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 2601 to 2625 of 3285 results

2601. The Lord Chooses a New King

1 Samuel 16:14-23, 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... apparently is tall (16:7a), is an implicit rejection of Saul, whose height was highlighted by Samuel when he publicly anointed Saul (10:23–24). The narrator allows key characters to testify of David’s qualifications. Saul’s servant speaks of David’s abilities (16:18), and Saul himself expresses his pleasure with David (16:22). In contrast to David’s election is the divine rejection of Saul. Not only is the divine Spirit taken from him (16:14); the Lord also sends an “evil spirit” to torment ...

2602. “Their Violence Comes Down on Their Own Heads”

Psalm 7:1-17

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... God’s justice. David asks that God’s justice be applied to him (7:3–5) and to his enemies (7:6). Being made in the image of God, we long for justice as well. Sadly, many of us have lost faith in the judicial system’s ability to mete out effective and fair justice. For example, in a 2009 government survey of sex abuse survivors across Canada, two-thirds of sexual assault victims indicate that they have little to no confidence in the police, courts, or the criminal justice system.[15] Although these ...

2603. “Lord, Our Lord, How Majestic Is Your Name in All the Earth!”

Psalm 9:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... both a Jewish and a Christian phenomenon, and its roots are deeply fixed in prophetic thought. There are many contributors to messianism; we will mention two. First are the towering personalities of Hebrew history, like David, whose exceptional abilities and accomplishments exceeded those of all other monarchs of biblical repute, and reminded Jewish and later Christian believers of the surpassing potential of human personality, especially when divinely equipped. A second is located at the other extreme of ...

2604. “Do Not Drag Me Away with the Wicked”

Psalm 28:1-9

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... . As we use other Scriptures to develop our lesson or sermon, we must be faithful to the text we are expositing. David’s way of dealing with the problem, however, was to lay the issue out before God in prayer. Sometimes the answer to prayer is an ability to cope with the problem. In fact, there is no evidence that David’s problem was solved or the issue laid to rest, but in prayer, affirming his trust, he found strength in the Lord and even exuberant joy (28:7). We should also note that this spiritual ...

2605. “Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit”

Psalm 31:1-24

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... when we will feel like we are on Insanity, times when life is frightening and we do not feel as if we are in control. It is in these times that we must remember we can trust the One who designed us and maintains our lives. Our ability to live with joy in these moments is a function of how well we know and trust God. Belonging to God Church History: Soon after the introduction of Protestantism into the Palatinate in southern Germany in 1546, the controversy between Lutherans and Calvinists broke out. In ...

2606. “No One Can Redeem the Life of Another or Give to God a Ransom for Them”

Psalm 49:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... 8, 15), is not always specified. But the meaning is clear, that the life of an individual is too precious to provide an equivalent value for: “The ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough” (49:8). That is, we have no ability to provide redemption for anyone, but God does, and God will. We might use the metaphor that the expression “but” (’ak, 49:15) is the fulcrum on which life’s uncertainties, indeed, impossibilities, turn. Yet the idea that this pivot would turn in the direction ...

2607. “Cast Your Cares on the Lord and He Will Sustain You”

Psalm 55:1-23

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... the Lord would confuse the betrayer’s effort to be successful in his or her betrayal (55:9); share our pain with God in prayer and ask for help to deal with the disappointment of the betrayal (55:16–23); ask the Lord for the strength and ability to forgive the betrayer (Matt. 6:12). There is hope for the world. Church History: Augustine wrote one of the great books of Christian theology, called The City of God. In it he metaphorically traces two cities of human history back to Cain and Abel. Cain’s ...

2608. “Endow the King with Your Justice, O God”

Psalm 72:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... and the Christian worldview History: We do not have to look very far to see the frightening evidence of the mix of nationalism and religion. It is not only apparent in the world today but was a major ingredient in Adolf Hitler’s ability to control the German masses during World War II. History writer Milton Mayer documents the slow progression of anti-Semitism and its role in blinding the populace to the atrocities of the government: “Ordinary people—and ordinary Germans—cannot be expected to ...

2609. What Can I Get By With?

Luke 17:5-10

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... what great work could little Nathan have done at his young age that could possibly have deserved God’s grace? That’s the beauty and the paradox of Grace: God does not demand that we earn his blessings. The grace and love of God transcends our human ability to understand. But even without understanding we are called to accept the gift of grace, freely given, and rejoice. So that’s it!—the core of the Gospel—it is not our merit that releases God’s grace. It’s not even our need, because all of ...

2610. Viva La Difference

Romans 12:1-8

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

... right," he sobbed, "I provide no service to anyone." "It is true," the old dog began, "that you are too small to pull the wagon. And you will never produce eggs, milk, or wool. But it is foolish to cry about what you cannot do. You must use the ability the Creator gave you to bring laughter and cheer." That night, when the master came home exhausted from long hours in the hot sun, the little puppy ran to him, licked his feet and jumped into his arms. Falling to the ground, the master and puppy romped in the ...

2611. Claiming Hope

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

... need to recover hope. There are some of us who feel a deep need for some belief that things can be better, for ourselves, for those whom we love, and for our world. The truth is that we need hope in our lives just as we need self-esteem, the ability to trust, or a belief that the sun will come up each morning. It is part of what makes life work. We need hope to give us a sense of expectancy that will make us want to get up in the morning and draw us forward into the living of ...

2612. Called to Participate

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

Sermon

James L. Killen

... lives instead of some of the things that are shaping them now, we may find ourselves living very different lives. But if we let our lives be reshaped day by day through our interactions with the God who is at work in our lives, God will love us into the ability to love. Are you willing for that to happen to you? Are you willing to say, "Let it be with me according to your word"? But God's love is not just for us. It is for the whole world. A healthy love may begin with love for yourself, but ...

2613. Unnoticed at Your Own Party

Isaiah 35:1-10, Matthew 11:2-11, James 5:7-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... a gift that came into the world 2,000 years ago. It is a gift straight from the heart of God. To everyone who opens that gift--who receives that gift and makes that gift his or her own--there is given an attitude and an ability to persevere that the world simply cannot know. 1. W.E. Sangster, The Craft of Sermon Illustration (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House). 2. From a sermon by John Piper, http://www.soundofgrace.com/piper87/jp870034.htm. 3. http://www.marvinumc.com/main.php?sort=&return_id=400&return_name ...

2614. The Greatest Gift

Luke 2:1-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... body and his head. The only thing he could see of Chief Bouba was the slit for his eyes. (1) For all practical purposes the chief was inaccessible to his subjects. I hope you understand that, were we to seek to find God through our own mental abilities, we would discover that He is even more inaccessible than Chief Rey Bouba. That is because our minds and our most sophisticated instruments are limited by space and time. The One we seek, our Creator and Father, is beyond both space and time, and any other ...

2615. Adam and Eve

Genesis 2:4-25

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... teach that Adam and Eve, when they disobeyed, actually became omniscient. The serpent would be proved correct that disobedience to God brings only gains and advantages. A third possibility, and the one accepted here, is that the knowledge of good and evil means the ability and power to determine what is good and what is evil. Of course, this is God’s prerogative alone. He has never delegated moral autonomy to any of his creatures. This suggestion is lent credibility by the fact that the phrase “good and ...

2616. Friction Inside and Outside the Family

Genesis 21:1-7, Genesis 21:8-21, Genesis 21:22-34

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

One of the characteristics of Abraham’s faith is his ability to wait and to be patient—at least most of the time. Twenty-five years earlier God promised Abraham a son (chap. 12). Now that promise becomes reality (21:1–7) after some false hopes and false moves. Appropriately, and following an earlier directive, Abraham names the child Isaac, meaning “ ...

2617. Joseph’s Reassurance

Genesis 50:15-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... is unlike his brothers. “Am I in the place of God?” (50:19) he asks. Then Joseph follows with the classic line: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (50:20). The best evidence of spiritual maturity in Joseph’s life is his ability to relate all the experiences of his life, good and bad, to the sovereign will of God. The Hebrew behind “intended” is the same as “plans” in the famous passage from Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to prosper you ...

2618. Birth, Preservation, and Preparation of Moses

Ex 2:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... nurses him, Moses develops a strong and profound sense of his identity as a Hebrew. In the court of Pharaoh, “Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action” (Acts 7:22). This means acquiring the ability to write, likely access to literary works, and the knowledge of “court etiquette” that would serve him well in the future confrontations with Pharaoh. After Moses kills an Egyptian and it becomes known, he flees to the wilderness of Midian (2:11–15 ...

2619. Moses’s Call and Commissioning

Ex 3:1-22, 4:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... entire process of leaving Egypt. After Moses first addresses Pharaoh and apparently fails, he raises the issue again, stating twice that he is literally “uncircumcised of lips” (Exod. 6:12, 30). God reminds Moses that he is the creator of all human abilities and impediments but promises his presence with Moses as he speaks (literally “with [his] mouth”; 4:12). Even though Moses stubbornly begs God to send someone else, God continues with his intention to use Moses, indicating that Aaron will be his ...

2620. Spirit-filled Artisans

Exodus 31:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The Holy Spirit fills Bezalel, the artist who oversees the work, with practical wisdom (31:1–5). God also appoints his assistant, Oholiab, and gives them the ability to teach all the artisans (31:6; cf. 35:30–36:2). The artists are God’s agents, as they fashion all the furnishings according to the pattern Moses has seen on the mountain (31:7–11).

2621. The Guilt Offering

Leviticus 5:14--6:7

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... word that can mean “remedy” or “penalty for guilt” (cf. 5:6–7). The procedure itself is reserved for the additional instructions in 7:1–7. The reparation offering teaches several concepts: 1. Only after sinners make wrongs right to the best of their ability will God accept their sacrifices (cf. Matt. 5:23–24). 2. It is not enough for sinners to put things right as best they can; they still need expiation provided by sacrifice (see Isa. 53:10—the messianic suffering servant is the ultimate ...

2622. Northern Kings Defeated

Joshua 11:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 22). This is probably because it was the Anakites who initially so intimidated the Israelites that they were unwilling to enter into the land (cf. Num. 13:31–33). Incidentally, in that episode Joshua was one of only two spies who had confidence in Israel’s ability to defeat them with the Lord’s help (Num. 14:6–9). The mention of the destruction of these very people and their cities, with the exception of a small pocket of survivors in the coastal plains, thus vindicates Joshua’s faith in the Lord ...

2623. Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh

Josh 16:1–17:18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... his side. After all, the Israelites faced technologically superior military hardware before in the form of chariots (cf. Josh. 11:4). Yet they were able to overcome them with the Lord’s help (Josh. 11:7–9). In fact, not long afterward, during the days of the judges, Barak’s ability to defeat Sisera’s army of nine hundred iron chariots (cf. Judg. 4:3, 13) will also retroactively vindicate Joshua’s optimism.

2624. Jephthah

Jud 10:6–11:40

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Gilead. With that, Jephthah finally agrees to go with them. As the Gileadites make Jephthah both head and commander over them, Jephthah solemnizes the agreement before the Lord at Mizpah. Notice that unlike Gideon, who initially had doubts about his own ability to deliver Israel, Jephthah shows no such reservations. At a time when Israel is oppressed by the Ammonites, what these negotiations show is that, unlike the judges before him, Jephthah, in his final consent to play the role of deliverer, is mainly ...

2625. Widows and Their Worries: Back to Bethlehem

Ruth 1:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . Back to Bethlehem ( 1:6–7 ) · Against this grim setting Naomi confronts some important news in the fields of Moab. She learns that famine no longer threatens Judah. Since Hebrew and Moabite are closely related languages, perhaps this accounts for her ability to understand the conversation. That a famine no longer prevails in Bethlehem indicates a pleasant visitation by the Lord on his land and people. Indeed, he promised bread as one among many of his acts of mercy for covenantal faithfulness (Deut. 28 ...

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