Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 2426 to 2450 of 4976 results

2426. We Have Waited

Isaiah 25:1-12

Sermon

Will Willimon

... I'm waiting. Any pastor knows. I have stood numbed, silenced beside their beds of pain and waited and watched them go into the night. And I have held their hands and wept with them over their sad, blank lives. I know firsthand Moses' burden of keeping that crowd of Hebrews in ranks during a forty-year wilderness journey that never gets anywhere. I know. We watch the six-thirty news. We see their bloated bellies, their outstretched, empty hands, their frantic search for life amidst the rubble of their bombed ...

2427. Watch This!

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Sermon

Dave Zuchelli

... very good at forgetting what they mean. The Lord wasn’t kidding when he told us to be humble. He wasn’t joking when he suggested we take the lower positions. He wasn’t jiving when he pointed out that the first would be last and the last first. He keeps driving home the point, but too many of us aren’t at home to hear it. We’re off making a way for ourselves. The sad thing is, we are being watched as well. We’re being watched by a world that thinks we’re nothing but hypocrites — Pharisaical ...

2428. The Best Seat in the House

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... guise of assertiveness. Let me say that again. We live in a culture that lauds narcissism in the guise of assertiveness. Don’t misunderstand. To be assertive can be a very good thing, especially when one needs to be heard. Sometimes, it’s a grave mistake to keep silent when things need to be said. But we can draw a fine line between healthy self-promotion, the kind of assertiveness that helps us look out for ourselves, and our desire to be and have “the best” seat in the house! For some, having the ...

2429. A Pep Talk for the Kingdom

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

... I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me.” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.” Sooner or later justice is coming to those who trust in God. Kate Bowler is an author and associate professor at Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina. In 2015, she was ...

2430. Paradise Promise

Luke 23:33-43

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... end to this story –resurrection! Jesus’ life does not end on that cross. But he merely offers himself as a sacrifice to prove to us that resurrection and eternal life is real, that God’s promise to us is real. All we need to do is ask, and Jesus will keep every one of us on his mind. He will remember you, and you, and you, all of you, when he enters into that kingdom garden, that place of new life. Have you lived a life full of hurts, wear and tear, aging, and tragedy? Most people have. But does your ...

2431. A Pep Talk for a New Year

Matthew 2:13-23

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

... become experts at being afraid. And fear turns to anger or giving up or withdrawing from the world. And all three responses keep us from seeing how God is working out His plan for creation: His plan to redeem all things through Jesus Christ and ... our most difficult circumstances. But I do know that God’s plans and promises never fail. And because of that, I know that we can keep moving forward in faith no matter what this next year throws at us. I pray that you would take these truths to heart and let ...

2432. Rule Breakers

Matthew 5:21-37

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

... along with others or to achieve some goal: Share your toys. Pick up after yourself. Don’t run with scissors. Kids often get frustrated because they have so many rules to follow. Because nobody is perfect. We all bend the rules occasionally. Yes, rules can keep us safe. They can help us create a civil society. But we can also go overboard in creating rigid rules that they interfere with common sense. A man named Walton had put in an application for an apartment, and now he was appearing for his interview ...

2433. When the Music Stops

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... aid kits handy. They work out a “what if” evacuation plan. They educate each other on the safest place in the house to gather. They keep flashlights and blankets on hand, and they consult helpful “how-to” lists on how to keep their families safe in the event of an emergency.[2] When things grow silent and the sky grows dark, their plan goes into action. Some disasters are even more unpredictable –volcano eruptions, earthquakes, meteors, solar flares, tsunamis, sinkholes. Some things can happen ...

2434. Leaving an Empty Chair

Acts 2:42-47

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

... . It appears to be a brand-new word made up just to describe this early group of Jesus-followers. So what does it mean? It means that they worked to remove any prejudices, any barriers, any divisions in their heart and mind that would keep them from complete unity in Jesus Christ. What stones did they remove from their path? The stones of religious squabbles and fruitless debates, the stones of prejudice and superiority and greed and self-centeredness and status. And in doing so, they caused outsiders to ...

2435. Seeds

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon

William G. Carter

... youth of our community, and few of the kids would show up. She would say, “I don’t know what to do.” I responded, “Keep going. You never know when the seed might take root.” So she would try again. There would be little, if no response. One day, ... welcome the word that God speaks, to nourish it in our hearts, and take part in the fruitfulness of the gospel of God. Let’s keep our eyes on the sower. As for me, I want to sow the seed of the kingdom, as God sows the seed: generously, lovingly, ...

2436. Enemy in Disguise

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... for example, grown for 6,000 years between the Caspian and Black seas not only brings not only brings special intensity to red blends of wines but also can be made into a rich, boutique wine. Linganore Winegrowers for example in Maryland have long tried to keep the secret of their wines –a small but potent crop of vinifera grapes hidden within their vineyard. Now a few others along the east coast also attempt to plant and nourish Sapervati. The grape helps set them apart and gives pizazz to their wines.[1 ...

2437. The Contestant

Matthew 14:22-33

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... disciples to their boat, which is a short way out on the water in the Sea of Galilee (a large, deep lake, but which can become as choppy and violent in a powerful storm as an ocean can). Night falls. Jesus has still not returned. On the lake, the disciples keep watch until late in the night. They are not sure what Jesus is up to. He has remained on the mountain. Alone in the boat, a vicious storm begins pitching the boat around, and the disciples are all-hands on deck, trying to ...

2438. When God Leads

Joshua 3:7-17

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

... in code.” After a few days out at sea, the crew spotted an enemy cruiser on the horizon. It appeared to be trailing them. The captain immediately sent a coded message: “Enemy cruiser sighted. What shall I do?” The reply came from an unseen ship: “Keep straight on. I’m standing by.” The captain of the ocean liner scanned the horizon. He couldn’t see any friendly vessels nearby. Was it still safe to follow the original directions? In spite of his fear, the captain kept the liner on course until ...

2439. Remember...

Deuteronomy 8:7-18

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

... of Years. The character’s name is Delia Grinstead. Delia is an utterly giving wife and mother who does her best to keep her household running smoothly. But as her children grow, they begin to ignore Delia and all she does for them. They also ... of faith. That is why we take time each day to bow our heads and listen for God’s guidance. All these things exist to keep us in the traces. Sometimes we forget, don’t we? And so, on this Thanksgiving Day, let us remember the Lord God who brought us together ...

2440. The Subject Is Forgiveness

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

Steve Molin

... our forgiving others is our tangible response to the forgiveness that we, ourselves, have received. Author George MacDonald calls it a luxury. “Forgiveness” he says, “is the luxury of the Christian.” We don’t have to carry the bitterness around any more. We don’t have to keep score. We don’t have to feel the resentment, because God has called us to let it go. The world can’t do that. The world won’t do that. But the people of God are called to do exactly that, because we know the value of ...

2441. Avoiding the “F” Word

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... anyone expect us to show grace to someone who has harmed us or someone we love? Indignantly, we harbor even more resentment, we keep fueling our anger, we resolve never to let this go. In this case, however, avoidance is the worst thing we can do –for the ... to be the healed and whole people God made us to be. Sin is not only what we do but sometimes what is done to us that keeps us enchained in fear and anxiety. When anger and hurt bind us up in chains, we need to be freed. We need faith in God. And we ...

2442. Simeon (A Monologue)

Luke 2:22-40

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... the law. I have tried to be a good husband and father. But as important to me as my family relationship was and is, even more important has been my relationship with my creator. I have always been scrupulous in my observance of God’s commands. I never fail to keep the sabbath; I tithe of all that I have; I make the proper sacrifices. I come here to the temple daily for prayer. I am loyal to many things: to my family, to my work, to my students. But I am first and most importantly loyal to my God. Perhaps ...

2443. Never Really Alone

Mark 14:1-15:47

Sermon

Mary Austin

... woman sees. Like Jesus, she, too, is alone in what she sees. There are times when we have this same feeling of being alone. Kate Bowler, says, writing about being alone in her cancer journey: “I am locked inside this body, which is failing me. And it keeps me from breaking through, back to the life I want.” Still, in that loneliness, there is a cure. She hears small whispers in her spirit which tell her: “you are loved, you are loved, you are loved.” She can feel God in moments when God seems to ...

2444. Let's Go Fishing

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... how or being afraid of doing it incorrectly is no excuse, let’s just do it. Let’s go fishing. Finally, remember patience. God does not work according to our Timex, even in getting fish to respond to our efforts. Stick with the program. Do not let discouragement keep you from it. Get up. Get on with it. Let’s go fishing. One day, long ago, Jesus said to some friends, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” They dropped what they were doing and came along. Now Jesus says to twenty-first ...

2445. We Need Another Miracle

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... happen. As to the problems caused by our excessive reliance on fossil fuels, we are working on that as well, but at a speed that makes the tortoise look like a track star. The problem is money and the fact that money has bought off our politicians to keep them from insisting on the changes the world needs. As far back as two centuries ago James Madison, the man who would come to be known as the Father of the Constitution, wrote, “Most of our political evils may be traced to our commercial ones.”[7] For ...

2446. House Rules

1 John 5:1-6

Children's Sermon

Various Authors

... them because of the love it brings. The next time your mom or dad asks you if you brushed your teeth or washed your hands, you will know that you are being asked to follow the rules. If you do, it will help you have a happy family. If you keep God’s commandments, your life will be filled with love and you will be part of God’s very big and happy family. Prayer: God, sometimes we don’t follow rules because we think that we would have more fun without them. Remind us, God, that all of your commandments ...

2447. Nothing Is Guaranteed

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

... the doctor: "cancer. Only a few months to live" is shocking evidence of how vulnerable we are. But there must be something that is unconditionally guaranteed. The rewards of unselfishness live forever. We learn that we keep what we give away. We keep the knowledge that we have contributed to the life of another. We keep the feeling that our little has meant more by giving it had we kept it. Unselfishness lasts forever. There are other things as well. Finding those things that abide: faith, hope, and love.

2448. Bearers of the Seed

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:23-25) The commissioning of Jesus’ disciples contains several key metaphors: the mountain Matthew as opposed to the table in Mark; the “whole creation” indicated in Mark; baptism; the “signs,” and above all a silent metaphor: the bearing ...

2449. The Christian Mother

John 15:9-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... mother on Mother's Day at the sink washing dishes. "Oh, Mom, you shouldn't have to do dishes on Mother's day." Clearly touched by this thoughtfulness, the mother began to take off her apron and give it to her daughter. The daughter added, "They'll keep until tomorrow." There are some experiences that mothers have that are universal. Dennis the Menace was talking to Margaret one day. "I wonder what my mom would like for Mother's day?" he asked. Margaret answered: "Why don't you promise to go to bed when she ...

2450. Taking the Long Way Home

Mark 7:31-37

Sermon

Will Willimon

... meter's not running. I'm over here looking for poems by Auden, not for an encounter with a cynic.” From now on I'm going to keep out of the library and stay in the chapel where I won't meet people like you. Jesus got to the Sea of Galilee by going north ... become a monk.” And the rest of his journey is history. Luther’s father had planned for him to be prosperous and successful thereby keeping him and his mother up in their old age. When young Luther told him he was going to be a monk, his father, none ...

Showing results