Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2301 to 2325 of 4943 results

2301. Emptying and Exalting (Part XI)

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... . The children said, "Stop!" "Why, children? Why stop?" "We want to get the cat." "No, we are not going to get the cat." The father continued driving. The children leaned over the back seat, beginning to sing in unison, "Daddy''s a meany!" He stopped and backed up. "Well, we are ... Christmas so important. GOD, through JESUS CHRIST, sat where we sit and walked alongside us in the journey. Jesus Christ continues, even to this very moment, to walk the corridors of our lives, offering us his hands of healing. This ...

2302. The Destructive Power of Dis-Unity

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... , "Are you protestant or catholic?" My new acquaintance replied, "Protestant." I said, "Me too! What franchise?" He answered, "Baptist." "Me too! I said. "Northern or Southern Baptist?" "Northern Baptist," he replied. "Me too!" I shouted. We continued to go back and forth. Finally, I asked, "Northern conserva-tive fundamentalist Baptist, Great Lakes Region, Council of 1879 or Northern conservative fundamentalist Baptist, Great Lakes Region, Council of 1912?" He replied, "Northern conservative fundamentalist ...

2303. The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... , the authentic, the pastoral, the simple, the real thing. While you and I can never return to an agricultural world, we yearn for and spend billions of dollars for the images and items which bring a certain kind of peace and renewal. The Twenty-third Psalm will always continue to be a vital part of who we are and to speak pastorally in any environment until the end of time. It is a Psalm which can be set squarely in the midst of our modern/urban setting of 1992. I believe that the 23rd Psalm holds great ...

2304. Feasting and Fasting for Lent (Part III)

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... if we must." "Not many kids today get a chance to be a part of this kind of thing," the father added. "Our kids will handle it." "Pastor, I hope you can do something with them," the doctor whispered to me outside their door as he continued his rounds. Three days later, the doctor and I watched the couple leave the hospital. They walked slowly, carrying a small bundle; but it seemed to us a heavy burden, a weight on their shoulders, lifted along the sterile, clean, antiseptic corridors. You could hear them ...

2305. Feasting and Fasting for Lent (Part IV)

2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... a void or empty space created by fasting we can feast on those things which are pleasing and honoring to our Heavenly Father. I especially thank those who shared words of affirmation with me last Sunday about the subject matter. Today, I want to continue the journey by sharing two more suggestions for your consideration. FAST FROM CRITICISM AND FEAST ON AFFIRMATION. Most in this church family know of my fondness for the preaching ministry and stories of faith that come from the mind and pen of The Reverend ...

2306. Feasting and Fasting for Lent (Part V)

Philippians 3:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... . So he headed the nose of that plane upward and he climbed until the air became so thin he could hardly breathe. He knew he couldn't go any higher or he would black out, so he leveled off and continued to fly at that altitude. After awhile he didn't hear the gnawing, but he didn't take any chances. He continued to fly at that high altitude for a long time. And when he came down at his next stop, he looked in the back and there was a dead rat. (3) To live life in the atmosphere of courage ...

2307. Thanks for the Memories

Deuteronomy 26:1-15

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... the streets--all of them are in this box. And when I get terribly homesick, I go and breathe deeply of the memories that are in that box. Now you have called what is very special to me profane." Memory is a powerful perfume from the past in which we continue our connection to God''s saving acts in history. I pray we will not let others or ourselves forget what God has done, is doing, and wants to do through us. Let us not take what is special, sacred and holy and call it profane. When Sister Mary Amnesia ...

2308. Living with the Aches and Alleluias

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... a sense of his cultural analysis. I believe anybody can curse the darkness or render an analysis. Yes, our world is full of the "paralysis of analysis." It is the prescription and resolution that is needed. We need more light--not darkness. We need a light that will continue to burn even in dark times. Today we open the Advent season that leads to the birth of Christ on Christmas Day. We prepare the way for the Lord to enter our hearts more deeply. The Advent message is not that we can aspire to goodness or ...

2309. Dealing with the Hard Moments of the Journey

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... agent. The agent came out to the cowboy''s ranch to ask him a few questions for the application form. "Have you ever had any accidents?" the agent asked. "No," the cowboy answered. "Are you saying you have never been hurt here on the ranch?" the agent continued. The cowboy thought a minute and then said, "Well, a bronco kicked me in the ribs last summer, and a couple of years ago a rattlesnake bit me on the ankle." "You wouldn''t call those accidents?" the agent inquired. The cowboy then answered in all ...

2310. Thanksgiving: Where Are You Looking for It?

Psalm 103:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... TRUST GOD. Unlike the Hindu and Bart Simpson, they kept their promises and returned thanks. This was as important as the food on the table. It kept their souls refreshed and full of joy. This is why Paul could write in I Thessalonians 5:17-18, "Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God''s will for you in Christ Jesus." This is the best place for thanksgiving. Second, giving and helping others is a reflection of our heart of gratitude. We pass on God''s blessings. In a recent comic ...

2311. Easter for Thomas, Too

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... 't be fooled: Modest stories are mighty in their own right. We weren't there for the first Easter -- only a handful were. But like Thomas, we don't have to be. Easter is for Thomas -- the Thomas who lives in me and you, too. We have had, and will continue to have, moments when the presence of the risen Christ is made known to us; and like Thomas, we will only be able to say: "My Lord and my God!" "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Blessed indeed! 1. Gerrit Scott Dawson ...

2312. Too Good to Be True?

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... point is, we do feel that touch, and probably most of the time we are not even aware of it. Charles Wesley, whose hymn "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today" is sung on Easter morn in virtually every Christian congregation in America, died in 1788. But he continues to be present when we sing his hymn. Beethoven died in 1827, but every time we sing "Joyful, Joyful," Beethoven affects us in a very personal way. Similarly, every exertion of ours that can be called Christ-like happens because we are in the presence of ...

2313. A Friend in High Places

Luke 24:50-53

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... in which we begin eternity here and now. It is not something that we will easily add on to the end of life when we die. Eternity is mixed invisibly with the stuff of the earth. With every new coming of springtime across the earth, some men will continue to live the old, old life they have always lived while others will see that most amazing stuff we call the soul that shines with potential surprises able to begin again no matter how far it has gone, stretching itself toward that peace which is only known in ...

2314. If You Are Willing

Mark 1:40-45

Sermon

King Duncan

... make it into a shrine or we can turn it into a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15). When we allow our heartaches to control our lives or harden our hearts, then we are making a shrine to our suffering. But when we turn our heartaches over to God and continue to trust Him, we are turning our heartache into a sacrifice of praise. (5) When Vance Havner, a man who has inspired so many pastors and lay people alike, lost his wife to disease, he was disconsolate. He hurt like many of us have hurt. But out of the ...

2315. Chosen

John 15:1-17

Sermon

David G. Rogne

... be on his team. I think that it is fair to say that, as Jesus chose the members of that first team of disciples, he continues to choose the current members of his team, and to deploy them in ways that serve his plan. Look with me at this passage from ... like, "What does God expect of me?" When we do those things, we find that our spirits are sustained and our spiritual lives continue to grow. But we have been chosen, not simply to develop personally, but to bear fruit. That is, our Christian faith should show ...

2316. He Came by Night

John 3:1-21

Sermon

David G. Rogne

... of a spiritual rebirth. But even that was hard to accept. After struggling for all these years to arrive at the point where I now was, I was being told to break with the past and to start over. I questioned whether I could really do that. But as Jesus continued to speak, it occurred to me that he had purposely chosen a word with more than one meaning, for the word means not only "born anew," but also "born from above." I've come to the conclusion that what he was driving at is the necessity of being reborn ...

2317. To a Life Beyond

John 6:51-58, Revelation 7:9-17

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

... painter Auguste Renoir lay dying, he said, "What a pity! I was just beginning to show promise." If John's Revelation is correct, and I believe it is, then our promise is not ended in death, but progresses as we continue to serve with fulfilling work, as we continue to live our lives amidst a colorful community from every race, tribe, and tongue; as we fellowship without war, divorce, covenant-breaking, sickness, absences, and our general cussedness. And just look at the worship of heaven! My, but what a ...

2318. Anxious Thanks

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

Cathy A. Ammlung & staff

... to us?" and they come up with explanations both simplistic and repellent. And under all these questions are others that were hard to voice: Does God still love us? Does he care? Can we trust that he is blessing us even now and will continue to?" There are supply chain concerns, empty grocery shelves in many places, and rising food prices. So long as a family, an individual, or a nation hinges gratitude upon "stuff" -- even good, necessary-for-life "stuff," even "stuff" that we may rightly call blessings ...

2319. With a Bang or a Whimper?

2 Peter 3:1-18

Sermon

Fredrick R. Harm

... light. Think with me. First of all, how it all began. Surely if something must end it must also have had a beginning. For Peter's understanding of this origin we look back at verse 4 of our chapter where he explains: "All things continue as they were at the beginning of creation." Please note his words: not development, not eternal existence, but creation: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1 NIV). Without entering the realm of scientific investigation, what are the biblical ...

2320. Don't Fence Me In!

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Sermon

Fredrick R. Harm

... , yes, they were frightfully free. Free to make a joke out of the moral law! But it was not long until that moral law turned on them and mastered them with self-loathing, frustration, and guilt. How eternally right was Jesus: "Verily, Verily, I tell you, everyone who continues to commit sin becomes the slave of sin" (John 8:34). So the Spirit of God is saying to each of us, through the pen of Saint Paul: be aware of the limits to your freedom. Be self-regarding enough to watch your own spiritual health. No ...

2321. What a Resume!

2 Corinthians 2:12--3:6

Sermon

Fredrick R. Harm

... brought us up out of a pit of meaninglessness into the radiance of a life filled with purpose and meaning! What a résumé! The résumé continues: not only has he brought us up, he has also set us up. "He set my feet upon a rock and established my goings" (v. 2). ... your paths." That is his Word; it is meant for you! Not only has he brought us up and set us up, but our résumé continues; he has also tuned us up! "He has put a new song into my mouth, even praise unto my God, many shall see it and trust ...

2322. Grace in the Midst of Hopelessness

Romans 8:18-27

Sermon

Glenn McDonald

... survive alcoholism, reveals that she has two favorite prayers. Both are six words in length: "Help me, help me, help me," and "Thank you, thank you, thank you." We need not pray in greater detail. The Spirit will fill in the rest. In verse 27 Paul continues: "And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." Christian history is replete with stories of God's people who have been suddenly awakened in the middle ...

2323. Yes! (Easter Sunday)

John 20:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan

... taller buildings, the towers of the schools, the steeples of the churches highest of all. Slowly the mist climbs the hills, hangs for a little like a torn veil on the summit, then vanishes, disclosing a blue sky. And the work you began in the fog you continue in the sunlight.” (7) The disciples were in a fog following the crucifixion of Jesus, but his resurrection and later his appearances to them caused the mist to rise and to reveal the light of a beautiful new day. What they “began in the fog” they ...

2324. Needy People Please Apply

Acts 4:32-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... no needy persons among them.” Then we read why there were no needy people among them: “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the ...

2325. The Paradox of Death

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... of hatred, Jesus will rise and bring all people for all time the possibility of salvation. Jesus' journey to death and resurrection must give us hope. It is a hope, born in difficulty, which says, despite the paradox, that life can only come from death. If we are willing to continue the Lenten journey with Jesus to the end; if we will walk with him -- then we too will find good through evil, triumph through defeat, and life through death. Let us, therefore ...

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