Synonyms: renounce, relinquish, dispense with, forswear, disclaim, disown, disavow, discard, wash one's hands of, give up, stop, cease, drop, forgo, desist from, have done with, abjure, abstain from, discontinue, break off, refrain from, set/lay aside, desert, leave, leave high and dry, turn one's back on, cast aside, break (up) with, vacate, quit, evacuate, withdraw from, surrender, cede, yield, indulge in, give way to, give oneself up to, yield to, lose oneself to/in, uninhibitedness, recklessness, lack of restraint, lack of inhibition, unruliness, wildness, impulsiveness, impetuosity, immoderation, wantonness
Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on
Showing 1 to 25 of 48 results
Understanding Series
Gerald H. Wilson
... ’s Lord of the Rings murmuring to his “precious” ring. The picture is extreme and communicates Job’s sarcastic rejection of the charges leveled against him. Not only does Job refuse to trust in gold, but he also denies having rejoiced over his former riches. His disavowal here is consistent with his response to the loss of his family and possessions at the end of chapter 1: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of ...
Sermon
King Duncan
... Jesus is like! It is the hunger that gnaws at the heart of every person who has ever walked this earth, even though they may not be able to give name to it, and even though, because of the baggage the name Jesus carries in the world, some may violently disavow such a need. The beggar in the slum of Calcutta and the banker in Beverly Hills both have this same basic craving, "Sir, we would see Jesus." We need Jesus for life. We need Jesus to give meaning to our existence. We need Jesus to forgive us our sins ...
3. Concluding Remarks
1 John 5:13-21
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
... there was apparent disagreement on which category some practices fit into casts some light on the claim to be “without sin” in 1 John 1:8–10. If the Johannine leadership were challenging some sins as mortal sins, to be rejected and disavowed on pain of spiritual death, and if some Gentile Christian—whose tendencies may have been bolstered by the false teachings of docetizing antichrists—were claiming that some practices were neither sinful nor a problem, that likely reflects an acute crisis faced ...
4. Apostles of Christ
1 Corinthians 4:1-21
Understanding Series
Marion L. Soards
... is also impressive. If “you look” is original, then in context it makes sense only if Paul is issuing a command for the Corinthians to look for faithfulness, not wisdom and eloquence. 4:3 As A. T. Robertson observed concerning Paul’s dramatic disavowal of concern with “human” judgment: “ ‘by human day,’ in contrast to the Lord’s Day … in 3:13. ‘That is the tribunal which the Apostle recognizes; a human tribunal he does not care to satisfy’ ” (Word Pictures in the New Testament ...
5. The Strength of Poverty
1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5
Sermon
Hubert Beck
... of them essential, some necessary within our cultural requirements, and some of them luxuries. Is it all bad to have such things? Are we suggesting that we renounce all of this, return to the wilds, wander about naked, eat berries and roots, and disavow anything whatever that may suggest we "own" anything? That would admittedly be sheer folly. Even the most primitive of lifestyles must still "possess" life and essentials, although those possessions may be held in ways other than those with which we are most ...
Sermon
Leonard Mann
... of their conduct. Persons who are created good and for open, trusting relationships, but who misuse their freedom, feel ashamed and alienated from God. This is the account of the beginning of sin. Misusing freedom leads to a second form of sin - disavowing responsibility. Adam blames Eve, and Eve projects the responsibility onto the serpent. Isn’t that what we all do? No wonder the word Adam means everyman, and includes every woman. So often we are like the elderly British woman who was hailed into ...
7. We Know Jonah
Jonah 3:1-10
Sermon
Frederick C. Edwards
... those attitudes without destroying a friendship. Sometimes that is a fragile balance to maintain, and a risk we must take to venture into that hazardous darkness of another’s prejudice. People of good will, and certainly the followers of Jesus, must forthrightly disavow exclusivism, whatever be the excuse. Of course prejudice always is substantiated by reasons, but it cannot be supported by any appeal to the God of compassion and love we have seen revealed in Jesus. On the contrary the people of God are ...
Sermon
David E. Leininger
... , the cream of Israelite society; upstanding women and fallen women; the little children loved him enough to make such a nuisance of themselves that the disciples tried to shoo them away. Even a hard-bitten Roman governor would be mesmerized enough by him to disavow any blame for his execution. Why were people so attracted to Jesus? Scripture says he was not particularly handsome. He came from no family of influence. He had no money. Was it the miracles? Perhaps. There are always some who want to see a ...
9. Why the Church?
Matthew 16:21-28
Sermon
Donald B. Strobe
... and persecution and emerged stronger than ever! There even arose a saying: The seed of the Church is watered by the blood of the martyrs. When one of the Protestant Reformers of the sixteenth century, Theodore Beza, was threatened by his king and commanded to disavow Protestantism or face death, he replied, “May it please your majesty to remember that the Church is an anvil which has broken many hammers! So it has. Jesus said, I will build my Church, and the gates of hell (powers of death) shall not ...
Sermon
Donald B. Strobe
... Most of the Christmas songs,” she said, “are so distressingly theological.” “Well, replied the minister, “Christmas was a rather theological affair, wasn’t it?” It was. And for the life of me I cannot understand people who try to disavow its theological dimension. Thus I cannot understand why, in our pluralistic society, there should be government-sponsored Nativity Scenes on United States Post Office lawns. Nor can I understand why some Christians seem willing to allow Christmas to be called ...
11. Family Reunion
Mark 3:31-35
Sermon
Donald B. Strobe
... .” Ibid., p. 9) And so have we, when we joined God’s Church. We became a part of God’s ongoing family. II. AMONG THE MOST SHOCKING THINGS JESUS EVER SAID are his words in Mark, chapter three. Here, it almost sounds as though Jesus was disavowing His family. How can that be? According to the Gospels, Jesus had, in addition to His mother Mary, (Joseph, by tradition, was dead when Jesus came to His maturity,) four brothers (who are named) and at least two sisters (who are not named) - probably because of ...
Sermon
David G. Rogne
... to his belief that he had committed the unforgivable sin. After one such terrible bout he wrote: Damned below Judas; more abhorred than he was, Who for a few pence sold his holy Master! Twice-betrayed Jesus, me, the last delinquent, Deems the profanest. Man disavows, and Deity disowns me.... There, indeed, is despair -- the despair of one who feels disowned by God. It has been my experience that there are still individuals who feel that they have done some deed so heinous that they cannot be forgiven by God ...
Sermon
Harold Warlick
... above" and that which does not come down "from above." Here is a clarion call for a battle between two wisdoms, Godly and human. James seeks to stress the importance of some guidelines for proper conduct which make a person "wise." At the same time he disavows certain conduct that sabotages true wisdom and undermines human living. James ticks off a veritable catalog of objective qualifications for the wise person in a litany of do's and don'ts. The author is not standing with a smile on his face and stating ...
Sermon
Stephen M. Crotts
... Money was involved, and they couldn't settle it between them. The elders were called in, a solution was found to everyone's agreement and relationships were maintained. Church Discipline But again, what if matters still aren't resolved? What if the elders' advice is disavowed? Then church discipline must be invoked. It is never issued by one elder, or by a pastor. The text says the elders (plural) are to do it. The mildest censure is a simple admonishing or rebuke. "John, how can a man of your stature allow ...
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
... the deaf, the leprous, even raises the dead out of his great love for all. Lion of Judah: The assertiveness of the Messiah is revealed by Jesus' disregard for social expectations. He sought out and preached the good news to the poor, to those disavowed and discounted by all others. Lamb of God: The meekness and vulnerability of the Messiah is revealed by the offense and rejection Jesus receives at the hands of others. Yet he shakes off the offense that his ministry may trigger among religious authorities or ...
16. Prayer
Matthew 3:1-12
Bulletin Aid
Stephen Brown
... is liberated and the master sent away. The hungry are invited to the table and the gorged are left outside. The meek are celebrated and the proud are humbled. His judgments overturn the orderliness of our vanities… Disrupt our tidy arrangements Disavow our pretentious pronouncements Disband our forces of conquest. He comes. You send him Send your son He comes among us The Messiah appears Your anointed one sprouts. His coming… appearing… sprouting Renders the heavens and trembles the earth. All is ...
Sermon
Lee Ann Dunlap
... God's authority is not worthy of a Christian's ultimate allegiance. In 1620, the Separatists of Plymouth signed the Mayflower Compact declaring in it their loyalty to King James and England, "by the grace of God." Another group of patriots would disavow their loyalty to another English king, 150 years later, because they believed the higher biblical principles of liberty and justice were at stake. From time to time through our history other Christians have done the same, and Christians themselves have not ...
Sermon
Mary S. Lautensleger
... in encouraging them to go out and participate in activities with others, or to join you for an evening of games. Trying to provide assurance that the pain will lessen or finally go away does not give hope in the present. It will more likely work to disavow the person's loss, and discount his or her pain. There may be times when we think to ourselves, "Well, they got exactly what they deserved" or "He brought all these troubles upon himself." Don't go there. "Retribution and reward," or the idea that you get ...
19. Mark 1:21-28
Mark 1:21-28
Sweet
Leonard Sweet
... implications and responsibilities. Convinced that food is simply necessary sustenance for the body, these believers are disregarding any ethical implications that might accompany what and when and how they eat. Paul begins this chapter's conversation by disavowing this premise and challenging the purely intellectual approach to the ethical issues confronting the Corinthian church. Rather than "knowledge," Paul announces in verse 2 that he intends to show the Corinthians another way to debate and determine ...
20. Mark 1:21-28
Mark 1:21-28
Sweet
Leonard Sweet
... implications and responsibilities. Convinced that food is simply necessary sustenance for the body, these believers are disregarding any ethical implications that might accompany what and when and how they eat. Paul begins this chapter's conversation by disavowing this premise and challenging the purely intellectual approach to the ethical issues confronting the Corinthian church. Rather than "knowledge," Paul announces in verse 2 that he intends to show the Corinthians another way to debate and determine ...
21. Acts 8:26-40
Acts 8:26-40
Sweet
Leonard Sweet
... poignant message for the eunuch as well. Despite his status as a high-ranking minister in the queen's court, despite his education and polish, the most defining element of this Ethiopian's identity was surely his physical nature. He knows that Scriptures disavow his right to belong fully within Jewish society, that they define his general status as one ritually impure, that they disbar him from the sacred space of the temple. Through no fault of his own, the Ethiopian eunuch is judged and found guilty ...
22. Servants of the Most High
Jn 15:1-8; Rom 7:7-8:2
Illustration
Brett Blair
... High." Okay. Now, when I hear words like this, I want to respond with, "I am the Walrus, goo goo g'joob." Beatles fans will understand. This kind of Utopian Christianity is only possible in a perfect world. It is even said that John Lennon later disavowed his secular version of this starry eyed optimism, his song Imagine. Even as the best of Christians, we struggle with sin: revenge, hatred, lying, sexual desires. Paul understood the struggle. What he wanted to do, he did not do. What he did not want to do ...
Sermon
James Merritt
... thought Jesus was dead. They were hiding behind closed doors. They were scared for their lives and yet after Easter these same disciples went out boldly proclaiming that Jesus Christ was alive. All but one of these disciples suffered violent deaths, yet none of them ever disavowed their testimony that Jesus Christ was the Son of God who literally and bodily appeared to them after He had died. Now it is a psychological fact that no one will willingly give his life for what he knows to be a lie. Many people ...
24. Tenacious Grace
Luke 7:36-50; John 3:17
Illustration
Leighton Farrell
... 't seemed fair to people. Why was Jacob not denounced by God for his conniving ways? Why was David not disowned by God for his disgraceful actions? Why was the adulteress not condemned by Jesus for her open disregard of the moral laws? Why was Peter not disavowed by God after his blatant denial of Christ in the courtyard? Why was Paul not banished by God forever because of his persecution of the Christians early in his life? Why? That is the question: Why? And the answer is because there is nothing in the ...
25. Hope
John 12:20-33
Sermon
David E. Leininger
... , the cream of Israelite society; upstanding women and fallen women; the little children loved him enough to make such a nuisance of themselves that the disciples tried to shoo them away. Even a hard-bitten Roman governor would be mesmerized enough by him to disavow any blame for his execution. Why were people so attracted to Jesus? Scripture says he was not particularly handsome. He came from no family of influence. He had no money. Was it the miracles? Perhaps. There are always some who want to see a ...
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