Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1 to 25 of 55 results

John 13:1-17

Sermon

Angela Akers

A few weeks into a new school year, Susan Moser, a mother from Pennsylvania, asked her young son what he thought of first grade. With enthusiasm, he replied, "Oh, I love school. It's great!" Then, after a brief hesitation, he added. "Well, except for one thing . . . I don't really like it when Mrs. Decker tries to teach us stuff." (1) Well, that's a problem, isn't it? Some of our students here ca...

2. Memorial Day

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Angela Akers

Greater love has no man than this . . . The Civil War ended in 1865. But it wasn't until 1997 that the last shot of that war was fired. In 1997, two young boys were playing around with their new Christmas present, a metal detector. Using their new toy, they came across a live shell that dates back to the Civil War. The boys, Michael and Andrew Zimmerman of Winchester, Virginia, didn't know what ...

3. IN HONOR OF HIM

Luke 19:28-40

Drama

Angela Akers

SUBJECT: Palm Sunday CHARACTERS: Wife, husband SETTING: A small house on the road on which Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. PROPS: A potted plant (Woman is kneeling by the side of the road planting the plant) (Husband''s voice from off stage) "Wife, come in here. It''s time for the evening prayers." Wife: "Yes, my love." (To herself) "I just want to get this....there! It''s d...

4. The Darkness of the World

Matthew 6:16-18

Drama

Angela Akers

(Suggested ways to present this reading: Have one reader present it while PowerPoint images of crosses and other religious imagery plays in the background. Play instrumental music in the background and have one or more people present an interpretive dance that follows the outline of the reading.) God breathed His love Into a form, And gave us life. Abundant life The gift of grace— to see God’s f...

5. The Meaning of It All

Mark 1:9-13

Drama

Angela Akers

Characters: Therapist Receptionist Creme Wafer (have the character wear a large sign that reads “Creme Wafer” with a picture of a Creme Wafer on it) Doughnut (have the character wear a large sign that reads “Doughnut” with a picture of a doughnut on it) Setting: A therapist’s office. Have a couch for the therapy client and a desk for the therapist. On the therapist’s desk is telephone and a lar...

6. Bearing the Cross

Mark 8:31--9:1

Drama

Angela Akers

(4 readers spread out across the stage. Each person steps forward to deliver her lines, then steps back. Must be delivered forcefully and with conviction.) Reader One: “Four hundred and fifty: the estimated number of Christians killed daily around the world for their faith.”1 Reader Two: “Thirty-nine: the age of German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer when he was executed by the Nazis during World W...

7. Things That Make Jesus Angry

John 2:12-25

Drama

Angela Akers

Characters: Makeup artist Personal assistant Producer Ivana Heart, host of cooking show Announcer (voice only) Setting: Television sound stage for taping of cooking show. Props: Large, colorful sign that reads “Cooking Up Some Trouble” Table with bowls, measuring cups, mixing spoons, other cooking paraphernalia Clipboard for producer Makeup paraphernalia for makeup artist Cup of coffee for perso...

8. A Ship without a Port

John 3:1-21

Drama

Angela Akers

Characters: Boss of advertising company Senior advertising executive Two or three other members of advertising team Person carrying a cross Setting: The conference room of an advertising agency Props: Conference table and chairs White poster board with ad slogans and pictures (paste magazine ads onto poster board underneath the slogan) (As the characters talk, have one person carrying a large c...

9. Give Me the Good News

Matthew 16:21-28

Illustration

Angela Akers

A doctor takes his patient into the examination room and says, “George, I have some good news and some bad news.” George says, “Give me the good news.” The doctor says, “They’re going to name a disease after you.”

10. You've Got to Go Lower

Matthew 16:21-28

Illustration

Angela Akers

Pastor David Moore tells about a man who was walking through an art gallery when he came upon a picture of the Lord Jesus dying upon the cross. As he stared into the face of Christ, so full of agony, the gallery guard tapped him on the shoulder. “Lower,” the guard said. “The artist painted this picture to be appreciated from a lower position.” So the man bent down. And from this lower position he...

11. Heaven Sent

Luke 1:26-38

Illustration

Angela Akers

According to a news story in USA Today some time back, a woman in California found a package on her doorstep that contained a car key and a note. The note quoted Bible verses and ended with these words, “This is a gift for you because I love you.” It was signed, “An angel of the Lord.” In her driveway the woman found an almost new car. It was just what she needed to replace her unreliable, twenty...

12. That Beautiful Raggedy Doll

Luke 1:26-38

Illustration

Angela Akers

On Christmas Day 1988, a beautiful story by Karen Zautyk appeared in the New York Daily News titled “Remember, It is Love That Makes Us Rich.” The story tells about a place in Edinburgh, Scotland, called The Museum of Childhood. This museum is filled with childhood treasures of the upper classes such as elegant teddy bears, puppets, rocking horses . . . and cases and cases of dolls. “In one corne...

13. Tresspassing Snowmen

Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20

Illustration

Angela Akers

Author David Bruce, in his book Don't Fear the Reaper, tells a wonderful story about a crotchety old man with a less than positive attitude. One winter, some unknown person went to this elderly man’s house and cleared his driveway. Without saying anything about it and with no expectation of compensation, he cleared the driveway. As if that wasn’t enough, using the snow which he had scraped from th...

14. A Burst of Applause

Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20

Illustration

Angela Akers

Chelsey Harmon, of the Center for Excellence in Preaching, tells about an article that appeared in the Southwest Review magazine sometime back. The article was written by Roger Gilbert who reflected on being in a crowd one day with hundreds of other people watching a partial solar eclipse. He reveals that, at the moment the moon became “superimposed” on the sun, “the entire crowd spontaneously bur...

15. Snake Bitten

Matthew 18:21-35

Illustration

Angela Akers

Jim Talley and Terry Benner in their book True Colors tell the story of a man named Joe who decided to take an afternoon walk through the foothills just above a lake where he had been fishing. Joe was comfortably dressed in shorts, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his leg as he stepped over a small log. It was then he noticed a large diamondback rattler slithering int...

16. Forgiveness Is His Business

Matthew 18:21-35

Illustration

Angela Akers

In 1983 Mehmet Ali Agca was in the midst of the crowd in St. Peter’s Square. He pulled a gun out of his pocket and tried to assassinate Pope John Paul II. He was arrested and imprisoned. In January 1984 the Pope visited the prison, and when he walked through the cell door, he said to the young man, “I forgive you.” The papers in the city of Rome made much of it, but one editorial writer made a si...

17. Come Home To God

Joel 2:1-11

Sermon

Angela Akers

A patient, while recovering in the hospital from a heart attack, met this over zealous evangelist. For half an hour, the preacher lectured the man on being thankful for God's mercy and repenting immediately of his sins. "Tell the truth, brother," the pastor remarked. "During your heart attack, didn't all your sins flash before your eyes?" With a mischievous grin, the patient responded, "Don't be...

18. Time For A New Vision

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Angela Akers

Before her death in 1997, Jeanne Calment was the oldest living human whose age could be verified by official documentation. This remarkable French lady claimed she owed her longevity to chocolate, olive oil, and port wine. On her one hundred and twentieth birthday celebration, someone asked Ms. Calment, "What is your vision of the future?" With a twinkle in her eye, Ms. Calment replied, "Very bri...

19. Of Cats and People

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Illustration

Angela Akers

I want to share a little essay that one inspired author wrote about his cat. It’s titled “Of Cats and People” and it was shared via a website called www.laughandlift.com. It’s by Michael Newnham: “Lord, this cat you gave me . . . she just doesn’t listen. I told her the rains were coming . . . she goes out anyway and comes back soaked. I told her not to lie in weeds . . . yet every day she comes i...

20. THE DESIRE OF YOUR HEART

Drama

Angela Akers

SUBJECT: Happiness CHARACTERS: Woman, Genie SETTING: Living room PROPS: Football jersey, used bottle of medicine, receipts, old lunch box Woman: "I can''t believe we accumulated all this junk! Give me one year and an empty closet, and I''ll have it ruined by the end. Football jerseys, old medicine--it''s bad when your penicillin is growing mold--receipts...yuck! some old lunch box. I bet it ...

21. THE EXHAUSTION OF THE EVERYDAY

Drama

Angela Akers

SUBJECT: Exhaustion, loneliness, help, listening CHARACTERS: Radio psychiatrist, Woman, Phil, Boss SETTING: One-half of stage is Phil''s garage, one-half of stage is Woman''s house PROPS: Two small tables, each with a telephone on them, two radios, some grease rags or tools for working on cars Radio psychiatrist: "Hello out there! This is Dr. Ray, waiting to hear from you. Do you have a prob...

22. WHERE DO I GO FOR A REFILL?

Drama

Angela Akers

SUBJECT: Exhaustion, spiritual nourishment, church CHARACTERS: Waiter, Man SETTING: Diner PROPS: Table and chairs, coffee pot and coffee cup, plate with some food, apron for waiter Waiter: "Hey, what can I get you?" Man: "Burger and a cup of coffee, please." Waiter: "You got it." Man: "Oh, and keep the refills coming." Waiter: "Whatever you say." (Waiter brings him burger and coffee. Man...

23. WHAT DOES YOUR CROSS SAY ABOUT YOU?

Drama

Angela Akers

SUBJECT: Sincerity, insincerity, commitment, sacrifice, appearances CHARACTERS: Four teenage girls: Shauna, Wendy, Liz, Kendall SETTING: The mall PROPS: A wooden cross necklace, various cross necklaces, bulging shopping bags Shauna: "Hey, guys, where to next?" Girls: "I don''t know." "I''m hungry." "I''m just about maxed out." Wendy: "Ooh, let''s check out the jewelry store." Girls: "Okay...

24. FLESH AND BLOOD BEINGS

Drama

Angela Akers

SUBJECT: Bullies, rejection, difficult people CHARACTERS: Mom, Son (about 6th or 7th grade) SETTING: Son''s room PROPS: Desk and chair computer Mom: "Hey honey. How was school?" Son: "Fine." Mom: "That was the sorriest-sounding fine'' I''ve ever heard. Did something bad happen?" Son: "Nothing out of the ordinary." Mom: "Ouch. So do you want to talk about it?" Son: "Can''t you see I''...

25. CAN WE TALK?

Drama

Angela Akers

SUBJECT: Communication, growing up CHARACTERS: Dad, Son (fourteen or fifteen years old) SETTING: Living room PROPS: None necessary. Might want to use mail, schoolbooks, book bag, etc. Dad: "Hey, how was your day?" Son: "Fine." Dad: "Just fine? Are your classes going well?" Son: "Yeah." Dad: " Yeah'' as in, I''m making B''s and C''s'', or Yeah,'' as in, If I sit behind the bigger kids i...

Showing 1 to 25 of 55 results