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 2551 to 2575 of 4456 results

2551. Absalom, Absalom

2 Samuel 18:1-18

Sermon

Sue Anne Steffey Morrow

I was unprepared for the effect the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial would have on me. As we approached the low, polished black granite V-shaped wall, between the great memorials to Lincoln and Washington on the Mall. I felt the first wave of effect or shock and grief. I recognized a holy silence of all as we moved past the names, more than 58,000 of them, America's children whose lives were taken by the war in Vietnam. Our faces were reflected in the granite so as we begin to read the names Leroy Pierson, Jimmy ...

2552. Lessons for Lent 3

John 2:12-25

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme For The Day: A call to spiritual renewal and cleansing. Since God has come to us as holy redeeming love, our response is to be cleansed of our sins and live holy lives. The Ten Commandments (First Lesson) are guidelines for such lives. Jesus' cleansing of the temple (Gospel) constitutes a call to moral and spiritual renewal, beginning with God's house and God's people. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Exodus 20:1-17 The decalogue, the Ten Commandments, is presented as Israel's response to God's act of ...

2553. Do Not Be Doubting But Believe!

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Lee Griess

What a week it had been for the disciples. Everything had happened so fast! One moment the crowd welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with shouts of hosanna, palm branches, and a hero's welcome. And then suddenly, a couple of days later, he was arrested, taken to the cross and crucified. The disciples must have been shell-shocked. They had been taken to the heights of joy and expectancy, only to have their hopes and dreams crushed with Jesus' death. It's no wonder that they hid out. They were afraid. They thought ...

2554. Who Was That Masked Man?

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

Alexander H. Wales

"I just knew it was going to be that kind of a day! I got started late. The people I was traveling with decided to go on without me. My donkey came up lame. And the beggar at the gate of the city warned me that the road to Jericho could be a dangerous place. "But I had to go. I was already behind schedule, and you know how those things go. I was supposed to be in Tarsus by the end of the month. I hadn't seen my family in weeks. So, I did what I knew I shouldn't do and headed for Jericho. I wasn't more than ...

2555. Good Soldiers, Bad Wars

Joshua 11:1-23, Matthew 8:5-13

Sermon

Erskine White

It has become commonplace for the church to talk about peace in recent years; indeed, dozens of church statements have been issued for the purpose of condemning war. And this is entirely appropriate, since Christ has charged His people to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) in a world which is weary of war. But amid all the verbiage of ecclesiastical pronouncements, the church has been nearly silent about soldiers! It's as if we have nothing to say to the people who risk and give their lives. The soldiers seem ...

2556. Advent 1

Luke 21:5-38, Jeremiah 33:1-26, Zechariah 14:1-21, 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The powerful impetus toward eschatological awareness and preparedness, which comes from the theological framework of the Christian year, as well as the particular lections as-signed to this day, makes the preacher conscious of how the future affects the present age. The result is a "get your house, and the world, in order" kind of theology emanating from a reading of the propers for this day. Advent makes Christians realize that "the best is yet to come, "in the promised return of Jesus ...

2557. Finding Our Roots

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon

John M. Braaten

Ever since Alex Haley’s novel, Roots, hit the bookstands in the mid-70s, there has been an increasing number of people interested in their heritage. Many people buy computers and get on the internet primarily to keep track of their family tree. Parish secretaries are often called upon to do research for people investigating their family heritage. It is clear that many persons have been motivated to search through history in an attempt to find their roots. As one newspaper columnist wrote, "The once fabled ...

2558. Marked At The Table

Sermon

George Bass

“ ‘If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common with me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ said Simon Peter, ‘not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!’ Jesus said, ‘no one who has taken a bath needs washing, he is clean all over….’ ”John 13:1-16 Yes, “the cross is still there,” especially when we eat and drink the Lord’s supper; that meal is always a repast that takes place for us on the water’s edge. Baptism admits us to the holy communion, and every time we partake of the Eucharist the gifts we received ...

2559. The Shepherd King

Ezekiel 34:1-31

Sermon

Sims Robert

There is a wonderful story out of the 16th century about Bishop Hugh Latimer, a great leader of the church. One Sunday morning he entered his pulpit and looked out to see King Henry VIII in the congregation. He knew that what he had to say that day would not go well with King Henry. He thought for a moment and then said to himself, but out loud for all to hear, “Latimer, be careful what you say today; King Henry is here.” He thought for a moment longer and again said to himself, but aloud so others could ...

2560. A Lesson From Prayers Overheard

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Theodore F. Schneider

We Watched His Eyes! It was late New Year's Day when the showdown finally came. The number one and two college bowl teams in the nation were set to fight it out in the Fiesta Bowl at Tempe, Arizona, deciding who would lay claim to being the "Beast of the East" and the best in the nation. Among those who predict such things, there was agreement that the nation's number one team would remain number one that night. Their passing attack had been unstoppable all season long, and it would remain so. A high- ...

2561. The Ten Commandments For Today

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Erskine White

And the Lord spoke all these words, saying "I am the Lord your God ..." (Exodus 20:1-2) Imagine that your job in life is to get up each morning and prepare an egg for someone else to eat. There are many different ways to prepare an egg: hardboiled, soft-boiled, poached, fried, baked, scrambled, benedict, souffled, and so on. Now, if you didn't want to get bored and were willing to take a risk, you could constantly be striving for new ways to prepare an egg. If you wanted to play it safe, and you knew that ...

2562. What an Image

Philippians 2:1-11

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

Exegetical Aim: To remind the children that Jesus was in the form of God, but became like the image of us to prove the love of God for us. Props: A picture of you as a baby, a small mirror. Lesson: Good morning. I want to show you a picture this morning. What is this picture of? (response) Do you know this baby from our nursery? Who might this baby be? Play with this awhile until they guess it is you. Yes it is me. As I look at this picture, I can see similarities with my brothers when they were babies. I ...

2563. Believing is Seeing

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

Alton F. Wedel

When Jesus came to Galilee, he began his preaching with the message, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." And the expectations of the people soared to heights not known since Solomon. They had been oppressed, depressed, distressed, and had been waiting for the day when from their midst a hero would arise to lay a left hook on the jaw of the hated Roman Empire, restore the glory of the dim and distant yesteryear, and make those good things happen that the prophets had foretold. The land should ...

2564. I Voted for God

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

Carveth Mitchell

The Gospel for today begins with these words of Jesus: Now great multitudes accompanied him; and he turned and said to them, "If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." Is that what it means to be a Christian? That we should hate the members of our own family? We must make allowances here not only for the circumstances, but also for the fact that Eastern language is sharp and vivid ...

2565. Seeing as the Lord Sees

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Sermon

In the story of David’s selection to be the second king of Israel, we see an important distinction between the ways we look at ourselves and others, and the way that God sees us. The Lord said to Samuel, "The Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks in the heart." That is an important distinction, and an encouraging word for us who are on the journey of faith. Samuel had been called of God to anoint the first two kings of Israel. The first king was Saul, a man who had ...

2566. Thanksgiving

2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Luke 17:11-19, Deuteronomy 8:1-20

Bulletin Aid

First Lesson: Deuteronomy 8:7-18 Theme: Give thanks for a fertile land Call to Worship Pastor: God has blessed us once again with a rich harvest. People: We are always amazed at the way our land produces. Even when crops fail, we still have plenty to eat. Pastor: God is the reason for our blessings. To him we lift our prayers fo thanksgiving, and offerings of praise. People: Thanks be to God for another rich harvest that assures us of food, strength, and health! Collect Almighty God, you have blessed our ...

2567. Epiphany 2

Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-34, John 1:35-42

Bulletin Aid

First Lesson: Isaiah 49:1-7 Theme: God's love is like that of a husband for his bride Call To Worship Pastor: When Jesus was anointed to be God's Servant, he was sent not as Savior of the Jews only. People: His was a worldwide mission, that "salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Pastor: Our Lord continues his mission through his church. We are to carry his message of salvation to all parts of the world. People: We are servants of God's Servant. May we be faithful in telling our world the good news ...

2568. Jesus - the Holiest Name

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

(Note: This is the shortest text in the lectionary. It poses the problem of how to preach on it. Should the preacher simply construct what used to be known as a textual sermon, emphasizing and expounding a single verse of the Bible, or are there other homiletical possibilities? I suggest it has to be preached in the context of the Christmas story and as the heart of the Christmas cycle. A type of story sermon suggests itself, which picks up the story, but also allows the specific text to speak. Should the ...

2569. He Lights Up My Life!

Exodus 33:12-23

Sermon

When this narrative begins, it is about as lacking in optimism and hope as the story my brother, B. J., tells about a farmer in southern Missouri who hired a man to split some post oak for his farm. Post oak is notoriously hard to work with, but it makes excellent fence posts and rail fences. It is so tough, that it's like trying to split rock. The farmer hired a man who was not too fast at thinking, and told him he'd pay him three dollars a dozen for the posts. After two or three days the farmer came to ...

2570. R.S.V.P.

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

August 11 Dear Susan, It was good to hear from you again. We miss you around here, but it sounds like you’re settling in well in your new home and congregation. God’s blessings to you in your life and work there. Congratulations on being selected to serve as a youth advisor. The young people of that church are fortunate: I know you’ll do a good job with them. Let me know how it goes! Peace in Christ, Mark September 7 Dear Sue, Yes, as you mentioned, the "crush of Autumnal Activity" in the parish is upon us ...

2571. The Sermon in the Supper

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sermon

Edward Chinn

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Several years ago in England, a man wrote to the editor of the British Weekly. In his letter, the writer reported that he could not remember any sermons preached in any of the churches he had attended. Because of that, the man questioned whether sermons were really as important as preachers thought they were. "I have been attending a church service for the past 30 years and I have heard probably 3,000 ...

2572. Naming the Divine Baby

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Naming a new baby is a challenging process. It’s hard to please everybody with a name. Dad wants a name with alliteration in it, something that would sound good on a sports report--Sammy Sousa or Johnny Justice. Mom selects a fashionable name and insists on no nicknames, something like Catherine or Benjamin or Cynthia. Grandpa wants to use a hallowed family name from the past, like Reuben or Horatio or Alonzo. It’s a miracle of diplomacy that a name is ever chosen. Once the name is selected, it takes on a ...

2573. Midnight Turned Into High Noon

Isaiah 42:10-17, Isaiah 42:18-25

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

"... I will turn the darkness before them into light ..." David Hume, the philospher, once wrote an essay on the sufficiency of the light of nature for man’s spiritual matters. About the same time, F. W. Robertson, a noted minister, published a sermon upholding the opposite thesis, pointing out that the light of nature needs to be supplemented by the light of a revelation from God. Mutual friends of the philosopher and preacher decided to bring the two together to debate the matter. When the evening ended ...

2574. A Tale of Two Cemeteries

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

George Bass

Two of my favorite cemeteries are thousands of miles apart. One is in rural Minnesota, about thirty miles from my home. To me, it is a symbol of the church triumphant and the church militant, because it completely surrounds a church building. No one can enter any of the doors to the church without walking through the cemetery, past the graves of relatives, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. It seems to me that no one could belong to and attend that church without having genuine perception of the true ...

2575. Manasseh

2 Kings 21:1-18

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem ... And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. Here is a small hinge of truth upon which a tremendous door swings open to a profound question. Why is it that a merciful God one who is perfect goodness, absolute love, incarnate justice permits an evil man to live a long, successful life? At the same time, why do righteous individuals sometimes survive a few wretched years amid poverty and misery ...

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