Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1626 to 1650 of 2404 results

1626. But I Really Like the Best Seat in the House!

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Sermon

... would have to "close the sale" with a client), goal setting books (the sky's the limit they told me), and testimonials, which inspired and convinced me that no matter what I thought was holding me back, if I wanted something bad enough, I could achieve it. I attended every workshop I could and always had an outrageously expensive tape series playing in the car. I dreamt my dreams, set my goals, became more assertive, and at times, even aggressive, in order to climb to the top of the heap. I dreamed of ...

1627. Good Gossip

James 3:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . The reason James offers for so few who qualify as “teachers” is the most common of human conditions — the weakness of mis-speaking, of failing (“patio”) to keep the tongue in check. Nothing less than the inevitable human failure to achieve perfection is at the root of this weakness. The front and center presence and influence of a “teacher” lends increased repercussions to both their failures and successes — their words can influence “the whole body” (“holon to soma”). James calls ...

1628. James 3:1-12

James 3:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

1629. Big Men in Little Planes

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... more accepting, more compassionate person than you were when you first began your Christian journey, you are still stuck on first base. Salvation is only the beginning of the journey. Growing to be more like Jesus is the continuation of the process. And the crowning achievement, what makes you the greatest, is humbling yourself to serve those who are less fortunate, those who do not have the advantages that you and I have, those who do not know God’s amazing grace. Big men in little planes. Why were they ...

1630. Competitive Kids

Mark 10:35-45

Illustration

Erskine White

Do we learn from children how not to be so competitive - how to be happy with our own gifts and achievements and not to be so obsessed with what the next person has? Well, consider the plight of poor Charlie Brown (in Peanuts), who is walking with his friends on the way to school one morning. It is "show and tell day," and Lucy is asking Linus if he remembered to ...

1631. A Road Straight to Your Heart

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... I wore shoes without spikes so I’d be comfortable.” (5) How sad, but how human. He didn’t think he would get to play anyway, so he didn’t do what he needed to do to get ready for his big moment. “Spectacular achievement,” someone has said, “is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.” Speaking of being prepared, former President Jimmy Carter in his book, Living Faith, tells about our friends of the Amish faith and what preparation means to them. The Amish do not believe in an ordained ...

1632. Finding Redemption in the Midst of Judgment

Malachi 2:17--3:5

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

... send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17 NIV). What great and glorious news for the people of a fallen world who stand under eternal condemnation! Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore ...

1633. Born at Bethlehem — Hope

Micah 5:1-4

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

... cares deeply for them. The leaders of the nation hated justice and perverted all that is righteous and holy. They are building Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. The judges, priests, and false prophets cared only for themselves, and they would achieve their success at any cost whether through extortion, robbery, or human misery. The judges were taking bribes so impartially and blind justice was impossible. The priests were to teach the people about God, but they would only if the price was right ...

1634. Jesus - The Leader of Our Team

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... how much he would have to sacrifice, but he fully knew there was no way he could conduct his life without Jesus as his central guiding figure. Thus, for Paul, finding our way to life eternal is not only the goal, but Jesus is the way to achieve that lofty pinnacle. The gospels, both the synoptic writers and John, affirm what Paul was telling the Philippians, namely the need to center our lives on Christ, his message, and his way of life. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges his followers to follow ...

1635. Learning the Recipe for Love

Colossians 3:1-17

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... of things we possess, accolades and awards received, significant positions attained, or the amount of influence or power we wield. Yet, Jesus Christ, whom we follow and whose birth we continue to celebrate during this Christmas season, came among us as a poor man. He achieved few if any of the marks that today are labels for “success,” yet more people follow him and his teaching today than any other religious leader. Why? Jesus was the teacher who taught us the formula for life. Today we hear how Saint ...

1636. Obedience: Our Gift to Jesus

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... from the punishment he received at the hands of his father, but she learned to her surprise that he learned this hard lesson in life through the pain he inflicted on his father. All the things Matthew could have done to bring his father joy — achievements such as straight A's in school, getting the winning basket or hit to bring a sports team a victory, or winning the local town's citizenship award — could not be measured against simply being obedient. Obedience seems like such an easy task, yet in ...

1637. Learning the Recipe for Love

Colossians 3:12-17

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... of things we possess, accolades and awards received, significant positions attained, or the amount of influence or power we wield. Yet, Jesus Christ, whom we follow and whose birth we continue to celebrate during this Christmas season, came among us as a poor man. He achieved few if any of the marks that today are labels for "success," yet more people follow him and his teaching today than any other religious leader. Why? Jesus was the teacher who taught us the formula for life. Today we hear how Saint Paul ...

1638. Enemies of the Cross

Philippians 3:17 - 4:1

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... question is ... nothing! I don't have to do anything to be saved or to have a meaningful and purposeful life or be happy or be somebody. Why? Because God has already given me that in Jesus Christ! It is a pure gift. What I can never achieve on my own, God freely gives me with no strings attached, no conditions to be filled, or obligations to be met. Immediately there are always those in the class who raise their eyebrows. If they are especially bold, they might even protest. Even lifelong Christians in the ...

1639. Heaven on Earth

Revelation 21:1-6

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... and would not be able to crush the Christians. These beasts and enemies have already been destroyed. Christ in his death and resurrection has already disarmed all the powers of this world. The day is coming when Christ will make visible to all the victory he achieved on the cross and at the empty tomb. Now that victory remains hidden, but the day is coming when it will be visible to all. In the meantime the Christians addressed by this book can live with hope. Even though they must endure great suffering ...

1640. It’s a Good Thing He’s Gone!

Ephesians 1:15-23, Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... of our day who say, "Who needs Jesus and his religion? It's just for women and children, for the weak and puny, this talk of God and mercy and forgiveness. We can make it on our own. We can do it ourselves. We know how to succeed. We can achieve and make money and be good people and be happy without this Jesus. Yes, it's a good thing he's gone!" Then there are the intellectually elite, the highly educated, and worldly wise of our day who say, "I never believed in God anyway. Where is God? What proof ...

1641. Killing What Is Already Dead

Colossians 3:1-11

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... . Neither of these ideas is self-evident. Only the eyes of faith can see the inherent goodness of creation. Only Christian hope can affirm that all of the conflict of the world will be healed in God's time, in God's way. God will achieve this reconciliation through the cross and resurrection. The cross and resurrection change the whole universe. All of the parts that were in conflict now come together. That's the universe part of what Colossians teaches. After that part, we come in. We participate in Jesus ...

1642. Saint and Sinner

Romans 3:21-31

Sermon

Scott Suskovic

... sobriety through this organization co-founded by Bill W. known as Alcoholics Anonymous. Though it is not a blatantly religious movement, AA is grounded in some very basic spiritual or religious tenets beginning with a strong belief that God is the only help to achieve sobriety. Step one begins the process by admitting that you are powerless over alcohol and that God is your only strength. This first step is critical and one of the most difficult. What you are saying is that alcohol has taken control of your ...

1643. The Winning Word

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

Tom Barnard tells of his great love for sports stories, especially where an athlete survives an ugly situation and is honored for his or her lifetime achievements. One of those celebrations occurred on baseball's opening day, 2008. It happened to William Joseph "Bill" Buckner, a former major league baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, California Angels, Kansas City Royals, and the Boston Red Sox. Accompanied by a loud, standing ovation prior to the ...

1644. Trumpet Medley

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... had a very different association. Trumpets, you recall, were literally the instruments of victory in the famed conquest of Jericho, as well as in Gideon's later defeat of the enemy Midianites. The trumpets did not merely signal the attack: The trumpets achieved the victory. To the associates of Nehemiah, on the other hand, the sound of the trumpet signaled a warning (Nehemiah 4:1-20). Those who endeavored to rebuild Jerusalem's walls lived under a constant threat. The coworkers were stretched out over a ...

1645. Heisman In The Hudson

Isaiah 43:16-21

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... ." It is an unimaginable scene. It is the job applicant, who tears up the resume that everyone fawns over, saying, "You ain't seen nothing yet." It is the much-recruited high school senior, who wants to disown his sterling GPA and board scores, confident that his achievements in college will eclipse them. And it is the God of Israel, who says, "Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing" (vv. 18-19). The setting for this unimaginable word from the Lord is ...

1646. Prelude To A Sacrament

Exodus 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... invited his people to distinguish themselves by some act of faithful obedience: circumcision, looking up at the serpent on the pole, baptism, and such. This particular act was meant to be instructive to them — and to us — as their salvation was achieved by the blood of the lamb. Then there was the meal. The passage we read earlier provided some of the instructions about the meal, and those instructions from God were remarkably detailed. After all, is there anything more routine, more ordinary, more ...

1647. A Tale Of Two Peters

Acts 5:27-32

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... a look at Scene One. The action takes place in the same chamber. The same well-dressed and serious characters are there, occupying their seats of judgment. Again, they have a prisoner dragged before them. It's Jesus. His arrest had been a conspiracy, achieved by a covert operation at night. The charges were largely fictitious and most of the testimony a sham. But these leaders, who had been vigorously antagonistic to Jesus for some time, were determined to bring this trial to a very specific conclusion ...

1648. In the Potter's Hands

Jeremiah 18:1-11

Sermon

Chrysanne Timm

... not resemble the vision God had for us when the idea of us formed in the mind of God. And so, like the potter, God has the right, and as an artisan, the responsibility to collapse the spoiled vessel, add more water, and work with it once again to achieve the desired result. God will not throw out the clay, for it is valuable and holds the promise of something beautiful within. But to release its beauty and purpose, the clay will need to be reformed in the potter's hand. The people of Jeremiah's day were not ...

1649. When We Are Tempted

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... be yours.” Who could resist being handed the power and the status that would come with ruling over all the kingdoms of this world? It is every politician’s dream. And you have to wonder how many politicians have been willing to bow down to Satan in order to achieve such dreams. Jesus was offered all the kingdoms of this world and all he would have to do would be to bow down to the devil. But it was too high a price for him to pay. Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve ...

1650. Surprise in a Graveyard

John 20:10-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... of the paradise of God. I saw a great chorus which no [person] could number assembled before the shining white throne. Most intently did I listen to the song which they sang. It was a song of triumph to the King of kings, telling of his wondrous achievements and of the universality and permanency of his reign. In the midst of their song I heard the voices of the patriarchs peal forth, ‘For he shall reign for ever and ever.’ Then I heard the voices of the prophets add, ‘For he shall reign for ever ...

Showing results

Showing 1626 to 1650 of 2404 results

1626. But I Really Like the Best Seat in the House!

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Sermon

1627. Good Gossip

James 3:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

1628. James 3:1-12

James 3:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

1629. Big Men in Little Planes

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

King Duncan

1630. Competitive Kids

Mark 10:35-45

Illustration

Erskine White

1631. A Road Straight to Your Heart

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

King Duncan

1632. Finding Redemption in the Midst of Judgment

Malachi 2:17--3:5

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

1633. Born at Bethlehem — Hope

Micah 5:1-4

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

1634. Jesus - The Leader of Our Team

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

1635. Learning the Recipe for Love

Colossians 3:1-17

Sermon

Richard Gribble

1636. Obedience: Our Gift to Jesus

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sermon

Richard Gribble

1637. Learning the Recipe for Love

Colossians 3:12-17

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... of things we possess, accolades and awards received, significant positions attained, or the amount of influence or power we wield. Yet, Jesus Christ, whom we follow and whose birth we continue to celebrate during this Christmas season, came among us as a poor man. He achieved few if any of the marks that today are labels for "success," yet more people follow him and his teaching today than any other religious leader. Why? Jesus was the teacher who taught us the formula for life. Today we hear how Saint Paul ...

1638. Enemies of the Cross

Philippians 3:17 - 4:1

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

1639. Heaven on Earth

Revelation 21:1-6

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

1640. It’s a Good Thing He’s Gone!

Ephesians 1:15-23, Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin