Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2401 to 2425 of 4972 results

2401. I Am Making All Things New (Including You)

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... to Jesus' innocence. You understand, don't you? They had to do it this way, away from the crowds of people Jesus helped. The crowds might riot. They didn't know what they were doing. They did not know what Jesus was doing. Neither did the apostles. In stops and starts and varying degrees they had been loyal and faithful for three years. They had seen the tenderness and the power of Jesus. They didn't expect it to end like this. It must not end like this! They scattered like scared sheep when Jesus was ...

2402. I Am Coming Soon

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... me the turn came when Clyde said that he was willing to forgive me and start again." "My pride was hurt," Clyde said. "My manhood was challenged when I found out about Ida and Joe. I felt like I wanted to kill him. For me the turn came when I stopped being a cultural Christian and really concentrated on being a disciple of Jesus Christ. I told Ida that I needed her forgiveness as well as she needed my forgiveness. It was the hardest thing in my life," he said, "but it was the best thing I ever did. I kept ...

2403. I Am The Light Of The World

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... That We Are The Light Of The World On Wednesday, October 27, 1993, I walked to University of Arizona Hospital where I had a doctor's appointment. There I was greeted by a large United Way sign at the entrance: "IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES." That made me stop and think about the Word of God and our lives. Imagine the possibilities if Christians start using the light God gives them. Dr. Reuel Howe, the author of The Miracle Of Dialogue, told me that one of his most meaningful meditations is to imagine that the ...

2404. I Am The Good Shepherd

John 10:1-21

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... pastor went on: I see a picture of a little thimble beneath a waterfall. We are like thimbles. God's gifts come rushing into us and overflow beyond us. We cannot contain them. God's goodness and mercy are rich beyond description as we stop and think of the gifts which have been poured out upon us. "Goodness" and "mercy" come from the Hebrew word hesed which means steadfast love and faithfulness in God. Whatever your orientation toward God may be -- fickle or faithful -- his orientation toward you is hesed ...

2405. I Am The Real Vine

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... someone, fear keeps many out of the kingdom of God. "Believe, just trust me," God says. Fears of expectations also keep some people as outsiders to real faith, really abiding. What will God expect of me? To be perfect? To become a missionary to Africa? To follow the rules? To stop my resentment? To shut down my fears? "I can't! I just can't do it!" God's expectations are that you trust him to do for you what you can't do for yourself. "Believe me," God says, "This check is for you. It is free. Just sign it ...

2406. DNA and SIN

Romans 7:7-25

Illustration

George Murphy

... ecology of sin. What about the idea that death was caused by the first sin? The existence of sin, of separation from God, casts a different light on death, including death that took place before there was sin. Now it is seen as something more than, something worse than, the stopping of biological machinery. The meaning of death has been changed by sin.

2407. On Sacrificing Others

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... through with it. I'd have bet my fine house andmy fastest camel on it, I was so sure. You know what he told me? He said he almost did it.He'd even tied up the boy and put him on the sticks for thefire. He said his God stopped him. "You have not kept backanything from me," his God said. And his crazy God even hada ram stuck in the underbrush near the altar for Abraham touse instead! I guess it goes to show the Hebrews have enough faiththat they could sacrifice their sons like we do. But on ...

2408. Jacob And The Night Wrestler

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... rub it in. God: You've got no guts. You are scared to faceanything. You could have grabbed Rachel when she camerunning out with Laban's gods and taken her and them back tohim, but no, you had to run. Jacob: This guy was in my face. He wouldn't stop. God: You keep asking God to keep His promises and youhaven't kept yours. What a mess you are! Jacob: I turned my back and started to walk away. Oneof the stones he threw hit me hard just above the hip. Iwent down in agony, pain leaping through my right ...

2409. God, The Father

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... moved through the diminishing crowd and went after him. Up on the mountain, Jesus was talking to his disciples when Samuel and Jacob found them. "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him," Jesus was saying. Jesus stopped as he saw them approach. "Grace and peace to you from almighty God," Samuel said. "Grace and peace to you from God our heavenly Father," Jesus replied. Samuel winced when Jesus said the word, "Father." "Rabbi, pardon my intrusion, but how did you come to ...

2410. The Man Born Blind

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... just not sure what to say. Daughter: I can come back later. Rabbi: No, stay. I'm just sorting out a few things. What got you started? Daughter: It was six years ago. Rabbi: Six years!? Daughter: I was downtown shopping when I saw a strange thing happen. A rabbi stopped to give first aid to a blind man. I had seen him many times before. Rabbi: The rabbi? Daughter: No, the blind man. Everyone knew he was that way from birth, so no one tried to help him medically. In fact, no one tried to help him at all ...

2411. The Meek

Sermon

John A. Terry

... is too weak to love when it hurts thinks that meek people are afraid. They are, in a way, but they are afraid of hating. It is easier to hate, sometimes, than to love, and meek people have to be strong. People who are not meek stop loving when it hurts." Russell Criddle, Love Is Not Blind "The meek are not those who never get angry, for such are insensible, but those who, feeling anger, control it, and are angry only when they ought to be. Meekness excludes revenge, irritability, morbid sensitiveness, but ...

2412. Cain's Sentence

Genesis 4:1-26

Drama

Jerry Eckert

... the Garden just doesn't go anywhere in the whole church and still look good. Cain: Look, I don't want to talk about it, okay? I got work to do. Pastor: You sound pretty angry. If that's so, it'll eat you alive. Anger is very dangerous. You stop thinking straight and may end up doing something you'll regret. Look, the church isn't against you. The sanctuary does need painting. You got that much to the good. But the green would make it too dark in the church and the folks wish you'd have given them ...

2413. Grampa Noah And When The Flood Came

Genesis 6:1-8:22, Genesis 9:1-17, Genesis 9:18-29

Drama

Jerry Eckert

... , the way Ellie heard the story. Ellie's cousin, Josh, is from down south. There, God is referred to by name. The translators of our Bible just use the word "God." The southern tradition found reasons for everything, explaining why God did the flooding and why He stopped it. A third cousin, Peter, is a "PK," a preacher's kid. The way he heard it, God responded to everything in terms of the traditional rituals and worship patterns. Noah had to have at least seven pairs of all the animals or he would not have ...

2414. When Imagination Replaces Memory

Isaiah 42:18-25

Sermon

Harold Warlick

... Abraham's sons. Sometimes entire nations engage in selective memories. Consider the American Revolution. Our national consciousness remembers the determined colonial settler being pitted against the foreign forces of the King of England. Actually Americans fought Americans. Benjamin Franklin stopped speaking to his Tory son. Only a third of the colonists actively supported the war, and we are told by the historians that nearly as many Americans fought for Britain as fought against Britain.1 And consider our ...

2415. On Not Being First

Acts 1:12-26

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... team distinguished itself by beating the best teams, winning titles right up to the Super Bowl. Never mind that for years they were good enough to get to the Super Bowl. They lost there. And for that, more than any hard-won victories, they are remembered. Stop in any bookstore and see how many books there are having to do with winning, with success, with coming in first. Consider this man Joseph who, along with Matthias, was a finalist for inclusion with the other eleven as one of the twelve apostles. Luke ...

2416. Persevering In The Faith

Numbers 21:4-9

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... that her beloved children were all right. But she knew these hurts were part of their development. There would be much worse later. And as for the roller skates, Mom and Dad would have been glad to give their son something to make him happy. But two things stopped them. One, he isn't old enough yet to skate in the street. There's more to learn and experience, or else he could be seriously injured or worse. Second, a child must not be allowed to grow up thinking his or her every wish is to be immediately ...

2417. Standing Firm

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... . Second, she and I became good friends. I learned from this to bite my tongue, as it were, when criticized until I could reflect and pray about the situation. After all, no one is always right and it behooves even the most firmly convinced person to stop and re-examine. Sometimes we're wrong. As to how we can be sufficiently sure of ourselves to remain firm in the face of criticism and strong opposition, it's obviously important that we say our prayers and that we earnestly try to listen to our opponents ...

2418. A Habitat For Humanity

2 Samuel 7:1-17

Sermon

Arthur H. Kolsti

... ." Remember, Michal was David's wife. Remember also that barrenness is biblical metaphor for the absence of visible assurances about the future. Prophetic promises are always made in the midst of contradiction and absurdity. Driving along the coast of Spain not too long ago, we stopped at a walled overview to look out at the sea. I noted on the wall someone had drawn three symbols: the oval enclosed Serbian cross, the letters KKK, and a swastika. I would like to think it was just a bit of juvenile graffiti ...

2419. Leaving A Legacy

1 Kings 2:1-12

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... , the Pope was ushered forward. It was when the Pope was several yards ahead that David realized that there was something solid in his hand. With a loud gasp, David saw the Pope's ring in his hand. He had stolen the Pope's ring. Pope Pius XII, stopped, motioned for the Swiss guards to return. The Pope extended his hand again and David put the ring back on his finger. He smiled at the young man for a moment and then asked, "What is your name, my son?" Completely flustered David answered, "I am not Catholic ...

2420. Stand Tall

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... that all the Jews were to be killed. This plot was devised by one of the king's closest advisors, Haman. Mordecai told Esther that she was the only hope for her people, the Jews. She was the only person who had the power or influence to stop this evil plan. Something had to be done, but what could any one person do? Would anyone be brave enough to confront the powerful king? Certainly anyone brave enough to confront the king would jeopardize his or her very life. This information weighed so heavily on Queen ...

2421. The Final Questions

John 6:60-71

Sermon

George W. Hoyer

... We have come; we have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God. You have the words of eternal life." Where can we go? Try another. Go to dark Gethsemane... Follow to the judgment hall... Calvary's mournful mountain climb... But don't stop there. Go to Joseph's garden. Early hasten to the tomb... Christ is ris'n! He meets our eyes Savior, teach us so to rise. ("Go To Dark Gethsemane," James Montgomery) Then the truly final stanza, to pass the test with flying colors! When we on that final ...

2422. Learning to Live Without Jesus

John 16:5-16, John 15:18--16:4

Sermon

William G. Carter

... set our sails and wait for the Spirit to blow and propel us, we find ourselves directed into the deep waters of grace. It is difficult to trust God like that. Sometimes it is easier to look elsewhere for our security and approval. Like the day when Charlie Brown stopped at the psychiatric help stand to talk with Lucy. He confesses, "My trouble is I never know if I'm doing the right thing. I need to have someone around who can tell me when I'm doing the right thing." Lucy says, "Okay. You're doing the right ...

2423. How To Plant An English Garden

Mark 4:26-29, Mark 4:30-34

Sermon

William G. Carter

... . Soon all is forgotten. Before you know it, a week has passed by. It turns into two weeks. One day, she climbs up on her stool and sees the paper cup. "Daddy, come here! There's a tomato. When did it grow?" Her wise father replies, "It grew when you stopped worrying about it." What would it take for the kingdom of God to come? We have a list of a hundred things to do: Preach the gospel to all the nations Pray for the needs of world Listen to people with whom we disagree Teach the Bible to people of ...

2424. Time Taken, Life Restored

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon

William G. Carter

... years. That's how it is in a world like this. Like it or not, sooner or later, one way or another, time will run out. Sometimes the human body develops a problem that cannot be fixed, just like the daughter of Jairus. She died. Other times, somebody may stop the clock prematurely. That's what happened to Jesus. He was put to death on a tree. Like it or not, every human life will run its course. One of the great illusions of our age is that we can live forever through better medicine. So we spend billions ...

2425. Clean House

John 2:12-25

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

... set the stage for all that is to follow in explaining the sacramental character of the worship life of the church. Therefore it is quite striking when Jesus shouts as he confronts those selling the little doves for sacrifice, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" Jesus had come to replace the sacrificial system of the Hebrew covenant, by making the once-for-all sacrifice on a cross. Quite symbolically, Jesus was driving out the old system. However, at the same time he ...

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