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 1801 to 1825 of 2665 results

1801. Resurrection Power (Series: Living on the Resurrection Side of Life)

Philippians 3:1-11

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... time. But Christians are different. We believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. We believe these poor, lisping, stammering tongues will find new life beyond the grave and speak with clarity in the kingdom of heaven. We are not a drop in the bucket that falls lost into the sea of being. We are individual and responsible souls with resurrected bodies that return to their creator where they enjoy everlasting life. So we shout today, “Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!” I want ...

1802. The Gift Unwrapped

Luke 2:1-20

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... weren't allowed to give testimony in court. Not only that but shepherds weren't permitted to enter the temple or the synagogue. Why?! Well, there were some pretty good reasons. For one thing, shepherds were constantly walking among the droppings of the sheep, and that made them religiously unclean. Secondly, shepherds tended their sheep throughout the countryside, without paying any attention to property lines. In other words, they were constantly trespassing. And there' more, because they were on other ...

1803. The Gift of Purpose

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... cascade downward. But that day Gary and Mike decided that they wanted to get a little closer than they had before. They hiked through the woods and stepped gingerly across the glassy rocks to a lookout point very near the falls from which they could see the water drop off. The footing was slippery, and the spray was cold, but they were closer to the waterfall than either of them had ever been before, and the view was fantastic. Mike wanted to go just one step farther onto a rock that was just a few feet ...

1804. The Gift of Comfort

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... over Thanksgiving to celebrate the holiday and to be at our grandson Nathan's baptism last Sunday. Last Monday, it fell to me to take Mom and Dad Kimmons to the airport. So, Mary and I swapped vehicles. I drove here car and she drove my pickup to work. After dropping Mom and Dad off, I ran a couple of errands and then went by and swapped vehicles. I much prefer driving my truck and Mary prefers driving her car. When I got into the truck and got the seat all adjusted back where it should be. I started to ...

1805. Who Do You Put On?

Romans 13:8-14

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... . We're called to help others see Jesus. We're called to be the lens that allows others to focus on Christ. Every health kit, every meal, every bottle of water sent or distributed in the name of Christ, every prayer spoken or prayed, every dollar sent for aid, every drop of medicine or minute of physical help that is given is one more way to help us focus our lens so others can see Christ in the midst of this tragedy. We can't just put on a mask and look like Christians, we have to wrap ourselves completely ...

1806. Getting It, Together

Matthew 10:24-39

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... the things modern parents have found out is that we are in this thing called parenthood, together. We can't do it alone. A Dad is no longer just "lord of the castle." And Moms don't stay home, watch the kids and coming running to serve Dad at the drop of a hat. Today, Moms have careers, just like Dads. Being a Dad, especially, has taken on a whole new formula than in past generations. Today, in most households, Dads play more of a nurturing role in caring for the kids. The chief thing is to remember that we ...

1807. Radical Love is Truthful (Series: Radical Love in a Risky World)

Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... ’t fair to them.” Speak the right truth, to the right person, at the right TIME. In dance, in sports, in speech, in music, in life, timing is everything. You have no obligation to tell a father that your son made Phi Beta Kappa the day his son dropped out of community college. The time to celebrate your promotion is not in the presence of the person who just got fired. It will probably be difficult to plan a family vacation in the midst of a family fight. Vicki Edwards says “It’s nice to talk with ...

1808. Reassessing Our Laughter (Series: Questioning Our Values)

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... is what comfort means in the Bible. It is not pity. It is not control. Comfort is Aaron and Hur holding up the arms of Moses when he grows weary leading the Children of Israel in battle. God sends people to comfort us in the storms of life. A child dropped this note in the offering plate a few months ago. “Dear God, I will gladly give one day of my life for Dr. Olds to be healed.” Sandy and I were working in the yard at our cabin last Monday when our neighbor stopped by. He was in a golf ...

1809. Radical Love in the Neighborhood (Series: Radical Love in a Risky World)

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... another thing for pastors to raise their out-of-pocket deductibles and open clinics with the savings. We can complain about the response time of 911, or we can learn to administer CPR. Love is COSTLY, down right expensive. So this Samaritan stops in his tracks, drops his plans, scrubs his itinerary, gives his wine, lends his donkey, shares his money and takes his time. What part of love don't we understand? The attorney knew the answer before he asked the question. You can’t define love; you can only give ...

1810. Radical Love at Home (Series: Radical Love in a Risky World)

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... of property that will belong to me; don’t put me in your will; write me a check.” We would consider such a request rude, crude and a greedy request from a self-centered son. We don’t really get it. In Middle Eastern culture, the son was saying, “Drop dead, Dad.” “Get out of the way.” “You’re blocking me from life.” To nobody’s surprise, the guy squanders his wealth in wild living. We usually think he was a kid right out of high school, out to sow his wild oats. Maybe he was middle-aged ...

1811. Radical Love is Reconciling (Series: Radical Love in a Risky World)

Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... he found his sheep that was lost. About twelve years ago, I visited Rick Warren at Saddleback Church out in Orange County, California. Rick was still holding services in a tent back then. During a seminar I asked Rick this question, “How do you handle drop-outs at Saddleback?” Humorously, Rick responded, “I wave good-bye.” Who am I to debate Rick Warren? But, it seems to me, this teaching calls for something more. The word is not “GOOD-BYE,” but “GO.” Go in Person. Some of us will do almost ...

1812. Jesus’ Trail of Tears (Series: Questioning Our Values)

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... Thursday now. The scene is the garden of Gethsemane. The disciples are sleeping. Jesus is praying. He is pleading with God, “Let this cup pass from me.” And then the text gets intense. “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Does anybody know what is happening here? If we are good Calvinists, as many people are, the whole scene does not make much sense. If Christ was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world, what ...

1813. Follow Your Mission (Series: An Invitation to Christian Discipleship)

Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... service for young singles in the region. From time to time people ask, why the Loop? The majority of the participants are not even members of our church! I say, why not reach out to the very age group that is most likely to drop out of church? III. Make Disciples Intentionally The word “disciple” is not a familiar term in our society. We feel more comfortable talking about mentoring or coaching. Jesus calls us to make disciples! Disciples are FOLLOWERS. Disciples are persons who have experienced the ...

1814. The Reputation of a Lifetime

John 20:24-31

Illustration

John Ewing Roberts

... I think it is criminal to call him, "Doubting Thomas," for one brief moment of his life. We should remember him for the permanent affirmation Jesus evoked from him. I recall a story my grandmother told of a man in west Kentucky around 1900. He never touched a drop of "Demon Rum" except for one memorable occasion. He got roaring drunk, stole a horse and buggy, and raced down the main street of Arlington, Kentucky, all the while singing at the top of his lungs the song, "There'll be a hot time in the old town ...

1815. The NFL of Grace

Matthew 17:1-9

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... working in the lives of the Apostles which allowed them to answer the call of Jesus to follow Him. What else could it have been? They didn't know who Jesus was. They didn't know what He was capable of or what His ministry would lead to, yet they dropped everything and followed Him. Bobby Dodd, the former great football coach of Georgia Tech, tells the story of a game in which his team was leading 7 - 6 with just a minute to go. He instructed his quarterback not to pass the ball under any conditions. He said ...

1816. Catch of the Day

Matthew 4:18-22, Matthew 4:12-17

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... upon others. Israel dreamed of the coming of the Messiah. When he showed up, many of them thought it was too good to be true and wouldn't accept Jesus for who He was. But there were those who, like Peter, James, John and Andrew, knew immediately and dropped everything to follow. The dream not only lived in them but the dream had become alive in them and began to coalesce into a Vision. II. Vision What helped with that dream coalescing into a Vision was the Vision which Jesus had. Jesus had a vision of the ...

1817. Another Road

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... God met them where they were. But notice, God didn't leave them there. II. The Road Just like God didn't leave the Shepherds at the manger. The Angel's message to the shepherds had been so compelling that they went running with haste, they dropped everything and skeedaddled over there to see this baby. And when they went back to their flocks, they went back changed, filled with excitement, anticipation and expectation. I'll bet some of them even began a sort of countdown or a count up. They began listening ...

1818. Hope in a Plain Brown Wrapper

Luke 1:47-55

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... that in the sheep country of New Mexico, the shepherds were having trouble losing lambs in the late winter and early spring. It seems the ewes would take their lambs out to graze, and late in the day it would start to snow. The temperature would drop, and the ewes would continue to graze. The lambs would lie down on the ground and before long would freeze to death. The shepherds got together to discuss the problem. They determined that the ewes, covered with wool didn't feel the temperature change. The ...

1819. Pursue the Life That Really Is Life

1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... of the house. But when they started counting, they discovered that one of the children was missing. And, to their horror, they saw young John Wesley at an upper story window, caught in the burning building. The father, a devout, scholarly Anglican minister, immediately dropped to his knees, praying that God would save the boy. His mother, who not only was a person of great faith but also a very practical woman, immediately ran next door, got a neighbor with a ladder and, working with the neighbor, rescued ...

1820. Revelation 21:1-6

Revelation 22:1-6

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

"Do Over!" Remember that phrase? As children, when we completely messed up while playing some Game — missed the shot, dropped the ball, broke the bat — there was always the option to get a "do over." Shouting "do over" was like a magic reset button. It canceled out failure and offered a clean slate to try again. As John’s astonishing vision approaches its conclusion, Revelation begins to describe God’s " ...

1821. Time to Get Wet

Revelation 22:1-6

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... known as Cano Cristales. Like most rivers of the world, the water flow of Cano Cristales is tied to the seasons. In the wet, rainy season, the river flows deep and has strong currents. It is clear and cool. During the dry season the water levels drop, the water temperatures rise, pools become puddles, strong rapids become small rivulets. But for a small window of time, when the water levels are just right, when the temperatures are just right, when the amount of sunlight is just right, the Cano Cristales is ...

1822. Where Love Comes From

John 13:31-38

Sermon

King Duncan

... life seemed doomed from the start. He had been born to a dominating, unloving mother who worked long hours, and often left him at home by himself. The neighborhood children also rejected him. He was a small and unattractive child. He failed in school, and eventually dropped out, in spite of a high IQ. He went into the Marines, but the other Marines rejected him and even laughed at him. He had no discipline and he didn’t know how to respond to authority. He was soon court‑martialed and discharged from ...

1823. Three-in-one Oil

John 17:6-26

Illustration

Jef Olson

... couldn't have any children. On the way home from the doctor they went to see their pastor to ask for prayer. Being a small parish, and not well off, the pastor worked part time for the church and ran a car repair shop on the side, so they dropped by the shop. After they explained the situation, the pastor prayed for them on the spot. He looked around, grabbed a can of three-in-one oil and quickly blessed it to anoint them for healing. About 9 months later they had triplets! The couple once again showed up ...

1824. The Real Thirst Quencher

Revelation 22:1-6

Sermon

King Duncan

... aboard a ship lost in a cruel ocean with no hint of a breeze “a painted ship on a painted ocean.” Little food, no drink. And then the plaintive plea, “Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.” Have you ever been thirsty like that? Pastor John Jewell tells the incredible true story of a young marine corporal named Joey Mora. In 1996, Joey Mora was standing on an aircraft carrier patrolling the Iranian Sea when he fell overboard. His ...

1825. More Than a Book

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... everything, goes to the limits to extend his invitation of love. And if you miss the invitation in Jesus’ teaching, you can miss it in what he does. He writes the invitation in his own blood. He goes to the Cross, bleeds to death for our sin, every drop of blood an expression of sacrificial love. Now that’s herd to comprehend - that Jesus would voluntarily, willingly, love us so much that he would die for us - here’s a hint of it. Sometime ago Reader’s Digest carried a story of a family in the mid ...

Showing results