Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2401 to 2425 of 4933 results

2401. Good Communion Table Manners

Luke 14:1-14

Illustration

Alex Gondola

As we come to the Lord's Table, we're all sinners in need of salvation, beggars needing bread. We are "the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind" in that third story. Maybe not literally poor, crippled, lame, and blind, but spiritually poor, crippled, lame, and blind. Yet God graciously includes us as guests at God's Table. Good communion table manners include coming to the table without thinking too much of ourselves. And, finally, good communion table manners include coming without looking down on ...

2402. The Perfect Prayer

Illustration

Staff

It was Sunday morning in the mountain country of central Europe, and the church bells were ringing. A man walking a mountain path came upon a shepherd lad with his father's flock of sheep. The boy was kneeling, and, looking up, was reciting the alphabet. The man asked, "What are you doing?" and the boy answered, "I am praying." Somewhat sternly, the man said, "Praying? What kind of praying is this? Just saying letters, no words at all?" The lad replied: "I've never learned any prayers, sir. But it's Sunday ...

2403. Christian Values Judgment

Romans 2:1-16

Bulletin Aid

Leader: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Congregation: We are now at liberty to do the works of God. Leader: You who pass judgment on others have no excuse, because whatever you condemn in someone else you too have done. Do you think you can judge, do the same things and then escape God’s judgment? Congregation: We are now at liberty to love those we meet. Leader: ...

2404. Taking the Fun Out of Christmas

Matthew 3:1-12

Illustration

We prepare for Christmas by repenting. Repenting in the Biblical sense is more than having a change of heart or a feeling of regret. It is more than a New Year's Eve resolution. Repentance is a turning away and a turning back. A turning away from sin and a turning back to God. Bishop Joe Pennel of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church, once attended a Christmas worship service in Bethlehem at a place called Shepherd's Field. As he heard the songs of the season, he thought to himself and ...

2405. At The Root

Joel 2:18-27

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Take up the song of thanksgiving to God that the world has sung since the beginning of time. Carry the song of thanksgiving forward into the new century and new millennium. Sing your thanksgiving song until all people everywhere tap their feet to the song of hope. Come, O thankful people, come. Collect We come this day of giving thanks to share what we have with others. We offer a generous spirit. We bring an attitude of peace. We put into action our stewardship of the earth. We extend the ...

2406. The Pioneer of Our Salvation

Hebrews 2:10-18

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Collect Come Lord, born again in our hearts this season, live brightly in our lives and guide us in our worship this day. We praise you with all of creation. We praise you with all people around the world. We praise you for who you are. We praise you for what you have done for us. Bless us in our gathering as we seek ...

2407. Hi ho Silver, Away!

Matthew 21:1-11

Illustration

Roger Griffith

It was Palm Sunday and Jesus was coming into Jerusalem. He was riding on a blazing white stallion and kicking up a cloud of dust as he rode along. He was looking for trouble. The people that he passed on his way were in awe of such a beautiful animal but they were even more awestruck by the man who was riding it.As Jesus passed by, you could hear the people say, "Who was that masked man?" There were bad guys on the loose and Jesus had a job to do. As he rode into Jerusalem he quickly sized up the situation ...

2408. The Easter Bunny

John 20:1-18

Illustration

John Bardsley

Very often the emphasis placed on various religious celebrations gets clouded by the emphasis placed on them secularly. Even children can become somewhat confused over the meaning and importance. In the cartoon THE FAMILY CIRCLE the two children have found their Easter baskets and are enjoying them. One asked, "Who colored all these eggs?" To which his sister replied, "The Easter bunny." "Who gave us the jelly beans?" "The Easter bunny." "And the chocolate rabbit?" "The Easter bunny." Obviously, there was ...

2409. A Good Mom

2 Timothy 1:5

Illustration

Andrew M. Greeley

Once upon a time there was a Mom, who tried her best to be a good Mom and to be fair with all her children. Her children, like all children, didn't really appreciate this and were always telling her she did more for one or the other of them than she did for all of them. "You love her (him) more than you do me", was an oft heard refrain from one or the other. Though the Mom felt bad about her children's reaction, she just continued to do the best she could to keep them all satisfied. She encouraged their ...

2410. Is This Simple Enough?

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

Call To Worship Lord, we come to your house, the only true sanctuary in a world that is always troubled. We come, not because this conflict is any more special in your eyes — certainly your care and tears are given for all the conflicts around the world that we have not even noticed — no, we come because we can no longer ignore our need for your saving grace, your wisdom, and your action. Descend into our midst, O Spirit of God, as we gather together to worship you this day, as we ought to have done every ...

2411. Tasting the Gruel of Love

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

King Duncan

One of the most remarkable Christian witnesses in the world today is a man named Charles Colson. Many of you remember him as the political hatchet man for President Richard Nixon. While he was serving as special counsel to the President, Colson seemed to be a dispicable man, seemingly without a conscience. Then, quite remarkably, Chuck Colson had a thorough and complete conversion experience. It was in 1973 during the height of the Watergate proceedings. Please don’t be suspicious. This conversion ...

2412. The Greatest Healer

Mk 8:22-26

Illustration

King Duncan

Dr. Arthur Tuuri retired a few years back in Flint, Mich. He once helped a mother who, having given birth, died. He cared for the baby until it was adopted. From that he started The Flint Area Health Foundation, a help for needy children (still in operation today though under the name: Community Foundation of Greater Flint). For years he was head of the Mott Children's Health Center, which helps with medical and dental care. Dr. Tuuri said, "Many people asked me why I devote my life to the poor and ...

2413. This Is Where I Found Christ

Mark 5:21-43

Illustration

James W. Moore

There is a beautiful old story about Zacchaeus, the tax collector. It tells how in later years, he rose early every morning and left his house. His wife, curious, followed him one morning. At the town well he filled a bucket? and he walked until he came to a sycamore tree. There, setting down the bucket, he began to clean away the stones, the branches, and the rubbish from around the base of the tree. Having done that, he poured water on the roots and stood there in silence, gently caressing the trunk with ...

2414. You Are Not the Only Laborer

Mark 6:1-13

Illustration

I read clergy journal after clergy journal that make things sound so simple. "Do this ... preach this ... sing this ... launch this ... and you're sure to have people banging down the doors." Well, sometimes yes. Sometimes no. I've seen two identical preachers do two identical things (in what would seemingly be two identical churches), causing the doors to swing in both. But one pair of doors are swinging in, with people coming. While the other pair are swinging out, with people leaving. You can't win 'em ...

2415. Jesus wins, Pilate loses.

John 18:33-37

Illustration

William R. Boyer

George III of England, America's enemy in the Revolutionary War, felt terrible about the loss of the colonies. It was said, in fact, that for the rest of his life, he could not say the word "independence" without tripping over it. He was an odd duck in many ways, but he had good insights. When the fighting in America stopped, King George and all his royal cronies in Europe were sure that George Washington would have himself crowned "Emperor of the New World." That's what they would have done. When he was ...

2416. Forget It

Illustration

Source Unknown

Forget each kindness that you do as soon as you have done it. Forget the praise that falls to you the moment you have won it. Forget the slander that you hear before you can repeat it. Forget each slight, each spite, each sneer, whenever you may meet. Remember every promise made and keep it to the letter. Remember those who lend you aid and be a grateful debtor. Remember all the happiness that comes your way in living. Forget each worry and distress; be hopeful and forgiving. Remember good, remember truth ...

2417. A Walk on the Moon

Illustration

It started like so many evenings. Mom and Dad at home and Jimmy playing after dinner. Mom and Dad were absorbed with jobs and did not notice the time. It was a full moon and some of the light seeped through the windows. Then Mom glanced at the clock. "Jimmy, it's time to go to bed. Go up now and I'll come and settle you later." Unlike usual, Jimmy went straight upstairs to his room. An hour or so later his mother came up to check if all was well, and to her astonishment found that her son was staring ...

2418. The Wrong Right

Illustration

Many years ago, Christian professor Stuart Blackie of the University of Edinburgh was listening to his students as they presented oral readings. When one young man rose to begin his recitation, he held his book in the wrong hand. The professor thundered, "Take your book in your right hand, and be seated!" At this harsh rebuke, the student held up his right arm. He didn't have a right hand! The other students shifted uneasily in their chairs. For a moment the professor hesitated. Then he made his way to the ...

2419. The Other Nine Lepers

Mark 1:40-45

Illustration

Charles L. Brown

Why did only one cleansed leper return to thank Jesus? The following are 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. 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 already much improved."

2420. God's Instant Recipe

Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5

Illustration

Instant cake mix at first was a big flop. The instructions said all you had to do was add water and bake. The company couldn't understand why it didn't sell until their research discovered that the buying public felt uneasy about a mix that required only water. Apparently people thought it was too easy. So the company altered the formula and changed the directions to call for adding an egg to the mix in addition to the water. The idea worked and sales jumped dramatically. That's how some people react to ...

2421. The Ways of the World

Illustration

Dave Roper

The Bible defines worldliness by centering morality where we intuitively know it should be. Worldliness is the lust of the flesh (a passion for sensual satisfaction), the lust of the eyes (an inordinate desire for the finer things of life), and the pride of life (self-satisfaction in who we are, what we have, and what we have done). Worldliness, then, is a preoccupation with ease and affluence. It elevates creature comfort to the point of idolatry; large salaries and comfortable life-styles become ...

2422. The Easter Bunny

Humor Illustration

Very often the emphasis placed on various religious celebrations gets clouded by the emphasis placed on them secularly. Even children become somewhat confused over the meaning and importance. In the cartoon THE FAMILY CIRCUS the two children have found their Easter baskets and are enjoying them. One asked, "Who colored all these eggs?" To which his sister replied, "the Easter bunny." "Who gave us the jelly beans?" "The Easter bunny." And the chocolate rabbit?" "The Easter bunny." Obviously, there was ...

2423. Listening to Your Life

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Winifred Collin

Frederick Buechner asks a series of questions designed to help us think about where we have been and where we are going: When you look at your face in the mirror, what do you see in it that you most like and what do you see in it that you most deplore? If you had only one last message to leave to the handful of people who are most important to you, what would it be, in twenty-five words or less? Of all the things you have done in your life, which is the one you would most like to undo? Which is the one ...

2424. I Should Have Taken the Money

Illustration

King Duncan

The college faculty gathered for their weekly meeting. A professor of archaeology brought with him a lamp recently unearthed in the Middle East. It was reported to contain a genie, who, when the lamp was rubbed would appear and grant one wish. The Dean was intrigued. He grabbed the lamp and rubbed it vigorously. Suddenly a genie appeared and made him an offer. He could choose one of three rewards: wealth, wisdom, or beauty. Without hesitating, the Dean selected wisdom. "Done!" said the genie and ...

2425. Really Hearing

Mark 7:24-30

Illustration

Thomas Peterson

There are levels of seeing. We can merely look at something, letting the visual scene register like a photograph; it's just there. Or, we can look so that seeing brings with it understanding. Yogi Berra is reported to have said, "We can observe a lot just by looking." The new relationships that are opened to us give rich meaning to our lives. The same interpretation applies to the act of hearing. A wife says with a tired voice, "I'm going out for a walk a long walk," a deep sigh, " a long, long, long walk ...

Showing results

Showing 2401 to 2425 of 4933 results

2401. Good Communion Table Manners

Luke 14:1-14

Illustration

Alex Gondola

2402. The Perfect Prayer

Illustration

Staff

2403. Christian Values Judgment

Romans 2:1-16

Bulletin Aid

2404. Taking the Fun Out of Christmas

Matthew 3:1-12

Illustration

2405. At The Root

Joel 2:18-27

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

2406. The Pioneer of Our Salvation

Hebrews 2:10-18

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

2407. Hi ho Silver, Away!

Matthew 21:1-11

Illustration

Roger Griffith

2408. The Easter Bunny

John 20:1-18

Illustration

John Bardsley

2409. A Good Mom

2 Timothy 1:5

Illustration

Andrew M. Greeley

2410. Is This Simple Enough?

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Bulletin Aid

Frank Ramirez

2411. Tasting the Gruel of Love

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

King Duncan

2412. The Greatest Healer

Mk 8:22-26

Illustration

King Duncan

2413. This Is Where I Found Christ

Mark 5:21-43

Illustration

James W. Moore

2414. You Are Not the Only Laborer

Mark 6:1-13

Illustration

2415. Jesus wins, Pilate loses.

John 18:33-37

Illustration

William R. Boyer

2416. Forget It

Illustration

Source Unknown

2417. A Walk on the Moon

Illustration

2418. The Wrong Right

Illustration

2419. The Other Nine Lepers

Mark 1:40-45

Illustration

Charles L. Brown

2420. God's Instant Recipe

Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5

Illustration

2421. The Ways of the World

Illustration

Dave Roper

2422. The Easter Bunny

Humor Illustration

2423. Listening to Your Life

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Winifred Collin

2424. I Should Have Taken the Money

Illustration

King Duncan

2425. Really Hearing

Mark 7:24-30

Illustration

Thomas Peterson

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