Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2226 to 2250 of 4508 results

2226. The New Narnia

Illustration

C. S. Lewis

Most have heard of and even read "The Lion, The Witch, and Wardrobe" by CS Lewis. There are 6 other books in the series. At the end of the series "The Last Battle" Lewis contrast the "new Narnia" with the "old Narnia." He writes: It is hard to explain how this sunlit land was different from the old Narnia, as it would be to tell you how the fruits of that country taste. Perhaps you will get some ...

2227. Who Would Have Guessed?

Illustration

Mark Braun

If you had ventured a guess about the future of Jesus' kingdom two thirds of the way through his ministry, how optimistic would you have been? He grew up in a despised province of the Roman Empire. He was born before his mother's marriage had become official. He did not appear publicly until he was thirty years old, and then he spent most of his ministry time in the commercialized and more heathe...

2228. Three Measures of Flour

Illustration

Charles Hoffacker

"The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened." Three measures of flour! Do you know how much that is? It's between forty and sixty pounds! This woman is not Martha Stewart whipping up a couple delicate exquisite little biscuits that together weigh less than a canary. No, no. This woman is a baker! She's emptying six...

2229. What Is Heaven Like? - Sermon Starter

Illustration

Brett Blair

I believe we human beings have a perception problem. We often think we have the proper perspective on an issue when in fact we are way off. There's a charming story that Thomas Wheeler, CEO of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, tells on himself: He and his wife were driving along an interstate highway when he noticed that their car was low on gas. Wheeler got off the highway at the ...

2230. Imperceptible Things Have Real Influence

Illustration

Brett Blair

The Kingdom of God, said Jesus, is like a mustard seed that is planted in a field, but when it is grown it becomes a tree so large that birds nest in it. We live in a society that is enamored with bigness. We have gone beyond big churches to mega-churches. We are over whelmed with and bedazzled by huge social problems such as world hunger and children in crises. As a result, we sometimes overlook...

2231. Parables are Signs of Protest

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Parables are not meant to pat us on the back, but to give us a kick in the pants. They are not intended to comfort us, but to challenge us and change us. Parables speak out against the status quo. . .Parables are demonstrators waving signs of protest, speaking out against our ways of thinking, our traditional ways of experiencing and obeying God, our spiritual institution.

2232. Do What You Need to Do

Illustration

King Duncan

Ron Del Bene was searching for answers in his life. Someone told him about a man in Los Angeles who has a reputation for being a very wise spiritual guide. On a business trip to the west coast Ron made an appointment to see this wise man whom he was sure could help him in his spiritual quest. The day Ron was to meet the wise man he had a hard time concentrating on his business. All he could think...

2233. Sowing Tiny Seeds

Illustration

King Duncan

Nancy Cornice remembers as a child hearing the tip-tap of a cane on the sidewalk. It was an old man "bent from the years" his rough, knotted hand purposefully clutching a cane." But this old man had a peculiar custom as he roamed the streets of this small town. When this gentleman saw a child he would stop, reach into his pocket and give the child a picture of Christ. "He would thrust it into the ...

2234. How Much Faith?

Illustration

King Duncan

Billy Graham noted, “Faith is the avenue of salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a mustard seed, so small you can hardly see it. But if you will put that little faith in the person of Jesus, your life will be changed. He will come with supernatural power into your heart. It can happen to you.”

2235. Proper 12

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 29:15-28 Jacob the trickster gets tricked. He is smitten with Rachel and agrees with her father, Laban, to work seven years to obtain her hand in marriage. On the wedding night, he gets an unexpected wedding present, Rachel's sister, Leah. Jacob agrees to work another seven years for Rachel because she is the true treasure of his heart. Old Testament: 1 Kings 3:...

2236. Proper 12

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

TREASURES AND TRASH The parables in Matthew 13:44-52 continue the series of eight that are found in this chapter. The previous parables were told in public to a large crowd (see Matthew 13:1-3). Now Jesus moves into a house where the disciples came to him (Matthew 13:36). He first explains the parable about the weeds among the wheat. He then proceeds to tell the three parables in Matthew 13:44-52...

2237. Bread

Children's Sermon

Objects: A small jar of plain flour. A small jar of self-rising flour. A small cake of leavened bread. A small cake of unleavened bread (made by mixing water or milk with plain flour). "Things are not always what they seem to be." How many of you have heard that quotation before? Most of us have heard it many times and it is very true. Have any of you ever been offered a stick of gum and after yo...

2238. Proper 12

Sermon Aid

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

OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 29:15-30 is a story of reversals, of how the trickster Jacob is tricked by Laban, while Psalm 105 is a song of praise that celebrates God's deeds as evidence of the fulfilled promises that are made in the covenant with Jacob's children. Genesis 29:15-30 - "Whom Is God Watching?" Setting. The third reading from the Jacob cycle locates Jacob in Haran with Rebekah's kinsman L...

2239. Catholic

Sermon

William G. Carter

It never fails. Say it’s a Sunday morning when we have a baptism. There is a mixed crowd of long-timers and newcomers. The baby is beautiful, the family is all smiles, the Presbyterians are delighted. And then at the door, one of the newcomers says, “Why in the world did you say, ‘We believe in the catholic church?’” She is referring to the Apostles’ Creed , of course, and curious why we would sa...

2240. Hidden Treasure

Sermon

Lori Wagner

When I was young, my rural, Pennsylvania German grandparents owned a farm and two homes. They rented the “older” home where they had originally lived and continued to live in the “new” home a few houses down the road. While the new home had amazing “new” perks, such as a huge barn, garage, gas pump, and gardens, a huge kitchen for baking and cooking, and formal dining room and living room, the qua...

2241. The Parable Of the Weeds Explained

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

Parables of Jesus: In chapter 13 we come for the first time to Jesus’ favorite method of teaching, the parable. The seven parables recorded in this chapter form Jesus’ third discourse as arranged by Matthew, There are in the first three Gospels about sixty separate parables. In the LXX the Greek parabolē almost always translates the Hebrew māšāl, which denotes a wide variety of picturesque forms o...

2242. Roman Catholic Position on Heaven and Hell

Illustration

Father Agnellus Andrew was a famed British clergyman, who for years advised the BBC about Roman Catholic issues. One producer wrote him to ask how he could establish the precise and official Roman Catholic position about heaven and hell. The Father sent back his reply: "Die."

2243. Picking A Winner, Claiming A Treasure

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Bishop Ernest Fitzgerald tells about a slightly crooked Texan who was a big racer of horses. He took one of his prize thoroughbreds to London for an international race. The Texan was back in the stable area prior to the race feeding his horse some suspicious-looking little white pills. The Duke of Marlborough who also had a horse in the race, happened to see what the Texan was doing. "My good man,...

2244. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

2245. The Problem With Finding The Kingdom

Sermon

William J. Carl

I don’t know about you, but when I finished reading these parables of the kingdom, I wasn’t so sure whether I really wanted to find the kingdom, which may be an odd thing for a preacher to say, I admit. But think about it -- everybody always makes such a big deal about finding the kingdom. Even Jesus. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and… all these things shall be added unto you.” Even Peter Mars...

2246. In Love with Howard

Sermon

King Duncan

Most of us associate the name Robert Fulghum with his little book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. But he wrote other books, one of which had the simple title, Uh-Oh. Like his better-known work, it, too, is filled with witty essays. In the latter book Fulghum tells about being asked by a journalist if he believed in God. “No,” replied Fulghum, “but I do believe in Howard.” “H...

2247. The Pearl Of Great Price

Sermon

King Duncan

There are some things in life that are worth any price. How much would you take for your health? For one of your children? For your good mind? Many of us do not appreciate the really important things in life until we lose them. But there are some things that are priceless, though we may not realize their worth at the time. When Joseph Haydn worked for years as a composer for a certain Prince Paul...

2248. Treasure's Tug

Sermon

There you are, standing in the check-out line at the grocery store, shifting your weight from one foot to the other while the people ahead of you seem to be going on like a movie in slow-motion. You are already late. You consider switching lanes but quickly dismiss the idea, knowing that at that precise moment, everyone in the lane you just left will go through in an instant. Then you discover the...

2249. Life's Greatest Treasure

Sermon

"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. A man happens to find it, so he covers it up again. He is so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back and buys the field. Also, the Kingdom of heaven is like a buyer looking for fine pearls." (St. Matthew 13:44, 45 TEV) Today's sermon title could easily set our imaginations running. "Life's Greatest Treasure." ...

2250. Seeking What Matters

Sermon

"... in his joy ... he sells all ..." - Matthew 13:44 Have you ever thought of it? The process of our living involves a lot of trade-off and barter. We are forever giving up some things in order that we might have others; we are perpetually sacrificing this so we may have that. We do this in our marriages; we do this in our occupational choices; we do this in the matter of having children; we do ...

Showing 2226 to 2250 of 4508 results