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 1826 to 1850 of 2844 results

1826. Proper 25

Hebrews 7:11-28, Job 42:7-17, Job 42:1-6, Mark 10:46-52

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: God in Christ is ever available to hear and heed our cries for mercy. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Job 42:1-6, 10-17 The story of Job comes to completion as the sufferer comes to acknowledge his own finitude and God's power. Job does not receive a direct answer to his questions but receives something better, the very presence of God. "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you" (v. 6). This verse contrasts knowledge of God from tradition with a more direct relationship of God ...

1827. Proper 26

Hebrews 9:11-28, Ruth 1:1-22, Mark 12:28-34

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Getting back to the basics, to love God with one's entire being and to love the neighbor as oneself. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Ruth 1:1-18 This story, known by even the biblically illiterate, finds its setting during the time of the judges. Elimelech and his wife Naomi migrate to Moab, probably for economic reasons, where they settle. Their two sons marry Moabite wives. During the course of time, all of the men in Naomi's family die. She hears that there is food in the land of her origin and decides ...

1828. Made New By Getting Lost

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Richard A. Wing

For those of you who have come here feeling lost, I have good news for you. For those of you who have come here willing to get lost, I have even better news. The good news is "fear not." The God we worship specializes in finding lost people. The God we worship gives life the moment we lose ours for the sake of heavenly causes. Our text has two words that become backdrops for the entire season of Advent. Those words are "wilderness" and "about face." John comes out of the wilderness, the necessary passage ...

1829. Getting The Face We Deserve

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon

Richard A. Wing

It has been advised that we always approach God quietly because God speaks in a whisper. While we are busy getting more of what we have enough of, while we are so noisy as a society, we don't hear the voice of God because we've been too loud. We must learn to receive God's whispering voice. The season of silence is the season of Lent which begins this week, but we're not into that season yet. We're in a season of bright light, the end of Epiphany. In the Old Testament Moses goes up on the mountaintop, ...

1830. Who Lives In You?

Luke 13:31-35

Sermon

Lee Griess

Who lives in you? That's the question that comes to mind as we read those words of Jesus this morning when he tells the Pharisees, "Go tell that fox (Herod) that I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow and on the third day reach my goal." I will do what I must. For God lives in me. I am a citizen of heaven. Let him do what he must! Let your imagination run free for a moment and picture yourself, your personality, who you are really, as a house. Any kind of house will do -- just so it's ...

1831. God, The Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1-13

Drama

Jerry Eckert

Comment: In Volume 2 of this set, there were two sermons on the Trinity: "God the Father," which was a telling of a meeting of two old friends; and "God, the Son," which was an interview with John the Baptist. These were done at Faith United Methodist Church in Milwaukee. The third in the series on the Trinity is this use of the "You Are There" format. After feeling successful using it two years earlier for the Tower of Babel story, the story that is the Old Testament antecedent to the story of Pentecost ...

1832. The Pageant

Luke 2:8-20, Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Jerry Eckert

[Comment: Emmanuel Church in Horicon was nothing like Faith Church, Milwaukee. There was talent galore, except, it appeared, in theatrical skills. Only one person in the church was active in a community theater and no one seemed to think it should be part of church life. There was no stage in the fellowship hall and the sanctuary was not particularly conducive to plays because there was no lighting except the normal room lights, which gave little flexibility for variations. There was a resistance to ...

1833. Same Old, Same Old

John 8:31-41

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

Synopsis: A husband and wife argue about how to celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary. Alma, the wife, likes to go to the same romantic place where they went on their honeymoon, year after year. George, the husband, is tired of the "same old thing" and would rather go or do new things. The debate is seemingly unresolved until Alma is seen looking at a brochure titled "Tahiti" and is heard making a call to a travel agency. This abrupt change indicates a sudden growth spurt in their relationship. Note: ...

1834. When The Boat Keeps Rocking

Psalm 46:1-11

Eulogy

Robert Noblett

Congregation Experiencing Several Deaths In A Brief Period On a fourth of July weekend when I was a fairly young man, a friend of my father's invited a friend of mine and me to go on a boat ride with him on Conesus Lake, one of the so-called Finger Lakes in central New York state. Even as a young man I recognized this person to be one who trafficked with what is dicey, but for some reason we capitulated to pressure and got into the boat. To make short a long story, it was a frightening experience. The man ...

1835. Vitality For Today

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Sermon Aid

Clement E. Lewis

Meditation Music: "God Of Grace And God Of Glory"(May be sung as a solo to emphasize its message) Words Of Encouragement from Philippians 3:13-15 Paul wrote: "This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have ...

1836. The Full Measure Of Life

Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon Aid

Clement E. Lewis

Instrumental Meditation: "Wonderful Words Of Life" A Brief Prayer: Psalm 39:4-5 Lord, let me know my end, and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing in thy sight. Surely everyone stands as a mere breath. Hymn: "I'll Live For Him" Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-15 (NRSV) The gifts that he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for ...

1837. The Politics Of Love

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

W. Robert McClelland

Luke sets the familiar parable of the good Samaritan in the context of two commands: Love God and neighbor; and Go, do likewise! Furthermore, it is clear that by casting the parable with Jewish bad guys and a Samaritan good guy, Jesus wants our love to transcend ideological differences and respond to human suffering and injustice wherever it may be found. Christian spirituality has always been characterized by its loving concern for others, but it has had trouble seeing the political dimensions of its love ...

1838. Black And White

1 John 1:9

Children's Sermon

Mark A. Hultquist

Object: Each child will need a sheet of white paper and a black crayon. How many of you are good at coloring? I know you do a really good job because I've seen some of the work you have done in your Sunday School classes! I was really impressed by the beautiful choices of colors in those pictures! This morning we are going to do a little bit of coloring during the service here. I brought along a piece of paper for each of you. Each piece is blank. And I also brought a crayon for each person and I'll pass ...

1839. Spaghetti

Matthew 7:24-27

Children's Sermon

Mark A. Hultquist

Object: Two pieces of spaghetti: one cooked and pliable, the other uncooked and firm. Do you like spaghetti? It seems like there are so many different ways to serve spaghetti and some people like it all of those ways. How many of you like your spaghetti with sauce? How many like it with sauce and meatballs? How many like it plain, or with a little butter? And how many like it with cheese on top? Then, of course, there is the whole question of how you eat your spaghetti. How many of you like it cut up in ...

1840. Living Water

John 7:37-38

Children's Sermon

Mark A. Hultquist

Object: A paper cup, a pitcher, a bucket, and a hose. Do you remember those hot days in the summer when you just can't seem to cool off? You sit down in the air conditioning and you feel okay, but as soon as you start moving around, or go outside to have some fun, you get so hot you can hardly believe it! I want you to pretend this is one of those days. You have done everything you can think of to stay cool and none of those ideas is working. So you finally decide to go outside and fill up your little poo ...

1841. Look Ahead!

Romans 8:19

Children's Sermon

Mark A. Hultquist

Object: A variety of summer items: for example beach towels, sunglasses, suntan lotion, a cooler, and so forth. Lesson: The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. Can you believe the cold weather we have been having lately? The wind is blowing. People have been saying how cold they feel. The weather men say this might even continue for a while longer. Well, this morning I brought along a number of items that are just perfect for this type of weather. (Show each of the items ...

1842. Desserts Are Special

1 Corinthians 15:26

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: Some pumpkin pie or some Thanksgiving dessert. Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you had a great Thanksgiving? (Let them answer.) Isn't Thanksgiving a wonderful time? All of your family is home together, the food is great, there is no school for a couple of days, and everyone seems to be especially happy. It is good to remember how good God is to us and to share the things that God gives us with one another. I brought along something with me this morning that we had left from Thanksgiving ...

1843. Death Of A Dream - Birth Of A Church

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

Genesis 11:1-9 This Old Testament lesson is a story of failure, but there is a great truth for all of us in it. I had a dear friend who used to say, "Every man is my teacher. I either learn what to do from him, or what not to do." It reminds me of a cartoon, which showed a bum sitting on a park bench; his clothes were tattered and torn, his toes were coming out of his shoes - the stereotypical hobo. Beneath the picture was the caption, "No man is completely worthless - he can always serve as a horrible ...

1844. Liking the New and Improving the Old

Isaiah 43:14-28

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

Next to "love," the word "new" is one of the most overworked words in our world. If it isn't new, we immediately consign it to ancient history. A minister friend, tells of speaking to a group of seventh grade confirmands. They were at a rather rustic retreat center. One boy came up to him, saying, "Boy! Is this place old! In the bathroom you have to turn on two faucets to get hot and cold water!" New and old is always relative, of course, but we quickly tire of the old and readily embrace the new as better ...

1845. Not

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

There is no use in worrying needlessly. Some things you absolutely cannot change. And some things are too ridiculous for us to be concerned about. A Peanuts column shows Charlie Brown saying, "I couldn't sleep last night. I kept worrying about school, and about life, and about everything." Snoopy, the dog, walks away thinking, "I didn't sleep well either. All night long I kept worrying that the moon was going to fall on my head." Some issues are already settled, and there is no point in useless anxiety, ...

1846. Lent 5

John 11:1-16, John 11:17-37, John 11:38-44, John 11:45-57

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

"Get a life!" is the new catch phrase for the 90s. It is said that it replaces the slogan of the 80s, "Have a nice day." Now, they say, the smiley stuff no longer works in the present when times are harder and people have to knuckle down and get serious about doing what they have to do. "Get a life" - where does one get life? Is it earned? Is it a gift? In today's miracle, raising Lazarus from death to life, Jesus gave him life. Can anyone give life other than Jesus? Why did Jesus bring Lazarus back to ...

1847. Star Miracle

Matthew 2:1-12, Isaiah 60:1-22, Ephesians 3:1-13

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

Today's society is a star-saturated society, or should we say star-crazy society? Since we seem to know all about our Earth and face no more earthly frontiers, we have turned our attention to extra-terrestrial bodies. We are interested in the stars: their size, temperature, and whether life exists on them. In 1989 Time magazine had a feature article on the sun, an "ordinary" star 96 million miles from Earth, 865,000 miles in diameter, with a temperature of 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. For 3-and-a-half ...

1848. Walking The Familiar

Mark 6:1-6

Sermon

Leonard H. Budd

There was still a slick of morning moisture covering the path into the town as Eli and Samuel walked by Nathan's orchard, crossed the small stream, and finished the prescribed sabbath day's journey to the synagogue: in length, 2,000 cubits. By our modern standard of travel it was not far. It was about 1,000 yards. They walked at hurried pace. Their prayer shawls were pulled tightly around them, which helped protect them from the morning chill. Sabbath. The day of rest. In Nazareth the gathering was a ...

1849. Living Water

John 7:25-44

Sermon

Leonard H. Budd

To call it a "wilderness" is not strong enough, not descriptive enough. That land surrounding the Dead Sea is a wild part of earth, burned by the sun of day and frozen by the winds of night. The rocks of this terrible terrain between the depths of Jericho and the heights of Jerusalem are jagged and upended. It is eternally dry. Jarib had foolishly set out from the Jordan River banks without enough water. The animal skin was only half full as he began his journey. His travel to the high Jerusalem was taking ...

1850. A Whale Of A Tale

Jonah 3:1-10

Sermon

Erskine White

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Arise and go to Nineveh." (Jonah 3:12) I'd be willing to bet a nickel (maybe even a dime) that if ten people were asked what they know about the Jonah story, most of them would say, "the whale." (Of course, the Bible never says that Jonah was swallowed by a whale - all the Bible says is "a great fish" - but everyone calls it a whale, anyway). Everyone remembers the whale, but in point of fact, the whale is the least important part of this ...

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