Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2376 to 2400 of 3926 results

2376. For His Eyes Only

Matthew 6:1-4

Sermon

James Merritt

... deductible receipt, then hold on to that receipt and treasure it because that's all you're going to get. That's the only reward you're going to have. If you don't give just because you love Jesus, and because you want to see the work of God supported, and you want to see people saved and reached for Christ, then quite frankly, no matter what the IRS puts down you gave, God writes down zero. You see, it is so easy to fake Christianity. You can spit-polish your image on the outside, but if it does not ...

2377. Repeat After Me

Philippians 3:1-11

Sermon

James Merritt

... people in this world are religious people. It was a religious crowd that crucified Jesus. That's why you should never ever put your faith in a church. You should put your faith in Christ. You should attend the church, love the church, support the church, serve the church, and be a part of the church, but you should trust in Jesus. Beware of religion without righteousness. That is a truth worth repeating. II. Righteousness without Redemption Is Deceptive There is another problem that Paul had to battle ...

2378. Power in the Pulpit

Philippians 3:1-11

Sermon

James Merritt

... said this: Religion is a social concern; for it operates powerfully on society, contributing in various ways to its stability and prosperity. Religion is not merely a private affair; the community is deeply interested in its diffusion; for it is the best support of the virtues and principles on which the social order rest…. Erase all thought and fear of God from a community and selfishness and sensuality will absorb the whole man. Appetite knowing no restraint and suffering having no solace or hope, would ...

2379. Why You Should Trust In God

Proverbs 3:5-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... as total unbelief. If you're going to trust in God you must do it without reservation, without hesitation, without equivocation. Furthermore, we are told "and lean not on your own understanding." (v.5) The word there for lean is the Hebrew shan-ann which literally means "to support yourself by leaning on something or someone." We are not to be guided by just what we think. Now this does not mean that we are to be without understanding. It doesn't mean that we're to put our mind in neutral. It doesn't mean ...

2380. Niebuhr vs. Niebuhr on War

Matthew 13:24-30

Illustration

D. Mark Davis

Back in 1933, when Japan invaded Manchuria and many persons were rattling their sabers in a call for war, H. Richard Niebuhr wrote an article in The Christian Century entitled "On the Grace of Doing Nothing." Richard Niebuhr was not a pacifist. He did support the US involvement in World War II when it finally came. And, he received a furious rebuttal by his brother, Reinhold Niebuhr in the next edition of The Christian Century. But, he had a point to make. The reason that Richard Niebuhr argued for 'doing ...

2381. The Compassionate Christ

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... heartbreaking situation. Asking for help was unfamiliar territory for Orion. Fortunately there was a group of people in his church who had gone through the same kind of pain in dealing with a family member who was addicted to drugs or alcohol. They met weekly to support one another. This group helped Orion through this situation. His son was sentenced to five years in jail. Orion visited him every week, but he could not seem to reach the boy with the seriousness of what he had done. After he was released he ...

2382. An Unidentified King

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... 5 million people were in or around Jerusalem. If you want to feel what that was like, try to imagine four COGIC-sized conventions meeting simultaneously in Memphis on Elvis's birthday! The crowds were enthusiastic but, as the politicians would say, Jesus' support was broad but shallow. The big money, the power structure hated him. Many in the crowds were not really yelling "Hurrah for Jesus." They were using his parade as an excuse for political agitation against those hated foreigners, the Romans, who were ...

2383. The True Olympians

Romans 12:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... ” and “single-minded” as those Olympians? Is your passion to succeed as great as that of the Canaanite woman? The Barack Obama campaign has introduced a new word into our vocabulary. Young, exuberant, enthusiastic Obama supporters are referred to as “passionistas.” In contrasted to “fashionistas,” whose identities are defined wholly by exterior attachments, frivolous and fleeting finery, passionistas are driven from commitments within. Disciples of Jesus should be the best “passisonistas ...

2384. The Lost And Found Collection

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... or other sheep was in sight. He was lost. Folks stray away from God the same way. Not because they hate God. Most are not angry with the preacher or the other church members. Most just get distracted and wander away. Some buy season tickets to support their favorite team. So, for three or four months they are AWOL when God’s people gather for worship. Then they find it very difficult to become regular worshippers again. Some buy a vacation home or a recreational vehicle. Then it becomes easy to be on ...

2385. An Excellent Epitaph

2 Timothy 4:6-8

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... try to evaluate each candidate on the basis of character, record, political philosophy, and vision, but I will not allow race to be a factor. Another “good fight” on Election Day is for the traditional, historic, biblical definition of marriage. I will support Proposition # 1 which will define marriage in our state constitution as a relationship between one man and one woman. Unless it is so defined, some activist, secular judge will surely redefine marriage as a sexual alliance between any two or more ...

2386. Is There Hope For World Peace?

Matthew 24:1-35

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. Indeed, the Temple was one of the most beautiful buildings in the ancient world. At that time it was already 1000 years old. It was built of white marble and plated with gold. Some of the temple’s supporting stones were 40 feet in length and weighted 100 tons. The cutting and moving of those massive stones remains a mystery of ancient engineering. The disciples, some of whom were Galilean fishermen, were awe-struck by these huge and beautiful buildings. Jesus’ response ...

2387. Great Joy

Isaiah 35:1-10

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... the ages to bring good news of great joy…great joy… great joy in the coming of the Savior. Several years ago while I was working on the staff of the Board of Higher Education, we visited the country of Angola. We went to provide training and support for pastors in that war-torn land. This is the nation with more land mines than any other place on earth. Fields and farms, rivers and streams, paths and dirt roads—all intentionally mined to disable basic human life, blocking access to food, water, travel ...

2388. Moses: On the Manna Diet

Exodus 16:1-5

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... by a poster child named Elian. In fact, while he was on the front page, we were in his town representing the Board of Higher Education and Ministry. We went to Cuba to meet with the leaders of the Methodist Church in Cuba and to support the seminary in the work of preparing pastors for the rapidly-growing Methodist Church—a church that was all but destroyed during the Revolution, but that today is thriving throughout the island. In Cardenas, the congregation was trying to repair the church building which ...

2389. The Twenty-Ninth Chapter of Acts

2 Timothy 4:1-22

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... say it again. This stewardship campaign is critical to the witness and mission of this congregation. The calling is for all of us to accept our place, our part, our task in this mission. Every time we receive new members, we remind ourselves of the commitment "to support the church with our prayers, presence, gifts and service". It's not an option, but an obligation. Preach the word. Be urgent in season and out of season. Do the work of an evangelist. 2. And Paul reminds him to keep the faith. I can't tell ...

2390. Why Not Now?

Acts 8:26-40

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... to 12 pounds now, and his family is trying to relocate to Louisiana in order to be closer to family, though the cost of relocating Will will be incredible. I want share with you a letter from Will's father, Greg, expressing their appreciation for the support and ministry of this congregation. Greg writes: Church for me had been an unyielding series of lectures and ceremony designed to remind me that I was not like Christ and not worthy of his love. History changed the day I walked into FUMC. On that Sunday ...

2391. Keeping Shut About the Good News

Acts 3:1-10; Acts 4:13-20

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... …that's not the point I want to make here. The story begins on the way to worship when John and Peter see a lame man, a man handicapped from birth. There were probably lots of them around the temple that day, a day before social welfare systems and community support. If you were blind or crippled, the only way to get by was to beg. So there he was, doing the only thing he knew to do. He sees Peter and John and thinks he can get something from them. Now, I wonder just what it was that he saw ...

2392. Tongues, Ears, or Too Much to Drink

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... exactly what happens when we get a taste of the new wine of the Spirit. Last week I attended a gathering of religious leaders from across the metropolitan region. The purpose was to gather leaders opposing Proposition 2 and in support of affirmative action, but the wonderful thing about it was the participants themselves. There was a host of Christians, black and white, Catholic and Protestant, Baptist and Methodist, urban and suburban, plus representatives of the Jewish community, five Muslim Imams, laity ...

2393. Unlikely Election

Acts 1:12-26

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... into the Tiber River. It was a bizarre new low for the interminable brawls of church politics, but the decline continued. Stephen IV was strangled the same year, his successor lasted four months and the next one for only twenty days. Sergius III followed, with the support of Rome's warrior Lord, Theophylact, and had a child by the emperor's fifteen-year-old daughter.[2] That's how the church began its second century. And unfortunately, it wouldn't be the last time the church would get focused on the power ...

2394. Searching: MySpace

Hebrews 11:8-13

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... the world. After this day you will not come to worship because your parents made you do it, but because you made a promise to be here, to be present. You will not put money in the plate because your parents gave it to you, but because you promised to support the church with your gifts. And the model for the day is Abraham. "By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go." He went out and followed ...

2395. Yet Alive....Are We?

Romans 12:1-13

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... that accepts you for you, no matter where you come from, what you wear, or what you look like A church which is very active in helping people in the community who are hurting and in need A church where people care deeply for and support each other A church where participants believe God's love is available to all persons regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation [4] Other things that ranked high in the survey were: A church that makes Scripture understandable A church that believes thinking and ...

2396. When Seeing is Not Believing

John 20:19-31

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... addressed as "Twin," instead of by name. In Greek, his name literally means "twin" and many believe he actually was. In fact, in the Mesopotamian Church there is even a tradition which says he was the twin of Jesus! Let me say quickly there is no biblical evidence to support it, and it was only a thin thread of tradition, but let's play with that for a moment. The twin brother of Jesus. Imagine that for sibling rivalry! How would you like to be the second born to the Son of God? No question about the fact ...

2397. In the Upper Room

John 17

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... him. Unity within is for the purpose of mission without. Oneness in the body serves the purpose of witness in the world. Jesus prays for us to be one…so that the world may believe. Today is our annual "One Great Hour of Sharing" in support of the United Methodist Committee on Relief. But the fact is, "One Great Hour" is shared across the Protestant denominations and models our participation with many other Christian bodies in shared concern for God's world. One great hour of sharing. One in compassion and ...

2398. Worship and Wonder

John 1:1-14

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... , "This guy has a mind of his own. We want a church where if he screams, we don't feel like we're the bad guys." "Got it…at Me Church, you can stay and everyone else will leave." Third witness: "My wife and I don't give much financial support, but we sure would like to know what everyone else gives." "No problem. We'll tell you what everyone else gives in detail." "Can I get my car buffed and waxed while I'm in church?" "Of course. And how about an oil change and lube?" Then a little kid ...

2399. Lost in Wonder, Love and Praise

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

John E. Harnish

2400. Gifts: Standing on the Promises

Malachi 4:10

Sermon

John E. Harnish

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