Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2051 to 2075 of 4508 results

2051. Set Life Free

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

It's one of those June "mornings." It's 3:45 a.m. in the Pacific Northwest. The eastern horizon is pink and puffy with promise. Kids refuse to go to bed at 10:30 p.m. because "it's not dark yet!" In the north country, June is no the season for sleeping. It's the season for growing. Dedicated gardeners have anticipated this insomniac season (the real meaning of "Sleepless in Seattle") since Decemb...

2052. On Having The Right Attitude

Sermon

King Duncan

Some of you may be campers. Summertime means adventures in the great outdoors. One thing I've discovered is that camping isn't for everyone. Reed Glenn of the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colorado compiled a list of comments received by the US Forest Service from back packers and campers: "Too many bugs and leeches and spiders," wrote one unhappy camper. "Please spray the wilderness to rid the area o...

2053. Good News for Tenant Farmers

Sermon

David E. Leininger

A true story - an incident from the 1930's when the Tennessee Valley Authority was building its many dams on the Tennessee River.(1) To do that, they had to relocate a number of people who were living in the area that would be flooded when the dams were finished. One family in particular lived in an old, ramshackle cabin. The TVA built them a beautiful split-level ranch home on the hill overlooki...

2054. When Your Church Provokes You

Sermon

David E. Leininger

...And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. And now you know where the strange sermon title comes from. True enough, the church often DOES provoke us in the wrong way. You may have heard me tell of my father's response when, years ag...

2055. A Niche For Every Itch

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you noticed a growing trend in our society to classify people according to personality types as if we are trying to find a niche for every itch? For example, in the world of advertising, there is a theory that divides people into different groups based on their supposed lifestyles. For example, two of these groups are called the belongers and the achievers. Belongers are middle-class folks wh...

2056. Minority Report

Sermon

James Merritt

Put on your thinking caps for a moment; become an amateur pastor or theologian, if you will, and see if you can give an answer to the following three questions: 1. If the gospel is the power of God—why doesn't everybody that hears the gospel become a Christian? 2. If the Bible is the Word of God—why doesn't the Bible have the same effect on everyone who reads it? 3. If Jesus is the Son of God—why...

2057. A Stone’s Throw From: The Harvest

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

A long time ago, I remember hearing a story about a young boy who was helping his grandfather dig potatoes. After a while, the little boy began to get tired and bored. "Grandpa," he asked wearily, "what made you bury all these potatoes here anyway?" How many of you have ever planted anything? We all have. When we plant potatoes we expect to get potatoes right? I remember a time when Mary and I w...

2058. The Parable of the Careless Farmer

Sermon

King Duncan

Somewhere I saw a long list of wise sayings attributed to farmers. Let me list just a few of these wise sayings for you. Maybe you will relate to one of these: 1. Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance. 2. Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads. 3. Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you. 4. Life is simpler when you plow around the stump. 5. When you wallow wit...

2059. How Well Do You Listen?

Sermon

King Duncan

Bob Woolf in his book Friendly Persuasion tells a hilarious story that former talk show host Larry King once told him. It seems that Larry was a guest on a morning show in Dallas, TX. The woman who interviewed him was the classic host who asks you a question and then looks off in another direction, not paying any attention to what you say in reply. This host had five questions written out by some...

2060. The Receptive Heart

Sermon

King Duncan

Life is a matter of attitude. All the great motivational speakers tell us that. To succeed in life, attitude is critical. Of course, not everyone has a great attitude. In fact, some people have a downright rotten attitude. The Internet carried an item recently that reflects a rotten attitude. It is called the “Cynic’s Guide to Life.” It’s a clever take-off on some of life’s familiar clichés. See i...

2061. The Parable of the Soil

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Almost all denominations, or what I call “tribes,” used to be able to boast an extensive farm system for growing the next generation of leaders. The past two decades have seen a gradual dismantling of that farm system. But you can still see features of it. Starting with the cradle roll and ending with the theological seminary, the church built for its future just like sports teams built for their ...

2062. How Does Your Garden Grow?

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

This morning I want to start with a short quiz. 1. True or False? Grass seeds can't be planted in hot weather? False. It just takes more work to keep the ground damp. 2. True or False? Newly planted seeds should be kept in soggy soil? False. Damp soil is best. 3. True or False? Fruits can be grown indoors. True. Mary's grandpa grew strawberries in a wash tub. 4. True or False? Plants need dark...

2063. Loosening Up for Better Production

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Some unknown lover of nature wrote this little poem: The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth, I'm closer to God in a garden, Than anywhere else on earth. For all of you nature lovers and garden growers, Jesus told a story just for you. In it He drove home a truth essential for the rest of us, too. We call it the Parable of the Sower, though Jesus interpreted it as an alle...

2064. It’s Not about You; It’s All about God

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

Jesus left the house (which one we are not sure). He went to the Sea of Galilee and great crowds gathered around him. He began to teach in parables. What followed was the famed parable of the sower. Most of us think we know the point of the parable. After all, Jesus himself explained its meaning (Matthew 13:18-23). But did he? In its present form, the parable is about our response to the seed (th...

2065. Eyes To See, Ears To Hear

Sermon

James McCormick

Years ago, when I first began the Christian journey, like most people, I understood faith as “belief”. I believe that there is a God, therefore I have faith. Very soon I came to understand that that is not enough. In fact, belief alone can be irrelevant. For example, I may believe that there is intelligent life somewhere out there in space. But, so what? That has nothing to do with how I live my l...

2066. Birdbaths and Flagpoles

Sermon

King Duncan

"I want to start a garden, but my yard's a little problematic," a customer told the proprietor at the yard and garden center. "I get blazing afternoon sunshine for about two hours, but otherwise it's all shade." "What kind of soil," asked the proprietor. "Hard clay, lot of rocks," said the customer, "What do you recommend I plant." "Hmmm," mused the store owner. "Why don't you look down Aisle B...

2067. A Kudzu-Kind of Kingdom

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

I want you to use your imagination this morning. Let me take you back in history 2000 years, to the country of Palestine, present-day Israel. You are sitting around a campfire near the Sea of Galilee with Jesus and his disciples. They have lived together, traveled together, preached and healed together for over two years. On this particular evening they have had a simple meal of perch and bread. T...

2068. Things to Come!

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

I'd quit the ministry were it not for what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 13! Here Jesus is brutally honest in telling his ministers both then and now what to expect. In the best of times ministry is difficult. In the worst of times it is downright intolerable. But there is hope! For in Jesus Christ, nothing is wasted! Matthew 13 is a unique Bible chapter. It is all but the first time in Matthew's...

2069. Grounds for Blessing

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full.” (Proverbs 8:19-21) Prop: Mustard seeds / soil [Have someone hand out some small black mustard seeds to everyone at the start of the sermon.] In your hand, you have some mus...

2070. Proper 10, Pentecost 8, Ordinary Time 15

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

Confession And Forgiveness Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. All: Amen. Leader: God of seed and soil, of hearts and lives, All: we confess to you that the lures of this world have a chokehold on us. You shower us with true goodness, and yet we cannot take hold of the joy that you intend for us. Hear us now as we call to you. Hear us now as we name that whic...

2071. A Dirt Story

Sermon

King Duncan

A Sunday school teacher had been teaching about how God created Adam from the dust of the earth. A little boy in the class—who happened to be the pastor’s son—said with alarm, “You mean I’m made out of dirt?” His teacher responded, “Well, in a sense, yes.” He thought for a moment, processing this information through his four-year-old brain, then stated wide-eyed, “My Mom is NOT going to be happy...

2072. Parable of the Highway to Worship

Illustration

Two worshipers rose early and set out for their appointed place of worship. One rising hummed a hymn, as he made ready for church. On the way he said to himself, "This is the day of the Lord, and I will be glad in it." He noted a cardinal flitting in the trees and praised God for its beauty. He saw icicles dripping from the drain and was conscious of their beauty. He entered church warmly greeti...

2073. Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil

Sermon

R. Kevin Mohr

The song “Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil”[1] by Handt Hanson, is a beautiful piece that suggests a deep sense of longing for something important. The melody, tone, and words all come together perfectly as an interpretation of the gospel reading for today. While it is tempting to want to move on immediately to what a story like the parable of the sower means that reaction is usually an attempt to ...

2074. Marinating in the Spirit

Sermon

Lori Wagner

What soil does your spirit soak in? How do you nourish and ensure that your spirit is secure, peaceful, confident, and satisfied? In today’s day and age, your answer might probably be a default to “physical” or “emotional wellness.” Exercise each day. Eat a good diet. Do yoga. Meditate in nature. Accumulate sufficient wealth. Attain job security. Foster good relationships and reject toxic people...

2075. Sowing the Seed

Illustration

David E. Leininger

One of William Barclay's friends tells this story. In the church where he worshiped there was a lonely old man, old Thomas. He had outlived all his friends and hardly anyone knew him. When Thomas died, this friend had the feeling that there would be no one to go to the funeral so he decided to go, so that there might be someone to follow the old man to his last resting-place. There was no one els...

Showing 2051 to 2075 of 4508 results