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 3201 to 3225 of 4653 results

3201. Luke 10:25-37

Luke 10:25-37

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... conduct religious duties in the temple. The beaten man, who is described as appearing "half-dead," was likely lying unconscious and bleeding alongside the road. Since he might have already been dead, the priest and Levite would not be able to touch him - coming into physical contact with a corpse would render them ritually unclean and thus incapable of performing their official duties. However reasonable this explanation may appear, it is still only an excuse - not a justification. Steven Hoyer and Patrice ...

3202. 2 Kings 5:1-15ab

2 Kings 5:1-15ab

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... hearing of Naaman's arrival, Elisha simply sends out some anonymous messenger to deliver his message to the Aramean. Until now Naaman has been remarkably flexible and amiable, willingly traveling out to the prophet's remote outpost to ask for the healing touch. But Elisha's apparently impersonal response to Naaman's presence propels this mighty warrior into a pouting huff. First Naaman is put out because this scruffy desert prophet does not even formally welcome him to his home or acknowledge the Aramean's ...

3203. Colossians 1:11-20

Colossians 1:11-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... by a particularly catchy jingle with clever lyrics? Consider how much of our hard-earned money we are willing to plunk down because we crave a "sound" environment. No matter how chronologically distant their composition, the power of song reaches out to touch us through the Psalms. Psalm 95 is identified as a "call to worship and obedience," a designation that shortchanges its complexity. Historically, this was one of the psalms celebrating Yahweh's enthronement. Psalm 95, like Psalms 24 and 68, was a ...

3204. Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Deuteronomy 18:9-13, 14-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 18:9. This list of activities and behaviors, some utterly heinous (child sacrifice), some probably harmless (seeking oracles from the dead), all share in common an attempt by men and women to determine God's will and foresee God's future plans. Staying in touch with God, knowing God's intentions, had suddenly become a holy obsession for the Hebrew people. Deuteronomy is written as a kind of Last Will and Testament of Moses. These prohibitions are enumerated by a fading leader, a man growing old, who knows ...

3205. John 2:13-22

John 2:13-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... a "word" instead. For the third time in this pericope, the gospel writer introduces another term for "temple." Jesus responds to their demand by declaring, "Destroy this temple (Greek ton naon) and in three days I will raise it up." In a typically Johannine touch, Jesus is completely misunderstand. His words are taken with wooden literality. They hear Jesus' challenges in verse 19 only as a claim to rebuild the actual building (the hieron of vv.14-15), while missing the inference that the naon of God now ...

3206. Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... faith of these crowds in Jesus' healing powers is impressive. According to Mark's text, they appropriated space in the midst of the busy economic center, the marketplace, to lay out the sick for healing. The faith of these followers is so great that they believe if only they could "touch even the fringe of his cloak" they would be cured. Mark's portrayal of Jesus' peaking popularity sets the stage for the beginning of his confrontations with the Pharisees, scribes and authorities of Jerusalem (7:1-23).

3207. Mark 7:24-37

Mark 7:24-37

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... In fact, the healing techniques practiced by Jesus in this case seem unnecessarily graphic, even gross. Some translators have been so squeamish at the thought of Jesus' poking his fingers into this man's deaf ears, spreading his saliva about and actually touching the mute tongue with it, that they have tried to finesse the text into something more acceptable. There are some translations that have the deaf man poking at his own ears ostensibly to demonstrate his deafness to Jesus. He supposedly spits before ...

3208. Mark 12:28-34

Mark 12:28-34

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Luke 10:25-37), erasing national and ethnic self-centeredness as well as excuses for limits on loving one's "neighbor." Verses 32-34a are recorded only in Mark's telling of this exchange. The scribe's paraphrase of the commandments Jesus cited reflects typical Jewish touches. He omits the name of God out of respect and a zealous obedience to the third commandment (Exodus 20:7). The addition of "and besides him there is no other" is a citation of Deuteronomy 4:35. These are tips to Mark's Jewish readers that ...

3209. Luke 3:7-18

Luke 3:7-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the repentant? For John to address such seekers with soft souls as "You brood of vipers," and to head their way a heap of apocalyptic wrath doesn't seem to mesh with the crowd's openness to John's words and eagerness for John's baptizing touch. Perhaps, however, not all of those who came seeking baptism were moved by sincere repentance. Could it be that some in the crowd were merely seeking "insurance" against the "wrath to come"? John's harsh words may well have been sparked by their unworthy motives. The ...

3210. Jeremiah 1:4-10

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , God dismisses the reluctant prophet's objections and instead offers reassurance (v. 7) that divine power and presence will be with Jeremiah. Finally, God seals the call of this new prophet through a sign, in this case (as in Isaiah's) touching Jeremiah's mouth, symbolically placing the divine word within him. This standard format is made deeply personal and particularized for each who receives a prophetic call. But the imagery of Jeremiah's call is strikingly poignant. In the opening lines, God proclaims ...

3211. Luke 5:1-11

Luke 5:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 38-39 when Jesus heals Simon's mother-in-law. By the time Jesus appears on the shores of the lake of Gennesaret, Simon's fishing grounds, he is a known figure to Simon with an established track record. His family has once before experienced Jesus' healing touch. This time Jesus encounters Simon not as a healer but as a teacher. The crowd that presses him at the water's edge is anxious to "hear the word of God" (v.1), not experience miraculous cures. The details Luke provides are simple yet poignant. The two ...

3212. Luke 6:17-26

Luke 6:17-26

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

3213. John 20:1-18

John 20:1-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... connect it to either his glorified body, or his impending departure, but to see it as a reassurance to the joy-distraught woman: "You do not need to cling to me like this, because I'm not going anywhere yet." Certainly the idea that Mary should not touch Jesus makes no sense in light of his later invitation to Thomas to do precisely that. We have no record of what other words may have been exchanged between the two. But Mary, only moments earlier almost mute with grief, is relieved and reassured. Now she is ...

3214. Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)

Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Saul spends cut off from his normal physicality are intended to remind the reader of the three days Jesus himself spent in the tomb before his resurrection. At the conclusion of Saul's "entombment" he, too, is reborn. His sight is restored at the healing touch of Ananias, and his soul is revitalized by the gift of the Holy Spirit (v.17). Pastors Respond The material in Homiletics is intended to jump-start your own application of the ideas presented. So we asked three pastors how they would conclude a sermon ...

3215. Acts 9:36-43

Acts 9:36-43

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... in Samaria who wanted to pay money for the power of the Holy Spirit is recorded in 8:14-25. Prior to this account, Peter is last seen in Jerusalem pushing through crowds of the sick and demon-possessed who wished to experience Peter' s healing touch, or failing that at least have his shadow fall upon them that they might thereby be healed (5:12-16). The chapters preceding our text, then, rather than focusing on Peter, interject the account of Stephen' s martyrdom and Saul' s conversion before returning to ...

3216. Luke 8:26-39

Luke 8:26-39

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The story of the Gerasene denomiac wields terrific and terrifying spiritual and psychological power as it touches on such issues as the Gentile mission, Jesus' messianic identity, discipleship, and even homiletics itself. We begin our brief study aware that absolutely everyone agrees that this story (which is found in all synoptic gospels) is an authentic Jesus story. Healer/Messiah/"Son of the Most High," Jesus is revealed ...

3217. 2 Kings 5:1-14

2 Kings 5:1-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... in the Jordan a river Naaman disparages as incapable of being put in the same category with his own native rivers. For a moment, it seems a frustrated, furious 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 ...

3218. Hosea 11:1-11

Hosea 11:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... gives chapter 11 its poignant power. This week's text opens with words probably made most familiar to us by their use in Matthew 2:15. The gospel writer could have found no other prophetic text that could communicate parental concern quite so touchingly. Although Matthew's gospel uses Hosea's words to explain Jesus' personal history, the prophet's proclamation in 11:1 is quite clearly a reference to the nation-building exodus event in the life of Israel. Scholars identify the divine testimony that claims ...

3219. Hebrews 12:18-29

Hebrews 12:18-29

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Law among the greatest of feats in their salvation history, this author focuses on the "fear and trembling" that accompanied the event. The description of Mt.Sinai during the time God's presence dwelt there is terrifying. As a holy place it cannot be touched by ordinary people. Only Moses had leave to approach and ascend the mountain to receive the divine instructions. Symbols of God's presence fire, darkness, a tempest, not to mention the voice itself all warn the Israelites to leave a wide berth between ...

3220. Luke 17:11-19

Luke 17:11-19

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the source of his healing, offered up the appropriate praises to God such a miracle demanded, the Samaritan alone successfully couples his newfound faith with a healed body and spirit. Truly, he alone is completely cured. As a skillful storyteller, Luke uses masterful touches throughout this tale. In verse 15, the reader is impressed by the faith of the one returning leper and is moved by this man's prostration before Jesus as he praises God. Only after Luke has established the laudable character of this ...

3221. Luke 21:5-19

Luke 21:5-19

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Jesus' prediction is shocking. It suggests to his followers that from now on, even when they are gathered into the very hearts of their families, they are never safe from argument, attack and abuse. The final two verses in today's text reflect Luke's special touch. Verse 18 is a new addition to the story by Luke although it reflects a thought first voiced in 12:7 and is a culturally familiar Jewish idiom. "Not a hair of your head will perish," Jesus says. By reiterating this protective promise, Luke softens ...

3222. Weakness into Strength

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

James McCormick

... I am weak, then I am strong.” Prayer: Loving Father, so many of us have experienced the good news that Your grace is sufficient for every need. Now help us to use our strength in Your service, and help us to surrender our weakness to You, so that You can touch it and turn it into strength. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

3223. The Last Parable

Mark 12:1-12

Sermon

James McCormick

... is true that God has given us the freedom to do whatever we please with our lives. We can respond to God’s love and live lives of beauty and nobility and usefulness. Or, we can reject God’s love and mess up our lives and those of people we touch. We are free to make whatever choices we choose. But, be forewarned, “God is not mocked. Whatever we sow, we will reap.” We are free to make bad choices, but we are not free to make bad choices turn out well. That won’t happen, because God is God! The ...

3224. A New Way of Living

Mark 1:4-11

Illustration

Sarah Jo Sarchet

... be baptized too." Using her best pastoral care tone of voice, she said, "Cameron, do you really want to be baptized because everyone else is?" His freckles winked up at her and he replied, "No. I want to be baptized because it means I belong to God." She was touched by his understanding. "Well, then," she said, "How about this Sunday?" His smile turned to concern and he asked, "Do I have to be baptized in front of all those people in the church? Can't I just have a friend baptize me in the river?" She asked ...

3225. Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew 3:13-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the Pharisees could enjoy a good theological sparring match over the nuances of Torah with someone as gifted in debate as Jesus, they could never get used to him stepping out from the Word and into the world - healing, preaching, touching, talking. While Jesus loved the Torah, he never hesitated to move beyond its traditional interpretations when reformist action was needed. Walter Rauschenbusch, the great Social Gospel theologian of the turn of the century, found justification for bold social action in ...

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