Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: touch, feel, sense of touch, tactile sense, tactility, contact, using one's hands, sensation, sense, suspicion, sneaking suspicion, notion, inkling, hunch, fancy, apprehension, presentiment, premonition, foreboding, love, care, affection, fondness, tenderness, warmth, warmness, emotion, sentiment, emotional state, compassion, sympathy, empathy, fellow feeling, understanding, concern, solicitude, solicitousness, tender-heartedness, brotherly love, sensibilities, sensitivities, self-esteem, ego, pride, opinion, belief, view, impression, intuition, instinct, estimation, guess, theory, hypothesis, thought, way of thinking, point of view, atmosphere, ambience, aura, air, mood, climate, character, overtone, undertone, tenor, spirit, quality, flavour, colour, aptitude, knack, flair, bent, talent, gift, skill, art, trick, faculty, ability, propensity, inclination, sensitive, warm, warm-hearted, tender, tender-hearted, caring, soft-hearted, sympathetic, compassionate, empathetic, responsive, receptive, intuitive, thoughtful

Antonyms: bad feeling, acrimony, animosity, animus, antagonism, antipathy, aversion, bitterness, detestation, disgust, dislike, disrelish, enmity, friction, grievances, grudges, hatred, hostility, loathing, malevolence, malice

Showing 2476 to 2500 of 4943 results

2476. The Three Annual Festivals

Exodus 23:14-19

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... which the tenderizing effects of milk may have been sought as a special contribution to the festival. The Sinai laws repeat the injunction “Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk” twice more (34:26; Deut. 14:21). It shares a common concern with other laws the Creator gives for sensitive treatment of the nonhuman creation. Other laws protect the mother-offspring relations of lambs, calves, and kids (22:29; Lev. 22:27–28; see Exod. 23:4–5, 11–12; Deut. 22:6–7). Some commentators see ...

2477. God's Angel to Prepare the Way

Exodus 23:20-33

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... give you a full life span.” The Lord made a similar promise of health at Marah, after the Israelites crossed the sea. Deuteronomy 7:12–26 and 28:1–14 expand these blessings. The promises were bound to the worship of the true God, a central concern of Exodus. Section A′ again promises that the Lord will act to take the land from the Canaanites (vv. 27–31). Here the text does not mention the angel and the Lord directly explains the plan for fighting for them. Seven times the Lord says, “I will ...

2478. Tithes

Deuteronomy 14:22-29

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... customs (v. 1), the distinctions between clean and unclean food (vv. 3–21), and the instructions regarding tithes (vv. 22–29). It is important to see this theological continuity of thought, otherwise the laws of this chapter may seem unconnected to the dominant concerns of the book. 14:22–27 The annual tithe. The tithe law begins with the same kind of terse and emphatic summary of the law (v. 22), followed by detailed instructions, as verse 3 provides for the food laws. Another common feature is ...

2479. Feast of Tabernacles

Deuteronomy 16:13-17

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... part of a covenant faith, were matters of choice and will and commitment, as the determination to rejoice even in the midst of lament in the Psalms and elsewhere (e.g., Hab. 3:17–19) shows. Thirdly, there is the note of social inclusiveness. Concern for the poor, the weak, the economically and socially vulnerable was not confined to the rhetoric of the prophets but was embodied in the seasonal round. Israel’s family festivals reached out to those without family, in an explicit demand that is echoed in ...

2480. Various Laws

Deuteronomy 21:22--22:12

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... beyond death itself, and to spare the criminal’s family further emotional suffering (cf. Brown, Deuteronomy, p. 211). 22:1–12 The heading above echoes Mayes’ suggestion (Deuteronomy, pp. 305–9) that, apart from verse 5, the laws in 22:1–12 are loosely concerned with respect for life, animal and human. As such, they would fittingly end the section mainly related to the sixth commandment, “you shall not murder.” 22:1–4 This warmhearted law builds on Exodus 23:4–5, where it occurs in a list ...

2481. Curses from Mount Ebal

Deuteronomy 27:9-26

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... curse is directed at those whose greed attacks the original land division and who change boundaries to their own advantage (v. 17). This is followed by two curses against those who exploit the weak and vulnerable—perhaps the second most prominent concern of Deuteronomy after its covenantal monotheism (vv. 18f.). Sexual integrity is also central to healthy family structures in society, and so four curses condemn incest and perversion (vv. 20–23). Finally, the curses return to the Decalogue with two based ...

2482. David Makes Solomon King

1 Kings 1:28-53

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... Adonijah, a king not likely to favor someone from Saul’s clan. Solomon is perhaps nothing more to him than the lesser of two evils. On the likelihood that Nathan was a prophet from the pre-David city of Jebus (2 Sam. 5:6–10), concerned to ensure that the old city’s traditions maintained their part in Israel’s understanding of itself, see most recently G. H. Jones, The Nathan Narratives, JSOTSup (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1990). 1:11–27 Why then has Adonijah become king?: It may be the intention ...

2483. Josiah Renews the Covenant

2 Kings 23:1-30

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... in the benefits” by sharing their fellow-priests’ bread (18:8). But there are several difficulties with the NIV’s interpretation of the material. In the first place, vv. 8–9 are placed right in the middle of an account that is otherwise entirely concerned with Josiah’s action against idolatrous worship. They employ verbs that are elsewhere in the passage used of idolatrous worship (Hb. qṭr, “to burn incense,” vv. 5, 8—appearing alone only of such worship in the rest of Kings; cf. 1 Kgs. 12 ...

2484. Rebuilding the Temple

Ezra 3:7-13

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... high priest is here placed before the governor in recognition of the religious nature of the task. Verses 2–3 function as a flashback. The building of the altar logically precedes the sacrifices in verse 6 and so, implicitly, verse 1. The text reflects a concern to do the sacrificing correctly. For the postexilic community this meant adopting the Law of Moses, the Torah, as the script for their worship. It is hailed as the basis not for building the altar but for the regular burnt offerings made each day ...

2485. Completion and Dedication of the Temple

Ezra 6:13-18

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... . Here the narrator noted the appointment of temple staff in the categories he knew in his own period, tracing them back to the Torah. The reference is a general one, to such passages as Exodus 29 and Leviticus 8 concerning the ordination of priests, and to Numbers 3, 8, and 18 concerning the ordination and duties of Levites. In the twin celebrations of verses 16–22, one specific and the other seasonal, the keynote is joy, sounded at beginning and at the end. This joy expresses the fervor of the community ...

2486. The Passover

Ezra 6:19-22

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

2487. The Return to Jerusalem

Ezra 8:15-36

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... and revocalized “his brother” in the MT—both on the evidence of 1 Esd. 8:48 and the Vulgate, or Jerome’s Latin translation of the OT (see BHS). But one expects a reference to Levites in kinsmen. Iddo was probably a Levite, and Levites were Ezra’s primary concern. The text of 1 Esd. also has “and” between the two terms, again easily lost. Then the two groups mentioned in the listing of vv. 18–20 are introduced here. 8:18 The clan of Mahli was part of the division of Merari (Num. 3:33; 1 Chr ...

2488. Advancement is Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... ” in one’s work, 5:18). Within this overall movement, the segments fall into two groups. The segments of the first group (4:1–5:7) are held together by “better” sayings (4:2–3, 6, 9,13; 5:5). Those of the second group (5:8–20) resume concerns of segments in the first group. In 5:8–9, Qohelet returns to the problem of oppression (4:1–3). The challenge of 5:10–12 maintains that “more is better” (see 4:10–12). The plight of the solitary individual is lamented in 5:13–15 (see 4 ...

2489. Stand in Awe of God

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

2490. The Branch from Jesse

Isaiah 11:1-16

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... the vision looks for harmony between Ephraim and Judah, for a time when hostility and jealousy are at an end. This is a further expression of the dream in verses 6–9. This harmony does not extend to other nations (v. 14), though the concern there is with security and/or with the fulfillment of God’s promises regarding the promised land. When peoples migrate or are transported to other countries, they rarely return. Verses 15–16 recognize that only a miracle will bring the remnant back from Mesopotamia ...

2491. A Song of Praise

Isaiah 26:1-21

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... to one on the nations, around to a perspective on ultimate devastation and renewal. But the chapters do not lose the conviction that the world’s destiny is interwoven with Israel’s. Indeed, by the end the chapters are again narrowing the focus to more of a concern with Israel, and this prepares the way for the return to direct address to Judah in chapter 28. 26:1–19 The prophet’s next proposed response to Yahweh continues the theme of praise in 25:1–5 and also matches the vision in 25:10–12 ...

2492. Joy of the Redeemed

Isaiah 35:1-10

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... silence to shouting as it pictures handicapped people: someone who cannot walk, a blind person, a deaf mute. Then the same people are able to run and see, to hear and speak. There are at least four ways of reading this picture. It suggests God’s concern for people with these particular needs (see Jer. 31:8) and God’s promise that they have a special opportunity to join in the joy of this day of transformation. It suggests a further way of portraying the experience of Israel as a whole, imprisoned by ...

2493. Restoration of Israel

Isaiah 49:8-26

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... point. So far the Poet’s focus has been Jacob-Israel. Henceforth it will be Jerusalem-Zion. So far the addressee has been Jacob-Israel. Henceforth it will be Jerusalem-Zion. So far Yahweh’s promise has thus concerned the fall of Babylon and the end of the Judeans’ enforced residence there. Henceforth it will concern the restoring of the city that virtually none of the exiles have ever seen. Once more there is no need to infer that time has moved on or that the people are already back in the city ...

2494. Judgment and Hope

Isaiah 66:1-24

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... picture of the latter in v. 17 with the reference to eating rats seems exaggerated in order to emphasize the prophet’s distaste for the traditional practices. A Final Vision for the Nations: The closing concerns of the book raise the eyes to a broader horizon and correspond in their openness with the initial concerns in 56:1–8. Once again the prophecy incorporates a final retrospective on a familiar theme, this time that of the drawing of the nations to recognize Yahweh. But, once again, this is no mere ...

2495. Jeremiah Freed

Jeremiah 40:1-6

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... chapter is paralleled to Jeremiah 52:4–16 and 2 Kings 25:1–12. It is interesting to note that Jeremiah 39:4–13 is not found in the Septuagint. It seems that the Masoretic Text places these verses here to bring the prophecy of Jeremiah concerning Judah (which ends here) to a fitting climax. 40:1–6 We now return to the subject of Jeremiah’s fate after the fall of Jerusalem (39:11–14). However, what is the relationship between these two narratives? In the earlier account, Nebuzaradan found Jeremiah ...

2496. Jonah Goes to Nineveh

Jonah 3:1-10

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... traditional time-span, referred to throughout the Scriptures (Exod. 24:18; Num. 13:25; Deut. 9:9; 1 Sam. 17:16; 1 Kgs. 19:8; Mark 1:13 and parallels). The most amazing fact, however, is that God gives Nineveh time to repent at all. Why should God be concerned with Nineveh, that symbol of human evil and “will to power”? Why does God not destroy it immediately and be done with it? That certainly would be Jonah’s wish. But here the book of Jonah looks into the heart of God and finds there only love, even ...

2497. Among You Stands One

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Sermon

King Duncan

... with that critical insight. The first of these was that eccentric preacher in the wilderness, John the Baptist. We read his story in the first chapter of John’s Gospel: “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. “Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He ...

2498. A Law Written On Our Hearts

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... but closing your eyes whenever a woman is present is not the same as showing women respect or, in the case of a woman who is in need, showing her compassion. You can be law abiding and still be worthless as far as the Kingdom of God is concerned. For example, you can obey the law and ignore acts of injustice going on all about you. Dr. David Zersen once noted that during Dietrich Bonhoeffer's time, specifically in 1933, roughly 2,500 of the Protestant clergy in Germany sided with Adolph Hitler. About 2,500 ...

2499. Faces of Failure: Pontius Pilate

Matthew 27:1-2, 11-26

Sermon

Don Tuttle

... And he doesn’t even seem to be put off by Jesus’s answer: “You have said so.” We have heard that response before in Matthew’s Gospel. On two previous occasions it meant “Yes,” as it does here, but it’s ambiguous enough not to concern Pilate. Rather than pronounce judgment on Jesus, Pilate decides to give the people a choice. Matthew says it was a tradition for the governor to release one prisoner at the festival each year. While there’s no evidence of that tradition outside of Matthew’s ...

2500. Out of Control (Good Friday sermon)

John 18:1-19:42

Sermon

John Jamison

... away. Inside the house, Annas was faced with a serious problem. As great a threat as Jesus was, Annas had no authority to condemn him to death. Only the Roman authorities had that power, and Annas knew that Rome really wasn’t interested in the theological concerns of the temple. All the Roman leaders wanted was to avoid any real political problems or any real threats that might get the attention of their leaders back in Rome. As long as they kept the political front quiet, they kept their jobs. After a ...

Showing results