Sermon and Worship Resources

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Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

Carroll Gunkel

What do we think of when we see members of the Salvation Army? We might think of individuals quaintly garbed in uniforms which are seemingly anachronistic for our day and time. Or, we might think of Christmas when Salvationists appear on street corners and in shopping centers with bells, buckets, and tambourines. Or, we might remember the concern shown by members of the Salvation Army in wartime or during natural disasters. When I think of the Salvation Army, I recall a young woman and her two children who ...

2. Mairead Corrigan and Betty Williams

Luke 1:67-80

Sermon

Carroll Gunkel

I suggested that the sermon I preached on the life and ministry of Dr. Tom Dooley was begun more than twenty years before it was actually preached and had no real starting point. This message has a more recent and specific beginning. This sermon was begun on Tuesday, August 10, 1976, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. On that day and in that place Anne Maguire went for a walk. With her was her daughter, Joanna, aged eight years, who preceded her mother, pushing her infant brother Andrew, aged six weeks, in a ...

3. William Booth and His Hallelujah Army

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

... come back that evening and hear his wife preach. Thus began years and years of an effective team ministry - a woman and a man in the pulpit. Catherine Mumford Booth later said, "O prejudice, what will it not do! ... That woman is in any respect except physical strength ... inferior to man I cannot see cause to believe, and I am sure no one can prove it from the word of God" (The General Next to God, by Richard Collier). About the time Amelia Jenks Bloomer of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was calling for women’s ...

4. William Booth and His Hallelujah Army

1 Thessalonians 4:16

Children's Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

Objects: a tambourine, a trumpet, and something representing a soldier, like arm stripes Good morning, boys and girls. Perhaps you know what I’m holding up: This is a tambourine; listen to the noise it makes. This is a trumpet; it can make a loud sound. And these are military stripes; they don’t make any noise at all. I show you these three things because they tell us about a saint who shaped the Christian church years ago. His name was William Booth. Mr. Booth grew up under poor circumstances and was a ...

5. William Barclay on the Rich Fool

Luke 12:13-21

Illustration

William Barclay

The problem with the Rich Fool is he never saw beyond himself. There is no parable like this one which is so full of the words, I, me, my and mine. From verse 16 to 19, four verses, so much is revealed in the frequency of the personal pronouns. Listen to how many times they are used: I, I, my, I, I, I, my, my, I, my. A schoolboy was once asked what parts of speech my and mine are. He answered, "Aggressive pronouns." The rich fool was aggressively self-centered. It was said of a self-centered young lady, " ...

6. God's Hello People

1 John 1:5--2:14

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... later, another note came: "Dear Miss Williams, they just told me I will be graduating first in my class. I wanted you to be the first to know, because you did so much for me, and I am so grateful. The university has not been easy, but I've loved it." And four years later, again: "Dear Miss Williams, as of today, I am Grover Junior Johnson, M.D. How about that? I wanted you to be the first to know. I am getting married next month, the 27th to be exact, and I was wondering if you would come and sit where my ...

7. You Can Be Happy

Mark 1:29-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... little bird singing, fit to burst its heart. Isn't it a glorious morning? How good it is to be alive!" That young man did not will himself to that change of attitude. It was not a choice he made. Something happened to him within. He fell in love. He was touched. So ... Christians." "No they weren't," the wise missionary quietly replied, "but I am." (3) Gorman Williams had his priorities in order. What would it take to make you happy? Every study I have seen on the subject indicates that people who are actively ...

8. Where's George?

Luke 15:1-7, Luke 15:8-10

Sermon

King Duncan

In the early 1930s, George Burns and Gracie Allen were enjoying moderate success with their new television show, but they weren't drawing in the audiences like they wanted to. They needed some way to get people interested in the show. The solution came, improbably enough, from one of Gracie's scatterbrained comedy routines. George knew that one way to get the comedic juices flowing was to ask Gracie about her brother, George. Gracie was a master at weaving dizzyingly tall tales about her brother, who was ...

9. Moving At The Speed Of Light: Nazareth: Family Ties

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Sermon

Frank Luchsinger

When I was a child and my mother started thinking out loud about "going home," she meant driving to Grandma's house a thousand miles away. This trip from Ohio to Nebraska with two parents, five children, and sometimes a dog did not happen in our unairconditioned family sedan without considerable planning and effort. Just packing the car strained family cordiality and tested my father's training as an engineer. His plan was always the same: Be on the road shortly after midnight and drive all night so that ...

10. The Greatest Show on Earth

Matthew 24:36-51, Mark 13:1-31, Mark 13:32-37, Luke 21:5-38

Drama

Dave Marsh

... time bring you his special gift that you will remember for a lifetime. John: Whoo-doggy! Doesn’t that give you goosebumps? Barb: I’m not sure what it gives me. John ... am I talking about? Today is December 3rd! Barb: Yeah? John: Well, you read it yourself. Andy Williams is coming over! Barb: What? He’s not coming over here! John: Oh yes he is! Read it again. Barb: (rolling her eyes) Saturday December 3rd, Andy Williams comes to Charlottesville for one magical evening. John: AHA! See? He’s coming over! I ...

11. Who's The Neighbor

Luke 10:25-37

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... right here in L.A., Milt. And I'm ready to play. MILTON: Well, I guess if you're ready, so am I. Audience, how about it? ("CHEER" SIGN IS HELD UP AND AUDIENCE CHEERS) It looks like we're ready to play WHO'S YOUR NEIGHBOR! As usual our story is a classic. Gentlemen, you must act out the parts assigned to you. The other parts will be played by professional actors. Here are your scripts. Let's begin. (THE THREE CONTESTANTS WALK TO THE SIDE OF THE STAGE, LOOKING AT THEIR SCRIPTS) ANNOUNCER: (IN A STORYTELLING ...

12. Light For A New Year

Isaiah 60:1-22

Sermon

King Duncan

To help us get this New Year off to a good start, I thought you might like to hear one person's resolutions--not for this year but for New Year's past. Resolution #1 1994: I will try to be a better husband to Marge. 1995: I will not leave Marge. 1996: I will try for a reconciliation with Marge. 1997: I will try to be a better husband to Wanda. Resolution #2 1994: I will read at least 20 good books a year. 1995: I will read at least 10 books a year. 1996: I will read 5 books a year. 1997: I will finish [ ...

13. Surprised On The Mountaintop

Mark 9:2-13

Sermon

King Duncan

Transfiguration of the Lord On one of his many travels across the United States Charles Kuralt unexpectedly spent a night on Mount McKinley. He had planned just a day visit, but the plane that carried him to the glacier was unable to bring him back. Since it was getting late Charles and Izzy, a photographer who worked with him would have to spend the night. Charles admits a feeling of fear swept over him in that strange deserted place. There was a cabin on the mountain not too far from where they were, ...

14. 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. If it failed, he would remain blind for the rest of his life. William insisted on keeping the bandages on his ...

15. Being Prepared

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

Hurricane Bob was bearing down on the Atlantic coast. Safe in his home on that same coast, a man named J. R. thought he was well prepared. The power failed, but that didn’t faze him. As night fell, he simply fired up some oil lamps and placed his Coleman camping stove on top of the electric range in his kitchen to cook his dinner. So what if he had no electricity? He was able to enjoy a delicious meal thanks to his Coleman stove. He commended himself on his foresight. He went to bed secure in the knowledge ...

16. God Can Turn Your Trash Cans into Treasure Chests

Psalm 51:1-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Southeast Asia is hot. The economies of its countries are sizzling, especially Viet Nam and Indonesia, with the highest growth rates of almost anywhere on the planet. Investors and tourists from all over the world are flooding both countries. Of course, Bali, Indonesia, is where everyone wants to go. But if I could go anywhere in Southeast Asia, it would be the island of Sumatra. Why Sumatra? Because this island is the archipelago of 17,000 islands known as “Indonesia” is where the “manna” of that country ...

17. Hosanna! Please Save Us!

Matthew 21:1-11, Matthew 26:14-16

Sermon

King Duncan

In our social-media obsessed culture, we assume that everyone wants to be in the spotlight. Everyone wants attention. That’s what Facebook, Instagram and TikTok want us to believe. But being the center of attention can be exhausting and isolating too. Actor George Clooney said in a recent interview, “There are restrictions to this kind of fame. I haven’t walked in Central Park for 15 years. I’d like to, you know?” And actor Johnny Depp said in an interview on the Today show, “[Being famous] is a little bit ...

18. The God Of The Living

Luke 20:27-40

Sermon

King Duncan

Jewelry salesman Alexander Makowski was devastated. Just three weeks before, in Phoenix, his sample case had been stolen. Now he had returned to the parking lot of the San Diego hotel where he was staying to find that his car and jewelry worth $100,000 were missing. Alexander could take no more. He climbed to the balcony over the hotel atrium lobby, lifted himself over the railing, and plunged five floors. Mr. Makowski ended his life at fifty-nine years. The real tragedy was that if he had looked in the ...

19. Extraordinary Faith

Luke 7:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... in the bottom of a tin to save them until planting time. One day they were discussing their future as tulip bulbs. NO said, "As far as I am concerned, this is it. We have come as far as we are going to come as bulbs. That’s all right. I’m content. I don’t need anything else." MAYBE said, "Well, maybe there is something more. Perhaps if we try real hard good things will happen to us." And MAYBE tried hard to be all that he could be, but little changed and soon he gave up in frustration. YES, on the ...

20. Who's The Blind One Around Here?

John 9:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

... said it was while others said it wasn't the same person. The man born blind kept saying, "I am the man." He was the same person who was born blind but could now see. "How could this be?" they asked. "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it ... was all free. Stanley laughs as he tells about the time he was called by the American Cancer Society. They asked if he would be willing to drive people to the hospital. Obviously they didn't know he was blind. Stanley called around and found someone to drive. For two years ...

21. Two Promises For A New Year

Luke 2:8-20, Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

Tom Ervin, Professor of Music at the University of Arizona was attending a conference for music teachers in New York. While at the conference he purchased a talking metronome. A metronome is a device for counting the beats in a song. Before Tom and his son boarded their flight home, Tom hefted his carry-on bag onto the security-check conveyor belt. The security guard's eyes widened as he watched the monitor. He asked Tom what he had in the bag. Then the guard slowly pulled out of the bag this strange ...

22. A Caddie Worth Having

Illustration

Two golfers stepped up to the first tee on the St. Andrews course at Ardsley, New York, one of America's oldest courses. The elder one was a kindly man who played a thoughtful, deliberate game. The younger man was full of pride and impatience. On the first hole he sliced, lost his ball in the tall grass, shot another one, and had a score of eight instead of four or five. On the second tee he began to lecture the caddie: "Keep your eye peeled. I'm not here to do your job for you!" Thereafter, every bad shot ...

23. God Breaks into Our Lives

Mark 9:2-9

Illustration

King Duncan

William Boggs' grandfather played a very important role in his life. Grandpa Boggs had been blind for nearly twenty years. Grandpa would tell you quickly that the way the world was going he didn't much care to see it anyway. He did have one regret however. He had never seen his grandson. Sensing death closing in on him, William's grandfather began praying more intensely for the Lord to give him sight, just long enough to see his grandson before he died. The doctors had told him that it was an impossibility ...

24. Historic: The Declaration of Independence

Illustration

Staff

The unanimous Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies in Congress, July 4, 1776 When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold ...

25. After the Parade

Mark 11:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

Welcome to this celebration of Palm Sunday. Today is a joyous occasion as we remember the crowds of people who lined the streets of Jerusalem to welcome our Master into their city. Ironically, today is also, of course, April Fools’ Day. Maybe that is more appropriate than ironic. For, after all, didn’t St. Paul teach us the Gospel is foolishness to those who do not believe? “A stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles . . .” is the phrase he used (1 Corinthians 1:23). So perhaps April Fools’ Day ...

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