Sermon and Worship Resources

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Matthew 7:7-12

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... to preach. The eldest served and died in China, telling thousands about Jesus. The second boy, Charles, started Christ church, our church! During his fourteen years here, more than 4000 new members stood at this altar and professed faith in Christ. Younger brother Ed pastored churches faithfully for over forty years. Just think of the thousands of people brought to Christ by those three men of God. And what brought those three to Christ? The prayers and example of a devout mother. God is still a miracle ...

2. Annie's Gift

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

King Duncan

... can do. "I'm still not going down to the front. I slipped my card to young Joe. He's ushering this morning. He'll make sure my card gets turned in. I hope nobody finds out how little I gave. But it was the very best I could do." Pastor Ed tried not to notice who was bringing their pledge card to the front and who was not. Most of the people in the church supported the drive. There were many new young families in the church. Of course, they were excited. It bothered him that their general level of giving ...

3. Pentecost Communion Meditation: Monologue Of A Saint

Acts 2:42-47, Acts 2:14-41

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

... of that season. I also wanted to give the people some idea of who I was. This monologue uses a "glorified" saint, who has been an observer from the beginning, to introduce the Pentecost theme, as well as me -- their new pastor. Monologue of a Saint I know you were expecting your new pastor, Ed Thorn, to speak this morning, but he invited me to come, introduce him and his wife, and another person as well -- the person of the Holy Spirit.Since this is the second Sunday in the season of Pentecost, I can speak ...

4. Searching For A Lost God

Romans 9:30--10:21

Sermon

King Duncan

... no idea what to say, so he sat in silence. The minister repeated the question, "Young man, where is God?" The boy still said nothing. The pastor thundered one last time, "Young man, I said, `Where is God?'" The boy jumped out of the chair, ran from the room, grabbed his little brother ... . You will make a good substitute for the one we can't find." And so the first witness placed his hand on Ed's head, swore the oath, and the trial began. (2) "Lord, I want to be a Christian," says the old spiritual. That ought ...

5. Do You Know How to Listen?

Mark 9:2-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... you hear me?” And Mutt answered, “No.” It’s an absurd routine, of course, but sometimes we may deliberately tune out someone else. Pastor John Kramp reports that his grandmother had a unique way of ending arguments with her spouse. When Grandma got tired of listening to her ... was to caddy this course day after day. Every inch of the fairways, rough and greens was etched permanently on his brain. Ed, the caddy, told Ron Mehl, “If you want to play this course well, you have to trust what I say.” (7 ...

6. Redefining Life

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... in the flesh from him. All God said was, "My grace is sufficient." Paul would never be overwhelmed by his thorn, he would never be undone by it, never scandalized by it. God's grace was sufficient. In the year 2000, Pastor Ed Dobson was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. He asked a pastor friend to anoint him with oil and pray for his healing. The two men discussed the fact that sometimes God answers a prayer for healing just the way we want Him to, and sometimes He doesn't. Sometimes we receive ...

7. A Blast from the Past

Deuteronomy 6:20-25

Sermon

James Merritt

... two weeks after I had been called as pastor of that church. For almost three months I could not go to that church and preach. Yet every week that church sent me a check for $100 even though I had only been their pastor for one Sunday! I could tell you ... does work in our present, and will work in our future. Let me tell you about a man named Ed. Almost every Friday evening, without fail, when the sun was going down, Ed would go to the beach to his favorite pier, carrying a bucket of shrimp. He would walk out ...

8. The Level Ground Beneath The Cross

Romans 3:21-31, Romans 3:9-20

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... because of the heavy make-up) came down to the front and gave her heart to Christ. She happened to be the madam of one of the most notorious brothels in the city. Ed talked with her and assured her that he would help her find a church home. That turned out to be harder than he thought. His own pastor refused to receive her. Ed found another church that had more of the heart of Christ than his own. In this Christian fellowship, this transformed woman forged a new life. Before her death, she had won 56 young ...

9. Spin-masters Need Not Apply

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Sermon

King Duncan

... the judge. "Yer Honor," he declaimed, "They ain't any more of that pig in that man's smokehouse than there is in mine!" (1) Well, Ed was telling the truth, after a fashion. In Washington, they would say he was putting a spin on the situation. In politics, when the truth is ... per cent of Americans reject moral absolutes. In an article in CHRISTIANITY TODAY, writer Tim Stafford told about a pastor friend, Stephey Belynskyj, who starts each confirmation class with a jar full of beans. He asks his students to ...

10. Unity in the Body of Christ

Ephesians 4:1-16

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... is the giver: It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers. Although this verse may look relatively simple on the surface, there are a number of issues that make its meaning difficult and ... ’s descent at Pentecost, cf. G. B. Caird, “The Descent of Christ in Ephesians 4, 7–11,” in Studia Evangelica, vol. 2, ed., F. L. Cross (Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 1964), pp. 535–45. 4:11 An old but valuable discussion can be found in J. B ...

11. Offer Them Christ

Romans 9:30--10:21

Sermon

King Duncan

... , 'Curtis, tomorrow morning I will be here at 9:30 to pick you up. Be ready.' I was always ready when she stopped by. She was someone special. The only way I can repay her is by encouraging someone else to become part of the Christian family. "I remember my pastor, Dr. Ed Berwanger, who said to me one day in his office, 'Curtis, I cannot tell you whether or not you should go to Cleveland to work in the factories with your uncles. But I can tell you this for sure. God has a plan for your life, and if you ...

12. God’s Miraculous Provision: Caring for the Needy

Mark 6:30-44

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... authority and with his power behind us. Therefore, we do not need to worry about how gifted we are (or are not), for we are his agents with his authority. Illustrating the Text The provision of daily miracles Biography: Seeing through the Fog, by Ed Dobson. In the fall of 2000 Pastor Ed Dobson was diagnosed with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). This is a degenerative disease with no known cause or cure. In his book, Dobson writes about many of the simple tasks that he can no longer do as a result ...

13. Pentecostal Power

Acts 2:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... Communication experts say that is a problem of “connection.” They tell us that this is the most important part of the communication process: Does the speaker connect with the audience? Sometimes we communicate the best when we say nothing at all. Pastor Ed Young, in his book Romancing the Home, suggests that husbands learn two techniques for listening to their wives: the “hold the bucket” technique and “the mirror stance.” Men are fixers, so when women talk about their problems men usually want ...

14. Did You Come Here to Die?

Mark 8:31--9:1

Sermon

King Duncan

... upbeat, convenient, and compatible. It does not require self-sacrifice, discipline, humility . . . There is little guilt and no punishment, and the payoff in heaven is virtually certain.” (3) Is he wrong? Pastor Ed Markquart, a Lutheran pastor in Seattle, Washington tells about an encounter he had once with a pastor named Richard Wurmbrand. Some of you will recognize that name. Wurmbrand, who died in 2001, was a Christian minister of Jewish descent in Romania who suffered years of imprisonment and torture ...

15. With a Firm Foundation, Application Is Second Nature

Matthew 7:15-23, Matthew 7:24-29

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... preoccupation with the law and application through practice is evident at several points in Matthew 7 and in our gospel lesson for today. Pastor Warren and the other purpose-driven, Prosperity Preachers of the airwaves do not quite have it right. At the very beginning of Matthew ... To St. Matthew (pp. 386-388), XXV. 4, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10, ed. Philip Schaff (2nd printing; Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995), p. 175. 10. Ibid. 11. See page 233, notes 7 ...

16. But I Really Like the Best Seat in the House!

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Sermon

... for months! "If you want to be somebody in this congregation," he was showing them, "then you have to be willing to be a servant of all." Of course, the pastor and all the lay leadership never hesitated to sweep floors, or clean out the refrigerator, or pull weeds around the building either. Many years ago I was talking with the storyteller, Ed Stivender, and I asked him what the first step was to becoming a professional storyteller. He told me that I should join my local storytelling guild and set up the ...

17. Spiritually Prepared

Mark 1:4-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... of repentance. I doubt that most people today even know what repentance really means. Repentance is a change of direction. John Ed Mathison tells a story about a middle-school principle who was having trouble with the girls in his school putting lipstick ... with no regard to the effect you are having on others? A seven-year-old girl once told her parents that she had to see her pastor. They asked her why. All she would say was, “Something is wrong, but I can only tell Dr. Steve.” Every day for two weeks she ...

18. He Left Them Where?

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... Sheep are followers. And sometimes they are not too wise about whom they choose to follow. Again, that reminds me of people. Pastor Mike Milton of Savannah, GA tells about two photos that appeared together on the front page of a local newspaper, the ... People magazine, mechanical engineer Ed Adams got buried in an avalanche. A few weeks later, it happened again. And then again. Is Ed Adams just the unluckiest fellow around? No, he happens to be an avalanche researcher in Montana. Ed Adams places himself in ...

19. Facing Difficult Decisions in Life! Part VI

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... moment. I recently read of a wealthy man who had a reputation for being stingy with his money. One day, as he talked to the pastor of his church, he asked, "Why do people accuse me of being a miser even though they know that I have stated in my will ... -by-day, something he had missed when he was traveling and earning a large salary." In short, Ed lost his job but rediscovered his life. About ten months later, Ed found a job, but he was never the same person again. An anonymous writer shares these words: If ...

20. Boasting

2 Corinthians 11:1-15, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... his care and empathetic concern for the churches. The Corinthian correspondence itself is an eloquent testimony to Paul’s pastoral care and concern for the churches. We may recall, for example, how much Paul fretted about the Corinthians and ... to allude to Ps. 68:18. Cf. Douglas M. Parrott, “The Apocalypse of Paul (V, 2),” in The Nag Hammadi Library in English (3d ed.; San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988), pp. 256–59 (here p. 259). This clear allusion to Ps. 68:18 provides evidence that Paul’s ascent ...

21. I Wonder about Life after Death

John 14:1-3

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... limited and finite because we are dealing with a journey that is beyond our comprehension. However, from my experience as a pastor and Christian I will tell you what we, as Christians, can expect when we die. First, hear a story from John Bailey ... made it happen. The most profound attempt at explaining what we can expect from the mystery of death came from my colleague and friend Ed Beck. When Ed was serving a church in Denver he had a seven year old member of his congregation named Ellen who was dying of an ...

22. Boasting

2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 2 Corinthians 1:1-11, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

23. Small Church Communion

Acts 2:42-47

Sermon

Steven Burt

... door stated that there had been forty-one baptisms in the church -- during the month of June! I wondered what it would be like to be a pastor there and to serve Communion on Sunday morning to a small intimate group of 1,300 -- then repeat it at the second mass, and the third, ... strangers who sojourn amongst us -- in brief, he is the curate of all who are in need. (Bard Thompson, ed. Liturgies of the Western Church, Cleveland. World, Meridian Books, 1962.) Justin’s description is of an intimate and joyful ...

24. A Most Unlikely Evangelist

John 4:1-26

Sermon

King Duncan

... today with the role women should play. Maybe you have heard the ridiculous story of a Pastor Nominating Committee that chose a female candidate for pastor. When the committee brought the nomination back to the church for approval all but one of ... an eyebrow. Some of you are old enough to remember when Ingrid Bergman was invited by Ed Sullivan to appear on his program. This was around 1958. For our younger members, the Ed Sullivan Show was one of the leading programs on television in those days long ago. At ...

25. Blessed Are the Abnormal

James 2:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... so nice to see you today,” as if she knew the middle class woman from their church. The clerk behind the counter obviously had a preference for the woman who was middle class and also had an obvious disinterest toward the person with a look of poverty. Pastor Ed Markquart sums it up this way, “Money talks. Threads talk. Clothes talk. People treat you differently when you are dressed in a certain way. You experience that every day and so do I.” (5) And we do. It’s normal in our society. We have two ...

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