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 3151 to 3175 of 4963 results

3151. 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)

1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... that "Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him" (v.7). Not only does this explanation serve to excuse Samuel's repeated misidentification of the voice he hears, but it prepares the reader now to expect some proper response from the one in this story who did know the Lord and who had received the Lord's word in the past: Eli. On the third occasion of the voice's calling "Samuel," and the boy's rushing in to Eli's side, the old prophet finally does catch on ...

3152. John 12:20-33

John 12:20-33

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... see" him only through his reputation as a great teacher, healer, miracle worker. At this "hour" of his "glorification," however, Jesus is revealed (again) as enduring suffering and death if his mission is to be undimmed. Although Jesus never addresses the Greeks directly in response, he does offer yet another lesson on discipleship. Like himself, his disciples must be willing to follow God's plan to the end, even death itself, if they are to "bear fruit" (v.24). This leads John to his version of the whoever ...

3153. Acts 8:26-40

Acts 8:26-40

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Ethiopian eunuch is necessary to balance the scales in two competing arguments presented in the book of Acts. The Lukan author insists on two answers to the question of who was the first Gentile convert in the infant Christian church and who was responsible for first bringing the Good News to a Gentile seeker. According to Acts 10:1-11:18, those specifically designated as apostles, acting under the auspices of the church in Jerusalem, were the first to expand their official mission. In this version, Peter ...

3154. Mark 2:23-3:6

Mark 2:23-3:6

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the uniquely divine nature of the Sabbath itself. It is not common men and women who hold control of the Sabbath in their hands. Rather it is the divine one the Son of Man who legitimates the sacredness of that day. This claim took the responsibility for explaining their Sabbath-day practices out of the hands of believers and put it into the lap of the one already confessed as divine. The second pericope read today (3:1-6) is a miracle story transformed into a Markan controversy event. Grammatical structure ...

3155. Mark 4:26-34

Mark 4:26-34

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the ripe ear. But a closer look at the seed's activity suggests that the seed itself is wholly dependent upon others. Until it is sown by the farmer, the seed is inert. During the seed's growth process, the parable emphasizes that "the earth" is responsible for the transformation from a seed to a plant to a crop in the field. Woven throughout this cycle is the presence of the farmer. The farmer sows the seed, waits for its growth, and finally, at the correct time, harvests the crop. But little is revealed ...

3156. Mark 4:35-41

Mark 4:35-41

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... state of mind or dress. The disciples didn't so much take Jesus away as they went with him. For, according to this text, Jesus was already in the boat, ready to go, waiting for them to catch up. Boat pulpits (as described in 4:1) could be Jesus' response to the size of the crowd. But as this text reveals, teaching from a boat also gave Jesus the opportunity for a very fast getaway. A story about Jesus' taking a break now becomes the first in a series of Markan miracle stories. In verse 37, the gospel writer ...

3157. Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... in the name of another. An apostle claimed the authority of the one who sent him out, which is why the Twelve are so eager to relate to Jesus "all that they had done and taught." The mission they had carried out was none other than Jesus' own. Jesus' response to his apostles' return is also unique to this moment in Mark. Jesus calls for his disciples to take a rest by going with him to "a deserted place." Unlike Jesus' individual retreats for prayer (cf.1:35; 6:45-46), this appears to be a more physically ...

3158. Mark 7:24-37

Mark 7:24-37

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... "politically correct" sensibilities are not irritated by the edginess with which this information is suggested, our hackles are certainly raised by the exchange that now ensues between Jesus and this woman. In response to her begging on bended knee for healing, not for herself, but for her daughter, Jesus' response is curt, cold and cutting. He seems unresponsive to anything besides this woman's ethnic and religious identity. As the banter between the two continues, we are even further disturbed. Not only ...

3159. Mark 10:2-16

Mark 10:2-16

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... things to understand about Jesus' words on divorce is this: They were just as "hard," just as uncomfortable, just as socially awkward for first-century Pharisees as they are for 21st-century Christians. Divorce had long been legally permissible by Jewish law. In response to Jesus' question in verse 3, "What did Moses command you?" the Pharisees rapidly reply with the provisions for divorce laid down in Deuteronomy 24:1. Yet even this so-called "Law of Moses" is not really a law, but a commentary on ...

3160. Mark 10:35-45

Mark 10:35-45

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to Jesus' third and most graphic passion prediction. If ever there were showcase examples of selective hearing, James and John's response to Jesus' revelation in 10:33-34 takes the prize. How can we comprehend the fact that Jesus' one precision prediction of the Jerusalem horror is followed by such self-serving bickering? It's possible only by focusing on the opening and closing words of Jesus' teaching. After Jesus begins ...

3161. 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Timothy succeeds in not only delivering Paul's message of praises and cautions, but he functions as a return envoy for the Thessalonians. Our canonical texts are thus twice-removed from the first communiqué Paul sent to Thessalonia. What we read today is in response to Timothy's account of how the Thessalonains had responded to Paul's initial message. The news is good. Timothy was treated with all the respect and honor he should have received as Paul's official envoy. He also reports that the Thessalonians ...

3162. Luke 1:39-45 (46-55

Luke 1:39-45 (46-55

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... overtones and gender issues voiced by Mary in her hymn, it is important to note that first and foremost, the "Song of Mary" is a hymn of praise. Its poetic form and structure separate it from the narrative text that surrounds it. As Mary's response to both Elizabeth's blessing and the angel Gabriel's proclamation, this hymn offers praise to God for the surprises of God's providence. Mary first proclaims God's greatness and identifies God as her Savior. She then agrees with Elizabeth's declaration that she ...

3163. 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... all recorded history. Thus, Christ as much as God is the provider of the gifts of food and drink to the Israelites. Second, Paul may have found this "spiritual rock" image particularly appealing in light of some rabbinic teachings that postulated only one rock responsible for the several gifts of water (at Kadesh, Numbers 20:2-13; at Horeb, Exodus 17:1-7; and at Beer, Numbers 21:16-20). This rabbinic theory postulated the existence of one rock that followed the people throughout their sojourn. Paul then ...

3164. Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)

Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... what such a light suggests. It is as a devout Jew that Saul responds to this light by falling to the ground and assuming the posture of worship. A voice now calls out to Saul asking the rhetorical question, "Why do you persecute me?" Saul's response is to inquire about the identity of the voice. But we should not think Saul's question suggests he had no idea who was addressing him. In the Jewish tradition, which is Saul's identity, dialogue is the natural form taken by divine revelations. Saul responds ...

3165. 2 Kings 5:1-14

2 Kings 5:1-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Naaman will not get to know that "there is a prophet in Israel." Elisha's light touch with power violates the proud warrior's protocols of power. Once again it is the voice of the lowest this time Naaman's own servants that prompts a positive response from their master. Reminding Naaman that "if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it?" (v.13), they urge him not to reject help because the helper's style appears simple and unassuming. The prophet asked of Naaman ...

3166. Jeremiah 18:1-11

Jeremiah 18:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . Verse 7 describes how disobedient, evil nations might yet be staved off. The warning about impending divine judgment given in verse 7 is clearly the main force behind the Lord's word to Jeremiah. But never forget that God is free to act as God wills in response to Judah's own behavior. Verses 7-10 read as a double sequence, a kind of stuttering "if ... if ... then ... then ..." argument. "If ... if ... then ... I will repent of the evil that I intended to do to it" (vv.7-8). "If ... if ... then ... I will ...

3167. Luke 17:5-10

Luke 17:5-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... servant be praised for working not only in the fields but also in the kitchen. Indeed, it is his vocation. Jesus presses his point home: "So you also." The disciple who serves his Lord ought not to assume that he has done a great service. The proper response is simply to say, "We have done only what we ought to have done!" (v. 10). Such a disciple who ministers in such a manner still recognizes his worthlessness (v. 10). That is, no servant of God can truly serve in a way which satisfies the full demands ...

3168. Jeremiah 31:27-34

Jeremiah 31:27-34

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... in Ezekiel 18:2 and alluded to in Lamentations 5:7. While Ezekiel rejected this proverb entirely, Jeremiah appears to accept its truth for the present but posits a different interpretation of it in the future. Verse 29 is a classic description of collective responsibility: The parents eat the sour grapes, but it is the children who suffer. The punishment for the sins of one are experienced by all. But verse 30 describes a situation where "in those days" (v. 29) individuals will be judged only by their own ...

3169. Matthew 11:2-11

Matthew 11:2-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... themselves. The crowds and the disciples lap up Jesus' words and deeds. But the religious authorities are growing more restive and rigid, convinced that Jesus' ministry poses a threat to them and the status quo. The reading branches in two directions. First, in response to the question of John the Baptist's disciples (v.3), Jesus summarizes the events that have marked his ministry up to this point, events that point to his messianic identity and mission (vv.4-6). Second, he then praises the prophetic role ...

3170. Matthew 26:14-27:66

Matthew 26:14-27:66

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , on which there is no reversal. At only one last tragic meeting do these two men tread common ground. Matthew 26:49-50 describes this hinge moment so swiftly and simply that the tremendous significance behind this encounter can be missed. Jesus' response to Judas' kiss is one of calm and instant forgiveness. Jesus, in fact, acts according to his own counsel - spelled out in Matthew 10:17ff - about how all his disciples should behave when confronted with betrayal and persecution. Jesus' question to Judas ...

3171. Acts 7:55-60

Acts 7:55-60

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... committed service to the Christian community. Stephen is first introduced as one of the seven laypeople chosen to help the apostles out of a bind. Burdened by too many people demanding too many services, the apostles realized they must learn to delegate responsibility. Accordingly, seven men "of good standing" (Acts 6:3) were chosen to assist in serving tables filled with widows awaiting their daily rations of food. Stephen is noted as particularly "full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (6:5) among the seven ...

3172. Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28

Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... s favorite denotations for a worshipful act of reverence before Jesus. Once more she properly addresses Jesus as "Lord," this time adding only the pathetic plea "help me." But again she is rebuffed by Jesus - in what appear to be the harshest terms yet. Jesus' response is still based on the issue of Israel's primacy. As "the children" of God, they are to be fed first. Still, Jesus' characterization of the Gentile others as "dogs" hits us as an unnecessary racial slur. Some scholars have tried to soften this ...

3173. Exodus 17:1-7

Exodus 17:1-7

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Lord mentions nothing about water. Instead, the prophet's concern seems to be for the continued viability of his leadership position ("What shall I do with these people?") and for his own safety ("They are almost ready to stone me" v.4). In response to Moses' almost panicky attitude, Yahweh gives step-by-step, detailed instructions about how he is to proceed. Yahweh's directives seem especially sensitive to Moses' shaky confidence. First, Yahweh insists that Moses get out of the midst of the milling, bad ...

3174. Matthew 22:15-22

Matthew 22:15-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the teachings of Jesus, we don't recall lofty maxims so much as we do lifting images a wedding feast, a prodigal son hugged by his father, a field of wheat and weeds. So too now, instead of launching into a lengthy lecture on social responsibilities, civil tax structures or religious freedom, Jesus simply calls for a prop a Roman coin. The denarius required for the payment of taxes projected a particularly powerful image. This silver coin was inscribed not only with the face of the Roman emperor, but with ...

3175. Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... addition to the text, the people demonstrate remarkable cognizance of all God has done for them. Yet their promise to serve appears to be based only on a sense of tit-for-tat God does good things for us so we will serve him. Joshua's bitter response to these sweet-sounding words still shocks readers today think how stunned the Israelites must have been as he threw these words in their faces: "You cannot serve the Lord for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or ...

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