Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: take action, take steps, take measures, take the initiative, move, make a move, react, do something, proceed, go ahead, behave, function, perform, operate, work, take effect, serve, be efficacious, play, play a part, take part, be an actor, be an actress, be one of the cast, appear, pretend, play-act, sham, fake, feign, put it on, bluff, pose, posture, masquerade, dissemble, dissimulate, deed, action, gesture, feat, exploit, performance, undertaking, maneuver, stunt, operation, venture, effort, enterprise, achievement, accomplishment, law, decree, statute, bill, Act of Parliament, edict, fiat, dictum, dictate, enactment, resolution, ruling, rule, judgement, canon, ordinance, proclamation, command, commandment, mandate, measure, stipulation, direction, requirement, division, section, subsection, portion, part, segment, component, bit, turn, routine, number, item, piece, sketch, skit, playlet, dance, song, pretense, false display, show, front, facade, charade, guise, affectation, appearance

Antonyms: do nothing

Showing 1 to 25 of 176 results

1. The Missionary Posture

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... God, Western theology thinks it still sees its own face reflected in the culture surrounding it. Beginning when the Emperor Constantine proclaimed Christianity to be the established religion of the empire, the Church has slowly changed its missionary posture of confrontation and challenge into an establishment position of compromise and partnership with whatever political, economic, or social powers are in vogue. Christianity went from being a living faith to a social ideology with almost every aspect of ...

2. Stooping Is a Divine Posture

Isaiah 23:1-18

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... helping, was God on his knees in the service of humanity. How can his redeemed world ever stop being astounded by the incredible stooping of almighty God in his Son on earth? The noblest humans are those who have learned to assume this same posture in genuine humility. Hayden, who has been called music history’s most modest man, had such a great admiration for Mozart that he wrote to a friend, “Scarcely any man can brook comparison with the great Mozart.” Hayden wrote Mozart’s father, Leopold, “I ...

3. The Mechanics Of Prayer

Matthew 6:5-15, Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... , he asked friends to visit him only when his physician came or when food was brought, so that he might spend his whole time in prayer. Once again, it proves that the place of prayer is important if prayer is to be meaningful and effective. The Posture Of Prayer Our posture reflects our feelings and convictions when we pray. It also helps us to feel the way we want to feel when we pray. Our head. It is customary to bow the head when we pray. Bowing the head before God acknowledges the holiness and greatness ...

4. Our Living Hope

Luke 20:27-40

Sermon

Theodore F. Schneider

... understood clearly. They were angered and would have arrested him. But again they feared the reaction of the people. Then came a new strategy. Spies were sent, posing as interested followers and sympathizers to the gospel. Again the question was for the purpose of posturing, not for gathering information. They asked, "Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar or not?" Again Jesus dodges their attack. "Show me a coin. Whose image is on it?" "Caesar's," they answer. "Then render to Caesar the things that ...

5. Seeking Hands

Psalm 141:1-10

Sermon

... for the child to come. But if she beckons the child like this (palm down), the child also understands that they are to come, but they are to come to receive food. The varying positions of the hand communicate to the child differing messages. I We use varying hand postures as we pray Tonight the Psalmist talks to us about our hands in the act of prayer. I would suggest to you that the way we use our hands in prayer may also communicate something. It is most common for us that when we pray we fold our hands ...

6. This Is the Day!

Psalm 118:1-29

Sermon

King Duncan

... will get depressed. Fred Chisolm, a dynamic salesman, wrote a book a few years ago in which he said that if you keep your eyes above shoulder level, you will never get depressed. [You’ll trip over a few things, but you won’t get depressed.] Posture produces performance. So, this is my suggestion. Each morning look in a mirror, smile, throw you shoulders back and cite this ancient promise of Scripture, “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!” You’ll feel better ...

7. Communion Is Repentance

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sermon

... feet high. It is almost necessary to crawl in. Our guide explained, "Like the wisemen of old, when we approach the birthplace of Christ, our Lord, we do so on bended knee." It is quite fitting and proper that we kneel in the presence of our God. But the posture of the body should only be indicative of the position of the heart. Don't come to the Lord's Altar with pretense - pretending that you have no sin to turn away from, because you do. Don't come pretending that you are worthy of this sacrament, because ...

8. Standing Tall

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

King Duncan

... This is enthusiasm! He doesn't just slink up to Jesus, as would be appropriate for an outcast and unclean person. He jumps up and stands tall before the Messiah. He throws off anything that would stand between him and the Savior. As pastor David McKenna says, "Posture always gives clues to self-esteem." (2) Bartimaeus had probably spent most of his life sitting by the side of the road, begging for charity from passers-by. But when he hears that Jesus wants to see him, he stands up in full dignity before the ...

9. Facing Fears, Kingdom Style

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

... hostile world.2 What we do with this cluster of unpleasant emotions and mental habits will in great measure determine how we live, whether in an offensive posture of active engagement with life and its challenges, or a defensive posture of protection and steady retreat. You can’t get very far in seeking the kingdom (an active, even aggressive posture) if you are always on the defensive servicing your fears and spending all the energy of your prayers asking that nothing bad ever happen. The realism of ...

10. When Self-esteem Gets Out Of Hand

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

... that counts; it's what you do." He could have added, "... and don't do." Thus far we have almost overlooked the other character in this story except to say that he is in great contrast to the Pharisee. He, too, went to the temple to pray. But his posture and actions showed no arrogance nor pride. Humbly he stood apart from those whom he knew were more righteous than he. He did not presume to look in the direction of God's dwelling place, but stood with downcast eyes. He beat upon his chest as a sign of ...

11. Too Light A Thing

Isaiah 49:1-7

Sermon

Paul E. Robinson

... know what I found out? I found out that I've been doing a number on my body for most of my life through bad posture, and only now are the results beginning to show and take their toll. I'm having to think now about how I stand and how ... these problems that have plagued me off and on for years. But that means change in my life, change of some very basic things, like posture. I believe that disciples of Jesus have been plagued for years with doing things that are too light for us. We have enormous muscles, ...

12. Learn To Wait Creatively

James 5:7-12

Sermon

Richard Hasler

... it under the bed every night so that in the morning I have to get down on my knees, and once I'm on my knees I thank the Lord for everything He's given." Maybe we will have to trick ourselves with some kind of gimmick too, but any posture will do if it helps us to patiently wait before God. Active Waiting Second, how do we learn active waiting? We said at the outset that creative waiting had two sides: patient waiting and active waiting. Let us see what this second part might be. How patient are we in ...

13. Wind -- Word -- Spirit -- Community

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Arthur H. Kolsti

... movements of racial superiority and ethnic purity still much in evidence in our world are other ways of saying, "We are holier than you." Class snobbery is a way of saying "holier than you." Elitism of any sort is a way of saying "holier than you." Religious posturing and fanatacism of any ilk is a way of saying, "holier than you." But this is not what Jesus meant by holiness. This is not what Luke meant when proclaiming the Holy Spirit. Here are some words from an English scholar that will be helpful to us ...

14. Plan Your Leisure - Jesus Did His!

Mark 6:30-44

Sermon

Charles R. Leary

... , so that the muscles in your neck, your shoulders, your back, your abdomen are calm and have no need to produce a posture? When does your brain ever get the message that it doesn’t have to produce anything within a given time-frame. Even when you have ... the opportunity to rest, how do you do it after being postured for peak production? Even if you’re not a workaholic, as I am, planned leisure will make a world of difference for you. The ...

15. The Banquet

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Robert Salzgeber

... and done according to proper protoc_esermonsol so as not to offend the gods. All this in order to get to God! But in our text, Jesus "tells it like it is," he comes clean with the people. He tells the people that they did not have to play ritualistic and posturing games to get his Father's attention. He says that his Father desires to be close to them. He says, "I am the living bread ... the bread I will give you is my flesh ... I give it so the world may live ... whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood ...

16. The Illusion Of Neutrality

Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Sermon

Robert Beringer

... we consider the church in today's society. A majority of people apparently are not opposed to the church and what it stands for. They are neither for the church or against it. They would describe themselves as neutral. Of course, if everyone assumed that posture, there would soon be no church to support or oppose. The church, as we know it, would pass out of existence, and with it would go the mainspring of Christianity - the one insitution that keeps alive the redemptive power of God's revelation in Christ ...

17. Walking On the Knees

2 Samuel 7:18-29

Sermon

Donald Zelle

... to prayer. We are told that he "went in and sat before the Lord." He went to the place of the Ark of the Covenant. Cornmentators are bothered by the word "sit," as though it were not a proper posture for prayer. Is it better to stand? Or lie down, or kneel? David was probably in the typical Oriental posture, down on his knees and sitting back on his feet, allowing him to move back and forth. It doesn't matter, but it serves well for the theme of this sermon. Walking on the knees describes the essence of ...

18. Water Boy

Exodus 2:11-25

Sermon

Justin Tull

... that justice knows no race or creed. We all are part of God’s family. We all should have access to the watering hole. We all have needs that generate compassion. A hymn in our new United Methodist hymnal points us in the right direction. It offers the posture of a servant and the compassion of a caring follower of Christ. Will you hear it again and afresh? Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbors we have from you, Kneels at the feet of his friends, silently washes their feet ...

19. The Banquet

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Robert Salzgeber

20. In The Lion's Den

Daniel 6:1-28

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... old man, he still got down on his knees to pray. Someone has said, "You know you’re getting old when you stoop to tie your shoes and wonder what else you can do while you’re down there." Kneeling conveys submission. In terms of our proper posture before God, the Bible speaks of lifted hands and eyes, but it most often refers to bowing and kneeling. Luke tells us that Jesus knelt to pray in the Garden of Gathsemene the night before he was arrested. (Luke 22:41) Matthew tells us that Jesus actually "fell ...

21. How Fares Your Christian Sight?

Is 6:8-10

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... ministry of illumination, for he consistently opened people’s eyes, including - perhaps most especially - those whose eyes were biologically sound but nevertheless perceptually impaired. He opened people’s eyes to the fact that religious health lies not in a posture of supposed righteousness but in a posture of receptivity to God’s grace. "Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) He opened ...

22. Be Careful What You Call Me

Matthew 23:1-39

Sermon

King Duncan

... he hit his computer's spell check key, it said the word "pastoring" was unknown. The checker suggested the following alternatives: (a) pasturing as in pasturing cattle (b) pestering, and posturing. After a gut laugh, says Vardeman, he realized how true it is. Some pastors, like some laymen, spend most of their hours either pasturing, pestering or posturing. It reminds me of a certain conqueror who went to a Muslim holy man and said: "Mulla, all the great rulers of the past had honorific titles with the name ...

23. Trouble Brewing In The Kitchen

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

Graham M. Bingham

... represents the disciple who is a WORSHIPER. She is receptive, meditative and devotional. When we first encounter Mary in the story she is "sitting at the feet of Jesus" (Verse 39). In the Middle East to "sit at the feet of someone" symbolized discipleship. It was a posture assumed by the student in order to learn and receive from the teacher. Mary loved being "at the feet of Jesus." Every time we meet her in the Scriptures that is where we find her. In this passage (Luke 10:39) she is "sitting at the feet ...

24. The Greatest Table in the World

Mark 14:12-26

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... the drill sergeant to be further infuriated. He took off one of his muddy boots and threw it at the young recruit and hit him on the side of the head. The boy resumed his posture of prayer. Even more infuriated, the sergeant took off the other boot, threw it, and hit him again. Again the young man assumed his posture of prayer. The drill sergeant muttered some profanity and went into his room and fell across his bed asleep. Upon waking the next morning, the first thing the drill sergeant saw was those boots ...

25. Grace in the Midst of Weakness

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

Glenn McDonald

... pastor said, "When I pray, I find it helps to hold my hands together like this, as a personal expression of worship." The second suggested that real prayer ought to be conducted on one's knees. The third pastor corrected him, saying, "The most biblically authentic posture for talking to God is to lie stretched out on one's face." At that moment the telephone repairman, who'd been eavesdropping, poked his head around the corner and said, "I'd have to say the best prayer I ever prayed was when I was dangling ...

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