Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 151 to 175 of 606 results

151. PHYSICIAN

Luke 5:31; Colos. 4:14

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

Luke 5:31 - "And Jesus answered them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick;’ " Colossians 4:14 - "Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you." In ancient Egypt, from which the Hebrews acquired many of their ideas, medicine was mainly magical in nature and doctors were so highly regarded that they were sometimes deified. These doctors had some knowledge of surgical skill; for example, brain surgery is known to have been accomplished by them. Among the drugs which ...

152. A Terrific Trade

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... to head for the golf course. Suddenly a white pick-up truck pulled up and out jumped a young man named John, a member of Albert's church. John told Albert that he was in a lot of trouble. He worked in his father's business. Recently they had acquired a piece of property that contained a buried petroleum tank. In an effort to save money, John decided to remove that tank himself rather than hiring a specialist. He had access "to a back-hoe so he went to work. In the process he punctured the tank. Hundreds of ...

153. When The Word Became Flesh

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... was busy wrapping packages. The family was going to a Christmas Eve service that evening. There was a young boy in the family who was absolutely hyper with Christmas waiting and expectation. His mother, trying to keep him occupied, asked him to practice a newly acquired skill. She asked him to polish her shoes which were scuffed up a bit. He jumped right to that project and before long presented the shiny shoes for inspection. His mother was so pleased that she gave him a dollar bill. That evening as she ...

154. Service Without Witness

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Donald Macleod

... say the right word at the right time in the right way? A stranger on a New York city bus turned to me and asked, "Are you saved?" That kind of service at the wrong time in the wrong place deserves to be ignored. 2. Another thought: How do we acquire this attitude, this combination of serving and witness? Isaiah lays his finger on it in verse 4 by "listening to God." None of us can minister to the weary unless we bring a word or message that is bigger than ourselves. Those who fail in this are simply not ...

155. The Mirror of Judas

Mark 14:1-11

Illustration

Larry Powell

... been no goodness, no promise, no ability, Judas certainly would not have been included among the Twelve. Moreover, he was capable and trustworthy enough to be selected as treasurer for the group. So for whatever reason, future potential or ability already acquired, Jesus had confidence in him. Has not Christ placed tremendous confidence in us? The care of his church, the propagation of his message, the extension of his ministry, faithfulness to our vows. Shall we too betray his confidence? 2. Judas knew ...

156. Hector’s Case Against Christmas

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Erskine White

... the world will believe that a homeless child born of a teenaged girl in a dusty little town like Bethlehem is really the Son of God? This is a world where appearances are everything, Gabriel, and where all that matters are those things which can be consumed, acquired or exploited in the here and now." Suddenly, Gabriel perked up. "That’s where you are wrong," he said, "I sent out a press release yesterday to all the major news outlets announcing the birth of God’s Son, so it will surely be a front page ...

157. When Is The Baby Coming?

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Erskine White

... , I should be fair and add that children bring other kinds of changes as well. Houses which once didn’t know what they are missing are now filled with the sounds of child-like laughter and running feet. Words like joy and wonder acquire deeper meaning as we experience them anew through the eyes of children. Bonds of love grow more profound, connecting us to past and future generations, and allowing us to love our children unconditionally even as we are loved unconditionally by God. Sometimes the coming ...

158. God’s Great Promise To Sarah!

Genesis 17:1-27

Sermon

Durwood L. Buchheim

... sister, so that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your account." (Genesis 12:11-13) We know that the cowardly plan worked. Sarah agreed. She became Pharaoh’s mistress and things went well for Abraham. He acquired much wealth. But Pharaoh didn’t fare so well. He and his household were afflicted with plagues. Once he discovered the reason behind all his bad luck, Sarah and Abraham were reunited and sent on their way. In this story both the Pharaoh and Sarah came out ...

159. Stewards of Life, Death, and Beyond

Matthew 6:19-24

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

... has been bad and very bad and full of life and death stories. Edwin Meese, our Attorney General, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse their ruling on abortion, the famous Roe vs. Wade decision. It has also been revealed that Rock Hudson died from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS. With this sermon, we complete our series on "Caretakers of Creation." We’ve seen thus far that for God to put us "in charge" of the whole creation is a very large responsibility and privilege. We saw that we must ...

160. Party in Room 210 ... Everyone Invited

John 1:35-42

Sermon

Thomas Long

... Then, somehow, the words of the solos and the anthems began to have a certain power for her. "Worthy is the lamb who was slain," and "I know that my Redeemer liveth," began to speak to her beyond the concerns of musical phrasing and pitch. She was gradually acquiring not only an acquaintance with the vocabulary of the faith, but also a relationship to the One to whom those words point. Now, when she sings, she does so with a new name. She is no longer "performer." She is "witness." What does it take to make ...

161. Proper 19

Proverbs 22:1-16, James 2:1-13, James 2:14-26, Mark 8:27-30, Mark 8:31--9:1

Bulletin Aid

Paul A. Laughlin

... important in life; that we shall no longer strive for the perishable, but ever treasure the imperishable. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen Prayer of Confession God of mercy, we are ashamed to confess how much we live for possessions and the money it takes to acquire them, and how little effort we apply to things of the spirit. Forgive us, we pray. Lay upon our hearts the words of Proverbs and the teachings of Christ, which value justice far above success. Help us to conform our priorities at last to yours and ...

162. Proper 23

Genesis 3:1-24, Mark 10:17-31, Hebrews 4:1-13

Bulletin Aid

Paul A. Laughlin

... DOLLARS AND CENTS. Leader: But throughout the Gospels, Jesus warns us not to accumulate or trust wealth, and even treats riches as a barrier to God’s Kingdom. People: LET US THEREFORE LEARN TO TRUST GOD AND GOD’S GRACE RATHER THAN ANYTHING WE CAN EARN OR ACQUIRE. Collect Almighty God, who have given us by grace the salvation that we could never earn, instill in us a sense of dependence upon you; that we may no longer rely upon our own merits and assets for self-esteem, but may learn finally to trust in ...

163. Confronting Hypocrisy With Humility (I)

Matthew 23:1-39

Sermon

Brett Blair

... wherever you wish. PUSH it and it will go nowhere at all. It's just that way when it comes to leading people. They need to follow a person who is leading by example." It is easy to fall into the trap of outer significance. No sooner do we acquire a little power than we are trying to display it with letters after our name, or through the clothes on our back, or by titles on the door. Someone once wrote Ann Landers a letter asking if a person who receives an honorary doctoral degree should use it publicly ...

164. The Technicolor Sign

Genesis 9:1-17

Sermon

Larry Powell

... rainbows before. It had rained before, but never before had a voice accompanied a rainbow saying, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth" (9:17). A natural phenomenon had now acquired theological significance because God had blanched it into the personal experience of an individual whose perspective enabled him to gather it in. No longer was it something "natural, which happens all the time," but rather a "sure sign" from God. Let us pursue ...

165. Come Home!

Isaiah 60:1-22

Sermon

Richard L. Eslinger

... , this sense of incompletion lives on with us. Particularly in these last few decades, we know something of what it was like for Israel. Family and friends "left behind," unable to make it through the years and come home. For some, there is an acquired indecision, a disease-like inability to stay committed to anything. You know those folks. They used to be here, but by now they have been through the "Jesus movement," the Bahai Faith, and most of the schismatic groups splintering off the main line churches ...

166. Service

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

... . A sad realization that comes to teachers is seeing a student matriculate at college, graduate or professional school - especially divinity school - fulfill all requirements, and even receive the desired degree, yet remain essentially unchanged. That student may have acquired knowledge, but has there been growth? Has the academic experience been solely a matter of the head - the heart left untouched? Is the graduate a larger person, mature, with insight into life? Has the degree-holder learned compassion ...

167. Christ and Time

Galatians 3:26--4:7

Sermon

T. A. Kantonen

... in time do not happen by chance. Through the rolling centuries God is at work to fulfill his plan for his creation. To the Psalmists God alone is from everlasting to everlasting but he allots to us our three score years and ten or four score years, which acquire lasting worth only in a life in fellowship with him. So they pray, "Teach us so to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). Such a numbering of our days brings to mind the rapid flight of time. With the Psalmist ...

168. The Priesthood of All Believers

1 Peter 2:4-12

Sermon

T. A. Kantonen

... the ancient Egyptian "oath of clearing," contained in the Book of the Dead, a man stands before the judgment seat of Osiris and says, "My fortune was small but it was mine own." The spiritual riches which we seek to transmit to others must be honestly acquired by ourselves. There is truth in Moody’s observation, "No man can lead another man nearer to Christ than he is himself." The second principle of Alcoholics Anonymous is this: see yourself as a part of a great plan. This is an orderly universe. When I ...

169. The Man Who Couldn't Hear

Mark 7:31-37

Sermon

Brett Blair

... to people, yet failing to comprehend, to understand, and come to grips with what they are saying, is a plague upon the Church. For, you see, it is possible to listen to a person, yet fail to really hear them. Listening is a skill. It is something that can be acquired. I don’t think it is at all an exaggeration to say that you could have no greater impact upon your world then by closing your lips and opening your ears. How can we become better listeners? I Let’s take a look at the life of a man who ...

170. The Star Thrower

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... belief, that it was fated at that time for men coming from Judea to rule the world." Tacitus, the historian, writes, "There was a firm persuasion ... that at this very time the East was to grow powerful and rulers coming from Judea were to acquire a universal empire." Therefore, it would not be unusual for these wise men, these Median astrologers of the priestly class of Persia (modern Iran), to note the special significance of the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the desert's brilliant nighttime sky ...

171. When the Word Comes to the Wilderness

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

William G. Carter

... talks, show you how to alter them just enough to obscure their origins, and get you a reputation for wit and wisdom. Course 2: Voice Control for Prayer and Counseling. We would develop your own distinct style of Holy Joe intonation, acquiring the skill in resonance and modulation that conveys an unmistakable aura of sanctity. Course 3: Efficient Office Management. There is nothing that parishioners admire more in their pastors than the capacity to run a tight ship administratively ... Course 4: Image ...

172. Old Favorite

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sermon

Harold Warlick

... weep bitterly in the darkness of his love-deprived nightmare. He was completely and consistently without knowledge of love. But the next day he was a different person. He went to the garage and took down his rifle. He carried it with him to his newly acquired job in a book storage building. And from the third floor of that building he sent two shells crashing into the head of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy.1 Stories such as this rivet our attention. Love is important. Lack of love is tragedy. So we try ...

173. Salvation Includes Social Justice

Jeremiah 23:1-8

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... requires.”8 Religious traditions like Christianity teach that means are as important as ends, that how you got there is as important as where you got.9 In essence, this eminent Yale professor is saying, our faith teaches that it does not mean much if you have acquired wealth or fame by oppressing people with poverty. When Christ rules as King in your life, Jeremiah says, you will want to do all that you can to ensure that this nation’s wealth is not at the expense of the poor. That is not the way ...

174. The Lightest Touch

Jeremiah 1:1-19

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

... was one thing to absorb the practices of the priesthood from his father, grandfather, and uncles. Those tasks were prescribed carefully, and he undoubtedly relished the privilege of the clinical experiences of priestly routines right within his own home. How would he acquire the ability to articulate words that would represent the thoughts of God for his people? In an era of high devotion and loyalty to God that might be easy, but Jeremiah had great misgivings about his people. God’s Call It was typical ...

175. Liberty And Civility

Galatians 5:1-15

Sermon

Brett Blair

... . You know as well as I that our nation has lost, in the last 20 years, a great deal of its gentleness, it's kindness, it's civility. Children are increasingly belligerent and adults more coarse than before. Let's break the cycle. Don't let the abundance we have acquired through liberty make us selfish. Celebrate with me today not just our liberties but our heritage of civility. Amen.

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