Sermon and Worship Resources

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Matthew 5:38-42

Sermon

James Merritt

... play basketball for John Wooden you had to give up some rights. Coach Wooden had a rule against facial hair. If you played for him no facial hair was allowed. After a ten day break from school, Bill Walton came to practice wearing a beard. Coach Wooden walked up to him and said, "Bill, have you forgotten something?" Walton replied, "Coach, if you mean the beard, I think I should be allowed to wear it, it's my right." Coach Wooden said, "Do you really believe in that?" He said, "Yes, I do, very much." Coach ...

2. Going the Second Mile

Matthew 5:38-42

Illustration

James Merritt

3. The Way Over Is Under

Luke 7:1-10

Sermon

James Merritt

... be continuously taught and continuously learned even after children become adults. The great basketball coach, John Wooden, had a rule against facial hair for players on his UCLA basketball teams. One day his All-American center, Bill Walton, came to practice after a ten-day break, wearing a beard. Coach Wooden said, "Bill, have you forgotten something?" He replied, "Coach, if you mean the beard, I think I ought to be allowed to wear it. It's my right. Coach Wooden said, "Do you believe in that strongly ...

4. Read My Heart As Well As My Lips

Mark 7:1-23

Sermon

King Duncan

... some adjustments to make in the NBA, and he didn't make them very well. Then abruptly he left the game. He said his heart was no longer in his playing. After some time went by, Bill Walton came back. This time his heart was in his game, and he played like it. He led the Portland Trailblazers to their first NBA championship. Then he moved on to the Boston Celtics. Now he's a television basketball announcer. It makes all the difference in the world if your ...

5. Rule Breakers

Matthew 5:21-37

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

... create a civil society. But we can also go overboard in creating rigid rules that they interfere with common sense. A man named Walton had put in an application for an apartment, and now he was appearing for his interview with the co-op board. This co ... our anger, contempt, lust, self-centeredness, and sin hurt those who are made in the image of God. I read a great quote from Pastor Bill Coffin on God’s love for humanity. He preached, “God’s love does not seek value; it creates it. Our value is a gift, ...

6. Job Hears the Whispers of God’s Works

Job 26:1--31:40

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... , they all rise to show their love and respect. Atticus Finch is the kind of man one imagines Job was. Biography: Sam Walton. While it is very common to hear the rich as a group vilified and generalized as greedy, mercenary, and lacking in generous ... it all for, will somebody please tell me? What have I done to deserve this? I worked hard all my life. I’ve always paid my bills. I’ve never diced nor gambled, never drank, never chased after the women. I’ve always honored my old mama and daddy. I’ve done ...

7. I'm On a Mission from God!

Jonah 1:1-17

Sermon

... God? • Is someone like that teenage daughter with her room filled with giggling girlfriends ... on a mission from God? • And how about someone with bills to pay, kids to shuttle, dinner to cook, a garage to clean out, and 10 pounds to lose ... on a mission from God?(1) YES ... had a lot to do with business in this country. A few years back we lost two of our best when Sam Walton, president of Wal-Mart, died in Arkansas and Tom Watson, president of IBM, died in New York City. Both were Presbyterian elders ...

8. The Gospel According to Christ’s Enemies

John 11:1-16

Sermon

Richard Hoefler

... . The winds were as high as forty miles an hour and brought down such giants of golfdom as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Bill Casper. Arnold Palmer commented on the tragic downfall of these champions, saying that the reason most of them didn’t make par was ... need to first trust him as the light and walk bravely into the darkness with him. In one of the episodes of "The Waltons" on television, John-Boy is trying to comfort his little sister as she struggles with her first encounter with death. He says, "You ...

9. You Feed Them!

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... the plight of the hungry of the world. Jesus challenges us, "You feed them!" And we can. We live in a rich world. And we are rich people. We may not feel very rich, but really we are. Granted, we may not be as rich as Bill Gates or Warren Buffet or the descendants of Sam Walton, the Walmart founder. Billionaire H.L. Hunt, in an interview with Mike Wallace, once said, "I would starve to death with an income of a million dollars a week." (2) Well, most of us aren't rich like that. Somebody has made a list of ...

10. Night Vision

2 Peter 1:12-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... if you're not awake. We live in a culture where vision is another name for how to get rich. For some vision has resulted in untold riches. The vision of the Carnegies and Vanderbilts. The vision of a Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Sam Walton. The vision of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and Paul Allen. But for others the vision thing hasn't worked out so well in the world's valuation system. The vision of Joan of Arc got her burned at the stake. The vision of Martin Luther got him excommunicated from the church ...

11. Measure of Success

Drama

Sarah Walton Miller

This skit has two visible characters: the rich man, MR. MAGNATE, and the young reporter, which part may be played by either boy or girl. The other characters are heard but not seen: Henry, the cousin; Mr. Magnate as a boy, Phillip; his Mother. Look in old family albums or junk stores for old photographs of the 1910-1915 vintage, as suggested in the script. Show with an opaque projector. However, if you wish to make the scenes visible, use one end of the playing area for the interview and the other end for ...

12. Slices of Life

Drama

Sarah Walton Miller

Here are some short skits to be used as springboard to discussion. These little "Slices of Life" point up some of our less desirable characteristics. Make up your own questions. IN THE DRESS DEPARTMENT two girls ONE: I can hardly wait to try these dresses on! Hand me the blue lace. TWO: This one? But this one is a size too small. Here - read the tag yourself. ONE: I did already. TWO: Shall I go see if there’s one like it in your size? ONE: There isn’t. I looked already. I’m going to try this one. Maybe it’ ...

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