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 2555 results

1. Even Marriages Made In Heaven Require Earthly Care

Mark 10:1-12

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... unique with me, I see it all that time, and I call on you this morning to look at your marriage. Are you relating to the person or are stereotyped roles the big thing? Our commitment is to the person, not the institution. And even marriages made in heaven require a lot of earthly care. Let’s go to our scripture lesson from Ephesians to get some insight as to the nature of this commitment to person rather than to institution. Now I’m afraid that a lot of what is going on and the renewed emphasis on the ...

2. Some Assembly Required

Malachi 2:17--3:5

Sermon

... ?" To my way of thinking, the Christmas season is over, but the Christmas story has only just begun. Now God is with us, and what will we do? I don’t know about you, but the package I come in still has written on it, in plain letters: "Some Assembly Required." I don’t know about you, but I agree with the words Joel Hemphill wrote in his gospel song, "He’s Still Working On Me": There really ought to be a sign upon my heart, "Don't judge him yet, there's an unfinished part." But I’ll be perfect ...

3. Some Assembly Required

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... this parental ritual of Christmas Eve. That’s when I saw them. I don’t know why I had not seen them before. You couldn’t miss them. They were right there on the side of the box, in big bold letters, those three dreaded words: SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED. And I knew I was in big trouble. With greatly dampened enthusiasm, I opened the box and peeked cautiously inside. The horse itself and the eight-piece metal frame looked like they would be simple enough to put together. But at the bottom of the box - at ...

4. Trouble: A Required Course in LIfe

James 1:1-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... statement than we care to admit at times. One of my colleagues even coined a phrase for a sermon title which was "The University of Adversity." As we read and reflect on our scripture lesson today, the writer James shares with us that we too must enroll in a required course as we journey on this side of the Garden of Eden called trouble. James says we can count it all joy or we can count our troubles, and, believe me, there are not enough fingers and toes to keep the count. Spend your life counting the joy ...

5. What God Requires of Us

Micah 6:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Jesus the Christ. Through Jesus, the only one who could wholly fulfill the qualities of mishpat, hesed, and hasnea in a human life, the door to a right relationship with God has once again been opened to us. But to stay in that covenant bond the requirements remain the same. We're still called by God to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God. We're still called by God to live these three words while our whole beings: remind me of these three words again: mishpat, hesed, hasnea. How tragic ...

6. My Love Requires A Symbol

Malachi 3:6-18

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... parents, do you remember the feeling? I do. John Saul rushes out of the house and heads downtown to go shopping. He says to himself, “I must find a gift for my wife. I must. Some lovely tangible gift. Why , I’m not sure. I guess its because…my love requires a symbol.” If you know that Jesus died for you, and His grace has changed your life, your love will ...

7. What Is Required of Us?

Matthew 5:17-20

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

... , all the time, and your neighbor as yourself? Have you actually tried to do that for a whole day? Notice the order in the second half of verse 19, “...but he who does them and (then) teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus requires attention to integrity. If I don’t first live the Christian life, if I am not a daily practitioner on my face before God asking for mercy and help, then what’s the use telling you about it? What does this verse mean? “...but he who does them ...

8. Family Re:Union - (PG) Parental Guidance Required

Psalm 127:1-5

Sermon

James Merritt

The headline in the BBC News said it all. When I read it, I thought to myself, “They said more than they intended to say and they were exactly right.” Here was the headline – US Homebuilding At All-Time Low.”[1] What they were referring to was the fact that the rate of construction of new homes in the United States fell by 15.5% in December of 2010. It hit an all-time low. In fact, the rate of new construction from December 2007 to December 2010 was down 45%. In reality, they weren’t really referring to ...

9. No Promotion Required

Mark 11:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

On March 4th, 1966 pop music icon John Lennon set off a firestorm in this country by declaring that his band, The Beatles, were more popular than Jesus. And with teenage girls that was probably true. Do you know how the Beatles became famous though? According to Internet marketer Caleb O’Dowd it didn’t happen by accident or simple good luck. According to O’Dowd, Brian Epstein the manager of the Beatles, was a marketing genius. “To begin with,” says O’Dowd, “Brian hired hundreds of teenage girls. He then ...

10. No One Over 12 Inches Wide Need Apply

Luke 13:22-30

Sermon

King Duncan

... explanation: He couldn’t bear the thought of hurting any of them, so he had married all three. He was a traveling salesman, so he was able to carry out this farce for several years. Many of us do not want to make the hard choices that life requires of us. Psychologists tell us that is why so many of us procrastinate. We want to put off facing the pain of making choices. That is a sure formula for failure. Successful people recognize that making hard choices is a key to a rich, fulfilling life. Even Jesus ...

11. A Gift for You

Romans 1:1-7

Sermon

James L. Killen

... fellow couldn't think of anything bigger than whether or not he would have to give up beer, he hadn't really gotten the picture of what it means to be a Christian. To answer the call to be a saint - that is, to be a Christian - does require commitment. It requires a commitment that lots of people really may not be ready to make yet. That is why some people may not be ready to open that gift from God that is represented by the coming of Jesus. But there are some good reasons for choosing to open that package ...

12. What About the Weeds?

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Sermon

King Duncan

... to do that is not very complicated, but it is difficult: to get a group of men to do what they don’t want to do so they can achieve the one thing they have wanted all of their lives.” Isn’t that a great statement? Cultivating a garden requires those daily little tasks that are a pain, perhaps. But you do them because you can envision the beauty and the bounty that awaits you. That, of course, is what disciplined living is all about. We talked about discipline a couple of weeks ago. Some people do not ...

13. A Streak of Common Sense

Deuteronomy 18:14-22

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... straw. He would have lots of time to play, because his house could be cheaply and quickly built. The second met a man with twigs. A twig house would allow much time for play. It, too, could be easily made. Their long-range consequence was to play, and the requirement for play was a quick and easy house to build. The third little pig wanted a good, safe house, so he used bricks. Naturally it took longer, and he was not able to play as his brothers. At last all three houses were built. Along comes a wolf and ...

14. A Longer Stride and a Larger Embrace

Galatians 2:11-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... the flesh I live in faith by the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:19-21). Holiness requires the full surrender of our independent self-will in order that God can eradicate our self-orientation. Let me tell you about one of ... ’re ready.” I guess the question is, “Are we?” Are we ready to take a longer stride and a larger embrace? It will require risk, and most of us prefer the hell of a predictable situation, rather than risk the joy of an unpredictable one. We need to ...

15. A Sense of Urgency

Acts 9:32-43

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

... saving the woman’s life. Peter had a sense of urgency in immediately tending to the needs of the dead woman and her family. This urgency is rooted in a compassion and concern for the well being of those we serve. In the church we are faced with crises that require a short response time to the needs of God’s people. God help us if we are too long in responding to the needs of our people. Early in my ministry at Hope United Methodist Church I learned the value of a quick response to a crisis situation. A ...

16. Keeping Sunday

Mark 2:23-3:6

Sermon

David G. Rogne

... which was to be eaten only by the priests. Nevertheless, David, who was looked upon as Israel's great hero, took the bread, ate it, and shared it with his men. The implication is clear that in time of need, human necessity takes precedence over the requirements of law. In the other situation described in this passage, Jesus is in a synagogue on the Sabbath. A man comes in who has a paralyzed hand. Jesus seizes the initiative and invites the man to step forward. He then asks the religious authorities whether ...

17. Walking in the Way of Love

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Sermon

King Duncan

... walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Basically, he pointed to three kinds of ways that we show the love of Christ. First of all, walking in the way of love requires an active love. In Jesus’ life, love was a verb, not a noun. It was an action, not an emotion. Almost 100 years ago, there was a Scottish pastor by the name of George Morrison who preached a sermon on the subject of “unconscious ministries.” He said that ...

18. A Double Dose

2 Kings 2:1-18

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

... long haul. We are worn out. Our last vestiges of strength and stamina are sapped by the daily round of church life. We need a double dose to sustain us, to quicken our resolve, to re-energize us when limbs palsy and bones are brittled and wearied. This requires a kind of catharsis, a cleansing of the soul, a revitalization of the Spirit so we might continue the tasks God sets before us. How many of us have petered out or fallen exhausted at critical times in our service to God? The spirit is willing but the ...

19. And Who is my Neighbor?

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... that I shall never forget. It fell like an anvil on my soul. A women said, "I don’t want those dirty people in here." I pray that God. . .will not hold those words against her. Just as I pray that God will hold me accountable when I limit the requirements God has placed on me to love and show mercy and to be understanding when people are in distress and need. "And who is my neighbor?" the fellow asked. "Who is my neighbor?" We want to be a part of the church but on our terms. Defining who can come ...

20. Real Religion

Micah 6:1-8

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... things of God, a concern...to allow our heart to be broken by the things that break the heart of God. It is a deep desire to see the world through the eyes of God, to act in the world as God would act."(7) When this final requirement is placed cheek by jowl with the first two, walking with God becomes synonymous with having a heart for justice and compassion. The three cannot be separated, for walking humbly with God, living all of life in relationship to God, will result in both. Do justice. Love kindness ...

21. For Freedom Christ Has Set Us Free

Galatians 5:1-15

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... to weapon a base of operation. Get Paul’s picture in mind. He knew that if freedom was interpreted merely as the removal of restraint, sin would seize the opportunity, and use the weakness of human nature to launch attack against the spirit. So, freedom requires discipline. The freedom of Christ is a freedom to be responsible. How often have we seen people throw off the bonds of legalism and rigid moralism, and then excuse their irresponsible behavior with such words as “I’m only human.” It’s one ...

22. Prescription on a Pole

John 3:1-21

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... we must opt to participate in it. There is no sense in which the Israelites healed themselves, and yet they did have to make a choice to partake of the healing. They were not just suffering in their tents when, suddenly, they were healed. No, they were required to do something — to look at the serpent on the pole. In spite of the complete absence of empirical cause-and-effect, the people were called upon to respond to God’s prescription, and that response was an act of faith. That, finally, brings us to ...

23. The Lure Of The Easy Way

Matthew 16:21-28

Sermon

King Duncan

... parties give the 70. A sound family means that we will take the time to be sensitive to the needs of our children, that we provide not only for their physical needs but their emotional and spiritual needs as well. Such goals require sacrifice, they require perseverance, they require determination. But everyone of us knows that the path to personal success is the path of self-denial. We also know that self denial is essential to the salvation of the world. Here is the missing summons in our day. Our world ...

24. Love And Submission

Ephesians 5:22-33

Sermon

King Duncan

... of wrongs; does not gloat over other men's sins, but delights in the truth. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope and its endurance." (I Cor. 13: 4-7) It is clear that St. Paul sincerely believed that love requires submission. And he was right! Psychology Today once had an article about a study of marriages that last. Most studies are done on why marriages fail, but this one was on why marriages last. Some of the conclusions were a surprise. Men and women both cited the ...

25. Replacing a Fallen Comrade

Acts 1:12-26

Sermon

King Duncan

... lives of men and women who gave their lives in service to this country. We won't be asking about their color or their gender or their educational background. We will remember only one thing about them: they were true to their calling. That's all that God requires out of any of us who serve Christ. That we do so with honor. That we live out what we believe, recognizing that to be effective in our task credibility is everything. The world won't be impressed by how much we know, but whether Christ truly lives ...

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