Sermon and Worship Resources

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Matthew 6:19-24

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... racks or on the seats. We ask you to prayerfully fill out those cards this week and come to worship next weekend prepared to place them on the chancel rail in an act of dedication. Let me close with one of my favorite Charles Allen stories. You may remember that the late Charles Allen was one of the great Methodist preachers of the 20th Century. He grew up in the Loudsville community of White County, Georgia. His family had very little money, but they didn’t need much in those days. One Christmas Eve when ...

2. Something That Will Last Forever

Matthew 6:19-24

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... his decision, bought an item, put the package in his pocket, and ran to the wagon. While they were riding home, he pulled the package out of his pocket. It contained a huge red handkerchief. Then he handed it father and said, "I bought you a Christmas present." Charles Allen says that all across the years since then, the memory of that gift has brought him more joy than anything he has purchased for himself. A boy took the first dime he ever had and used it to purchase a gift for the father who had given it ...

3. Still Waters

Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... midst of noise and commotion. Our visions of God come only when we stop, look and listen. So the Psalmist said, `He makes me to lie down.'' `Be still and know that I am God.''" (Psalm 46:10) There are people in this church today who can identify with what Charles Allen wrote, because we have been there too: flat on our backs in hospital rooms, chafing at the bit, wanting to get up and get on with our work, but we weren''t able to, because our bodies or minds had run out of energy. We needed to lie down and ...

4. The Stepfather of God

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... . He was willing to trust God amid doubts and unanswered questions. He was willing to follow God's will for today even though tomorrow was totally unclear. Joseph is the patron saint for all of us who must live by faith in difficult and uncertain times. Some of you know Charles Allen, that great preacher from Georgia, who served so long at First united Methodist Church in Houston. Though he has been retired quite a while, he is still proclaiming the Word in his matchless style. Dr ...

5. The Way and The Truth and The Life

John 14:1-14

Sermon

Lee Griess

... faith that enables us to see the truth about our lives and to embrace the truth about God. And it is faith that brings God's gift of life to us. Faith comes from trusting in Jesus' word, following his example, and living with God. And with all deference to Charles Allen, it is not magic nor is it a secret. Because Jesus tells us plainly, "I am the way and the truth and the life." Throughout John's gospel this has been the theme. In Jesus, we have life. In fact, in the very beginning of his gospel that's ...

6. Magnify Your Ministry!

Romans 11:11-24

Sermon

Raymond Gibson

... as if theirs was only a profession. Some doctors look forward to the day when their annual income exceeds $100,000. This attitude affects young men and women interested in the ministry. Dr. Charles Allen tells of a young man who came into his office seeking a career. He asked, "What does the ministry have to offer me?" Dr. Allen replied, "You asked the wrong question. Perhaps you should consider another vocation." Only as we believe that what we are doing for others is for the glory of Jesus Christ and his ...

7. Behold The Man Who Took The Victory

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

... the eyes of his enemies, in the eyes of his followers, and in the eyes of untold millions of people across 20 centuries. This was his defining moment, and this enables us to see who he is. In one of his books United Methodist minister Dr. Charles Allen quotes a historian who wrote, "When the final history of mankind has been written, its proudest glory would be that there once walked into ancient Jerusalem and into the hearts of mankind a simple peasant named Jesus of Nazareth."2 Because of him and because ...

8. When God Is Silent

Psalm 35:1-28

Sermon

Erskine White

... 's hard for some people. When a conversation falls silent for a moment, some people just have to jump in and say something, whether it is intelligent or not! But this woman wasn't like that. She waited through Jesus' silence for Him to speak. Charles Allen tells how some engineers were faced with the problem of lifting a very heavy section of a bridge which crossed an ocean bay. None of their cranes were big enough to do the job. They tried everything and nothing worked. Finally, they lashed giant pontoons ...

9. Wounded Healers

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... . I cannot tell you how many people come in to my office in tears and say to me, “I just want someone to listen to me. I just want someone to understand me. I just want someone to love me.” There is an old story about the great preacher Charles Allen. He says that, over the years, people jokingly have told him that he is the “world’s greatest counselor.” He explains: “Someone comes to me and I ask, ‘How are you doing?’ And they tell me. Then I ask, ‘What do you think the problem is?’ And ...

10. He Pitched His Tent Among Us

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... of His Presence, pierced to the heart by His sacrificial love poured out for sinners such as we are. But consider another possibility, and let me pose it with a word from Dr. Charles Allen. Charlie Allen, as he is affectionately called, has been the Pastor of the largest United Methodist Church in the United States-First Church, Houston. Dr. Allen is a Georgia boy, and has been one of the most popular preachers in the United States during the past 25 years. We’re hoping to have him for a preaching mission ...

11. What Are Spiritual Gifts For?

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sermon

Harold Warlick

... by which the Christian community is founded as he is with its purposes. This concern parallels, interestingly enough, our contemporary concern with so-called New Age spirituality. Charles Allen, the great Houston, Texas, pastor, used a technique many ministers have alluded to in their efforts to travel. Sometimes on an airplane you just want to be left alone. Allen, when he didn’t want to be pestered by fellow travelers seated next to him, employed a simple procedure. He would take out a Bible, open it ...

12. The Poor In Spirit

Sermon

John A. Terry

... poor cannot afford to buy a kingdom. But in God's economy, the kingdom becomes theirs. These are not things we do to buy God's favor. But having nothing ourselves, God gives the ultimate gift. In this blessing, the inheritance is the kingdom of heaven. Charles Allen (in God's Psychiatry) tells the story of Frederick William IV of Prussia visiting a school and asking the children some questions. Pointing to the stone in his ring, the flower in his buttonhole, and a bird that flew past the window, he asked to ...

13. The Poor In Spirit

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

John A. Terry

14. Cross Connections

John 18:1-11

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... Little wonder the author of Hebrews calls Jesus "the source of eternal salvation" and bids us "approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Amazingly, the throne of grace is the cross. Charles Allen Dinsmore had it right: "There was a cross in the heart of God before there was one planted on the green hill outside Jerusalem."7 Cruciform disciples, likewise, continue to be the best hope for the world God continues to love. 1. P. T. Forsyth ...

15. The Persecuted

Sermon

John A. Terry

... is delivered as easy and amusing, it is another kind of religion altogether."1 "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." We are often willing to do so until it becomes inconvenient. Charles Allen tells of a friend of his who went to a large church to preach at a special Good Friday service. The weather was extremely bad and only a few people came. Apologetically, the host pastor said to the visiting pastor, "If it had not been for ...

16. The Persecuted

John 15:18-27

Sermon

John A. Terry

17. The Things Which Remain When All Is Lost

2 Samuel 12:1-31

Eulogy

Thomas A. Pilgrim

... 's house there are many rooms." There is a room there for all of us and especially for those of whom Jesus said, "Let the children come unto me, and forbid them not, for to such belongs the kingdom of Heaven." There is a place there for ____________. When Dr. Charles Allen's wife died, one of his church members said to him, "I'm sorry you lost your wife." He replied, "I haven't lost her. I know where she is." We can say that today. We know where ____________ is now. A wise old retired preacher told me once ...

18. Recovering From the Blahs

1 Kings 19:9-18

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... but there are 7,000 who have not bowed their knees to Baal. Our depression often results from lack of perspective of the whole as only God can see it. We get so caught up with our problems that we cannot see anything other than our troubles. Charles Allen tells of a college girl who wrote to her parents that she had a skull fracture and concussion from jumping out of her dormitory which had caught on fire. She told of a nearby gas station attendant who came to her rescue and called the fire department ...

19. Faith Opens the Door

Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

Faith opens the door in the human spirit that allows an individual to step from one dimension of living into a higher dimension of living. Dr. Charles Allen tells of a desperate layman who called him one morning over the phone and urgently requested him to come to his office. The businessman continued, "Would you tell me what it means to be a Christian? I have got to know." We ministers are challenged by such a request, but ...

20. The Sabbath - Delightfully Different

Exodus 20:1-21, Mark 2:23-3:6

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... had spent more time watching a little cork bob up and down in the water"..."I wish I had read more story- books to my children and grandchildren." In short, I wish I had observed a Sabbath each and every week. That magnificent preacher from Georgia, Charles Allen, likes to tell about some American explorers who went to Africa. They employed some native guides. The first day they rushed to cover as much distance as possible. They did the same thing on the second, third, and every day. On the seventh day they ...

21. The Temptation to Talk Transformation

James 2:14-26

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Dr. Charles Allen, the now retired United Methodist preacher from Houston, Texas, shared, tongue in cheek, a survey he once made in his church: 10% of the members cannot be found 20% -- never attend 25% -- never pray 35% -- never read the Bible 40% -- never give financially to the church 70% -- never attend Sunday ...

22. Believe in Jesus

Acts 16:25-34

Sermon

James W. Moore

... not surprised because we know that they were followers of Jesus. That’s what the followers of Jesus do. They reach out in love and compassion to others. Authentic followers of Jesus serve as the conduits of His love, the instruments of His compassion. Dr. Charles Allen in his book, The Miracle of Love tells about a man visiting with a little girl. She was showing the man her doll collection. She had dolls of all shapes, sizes and textures and she was so proud of her dolls. “Which one is your favorite ...

23. Practical Tips For Powerful Prayer

Matthew 6:5-15

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... s power to needed places, giving God an added chance to do what he wants to do even before we pray, but has an added opportunity to do because we pray. Prayer is not persuading God to do something. It is just laying hold on God’s willingness. Charles Allen, that late, great preacher in Houston, says that “the main job of the church is to teach people to pray.” I hope to help in that regard today, by offering some practical tips for powerful prayer. Our scriptural focus is Matthew 6, a portion of Jesus ...

24. Resurrected Peace (Series: Living on the Resurrected Side of Life)

John 20:19-23

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... And he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Let the Holy Spirit form a sentinel around your heart and guard your heart. Hearts can be broken, betrayed, abandoned, and hurt. Let the Holy Spirit heal the wounds of your soul and make you whole. Charles Allen, long-time pastor of First Church Houston in a previous generation, offers a top ten list for finding peace in the valley. On the list are these things: 1. Worry is a habit – break it 2. When upset, think more, say less 3. Put on a ...

25. The Perfect Antidote For Worry

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4: 6-7) Pastor Charles L. Allen tells of a particularly meaningful Thanksgiving service he attended. During the opening hymn, Allen looked out over the congregation. Near the front, he saw the couple who had lost their son to the war in Korea. A few rows behind them, he saw a certain lady who had desired ...

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