Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: humiliation, mortification, chagrin, ignominy, loss of face, shamefacedness, embarrassment, indignity, abashment, discomfort, discomfiture, discomposure, guilt, remorse, contrition, compunction, disgrace, dishonour, discredit, degradation, disrepute, ill-repute, infamy, scandal, odium, opprobrium, obloquy, condemnation, contempt, pity, misfortune, crying shame, cause for regret, source of regret, sad thing, unfortunate thing, discredit to, disgrace to, stain on, blemish on, blot on, blot on the escutcheon of, slur on, reproach to, bad reflection on, bring into disrepute, degrade, debase, defame, stigmatize, taint, sully, tarnish, besmirch, stain, blacken, drag through the mud/mire, give a bad name to, put in a bad light, humiliate, mortify, make someone feel ashamed, embarrass, abash, chasten, humble, put someone in their place, take down a peg or two, cut down to size, show up

Antonyms: honor, pride, respect, glory, praise, dignity, honor, esteem, glorification, laud, compliment, regard, credit, elevate, acclaim, pleasure, favor, kudos, recognition, flatter, admiration, greatness, happiness, self-confidence, reverence

Showing 1 to 25 of 811 results

1. Captive Free!

Romans 7:15-25a

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Have you ever felt "trapped between a rock and a hard place"? Have you ever experienced what we sometimes call "double jeopardy," where regardless of what you choose to do, you are "damned if you do and damned if you don't"? Perhaps you have seen a classic example of "double jeopardy." Someone is trapped high up in a burning building. They can't go back into the building because of the fire. But they can't jump either, because it will be to their certain death. Have you ever been on a frozen pond in the ...

2. I Wonder Why Bad Things Happen to Good People

Romans 8:28-29

Sermon

Charley Reeb

As we remember the terror of 9/11, we long for an answer to it. As we see lives blown apart by natural disasters, our hearts cry out with it. As the economy worsens and banks fail and businesses fold and more and more people lose their jobs, our souls seek satisfaction to this enigma. It is the age-old question that haunts us: “I wonder why bad things happen to good people?” This is a burning question for anyone who has experienced the horrors of life. Churches are flooded with people asking this question ...

3. First the Bad News...

Luke 21:5-19

Sermon

King Duncan

I know they’re corny, but I love good news/bad news jokes. We laugh at them because of the element of surprise, but also because we can relate to the scenarios in them. They appeal to the cynic in us that just expects the world to operate in that order--good news, then bad news. A young man phones up his dad at work for a chat. Dad says, “I’m sorry, son, but I’m up to my neck in work today” Son says, “But I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you, Dad.” Dad says, “OK, but since I’ve got no time now ...

4. Your Reflection In God's Mirror

Isaiah 1:1-31

Sermon

James McLemore

In this first chapter of the book, Isaiah examines the nation of Judah as it looked during the reign of four kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. As he examines them, he reflects on what Judah looks like when God looks at the nation. He tells Judah that when God looks at you, you don't look like yourself. Your name is Judah, and you are the people of Jerusalem. Judah means the "praise of God," and you are the nation that was born in the praise of God. You are the people of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem is ...

5. One Bad Apple

Matthew 26:47-56

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

At Saratoga, on a battlefield that once was covered with British and American blood, there stands a monument, 155 feet high. The monument is there to commemorate that decisive struggle in which the British made their last stand over two centuries ago. Around the base of this monument are four deep niches, and in each niche appears the name of one of the American generals who commanded there. Above the names stand giant bronze figures on horseback. In the first stands Horatio Gates; in the second, Philip ...

6. So, Explain It to Me

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Trinity Sunday begins the second half of the church year. The first half of the church year beginning with Advent and ending with Pentecost focused on the life of Christ. We call this second half ordinary time but there is nothing ordinary about it. It is an extraordinary time of the year when we focus on the church's life and mission. Some have called Trinity Sunday the "great hinge" of the church year. Others have called it the "great pain"! Why? Because as the only Sunday of the church year that focuses ...

7. Reflections on a Bumper Sticker

Mark 2:1-12

Sermon

Mark Trotter

When I see a bumper sticker, I like to pull up along side the car and see if the message fits the driver. Sometimes it's a surprise. I saw an off-color bumper sticker on a car. I pulled up along side, and saw a little old lady driving. It makes you wonder what's happening to our world. Jean saw a car with a bumper sticker on it that said, "Honk if you love Jesus." So she pulled up along side and honked, and the man flipped her off. So you never know. I saw a bumper sticker that said, "Life is too short to ...

8. Maker's Mark

2 Corinthians 1:12--2:4

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

It was a typical off-island family outing. A trip to the mall, a stop at a fast-food restaurant: then pick up some pet food at the farm-supply store, and finally an appointment at the tattoo and piercing parlor. WHAT?! Yes, that was the family-day itinerary of one young family we know here on our little island. The mom and daughter both decided to get an eyebrow ring together. The dad got a new tattoo on his shoulder. For them it was a fun way to share time together and enjoy common interests as a family. ...

9. In Spite of Evidence to the Contrary

Romans 4:13-25

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

The scriptures talk about "faith" in many different ways. One of my favorites is the letter to the Hebrews (11:1) where "faith" is described as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." A similar notion of "faith" is utilized by Saint Paul in today's second reading from Romans (4:18). Paul calls it "hoping against hope." Or as I would like to paraphrase it, "in spite of evidence to the contrary." Paul draws on the ancient story of Abraham and Sarah to illustrate what this kind ...

10. Getting Off the Merry-Go-Round

Romans 8:1-11

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Have you ever been stuck on a playground merry-go-round? You know how it goes. You start slow, pushing with your feet to gain more speed until you are running. Then you finally jump on to the spinning merry-go-round holding on for dear life. That is when you find yourself stuck. On the one hand, the centrifugal force of the spinning merry-go-round threatens to throw you off. On the other hand, you hold on for dear life to the railing because you are afraid of what might happen to you if you fall off. And ...

11. Garden Gone Bad

Isaiah 5:1-7

Sermon

Chrysanne Timm

This summer I decided to take up some simple vegetable gardening. I knew it would happen someday. It's in my blood. My dad has planted and tended summer gardens of various sizes my whole life. For several years, our family's garden filled the whole half acre second lot behind our home. We had strawberries, melons, tomatoes, sweet corn, lettuce, onions, cucumbers, zucchini, acorn squash, and even pumpkins. I don't remember much about Dad planting the garden each spring, but I suppose that is because ...

12. Right Choices

Matthew 13:24-30

Sermon

King Duncan

Someone has made a list of "Politically Correct Ways of Indicating Stupidity." Perhaps you have heard some of these. They're quite creative. Speaking of someone who has done something really dumb, we might say: He's a few clowns short of a circus . . . A few fries short of a Happy Meal . . . A few peas short of a casserole . . . He doesn't have all his corn flakes in one box . . . The wheel's spinning, but the hamster's dead . . . His antenna doesn't pick up all the channels . . . His belt doesn't go ...

13. Your Sins Are Remembered No More! You Are Free!

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

Have you ever felt weighed down by your sins and shortcomings? Have you ever despaired over your ability to live up to expectations — God’s expectations, society’s expectations, your own self-expectations? Do you wish that you could have a fresh start? The Prophet Jeremiah was proclaiming a Word to sinful, insecure people like us, to people whose confidence in the future had been badly shaken. Have you ever made a big mistake in your life, a mistake for which you paid for many years? Maybe you are still ...

14. A Faith that Works with a Victorious Attitude

Philippians 2:12-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Today, we continue to preach and study through the marvelous letter of the Apostle Paul to the church and believers at Philippi. As many of you know, I often begin with a story or illustration, but today I want to begin our work by addressing and hopefully clearing up two major misconceptions or misinterpretations often associated with this text. THE FIRST MISINTERPRETATION IS THAT WE ARE SAVED BY OUR ATTEMPTS AT GOOD WORKS RATHER THAN SOLELY BY THE GRACE OF GOD revealed through the all sufficient, ...

15. A Converting Presence

1 John 2:28--3:10

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Now hear the word of the Lord. From the first apostle of John, the first three verses of that apostle. “See what love the father has bestowed upon us in allowing us to be called children of God. And that’s not just what we’re called, but who we actually are. The reason the world does not know us, is that it did not know Christ. Beloved, we are God’s children. It doesn’t appear what we shall be in the future, we only know that when we reality breaks through, we will reflect his likeness, for we will see him ...

16. The Utmost Patience for the Foremost Sinner

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

We usually don't spend too much time thinking about our own sinfulness. On occasion, of course, our feelings of guilt overwhelm us. We can't stop thinking about our sinfulness. If we are in that situation, we may need to talk that out with someone. Apart from times like that, we don't think much about our own sinfulness. We have ways of getting around that. We don't think about our sins because we are too appalled at the sins of others. The news media throws in our faces the outrageous sins of other people ...

17. Praise God! Selah!

Luke 1:67-80, Luke 1:57-66, Luke 1:46-56, Luke 1:39-45, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 1:5-25, Luke 1:1-4

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Animation: Music: To God Be the Glory [You can have it playing just before the sermon. There are a lot of good versions, both old and new. You can also play a YouTube for your people.] To God be the glory! Say it with me: To God be the glory! Now I want you to repeat that phrase after me, like a refrain. Each time I speak a line, I want you to respond with: To God be the glory! Ok? Let’s try it! “The weather is beautiful today!” [To God be the glory!] The beginning of the season of advent has come upon us ...

18. Will Names Never Hurt Us?

Proverbs 10:1-32

Sermon

Edward Chinn

Mrs. Reginald VanGleason decided to give a cocktail party at her mansion for her friends. She called in Nora, her maid of many years, and said to her, "I want you to stand at the door of the drawing room. As my friends arrive, I want you to call the guests’ names." Nora smiled broadly and replied, "Oh, thank you, ma’am, for twenty years I’ve been waiting to call your friends names." "To call a person names" means to abuse that person by calling him derogatory nicknames or insulting titles. A name to us is ...

19. Maturity in Stewardship

2 Corinthians 9:6-15, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Sermon

Edward Inabinet

Truit Gannon, pastor of a church in Georgia, tells of an incident in his boyhood. A man named Hugh, who worked for his father, owned a beautiful Harley Davidson motorcycle. It was a wine-colored machine with the hydro-glide fork on the front wheel. As I understand it, that hydro-glide fork was an engineering miracle in motorcycling in its day. Anyway, Truit says it was his greatest thrill as a teenager to ride that motorcycle. One day he asked, "Hugh, can I ride your motorcycle again today?" Hugh’s words ...

20. The Runner

Romans 9:30--10:21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Your most beloved things are not always your most perfect things. And your most beloved relationships are not always your most perfect relationships. Remember your “blankie?” Come on now, you all had one. And it was in perfect shape, right? It was the rattiest, most stained, most beat up thing anyone has ever seen. But the condition it was in mattered not a wit at nap time, or bedtime, or cry time. Or what about that stuffed animal? Come on, now. You all had one. And it was in perfect shape, right? No ...

21. Thanks, But No Thanks

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

There's an old "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strip in which Calvin is talking to his stuffed tiger Hobbes (whom he imagines to be real and his best friend). He says: "People are so self-centered." Then he adds philosophically, "The world would be a better place if people would stop thinking about themselves and focus on others for a change." Hobbes sort of rolls his eyes and thinks aloud, "Gee, I wonder who that might apply to." Calvin answers, "Me!. Everyone should focus on me!" (1) Bill Watterson's cartoon ...

22. Family Resemblance

John 14:5-14

Sermon

King Duncan

There was a story on the Internet recently that proves rednecks aren’t confined to the southern part of the United States. According to this story a man in Australia was fined after police discovered that he had used a seat belt to buckle in a case of beer while his five-year-old son was consigned to playing in the car’s floor totally unprotected. Constable Wayne Burnett said he was “shocked and appalled” when he pulled over the car one Friday in the Australian town of Alice Springs. A 30-can beer case was ...

23. The Saint without a Name

Luke 6:12-16

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

In Ludington, Michigan, there is a street called “No Name Street.” I don’t know why. Perhaps the city planner simply ran out of names when they got to this one. Perhaps there was a comedian in the crowd. But how would you like to live on “No name street”? Imagine explaining that to the IRS! I. NAMES ARE FUNNY THINGS. My own name, which seems so simple to me, is often mispronounced. They want to call it Strobie. When they do, I tell them that I am a minister and each Sunday I get to wear a “robie.” I ...

24. Hard and Soft Hearts

Mark 10:2-16

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

Probably one of the most frustrating responsibilities I have as a parish pastor is officiating at weddings. I would rather do a funeral than perform a wedding. It's not because I am filled with a great sense of morbidity. It's not that I delight in other people's suffering. Rather, it has to do with how receptive people are to ministry. At the time of death, people are much more receptive to facing the ultimate issues of life. They have a far greater sense of their need for the gospel. They have just ...

25. Children

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

Comment: Sometimes you can prepare a story sermon which reflects a lot of your own experience. And it becomes natural for you to play yourself while making the point of the sermon. The following reflected a lot of my experiences as a young father. Fortunately, my wife did not die, as does the wife of the main character here. But I was quite a disappointment to my colleagues because of how much part I took in household matters and child care. As of this writing, I am the wife my spouse always wanted! I ...

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