Sermon and Worship Resources

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John 1:1-18

Sermon

Frank Lyman

On September 16, 1998, a funeral service was held at the First United Methodist Church of Montgomery, Alabama. It was the funeral service for George Wallace, the former governor of Alabama. In the 1960s Mr. Wallace was the symbol for racism and bigotry in our country. In his 1963 inaugural speech he proclaimed, "Segregation Now, Segregation Tomorrow, Segregation Forever!" When African-American stu...

2. An Enormous Answer

John 20:1-18

Illustration

Frank Lyman

John Dunne writes of the impact of the resurrection upon humankind: "The Resurrection is an enormous answer to the problem of death. The idea is that the Christian goes with Christ through death to everlasting life. Death becomes an event, like birth, that is lived through." What a magnificent statement of faith. Death is merely another event in the ongoing process of life something one lives thr...

3. April Sky

John 20:1-9

Sermon

Frank Lyman

Several years ago, when Margaret Thatcher was prime minister of Britain, a terrorist's bomb exploded in the conference room where many of the government meetings were held. Margaret Thatcher survived this blast, but some of her cabinet members were killed. The following Sunday, Margaret Thatcher went to church as she always did. But that particular Sunday seemed different. As Margaret Thatcher sa...

4. Different From A Camel's Hair Sport Coat

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Frank Lyman

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was moving toward a fevered climax. NBC had shown marching bands and recording artists who casually paused in the middle of Fifth Avenue to "lip-synch" their latest recording! Massive balloons of "Bullwinkle" and "Underdog" and the excitement in the announcer's voice made it obvious that Santa and his Reindeer were just around the corner. It was then that a small...

5. Does Everyone Do That?

Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

Frank Lyman

The story is told of a farmer who went into town for a little breakfast. As his meal was set before him, he bowed his head and offered a silent prayer. The man at the next table derided him, "Hey, does everybody do that where you come from?" "No," said the farmer. "The pigs don't."

6. Finishing In The Top 10%

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

Frank Lyman

Two tiny legs disappearing under the water. That is all the 16th Century Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel depicted of poor Icarus. Two tiny legs. Pieter Bruegel was a moralist as well as a paintera moralist who saw human folly in many guises. In his work, "Landscape With The Fall of Icarus," he portrayed that folly through an interpretation of the Greek myth of Icarus. We recall that Icarus escaped K...

7. General Hospital

John 9:1-12

Sermon

Frank Lyman

When William Montague Dyke was ten years old, he was blinded in an accident. Despite his disability, William graduated from a university in England with high honors. While he was in school, he fell in love with the daughter of a high-ranking British naval officer, and they became engaged. Not long before the wedding, William had eye surgery in the hope that the operation would restore his sight. ...

8. His Name Was Rocky Johnson

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

Frank Lyman

Can you make an accurate judgement of a person based on his or her name? There was a motion picture sometime back with the simple title, "Heathers." The movie gave a less than flattering portrait of young women with that name. Is it true? When you choose names for your children, do you give thought to what their name might mean to their future success in life? In an issue of the Journal of the A...

Luke 18:1-8

In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength, but through persistence. Let our prayers be streams which beat upon the rock of Evil.

Frank Lyman

10. Like Cupped Hands

Mark 10:1-12

Sermon

Frank Lyman

The head of a large real estate company kept a small sign above his desk that read, "I'm the Boss." One of his salesman taped a note to the sign that read, "Your wife called, she wants her sign back!" Old shoes tied to the back bumper of a car signify that the couple inside have just gotten married. Where did this custom come from? In days of yore, historians tell us, the bride's father gave the ...

11. Like Everest Without Oxygen And Wimbledon Without A Racquet

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

Frank Lyman

Recently I heard about a Scotchman who was admitted to Oxford University. He moved into a dormitory. His clan was excited that one of their own made it into such an exclusive school. His mother worried, though, how he'd do with all those snobbish Brits in a strange land. She gave him a month to settle in, and then called him. "How do you find the English students, Donald?" she asked. "Oh Mother," ...

12. Others Better Qualified?

Matthew 16:13-20

Illustration

Frank Lyman

I read that in their 1909 high school yearbook, students in the high school in Abilene, Kansas, where young Dwight D. Eisenhower attended school, voted him most likely to be a history teacher in the future. Strangely enough, they voted his brother, Edgar Eisenhower, as most likely to be elected President of the United States. The other disciples were probably surprised when Jesus named Simon "Roc...

13. Passions

1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Sermon

Frank Lyman

A mother mouse was giving her baby mice their first tour of the barn. She and the children walked from one end of the barn to the other. They were enjoying their walk until they came face to face with a large cat who seemed quite eager to pounce upon them. But, rather than succumb to cruel fate, the mother mouse drew up her face, looked the cat straight in the eye . . . and began to loudly bark li...

14. Skating To Where The Puck Is Going To Be

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Frank Lyman

In his book, South Carolina Off The Beaten Path, William Fox tells an apocryphal story of two wealthy Charleston matrons who escaped Charleston's oppressive heat by summering in Paris. When they fell upon hard times and could no longer afford Paris they shuttered themselves inside their home, venturing out only at night to catch the ocean breeze. One night a boy recognized them and was ready to gr...

15. The Good Son

Matthew 21:28-32

Sermon

Frank Lyman

Kevin, that irascible scamp of the Home Alone movies, is one of Hollywood's beloved characters. As portrayed by Macaulay Culkin, he is mischievous, playful, innovative and just as cute as could be! But what really made Kevin such a fine character was how he taught us the value of family. We learned that even if we're not always that crazy about the folks we live with, when we're separated from the...

16. The Price of Doing Good

Luke 18:1-8

Illustration

Frank Lyman

I like the story told of the man who was stopped by St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter told him, "Not so fast. We've got a new policy now. You have to tell us that you've done a very good deed." The man said, "I have done a good deed. I once saw a gang of skinhead bikers picking on a little old lady. I went up to their leader, told him he ought to pick on someone his own size, punched him in...

17. Through The Storm, Through The Night

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

Frank Lyman

Two twelve-year-old boys, Bob and Mike, broke a window while playing baseball. They looked around to see if anyone had seen them. No one was in sight, except for Mike's little brother. They went over and offered him a piece of candy not to tell. He refused it. "I'll give you my baseball," Mike said. "No," said his little brother. "Then what about my new glove?" Bob added. "No!" said the little bro...

18. To Be Abased, To Abound, To Be Content

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

Frank Lyman

It's the awkward moment of Christmas morning. The family is gathered around the tree having a grand time opening the presents. As the presents are opened, everyone "Oohs and Aahs" and gives thanks to the one who gave the gift. Then comes that moment which spoils the mood. A gift is found beneath the tree which cannot be identified. No one remembers wrapping it. No one recalls receiving it, and wor...

19. When The Fish Won't Bite

Luke 5:1-11

Sermon

Frank Lyman

You may have read about a man in California who has to be the worst bank robber in history. He went into a Bank of America in San Francisco and wrote out a stick up note on the back of a deposit slip. He got in line to present his note to the teller, but while he was in line he started thinking that maybe somebody saw him writing the stick up note. Maybe they were calling the police right now. So ...

Showing 1 to 19 of 19all results

Showing all results

1. All My Children

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Frank Lyman

2. An Enormous Answer

John 20:1-18

Illustration

Frank Lyman

3. April Sky

John 20:1-9

Sermon

Frank Lyman

4. Different From A Camel's Hair Sport Coat

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Frank Lyman

5. Does Everyone Do That?

Luke 17:11-19

Illustration

Frank Lyman

6. Finishing In The Top 10%

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

Frank Lyman

7. General Hospital

John 9:1-12

Sermon

Frank Lyman

8. His Name Was Rocky Johnson

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

Frank Lyman

Luke 18:1-8

In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength, but through persistence. Let our prayers be streams which beat upon the rock of Evil.

Frank Lyman

10. Like Cupped Hands

Mark 10:1-12

Sermon

Frank Lyman

11. Like Everest Without Oxygen And Wimbledon Without A Racquet

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

Frank Lyman

12. Others Better Qualified?

Matthew 16:13-20

Illustration