Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1 to 25 of 39 results

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

I read of a pastor, who confessedly tells that he is not the neatest person in the world, but discovered his daughter was on the way to becoming an even messier housekeeper than he. His approach was always to come at a problem not only with both self-confession and identification but with a bit of humor. When she came home from school one day, he caught her as she walked in the door and said, “I h...

2. Tearing The Sky To Get To You

Mark 1:9-15

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

No one in the growing crowd saw anything out of the ordinary. Not even those standing a few feet away from John heard the voice. Not a single person felt the ripping of the air above their heads. Only one person saw it. Only one person heard it. Only one person felt the sky rip apart. Even without witnesses we know the account was absolutely true. We know it occurred because the one who told about...

3. Did I Say That Out Loud?

Mark 8:31-38; 9:2-9

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

Have you ever been in a situation where you don’t know what to say? Many people have. It is hard to imagine that a pastor would ever be in that position. But all of us have faced it, experienced it, and remember that moment. Maybe it was something unbelievable and there you stood with your mouth wide open then suddenly you say something. Yes, you say something incredibly dumb. Been there—done that...

4. The Road to the Passover

John 2:13-22

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

It was Samuel’s twelfth birthday and for the first time in his life, he would accompany his Father Lemuel to the Passover in Jerusalem. Every Jewish male from twelve years on was to make the pilgrimage to the Holy City and to the temple to make their Passover sacrifice. It was a long journey so Lemuel traveled it without his family - until this year. Samuel was twelve and had to accompany his fat...

5. A Nod of Recognition

John 3:14-21

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

There was a game show on television. Some of you may remember the 1970’s remake of it, and a few may even remember the original from the early 1950’s. It was one of those shows that keeps cycling back into our lives in different formats. Today, iTunes even has a version of the game. It is called “Name That Tune.” The rules were simple, the host would play a few notes from a popular song and the co...

6. An Encounter with Jesus

John 12:20-33

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

“We Would See Jesus” has been the title of books, songs, and most likely hundreds of sermons. It is a great phrase loaded with dozens of directions that a preacher can go with a sermon. It is a temptation for any preacher to take the phrase where he wants it to go but the truth is that staying inside this story, without leaping in countless directions is the very best way to teach and understand w...

7. It’s Sunday…But Friday’s Comin’

Mark 11:1-11 · John 12:12-16

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

As a pastor and a preacher I’ve developed my own top ten of messages I’ve heard preached by other men and women. One of my favorites is Tony Campolo’s “Its Friday…But Sunday’s Comin.’” Dr. Campolo told the story of a little preaching competition that he had with his pastor during services at the church where he attended. Dr. Campolo told how he preached the perfect sermon, perfect in every way. He...

8. And That’s All I Need To Know

John 10:11-18

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

As many Sunday school teachers do, Miss Johnson pulled together her young students so they could prepare to memorize Psalm 23. She approached the pastor wanting to have the students present their memory work to the whole congregation on Sunday morning a month from that date. Little Bobby was initially excited about the memorization and being able to recite his part before the church. He wanted to...

9. Wash All of Me

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

“Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right.” This anonymous quote cuts to the center of our Maundy Thursday lesson. Jesus had been teaching the disciples about humility inside the kingdom of God. That was a lesson they had struggled with. After all their time together, you may remember, the brothers James and John had come to him and asked that Jesus do for the...

10. How Does Your Garden Grow?

John 15:1-8

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

Our scripture reading from the gospel of John tells of Jesus teaching his disciples about remaining connected to him in order to grow strong in their Christian lives. He used an illustration that people of his day would have understood easily. Grapevines were readily handy and they were most likely grown by most homes as a source of food and drink. The disciples, who were once boys, would have ten...

11. Love Is a Verb

John 15:9-17

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

Most of you may not remember Art Linkletter on television but he always had a section on his show titled “Kids Say the Darndest Things.” There is something so very honest and innocent about their views on the world’s toughest subjects. Following Linkletter’s example, a group of professionals gathered and asked a group of four- to eight-year-olds “What does love mean?” Here are some of their answer...

12. Get the Picture?

John 18:1; 19:42

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

Each one of us is either a mother, a brother, a sister, a father, or a friend to someone. We have all felt the loss when a relationship or a relation passes from this life to the next. We know the pain, the depression and grief of that loss. (You may wish to insert a personal loss here.) I know and you know it. Try to imagine the pain of Mary, Jesus’ mother; Peter, his disciple; John, a faithful ...

13. Profiles In Joy

John 20:1-18 · Mark 16:1-8

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

Little Philip, born with Down’s syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday school class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences, according to an article in Leadership magazine. But because of a creative teacher, they began to care about Philip and accept him as part of the group, though not fully. The Sunday afte...

14. I Doubt It!

John 20:19-31

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

(This sermon requires previous set-up for the opening. The writer suggests a male member of the congregation is prepared ahead of time to call the pastor on his cell phone. They should follow the script below.) This morning will be a little different. I am expecting a call from a well-known person. I am taking the call during the service and will put it on speaker phone so everyone can hear. You’...

15. Don't Fall

Luke 22:39-46

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

After New Year’s Day an office worker decided to go on a diet. She did fairly well for about a week then she started to think about her one guilty pleasure. It was a cream filled donut from a certain bakery she passed on the way to work. For years she had stopped there regularly to get coffee and a cream filled donut. Not every day but a few times a week. On this one particular morning as she was ...

16. As You Sent Me, Then I Send Them

John 17:6-19

Sermon

Timothy W. Ayers

In our gospel reading today, Jesus is praying for his disciples. We find that he is broadening the meaning and scope of the title disciple. It not only included those who surrounded him at that moment, and the many who believed in him but it appears to refer to all those who are beyond the Jews. The passage seems to refer to all believers of that time and the future. In other words, even us. He p...

17. Saturday Night At The Fights

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Marriage, marriage battles, dysfunctional couples, relationships, arguments Characters: Husband, wife, announcer, referee. Husband and wife are dressed in shorts and t-shirts with boxing gloves on Scene: Boxing ring Announcer: (Can be offstage or dressed in a tux onstage) Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Palace's Saturday Night at the Fights. This evening's full card is brought to you b...

18. Get With The Program

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Ambitions, organization, potential, career, budgeting Characters: Husband, wife and computer voice offstage Scene: Home office, computer on a desk Paul: Honey, Penny, Honey. Come in here. I've got to show you the new program I got for the computer and the new sound chip. This thing is so great. Man, this thing will do everything for us. Penny: (Enters from door) What was all that yelling ab...

19. Born Leader

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Unselfishness, head of church, leadership, ministry teams, servanthood, dictator Characters: One male and voice offstage Scene: Man at a desk Man: OK, now how should I start this speech to my ministry team? My peons. No, that won't do. (Crumbles up paper and tosses it on each mind change) How about, you little people better listen up. Nah, won't work. Listen up, I'm the ministry leader and ...

20. Fruit Or Twinkies?

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Fulfillment through the fruit of the spirit Characters: Husband and wife Scene: The kitchen of the home of Bill and Sarah. As the scene opens Bill is carrying several different items of food to a table at center stage. He begins to munch on something when Sarah calls from offstage Sarah: Bill, what are you doing now? Bill: I finished patching that hole in the bedroom so I'm going to have a ...

21. Here I Am, Lord; Send Somebody Else!

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Missions, inner-city, summer missions Characters: 4 Scene: Twilight Zone-ish Character 1: Me, go overseas! You've got to be kidding me. First of all, I can't even speak a foreign language. Even worse, I have no language aptitude at all. I guarantee I have absolutely nothing in that department. I failed pass/fail French class. I don't even know the difference between French bread and French ...

22. Pass The Buck

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Responsibility of knowing Christ, salvation, temptation, evangelism Characters: One male or female, a devil, and an angel, the same sex as the lead character Scene: Moody, dark lighting Devil: Confused again? Let me help you. Angel: Stop it, you're the one who confuses him all the time. He needs to make a decision about this thing and he needs to do it soon. Devil: I don't know if he needs ...

23. Everybody Plugs Into Something

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Salvation Characters: Narrator, Harry, personal trainer, businessperson, God (God should he dressed in all white). Trainer, businessperson, and God are holding electrical receptacles from a hardware store (Put the plug covers on them) Scene: Twilight Zone-ish Narrator: Harry is a nice guy. He's always done everything the way one is supposed to. Harry never hurt anyone - intentionally. He tr...

24. Hard Sale

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Biblical truth, cults Characters: Salesman, man, woman Scene: A kitchen table Salesman: OK, so what do you say? Which one will it be? He: We can't just make up our minds like that. We need more time ... She: More information ... He: More research ... She: More reasons ... Salesperson: Exactly what is it that you think that you need? I have explained everything that I can. She: We can't just...

25. Is It Really Worth It?

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Easter services, inviting neighbors to church, cost of salvation, Christ's payment on the cross Characters: Husband and wife Scene: Living room or family room Wife: I was reading in the paper that two of those churches that are near our house are having special Easter Services. Husband: (Reading the mail) Yeah, so what? Wife: So, I'd like to go. Husband: Come on. Why? Why give up a quiet, p...

Showing 1 to 25 of 39 results