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 3026 to 3050 of 4988 results

3026. Ash Wednesday

Mt 6:1-6, 16-21 · 2 Cor 5:20b--6:10 · Ps 51:1-17 · Jl 2:1-2, 12-17

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... the righteousness of God." For Paul, the phrase the righteousness of God is a coded expresssion, naming God's saving work. Here the apostle means that inherent in God's gift of salvation in Christ is the demand for a life of faithful service on the part of those who experience salvation—strikingly this obedient service comes as part of the gift of salvation. Verses 3-10 support Paul's appeal to the Corinthians to "be reconciled" by relating something of the apostle's own methods in ministry. In 6:3-4a ...

3027. Christmas Eve\Christmas Day

Luke 2:1-7, Isaiah 9:1-7, Psalm 96:1-13, Titus 2:1-15, Luke 2:8-20

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... it might serve as a response to the reading of the Gospel. Throughout all the services of Christmas, this stanza from "As with Gladness Men of Old" (tune, Dix) can be a welcome substitute to the doxology at the presentation of the offering. As they offered gifts most rare At that manger rude and bare, So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from sin's alloy, All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to thee, our heav'nly King. The ethical significance of the epistle is whimsically caught up in Martin Luther ...

3028. Lent 1

Mt 4:1-11, Rom 5:12-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... death, Paul declares the extravagant goodness of God's grace, which overturns and undoes the power of sin and imbues the new order with life. Paul does not account for the origin of evil, but he proclaims the origin of grace—it is a free gift from God. It may take a little effort and illustration to persuade most people that there is real evil in the world, but perhaps the case is worth making. Increasing numbers of mainstream Christians sound like adherents of Christian Science when they say that evil ...

3029. Lent 3

Jn 4:5-42 · Rom 5:1-11 · Ex 17:1-7 · Ps 95

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... Lord in our midst or not? The central motif that is used to answer the question in Exodus 17:1-7 is the miraculous gift of water in the wilderness. This motif links the Old Testament lesson and the gospel text for this Sunday. Psalm 95 provides commentary on ... at the time. As the conversation unwinds, the woman does not follow Jesus as he speaks in theological metaphors about the saving gift of life. Remarkably, Jesus is not harsh with her as he was with Nicodemus. She has claimed no knowledge, and indeed ...

3030. Proper 13

Psalm 17:1-15, Romans 9:1-29, Matthew 14:13-21, Genesis 32:22-32

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... and in so doing misquotes the divine promise to his own advantage when he states twice that God promised to "do him good." In Genesis 31:3 God promised to be with Jacob and not necessarily to do him good as Jacob would interpret it. Second, he sends gifts to Esau in vv. 13-21 in the hope of appeasing his brother's anger. Genesis 32:22-31 separates into the following three parts. I. Introductory Setting (vv. 22-24) A. Place: Jabbok River B. Time: evening II. The Struggle (vv. 25-29) A. Divine attack (vv. 25 ...

3031. Proper 15

Genesis 45:1-28, Matthew 15:21-28, Romans 11:1-10, Romans 11:25-32, Psalm 133:1-3

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... to do. But su conclusion does not fit the evidence of Paul's statements. In Romans 11:2a, the apostle boldly declares, "God has no people whom he foreknew." Exactly what he means by this become ar in the final verses of our lesson, when he says, "The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." God's choice of the Jews is universal and eternal. But then, what does it mean that many Jews do not believe? Paul refrains from comment upon Jewish unbelief; rather he explains what is happening in terms of divine ...

3032. Proper 26

Joshua 3:1-4:24, Matthew 23:1-39, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, Psalm 107:1-43

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... to the wilderness stories where Israel is presented as following God on a journey, and it ends with the gift of the promise land. This three-part structure of salvation history can be described as exodus-leading-land ( ... in general (v. 10) and more specifically in their leader Joshua (v. 7). It will also demonstrate that possession of the land of Canaan is God's gift and not something that Israel has earned (v. 10). This point is underscored by the central role of the Ark in the story, which has come to ...

3033. Proper 27

Joshua 24:1-27, Psalm 78:1-72, 1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11, Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon Aid

Soards, Dozeman, McCabe

... this text for instructing and forming genuine Christian consciousness, it is important to recognize that the dead in Christ are raised as Christ was, but they are not merely resuscitated. As life comes to us in the first place as a gift from God, new life comes to us afresh as another gift from God. In Christian thought we do not have souls that are trapped in our bodies and waiting to be released at death. Instead, we are souls, and at death our creaturely existence ceases. The good news of the gospel is ...

3034. Romans 5: 1-11

Romans 5:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... sets in motion. Verse 5 is the “hinge” in Paul’s argument. Paul now links the “hope” described in vv.1-4 to the disciple’s personal experience of God’s divine love. This love is “poured into” the heart through the gift of the Holy Spirit, a precious gift made possible by Christ’s sacrifice. It is the depth and breadth of this sacrifice, and its transformative power, that is Paul’s focus in the remainder of this unit, verses 6-11. Paul’s argument in vv.6-8 highlights the difference ...

3035. Getting a Handle on Our Faith

John 11:1-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... love we have for Christ. It was that “first love” that brought us to our Savior’s feet. It was that “first love” that emboldened us to ask Christ to make us his. It was that “first love” that, through God’s grace, gave us this free gift of faith. How much more could we fulfill the Great Commission if we were to “shut down” to reconnect with our first love, and “shut off” from all those elements that are, in the final analysis, “add-ons” to our faith. Maybe Starbucks had a good ...

3036. Roll out the Green Carpet

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... , through Noah, your protecting covenant to all animals as well as to us. We intercede, therefore, for our friends the animals and their welfare. Inspired by the Gospel message of mercy, given us by your Divine Son, may all of us use our unique gifts of reason to protect these less privileged creatures which share this planet with us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN.” Bruce Thomas Boeher cites a medieval text that reflects the new activities of a redeemed creation in his book Parrot Culture: Our ...

3037. That's My Wife For You!

Illustration

John M. Braaten

... . "I am so grateful," he said, "because in this isolated and barren land a person could easily be driven to despair." When his next birthday rolled around, there was a large package in the mail from the States. When he opened it, he discovered not one gift, but eight gifts. One for him and one for each of his seven friends. The soldier looked at the eight presents and, with tears rolling down his cheeks, exclaimed, "That's my wife for you! Yes sir, that's my wife!" The wife was revealed by her actions. That ...

3038. Give Thanks in All Circumstances

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

James W. Moore

... that many kids don’t have and money can’t buy… and it’s something upon which they can build their lives for the rest of their days. Give them the church. It’s the best gift you can give them! It’s the best thing you can do for them!” She was right wasn’t she? The Church is one of God’s greatest gifts to the world. Let me ask you something: What would our community be like? What would our world be like? What would life be like if we didn’t have the Church? I am so grateful ...

3039. John 20:19-31

John 20:19-23

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... take in: an exhalation of God’s Spirit that is then inhaled deeply and fills up the disciples. There is no “on them” in most manuscripts of this text. Jesus “breathes” and invites all to “receive the Holy Spirit.” As it is a collective gift to those that would be “the ekklesia,” the power imparted by this Spirit (to forgive sins, to have sins “retained”) is a communal, not individual power. Of course Jesus had just established that the disciples are “sent” from him, even as he was ...

3040. What More Can He Give?

Colossians 1:15-23

Sermon

James McCormick

... the marginalized, the outcasts. But even if we do all of that, if we don’t bring people into a saving relationship with God who has made himself known in Jesus, we will have failed to give the world the best we have to give. Because the best gift we have to give to the world is Jesus! But here is the key: we can’t share Jesus with the world unless we have first claimed him for ourselves. That’s the starting place. I’m talking about a personal, faith-filled, obedient, life-changing relationship with ...

3041. Righteousness Exalts a Nation - The Fourth of July

Sermon

James McCormick

... else, it is righteousness that exalts a nation! Prayer: Loving God, our Father, we give You thanks for our nation and for all the blessings it affords to each of us. We are grateful for the sacrificial efforts of those who came before us, and for the gifts of freedom and abundance handed down to us at great cost. Help us now to be more worthy of those gifts. Help us to love our nation wisely, helpfully, creatively, by loving even more the righteousness that comes from You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

3042. The Spirit of My Mother's Church

John 7:25-44

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... else like feeling the wonder of new life coming from within. Ask any new mother, who has been transformed into a wholly new being by the arrival of one tiny new being. Ask any new believer, who has been transformed into a wholly new being by the grace gift of God’s Holy Spirit. On a dismal, stormy, wind-gusty winter’s night, the owner of a neighborhood bakery decided to close early. “There won’t be any customers on a night like this,” he reasoned. As he was about to lock the bakery door, a man ...

3043. 2 Corinthians 1: 11-13

2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... divine qualities of “love” and “peace” are available as resources for the Corinthians in their own struggles to live in peace and harmony with each other. Those who are genuinely “in Christ” participate in divine love and peace, and so must extend those gifts to others. As Paul moves on to his final benediction he urges the Corinthian Christians to take up one final action: “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” This greeting is referred to in other Pauline letters (1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 ...

3044. The 3 Rs of a Holy Life

2 Corinthians 13:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... to holiness is through hearing the voice of others, the words and wisdom of those whom God has sent into our lives. Without respect for the voices of others, no new messages will be heard. The Corinthians had been so busy bickering over whose spiritual gifts were greatest or who was a true member of the new covenant, that they had forgotten they had all been called together in Christ. Paul called the Corinthians to listen to his words, to heed and respect his directives, because his only concern was Christ ...

3045. 2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

3046. Prayer for Empowerment

Illustration

Frank Schaefer

Set our hearts on fire with love for you and compassion for a hurting world, O God, that in its flame we may love you with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul and with all our strength; that we may love our neighbors as ourselves; that in receiving your precious gifts we may be empowered to give of ourselves to our brothers and sisters in need; that we may do your will on earth as it is done in heaven, so that you may be glorified now and forever, the Giver of all good gifts. Amen.

3047. Getting a Grip on Fear

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

King Duncan

... Friend. Fear can play a positive role in our lives. However, overcoming excessive or misguided fears can be one of the greatest gifts God can give us. Dr. Arthur Caliandro is Senior Minister of the historic Marble Collegiate Church in New York City, the ... keeps us bound by fear--our lack of faith in God. Isn’t it time you let go of your fears and trusted God? Fear is a gift from God. There are some things of which we need to be afraid. But fear without faith is a monster that will deprive us of the joy ...

3048. What's Your Hospitality Quotient?

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

King Duncan

... odor that emanated from her clothing and her body. But there were many in the church who were glad of Pauline’s presence. Fortunately, they were those serving on the governing body of the church. One of them, a wise old elder, often said, “Pauline is Christ’s gift to us.” He meant it, in the sense that Pauline was the kind of person to whom Christ reached out, and to whom he calls his church as his Body to reach out. With Pauline present they could never forget this call. This elder was always one ...

3049. If I Only Had One Wish

2 Chronicles 1:1-12

Sermon

James Merritt

... is the letter from a father about fathers and to fathers. It not only teaches a father how to lead his children, but how to live before his children. Dad, stop right here and nail this next statement to the door of your heart. Wisdom is the gift every dad can pass on to his children that will last beyond his lifetime. You can leave your children money, but eventually they will spend it. You can leave your children property, but eventually they will sell it. You can leave your family trinkets and toys, but ...

3050. America in the Mirror

2 Kings 17:5-23

Sermon

James Merritt

... . Like America, Israel was at one time the only super power on planet earth. Like America, she was founded to be "one nation under God." Like America, her motto was "In God we trust." Like America, she was the most prosperous, productive nation in the world. God gave Israel three gifts: He gave her a Lord, He gave her a law, and He gave her a land. In other words, He gave them a person to live for, a principle to live by, and a place to live in. But we see here in this chapter what Israel did with those ...

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