Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1976 to 2000 of 4935 results

1976. Hope In The Midst of Uncertainty

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

I just read about two Senior Citizens who were out for their usual morning walk. They both had been complaining about the aches and pains of getting older. As they passed the local funeral home one of them turned to the other and said, "Look there's no hope of recovery, we're just getting older. Let's just go in and give ourselves up." (1) I also read about a For Sale ad in the Roanoke, Illinois, Review which read: "Hope chest: Brand new, half price, long story." (2) I'd like to know the story behind that ...

1977. The Unforgivable Sin

Mark 3:20-30

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

One of my favorite preachers, Clarence Forsberg, tells a story about a man who realized his life-long ambition by going on a safari in Africa. “He took along his wife, even though she was not the outdoors type. They set up camp in a jungle cleaning, and as he prepared to go out the first day he presented his wife with a little silver bell. He explained, ‘There is really nothing to worry about. I’m not going to be very far away. If you have any trouble at all, just ring this bell, and I’ll come right back.’ ...

1978. When God Speaks

Psalm 29:1-11

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

It was a young adult Sunday school party back in the days when I could still be considered a young adult. It was supposed to be a pool party, but as people gathered, it started to rain. As a pastor, I don't like it to rain on people's parties. I always get the blame. “Howard,” people say, “Can't you do something about the weather?" Normally I reply, “I am in sales not management." That day my explanation gave no satisfaction. So in an act of desperation I stepped up on a picnic table, stretched my hands to ...

1979. There Will Be Peace

Isaiah 11:1-16

Sermon

King Duncan

Some of you will remember an old comedy team from the early part of the twentieth century named Oliver and Hardy. They produced some marvelous work. Their comedy was slapstick, but it also showed a deep understanding of human nature. Conrad Hyers, in his book And God Created Laughter tells about an early Laurel and Hardy film from 1925 titled Big Business. Stan and Ollie are Christmas-tree salesmen in California going from house to house in a Model T truck loaded with trees. The story begins innocently ...

1980. Waiting in Life's Waiting Rooms

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The season of Advent is a “waiting game.” Everyone is “waiting” for something. *Students anxiously wait for finals to be over and the start of Christmas break. *Some employees have the big wait, as they hold their breath and learn whether or not there will be a Christmas bonus. *Retailers count the days til they can count the bottom line from the season’s buying frenzy. *Kids of all ages can’t wait to open up the brightly wrapped presents starting to appear under the tree. Everyone is waiting . . . for the ...

1981. Waiting Is So Hard to Do

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

(Ascension of the Lord) It is said that Americans are the most time-conscious people in the world. We are always in a hurry. We invented fast food, instant coffee, instant messenger, express mail, express oil changes and expressways. We are people constantly on the move. As one man put it, we’re people who shout at our microwave ovens to hurry up. I’m not going to ask you to hold up your hand if you enjoy waiting . . . for anything. That would hold up my sermon too much. And that would be a cardinal sin. ...

1982. Accusations

2 Corinthians 2:12--3:6

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

For Paul, Satan is a conquered, yet still dangerous, foe. Although “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20), Satan is still “the god of this age,” who blinds the minds of unbelievers from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4), and he is “the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Eph. 2:2). There can be no fellowship between the realm of Belial and unbelievers, on the one hand, and the realm of ...

1983. Now is the Day of Salvation

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

Sermon

King Duncan

There was an article on the Reader’s Digest website recently that I thought was quite interesting. The column was titled “The 15 Most Bizarre Perks of the Royal Family.” It was written by someone named Morgan Cutolo. According to this article, once Queen Elizabeth II dies, the people of Britain are banned from being funny on public television. The BBC is serious about the death of their monarch. “The BBC isn’t allowed to air anything humorous for the 12 days between [the queen’s] death and her funeral,” ...

1984. Thankful Living In A Grumpy World

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Sermon

Charley Reeb

The apostle Paul was one grateful person. I am sure this is one of the reasons why he was effective in his ministry. He had an “attitude of gratitude.” Like many of his letters, Paul began his letter to the Corinthians this way: I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:4 NIV). Not only does Paul continually give thanks in his letters, but many times in scripture he strongly encourages us to do the same: In everything give thanks: for this is the will of ...

1985. Revising The Agenda

Matthew 16:21-28

Sermon

William G. Carter

Whenever I hear this Bible passage, I smell potato soup. One day when I was about fourteen years old, my mother announced we were going to church for something called a “sacrificial” supper. She said it had something to do with the season of Lent. That was curious, too. We were a low-church Presbyterian family. Liturgical seasons didn’t mean much to us. Any talk of Lent didn’t make much sense. At least, not until that night. There we were, one Sunday night in late winter. The fellowship hall was half-empty ...

1986. Proper 13

Luke 11:1-13, Hosea 11:1-11, Colossians 3:1-17, Psalm 107:1-43

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

THE UNWISE FARMER The parable included for the Gospel reading today concerns a farmer who prospered. He let his possessions possess him. Certainly you can find parallels today, though it may be corporations who buy up farms and add acreage to acreage. The family farm is less and less a part of American life. Only about two per cent of the population now earns their livelihood full-time in farming. The typical person who accumulates wealth today is more likely to do it in business and commerce. The parable ...

1987. Going Through The Waters

Exodus 13:17--14:31

Sermon

I suppose when we hear this passage about the parting of the Reed Sea, many of us cannot help but recall that scene in the movie The Ten Commandments. There is Moses, played by Charlton Heston, in a flowing black robe, long hair blowing in the wind, and his arms lifted up with one hand holding the staff that God had given him. The sea suddenly heaves and parts, creating a path with rolling walls of water on either side. Then, Israel marches through on dry land, barely ahead of the pursuing Egyptian army. I ...

1988. Love And Friendship

1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

Mark J. Molldrem

A boy was asked about his family, when he enrolled for church school. The teacher responded with a quizzical, "Oh," after the boy revealed that he had no brothers or sisters. To which the youngster piped, "But I've got friends!" It is so good to have friends. But, what is a friend? Satirist Ambrose Bierce defines friendship as a ship big enough to carry two in fair weather, but only one in foul. This is a rather negative portrayal compared to an Arabian explanation that characterizes a friend as "one to ...

1989. Palm Sunday

Bulletin Aid

Jack Brownlee

ORDER OF SERVICE Opening Words L: Let us worship God, our creator and redeemer, the God of Love. P: God continually preserves and sustains us. L: We have been forgiven with a powerful and engaging love. P: Christ has entered into our hearts and lives, waiting for us to recognize his Lordship over us. Hymn "All Glory Laud And Honor" Prayer Of Confession (Unison) Our hearts break, O Lord, as we watch the poverty and loneliness that confront us on the street and in the news: we feel powerless to respond. We ...

1990. Right When the World is Wrong

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

George Paul Mocko

Jeremiah, the Crazy Old Coot Who Was Right When the World Was Wrong; How God Delivers and How Great it Is; and How to Say "Thanks." "Well, I don't like to say, 'I told you so', but ..." You've heard the line, maybe used it. You issue your warnings or give your advice. It is not taken. The events that follow fulfill all those warnings you issued, and then you say it or at least feel it. "Well, I don't like to say, 'I told you so' but I did." To be really truthful, there is often a definite feeling of ...

1991. Easter 6

John 14:15-31, Psalm 67:1-7, Acts 15:22-35, Joel 2:18-27, Revelation 21:1-27

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Had the title for this Sunday, Rogate, been continued in the churches, the readings might have been different and the Sunday would have at least two practical and related thrusts. One of these would be to continue the practice of some of the churches in the Northern Hemisphere, of blessing the fields, in the hope of avoiding natural disasters and anticipating a bountiful harvest. The other would extend the concern for farms and crops for this year to a care of the Earth Sunday as long as ...

1992. Proper 13

Luke 12:13-21, Psalm 49:1-20, Ecclesiastes 2:17-26, 2 Kings 13:10-25, Colossians 3:1-17

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Liturgical purists might call this "skin them alive" Sunday, according to the long-standing tradition that St. Bartholomew, whose day may be celebrated near this Sunday, depending on the lectionary followed and calendar year, was actually skinned while alive. Of course, that is only conjecture and the truth is that no one knows for certain when he died, or how, or where. In iconography, St. Bartholomew is represented by a skinning knife and a book, and sometimes he is pictured holding a ...

1993. The Road To Emmaus

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

A man and his little grandson were out walking down the beach one afternoon. They saw a crowd of people gathered around a man who had been overcome by the heat of the sun and had suffered a sunstroke. The grandfather was trying to explain this to the boy. The little fellow looked up at his grand father and said, "Grandpa, I hope you never suffer from a sunset." We have gathered today to celebrate the good news that even though we face many sunsets there is always a sunrise. There is a simple beauty in this ...

1994. Candle Lighting · all five services

Matthew 3:1-12, Psalm 119:1-176, Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20, 1 Peter 1:1-12

Bulletin Aid

J. B. Quisenberry

Litany Of Repentance Leader: "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light;'' People: "They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." Leader: We are that people. People: The light shines upon us. Leader: It shines into the darkness of our souls. People: It exposes our sins. Leader: When we admit our wrongdoing; People: When we repent; Leader: The light of Christ will burn our sins away and make us clean. People: Thanks be to God! Scripture Reading: ...

1995. Winning Isn't the Only Thing ... It's Irrelevant

Luke 13:31-35

Sermon

Carl Jech

Moses and Elijah ... appeared in glory and spoke of his departure which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:31) "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem ... How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!" (Luke 13:34) The Green Bay Packer football coach, Vince Lombardi, is credited with the declaration: "Winning isn't everything ... It's the only thing!" Now from the very limited perspective of a professional football coach there may be an ...

1996. Seeking Hands

Psalm 141:1-10

Sermon

Hands are useful. They allow us to accomplish many things. Not only are they able to do, but they also help us communicate. All of us have probably been recipients of bad communications when people use their hands to make gestures that were less than complimentary. There are also good gestures - a gesture that says "hi," or a wave. In Brazil, if a mother beckons her child like this (palm up), the child understands that the mother is communicating for the child to come. But if she beckons the child like ...

1997. Proper 16 & Pentecost 14

Isaiah 22:1-25, Psalm 95:1-11, Psalm 138:1-8, Isaiah 51:1-16, Exodus 5:22--6:12, Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 11:33-36, Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Summer is over, and fall has begun with its return of people to the churches and their activities, and the church is now entering the last quarter of the church year. Informed people will realize that about two and a half months remain in the Pentecost Cycle/Season. They are also aware that such things as Rally Day, Installation of Church School teachers, programs and retreats involving the young, the women, and the men of the churches are getting under way. Halloween decorations and cards ...

1998. Whatever Became of Sin?

Romans 5:12-21

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

Death pervaded the whole human race, inasmuch as all men have sinned. But, its effect is vastly exceeded by the grace of God and the gift that came to so many by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12, 15 NEB). Paul puts it more succinctly in 1 Corinthians 15:21: "As by man came death, by man comes also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive." William Barclay explains: "Sin had man in its power. There was no hope. Into this situation there came ...

1999. Salvation as Personal Experience

Romans 9:30--10:21

Sermon Aid

T. A. Kantonen

Thus far we have studied Paul’s doctrine of salvation in objective terms. Salvation is the work of divine grace, centering in the atoning death of Christ on the cross and bringing about a change in the relation of mankind to God, a change described as redemption, justification, and reconciliation. We turn now to the subjective and personal aspect of salvation, to Paul’s answer to the question, "What must I do to be saved?" Faith When this question was asked by the Philippian jailer, Paul replied, "Believe ...

2000. Mighty Faith

Matthew 17:14-23

Sermon

Herchel H. Sheets

Engineering by command! That is what Jesus’ words about faith and mountain-moving seem to suggest. He says that if one has only a tiny bit of faith, he or she can move a mountain just by telling it to move. The feats of our modern earth-moving equipment are astounding enough, but they are nothing compared to this engineering by faith! But this could create problems. Suppose a person was unhappy with the location of a certain mountain and decided to move it somewhere else. Who could guarantee that its ...

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