Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1851 to 1875 of 2962 results

Galatians 5:16-26

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... now it is enough to dwell on the one fruit — love I leave you then with two pictures from two of the world’s greatest Christians. The first, Albert Schweitzer. Someone once asked Schweitzer to name the greatest person in the world. Many would have designated Schweitzer himself for the honor. The good doctor without a moment’s thought, replied, “The greatest person in the world is some unknown individual in some obscure corner of the earth, who at this very hour has gone in love to be with another ...

1852. Judas, A Person Like Us

Mark 14:43-52

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... ? Do you see why a look at Judas is a theological exercise that is terribly important? Let me simply underscore four important theological principles now and move on to look at what I believe Judas teaches us. The first principle is this: God allows but does not design evil. Think about the Judas drama in relation to this. “To suggest that it was God’s intention that a man in a divine drama should do evil, and, indeed, that he had no real freedom to do otherwise, makes God a partaker in evil, which is ...

1853. Sons of God

Galatians 3:26--4:7

Sermon

King Duncan

... Old Testament Law with all the deference they give to the Gospel. But Christ has introduced us to a much different God than the Law presents to us a God who calls us into a very intimate relationship with Him. Rather than rules we have a relationship one designed to help us grow into the likeness of Christ. Even if it were possible to keep the Law perfectly, the Law could not help us grow into Christ’s likeness. We are not robots, and we were never meant to live sterile lives of conformance to a written ...

1854. The World Is Our Parish

John 3:16-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... man." The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God revealed in Jesus Christ, not even the God of Islam or Buddhists or Hindus can support this kind of cruelty. Christians particularly need to be careful not to turn the tragedy of September 11 into an “act of God" designed to shock America back to faith. To do so is to make Mr. bin Laden a participant in God's plan. I abhor even the thought of that. God Loves! God loves the world. I don't know why, but he does. He loves the world when it is lovely ...

1855. When It's Time to Wait

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... a few years ago. I discovered why people of the medical profession call consumers “patients". All you do is wait, and wait, and wait. I remember waiting for hours to see my oncologist one day. Finally getting in to see her, I sat down and said, “By some spiritual design has God appointed you to try to teach me patience?" She said, “What do you mean?" I said, “I have been waiting for two hours to see you. People come to see me, wait ten minutes, and if I'm not there they write me a nasty note, leave ...

1856. Facing Our Fears with Faith

Matthew 10: 27-31

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... will be wise today to bring our fears to the surface, so we can face them with faith. Some of our fears are Simple Fright. Fear is an alarm system. It is like our home security system. It sounds at the appropriate time for our good and value. Fear was designed by God to give our bodies the sudden burst of strength and speed we need in an emergency. Fear is a natural, normal reaction to danger. A mother was tucking her small son to bed during a thunderstorm. She was about to turn off the lights and leave the ...

1857. Fulfilling the Vision

Acts 2:14-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... a vision for this congregation. Let me say to you that what lies before you is not Howard's vision. The hand of God has been upon this church since its founding 150 years ago. All I am trying to do is to articulate it . Somehow in the design of things, God decided that Brentwood United Methodist would be a large membership church . Somehow in the tides of times, God decided that it would not be built around a particular pastor. Once more, in the development of things, we are asked to follow the footsteps of ...

1858. Impossible Possibilities

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... . At least once during the holidays I like to sit down and watch Frank Capra's classic movie, It's a Wonderful Life. You know the story. Jimmy Stewart, in the person of George Bailey, envisions a life of adventure and travel, building highways and designing modern cities. Instead he spends his life trying to keep the Bailey Building and Loan afloat in Bedford Falls. When his Uncle Billy loses $8,000 just as the bank examiner arrives, George despairs of faithfulness. Sitting at a bar on Christmas Eve he asks ...

1859. Dreaming Impossible Dreams

Genesis 37:2-11

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... ? Is the dream still alive? I say to my young friends who are here today, many of you who are about to go off to college and new experiences, hold on to your dreams. God-size your dreams. Nothing is impossible if, in fact, it is God’s plan and design for your life. Hold on to your dreams. II. TO FIGHT THE UNBEATABLE FOES We do not treat dreamers very well, never have, never will. We learn in Verse 5 that Joseph had a dream and when he tells it to his brothers they hate him all the more. They ...

1860. Finding Our Place in All Creation

Genesis 1:1, 26-31

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... to create Eve. That was obviously a surgical procedure.” “Yes,” replied the architect, “but the world was formless and void before the Spirit of the Lord moved upon it. The precision of the universe had to be the result of a masterful, architectural design.” The politician, taking a long puff from his cigar, smiled and said, “And who do you think created the chaos in the first place?” I invite you these summer Sundays to revisit your Biblical roots. As surely as families need to know their ...

1861. Finding Answers to Family Feuds

Genesis 25: 21-34

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... made in terms of inheritance. According to their custom and culture, the first born would get a double inheritance. If there were two sons, the inheritance would be split three ways: two parts for Esau, one part for Jacob. Furthermore, the birthright made you the designated head of the family. It meant that simply because of the timing of your birth, you were placed in a position of honor and given an automatic blessing. It also meant that you were the spiritual leader of the clan. You were the shaper of ...

1862. Getting in S.H.A.P.E. for Ministry

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... much like a sweet spot. Have you ever done something for others that made you feel so good you couldn’t wait to do it again? If you have done that, you have discovered your spiritual gift. God has made you in such a way, created you with such a design, that you have a particular gift to share for the good of the whole. We are wise to discover our spiritual gifts. And when we play the game according to our spiritual gifts, there is an excitement about what we do, an eagerness about it, and we can hardly ...

1863. How Can This Be?

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... the significance of their lives? Every Christmas I like to sit down and watch Frank Capra's, It's a Wonderful Life. I need to see the unlikely angel, Clarence, come to George Bailey in his most desperate hour saying, 'George, you haven't built highways and designed modern cities as you dreamed but you have made a difference in the lives of people in Bedford Falls and that makes your life worthwhile. You, George, are highly favored.' Today I pray, Angels from the realms of glory Wing your flight o'er all the ...

1864. What Would Jesus Say About Materialism?

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

A religious coalition led by Rev. Jim Ball launched a media campaign three months ago asking Americans “What Would Jesus Drive?” The advertisement, designed to discourage religious people from driving SUV’s, pickups, minivans and other gas guzzling vehicles, quickly captured the attention of Americans. The three major auto makers publicly stated that they already made fifty models of fuel efficient cars, but trucks and SUV’s now outsell cars at dealerships across America. ...

1865. Singing With the Saints of Glory

Revelation 5:11-14

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... campaign is coming in on schedule. You are being faithful. Please remember however that the campaign fell one million dollars short of the stated need. - The new property has been paid off and the new building is on budget including $250,000 designated for furnishings. - Extensive renovations on the current buildings are scheduled to begin this summer. Only a portion of this renovation was included in the Fulfill the Vision Campaign. So we are extending to you an invitation to make a second mile gift ...

1866. Diving Deeper

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... kiddie pool of God’s grace, but have yet to experience the thrill of diving deeper. We’ve gotten our feet wet, but have not yet known the joy of having our souls soaked. If that strikes a chord with you, then diving deeper on the River of Life is designed for you. And that’s what I would like to talk about today. I. WHEN SURFACE FAITH IS NOT ENOUGH, IT MAY BE TIME TO PUSH OUT INTO THE DEEP. Our scripture lesson is a fish story to write home about. It contains the sting of disappointment, as well as ...

1867. The Down Side of Christmas

Matthew 2:13-18

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... the most innocent that live among us? Evil happens. II. GOD HELPS “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Let me be perfectly clear. It is not the will of God that children suffer. It is not the design of God for children to be neglected. It breaks the heart of God that any child should fail to receive the good gifts of loving parents, positive opportunities, and unconditional acceptance. If you want to know the will of God, God's will for us is good. God ...

1868. What Is the Future of United Methodism?

John 2:12-22

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... needs met by a congregation. Although about 80% of such church-starts are aborted within ten years, some in our day have been quite successful at attracting huge numbers of constituents. What’s wrong with churches geared to customer service designed to meet their members’ needs? Isolation. No man is an island. No one walks alone. So Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church spends most of his time these days building the “Willow Creek Association” which is something strangely resembling ...

1869. The Dynamics of Being a Dad

Ephesians 6:1-4, Ephesians 6:10-20

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... , the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. You better be armed when you go out there, it’s tough out there. We can Stand Firm! Not a single part of the armor is designed to cover your back side. Think about that. So let there be no turning and running. Hang in there. Face the enemy. We can Stick Together! When the storms of life are raging we can help each other. Never fight a war alone. Keep in the company of those ...

1870. From Lust to Love

1 Corinthians 13: 1

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... club which he paid with his corporate American Express Card. Is it a joke, or do we have something serious here, something really serious? Is lust a freedom or an addiction? Which is it? For my entire adult life, our society has been engaged in a sexual revolution designed to set us free from the bondage of Puritanism. I agree my mother could have used a lighter view of sex, but has this effort set us free to love and be loved? Mark Laaser is a minister and pastoral counselor. On NBC Dateline two years ago ...

1871. The Power to Do Good

Acts 10:34-38, 44-48

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... suggest some ways? I. FOR GOODNESS SAKE, DEVELOP YOUR CONSCIENCE. The Bible calls the conscience a law written on the heart. It is an inward principle which determines the character of one's actions. The conscience is a guiding light, a moral compass, an internal road map designed to lead us through the twists and turns of life to our purposeful destination. Just as there is a law of gravity, there is a law of goodness. The world is united in the nature of goodness. Tell the truth. Do not kill. Do not steal ...

1872. Luke 10:1-11; 16-20

Luke 11:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... us” (v.17). Jesus keeps moving, more interested in the future than the past. Jesus’ looks ahead, not behind to more elaborations of what his missionaries had experienced. For the first time in his gospel text Luke has Jesus refer to “Satan” instead of his earlier designation of that being as “the devil” (Luke 4:2-13; 18:12). The image of being lifted up, then cast down, was used by Jesus in regard to Capernaum in v.15, a reference which itself harkened back to the imagery found in Isaiah (4:11 ...

1873. By Faith

1 Peter 1:3-9

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... lives there is a foundation that supports and strengthens us through all the days. Perhaps the great hymn says it best: When through fiery trials, thy pathways shall lie, My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply; The flame shall not hurt thee, I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine. The refining process includes heating up and cooling down. The flames make us tender so we can bend without breaking, be shaped without shattering. And the cooling teaches us the fine art of waiting until ...

1874. Sexual Ethics for the 21st Century

John 8:1-11

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... beings in his own image; in the image of God he created them. Male and female He created them." With apologies to author John Gray, men are not from Mars and women are not from Venus. Men and women are from God, created in God's image, designed for full partnership, meant to be equals; for pleasure, for procreation, for covenant and for community. In the dark ages, at the birth of a child, the first question on the minds of parents, grandparents, even the community at large was the question of gender; is it ...

1875. Finding Plenty in the Midst of Scarcity

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... -five percent of American adults are overweight and 23 percent of us are obese, costing this country about 118 billion dollars in lost wages and medical expenses annually. On March 10 of 2004, the U.S. House of representatives passed a bill known as the “Cheeseburger Bill" designed to protect fast food companies from lawsuits filed by overweight people. I was on a cruise ship this past May when I heard the man on the elevator beside me say to his wife, “I think I'm having a panic attack. I haven't eaten ...

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