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 all results

1. A Little Privacy Please

Mark 6:30-56

Illustration

Charles Swindoll

A research psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health was convinced he could prove his theory from a cage full of mice. His name? Dr. John Calhoun. His theory? Overcrowded conditions take a terrible toll on humanity. Dr. Calhoun built a nine-foot square cage for selected mice. He observed them closely as their population grew. He started with eight mice. The cage was designed to contain comfortably a population of 160. He allowed the mice to grow, however, to a population of 2200. They were ...

2. Plutarch's Consolatory Letter to His Wife

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

... a limit to all riotous indulgence in our pleasures, so let us ... no pain, let us not indulge in too much grief. The soul ...

3. Peace of Mind

Acts 2:1-13, Acts 2:14-41

Illustration

... of emotional stress. Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands ...

4. Neighbors Who Never Met - Sermon Starter

Luke 16:19-31

Illustration

Brett Blair

What parable would make a man with three doctoral degrees (one in medicine, one in theology, one in philosophy) leave civilization with all of its culture and amenities and depart for the jungles of darkest Africa? What parable could induce a man, who was recognized as one of the best concert organists in all of Europe, go to a place where there were no organs to play. What parable would so intensely motivate a man that he would give up a teaching position in Vienna, Austria to go and deal with people who ...

5. Liberty and Civility - Sermon Starter

Galatians 5:1-15

Illustration

Brett Blair

The United States of America is nearly 250 years old today. That's a long time for a nation to remain free. But, when you look at our history in the context of world history America is just a CHILD among the nations. Egypt, China, Japan, Rome, Greece all make America's history seem so short. Consider what a brief time we've really been here as a nation: When Thomas Jefferson died, Abraham Lincoln was a young man of 17. When Lincoln was assassinated, Woodrow Wilson was a boy of 8. By the time he died Ronald ...

6. Self-pity: The Devil's Comfort

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Self-pity weeps on the devil’s shoulder, turning to Satan for comfort. His invitation is: “Come unto me all you that are grieved, peeved, misused, and disgruntled, and I will spread on the sympathy. You will find me a never-failing source of the meanest attitudes and the most selfish sort of misery. At my altar you may feel free to fail and fall, and there to sigh and fret. There I will feed your soul on fears, and indulge your ego with envy and jealousy, bitterness and spite. There I will excuse you from ...

7. Bitter Medicine

Illustration

King Duncan

In one of his dialogues, the Greek philosopher Plato described the predicament of a doctor who is prosecuted by a cook before a jury of children. The unfortunate doctor is accused of harming the children with bitter medicine and even surgery. The cook, on the other hand, has been indulging the children with a variety and abundance of sweets. Can you see the doctor’s predicament? The children much prefer the cook since their allegiance is to a diet of sweets rather than what is good for them. There is no ...

8. We Go Up to Jerusalem

Matthew 20:18

Illustration

Jon L. Joyce

Here is a living example of fearlessness, of unwavering loyalty, and of determination to finish a task. At Jerusalem an ugly cross was waiting to inflict its cruel anguish upon Christ. Yet without flinching or hesitation he set his jaw and started for the city. Here was discipline of the first order, and an example to every follower of Christ. Discipline is not popular today. The discipline of the armed forces is being eroded. Children are not to be warped by domination and so permissiveness runs full sway ...

9. One’s Proper Service

Isaiah 58:1-14

Illustration

Larry Powell

... the people of Israel for indulging in perfunctory rituals, mistaking them for ...

10. What Kind of Cross?

Mark 8:31--9:1

Illustration

Larry Powell

... reknowned for his notorious over indulgence in mind-altering drugs appeared on ...

11. Reduced In Value

Illustration

Staff

... , or allowing ourselves a little indulgence in dishonest or lustful thoughts; and ...

12. Denominational Unity

John 17:20-26

Illustration

John M. Braaten

... are suspect of those who indulge in denominational dishes of a different ...

13. Sex Outside of Marriage

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... wrong. Why? Because those who indulge in it are trying to isolate ...

14. The Regenerating Work of the Spirit

John 3:1-21; Acts 2:1-41

Illustration

Phil Newton

John Tennant, a contemporary of Jonathan Edwards, and who died faithfully preaching the gospel when he was twenty-five, identified eleven evidences of the regenerating work of the Spirit. I will adapt these for our attention [edits in brackets]. The understanding is renewed…a light from on high shines into it, whereby its natural darkness is in some measure dissipated, so that it [has] new apprehension of things. He has a new assent, his understanding being enlightened to perceive the precious truths of ...

15. Buying Grace?

Mark 10:17-31

Illustration

Debbie Royals

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear this Gospel? Do you wonder if you are one of the rich people whose wealth will make it next to impossible to get into heaven? Have you ever heard this Gospel used in stewardship campaigns in which the prescribed fix or remedy for wealth is to give it to the church, ensuring that God would look favorably on you? Does this sound familiar? As far back as the early Church, there have been suggestions that good graces and favor with God are obtained by ...

16. Do As You Please

Illustration

Michael Horton

The radical gospel of grace as it is found throughout Scripture, has always had its critics. Jimmy Swaggart once said that by trusting in God's justifying and preserving grace, we would end up living a life of sin before long and thus, lose our salvation and be consigned to hell. Paul anticipated that reaction from the religious community of his own day after he said, "Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more" (Romans 5:20, NKJV). So he asked the question he expected us to ask: "Shall we continue in ...

17. The Need For More

Illustration

Bill Hybels

All he ever really wanted in life was more. He wanted more money, so he parlayed inherited wealth into a billion-dollar pile of assets. He wanted more fame, so he broke into the Hollywood scene and soon became a filmmaker and star. He wanted more sensual pleasures, so he paid handsome sums to indulge his every sexual urge. He wanted more thrills, so he designed, built, and piloted the fastest aircraft in the world. He wanted more power, so he secretly dealt political favors so skillfully that two U.S. ...

18. Our Future Inheritance

Illustration

George Muller

The sort of clothes we wear, the kind of house we live in, or the quality of our furniture should not be the result of other people doing so or because it is customary among those with whom we associate. But whatever is done in these things in the way of self-denial or deadness to the world should result from the joy we have in God, and from the knowledge of our being His children, and from entering into our precious future inheritance. Not that I mean in the least by this to imply that we should continue ...

19. God Give Us Men

Illustration

Bob Moorehead

God give us men...ribbed with the steel of Your Holy Spirit...men who will not flinch when the battle's fiercest...men who won't acquiesce, or compromise, or fade when the enemy rages. God give us men who can't be bought, bartered, or badgered by the enemy, men who will pay the price, make the sacrifice, stand the ground, and hold the torch high. God give us men obsessed with the principles true to your word, men stripped of self-seeking and a yen for security...men who will pay any price for freedom and ...

20. Misused Health

Illustration

Blaise Pascal

Lord, whose spirit is so good and so gentle in all things, and who art so compassionate that not only all prosperity but even all afflictions that come to Thine elect are the results of Thy compassion: grant me grace that I may not do as the pagans do in the condition to which thy justice has reduced me; grant that as a true Christian I may recognize Thee as my father and as my God, in whatever estate I find myself, since the change in my condition brings no change in Thy own. For Thou are the same, though ...

21. PHILOSOPHERS

Acts 17:18

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

... and ethical lives, while others indulged in gluttony and immorality. The Church ...

22. Rule for Prudent Religion

Illustration

John Calvin

On the whole subject of religion, one rule of modesty and soberness is to be observed, and it is this: In obscure matters not to speak or think, or even long to know, more than the Word of God has delivered. A second rule is that in reading the Scriptures we should constantly direct our inquiries and meditations to those things which tend to edification, not indulge in curiosity, or in studying things of no use.

23. MAGICIAN, SORCERER

Micah 5:12; Acts 8:9

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

Micah 5:12 - "and I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more soothsayers;" Acts 8:9 - "But there was a man named Simon who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the nation of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great." Throughout history man has been fascinated by the thought of defying or controlling the laws of nature. A man who can place his hand in a roaring fire and bring it out unharmed will attract as much attention today as he did 5,000 years ago. ...

24. Collecting Compliments

Illustration

The brilliant physician and writer Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., and his brother John represent two radically different views on the subject of flattery. Dr. Holmes loved to collect compliments, and when he was older he indulged his pastime by saying to someone who had just praised his work, "I am a trifle deaf, you know. Do you mind repeating that a little louder?" John, however, was unassuming and content to be in his older brother's shadow. He once said that the only compliment he ever received came when ...

25. The Kite and Its String

Illustration

John Newton

Once on a time a paper kite Was mounted to a wondrous height, Where, giddy with its elevation, It thus express'd self-admiration: "See how yon crowds of gazing people Admire my flight above the steeple; How would they wonder if they knew All that a kite like me can do! Were I but free, I'd take a flight, And pierce the clouds beyond their sight, But, ah! like a poor pris'ner bound, My string confines me near the ground; I'd brave the eagle's towring wing, Might I but fly without a string." It tugg'd and ...

26. Living Up To Your Title

Illustration

Staff

These are actual names for past rulers whose names became discriptive disparaging monikers: Charles the Simple, Son of Louis the Stammerer. So called for his policy of making concessions to the Norse invaders rather than fighting. Louis the Sluggard (or the "Do-Nothing"), was noted for his self-indulgence, he ruled from 986 to 987 over the Franks. Ethelred the unready (968-1016) so called because of his inability to repel the Danish invasion of England. At first he paid tribute to the Danes, but their ...

27. Trying to Get More

Illustration

Michael P. Green

If lasting happiness could be found in having material things and in being able to indulge ourselves in whatever we wanted, then most of us in America should be delirious with joy and happy beyond description. We should be producing books and poems that describe our state of unparalleled bliss. Our literature and art should rival that of the ancient Greeks and Romans and Renaissance craftsmen. Instead we find those who have “things” trying to get more of them, for no apparent reason other than to have more ...

28. Appealing Orange

1 Cor 6:13

Illustration

Michael P. Green

You can usually get a large audience together to watch a striptease. There is no question about it, a lot of people would come to watch a woman undress on the stage, thus indulging and misusing their sexual appetites. Now suppose you visited a country where an auditorium is packed to the walls with people watching, not a girl undressing, but a guy walking out with a big tray covered with a veil. Then music begins to play, lights begin to flash, and all of a sudden, after some rather enticing maneuvers, the ...

Showing 1 to 28 of 28all results

Showing all results

1. A Little Privacy Please

Mark 6:30-56

Illustration

Charles Swindoll

2. Plutarch's Consolatory Letter to His Wife

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

... a limit to all riotous indulgence in our pleasures, so let us ... no pain, let us not indulge in too much grief. The soul ...

3. Peace of Mind

Acts 2:1-13, Acts 2:14-41

Illustration

... of emotional stress. Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands ...

4. Neighbors Who Never Met - Sermon Starter

Luke 16:19-31

Illustration

Brett Blair

5. Liberty and Civility - Sermon Starter

Galatians 5:1-15

Illustration

Brett Blair

6. Self-pity: The Devil's Comfort

Illustration

Michael P. Green

7. Bitter Medicine

Illustration

King Duncan

8. We Go Up to Jerusalem

Matthew 20:18

Illustration

Jon L. Joyce

9. One’s Proper Service

Isaiah 58:1-14

Illustration

Larry Powell

... the people of Israel for indulging in perfunctory rituals, mistaking them for ...

10. What Kind of Cross?

Mark 8:31--9:1

Illustration

Larry Powell

... reknowned for his notorious over indulgence in mind-altering drugs appeared on ...

11. Reduced In Value

Illustration

Staff

... , or allowing ourselves a little indulgence in dishonest or lustful thoughts; and ...

12. Denominational Unity

John 17:20-26

Illustration

John M. Braaten

... are suspect of those who indulge in denominational dishes of a different ...

13. Sex Outside of Marriage

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... wrong. Why? Because those who indulge in it are trying to isolate ...

14. The Regenerating Work of the Spirit

John 3:1-21; Acts 2:1-41

Illustration

Phil Newton

15. Buying Grace?

Mark 10:17-31

Illustration

Debbie Royals

16. Do As You Please

Illustration

Michael Horton

17. The Need For More

Illustration

Bill Hybels

18. Our Future Inheritance

Illustration

George Muller

19. God Give Us Men

Illustration

Bob Moorehead

20. Misused Health

Illustration

Blaise Pascal

21. PHILOSOPHERS

Acts 17:18

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

... and ethical lives, while others indulged in gluttony and immorality. The Church ...

22. Rule for Prudent Religion

Illustration

John Calvin

23. MAGICIAN, SORCERER

Micah 5:12; Acts 8:9

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

24. Collecting Compliments

Illustration

25. The Kite and Its String

Illustration

John Newton

26. Living Up To Your Title

Illustration

Staff

27. Trying to Get More

Illustration

Michael P. Green

28. Appealing Orange

1 Cor 6:13

Illustration

Michael P. Green

Showing 1 to 28 of 28all results