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 3101 to 3125 of 4988 results

3101. Get a Life!

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... were following was clearly a pathway to death. "Seek good and not evil," the prophet implored, "that you may live" (Amos 5:14). Likewise Paul encourages Timothy to revive his God-given spiritual gifts "of power and of love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7) so that he may receive the ultimate gift, "Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Timothy 1:10). Yet we continue to try and plot our existence around a series of transitory, inconsequential ...

3102. Is Your Christmas Spirit a Controlled Substance?

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Christmas spirit.” “We have to go out. We don’t have to come back.” That is the real Christmas spirit. Not reckless. But selfless. Not focused on making it. Focused on making a difference. The spirit that the gift of Christ imparts is not of shallow sappiness. The spirit that the gift of Christ imparts is of sublime strength. The Christmas spirit may have been best captured by Hudson Taylor when he described the attitude of Christ this way: First it is impossible, Then it is difficult, Then it is ...

3103. Had-To

James 1:17-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... of heavenly music throughout our earthly existence. You haven't already heard today some strains of heavenly melodies? You expect you'll probably get through the day without any experience of heaven-on-earth? Then something's wrong with your soul. You and I are gifted with the capacity to taste of "the powers of the age to come" (Hebrews 6:5). NOW. You and I can experience the foretaste of eternity. NOW. There is a new label being attached to people: "Had-To." When asked why they tried something unusual ...

3104. Wanted: A Lasting Marriage. Only Good Chemists, Bad mathematicians, Expert Soul-O-Flexors Need Apply

Mark 10:2-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... chemistry wrong? Mix up some new chemicals. Stir up some different romance ingredients. Here are some simple rituals of renewal which can keep your marriage romantically potent: plant a tree together give a gift in honor of your marriage renew marriage vows buy the biggest wedding cake and invite friends over exchange gifts of jewelry Mathematician But as important as it is to become a good chemist, it is equally important to become a bad mathematician. In marriage, each partner must be willing to put in ...

3105. Mazing Grace or Amazing Grace

Isaiah 42:1-9

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... 3:16). For it is in the incarnation of the Logos, in Jesus Christ, that the creative power of God makes divine mercy available, at last, to all of creation. As God's blessedness, as God's partners in creation, are we living out of this gift of amazing grace? Or are we stuck in mazes of our making? Are we extending God's amazing grace to others, instruments of the grace that brings together God's justice and mercy? Or are we hard hitters, law-abiding judgers who are nevertheless soft targets ourselves ...

3106. Easter Completes

Colossians 3:1-4

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... lives are fulfilled in the resurrection of a Christ who is "now" but "not yet," whose work is "complete" but yet "incomplete." Christian life is, in this sense, one long Easter egg hunt. On Christmas morning, the point of presents is to unwrap them and see what wonderful gifts you have received. The point of the Tooth Fairy is a tangible, spendable reward under the pillow of a child who has lost a tooth. But on Easter morning, the reason for rising early is to go on a hunt to seek out the nests of colorful ...

3107. The Ride of Your Life

1 Peter 1:17-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... midst of a foreign land that their ancestors' ways were "futile." He insists that his readers have been "ransomed" from these fruitless, futile, pagan lifestyles through the supreme gift of Christ's "precious blood." You and I are offered the same way out from our futile attempts at creating meaning and "success" in our lives. Jesus' gift of a redeemed life can stop the downward slide, transform the treadmill into a purposeful pathway, add steadiness to the roller coaster and give the uncontrolled escalator ...

3108. Grow Old Grace-fully

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... his most active service. In his "third age," Moses did not "retire" into sedentary oblivion. He became the servant of the Lord unlike any other ever known, Israel's greatest leader. It is time to celebrate the positive dimensions of growing old "grace-fully." What gifts and graces do today's and tomorrow's "third-agers" have to offer our churches? All of us must follow Moses; lead and learn to grow old "grace-fully." Growing old "grace-fully" does not mean winding down. Instead, it means learning to shift ...

3109. Be an Energizer Bunny

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... It is the mix of sounds and the clash of interpretations that testify to the vitality of the church. The multiplicity of spiritual gifts moving in the midst of the church is a sign of health, not disease. Ever since our Protestant ancestors began the trend ... way to deal with the inevitable discord that arises within congregations. He celebrated differences. He praised the diversity of spiritual gifts that created a church full of one-of-a-kinds. Paul's answer to dealing with congregational dissonance was not ...

3110. Stone Testaments

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . The element of surprise is key to the narrative.] Have you ever had this experience? You arrive home after a hectic day at work and find waiting for you a surprise. Maybe it's a special dinner, or a bouquet of flowers, or a special gift to commemorate some anniversary that you had completely forgotten about. What a sinking, stinking feeling! And then to have to confess to your thoughtful spouse that you were too busy, or preoccupied or distracted to remember the date as the anniversary of your first date ...

3111. How to Stay Spiritually Fresh

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... talk about staying in the fullness and freshness of the Spirit. Jesus promised us that we could stay fresh and alive and plugged into the power of the Spirit. "Ask," he insisted, "and you will receive" not just some of us, not just those with special gifts, but "everyone." In fact, Jesus gave his disciples their own prayer so that they might live a "wired" life being "wired in" to the Spirit. The "Lord's Prayer" was never intended to be a creed or a catechism, repeated exactly the same by all Christians ...

3112. Call the Tribe of Issachar Together

Luke 12:49-56

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... tribe of Issachar (1 Chronicles 12:32). The tribe of Issachar, we are told, "had an understanding of the times, to know what ... to do." When David became king, each of the tribes of Israel paraded before David and presented him with a special gift. It was the unique gift of the tribe of Issachar that they knew "what ... to do" (v.32). - Miners refuse to work after death - Juvenile court to try shooting defendant - War dims hope for peace What is keeping us from becoming a tribe of Issachar? What signs of ...

3113. Fan the Flames

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on your schedule. Sunday morning services and Wednesday night praise group and Friday lunchtime Bible study seem to be consuming your week, and you feel the need for some "time off." Paul recognized the need for Timothy, and all Christians, periodically to "rekindle the gift of God" (v.6) that we have received in our lives. What does it take to fan the flame of the spirit back to a roaring fire of faithfulness within us? It takes three things: Pentecost Power, Love-Perfect Living, and a Self-Disciplined ...

3114. A Theology of Linguistic Linguini

Ephesians 1:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... at work. Kids are back at school. Post-Christmas and New Year’s sales are over. It’s too early to plan for “President’s Day” or Valentine’s Day. We find Epiphany, the day the Magi finally reached Mary and Joseph and offered their extravagant gifts to the baby Jesus, slightly off-putting. Maybe it is because we’ve jumped the gun and have already opened up . . . used up . . . eaten up . . . even broken up . . . all our presents by now. Maybe we have a sneaking sense that “we should have waited ...

3115. Stay Focused!

Illustration

Eric Ritz

We sometimes miss the great opportunities of life because we get sidetracked. I once heard the tale of a talented and gifted bloodhound in England that started a hunt by chasing a full-grown male deer. During the chase a fox crossed his path, so he ... Paul would not allow anything to cross his path that would deter him from his priority. Paul knew that his new life was a gift from God, not from the promises of humanity. His life was to be lived for his master. Nothing would sidetrack him of that priority!

3116. John 3:1-17

John 3:1-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the stage for Jesus' encapsulated pronouncement of what it is God has now chosen to do and why. What Martin Luther called "the gospel in miniature," John 3:16, stipulates exactly "how" God has chosen to bridge the chasm between spirit and flesh (vs.6): with the gift of God's Son Jesus Christ. No less astonishing is the motivation behind this act: God's love for the cosmos and every living being in it. Relating the Texts From the First Testament we have the text recording Isaiah's call to be a prophet for ...

3117. John 6:24-35

John 6:24-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... successfully finish the work he has been given. The work required of human beings is the work of faith. As Jesus makes clear in verse 29 all humanity needs to do is believe in him as the one sent by God. This simple act of faith yields the gift of life for all who "work" it Peter F. Ellis, The Genius of John (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1984), 122. But the crowd is not satisfied. Despite the fact that a scant twenty-four hours has passed since Jesus miraculously fed the whole lot of them with ...

3118. Ephesians 6:10-20

Ephesians 6:10-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... salvation," and the "sword f the Spirit." Paul had already made the crucial nature of faith in the life of the believer clear in Ephesians 2:8 ". . . by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God." The shielding effect of this faith is certainly not to deflect from the faithful any and all human hurts. Note that Paul makes the onslaughts of "the evil one" doubly destructive. Not just arrows, but "flaming arrows" rain down. Flames can spread the destructive ...

3119. Mark 8:27-38

Mark 8:27-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... humanity and emphasize our dependency on the divine. Whatever gains we may feel we have made in this life, the old truism remains that "you can't take it with you." The value of our life was established before we were born. It is a gift we receive with our first breath, a gift we can never repay. Following Jesus or not is left up to us. But Jesus pulls no punches when he describes the fate of those who dismiss his invitation. Verse 38 is one of the church's "sentences of holy law," designed to demonstrate ...

3120. James 3:13-18

James 3:13-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... admits that only God controls the distribution of wisdom. No power on earth can usurp God's dominion over wisdom. Only by recognizing our complete dependence upon God for the dissemination of wisdom can humans finally possess a tiny measure of this precious gift. In truth (verse 28), the only real wisdom that humans are capable of cultivating is a healthy "fear of the Lord" by "departing from evil." The disciples in this week's gospel text dramatically demonstrate a profound inability to grasp this Jobean ...

3121. Hebrews 4:1-3; 9-13

Hebrews 4:1-3; 9-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... and harassing as a hangover, awaiting those who fail to respond in faith. Those who respond faithfully to God's promise will find the gift of rest making them fully alive to life. The author quotes Psalm 95:11 to reveal the glorious nature of this Sevening, heightening the ... the eventual Sevening we will experience when we "cease from our labors as God did from his." With this profound gift awaiting us it is little wonder that the author urges Christians not to miss out through unbelief. In verse 11 he ...

3122. Hebrews 10:5-10

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Servant as the "reward" or his obedience, uses the "ear" as a focal point. In Isaiah 50:4ff. the "ear of this Servant - also an ear dug for him by his creator - is particularly noted. It is the ear which the Lord "wakens" each morning, for the Servant recognizes the gift of life was not given only on the day of his creation, but is given anew each day. And in verse 5 the Lord "opened" the Servant's ear to the mystery of the divine purpose. Because his ear is opened, the Servant is no longer tempted towards ...

3123. Acts 14:8-18

Acts 14:8-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... these early Christian missionaries, Paul and Barnabas come to Lystra in Lycaonia. There, in a scene reminiscent of Luke 5:18-26, Acts 3:1-10 and Acts 9:32-35, Paul encounters a man crippled since birth. Luke accords Paul the gift of healing powers, but also a remarkable gift of perception. The man neither beseeches Paul for help nor makes any confession of faith - but Paul "looking at him intently and seeing he had the faith to be healed" immediately commands him to stand. With his words the man is healed ...

3124. John 17:20-26

John 17:20-26

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... make it known" to the world through his crucifixion, death and resurrection. Thus Jesus' prayer gives the church identity - as one with the Father and the Son; a mission - to proclaim the love of the Father and the Son; and the means - through the gift of the Holy Spirit to accomplish that mission. Relating the Texts After enjoying a quick and quiet success with Lydia, Paul and Silas get immediately embroiled in a great controversy at Philippi (vv.16-18). A slave girl, who through spirit possession could ...

3125. Hebrews 12:1-2, 12-17

Hebrews 12:1-2, 12-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... first-born. The point of the Esau illustration is to dramatically demonstrate the finality of some events. Like Esau, Christians also have a special "re-birthright," salvation through Jesus Christ. But also like Esau, if we should reject or "despise" that gift, it can be gone forever. In the book of Hebrews, there is absolutely no second repentance. Theologically, this absolute conclusion fits neatly into this author's concept of Christ's redeeming activity. There was only one perfect act of reconciliation ...

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