Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2226 to 2250 of 4962 results

2226. Jesus Cures Our Spiritual Blindness

John 9:1-41

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... our own free will that we choose to ignore the light and the freedom that it brings. We choose to live in ignorance and darkness. We choose sin over God. Our world is daily bathed in the light of the sun that brings warmth, direction, and a sense of hope to our world. In the light we can see where we want to go; we have no difficulty choosing the correct path, or so it should be. The reality of our world, however, is that despite the light, we often are shrouded in the darkness of ignorance, unbelief, and ...

2227. Jesus, Our Rock Foundation

John 14:1-14

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... most profound theology of the fourth evangelist. In today's gospel, we hear in very clear and certain terms that there is a specific relationship between the Lord and God's people. Jesus is the rock foundation from which all that we have ever been, are now, and hope to be springs. In an analogous way to Jesus' description last week that he is the gate through which we must pass, so today we hear as clearly, "No one comes to the Father except through me" (14:6b). Jesus is the source of our sustenance; he is ...

2228. The Difference between Happiness and Joy

1 Peter 1:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on this gold trimmed cup went to $252.50? Let others worship glittering dust And boast of earthly toys Christ is my rock, my hope my trust And spring of all my joys! Isn't that worth memorizing? Let's recite it again. I'll read a line, and you repeat after ... me. Let others worship glittering dust. And boast of earthly toys. Christ is my rock, my hope my trust. And spring of all my joys! Is Christ the spring of all your joys this morning? Do you know what it means to say ...

2229. God's Resolutions

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... from the Book of Consolation Jeremiah looks forward to a new day. He proclaims a glorious vision. Instead of one of his usual doom-gloom/look-how-bad-you've-been reports, Jeremiah offers a sneak-peak into a future that's filled with promise and hope: the new restoration of Israel, the redemption of the people, a return to the land Yahweh had given them. A life of abundance in all things is the divine promise. An abundant life is God's resolution for all God's beloved. In this new beginning proclaimed ...

2230. The FUD Club: Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the Lord” (v.13) people who will fight FUD with “the sanctifying work of the Spirit” (v.13) people who will fight FUD with “sharing in the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ (v.13-14). people who will fight FUD with “eternal encouragement and good hope” people who will open themselves to receive the love of God that gives us “strength . . . in every good deed and word” (v.17). One of my favorite stories is of a traveler who approached the gates of an ancient city. The gatekeeper sat quietly, and ...

2231. To Be a Pilgrim (Thanksgiving)

Hebrews 11:1-40

Sermon

Alex Gondola

... and suffering to produce good. They believed, as William Bradford put it, "Their condition was not ordinary, their ends were good and honorable, their calling lawful and urgent" and therefore they would receive "the blessings of God." Which they did. The Pilgrims traveled hopefully, with faith in the future. Do we? Do we believe that if we work and struggle and sacrifice, this church can be even better than it is already (and it’s pretty darned good)? Do we believe that we, as individuals, are heading ...

2232. Eleven Plus One

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... biggest don't always get their own way in the world. Even if it's a team from a school we've never heard of, or one of those new pro franchises we can't quite locate geographically, suddenly the Cinderella team becomes the team to cheer for, to hope for, to invest in. If ever there was a Cinderella team in history, it had to be the Jesus team known as The Twelve. From the moment of their selection, this awkward group showed few if any signs of any regularized community life. They never appear to grasp any ...

2233. Set Life Free

Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... north of the Mason-Dixon line. No matter how splashy or no-nonsense the seed catalogs that arrive in the middle of the cold, dark winter months, all of them are exercises in faith – what Barbara Kafka calls the gardener's "green hope." And it takes a lot of faith, a lot of green hope, to believe that the lush, fruit-producing plant you've read about is contained in the tiny dry packet of seeds you hold in your hand once the catalog fills your seed order. Okay. Corn and beans and zucchini seeds look like ...

2234. The Jesus RX and the Biology of Belief

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... as prevalent is "the nocebo effect"--the power of negative thinking. Believing the worst case scenario, downed by depression, the mind/body connection plummets the body into an ever-grimmer state of ill health. Given a cancer-fighting drug, but told there's little hope, the tumor increases in size. The drag of your mind impedes your healing. This is called the nocebo response. How sick can you make yourself? "The nocebo response is illustrated by the case of a woman who had a non-serious heart condition as ...

2235. WaterFire Disciples

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... didn't feel the need to mask that word anger with all sorts of lingo and euphemisms. St. Augustine put it like this: "Hope has two daughters, Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to make things other than they are." Myles ... cry out, "Unclean, Unclean" whenever a human being came close. Maybe angry at a religious system that declares some people dead, and offers no hope much less no help. Play Billy Joel's song: "We Didn't Start the Fire" Play The Doors song: "Light My Fire" Writer Doris ...

2236. What's Left Is Right

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... can you be emotionally, mentally, fiscally for retirement? We spend our whole lives, and huge amounts of energies, clawing our way UP. Especially in the USA we live to pride ourselves in our classlessness, our up-by-your-own-bootstraps culture. What parent doesn't hope that their kids will be better educated, have more fulfilling careers, make more money, have more opportunities than they've had. Our conviction is that it can happen. And if we work hard enough it WILL happen. When the banker's son becomes a ...

2237. Transmission

1 John 3:11-24

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Nav Press, 2001), chapter 12) A sense of destiny they're unique, special, and have confidence; A sense of purpose they have a mission in life; A sense of love a legacy of love; A sense of security they're safe; family is their refuge; A sense of hope; A desire for godliness a passion for God and the gospel. In today's 1 John text, the author has considered what he most wants to transmit to the fledgling house churches he is parenting. What he most wants to transmit is love. The newness of Christianity, its ...

2238. Make Room for Mystery

Isaiah 55:1-13

Sermon

James McCormick

... its matchless love has brought God’s love to me.” I’ve experienced that. O, if you are intellectually curious, and I hope you are, you are welcome to investigate the records. Christianity is an historic religion and there is much factual data. I’ll be ... do that, because it’s important. I want to live in that kind of rational world. I want to do my intellectual homework. But I hope you will understand when I say that I also want to live in a spiritual and emotional world in which I can hear angelic ...

2239. A New Vision

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

... cry for a new vision of how to care for the uninsured. Scientists look at the troubling signs of rising global temperatures and hope for a new vision of how to stave off a potential crisis. Many of us long for a vision that will again unite ... . You visit them.” “And say what?” the young man asked. “I don’t know,” Leo said, “Tell them anything that will give them hope.” Notice Leo’s strategy--we get back what we give. Leo did not see the student for months. In fact, he largely forgot about ...

2240. Proper 25

Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew 22:41-46, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, Psalm 90:1-17

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... in this land. There is powerful material here to be exploring in preaching. The central point of the text is that the death of Moses is about the future. The text is a powerful statement how even the very best of us like Moses live by hope in divine promise. Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 - "A Prayer of Moses" Setting. The psalm is attributed to Moses in the heading. Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 contains a variety of language from expressions of confidence, reflections on human mortality, and petitions. Structure. The psalm ...

2241. Proper 28

Judges 4:1-24, Matthew 25:14-30, 1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11, Psalm 123:1-4

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... in faith, lo (The parallel passage in Ephesians 5:10-17 is more expansive and includes a sword of the Lord, the Word of God, which is also wielded defensively). The association of faith and love with the breastplate and of hope with the helmet is striking. Faith is for now and hope is for the future, but love is associated with the present, and we know from other passages in Paul's epistles (especially I Corinthians 13) that love has no end. In this passage the apostles treat every aspect of Christian life ...

2242. Changed Lives: Lazarus

John 11:1-16

Sermon

King Duncan

... . There will come a time when the doctor can do no more for us, but somewhere on the other side, Christ will say, “Mike, come out!” “Joe, come out!” “Sally, come out!” This is a story that affirms resurrection. It is also a story, though, that gives us hope for everyday living. It is a word of encouragement for anyone who needs to make a new beginning in life. Robert McAfee Brown was a chaplain in World War II. He was on a troop ship with 1,500 Marines on their way home after having served in ...

2243. When Losing Your Baggage Is a Good Thing

Hebrews 12:1-2

Sermon

James W. Moore

... we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” He is our Hope. He is our Redeemer. He is our Saviour. He is the One who can deliver us from the dangerous and destructive baggage that burdens and encumbers us. Now, let me ask you something. How much troublesome baggage are you carrying around right now? How many bags do ...

2244. Choose Life

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Sermon

James W. Moore

... us, we can choose life… we can choose to live first in confidence… and second, in gratitude. III. THIRD AND LAST BECAUSE GOD LOVES US WE CAN CHOOSE TO LIVE IN CHRIST. Alexander Solzhenitsyn tells of a moment when he was on the verge of giving up all hope in a prisoner in a Soviet Prison Camp. He was working 12 hours a day at hard labor. He was existing on a starvation diet. He had become gravely ill. The doctors were predicting his death… and frankly, he didn’t care whether he lived or died. One ...

2245. What Christmas Gives to Us

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

James W. Moore

... and the determination of that little boy what you want for Christmas? I have thought about that a lot lately and if I may be personal with you this morning, I would like to share with you what pop singer Natalie Cole calls “My Grown-Up Christmas List” in the hope that you will make a list of your own… of the things you would like most for Christmas this year. Are you ready? Here is my list. I. FIRST OF ALL, IWOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE THE GOOD SENSE TO PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST. That’s what I want for ...

2246. Recognizing Christ

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

King Duncan

... “What things?” the stranger asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They ...

2247. Abundant Life

John 10:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... help me in school and with soccer and especially to help me forgive others and not join in conflict. Some day I think that God will give me another name, Amon; it will mean someone good.” If that young man’s testimony doesn’t touch you, you are beyond hope. [He is an example of the kind of young person our church’s mission program is trying to reach.] He is working hard to reach his goals, for he, too, would like to have the good life. But he knows there is more. Thanks to the Love More House, this ...

2248. A Shepherd to Lead Us - Sermon Starter

John 10:1-21

Illustration

Brett Blair

... saying in Palestine, Jerusalem, Kabul, and in towns all over the east that something is wrong. Why has the religious leadership failed? Leadership. We all want good leadership. Good shepherds to lead us in and out of green pasture. We vote hoping to elect it, we apply for jobs hoping to work for it, and we go to school hoping to be educated by it. But we do not always find it. The trust we place in our leaders can be broken. So what are we to do? John 10 holds the answer. Let us ask three questions and see ...

2249. Getting a Grip on Fear

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

King Duncan

... . Some of us disguise our fear better than others, but fear can make our lives miserable. The award winning movie from a few years back The Shawshank Redemption is about fear. In fact, posters promoting the film carried these words: “Fear can hold you prisoner, Hope can set you free.” Take the character Brooks Hatlen, played by actor James Whitmore. Here is how one character described Hatlen in the film: “The man’s been in here fifty years, Heywood, fifty years. This is all he knows. In here, he’s ...

2250. Freedom Faith Brings

Galatians 5:1-15

Sermon

James Merritt

... attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." (v.4) If you add anything to Jesus, all you do is take away Jesus. In vv. 5 and 6 Paul describes the life of liberty. "For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." Notice the difference between the life of liberty and the life of legalism. The life of liberty is experienced in the power of faith. The life ...

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