27-36

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... or martyrdom. “Wow, hit me again. It’s good for me and I’ll get the joy of forgiving you.” That’s crazy. That’s not what I’m saying. In fact, you ought to go back and read I Corinthians 13. Remember Paul said, “Even if I give up my body for martyrdom and have not love, I gain nothing.” I am saying it’s going to take strong, loving people to break the chain of hate. Anybody can strike back. Will somebody travel the better road of reconciliation? “So, if someone takes your coat, give ...

1580. Embracing an Endless Line of Servants

1 Corinthians 3:5-23

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... , you and I, for twenty, forty, sixty, eighty, or ninety years; we have lived and moved and had our being. There were times we never thought we would and nearly didn’t make it. There were times we almost hoped we wouldn’t make it and we were ready to give up on the whole thing, but we didn’t. We hung in there and that has made all the difference. Weak as we are, we found God to be our refuge and strength and a very present help in trouble. Foolish as we are, we discovered wisdom from on high in ...

1581. Let Go of the Stone

Mark 16:1-8

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... during his eight-year imprisonment, Stockdale, who walks now with a limp says, “I never doubted that I would not only get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn this experience into a defining event of my life, which I have done." The pessimists give up in despair. The optimists give in and die, the hopeful hang on until help comes from the Lord. CHRIST IS RISEN. Let go of the stone of heartbreak; embrace the life of hope. II. LET GO OF THE STONE OF FEAR AND EMBRACE A LIFE OF FAITH. An ...

1582. The Power of a Single Life

2 Corinthians 6:3-13

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... back, be on guard, act cautiously. They are free to live and to love, to rejoice and to care, to forgive and renew, to believe and move on. Open-hearted people seize the day. They possess the power to see it through. Edison didn’t give up on the light bulb even though his helpers seriously doubted the thing would ever work. Luther refused to back down when the Church doubled her fist and clenched her teeth in efforts to keep him quiet. Michelangelo kept pounding and painting regardless of negative put ...

1583. The Best Gift of All

Titus 2:1-15

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... really ever know.” Traveling thousands of miles as well as the familiar surroundings and the comfortable feeling of his hometown were unable to give him the seasonal peace he was looking for. Nothing seemed to be working for Derek. Not ready to give up, still feeling empty, Derek found a church that offered a late candlelight service. “Sometimes it takes a moment or more of desperation to achieve the kind of clarity necessary to hear God’s voice,” Derek reflects. Christmas finally hit him as the ...

1584. Refresh Your Heart

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... who provide our clothes and entertainment live outside our homes, often half a world away. Paul’s request of Philemon was tantamount to asking his friend and co-worker (“koinoinia”) to contribute his home, or half his livelihood, or to give up his “car” (transportation amenities), because Paul said so. Giving freedom to a slave, a valued and valuable “property,” was no small favor. “Manumission” was a major overhaul. In Paul’s time slavery was never good, but it wasn’t always the ...

1585. Rend Your Heart

Joel 2:12-17

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... ,” and it has the most intimate love connected with it, like the love of a mother for the child of her womb. Slow to anger includes in its meaning God’s patience—an incredible long-suffering patience with us sinful folk, a constant refusal to give up on us and to consign us to death, a yearning love to include us in his kingdom. The NIV’s translation of the Hebrew words rab ḥesed by abounding in love in 2:13 has obscured their meaning, however. They could be translated literally “great covenant ...

1586. Jesus Inaugurates the Disciple Band and Conquers the Unclean Spirits

Mark 1:14-20, Mark 1:21-28

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... with merely a “tithe” of our lives. He demands our wholehearted sacrifice of self, that we love him with our entire heart, soul, mind, and strength (12:30) and serve him with everything we have. He will indeed take care of our needs, but we must “give up everything” to follow him (10:28–31). 3. The kingdom teaching of Jesus provides the only basis for discovering final truth. Many great insights for life are to be found in a variety of sources, but only in Jesus can one discover what bears on ...

1587. Use It or Lose It

Luke 19:11-27

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... man. As we have seen in 18:1–8, a parable character who represents God need not be like God in every respect. God is not “hard” and exploitative, but he does expect his people to make an effort on his behalf and to take risks rather than give up in fear. 19:23 put my money on deposit. Lending at interest was illegal between Jews. Here the master either expected his slave to bend the rules (thus reflecting his master’s alleged business attitudes!) or wanted him to do business with a Gentile. 19:24 ...

1588. Applying God’s Wisdom to Life’s Issues

1 Corinthians 2:6-16, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... from our surroundings, and from other church members, it proves easier to follow the crowd and reduce faith to an additive—something that adds yet another nuance or flavor to life. To act like Christ, to consider others greater than oneself, to give up personal rights, to accept suffering when there could or should have been praise is no easy matter. But, as Paul argues in this text, God’s Spirit empowers the Christian to overcome these fears and difficulties. The Spirit empowers Christians to follow ...

1589. The Little Children and Jesus

Mark 10:17-31

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... for the man’s possessions. The man’s full adherence to the law, good as it is, is no substitute for knowing and following Jesus. This offer, however, the man cannot accept. Standing on his own merits, he is self-confident; but when he is called to give up his security and follow Jesus, his “face fell, and he went away sad” (10:22 NLT). Possessions pose a problem for the disciples as well as for the rich man, for Jesus “looked around” and twice warns, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the ...

1590. Love

Romans 12:9-21

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... between flesh and Spirit, the world and God (Gal. 5:16ff.). Christians pray, and rightly so, for deliverance from harm and adversity on their earthly pilgrimage. But if their prayer is not answered accordingly they must not conclude that God is punishing them or give up their faith. The gospel is indeed a hospice of heaven in this life, but it is more often, and more importantly, a training camp for the life to come. The Spirit does not exempt Christians from hardship, but he promises to support them in ...

1591. The Healing of a Boy With an Evil Spirit

Mark 9:14-32

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... on behalf of those to be redeemed (e.g., Rom. 8:32). Here in 9:30, the term probably refers to Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, but since Jesus predicts this event as part of the divine plan, in a more profound sense it is really God who will give up his Son to the judgment of hostile human courts (lit., into the hands of men, see note). This teaching is mentioned as reserved exclusively for his disciples (9:30), but we are also told that the disciples did not grasp what he was saying and were fearful to ...

1592. Do You Believe in Miracles?

Mark 7:31-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... said. Then she added, “He was not cured but he was healed.” (4) What a grand testimony. Those prayers did make a difference. Perhaps the anointing oils did as well. Healing did take place even if being curing from cancer did not. This should say to us, never give up on prayer. God uses all kinds of means to offer help to His people just as Jesus used different means to heal people. Sometimes it is the prayer of a pastor. Sometimes it is just the presence of a loved one in times of crisis. Nurse Susan M ...

1593. Clearing the Eyes

John 9:1-12, John 9:13-34, John 9:35-41

Sermon

David & Marian Plant

... those who are willing to see differently can and that those who think they are already certain about what my rules are, will be shown the error of their ways.” So this week... be sure and stop to meet a need as yet unknown to you. This week give up your own sense of controlling everything with a set of rules you created. Live a week with some freedom to allow that the “other way” isn’t wrong, it just isn’t something you are used to. This week be honest about the sunglasses you have on. Sunglasses ...

1594. Small Beginnings, Great Endings

Luke 17:5-10

Sermon

Richard Hasler

... I know I’ve grown since Tuesday. Do you expect me to be last Tuesday’s Leo today?”[4] Buscaglia cooperated by improving himself from week to week. Spiritual growth involves patience, cooperation, and finally what I call surrender. We must give up our old ways and seek something radically new. To be blunt, we must plant seeds, die, and wait for resurrection. Literary scholars often consider the Russian novelist Feodor Dostoevsky’s greatest novel to be The Brothers Karamazov. What interested me most ...

1595. Motives Matter

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... motivations that would counter the lessons he wanted them to learn, demonstrate, and impart to others. Yet, he never grew tired of trying! This is the one of the miraculous truths about God throughout the scripture and throughout our lives! God never gives up on us! God never gives up trying to keep our focus on the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Jesus. We can see Jesus’ message in the words of the disciples’ proclamation! Whenever you enter a town….cure the sick….and say to them, ‘The kingdom of ...

1596. The Simplex Faith of 3:16

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Influential Jewish Leaders” of his day. Yet Jesus’ first words back to Nicodemus are more than challenging. They are strikingly strange. Just before the verse we all know, Jesus insists that Nicodemus’ sign-driven faith is not enough. Instead that influential leader must give up all his identity which is based in position and authority in order to be born again “of water and the spirit.” Strange words and a strange directive to one who seemingly had as much to offer Jesus as Jesus had to offer him ...

1597. A Faithful Harlot

Joshua 2:1-24, Hebrews 11:1-40

Illustration

Richard A. Jensen

... entered Israel's story. The king of Jericho had spies of his own, of course. They informed him that Rahab was housing two spies of the people of Israel. The king of Jericho, therefore, sent a message to Rahab calling upon her to take a great patriotic action and give up the spies. But the king's message had come to late. Rahab had already hidden the spies on her roof. She told the king's messengers that two unknown men had come to her house but that they had left the city before the gate was closed the ...

1598. Something Old, Something New

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

Paul W. Kummer

... and the people of Israel didn't even go to a lawyer. They just deserted their first love. This was the only marriage in trouble that didn't have two sides to the story. God was totally innocent; the people defiantly guilty. Yet God wouldn't give up. He didn't find another wife. He just kept wooing the adulterous one. His love and commitment finally convinced his wife to come back and repledge her faithfulness. God made a new covenant with Israel. What was new about this agreement? "I will put my law in ...

1599. An Arranged Wedding, But An Intentional Marriage

Genesis 24:1-67

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... doubt the troubled state of marriage? Across the nation, we average one divorce decree for every two marriage licenses. In some parts of the country, as many divorce as marry each year. In spite of this high divorce rate, people do not give up marrying. In fact, a higher percentage of people marry today than a century ago. It seems this problem can, at least in part, be traced to the high demands we make on marriage. Particularly, we have tremendously high emotional expectations. Our ancestors appreciated ...

1600. The One Thing That Would Make The Biggest Difference

Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon

Roger G. Talbott

... with someone like that? That's not what the Bible says, however. We are always hearing that we don't need relationships with unhealthy people. That isn't quite right. We don't need unhealthy relationships with unhealthy people. Matthew's gospel tells us not to give up on people as easily as we often do. If we cannot straighten out a relationship with a one-to-one meeting with another person, or maybe a series of meetings, Jesus tells us to get a couple of other people involved. Many of us want to ...

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