Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1 to 25 of 348 results

1 John 1:5--2:14

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... young lady who has Down's Syndrome. When she was growing up her brother would fight other young people who ridiculed Jeanna because of her looks. Still she could pray "Dear Jesus, thank you for making me the way I am and I love you anyway." She was saying hello to herself. Here is an illustration from the other side of the fence -- and I probably have shared this with you -- I know I have shared it as a perception. A couple of years ago, my wife, Jerry, attended a women's retreat led by Sister Susan out at ...

2. Hello!?

Romans 8:26-39

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... salvation to be microchip miniaturized. We are eager to pray that the check we just wrote won't bounce but we are hesitant to ask God to deliver Bosnians, Croats and Serbs from the simmering pot of hatred that keeps them locked together as bloody adversaries. "Hello!?" This is the God who calls Christ the firstborn of all creation and then chooses to shape the rest of us into the image of this Christ. It is the transformative power of God, embodied by the once-for-all-time sacrifice of Christ, that refuses ...

3. Say Goodbye -- Say Hello

Sermon

Richard Hasler

... become a human being like ourselves, shows us the way to say goodbye to an old way of life and to say hello to a new adventure. And what are the implications of Jesus' pioneering for us? The concluding words of the passage explain, " ... has that indomitable spirit after suffering a major financial loss, but she did. She was ready to say goodbye to that staggering reversal and say hello to a new chapter in her life. How we dread the unpredictable in our lives. Having suffered loss once, we play things safe. We ...

4. Sometimes Goodbye Is Hello

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Gerald Whetstone

... world in Jesus Christ. Across several years the disciples had walked with him the dusty roads of Galilee. Now they had experienced the leaving of their Lord. And yet he was still with them. They had said goodbye. But to say goodbye was also to say hello. And what is it, really, to say "Good-bye"? Once, centuries ago, English-speaking Christians parted saying, "God be with ye." In time, it became "God be wi' ye," and finally, "Good-b'ye." Jesus' ascension fills the phrase with the full power of its meaning ...

5. Introduction and “Hello”

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... fully through his Son, Jesus Christ. Believers are relationally bound together by their common submission to the lordship of Jesus, who has called and sanctified them as his community. Teaching the Text Although this section on one level functions as a simple “hello, it’s me, Paul, again,” it is packed with theological content. 1. Christian ministry must be guided by God’s will. Throughout Paul’s letters we find a strong emphasis on divine calling. Paul serves not out of personal ambition but out ...

6. Being Hello People

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

... business. He calls his friends one after the other. As soon as they discover what he's after they grow very cagey. They back off, get cool, and say goodbye. After several such goodbyes, he says to one of them, "You're so much better at saying goodbye than hello. You don't want to get involved. You open the door just a chink. But when you say goodbye, you're warm and palsy.” Much of the time, we're the goodbye people - fending off intruders from our privacy. We don't want people to get too close. What ...

7. Hello, God?

Psalm 141:1-10, Matthew 6:5-15

Children's Sermon

CSS

Object: A cell phone What do you do with this? Maybe I can phone God. Pretend to have a conversation with god about some of your pastoral concerns. Start with "Hello, God? I don't want to sound like a complainer but I was on hold for a long time." Pace around the altar as you speak. Come up with some funny things like not enough parking spaces. At the end tap the phone and say...are you there? God, are ...

8. Good-Bye Mardi Gras, Hello Lent

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

Lent, the season of preparation for Easter, begins today. Traditionally, Lent is marked by prayer, fasting, self-reflection, and repentance. Lent is sufficiently serious that some Christian calendars have installed a season to prepare for it. It is called Mardi Gras. Whereas Lent projects a somber, almost lugubrious mood with a theme of denial and self-discipline, Mardi Gras is just the opposite. It is a time for parades, parties, and dancing in the streets. The celebration called Mardi Gras is, of course ...

9. Communication: You Can’t Make Them Talk

Illustration

Donny Silverman

... returned to his home and played back his telephone answering machine to discover that his message to callers had not registered beyond his initial "Hello." Transcribed, the tape of the exchange between machine and one caller ran as follows: "Hello." "Hello. Hello. . . hello!" (click.) "Hello." "Hello, hello. . . hello, hello!" (click.) "Hello." "Hello, hello. . . You see, operator, he says 'Hello,' but he won't say anything else." "I'm sorry, sir. We can only connect you with your party. We cannot make him ...

10. Your Home Page

Hebrews 13:1-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... gifts. The ultimate in hospitality is sharing one’s space, which is what we do as the body of Christ. The ultimate in a home page is being with another person, which is what brings wholeness and well-being. So this morning: “Hello — Wholeness and Well-being to you.” COMMENTARY The final chapter of Hebrews begins with a very Pauline-type list of exhortations, admonishing readers to exhibit both actions and attitudes that will identify them as disciples. Although none of these mandates are absolutely ...

11. The Voices Of Christmas

Drama

Jerry Nordstrom

... : I know we’re overdrawn, but we’ve got to eat! And you know who invited two more mouths to feed. CORPORATION MAN: (On phone) Hello, dear. Yeah, it’s me. Ah, sorry not to call you earlier - Ah, yeah, sorry about dinner but you see, I’m, I’m, ah, ... bells! My dad would bundle us kids up in a big buffalo robe. We always went to church on Christmas. TRADITIONALIST: (On phone) Well! Hello, dear! Such a nice surprise! I didn’t think we’d hear from you till we saw you! How nice of you to call! ( ...

12. A Prayer to a Good, Good Father

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... gone to pieces. Can we fix it? Is there time? “Hate and violence just increases. We’re so selfish, cruel and blind. “We fight and kill each other in your name defending you “Do you love some more than others, we’re so lost and confused? “Hello God, are you out there, can you hear us?” (2) Speculation about prayer often leaves us with more questions than answers. No wonder the disciples came to Jesus one day and asked, “Teach us to pray.” “Teach us to pray.” Does that mean that there is ...

13. THE OLD MAN IS WASTING

Drama

Jerome W. Nilssen

... it’s nothing confidential; you don’t have to leave the room. JAREL Never intended to. SETH Suit yourself. (Speaking into the receiver) Hello, Harbinger, Seth Ajax here. Sorry I didn’t call earlier, but I’ve been tied up. I want you to sell all ... ahead. Maybe you can make us both rich. SETH (Dialing) Don’t laugh. Things happen fast in the modern world. (Into the receiver) Hello, Starkright. Seth Ajax here. I’ve been thinking about that swampland you’ve been trying to sell. And the fact is that ...

14. Unbelievable (A Drama about Anger, Sin, and Speech)

Ephesians 4:1-16

Drama

Dave Marsh

... gotten here 2 minutes earlier, I would have been on my way. But now I’m sitting behind this minivan. I think there are 8 people in there! They must be ordering everything on the menu! I’m doomed!!!!!!!! Dave: Finally. (looks in drive thru window) Hello? Hello? There’s like 10 people in there just standing around. Couldn’t one of them get my sausage McMuffin? What a bunch of slackers! C’mon. Don’t make me honk my horn here folks. Ooops, here she comes. Finally. Dave: "Hi." (gives her the money ...

15. The Will

Mark 13:1-31

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... that I’ll be with them in fifteen minutes or so. Scene 2 (In the law firm’s reception room. Receptionist is seated at a desk and Jen is sitting in a chair, filing her nails and rapidly chewing gun. Carl enters.) Carl: Hello, Jen — long time no see. Jen: (coolly) Hello, yourself, Carl. What’s this meeting all about? And what for? Carl: What do you mean? Jen: Well, coming 1,000 miles to this crummy lawyer’s office. Carl: Dunno. Jen: You don’t know, either? Is this some mystery? Carl: Maybe Merrial ...

16. The Weakest Link

1 Timothy 1:12-20

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , weakest-link status. It is our very "hanging-by-a-thread" nature that makes us ripe for divine intervention, for the re-forging gift of salvation, the miracle of stronger-than-steel, magnolia faith. We ARE the weakest links. Not good-bye! But hello. Hello divine mercy. Hello Christ's gift of grace. Hello a new beginning in service and love. I want you all to look around you this morning? Look at as many people as you can. Who among you is the weakest link? Who would you vote off? Beware. That's the exact ...

17. The Echo of Your Words

Luke 6:38

Illustration

Chuck Swindoll

A young boy lived with his grandfather high in the Swiss Alps. Often, just to hear the echo of his voice, the boy would go outside, cup his hands around his mouth, and shout, "HELLO!" Up from the canyons the reply reverberated, "HELLO...HELLO...hello...hello..." Then he would call out, "I LOVE YOU...I LOVE YOU...I love you...I love you..." One day the boy seriously misbehaved and his grandfather disciplined him severely. Reacting violently, the child shook his fist and screamed. "I HATE YOU!" To his ...

18. EPISODE 4: THE FOURTH WEEK IN LENT

Drama

Robert Clausen

... that you have heard me. And I pray that these people may believe that you have sent me.... Lazarus, wake up! Wake up, and breathe the air of earth again. [LAZARUS sits up in the casket, opens his eyes, and yawns. Then he sees JESUS.] LAZARUS: Hello, Lord. JESUS: Hello, Lazarus. LAZARUS: It’s good to see you, Lord. We’ve been waiting for you. JESUS: I’m here now, Lazarus. We can go and have supper together. LAZARUS: I’m feeling mighty hungry. [He looks down.] Why am I sitting in this box, Lord? JESUS ...

19. The Forbidden Anger

Matthew 5:21-26

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... her anger rubbed off on me a little. So, one day when I saw this lady outside, I walked out to meet her. Before I could even say hello, this lady said, "Mr. Bouknight, I am so glad to meet you. I am proud to welcome you to this community, and even though I'm not a ... , "You see, that was anger. Now I'll show you exasperation." Again, the father dialed the number, and when a voice roared "hello," he calmly said, "This is Melvin. Have there been any calls for me?" Jesus second truth about anger is this: It is ...

20. The Business of Deception

Luke 4:1-13

Drama

Dave Marsh

... the plan. Tell her what she’s doing ultimately won’t matter. Yeah. Oh, real subtle like. (Demon #1 enters) Take her out to where the kids are smoking in back. Yeah. Sure and if that doesn’t discourage her enough show her her paycheck. Good. Okay. Bye. Satan: Hello, Mr. Allegations. Please, have a seat. Demon #1: Thanks. I need it. What a day. Satan: Didn’t I assign you the Harper case? Demon #1: Yep and boy is it a doozy. As you know, this guy works as a middle manager down at the GE plant. Straight ...

21. THE EXHAUSTION OF THE EVERYDAY

Drama

Angela Akers

... : 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 problem? Let me explore your neuroses and expose your psychoses. Call 555-8000 to let Dr. Ray into your mind. I can help." (Woman turns off radio and picks up ...

22. How to Lower Your Temper (-ature)

Proverbs 16:32

Sermon

James Merritt

... in your home, either with your wife or one of your kids? I'm talking about the old-fashioned kind when everybody is yelling at the top of their lungs, going at it tooth and tong. About that time the phone rings, and instantaneously you pick it up and answer "Hello-o-o-o. May I help you?" You just proved that your anger can be controlled and your temper can be tamed. Wise old Solomon gives some wise old advice on how to handle an age old problem. Think fast, talk later "He who is slow to wrath has great ...

23. Where's Dad?

Matthew 2:13-18

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... , sir, er Dad. Happy Holiday. Merry Christmas! Long time no see. Naw. (shakes head, sits down, twiddles nervously) Proprietor: (offstage) Paging Brad Nelson. Paging Brad Nelson. Line 2. (Brad looks startled. He gets up quickly and looks for and finds a telephone.) Brad: Hello, hello, this is Brad Nelson — Dad? Yeah, I’m here at Pitts Bowling Alley like we planned. Yes, I’m fine. What? You can’t make it? (pauses for imaginary conversation on the other end) Well, what about what we had agreed to talk ...

24. Revelation 22:12-14; 16-17; 20-21

Revelation 22:1-6

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , last “goodbye.” But as the final chapter of this final good-bye is offered, the focus is upon the promise of Jesus’ return. This “goodbye” is precursor to a new “hello,” a welcome into a new reality that Jesus declares is coming — like his return — “soon” (a promise made in both 22:7 and 22:12). Both good-bye and hello, it may be best described as a commencement speech. What Jesus’ return will bring with it is “his reward,” what the risen and glorified Christ has to offer to ...

25. The Great Discovery

Luke 15:14b-18a

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... a poached egg – or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was and is the Son of God: or else a madman or a demon.’ Make your choice. I did. (Mere Christianity p. 41 The MacMillan Company, 1960) LEE STROBEL: Hello. My name is Lee Strobel from Illinois. I wrote the book The Case for Christ. For much of my life I was a skeptic. In fact I considered myself an atheist. To me there’s far too much evidence that God was merely a product of wishful thinking, of ancient ...

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