Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2151 to 2175 of 4972 results

2151. Jesus' Good News of a New World · Part 1

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... putting books in boxes. A woman enters and greets him. She gives her name. He recalls the title of a paper she wrote for his class. She gives him a card that he reads aloud. It expresses gratitude to him for how he affected her life. As she turns to leave, he asks her, “What did you end up doing with your life? Did you become one of those high-tech gurus, or something?” She answers, “I became a teacher.” Do you mourn over a world that could be, but isn’t? Listen to your tears, because, Jesus says ...

2152. The Call to Downward Mobility

Isaiah 49:1-7

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... , he says, “I’m not the One. The One who is coming after me is greater than I am. I’m not worthy to tie his sandals.” When Jesus walks by, he says to his own disciples, “Here is the Lamb of God.” They leave him to follow Jesus. I continue to be impressed at how persons practice the “downward mobility” of Christian discipleship. They change diapers, empty bedpans, develop Children’s Worship, stay all night with the homeless, work with youth, tutor students, give away their money, work for ...

2153. Why We Do What We Do

Matthew 6:1-4

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... . What they saw didn’t cure their dis-ease. It only exacerbated it. They now not only were aware of the difference between them and the Creator. They were aware of the differences between themselves. And so they covered their vulnerability with fig leaves and began to point fingers of blame. Our estrangement from God leads to our estrangement from each other. Such is the human condition. Such is humankind’s Original Sin. We have this profound anxiety that comes with knowing that we are not omnipotent ...

2154. You Must Start Over!

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... doesn’t give them a map. God gives them a promise: “You are mine. I will be with you.” A young man once said, “My church gave me answers. I didn’t need answers – I needed a relationship that would save me, all of me, from myself. I had to leave my church to discover the Jesus who is so much more than answers. Following him is like starting my life all over again…and again…and again.” VI. A witness to the wind, the breath, of God I end with a witness to having received a gift of the Spirit ...

2155. The Compassionate Christ

Mark 1:40-45

Sermon

King Duncan

... good and the manager was quietly saying she could not buy her baby food here. The clerk quickly set the groceries aside, closed her account and began to ring up Davies’ purchase. “She should manage her money better!” Davies tried to convince himself while leaving the store. “She’s probably an alcoholic or a drug addict.” But his flimsy excuses would not erase the picture in his mind of a grocery basket with jars of baby food. Davies writes, “At this point, I want to finish the story by writing ...

2156. Proper 20

Mark 9:33-37, Mark 9:14-32, James 4:1-12, James 3:1-12, Proverbs 31:10-31

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... best sellers in recent years has been the book, Looking Out for Number One. It unashamedly is a book to show how you are number one. During his boxing career, Muhammed Ali used to exclaim, "I am the greatest!" When an athletic team wins, often the players leave the field or court by holding up one finger they are number one! The disciples on the way to Jerusalem were discussing who would be number one in Christ's coming kingdom. Jesus did not condemn them for wanting to be the greatest, but he pointed out ...

2157. Proper 26

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

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... violence. However, at the time of Ruth, there was peace between Israel and Moab. Because of a famine in Israel, a husband takes his wife and two sons to Moab. In the course of time the husband and sons die, leaving three widows: Naomi, Ruth and Orpah. In this passage, Ruth refuses to leave Naomi and they both return to Bethlehem. Epistle: Hebrews 9:11-14 In Hebrews 9, the earthly and heavenly sanctuaries are compared. When Christ came, he entered the holy place with his own blood which earned for us eternal ...

2158. John 10:11-18

John 10:1-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the good shepherd lays down his life, his sacrifice ensures the rescue of his sheep, because he is in accordance with the Father’s will. There is a difference between the behavior of the hired hand, who runs away to save his own skin, leaving the sheep to be devoured by the wolf, and the “thief” named in v.10, who comes to “steal and kill and destroy.” The “thief” is intentionally committing evil acts, causing premeditated death and destruction. The hired hand’s actions are all self-centered ...

2159. All Shall Be Well

Luke 24:44-53

Illustration

Matthew Peat

... and all manner of thing shall be well.' They are words that are particularly poignant because they sum up the transformation in the followers of Jesus that we celebrate on Ascension Day, for on this day, strange as it may seem, we celebrate Christ's leaving his disciples. But his leaving them is not a somber occasion. It is full of joy and hope and reminds us how their lives had changed, of how they had come to trust in God's ultimate purpose for them and believe that all will indeed be well because Christ ...

2160. Where the Spirit Moves

John 3:1-17

Illustration

Donald B. Strobe

... done. Neither can you, by your own efforts, cause God's grace to come upon you. While sailing, you are entirely at the mercy of the wind (along with your skill at capturing it). You may capture the wind in your sails for a time, but it can disappear suddenly, leaving you stranded in the middle of the lake, and, if you do not have a motor, too embarrassed to ask for a tow. Sailing is a humbling experience. You may use the wind to take you where you want to go for a time, but it can shift directions without ...

2161. How to Fail Successfully - Sermon Starter

Mark 6:1-13

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

... that Jesus calls his disciples and sends them out. In His instruction He warns about failure. Listen to verses 10 and 11 of chapter 6: He said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." Is there not solid instruction here in our Scripture lesson and from Jesus himself instructions that there may come a time when it's really ...

2162. In Search of Jesus

John 6:16-24

Sermon

King Duncan

... equipment. A cracked table holding a kerosene lamp and a three-legged chair stood by a tiny window. In a dark corner of the little room was a dilapidated cot with a threadbare bedroll on it. The relatives picked up some of the old relics and started to leave. As they were driving away, an old friend of the recluse, on his mule, flagged them down. “Do you mind if I help myself to what’s left in my friend’s cabin?” he asked. “Go right ahead,” they replied. After all, they thought, what inside that ...

2163. What Is Your Name?

Genesis 32:22-32

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... Because now he has received what he didn’t get but what was given to him as gift. As a new day dawns and the Stranger leaves, Jacob’s word’s take on a different tone and a different meaning. "I have seen God face to face and lived." His encounter with God didn ... will live no longer to be No. 1, the top-dog, the Go-getter. He’ll no longer be driven to win the race, leaving everyone behind to eat his dust. His limp won’t permit it. Now he lives, not identifying himself over against those who are slow. ...

2164. Footprints

Ephesians 6:10-20

Illustration

Robert R. Kopp

... follow You, You'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me." The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." It's refreshing to be reminded God is with us at all times. I ran across an update which ...

2165. I’m At the End of My Rope

2 Kings 4:1-7

Sermon

James Merritt

... First of all, nobody goes to the seminary with much money. Second, you don't go to seminary to learn how to make money. Third, nobody leaves with much money. I spent seven years of my life at a seminary, and no one ever in those seven years came and filmed one ... little trout that he caught, but he threw back all the big ones. Well his partner watched that all day long, and as they prepared to leave he looked at him and said, "I can't stand this any longer. I have never seen a man fish like you in my life." ...

2166. I Don’t Like My Options

2 Kings 5:1-17

Sermon

James Merritt

... John F. Kennedy. Options can be confusing. The need to make a decision can be paralyzing. In fact, multiple options can greatly prolong decision-making as you try to figure out the best option to take. Now you ladies can relate to this: I've often wondered how many fig leaves Eve tried on before she said, "I'll take this one." Oftentimes in life we all face options we really don't like. Let me just give you a few examples, some of which some of you may be facing even now or every day. I can either get up ...

2167. The Spin Zone

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

James Merritt

... that is - lust will never be satisfied by more sex with more people. It is simply increased. David had eight wives and at least ten concubines, so both lust and polygamy was the crack in David's armor. As we go through this epic of the life of David we leave the stage of triumph and tenderness and we now enter into the stage of tragedy and trouble. We learn from when we are tempted what not to do by what he did do and hopefully avoid "The Spin Zone." I. Flee Temptation Don't Fight It "Then it happened in ...

2168. Marriage 101

Ephesians 5:22-23

Sermon

James Merritt

... than anything!" That is exactly the way we ought to all like our wives. Several hundred years ago Martin Luther described a godly and a good marriage this way: "Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave." When you can do that on a consistent basis, you can know that you are passing Marriage 101. [1] http//news.excite.com/news/r/990702/15/news-life-marriage [2] Cited bySBC Life, April 2001, p. 2. [3] Harris signs bill repealing Head of Household Law, Atlanta ...

2169. Parenting 101

Ephesians 6:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

... In fact, let me give you three lessons you should be teaching your children from the time they are born until the time they leave home. There is a difference between right and wrong, and God tells us which is which. You are to do right and not wrong ... the Bible on their own. I cannot tell you how important that is. I don't believe there is a single more important thing a parent can leave his child with than a desire to study the word of God, and the discipline to do it. Do you know why that is true—because ...

2170. Focus on the Finish

Hebrews 12:1-2

Sermon

James Merritt

... lay it beside you. d. Could it block someone from Jesus? Simply put, is this activity possibly a stumbling block to someone else who does not know the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the "weight test" and if it‘s weighing you down, you must lay it beside you. II. Leave Behind Whatever Tires You Out We are also to "lay aside the sin which so easily ensnares us..." (12:1c) Now it is one thing to be slowed down, but it is disastrous to be either tripped up or tired out. It's one thing to run with suitcases under ...

2171. Don't Be Afraid Of The Light

John 8:12

Sermon

James Merritt

... wants to use His followers, to so light up the darkness that they are in, that they can give other people hope, that they ,too, can leave the darkness and come to the light. You can shine light and even show light and still not do with light what light was meant to ... 't lessen our responsibility to at least give someone the opportunity, to have the light that we have, so they can leave that darkness. I read something else about light that really got my attention. When a light wave hits an object four ...

2172. Get Real

John 15:1-11, 16

Sermon

James Merritt

... fruit. You can hear His shears when we are confined to a hospital room or we are lying flat on a sick bed or we are fired from a job or we have to locate to a new place or a new school or your spouse leaves you for someone else or a rebellious child leaves home. All so often, when this happens we get angry, we get bitter and we get resentment, failing to realize that what God is doing is cutting away our arrogance and our pride and our dependency on all the wrong things, to force us to get ...

2173. The Kingdom Is Not K-Mart

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

James Merritt

... under this one condition: If down the road another woman comes into my life that I like and love more than you, you will have to leave?" Do you think there is a woman on earth that would accept that type of proposal? I heard about a boy named herb who had ... you have and everything you are over to Him even if that means giving your children to the mission field, even if that means leaving home to go to another place of service, even if it means answering His call on your life and giving up a lucrative salary ...

2174. Anxiety Alert – The Fear of the Future

Matthew 6:34

Sermon

James Merritt

... . I will advise you and watch over you." (Psalm 32:8, NLT) Here is another one. "The Lord himself will go before you. He will not leave you or forget you, so don't be afraid and don't worry." (Deuteronomy 31:8, NCV) Now these are two promises. Put together, here is ... score of the game of your life and if you are one of His children, you win. Here is the second piece of advice. Leave tomorrow alone. When tomorrow comes, God will give you the grace and strength you need for it. For today, you already have the ...

2175. Milli Vanilli Religion

Matthew 7:15-23

Sermon

James Merritt

... is doing all that he can to poison the biblical well of truth, to pervert the gospel, and to prevent people from leaving spiritual darkness and coming to the light of the Lord Jesus Christ and one of his greatest weapons is "Milli Vanilli" religion. ... grow there. Likewise, you can tell a false prophet, not by what he preaches, but by what he produces. You cannot judge a tree by its leaves, but you can judge a tree by its fruit. I'm not a horticulturist, but I know a few things about plants and trees. One ...

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