Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1626 to 1650 of 4508 results

1626. Making a Difference

Illustration

Author Unknown

Made a difference to that one! The story was told about two men walking down a Mexican beach, talking with one another. They could see a man in the distance throwing something into the ocean. As they got closer, they saw that he was bending over, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean. The closer they got they noticed that he was one of the natives. There were starfish on the beach ...

1627. Shake the Dust Off Your Feet

Illustration

Mark Trotter

My first church had about 180 members in it when I went there. Three years later when I left they had 150 members. I wondered what went wrong. I did everything that I could. I worked as hard as I could. But they just sat there, immovable. I thought, maybe I am in the wrong profession. I went to the superintendent to talk it over with him. He confessed, "We were thinking of closing that church. We ...

1628. Crows and Methodist Preachers

Illustration

Dennis Marquardt

During America's early years our land was filled with evangelism. It's no wonder there is a Methodist and Congregational Church in nearly every town in New England today. Circuit riders were so relentless in their ministry that on stormy days there was a proverbial saying: "There is nothing out today but crows and Methodist preachers." (from Camp Meetings & Circuit Riders-Untamed Faith on Ameri...

1629. Real Evangelism

Illustration

Staff

If we are going to be effective in reaching people for Christ we are going to have to start showing people that we really care. Evangelism and missions must be relational in nature. There is no record of Jesus walking up to someone out of the clear blue sky and saying: I am the Messiah and then him beginning to show his care for them. No, he showed his care for them first and then he revealed hims...

1630. Relationship Evangelism

Illustration

There is an old story told about a man by the name of Ali Facid. He had a small farm and a family. One day, the story goes, a Buddhist priest came by and said to Ali Facid: You know, there are valuable stones called diamonds, and if you get one of these you could be a wealthy man." Ali Facid went to bed that night, but the words of the old priest haunted him. He was so obsessed that he felt that h...

1631. From 12 to 1 Billion

Illustration

Dennis Kastens

From the twelve, the group grew to 120 by Ascension Day. A little over a week later, on Pentecost, it increased to over 3,000. By the time the last of the twelve died, there were an estimated half-million followers of Jesus Christ. That was the end of the first century. By the end of the second century, this number had increased to almost ten million. By the end of the third century, all heathen t...

1632. A Spirit of Peace

Illustration

Keith Wagner

When we model a spirit of peace it can be contagious. One time Charles Kuralt was traveling through the back roads in Ohio. He passed a farmhouse with a homemade banner on it that read, "Welcome Home Roger." One of his associates said, "I wonder who Roger is?" They decided to drive to the farm and meet the family. Roger was a soldier on his way home from Vietnam. The family was anxiously awaiting...

1633. Travel Light

Illustration

Keith Wagner

James Michener, the famous author used to hitchhike when he was a young man. Michener didn't live in a happy home. He was also unhappy at school. When he was fifteen he hiked westward from Detroit with only 35 cents in his pocket. He said, "The simple fact seems to have been that once I saw that mysterious road outside my house, the eastern part leading to a dead end, the western to worlds unknown...

1634. Send Workers Now!

Illustration

Edward F. Markquart

Have you ever been down to the bank on late Friday afternoons to deposit a check? Are the lines long on Friday afternoons? Yes. Do you enjoy waiting in those lines? No. And you are pleased when you hear the voice of the bank manager echoing through the bank: 'Tellers to the front window please." And you want those tellers to come immediately, when the line is long. Not in five minutes or ten minut...

1635. Ministry to People in Need

Illustration

E. Carver McGriff

There's a wonderful legend about Saint Francis, the kindly thirteenth century monk, who one day informed his brethren that he planned to go into the nearby village on a preaching mission. He invited a novice to go along. On their way, they passed an injured man and Francis promptly stopped, saw to the poor fellow's needs and arranged medical care for him. They went on and soon passed a homeless ma...

1636. Sermon Opener – “Where Are the Laborers?”

Illustration

King Duncan

Carl A. Boyle, a sales representative, was driving home when he saw a group of young children selling Kool-Aid on a corner in his neighborhood. They had posted the typical hand scrawled sign over their stand: "Kool-Aid, 10 cents." Carl was intrigued. He pulled over to the curb. A young man approached and asked if he would like strawberry or grape Kool-Aid. Carl placed his order and handed the boy ...

1637. Slaving for Nothing

Illustration

King Duncan

Guyde Maupassant's "The Necklace" tells the sad story of a young woman named Mathilde who dreamed, as many do, of making it in high society. However, she was the wife of an ordinary French citizen. One day Mathilde's husband obtained an invitation to attend an elegant ball. Thoroughly delighted, Mathilde borrowed from a wealthy friend a beautiful necklace to wear to this elegant occasion. The stu...

1638. He Will Never Let Go

Illustration

King Duncan

There is a beautiful and important scene in the movie Dr. Zhivago. The Comrade General is talking with Tanya. He asks her, How did you come to be lost?" She replies, "Well, I was just lost." He asks again, "No, how did you come to be lost?" Tanya doesn't want to say. She says simply, "I was just lost. My father and I were running through the city and it was on fire. The revolution had come and we ...

1639. Proper 6

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The Old Testament texts for this Sunday explore the question of whether anything is too difficult for God. This question is central to the story of Sarah's miraculous birth in Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7, while Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 is a song of thanksgiving, which celebrates the fact that indeed nothing is beyond God's reach. Genesis 18:1-15 (21:1-7) - "Is Anything Too Difficult...

1640. Equipped for Our Calling

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

This morning we’re going to start off with a little confession time. It’s good for the soul. Every once in a while, do you wish you could call in “sick” to work and have a day to relax? There’s an old term that is used for skipping out of some obligation, like not going to work or school when you’re supposed to. It’s called “playing hooky.” It comes from an old Dutch term for the game “hide-and-se...

1641. Herding Cats

Sermon

Lori Wagner

A popular expression in our culture expresses exasperation in the face of trying to govern other people’s behavior, particularly those with very individual preferences, goals, agendas, and initiatives, who have no interest in being governed. Throwing their hands up in frustration, leaders trying to command such individuals into a group with a common goal may exclaim: “Trying to work with this gro...

1642. How Much Should We Pack?

Sermon

William G. Carter

As much as I like to travel, I am never sure how much to pack. When my wife and I take off for a week long vacation, we do our best to keep a week’s worth of possessions down to one suitcase. That is the goal. There is never a guarantee it will happen. Packing is determined by two contradictory principles: how do we move quickly? How can we be prepared for every contingency? How many pairs of pan...

1643. Stop Being Afraid

Sermon

Marc Kolden

Jesus' instructions to his disciples prior to their first mission continue in today's gospel reading. He has been telling them about all the dangers and hardships they may have to put up with and ends by saying (in effect), "What do you expect? A disciple is not greater than his teacher. If the world gives me a bad time, it will give you one too" (Matthew 10:24-25). So what does Jesus do? Sell the...

1644. Shake It Off!

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

Adrenaline pulsed through our bodies as we nervously took our positions in the field. It was an important playoff game, and everyone was feeling the pressure. The second baseman dropped a routine fly in the bottom of the seventh, allowing three runs to score which tied the game. In the third inning the right fielder had uncharacteristically overrun a pop-up after losing it in the sun, permitting t...

1645. Moving Words

Sermon

Larry Goodpaster

On the surface, this reading from Matthew’s gospel is a strange sounding, and somewhat puzzling passage. It is one we could easily dismiss since it is specifically addressed to the original 12 disciples. The text is part of a lengthy chapter detailing the instructions Jesus gives to those 12 prior to that first “missionary” effort. Since this appears to be a private tutoring lesson for Jesus’ smal...

1646. A Colorful Exchange

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

Exegetical Aim: If we give our life to God, he will give life back to us. Props: New Box of Crayons, a tray to dump the crayons in, and one sheet of paper for each child present. A new box of crayons would be best. Put the tray in the middle of the children. Lesson: Good morning. (response) Look what I have! Show the new box of crayons to the kids. And they are all mine. I wonder how many crayons ...

1647. Be Nice!

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

Exegetical Aim: Teach the children courtesy and hospitality. Props: A Pitcher of ice cold water and enough cups for all the children and participants. You will need to adult participants sitting close to the front. Write out what the participants are to say or give them a copy of the children's sermon. We shall call them John and Susan. Lesson: [As you greet the children pour yourself a drink of w...

1648. Suffering for Christ

Sermon

Dennis Kastens

Jesus said: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more...

1649. Why Are Christians Such Bad Tippers?

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Anyone here this morning who once worked in a service industry? (You can make this question rhetorical, or you can make this a karaoke moment and get your people to talk about what they did and where they worked.) If you worked in food service you know from experience there are two distinct parts of your income: the hourly wage and your tips. In fact, generous tips are about all that makes it poss...

1650. Cross Purposes

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

All around the upper ledges of the curved glass windows in our living room perches a collection of dappled and dimpled art glass tumblers. These brightly colored tumblers come from an old family collection. They were put together long ago by grandparents long gone. They bring hundreds of different shades and hues of color into the room on a sunny day. Of course, our house is also located in an ear...

Showing 1626 to 1650 of 4508 results