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 2976 to 3000 of 4770 results

2976. Exodus 17:1-7

Exodus 17:1-7

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the cry of a captive people to their master than of a free band of explorers trying to carve out a destiny in a new land. There is also no evidence that the people thought to turn their own voices to Yahweh in prayer. They address Moses alone, viewing him as the one who can help them in their time of need. Moses' reply tries to redirect the people's demand toward what he knows to be the proper source - "the Lord" (v.2). However, Moses' own leadership position is upheld by his response, for Moses reveals ...

2977. John 11:1-45

John 11:1-45

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... " Lazarus and his two sisters, Martha and Mary (v. 3, 5). Some scholars posit that the emphasis the Johannine writer places on Jesus' love for Lazarus may indicate that Lazarus is in fact the unnamed "beloved disciple" referred to later in the gospel. Others view Lazarus as Jesus' best friend. Yet this love does not immediately compel Jesus to rush to the ill Lazarus' side. Instead, Jesus delays even beginning his journey for two days, and does not arrive at Bethany until Lazarus has been dead for four days ...

2978. Acts 2:1-21

Acts 2:1-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... put together his account of this event much of it focusing on just where Luke got all the various components his version weaves together. Rather than investigate all the possible threads that Luke may have used, we encourage you to help your people view the completed tapestry Luke created to picture in living color the birthday of the church. The first component in today's text recounts the actual descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples. Luke begins by claiming that these still-faithful followers of ...

2979. Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... unadorned free-standing parables, and private 'explanations' of these parables. To explain this arrangement, Matthew's text includes a rather lengthy 'aside' in verses 10-17 that offers the rationale for this two-tiered, teaching technique. Scholars tend to view this whole construction as an answer to a felt need within Matthew's faith community. The parables Jesus preaches openly are all concerned with the kingdom of God both its actual presence and its anticipated fulfillment. The 'explanations' offered ...

2980. Matthew 14:22-33

Matthew 14:22-33

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... occurred in the clarity of the early morning hours. Not until the next morning does Jesus join his disciples by walking out on the water to them. Matthew wanted his readers to be sure there is sufficient light for the disciples to get a clear view of the miracle they are witnessing. Attempts to "explain" this miracle do little more than "explain" it away. Declaring that Jesus is merely walking in the shallows of the surf or seeing this as a misplaced resurrection sighting (based on some of the similarities ...

2981. Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28

Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of his messianic mission. Jesus came to the children of Israel. As the story progresses, it is the Canaanite woman who becomes the most active participant in the text. Her tenacity of spirit and undaunted faith finally convert Jesus away from his traditional view of his mission. The lesson that tradition must be subject to what is right, and that what is "unclean" on the outside is not damaging to the inner person, is played out in the Canaanite woman pericope quite clearly. For Jesus, though called ...

2982. Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:26-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... young, unmarried girls, were not directly greeted. The fact that Mary is squarely confronted and addressed by her angelic visitor makes her a "favored one" even before God's special role for her is spelled out. Catholic and Protestant Christian traditions tend to view Mary's presence in Luke's annunciation story with different lenses. Catholic tradition has focused on the favor Mary had found in God's eyes and her unique role in Jesus' birth and life. Her miraculous conception through the power of the Holy ...

2983. Isaiah 61:10-62:3

Isaiah 61:10—62:3

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... so forthcoming. Some scholars have insisted that these texts represent post-exilic sentiments and scenarios. Others argue that the intentional dearth of datable references in this unit suggests that these are best interpreted as eschatological visions. No matter which view is preferred structurally, the final chapters of Isaiah are placed after God has rescued the people from Babylon using Cyrus' hand (chs. 40-48), and after they have been redeemed from their sins through the salvific acts of the Suffering ...

2984. Luke 2:41-52

Luke 2:41-52

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... and the student a technique that appreciates all teachers as students and all students as teachers. For Jesus to be asking and answering questions is not unduly odd or out of the ordinary. The supposed centrality of Jesus' position in the temple should also be viewed contextually. This was now the third day since Joseph and Mary had lost track of Jesus. As a good narrator, Luke reports how the scene at the temple appears to the two desperate parents. From Joseph and Mary's perspective, whether all eyes were ...

2985. Philippians 3:17-4:1

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... behavior are both theologically and ethically in grave error. Just as in 3:2, Paul had no qualms about calling those he knew to be touting wrong-headed notions as "dogs," he also has no problem using his own life as a template for the Philippians' view of correct behavior. Paul urges the Philippians to "join in imitating me," not out of a sense of egotistical pride, but as a teacher urges his students to take his lessons to heart. Paul may also be seen as exercising some apostolic authority here _ urging ...

2986. Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... some have argued that the repetitive moments in the text (v.24/v.32) indicate that Luke has combined two events here, it seems clear enough that this is one story about a father who had two sons (v.11). The reaction of the second son should not be viewed as some later insertion into the story (vv.25-32), but is the critical second half of the whole truth contained in this parable. Admittedly, when the parable opens, all the focus is on the younger son. As the most active character in the story at this time ...

2987. Luke 24:1-12

Luke 24:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again" (v.7). This Lukan call for remembrance is the first step toward their revitalized life as continuing disciples of Christ: not only to remember the Jesus they knew but now to view him with the clarity of post-resurrection sight. The women immediately respond to the challenge. They do remember and are transformed and enlivened by their memory. The women not only "remember" Jesus' words they go beyond this basic directive given by the "two men ...

2988. Luke 10:25-37

Luke 10:25-37

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... tribes that remained after all the tribal leaders were exiled when Israel fell to Assyria in 722 B.C. When the Assyrian settlers moved in, these remaining Israelites eventually intermarried with the Assyrians, "diluting" their Jewishness. Samaritans hence- forth were viewed as a "mixed race," impure in blood and soul. Hostility simmered between the Samaritans and the remaining Judean Jews. It came to a violent climax in 109 B.C. when John Hyrcanus, then the Judean king, destroyed the Samaritans' temple ...

2989. Luke 12:13-21

Luke 12:13-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... debate among biblical scholars. There are some, most notably Rudolf Bultmann, who have contended that because this exchange between Jesus and the man seeking his inheritance stands rather awkwardly and alone between two other strongly discernable units, it should be viewed as a later addition to the text. Bultmann suggests that the man's request for judgment and Jesus' sharp retort possibly reflect a situation the early church itself was struggling with at the time. But other scholars point out that ...

2990. Luke 14:1, 7-14

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... social/political morass the etiquette of seating guests. The usual custom at formal banquets was a series of couches upon which guests could recline. The "best seats" were those closest to the host and perhaps also highest in elevation. It would be simplistic to view Jesus' suggestion in these verses as just wise counsel or clever social savvy. The sensible advice to choose lower seats first, so that you will not have to face the "disgrace" of moving down and may experience the joy of moving up, is given ...

2991. Philemon 1-21

Philemon 1-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Paul had sent back to Philemon. The wonderful symmetry and "happy ending" quality to Knox's hypothesis found it favor in both scholarly and popular circles. But when we force ourselves to examine just what we have before us in the text, a rather different view of this letter can come into focus. This letter is, it seems, a personal note between Paul and a beloved friend and colleague in the faith, Philemon. The warm personal greetings that open this letter appear to be to the entire household. It is most ...

2992. Luke 18:9-14

Luke 18:9-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . In effect, the tax collector was both a usurer and a user of his people. Because the tax collector is such a vilified character to this first-century audience, the conclusion offered by verse 14 is surprising. Luke declares that God views people as righteous only when they recognize their own sinfulness and repent of it. There is some discussion among scholars that verse 14a was added for yet another reason. Neither Diaspora Judaism nor even pagan religiosity applauded such a self-deprecating, misery ...

2993. Isaiah 35:1-10

Isaiah 35:1-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the honor and veneration of others because of the divine power. The kabod or "glory" of God is linked with this term hadar in Isaiah's text. Kabod describes the evidence of God's self-manifestation, a kind of envelope surrounding the essence of God which we cannot view. In the context of verse 2, the kabod of God is to be revealed through God's work of creation in the dry lands as they are transformed into new, vital habitations. The insistent message of "do not fear," repeated here in verse 4, leads us to ...

2994. Genesis 9:8-17

Genesis 9:8-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... which are Jesus' only earthly contacts during these forty days, are usually interpreted as hostile forces, almost as though they are teamed with Satan to make this period of time all the more perilous for Jesus. But while this has been the traditional view of these wild beasts, there is nothing in the text itself to paint the creatures with ominous intent. Like human beings these wild beasts of the earth stand somewhere in-between Satan and the ministering angels. They share the wilderness, their home, with ...

2995. Luke 24:35-48

Luke 24:35-48

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... how else to understand his instantaneous disappearance after the breaking of the bread?). Luke uses the second story, however, to emphasize the physicality of the resurrected Jesus. A great respecter of Jewish tradition, Luke faithfully underlines the Pharisaic view of a bodily physical resurrection. The two pericopes (vv.13-35 and vv.36-49) continue their parallels after Jesus' initial appearance. In both cases Jesus then presses the witnesses/disciples with leading questions followed by a firm declaration ...

2996. 2 Samuel 23:1-7

2 Samuel 23:1-7

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... for some of his potential followers. His next words push these already off-balance listeners even harder. In verse 62 Jesus proclaims his future ascension to the Father. What makes this so shocking is that in John's Gospel the ascension is not viewed triumphally, but is clearly linked to Jesus' death. The two references to Judas' betrayal, indirect in verse 64 and explicit in verse 71, are mentioned at this juncture so that John can remind his readers of the "scandalous" nature of Jesus' ascension into ...

2997. Ephesians 6:10-20

Ephesians 6:10-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... authorities, all his nights in gloomy prison cells, all his constant refereeing of bitter internecine quarrels, Paul cites none of these specifics as the real danger to Christian faithfulness. Instead, after spending much of the previous two chapters narrowing his view to particular actions and attitudes, Paul now broadens the scope of his preaching to warn Christians of the real underlying threat to their faith. Paul the theologian recognizes the existence of a much deeper cause for the rift between the ...

2998. James 3:13-18

James 3:13-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Although this text from James has often been viewed as a later insertion into the text, it ties together easily and logically the author's emphasis on teachers (3:1ff) and his material on disputes (4:1ff). James is anxious to emphasize the crucial role of those with special gifts of teaching and leading in determining the prevailing beliefs ...

2999. Mark 10:46-52

Mark 10:46-52

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... who truly see Christ feel overwhelmingly called to follow his pathways and purposes. They become imitators of Christ as they seek to become perfected disciples. Bartimaeus' journey was not easy. He began to follow Jesus just when, from a human point of view, things began to degenerate. Jesus now enters Jerusalem to play his part in the final scene of confrontation, prosecution and execution. There would be little time for a new disciple like Bartimaeus to enjoy approving crowds or balmy days of rest and ...

3000. Philippians 4:49

Philippians 4:49

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... ") and so might also be understood as the quality of "sweet reasonableness." Greek tradition contrasts Paul's term with "strict justice" as its opposite. The term therefore includes within it a generosity of spirit that goes beyond any strict constructionist view of the law. "Gentleness" seeks equity and justice - but never at the expense of others. Magnified by magnanimity, believers are to display this spirit of loving acceptance to "everyone" - not just members of their church, or even to all Christians ...

Showing results