Sermon and Worship Resources

Dictionary: Face

Biblical references to the face are both literal and metaphorical. The Hebrew word for “face” (paneh) frequently occurs in the plural in the OT (over 2,100 times), and it can express the numerous features of the face, that of God, humans, animals, and inanimate objects. It also can describe a surface, such as “the face of the ground” (Gen. 2:6 KJV) or “the face of the deep” (Gen. 1:2 KJV).

The concept of face must be understood in terms of the diverse emotional expressions and stratified social relationships of the biblical social world. This was a world of honor and shame, loyalty and betrayal. Where the modern person speaks of personal empowerment, the biblical person thought of social restoration. Life was tantamount to social acceptance. In the biblical world of strong corporate solidarity, the face was the most important part of a person’s body. Persons did not merely “contact” each other; rather, faces engaged each other. Face was synonymous with person (e.g., Lev. 19:32, where “the aged/elderly” is literally “the faces of the aged/elderly”). The face essentially describes interpersonal relationships.

Presence and nonpresence are noted in the expressions “hiding the face from” (Ps. 27:9) and “seeing the face of” (Gen. 32:20 KJV). These denote qualities of relationship through acceptance or rejection, especially to superiors. To “see someone’s face” who is a dignitary is to be granted a royal audience (Gen. 44:23). Yet it was not customary to show a sad face in a king’s presence (Neh. 2:2). A person could also try to hide his or her identity, since “face” marks a public expression of one’s character and social standing.

To literally “fall on the face” (Ezek. 1:28; Luke 5:12) shows humility and homage toward a superior. Personal intention or determination is shown in the expressions “set the face against/toward” (Ezek. 35:2) and “turn the face” (2 Kings 20:2). Dishonor and disrespect are expressed with a “fallen face” (Gen. 4:6; NIV: “downcast” face; cf. Gen. 40:7). Striking the face can be an act that humiliates (John 18:22), as with mutilation or having a soiled face (Lev. 21:18; 2 Sam. 19:4–5). By contrast, to speak “face to face” (Exod. 33:11) not only shows respect but also treats another as a social equal. Reflecting rich emotions, a face can be “cheerful” (Prov. 15:13), “aflame” with agony (Isa. 13:8), “red with weeping” (Job 16:16), and covered with “shame” (Ps. 69:7).

“Face” can be used as a metonym (i.e., substitution) for a person’s presence. Significantly, God’s rejection of a person or group can be expressed as them being hidden from his face (Gen. 4:14 KJV) or as God hiding his face from them (Isa. 54:8; Mic. 3:4; cf. Ps. 22:24). Those in distraught prayer ask why God has hidden his face (Job 13:24) or for how long (Ps. 13:1). Similarly, God acts against persons when he sets his face against them (Lev. 17:10; 26:17).

Believers anticipate the day when they will see God “face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12), having received the ultimate gift of God’s acceptance.

Synonyms: countenance, physiognomy, profile, features, expression, facial expression, look, appearance, air, manner, bearing, guise, cast, aspect, impression, grimace, scowl, wry face, wince, frown, glower, smirk, pout, moue, side, flank, vertical, surface, plane, facet, wall, elevation, dial, display, (outward) appearance, nature, image, front, show, act, false front, facade, exterior, mask, masquerade, pretence, charade, pose, illusion, smokescreen, veneer, camouflage, respect, honour, esteem, regard, admiration, approbation, acclaim, approval, favour, appreciation, popularity, estimation, veneration, awe, reverence, deference, recognition, prestige, standing, status, dignity, glory, kudos, cachet, effrontery, audacity, nerve, gall, brazenness, brashness, shamelessness, look out on, front on to, look towards, be facing, have/afford/command a view of, look over/across, open out over, look on to, overlook, give on to, give over, be opposite (to), accept, come to accept, become reconciled to, reconcile oneself to, reach an acceptance (of), get used to, become accustomed to, adjust to, accommodate oneself to, acclimatize oneself to, be confronted by, be faced with, encounter, experience, come into contact with, run into, come across, meet, come up against, be forced to contend with, beset, worry, distress, cause trouble to, trouble, bother, confront, burden, brave, face up to, meet head-on, dare, defy, oppose, resist, withstand, cover, clad, skin, overlay, dress, pave, put a facing on, laminate, inlay, plate, coat, line

Antonyms: dodge, fear, back, give way, back down, dodge, avoid, throw in the towel, withdraw, cave in, retreat, succumb to, lay down one's arms, throw in the sponge, defer, submit, escape, bashfulness, shun, evade, elude

Showing 3101 to 3125 of 4533 results

3101. Call the Tribe of Issachar Together

Luke 12:49-56

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... violin case - Iraqi head seeks arms - Teacher strikes idle kids - Reagan wins on budget, but more lies ahead - Killer sentenced to die for second time in 10 years Shirley's collection of noteworthy news is both silly and startling. They let us conjure up ridiculous images in our mind's eye, but they are also filled with the violence and indifference that is a constant part of our daily lives. They are, in their own right, "signs of the times." Ignoring the approach of a tornado doesn't offer any protection ...

3102. Fan the Flames

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Power: On our own, we are totally incapable of remaining faithful to anyone or anything - not even ourselves. The greatest gift each of us receives as new children in Christ is that special presence Christ sent to be among us - the Holy Spirit. Two images always seem to accompany the Holy Spirit - fire and wind. Just as all fire needs oxygen, so the flames of faithfulness that are kindled within us cannot be kept going without the breath of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's continued presence with ...

3103. Home Improvement

Jeremiah 23:1-6

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . We have taken this much too much for granted. We have been dulled and desensitized to the splendor of the Christian story. When you live in the Christian home, you become part of a tradition which has a priceless galleria of images, stories, metaphors, rituals, hymns, as well as historians, philosophers, playwrights, novelists, fantasy writers, poets, scientists and prophets. When you live in the Christian home, you live out of one of the most amazing and dramatic narratives in all of recorded history ...

3104. Enemies of Promise

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... your ears will ring. Don't admit to being scared or lonely or sad because you're supposed to be a "big boy" or "big girl" now. The enemy of fear takes trust and confidence and love away from children. After the bombing at Oklahoma City, with the images of blown-to-bits children seared in our kids' skulls, fear will be a key enemy of promise to this millennial generation (those born after 1984). 3. The Enemy of Hate: Children are not angels. They can be cruel, nasty, mean - but hatred is a more refined skill ...

3105. Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:26-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... A couple things are certain: it is a formal greeting and it is directed towards one who has been specially selected, “favored,” with God’s presence. Indeed, Gabriel goes on to specifically declare that “the Lord is with you.” Luke’s words and images here reflect Judges 13:2-7, Zechariah 9:9, and Zephaniah 3:14, all texts with clear messianic intentions. Mary’s response reflects what Luke’s first-time readers would no doubt feel about this situation and greeting: She is “perplexed,” or ...

3106. Luke 2:22-40

Luke 2:21-40

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... prophetic utterances he reveals another facet of this unusual messianic presence. Although Jesus will represent the “glory” of God to “you people Israel” (v.32), he will also act as a kind of stumbling stone for “many of Israel.” Simeon’s words recall an image from Isaiah 8:14-15 and 28:13,16, where God himself acts as the stone that causes his own people to stumble. Likewise in Mary’s Magnificat (1:52-53) God’s great work elevates some, while it humbles others. The unexpected impact of ...

3107. Do You Know Your Name?

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... 10,000 hours of compassion and passion on our soul search to discover our secret name. We can only begin to know our secret name gradually, as life unfolds. And we can not be sure what our secret name is until we see ourselves reflected in God, in whose image we are made (Rev. 2:17). But we do have some clues: Here are my “secret names” for some of you. I may not have them exactly right, but at least they’re in the right ballpark. Do you know your name? Your secret name? Susan, your secret name ...

3108. Ephesians 1:3-14

Ephesians 1:1-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... grammatical challenges offered by this lengthy Pauline unit, the type of text these verses represent is straightforward. Today’s text is an introductory eulogy, or “berakah,” an intentional focus on “declarative praise” (Westermann). Despite the numerous ideas and images Paul’s text introduces, this unit remains, at heart, a distinctly Christian “berakah,” praising and thanking the God who is the “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v.3). Part of the difficulty Ephesians 1:3-14 presents ...

3109. Mark 1:4-11

Mark 1:4-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Mark opens his gospel by "preparing the way" for the Christ, using all available symbols and appropriate images from the First Testament. Verse 4 portrays John the Baptizer in the wilderness, preaching baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Mark describes John as pulling in people from all over Jerusalem and Judea with this message. John's peculiarities are many ("clothed in camel's hair," wearing a " ...

3110. Mark 1:21-28

Mark 1:21-28

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... on food go. By allowing freedom to eat priority over concern for the spiritual well-being of some community members, you are jeopardizing your entire relationship with Christ. Paul's final words in this chapter reiterate his own multi-dimensional, holistic image of humanity and of the Church. Humans, Paul never forgets, are both physical and spiritual beings. Something as material as food, therefore, will always play a major role in our spiritual sojourn as well as in our physical existence. The other ...

3111. Ephesians 2:4-25

Ephesians 2:4-25

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . We choose whether or not to accept God's ultimate gift to us. God's intention is to save. But in both here and in 1 John we are reminded that there are consequences. If we reject God's love and deny the light (one of John's favorite recurring images), then judgment is a divine fact and human fate. For John judgment is both a present reality and a future state of being. We are judged by God's righteousness according to our present deeds now (verses 18-21; 1 John 3: 14) and these affect our future destiny ...

3112. Acts 4:32-35

Acts 4:32-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... as an absolute that "God is light," he is perhaps arguing against a Gnostic notion that morally ambiguous gods of darkness were more responsible for created matter than any omnipotent god of light and truth. Like the gospel writer, 1 John finds a powerful image in a God of light whose clearest and most dazzling brilliance shines forth in the incarnation of Jesus. Verses 6 through 10 spell out three examples of how Christians can cheapen "God's middle name" (Martin Luther's definition of grace). Those who ...

3113. Mark 6:7-13

Mark 6:7-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... get the door slammed in their faces, Jesus counsels a judicious use of time and energy. He advises his missionaries to cajole and convince reluctant listeners, but to shake the dust of a rejecting household off their feet as they leave (an image Jesus knew would be burned in the brains of those inhospitable households). Somewhat uncharacteristically, we are not treated to a long argument from the disciples. For once they apparently took Jesus at his word and obeyed his instructions to the letter. Until ...

3114. Ephesians 6:10-20

Ephesians 6:10-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to Paul's final directive, to "pray in the Spirit at all times." Prayer, too, is more an offensive than a defensive tactic. Prayer keeps the faithful in constant communication with their source of strength and creates a community of prayerful - the saints - for further empowerment. While Paul's image of the Christian facing battle has been couched in individual terms, now his final invocation is for these separately armored Christians to bond together for their own sake and for the sake of all the church.

3115. Mark 8:27-38

Mark 8:27-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... and comprehend what that actually entails. So Jesus silences the disciples, curtails any pride they may feel in guessing his identity, and begins to fill in the blanks in their understanding. The messiah Jesus depicts in verse 31 is very different from the image Mark himself has tried to convey about Jesus. No longer does Mark focus on Jesus' power and authority. As they wend their way to Jerusalem, Mark begins to emphasize with Christ's suffering and death. Jesus' consistent use of the term "Son of ...

3116. Hebrews 4:1-3; 9-13

Hebrews 4:1-3; 9-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... that the author urges Christians not to miss out through unbelief. In verse 11 he again makes reference to the wandering generation of Hebrews, whose disobedience caused them to be excluded from their proper place (Canaan) and time (Sabbath). Verse 12 introduces a new image, shifting our attention from the rest we have been promised to the nature of the One who has promised it. The author now wants his readers to understand the depth of the difference between ourselves and God. Our bodies and our words and ...

3117. Mark 10:35-45

Mark 10:35-45

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . Relating the Texts If the gospel text warns would-be Christians about the cost of discipleship, this week's epistle, Hebrews 4:14-16, celebrates the divine gift that awaits those who confess Christ. Once again the author of Hebrews uses the familiar image and language of the high priest to convey the truth about the radically new situation in which humanity may now participate. Having just concluded a second admonition to remain faithful (vs.11): "let us make every effort") the writer now buoys up his ...

3118. Mark 10:46-52

Mark 10:46-52

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of a physical sense. Bartimaeus' response to his new-found vision is unhesitating - he applies his previous faithfulness to his new situation and eagerly follows Jesus "on his way." Mark thus closes his section on discipleship with a profoundly positive image - those 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 ...

3119. Mark 13:24-32

Mark 13:24-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... full of apocalyptic imagery and predictions borrowed from the Old Testament. The texts cited this week are drawn from the second major section of eschatological discussions (vss. 24-37), set apart by its shift in time frame. Verses 24-27 are taken from images foretold in Joel 2:10, Isaiah 13:10 and 34:4, Daniel 7:13, Deuteronomy 30:3 and Zechariah 2:10. Jesus skillfully weaves all these various strands into one powerful and evocative vision. The quaking cosmos is the only definitive sign Jesus articulates ...

3120. Philippians 4:49

Philippians 4:49

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of God's very being. Relating the Texts From the prophet Zephaniah comes another call to rejoice. Zephaniah 3:14-20 is called "a song of joy," for it focuses on deliverance and redemption and their corresponding joyfulness. The song begins with military images and metaphors describing a God of strength and power. But even as Paul had advised gentleness and magnanimity, so too here Zephaniah portrays a tender God who "will rejoice over you with gladness" and "renew you in his love." God the fearful warrior ...

3121. Jeremiah 31:7-14

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... in the midst of this litany of divine commitments is God's promise of deliverance. Verse 10 reveals that the destruction and exile the people have suffered (and have yet to suffer) will come to an end with the entire world a witness. While the image of all the nations pricking up their ears to attend to the deliverance of this broken people may have been bitterly laughable to these beaten exiles, the message that God's intent could not be deterred by Jacob's weakness was still powerfully consoling. God ...

3122. Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to the individual's or the congregation's participation in the Christ-body community. Finally John points to the mission of the Messiah, to contrast It with his own. While John may proclaim an impending age of judgment, the Messiah will actually bring it about. John's image of the flailing winnowing fork and the flying chaff depict a time of whirling turmoil. The age for talk is past, the time for action is here, as the promised Messiah dives into the frantic pace of the harvest season. There is no time for ...

3123. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... is also for the common good. But Paul's words allow us no escape. He claims the charismatic label for all Christians, for the entire body of Christ. When individual churches try to limit the diversity of the Spirit, they create a false image of a Christ-body community. Having established a solid theological foundation, Paul now feels free to cite some specific examples of spiritual gifts. While he does not explicitly state that his list represents a prioritized ranking, it is hardly coincidental that he ...

3124. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of the best loved and most quoted - by the religious and non-religious alike. As moving as Paul's illustration is, it was hardly original. The contrast between child and adult was a common rhetorical analogy of Paul's day, and the image of the dark, distorted reflection seems to have its basis in another analogical root, Numbers 12:8. When God confronts the grousing Miriam and Aaron, God discloses the difference between divine communication to them and to special servant Moses. The traditional translation ...

3125. Luke 19:28-40

Luke 19:28-40

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... this scene more politically palatable, Luke omits the use of any palm fronds, and silences the cries of "hosanna." Fronds and tree branches were traditionally laid in the path of national and military processions. By excising their potentially inflammatory images from the story, Luke avoids confusing Jesus' messianic identity with that of some militaristic, revolutionary zealot. But Luke's most subtle attempt at diffusing a potentially problematic issue comes in the close of the entrance hymn (v.38). While ...

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