Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1 to 25 of 60 results

Isaiah 60:1-6 · Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Perhaps you’ve heard of the passenger sitting relaxed on an airplane. A man appeared with a parachute. The man asked the passenger, “Would you like to join me?” “No, thank you,” said the passenger, “I’m very happy where I am.” The reply came back from the man with the parachute, “Do as you like, but I should tell you, I’m the pilot.” I don’t know about you, but if I saw a man on a plane carryin...

2. A Pep Talk for a New Year

Matthew 2:13-23

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

I’d like to start this morning by wishing everyone a very Happy New Year. I can’t think of a better way to start this New Year than gathering with other believers and worshiping God. Most of us try to go into the New Year with a positive attitude. Sometimes it helps if we get a little encouragement, maybe a “pep talk” to get us in the right mindset. If so, we’re in luck. There is a kindergarten c...

3. Stop in the Name of Love

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

A few years ago, the mayor of Oak Lawn, a suburb in Chicago, got tired of people rolling through stop signs, or ignoring them completely, as they passed through his community. So he thought he’d get people to pay a little more attention. Underneath each stop sign in Oak Lawn, he placed a smaller sign that created a phrase. Soon, people passing through Oak Lawn saw traffic signs that read “. . . ST...

4. If It Had Been a Snake

John 1:29-42

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever been looking for something and discovered it was right in front of you? In the South there’s an old saying about missing something that is in plain view: If it had been a snake, it would have bit you. You shake your head and feel like a fool. But this experience of missing what is obvious is so common that it is even the subject of psychological studies. Alejandro Lleras is a profes...

5. Shiny Objects

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever heard of Shiny Object Syndrome? Many of us may suffer from this syndrome and we don’t even know what it is. Shiny Object Syndrome is the desire to constantly chase new trends, to try whatever new thing comes along in technology, or management techniques, or fashion or food. There’s nothing wrong with jumping on new trends. It’s good to be open to change. But you know you have Shiny O...

6. Finding Your Dream Job

Matthew 4:12-23

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Just for a second let yourself dream big. What would be your dream job? The one that would even made Mondays exciting. I came across a list of real but unusual jobs. Some of them require unusual skills. Some of them just require patience or a strong stomach. See if any of these fit the criteria for your dream job: The first one is golf ball diver: these folks dive for the golf balls that end up i...

7. The Sound of Silence

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

I want to ask everyone this morning to take a moment and listen to the sounds around you. Do you notice that there are sounds going on all around us that we ordinarily block out? We can hear our own breathing. We can hear the church heating system, or the sounds of traffic outside, or our neighbor tapping their foot on the floor. We are constantly surrounded by some kind of noise, whether we reali...

8. Out of the Darkness

Matthew 5:13-20

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Does anybody else have a tough time with winter darkness at this time of year? We’re still six weeks away from the start of spring, and most of the U.S. is experiencing short days and long nights. Medical studies show that people have less initiative and are more likely to get the blues during the darker winter months. It seems that most of us don’t function well without light. There’s a small to...

9. Rule Breakers

Matthew 5:21-37

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever noticed how many rules we unconsciously follow each day? Most of us were raised with a list of rules that help us to get along with others or to achieve some goal: Share your toys. Pick up after yourself. Don’t run with scissors. Kids often get frustrated because they have so many rules to follow. Because nobody is perfect. We all bend the rules occasionally. Yes, rules can keep us s...

10. A Tattoo for the Heart

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

(A meditation for Ash Wednesday) It’s an old story, but it bears repeating. An armed robber accosted a French priest on a dark, back street in Paris and demanded his wallet. As the priest opened his coat to reach for his wallet, the thief caught sight of his clerical collar and immediately apologized. “Never mind, Father,” he said. “I didn’t realize you were a priest. I’ll be on my way.” The pri...

11. Time to Listen

Matthew 17:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever had someone tell you the ending to a story or movie when you really wanted to experience it for yourself? How did that make you feel? It’s frustrating, isn’t it, when someone ruins the end of the story for you. And there’s nothing you can do about it. No wonder it’s called a “spoiler alert.” Then again, I read a story about a funny way to take revenge on a friend who ruins the endin...

12. Close! But No Cigar!

John 3:1-17

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever gotten an unexpected visitor? Maybe you’ve just settled into your easy chair for the evening. Your only plan is to turn off your mind and relax a while. And then the doorbell rings. There go your plans. Who knows what needs are on the other side of that door? All you know is your plans for the evening just got put on hold. You may remember a story that made international news back i...

13. Do You Know the Gift of God?

John 4:5-42

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Would you say you’re a good conversationalist? If you were plunked down in a room full of strangers, how quickly could you start up a conversation with someone? Would it all be chitchat, or are you better at meaningful conversations? Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science, studies communication and human interaction. In his studies on conversation, he and his colleagues compiled a list ...

14. A Life-changing Question

John 9:1-41

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever noticed how many questions you ask each day? We are constantly learning from our environment, and asking questions is a big part of that. It’s the best way to learn. Usually. But you have to ask the right questions too. Not every question leads to greater knowledge. Some questions lead to greater frustration. A few years ago, when the internet was fairly new, a woman named Nancy wan...

15. The Complete Picture

John 11:1-45

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Quick quiz for you this morning: whose portrait is on the front of the one-dollar bill? That’s right, George Washington, first President of the United States. If you have a one-dollar bill on you, I’d encourage you to take it out right now and look at it. Don’t worry, this isn’t my sneaky way of taking up a special offering. If you don’t have one on you, you may want to look up an image of one on ...

16. A Reminder of the Graciousness of God

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever been the victim of gossip or rumors? Ever overheard a snide comment that you weren’t supposed to overhear? Knowing that others are judging you, looking down on you, can be a painful experience. There are many warnings in the Bible against gossip and judging others because these activities harm human relationships and they don’t reflect the character of God. I read a news story about...

17. Equipped for Our Calling

Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23)

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

This morning we’re going to start off with a little confession time. It’s good for the soul. Every once in a while, do you wish you could call in “sick” to work and have a day to relax? There’s an old term that is used for skipping out of some obligation, like not going to work or school when you’re supposed to. It’s called “playing hooky.” It comes from an old Dutch term for the game “hide-and-se...

18. Places That Have a Memory

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Do you believe places have a memory? I know that seems like a strange question this morning. Don’t worry, I drank my coffee. I’m firing on all cylinders. But are there places in your life that evoke such strong memories that when you go back to them, you can almost see and feel and smell past experiences there? Or have you ever stood in a place and felt the stories emanating from its walls? I feel...

19. All We Are Left With...

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Do you ever find yourself reminiscing about someone you love who has died? Maybe at family gatherings or when your friends get together the conversation eventually turns toward someone you loved. And you start sharing stories about this person. Stories about their quirks and silly side. Stories about their habits or hobbies or advice they shared. And with every story, a little more of that person’...

20. Living at Cross-Purposes

Matthew 10:24-39

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever committed yourself to a project or a goal, and then changed your mind? Have you ever thought, “Maybe I bit off more than I can chew. This is going to take more time, more energy, more of me than I expected”? And then anxiety steps in. And regret. And we have two choices at this point: double-down on our commitment to that project or goal or walk away and admit that we weren’t prepare...

21. When You Are Weary

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

One of the amazing facts about the human race is how alike we all are. We share most of the same hopes and dreams, likes and dislikes. Even in a world of almost 8 billion people, there are certain universal things that most people agree on. To prove this, I’m going to read a series of statements. If you agree that a statement is true in your life, raise your hand. Here’s the first one: I’m a rea...

22. More Fully Understanding Christ

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

I don’t know if you have noticed all the news stories this year about new technologies designed to help us all communicate better. Many of these stories proclaim that artificial intelligence, or AI as it is popularly known, will revolutionize the way we communicate, whether through writing emails or articles or using social media or simply texting or talking on the phone. And all of that is well a...

23. What Heaven Will Be Like

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

We all like to believe that we are moral people, don’t we? We’re good people. Or good enough compared to our neighbors. And if we ever act in ways that violate some moral code, we must have a good excuse for doing it, right? In 1995, a man named Robert Lee Brock was serving time in a Virginia prison for breaking and entering and grand larceny. While serving his time, Brock sued the Virginia priso...

24. Seeing the Truth of Jesus

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Have you ever met someone who claims they’re not the competitive type? I personally don’t believe anyone who says this. I think we all have a competitive streak in some area whether it’s in having the nicest yard in our neighborhood, or making good grades, or baking the flakiest pie crust or having the best-behaved dog. We all want to be the best at something. We all want to be number one. It is ...

25. Good News/Bad News

Matthew 16:21-28

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

A doctor says to her patient, “I have some good news and some bad news. Which would you prefer to hear first? The patient says, “Tell me the good news first.” The doctor says, “All right, the good news is that YOU ARE NOT A HYPOCHONDRIAC.” Of course, the bad news is that you REALLY ARE SICK. A doctor takes his patient into the examination room and says, “George, I have some good news and some b...

Showing 1 to 25 of 60 results