Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1651 to 1675 of 1967 results

1651.

Psalm 73:1-28

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

God’s Goodness Redefined: The Nearness of God This psalm is a favorite for many because it rings so true to our feelings and experience. Many of us have felt disappointed in God. When we feel life has treated us unfairly, we often betray our belief in the sovereignty of God by blaming and abandoning him! The psalm confesses what we are afraid to admit, and so helps us to be honest before God about life’s temptations and our readiness to sell out. The psalm’s first half is largely negative (vv. 1–14) and ...

1652. As a Fire Exists by Burning

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. (Luke 10:1-3) “The church exists by mission as fire exists by burning.” Emil Brunner Groundhog Day In West Virginia Years ago, some other ...

1653. Lord, Send The Wind

Jeremiah 4:5-31

Sermon

James McLemore

What does it mean to ask the Lord to send the Wind? Let me give you some examples. Together four eyes peered into the vacant alley of an overcrowded apartment complex. They wiped sweat from their faces as they watched the red sun of a hot day dip below the horizon, only to reveal the white moon of a hotter night. Next door through the paper-thin walls, they could hear a man and a woman arguing about the night before and the night before that. Upstairs, through the hollow ceiling they could hear the cries ...

1654. Clear The Way!

Luke 3:1-20

Drama

Pamela Urfer

Cast: John the Baptist Usher First Church Official Second Church Official Length: 6 minutes There are three stools placed at the front of the sanctuary. JOHN the BAPTIST, wearing clothing made of camel's hair or animal skins with a leather belt around his waist, his hair wild and unruly, comes into the sanctuary through the back door. His first speech should be memorized and his script could be waiting for him on his stool. The USHER must also memorize his few lines. JOHN: (In a loud voice) Prepare the way ...

1655. Foreshadowing

John 12:1-11

Drama

Pamela Urfer

Cast: Jesus Mary Lazarus Judas Length: 7 minutes JESUS, LAZARUS and JUDAS are seated on stools. They mime eating. JESUS: This is a great dinner, Lazarus. Thanks for inviting us. LAZARUS: You should thank my sisters. They did most of the work. JESUS: I certainly will. JUDAS: You spent way too much on the food, Lazarus. We should eat more frugally and give what is left over to the poor. Don't you agree, Lord? JESUS: Another time we will, Judas. But this is a special occasion. JUDAS: Special occasion? What ...

1656. The Fourth Meal

Sermon

Robert F. Scott

The Fourth Meal Martha's Supper; Mary's FeastLuke 10:38-42 Worship Focus On one side of the table, a jumble of cooking pots, some on top of others at crazy angles. On the other side, an open Bible. A Litany For The Fourth Meal Leader: God of all wisdom, we thank you that you call us to yourself. People: God of all mercy, we thank you that you invite us to bring to you our prayers. Leader: God of all knowledge, our lives are always open before you. People: God of compassion, open our eyes, that we may see ...

1657. It's Called Forgiveness

Matthew 6:5-15

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: Forgiving Is A Command Based on Matthew 6:14-15: In the family of God, forgiveness is a command, not a choice. In order to be forgiven, one must forgive. There are no options. (This play is designed for easy production and special lighting is not needed. The occupation in the story may be changed to fit the church congregation best.) Scene: Kitchen of a farm house Props Table and two chairs Newspaper Coffee cup Seed corn cap Characters 1ST BROTHER: Middle-aged man who is loud and angry 2ND BROTHER: ...

1658. The Season Of The Holy Spirit

Mark 7:1-23

Bulletin Aid

Wayne H. Keller

Theme: Jesus Deals with Cleanliness and Uncleanliness: The External and the Internal. How do we decide which are the "worst" sins? Liturgical Color: Green THE COMMUNITY GATHERS TO CELEBRATE Pastoral Invitation (Pastor and Ministers) When you entered the sanctuary door, you passed the entrance exam; so welcome to worship. Are you ready to hear and to respond to the Good News? M: Well, Pastor __________, we are here; God's Spirit will need to energize and encourage us to respond. P: That is the right order. ...

1659. Praying To The Congregation

John 17:6-19

Sermon

Thomas Long

According to legend, a certain West Coast radio evangelist would customarily close his broadcasts by praying over the air, "O God, we ask that today you would touch the hearts of those in 'Radioland' to support this worldwide ministry. We pray that you would move them mightily to send offerings of love, and to send them to Post Office Box 345, Pasadena, California." Though he was particularly crass about it, this minister was actually committing a fairly common mistake in worship leadership -- praying to ...

1660. Are You A Basket Case?

Deuteronomy 26:1-15

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

We have a large, cylindrical basket by our fireplace which holds firewood. And we have another wonderful basket, perhaps a half-bushel in size, which was given to us by friends. It is hand-woven and crafted by a 92-year-old man who cut the tree, shaved off the strips, soaked them, and then created this lovely container; solid and stable, a treasure. I have a bread-basket; dainty, finely woven, and perfect - fashioned by a cultured, saintly woman in a church I served as pastor. Another everyday basket that ...

1661. Heaven Will Wait

1 John 3:2

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: Two exact kinds of packages that do not have the picture of the product on the outside but do have some descriptive material of what is inside. Example would be some dishwashing product or some packages of nails or screws. Lesson: Good morning, boys and girls. We are going to work on a problem today. How many of you like to solve problems? (Let them answer.) That's good, because I like to solve problems too. It makes me feel like a good detective when I have found the answer to a big problem. I ...

1662. Partners with the Pastor

Philippians 1:5

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: Several bottles of pop, straws or glasses. Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you have ever thought that you would like to have a partner? Do you know what I mean when I say partner? [Let them answer.] A partner is someone with whom you share your work or your fun. Some people play tennis with partners which means that they are a team and share the points that win or lose the game. That is a partnership. How about this one? I have one bottle of pop that I will be willing to give to someone ...

1663. An Our Good Works And Generosity

Matthew 6:1-4, Matthew 6:5-15, Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 6:19-24

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

Jesus was giving his famous Sermon on the Mount. In the middle of it he looked at the disciples from his sitting position (as was customary for Jewish rabbis of the first century when they were teaching). And Jesus said: "Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 6:1)." To whom was Jesus referring with these words? He was probably talking here and at other points in the sermon about the Pharisees. ...

1664. The Clop, Clop, Clop of a Donkey

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

My children may not remember how I used to cross my legs, balance one of them on the toe of my shoe, hold on to their tiny hands as they leaned against my leg, and bounce them up and down, singing: Ride a cock horse to Banbury crossTo see a fine lady upon a white horse.With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,She shall have music wherever she goes. Sometimes they would have to hang on for dear life. The ride delighted them, and I was delighted at being a young father. I assume parents of young ...

1665. Foreshadowing

John 12:1-11

Drama

Pamela Urfer

Cast: JESUS, MARY, LAZARUS, JUDAS Length: 7 minutes JESUS, LAZARUS and JUDAS are seated on stools. They mime eating. JESUS: This is a great dinner, Lazarus. Thanks for inviting us. LAZARUS: You should thank my sisters. They did most of the work. JESUS: I certainly will. LAZARUS: You spent way too much on the food, Lazarus. We should eat more frugally and give what is left over to the poor. Don't you agree, Lord? JESUS: Another time we will, Judas. But this is a special occasion. JUDAS: Special occasion? ...

1666. Teaching Trust

Acts 16:28

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: None Did you ever hope that someone would trust you no matter what happened? I think that this is the best kind of friendship. When people trust each other they are the best kind of people. There is a great story about trust in the Bible concerning Paul and some of his friends. It all started when a woman who was a slave to some evil men followed Paul around a town called Philippi making fun of Paul's preaching. As you might guess, Paul was very serious about teaching others to love and follow ...

1667. An Easter-Life

Acts 10:23b-48

Sermon

Carl Hoefler

What does Easter mean to you? In the secular world, it means fluffy bunnies, brightly colored eggs, hidden baskets, and lots of lush chocolate candy. If you are a child, there is nothing wrong with this. Easter is a happy day, and God loves to hear the laughter of little children; but, if you are an adult and this is all that Easter means to you, then there is something tragically missing in your faith-life. Interestingly enough, the word "Easter" appears nowhere in the Bible. The word "Easter" was ...

1668. God Is Good But Not Easy

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man, and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Vindicate me against my adversary.' For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.’ " And the Lord ...

1669. A Criminal, A Cross, and the Christ

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

Thomas C. Short

And the people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews." One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you ...

1670. Where Easter Begins

John 20:1-9

Sermon

Dean Lueking

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and ...

1671. Given as Light

Isaiah 42:1-9

Sermon

A young man sat near a small river, his feet cooling in the gently rippling water. He had walked many miles that day through the desert dust. The river soothed him and calmed the restless longing in his soul. He was almost thirty years old. As he grew up in his father’s carpenter shop, his kinsfolk thought he would be a carpenter, too. But he left one day, never to return, to become a teacher, a wandering rabbi calling men and women to follow him. As he sat there on the banks of the shallow river, another ...

1672. But Where is the Lamb? John W. Cobb

Genesis 22:1-19

Sermon

As one stands to the West of the temple area in the old city of Jerusalem and gazes upon the remains of the Temple of Herod now spoken of as the "wailing wall," then looks beyond to the domineering Dome of the Rock, it is to recall the great epochs of history and tradition associated with the place called "Mount Moriah." How much of human history and the traditions of the "people of God" is linked to that spot! One of the most moving and poignant of those traditions is the story of Abraham’s ultimate ...

1673. Palm Sunday

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon Aid

Liturgical Color: Purple/Red Gospel: Matthew 21:1-11; Matthew 26:14-27, 66 Theme: Jesus' triumphal entry - Jesus' betrayal and sharing of the communion. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor did this: "Here he comes! Let's make him welcome! Enter into the Mardi Gras spirit! Laugh and dance and sing and rejoice! Our King is coming! Then, as the choir and children enter during the singing of the hymn of triumphal entry, have them wave palm branches and intermingle with the congregation. At the ...

1674. Begging Bartimaeus

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

Richard F. Bansemer

The sermon today is from the Gospel of Mark, the 10th chapter, verses 51 and 52. "And Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And the blind man said to him, ‘Master, let me receive my sight.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ " Jericho is about as far away from Jerusalem as a twenty minute drive. It’s a mere fifteen miles. That’s pretty close, unless you’re walking as Jesus was. For him it was a day away, at most. A good walker could cover it in four or ...

1675. Issachar

Genesis 49:1-28

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

Of all the sins which so easily beset us, spiritual laziness can become the most deadly and deadening. If allowed to permeate the soul, it results in spiritual slavery. There is a legend of the Greek citizen who voluntarily sold himself into slavery because he did not want to be encumbered by the problems of freedom. Many people prefer to spend their days free from mental and spiritual exertion. Tragically, such individuals become spiritual slaves. When freedom is relinquished, servitude results. ISSACHAR ...

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