Sermon and Worship Resources

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1. Destructive Anger

Matthew 5:21-26

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

In the Spring of 1894, the Baltimore Orioles came to Boston to play a routine baseball game. But what happened that day was anything but routine. A bit of a legend has developed around the game which may not be entirely accurate. It goes like this: The Orioles' John McGraw got into a fight with the Boston third baseman. Within minutes all the players from both teams had joined in the brawl. The w...

2. Don’t Forget the Best

Luke 10:38-42

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

There is an ancient Scottish legend that tells the story of a shepherd boy tending a few straggling sheep on the side of a mountain. One day as he cared for his sheep he saw at his feet a beautiful flower. One that was more beautiful than any he had ever seen in his life. He knelt down upon his knees and scooped the flower in his hands and held it close to his eyes, drinking in its beauty. As he h...

3. Historical Data about Christmas

Matthew 1:18-25

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

What did December 25 originally celebrate? For some time before the coming of Christianity, December 25 was a time of pagan celebration. The pagans knew that at this point in their calendar the shortest day and longest night had passed, that little by little the sun would rise higher and remain longer in the sky, bringing with it the promise of spring. Prior to this day occurred the week-long Ro...

4. I Died on the Battlefield

Matthew 27:32-56

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

Dwight L. Moody told of the young man who did not want to serve in Napoleon Bonaparte's army. When he was drafted, a friend volunteered to go in his place. The substitution was made, and some time later the surrogate was killed in battle. However, the same young man was, through a clerical error, drafted again. "You can't take me" he told the startled officers. "I'm dead. I died on the battlefiel...

5. I Was Hungry

Luke 16:19-31; Matt 25:31-36

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

I WAS HUNGRY and you circled the moon. I WAS HUNGRY and you told me to wait. I WAS HUNGRY and you set up a commission. I WAS HUNGRY and you talked about bootstraps. I WAS HUNGRY and you told me I shouldn't be. I WAS HUNGRY and you had napalm bills to pay. I WAS HUNGRY and you said, "Machines do that kind of work now." I WAS HUNGRY and you said, "The poor are always with us." I WAS HUNGRY and you s...

6. It Is No Longer I

Acts 2:1-21

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

Soon after Augustine's conversion, he was walking down the street in Milan, Italy. There he met a prostitute whom he had known most intimately. She called but he would not answer. He kept right on walking. "Augustine," she called again. "It is I!" Without missing a beat and with the assurance of Christ in his heart, he replied, "Yes, but it is no longer I." Because of Christ and His Spirit, Aug...

7. No Reserves, No Retreats, No Regrets

Romans 1:16; 2 Cor 11:21-33

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

In 1904 William Borden, heir to the Borden Dairy Estate, graduated from a Chicago high school. His graduation present was a trip around the world. Traveling through Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, Borden was really stricken by all the poverty and hunger he saw. Writing home, he said, "I'm going to give my life to prepare for the mission field." When he made this decision, he wrote in the back o...

8. Overcoming Mediocrity

Matthew 28:16-20

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

Someone was talking to a great scholar about a younger man. He said, "I am told that he was one of your students." The teacher answered devastatingly, "He may have attended my lectures, but he was not one of my students." There is a world of difference between attending lectures and being a student. Likewise, there are so many so-called followers of Christ who are not one of His disciples.

9. Taking Our Penalty

John 14:1-14

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

Friday night my wife and I went to a hockey game. It was between the Colorado Avalanche and the Mighty Ducks. Colorado's goalie got a penalty for "delay of game." A penalty in hockey means your team plays short-handed while you sit in the penalty box. Yet, during this penalty Colorado's goalie was still in the net. Do you know why? Because another player on his team was allowed to take the penal...

10. The Messianic Age

Matthew 3:13-17

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

The Messianic Age. This is what every Jewish child of God was hoping, praying, and waiting for. It is easy to see why when we hear God's Old Testament promises about the Messianic Age: (Isa 2:2) In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. (Isa 2:4) They will beat their sw...

11. Waves of Worry

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

A submarine was being tested and had to remain submerged for many hours. When it returned to the harbor, the captain was asked, "How did the terrible storm last night affect you?" The officer looked at him in surprise and exclaimed, "Storm? We didn't even know there was one!" The sub had been so far beneath the surface that it had reached the area known to sailors as "the cushion of the sea." Alth...

12. We Don’t Have to Sneak In

John 10:1-10

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

The night before a camping trip one boy was staying at the home of another when suddenly he realized he forgot his fishing gear. "Let's run to my house and get it," he said. "Isn't it too late?" asked his friend. "Everybody will be sleeping." "We'll sneak in," said the first boy. "Come on." When they got to his house all the doors were locked. He decided to pry the screen off his bedroom window ...

13. We Must Not Lie

Matthew 5:33-37

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

A pastor ended one Sunday service by instructing his people, "I would like all of you to read Mark 17 before next Sunday." The following Sunday, true to his word, he asked the congregation, "How many of you actually read Mark 17 this past week?" Almost everyone in the pews raised their hands. The pastor then stunned his people by announcing, "Ladies and gentlemen, there is no 17th chapter in Mark...

Showing 1 to 13 of 13all results

Showing all results

1. Destructive Anger

Matthew 5:21-26

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

2. Don’t Forget the Best

Luke 10:38-42

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

3. Historical Data about Christmas

Matthew 1:18-25

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

4. I Died on the Battlefield

Matthew 27:32-56

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

5. I Was Hungry

Luke 16:19-31; Matt 25:31-36

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

6. It Is No Longer I

Acts 2:1-21

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

7. No Reserves, No Retreats, No Regrets

Romans 1:16; 2 Cor 11:21-33

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

8. Overcoming Mediocrity

Matthew 28:16-20

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

9. Taking Our Penalty

John 14:1-14

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

10. The Messianic Age

Matthew 3:13-17

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

11. Waves of Worry

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

12. We Don’t Have to Sneak In

John 10:1-10

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

13. We Must Not Lie

Matthew 5:33-37

Illustration

Adrian Dieleman

Showing 1 to 13 of 13all results