Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 1626 to 1650 of 4957 results

1626. What Power Has He?

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... the power is there. We lay our hands on a person to ordain them and appoint them to a church assuming we have empowered them to pastor a congregation. Effective pastoring is more about a person than it is about a position. Today one third of the world claims Jesus Christ as Savior, while Caesar Augustus fills a few pages of history. II. Contrast the Power of Force VS. the Power of Faith Here at Christmas it is time to realize where power lies, to straighten it out in our minds. A certain driver was pulled ...

1627. Watch!

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... of Chapter 25 is the parable of the five wise and five foolish virgins. It is the story of the bridegroom coming to claim his bride. It’s not a war, but a wedding. A Middle Eastern wedding, filled with anticipation and surprise. Unlike Western weddings where it’ ... s all about the bride, in the Middle East, it’s all about the groom. He comes to claim his bride and sweep her away to a week of festivity. Those with oil in their lamps were prepared to wait. While God is ...

1628. The Power to Rise Again

Mark 16:1-8

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... who brought us out of slavery, paid our ransom on a cross, and rolled the stone away. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). I am a child of God. The devil has no hold on me. I repent of my sins. I claim the power of Jesus. I am free. Amen. II. RESURRECTION POWER WILL HELP US RESTORE RELATIONSHIPS “The angel said to the women, ‘He has risen. He is not here. Go tell his disciples and Peter.'" Go tell Peter – Peter, so brash, so confident, so cocky. Yet, at crunch time, he ...

1629. The Power to Begin Again

Acts 3:12-19

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... facts, part of which he has been sued for. The murder mystery that follows informs us that almost everything our fathers' taught us about Jesus Christ is false. According to Mr. Brown, “The Church is murderous and evil, the Bible is a hoax, Jesus never claimed to be divine, but was a mere mortal married to Mary Magdalene whose bones compose the Holy Grail because she bore the child of Jesus, whose descendents are still among us today." My advice is save your money, skip the movie, and let not the Church ...

1630. Light and Hope for the New Year

John 1:10-18

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... powerful John's affirmation is. If we are naïve about the darkness, we don't see the audacity of John's claim. However intractable, however persistent, however treacherous the darkness seems to be, it cannot win. God's light continues to shine. That statement ... is faith. It is a faith that refuses to give up, refuses to surrender to the darkness of the world. It is a faith that claims the promise of the victory of the light. It is a faith that seeks to bring light to the darkened parts of our world, sharing ...

1631. What the Storms Blow Away

Matthew 7:21-29

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... that day." He means the day of judgment. What Jesus says about "that day" sounds even more devastating than the storm. On "that day," the risen Christ may look at us with a puzzled expression — the same one we get when an old acquaintance doesn't recognize us — and claim not to know us. We should be careful here. The ones Jesus doesn't recognize are not the folks who sleep in on Sunday mornings and have no use for the church. The ones Jesus doesn't recognize are the ones who have called him "Lord, Lord ...

1632. Strong in God’s Name

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Lee Griess

... However, not one of them was abducted. Not one of them was kidnapped or harmed. No. Rather, in the year 1987 the Internal Revenue Service first began to require proof that children claimed as dependents actually existed. Beginning in 1987, Social Security numbers were required on tax returns when dependents were claimed. And suddenly, eight million children disappeared in America. Temptation. It is a constant companion and very real danger to everyone's life. Jesus knew the power of temptation. He knew its ...

1633. With a Firm Foundation, Application Is Second Nature

Matthew 7:15-23, Matthew 7:24-29

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... time fretting about application, doing, and the living out of your purpose, be careful. You might lose the Christian name, Luther says. Mathew and Jesus seem to agree. We see this quite clearly in verses 24 through 27 of today's gospel. Matthew reports that our Lord claimed that everyone who hears and acts on Christ's Word is like a wise man building his house on a rock. For such a believer, even if the rain falls, floods come, and winds blow, the house will not fall on account of its firm foundation. By ...

1634. When You’re Free (In Christ), Sacrifice Is No Burden!

Matthew 10:24-39

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... s acts convulse and alter the entire world. Since Jesus' entry in to the world, nothing is the same. You and I are not the same; we no longer share the world's ways.5 From this point, our Lord made some very controversial, almost troubling comments. He claims in verse 35 and what follows to have come to set men against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, to the point that your enemies will be members of your family. In fact, Jesus even goes on, "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not ...

1635. How Jesus’ Friendship Makes Your Burdens Light

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... his] burden is light." Developing friendship makes that yoke heavy, it seems to me. While preaching the sermon on this gospel lesson that I noted previously, Dietrich Bonhoeffer said of Jesus that our Lord is "The one who thinks and lives for Others." In this text, Bonhoeffer claims, Jesus puts us in the awkward position of having to admit that his invitation was meant for us, too.7 What is it like to have a friend who thinks and lives for you? To some extent, friends can think and live for you and know you ...

1636. It’s Not about You; It’s All about God

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... idols we have built no less than any of the most ancient idolaters. The first Reformer, Martin Luther, helps us to see that. The issue, Luther claims in his Large Catechism, is who we make God to be — whether we let God be God or try to become god ourselves. As he ... with my whole heart.6 Expect all good from God. Martin Luther said something very similar in his Large Catechism. He claimed that "creatures are only the hands, channels, and means through which God bestows all blessings."7 As I said before: Use ...

1637. Life’s Purpose Is Often Hidden!

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... are we to do in the interim? How are we to do good, to make decisions? What good is life under these circumstances? The great American theologian and social ethicist, Reinhold Niebuhr, claimed that "human history is a mixture of wheat and tares. We must make provisional distinctions, but we must know that there are no final distinctions."7 Moralists, Niebuhr claimed, may urge us to make war on the tares, on the evil that is in us and is exhibited by our fellow human beings. True, much evil comes from human ...

1638. Religious Balkanization

Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... only limitation on this field's size was the requirement that the man be able to plow a furrow around the property in a single day. Early one morning he set out, drawn by the lure of free land and excited about the small farm he would stake out and claim as his own. He didn't need much, of course — just enough to make a simple living for himself and his family. By mid-morning he had moved a great distance. Still, when he looked back, the area seemed terribly small. So, since the day was still young, he ...

1639. Mistaken Identity

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... a very holy place. But appearances can be deceiving, so Jesus comes with his disciples to test their perceptions. "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" We ought not read too much into Jesus' self-identification here. Some think he is making a divine claim already in the question that he asks his disciples. But it is more likely that Jesus is using the term "Son of Man" in a manner similar to that found in the prophecy of Ezekiel. According to Ezekiel, when he was approached by heavenly messengers to form ...

1640. I Don't Do Windows

Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28

Sermon

Tony Everett

... reminders of God's promise and presence that are clearly visible to us on our wilderness journey? God has given us many — thank God! There is the water of baptism that is visible and tangible every time we wash our faces. Here is a sign that God has claimed us as his people and names us as God's own children, both inside and out. The water, together with God's Word, Jesus Christ, has cleaned the windows of our souls, inside and outside. Then there is the cross, in our sanctuaries, on our jewelry, even on ...

1641. The Land Where Our Fathers Had Lived

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... Abraham lived out his days as an alien there in that land of Canaan. By the time he died, the only plot of land that he could claim as his own was a field he had purchased so that he could acquire the cave within it as a burial ground for his wife, Sarah. ... formed early. Unless parents are vigilant to avoid it, reputations in the home harden quickly, as each child stakes out exclusive claim to some territory. The smart one. The athletic one. The troublemaker. The clown. Esau was out in the fields; Jacob was ...

1642. God’s Providence: The Long and Short of It

Genesis 45:1-15

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... behind in her hands. Now, for the second time in his life, Joseph's outer garment was used to suggest an untruth about him. Angry and hurt, Potiphar's wife took Joseph's garment to her husband, claiming that Joseph had attempted to rape her. The article of clothing left behind was interpreted as tacit proof of her claim. There's not much hope for justice when the master's wife brings an accusation against the foreign slave. Joseph was arrested and put in prison. This part of the story, of course, is half of ...

1643. Reversal and Victory

Judges 4:1-7

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... talk of the congregation. Before church was over that morning, at least two members of the building and grounds committee made a point of telling their pastor, "You don't have to worry about that bell next time, pastor. That's our job." Ron proudly claimed, "We rang the bell every Sunday for the rest of my tenure with that congregation."2 Deborah's presence inspired the soldiers and the victory played out exactly as she had foretold. The menacing enemy was soundly defeated. Deborah composed and sang a hymn ...

1644. Showing Up

Ephesians 3:1-12

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... 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. Because of the history of sponge diving, the celebration focuses on requesting divine protection for this highly risky line ...

1645. With Our Own Eyes

2 Peter 1:16-21

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... , as 2 Timothy 4:3 would put it. This is not just theological fretting. It really matters. It matters because the God of scripture is not Santa Claus. The wish list is not always filled. And what of those who tithe, who "name it and claim it" but remain poor? Baffour Amoa, of Ghana, then secretary-general of the Fellowship of Christian Councils of Churches of West Africa, summed it up in a 2000 interview: This new theology ends up, no doubt unintentionally, being a "well-developed form of oppression," which ...

1646. Pentecost ... Again!

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts and sanctified and kept me in the true faith." That we believe at all, that we can dare to think that we are the very sons and daughters of God and can claim a place among his holy people is not the result of anything we have done or accomplished. It is all because of what God has done for us in Christ and given to us through the Holy Spirit. Now that is counter-cultural! There are no other organizations in this ...

1647. Freedom and Slavery

Romans 6:15-23

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... only the fruits of a condition that is far worse. For Paul, sin is bondage. We are trapped. We are owned. There is no mythical, moral neutrality. We are always broken, out-of-bounds, fractured, from the first moment we come into this world. Paul's claim shouldn't come as a total surprise. Even though the cultural orthodoxy of our day promotes the pursuit of personal freedom, there are minority voices that sound a different opinion, an opinion we don't like to hear. The minority voices remind us that we can ...

1648. On Your Mark, Get Set . . .

Mark 13:1-8, 32-33

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... but the beginning of the birth pangs." These things aren't the actual event. They are only the preparatory events. These are the false labor pains. Throughout the years, ever since Jesus uttered these words, there have been people who have claimed to know "the when." And every time I read one of those claims I have to laugh. Because what they are saying, whether they realize it or not, is that they know more than Jesus. How arrogant of us to step out of the starting lane and try to figure out what only God ...

1649. The Dawn of Forever

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... truth, there is a treasure more valuable than anything we can think of or imagine. A treasure that is offered without any strings attached. All it really takes is a new identity and a little faith. The identity comes from Christ Jesus. He has already claimed us, now all we have to do is claim Him. Once we accept Him as Lord and Savior, we become heirs to all the promises and hope and treasures of heaven. Today we stand in "The Dawn of Forever." We can return to the darkness of the tomb. Or we can walk into ...

1650. 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... its boards brought the book’s height to almost eighteen inches. This weird and wonderful old volume was a dictionary — a book devoted to defining all the words all other books would be composed of. Despite its great number of entries, that volume could no longer lay claim to citing all our words today. The mark of a vital language is that it is an ever growing, ever changing entity. This is as true for the language of faith as it is for English or Spanish or French. The Apostle Paul was arguably the ...

Showing results