Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1951 to 1975 of 4938 results

1951. The Necessity of Moral Commitment

Gen 3:1-24 · Is 28:15

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

... order. In reaction to all this, a group of concerned intellectuals met in New York in 1969. I remember how disturbed I was by their findings: "The world is absolutely out of control now, and it isn’t going to be saved by reason or unreason." Christians never give up that easily. God has not thrown in the towel. He hasn’t played his trump card yet. We haven’t suffered unto blood. Isaiah reminds us of what we are really doing when we set our hearts on chaos: "We have made a covenant with death, and with ...

1952. Servants of Christ

Romans 6:15-23, Romans 6:1-14

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... pray. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord, so often we feel we can live our lives divided between obedience and sin. Too often we have chosen to stray after the ways of sin forgetting or ignoring our commitment to be Your obedient Children. Forgive us, Lord, and thank You for not giving up on us. Renew our faith, Lord, and help us grow to be more obedient with each passing day. In Christ we pray. Amen. Hymns "Christ For The World We Sing" "The Church Of Christ In Every Age" "Let There Be Light"

1953. Glorious Light

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

William F. Dunkle

... they shrivel and shrink. Years pass and we become reduced and restricted. Our lives draw in upon themselves. Maybe we become like the college professor who was concluding fifty years of teaching. Now he had reached an age where it was mandatory to give up, and so a farewell get-together was arranged. They gave him the proverbial gold watch, summarized all he had done for the school, told him how much he would be missed, and finally conferred on him the title, "professor emeritus." Emeritus! That’s an ...

1954. Success

Mark 10:17-31

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... know. BRYAN: If you can do it, I can do it. JESUS: That's right. That's how you do it. I'll help you. BRYAN: I don't know. JESUS: It's worth it. BRYAN: Yes, I suppose it is. JESUS: Well? BRYAN: Everything. That's a lot to give up. JESUS: To be good? That's a lot to have. BRYAN: I don't know. JESUS: Your choice. BRYAN: Well, I'll think about it. (HE EXITS) JESUS: Oh, yes, you'll think about it. All the Time, you'll think about it.

1955. Do Not Disturb

Isaiah 35:1-10

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

... promise God makes to all people who are suffering. Hang in there. You are not forgotten. This is the third Sunday in Advent. God sent Jesus to show us God's love. Jesus is the embodiment of God's promise "“ when you're sad or lonely or afraid, don't give up hope. God knows and God is with you. PRAYER: Thank You, God, for giving us Jesus. AMEN.

1956. Heart Transplant

John 8:31-41

Sermon

Cathy A. Ammlung

... terrible heart disease of the soul. It keeps us in bondage -- we keep on hurting ourselves and one another, and we anger and grieve God. Even if we wanted to live healthy, sinless lives, we couldn't -- just as when you have a failing heart, even giving up smoking, eating right, and mild exercise only postpone the inevitable. Without a real heart transplant, we're doomed to die in bondage to sin." "But my baby!" you say. "She hasn't lived long enough to sin! Is she born with this?" The pastor nods gently ...

1957. Hope In A Hostile World

Matthew 1:1-17

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... a believer faces a situation so fraught with danger or difficulty that all reasonable people shake their heads sadly and declare that there is no way, God smiles! God’s great heart beats faster! The Holy Spirit pleads with that believer, saying, “Don’t you dare give up! Just show me even a tiny bit of faith, and if you do, I’ll surge into your dangers and difficulties like an NFL linebacker! I will pour out such power that those so-called reasonable folks will have to run for cover! As God said ...

1958. The Unshakable Foundation

Hebrews 7:23-28

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... and guidance of our risen Lord. Rather than striving to reach a place and time when life is perfect, let's strive to perfect the place and time where we find ourselves by letting Christ perfect us daily in holy love. By accepting our human limitations and giving up all pretense of having control of our destiny, we receive the perfection that cannot be earned or finagled. Our home on Easy Street is already ours as a gift! The payment was made on Calvary, our title is clear and the deed is signed in the blood ...

1959. Returning God's Call

1 Samuel 3:1-10

Illustration

Leonard Sweet

... truly heard God's voice. His pastor won't believe it; neither will his wife or his fellow Mennonites. The Canadian government won't give him a visa to Vietnam; the inter-Mennonite Church Service Society won't help him. Sam's reaction to these rebuffs is to give up hope and die. On his deathbed he says to his wife, "When I heard the voice, I should of gone. Left a note and gone. When you know like that, are chosen, you shouldn't wait, talk. Go." (Returning God's Call [Louisville, Ky: Westminster/John Knox ...

1960. Grits, Grats and Gruts...Not Grunts

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... are some of the most talked about techniques in estate planning today. Grits (Grantor Retained Income Trusts), Grats (Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts) and Gruts (Grantor Retained Unitrusts) are all variations on the same theme: You can write your will so that heirs give up interest on assets today, which they will own in the future, in order to achieve dramatic tax breaks and reduced gift effects. All three of these strategies allow one to help charities and churches while leaving assets to heirs, all the ...

1961. Whatever It Takes

Mark 1:29-39

Illustration

Gary Nicolosi

... who say "whatever" and those who say, "whatever it takes." "Whatever" is the response of the shrug. It's a "who cares?" attitude, one of indifference and apathy. "Whatever it takes" is the response of the committed. It's a "can do" attitude that refuses to give up or give in. Think about those two responses when it comes to the Church's mission. Jesus said to love your neighbor. Whatever. Jesus said to go and make disciples of all people. Whatever. Jesus said there is more rejoicing over one sinner who is ...

1962. Proper 11

Psalm 52:1-9, Amos 8:1-12, Luke 10:38-42, Colossians 1:15-28

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... there are any whom we judge to have wronged us, remove all bitterness from our hearts and theirs that we may be reconciled as your children. Guard the innocent beset by temptation. Encourage those who are in danger of losing their faith and giving up the good fight. Have mercy on habitual criminals and those who are victims of addiction of one kind or another. Comfort those who are injured by the carelessness or malice of others; the misunderstood, the misjudged, the defamed, and all who are unjustly used ...

1963. Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18, Psalm 119:33-40, Matthew 5:38-48, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... whatever rites may do so in the Spirit who is the truth of Christ. Sustain us by your Holy Spirit so that we do not grow weary in doing what is right and so that we will reap at harvest time the fruits of our labors, if we do not give up. As the church confronts opposition, remind us of him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that we may not grow weary or lose heart. We pray for all who hear your call and do not answer, who refuse your proffered grace, that they may reconsider your ...

1964. Angels and Shepherds: Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... awed by the immensity of the honor, the incredible fact of having been chosen, and in the same breath one screams, “No! No! Please not me, I can’t take it!” That which seconds ago was a privilege becomes a unfair demand. Why should I be the one asked to give up marriage and career? Why me? Why may I not lie with a man I love and bear his children? I have only one life; how can you ask me to sign it away as if it meant nothing to me? Then she concluded, “As I lay there (in the garden ...

1965. Dead Works

Luke 13:1-9; Heb 9:14; Jer 13:23

Illustration

Stephen Craig Jennings

... ' if I don't. It is sending my kids to a Christian school, not because I want them to learn the truths of the Christian faith and surrender their lives to the Lordship of Christ, but because there they will run in the right crowd. It is the giving up of a sinful habit, not because I want to be controlled by the Spirit of God instead of the habit, but because the habit inhibits my performance at work and is harming my professional reputation. In all these ways, I have actually changed, but the change has not ...

1966. Leaping Where You Cannot Look

Hebrews 11:1-40

Sermon

King Duncan

... into movies, steal cashmere sweaters at fine department stores, spy on their coworkers, stalk their exes, hang around showers, eavesdrop on conversations or slip onto airplanes for free rides. People who chose being able to fly would stop taking the bus; they would give up their cars. They would check out the bar scene by flying in and around, hoping to gain attention. They would fly off to Paris, or Prague, or Rio. (3) When they could have chosen to use their powers to do something heroic, they instead ...

1967. Carbon Pure and Perfect

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . They had genuinely unique histories and lives. But they all had one thing in common: they had ultimately been led to the same place of wood and water, the wood of the cross and the water of baptism. Paul doesn’t ask for Jesus’ followers to give up their unique identities. Later in this letter Paul emphasizes the matchless role each member of Christ’s body plays in making it strong and whole. The existence and experience of the eye is different from that of the hand or the ear or the foot. Each ...

1968. There Are Many Paths to God and Sainthood

Mark 1:1-8

Illustration

Richard Gribble

... cave. He thought, "I can find God here. I will be alone and nothing will disturb me." He prayed day and night in the cave, but God sent him many temptations. He imagined all the good things in life and wanted them desperately, but he was determined to give up everything and be with God alone. After many months, the temptations stopped and the young man was alone with God. Then one day God called to him, "Leave your cave and go to a distant town. Look for the local shoemaker. Knock on his door and stay with ...

1969. Epiphany 4

Psalm 71:1-6, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Luke 4:21-30, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

... . Here we are refreshed in spirit so we can be patient and kind, not jealous or conceited. We lose all desire to be ill-mannered and selfish. We lose the need to keep a record of others’ wrongs. We choose to be truthful and happy, never giving up on faith and hope. Leader: Love is eternal, a treasure from God — People: A treasure we carry inside to share with others. Prayer Of Thanksgiving Living God — so many gifts you give us — opportunity to gather in this place, to mature together in faith, hope ...

1970. The Radiant Life

Exodus 34:29-35

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

... come to a personal relationship with Christ. Love ... Christ ... paid the ransom for our lives. We do not come to Christ by osmosis, wishful thinking, or parental inheritance. It is a willful decision to accept the terms of Jesus and to surrender to him. As we give up our plans, our desires, our wills, and our sins our goal is to become his followers. He will replace them with a much better plan for our lives because he will be at the control center directing, guiding, and challenging us to live life to the ...

1971. The Unbaptized Arm

Matthew 3:13-17

Illustration

Staff

... Church. The soldiers wore their battle uniforms with of all their regalia—ribbons of valor, medals of courage and their weapons of battle. Suddenly, there was a problem. The Church prohibited professional soldiers from being members; they would have to give up their commitment to bloodshed. They could not be killers and church members too. After a hasty round of diplomacy, the problem was solved. As they were baptize, each soldier withdrew his sword. Lifting it high overhead, every soldier was totally ...

1972. Nehemiah Helps the Poor

Nehemiah 5:1-19

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... reverence for God. Here Nehemiah may have had Leviticus 25 in view, especially verses 39–43, and the appeal to “fear your God.” If so, he was reapplying its jubilee ruling about releasing debt slaves to the present emergency. “Let us give up,” he demanded, “this taking of pledges for debt” (REB). He deliberately included himself and his family in the demand, admitting that he too—evidently a person of wealth—had lent money and grain in return for pledges. Nehemiah’s demand must have ...

1973. God's Mercy and Israel's Unfaithfulness

Isaiah 42:18-25, Isaiah 43:1-13, Isaiah 43:14-28

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... his people and will do anything to redeem them. Regardless of how difficult the circumstances or how far he has to bring his people, he is with them. He is their God by covenant, the Holy One who has consecrated them, their Redeemer. He will give up nations such as Egypt, Cush (Ethiopia), and Seba (a region south of Ethiopia) in exchange for the remnant of his people, his “sons” and “daughters,” who are called by his name (43:6–7). Thus, both the experience of rejection and the affirmation of ...

1974. Jonah’s Second Commission and Nineveh’s Response

Jonah 3:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... participation of animals in ritual mourning seems unparalleled in the ancient Near East, yet Jonah does not question the practice. The king then follows his physical decree with an ethical command, beseeching the citizens to “turn” or “repent” (NIV “give up”; Hebrew shub) from their violent and evil behavior (3:8). A call to moral reform is unusual, since typical Assyrian practice sought to divert divine wrath through rituals. The king carefully phrases his words, acknowledging that God is free ...

1975. The Rich Young Man

Matthew 19:16-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... he still lacks something (19:20). Jesus calls him to complete loyalty (the Greek term may be rendered “perfect” or “complete”) by selling his possessions, giving the proceeds to the poor, and then following Jesus (19:21). Jesus calls this man to give up precisely that which stands in the way of discipleship—his “great wealth” (19:22), something he is not yet willing to do. Jesus’s debriefing with his disciples (19:23–26) points to the great difficulty of the rich in entering God’s ...

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