Sermon and Worship Resources

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The only true measure of success is the ratio between what we might have done and what we might have been on the one hand, and the thing we have made and the things we have made of ourselves on the other.

H. G. Wells

2352. Brotherly Love

Romans 13:8

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: A nice-looking man's jacket Lesson: Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Good morning, boys and girls. How do you like this jacket I have with me today? (Let them answer.) It really is nice, isn't it? The colors are so bright and pretty. Today I want to tell you a story about a young boy who once had a jacket that looked a little bit like this one. The young man's name was Joseph, and he lived many years before Jesus was born. Joseph ...

2353. What Do You Do When You Get Hurt?

Psalm 103:3

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To show children that we have a responsibility to do what we can to take care of ourselves. After we have done all we can, then we must leave the rest in God's hands. Material: A box of bandage strips that contains the number you need to give one to each child. Lesson: Have any of you ever hurt yourself? ... What happened? ... (Let the children share their experiences.) What did you do when you were hurt? ... Most of the time, when we are hurt, we use some medicine and maybe a bandage; and then we ...

2354. What Law is Operating Here?

Illustration

John Killinger

Note: We do not advise using this illustration in a sermon. In fact, we strongly advise against it, but we thought it a great meditation for us clergy, considering subjects of Law and Grace. Here it it: In Mary Gordon's novel, Final Payments, a book addressing the repression of many young Catholics of the 50s and 60s, a young woman named Isabel Moore has just buried her father after several years of illness, during which she was confined to his bedside. For several months, she flounders, trying to discover ...

2355. Heirs of God

Romans 8:16-17

Children's Sermon

Mark A. Hultquist

Object: Several sheets of paper each with one of the following words printed in large letters:DA DADA DAD DADDY FATHER ABBAMA MAMA MOM MOMMY MOTHER Have you ever had the fun of watching young children when they are just beginning to talk? I can remember when our children were beginning to speak they usually start out with one sound like "DA" or "MA." They are so proud when they can start to make those sounds! And before you know it they start to make a lot of those sounds together! They will say, " ...

2356. Sighs from God

Romans 8:26

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: None Lesson: Teach the children how to sigh. Good morning, boys and girls. Today we are going to do something that we have heard our moms and our dads do lots of times. It is called "sighing." How many of you know how to sigh? (Let them answer.) That's pretty good. Let's all try to sigh. (Sigh with them.) Would you like to do it again? (Make really deep sighs.) What does a sigh mean? (Let them answer.) What does it mean when your father or mother does it? (Let them answer.) Sometimes it means that ...

2357. A Strange Kind Of Glory

John 13:31-38

Sermon

John M. Braaten

It is often difficult for Christians to get past the idea that those who have given themselves to the Lord should be treated a little better than the average woman or man who does not possess a living faith. In other words, there ought to be some kind of return for what you have done for God, for what you have given in time, energy and money. That doesn't sound outrageous, does it? In this "you get what you deserve" world, you really ought to be rewarded. Harmless as that sounds, it is the first step ...

2358. You Owe Me Nothing

Luke 7:36-50

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

Exegetical Aim: Great forgiveness produces great love. Props: Pencil over your ear, clipboard in hand, and four invoices on the clipboard. Invoices are for $1, $5, $20, and $100. To help remember this sermon, you might print it and put it on top of the clipboard. Lesson: I have invoices here. Take the pencil from your ear and sign the invoices as you hand them out to selected children. Once they are handed out, start with the $1 debtor: I expect to hear something from you soon since your debt has not yet ...

2359. The Holy Spirit: Rain of Righteousness

Isaiah 45:8

Bulletin Aid

Call to Worship Leader: "You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down." Congregation: Pour out your Holy Spirit, Father, that all may acknowledge your rulership of justice and mercy. Leader: "Let the earth open wide; let salvation spring up." Congregation: Open our hearts wide to receive the truth of salvation, the truth of your endless love of every person on this earth. Leader: "Let righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it." Congregation: You have done well ...

2360. The Young Man

Drama

Sarah Walton Miller

In this skit use modern clothing. Don’t tell who the characters are ahead of time. Let the audience decide who they were when it has ended. For your use: Boy 1 is Jesus’ brother James; Girl 1 is his mother, Mary; Boy 2 is Jesus’ cousin James, the son of Zebedee and Salome, whose brother is John; Girl 2 is Mary of Bethany, a sister of Martha and Lazarus; Boy 3 is the Rich Young Ruler; Girl 3 is Mary Magdalene; Boy 4 is Pilate. The Narrator may be male or female. Total cast: eight. Arrange the staging as you ...

2361. When You Reach Wit’s End

Psalm 107:1-43

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

Ray Balcomb's Ph.D. is in New Testament studies. He is the author of many books and until his recent appointment as a District Superintendent, his weekly sermons were distributed nationally where they were well-known for their classical three point construction and supportive illustrations. His sermon included here was preached to the congregation of the First United Methodist Church in Portland, Oregon, where he had been senior pastor from 1963 to 1982. Balcomb concludes the volume, dealing with the ...

2362. The Delimma II (A Drama about Prayer)

Drama

Dave Marsh

Director's Notes: A follow-up to the Dilemma drama. This also uses pre-recorded v.o. so see that drama for more information. These are always fun to do especially when the character is way off target. This drama is intended to expose erroneous thoughts about prayer: God listens better in church, God delights in a more sophisticated prayer, a more sophisticated prayer accomplishes more than a simple one, God answers prayers immediately, etc... The other thing about this one is that it requires some music ...

2363. Thanks For All You've Done

Colossians 1:1-14

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: a thank you note, an envelope, an inkpen Good morning, boys and girls. This morning, I want to write a thankyou note to God. Will you help me? There are just so many things to thank God for. What are some things you're thankful for? (Let the children answer freely, and jot their answers down in the note) Those are wonderful things. And let's ask the rest of the congregation what they're thankful for. (Turn to the congregation and solicit answers from them) Boy, that's a lot of stuff! God sure is ...

2364. The Suffering Servant

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Bulletin Aid

H. Burnham Kirkland

Call To Worship Leader: We despised him and rejected him. People: We ignored him as if he were nothing. Leader: But he endured the suffering that should have been ours. People: Because of our sins he was wounded. All: We are healed by the punishment he suffered. Amen. Collect Almighty God, graciously behold this your family for which our Lord Jesus Christ was content to suffer death upon the cross. May this time of worship in which we recall the suffering and pain he endured enable us to recognize the ...

2365. The Cost Of Following Jesus

Luke 9:57-62

Bulletin Aid

H. Burnham Kirkland

Call To Worship Leader: Jesus says, "Follow me." People: We would follow Jesus, but first we have family matters to take care of. Leader: Jesus says, "If you will follow me, you must be willing to leave the past behind you." People: We would follow Jesus but ... Leader: Jesus said that anyone who keeps looking back is of no use for the kingdom of God. Collect Lord Jesus, we wish to follow you wherever you lead us. Grant us the power of your Holy Spirit to make this a total commitment. Strengthen our faith ...

2366. Stupid People

Jeremiah 4:5-31

Bulletin Aid

H. Burnham Kirkland

Call To Worship Leader: Fools say to themselves, "There is no God!" They are all corrupt. People: They have done terrible things, and there is no one who does what is right. Leader: The Lord looks at us humans to see if there are any who are wise. People: But they have all gone; they are all equally bad. Leader: Come, let us worship the God of Justice and Righteousness. Let us renew our faith in the Almighty and pledge our loyalty to our Eternal King, for we are neither ignorant nor stupid. Collect ...

2367. Love. Serve God. See God. Live.

Psalm 99:1-9, Exodus 33:12-23

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship One:The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! All: The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. One: Let them praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he! All: Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. One: Extol the Lord our God; worship at his footstool. Holy is he! All: Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those ...

2368. Who Are You and What Have You Done?

Matthew 16:13-20

Illustration

Brett Blair

These doctors on their way to the golf course get into a car accident and they all die. They are now standing before the gates of heaven and St. Peter says to the first: "Why should I let you in?" He replies: "Look at my file! I am a research physician. I developed all kinds of procedures to prolong people's lives." St. Peter checks out the folder and says: "OK, you can come in." Then he asks the second: "Why should I let you in?" The fellow replies: Look at my file; I developed drugs, which cured ...

2369. Never Been There — Never Done That

Jeremiah 31:31-34, Revelation 2:3-5

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship One: And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." All: And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." (Revelation 2:3-5) Collect Always, Lord, I praise your name for ...

2370. The Deadline Will Not Be Extended

Matthew 21:33-46

Illustration

King Duncan

It's like a tough, old cowhand who sauntered into a saloon and began drinking whiskey by the bottle. The more he drank, the more unruly he became, shooting holes in the ceiling and floor. Everybody was afraid to take on the old cowhand. Finally, the town's little, mild-mannered storekeeper walked up to the unruly cowhand and said, "I'll give you five minutes to get out of town." The old cowhand holstered his gun, pushed the whiskey bottle away, briskly walked out, got on his horse, and rode out of town. ...

2371. Isaiah 11:1-10

Isaiah 11:1-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The poem in today's Old Testament reading is called by Hans Wildberger a "pearl of Hebrew poetry." There is a breathtaking variety of images and metaphors: the shoot out of the stump, the branch out of the roots, the rod of the mouth, the breath of the lips and righteousness as a belt around the waist (vv.1-5). This is followed by the description of a pastoral scene in which a variety of animals are paired to convey an image of peace: the wolf, leopard, young lion, bear, lion, viper and young viper are ...

2372. Decisions, Decisions

John 17:6-19

Illustration

Paul W. Kummer

Think of how many decisions you make in a day: What do I wear today? Should I take a different route to work due to construction? Should I have a bagel or an English muffin for breakfast? Should I talk with that person about yesterday or just blow it off? Which child is it that had flute lessons day? Should I get a quick twenty out at the ATM machine at lunch or after work? Do I need to pay bills today or can they wait until tomorrow? Do I have enough energy to run today or not? Should I drive to the ...

2373. The Gospel According to the Hebrews

Mark 10:17-31

Illustration

William Barclay

There is an apocryphal gospel called "The Gospel According to the Hebrews" most of which is lost; in one of the fragments which remain there is an account of this incident which sheds a little light on its meaning. Here is how that ancient text records this story: The rich man said to Jesus, "Master, what good thing must I do really to live?" Jesus said to him, "Man, obey the law and the prophets." He said, "I have done so." Jesus said to him, "Go, sell all that you possess, distribute it among the poor, ...

2374. Nine Reasons They Did Not Return

Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

King Duncan

Why did only one man cleansed from leprosy return to thank Jesus? Someone has made a list of nine suggested reasons why the nine did not return: One waited to see if the cure was real. One waited to see if it would last. One said he would see Jesus later. One decided that he had never had leprosy in the first place. One said he would have gotten well anyway. One gave the glory to the priests. One said, "O, well, Jesus didn't really do anything." One said, "Any rabbi could have done it." One said, "I was ...

2375. John Had an Outlook

Matt 3:1-12; John 3:22-36

Illustration

Leonard Mann

In the story of Adam Bede, George Eliot describes a certain conceited person as being "like the cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow." I've known, as you probably have, a few persons along the way who were just about as vain as this. Remember that line by Tennyson: "One far-off divine event to which the whole creation moves?" I knew one fellow once who apparently believed himself to be that divine event. He seemed to have the idea that all of time and circumstance, up to then, had conspired ...

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