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 251 to 275 of 480 results

251. New Doors Will Open

Luke 24:13-35

Illustration

Wayne Cordeiro and Robert Lewis

... instructed to stop at the perimeter and wait. According to tradition, the chief would come out to meet him there. Livingstone could go forward only after an exchange was made. The chief would choose any item of Livingstone's personal property that caught his fancy and keep it for himself, while giving the missionary something of his own in return. Livingstone had few possessions with him, but he obediently spread them all out on the ground–his clothes, his books, his watch, and even the goat that provided ...

252. Spirit Power - Sermon Starter

Acts 2:1-21

Illustration

King Duncan

... minister in Toronto. But his most famous bequest was that he would leave his fortune to the Toronto woman who gave birth to the most children in the ten years after his death. This last clause in his will caught the public fancy--concerning the woman who produced the most children over a ten-year period. The country was entering the Great Depression. As people struggled to meet even their most basic economic responsibilities, the prospect of an enormous windfall was naturally quite alluring. Newspaper ...

253. Gave It All Up

Acts 2:1-21; Matt 28:16-20

Illustration

C. T. Studd

... for Jesus and make them into an Almighty Army of God. But this can only be accomplished by a red-hot, unconventional, unfettered Holy Ghost religion, where neither church nor state, neither man nor traditions are worshiped or preached, but only Christ and Him crucified. Not to confess Christ by fancy collars, clothes, silver croziers or gold watch-chain crosses, church steeples or richly embroidered altar cloths, but by reckless sacrifice and heroism in the foremost trenches."

254. Preach the World and Reach the World

2 Timothy 4:1-5

Sermon

James Merritt

... way Eugene Peterson, in his tremendous translation, The Message, translates this verse: You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.3 There are a lot of people, and their tribe is increasing, who do not want to hear sound doctrine. They want their preaching perfumed, chloroformed, and covered with velvet. They want to ...

255. Once Save - Always Saved

John 10:27-29

Sermon

James Merritt

... For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." When you are saved, sanctified, and set apart by God to be in His family, it is for "all time." If you have ever bought anything expensive, such as a new car, or a fancy appliance such as a television, microwave oven, or a washer and dryer, you know that there are five words that can make you weep, scream, faint, shake, collapse, and even consider suicide; those words are "the warranty has run out." Well, I've got good news. When ...

256. Easter and a Lost World

Acts 17:16-34

Sermon

James Merritt

... to Him which is exactly where Jesus comes in. III. Because Of Easter Our Purpose Should Be Steadfast Go back to that phrase in verse 18 which I love so much. "…he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection." I love that. Nothing fancy, nothing profound; just a message even a little child could understand—Jesus and the resurrection. Now that raises to me a question. Why in a city of brilliant educated intellectuals, philosophers, and scholars, would Paul immediately go to Jesus and the resurrection ...

257. Just a Closer Walk With Thee

James 4:8

Sermon

James Merritt

... download the video clip to play on your PC? Did Jesus really die for us one day upon a tree? If in your life, the voice of God is sometimes hard to hear, With other voices calling, His doesn't touch your ear. Then set aside that laptop, unplug that fancy gear, Open up that dusty Bible and talk to Him in prayer. When you do, you will draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

258. Taking the Long View

2 Peter 3:8-15a

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... special type of succumbing to who and what God was, is, and shall be. Cynicism may rear its weighty head, but for those rooted and grounded in the faith, this is passing. The Father of our Savior and Lord will do whatever he chooses to do — whether it suits our fancy or not. It seems to me the nature of God is such that we sooner or later pick up the truth that he seeks to woo us to him. Some would say this is a weakness and wishful thinking. It is put in the category of him laughing and crying ...

259. The Unshakable Foundation

Hebrews 7:23-28

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... to live beyond his means to get it. He wanted his youth and strength and female attention, so he worked out at the gym, had his teeth professionally polished, and he ran daily in the best running shoes available. He married the woman who peaked his fancy and together they financed their $300,000 dream home on the ocean, with payments neither of them could afford. And then came Hurricane Andrew. The house was ripped apart, and many of the big toys were ruined. The bills came due, and within five years the ...

260. Our Ultimate Destination

Revelation 21:1-6a

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... sidetracked. The trouble with many pilgrims of our present day is that we've lost sight of our ultimate destination. For far too many, the goal of life's journey is to disembark in the land of "retirement" and there enjoy a new home with a fancy car, and to pluck the harvest of a healthy pension plan. For others, fame and fortune signal "arrival" in the promised land. Some can only envision their fulfillment in a walk down the aisle with their perfect mate or through the achievements of their children. Some ...

261. Our Prayers Are Our Thanksgiving

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Sermon

Lee Ann Dunlap

... to grapple with the very real challenges of establishing heaven's dominion in their earthly domain. The role of human leaders in these earthly Christian colonies presented quite a challenge, especially since human leaders were emerging from the woodwork spouting fancy doctrines and mandating religious rituals to anyone who would listen. Like the Mayflower Compact of Plymouth history, the Letter to Timothy was written to clarify the principles on which this Christian colony was to base its common life. While ...

262. The 6 Words that Can Save Your Life

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... : be “anxious” in “nothing.” Once thankfulness and prayerfulness are established, the relief from anxieties, from day to day “worry-wartness,” is purged from our lives. Of course, this does not mean that everything will be hunky-dory, that life will be footloose and fancy-free. In fact, following Jesus most likely will bring a host of added difficulties and discord to your life. We are not promised a trouble-free life. Only an anxiety-free life. But with the larger vision of Christ at the top of ...

263. Joy to the World!

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... the room where the cup is kept, followed closely by the villainous dealer. A knight miraculously kept alive by the power of the Grail from the time of the crusades, has hidden the Grail among many false cups. There were large cups, small cups, fancy cups and plain cups, every kind of cup imaginable was present. The knight warns them that drinking from the true Grail will bring them everlasting life, but drinking from a false Grail will bring them death. The antiquities dealer assumes that, since Jesus was ...

264. Discipleship: The Beauty and the Cross

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... invitation has clearly been extended to each one of us. The great question for us must be, how have we or how can we respond to the Lord's invitation to experience the beauty and endure the cross of discipleship? The little bowl was nothing fancy; indeed it was quite ordinary. His goals were not personal; he only sought to serve his owner. He often had to endure many hardships, different crosses — lack of respect, dislocation, neglect, and lack of attention. Yet, he also experienced the joy and beauty of ...

265. Matthew 23:1-12

Matthew 23:1-39

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... s gospel is particularly careful with the use of this term. Only outsiders, never disciples, refer to Jesus as “teacher” or “rabbi.” The only exception to this rule comes from the mouth of Judas (26:25, 49) as he betrays Jesus. Yet, like fancy phylacteries and long fringes, the title “rabbi” is proudly touted by the loudly pious scribes and Pharisees Jesus knows. Jesus calls his disciples to take up a very different badge of honor: servanthood. The familial root of this identity is emphasized as ...

266. Humble Acts of Service

Mark 8:31--9:1

Illustration

Brett Blair

... our faces to the coal." We are told that there were tears in the eyes of many of those soot laden and weathered faced coal miners. They had been given a sense of their own self worth by the man at the top. Service does not always come with big fancy ribbons. And I think it is forever true, that humble acts of service provide us with the deepest sense of joy and the most fulfilling satisfaction.

267. A Real Christian

Matthew 23:1-12

Illustration

... between a respectable Christian and a real one? Jesus makes that very distinction in verses 11 and 12: "The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Jesus never wore fancy robes with long tassels. He hung out with outcasts and sinners, not with the movers and shakers. Instead of expecting the place of honor at banquets, Jesus took the place of the lowest servant and washed his disciples' feet. "Respectable" members of ...

268. Keeper of the Springs

Proverbs 31:10-31

Sermon

Peter Marshall

... under tunnels of ferns and mosses and to sparkle in the cleansed reservoir. Millwheels turned again as of old. Stenches disappeared. Sickness waned and convalescent children playing in the sun laughed again because the swans had come back. Do not think me fanciful, too imaginative or too extravagant in my language when I say that I think of women, and particularly of our mothers, as Keepers of the Springs. The phrase, while poetic, is true and descriptive. We feel its warmth, its softening influence, and ...

269. Uh-Huh!

John 18:33-37

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the "right one" the "right stuff?" Do we have yet the right one, baby? (Again, hope they say "Uh-uh!") Too often we let the world's definitions determine what versions of the "truth" the church will offer, even to the point of accommodating fanciful standards of moral behavior and character. Today, for example, many perceive personal and communal "integrity" as a luxury they simply can no longer afford. For these the "Golden Rule" (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you), long observed mainly in ...

270. Church Slugs

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , shapes and colors decorate the landscape. But amidst all this abundance and loveliness there is a dirty little war going on; it's called "gardener versus the slug." With an unerring instinct these disgusting, slimy, slobbering creatures pick the evening before your fancy patio dinner party to launch an all-out assault on your precious petunias and impatiens. The next morning it looks as though a herd of tiny, slim-footed cattle had grazed its way through your flowers beds and boxes. Driven by righteous ...

271. Easter Completes

Colossians 3:1-4

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... children's celebrations," only the Easter Bunny is a wholly child-centered, child-controlled symbol. As such, the Easter Bunny is one of the most misunderstood and befuddling creatures adults have ever tried to figure out (Leaps of Faith, Flights of Fancy [Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995]). Who among us doesn't get anxious about the predominance of Santa Claus over the baby Jesus at Christmastime? But who among us has ever felt particularly threatened by or theologically suspicious of the Easter ...

272. Self-Fulfillment Through Self-Sacrifice

1 Peter 2:19-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . Why is it that some of the most creative work in advertising and imaging promotes beer or sports items? A recent string of commercials for Miller "Lite" shows that its promoters are right in touch with what captivates our postmodern culture and tickles our postmodern fancy. In these ads, the classic "tastes great" vs. "less filling" two-in-one idea is taken one step further. Patrons at a local pub argue over what sporting event to watch on the bar TV football or golf. The argument is solved when a bottle ...

273. God Will Be God

Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... " - the "god-of-my-generation" - the "god-of-my-race" - the "god-of-my-gender" - the "god-of-my-class" But only God is God, and we are not. God will not be trivialized down to human-sized aspirations. God will not be domesticated to our fads and fancies. God has purposes and ways that are far beyond us and our reckonings. In the parable told in this week's gospel text, Jesus provides a wry glimpse at the difference between God's designs and human desires. Jesus' parable opens a tiny portal of light into the ...

274. Jesus' Bad Manners

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , they are always fearful that they might do something "wrong." This is why we need to offer "Seeker Services." When Jesus called Zacchaeus out of his tree and invited himself over, he did not order the tax collector to put on a big spread or throw a fancy party. Jesus only said he must "stay at your house today." Jesus kept it simple. Seeker services must also keep it simple, low-key, non-threatening. Not a lot of "smells and bells," but a multitude of "smiles and joy." Seeker services are designed to show ...

275. Mary's Suffering

Luke 2:22-40

Illustration

James Cox

... shadow of the cross is formed on the wall. The other picture is a popular engraving which depicts the Infant Jesus running with outstretched arms to his mother, the shadow of the cross being cast on the ground by his form as he runs. Both pictures are fanciful in form, but their underlying message is true. If we read the Gospels just as they stand, it is clear that the death of Jesus Christ was really in view almost from the outset of his earthly appearance. At first sight there seems little in them about ...

Showing results