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 3351 to 3375 of 4988 results

3351. A Christian Christmas?

Matthew 1:18-25

Illustration

David B. Curtis

... to see if our parents had spent the same amount on both of us. Laurie was very young then and we didn't care what she got. In my memory, Christmas is opening a lot of gifts and spending the day playing with them. Thoughts of Christmas bring different things to the minds of different people. Many things are associated with Christmas: lights, trees, presents, food, Santa Clause, family gatherings, and sometimes even the birth of Christ. How much of Christmas is Christian? We associate it with ...

3352. What to Give Jesus

Matthew 1:18-25

Illustration

Billy D. Strayhorn

... asked, "Sally, what do you want to give Jesus?" "Oh, I'm too embarrassed," said Sally. "I shouldn't tell you." "That's O.K. What is it?" "A kiss," she said. And the night of the pageant, that is what she gave him. All the other angels brought their gifts of toys and animals. But Sally bent over the manger and gave the little baby a kiss. A loving sigh went up from the congregation as they watched. Sally knew the secret of giving. And she gave the baby Jesus exactly what God was giving us when God gave us ...

3353. You Bring Me Great Pleasure

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the same time: “You have failed me. You are perfect.” But let’s not get there too quick. For a lot of us are more in the people pleasing business than in the God-pleasing business. We were not put here to please people. We were given this gift of life to please God. In today’s gospel text we hear the “best.” We pick up the announcement we all want to hear — “You bring me great pleasure. You are my Beloved.” But, the alternative is always lurking in the background. How can we live in 2011 ...

3354. Just Proud To Belong

Matthew 3:13-17

Illustration

William B. Kincaid, III

... a result of a love that was determined to draw us in. And long after the act of baptism, that love holds us together without ranking us as more or less important, allows us to disagree with each other without deserting one another, and leads us to use our different gifts without any need to compare them with somebody else's ...

3355. The Garden of Temptation

Genesis 3:1-24

Sermon

King Duncan

... naked but not ashamed. He is suffering on our behalf so that the curse of death may be removed. St. Paul put it like this in today’s epistle: “For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many . . . just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the ...

3356. The Evangelist Has a Shady Past

John 4:1-26

Sermon

King Duncan

... Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. And righteous Jewish men did not speak to women they did not know. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman was surprised. “Sir,” she said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living ...

3357. Why Are You Here?

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... peace in the world, for an end to corrupt systems, for the powers that be one of Spirko’s favorite expressions and for justice. And then Pastor David Van Dyke prayed this prayer, “Pour out your Holy Spirit, O God, upon us and upon these gifts of bread and cup” these gifts of plain bun and Goofy Grape soda, Van Dyke thought to himself “that they may be to us the communion of the body and blood of Christ.” When the prayer was over, Van Dyke picked up the bread and before tearing it in half, heard ...

3358. Say Gracias!

Matthew 6:25-34

Illustration

Mike Ripski

... food tomorrow. MAYBE there would be no sickness tomorrow. Maybe…maybe not. But whatever came to these people, they still greeted life with joy and with "Gracias!" What I presumed from God as my rightful claim, my friends in Peru and Bolivia received as a precious gift. What I treated as common place was for them a joyful surprise. What I trivialized as ordinary, they celebrated with reverence and said, "Gracias!"And slowly I realized what I had all but forgotten and dismissed. All is grace. All is God's ...

3359. Like

Romans 5:12-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... time for the rediscovery of everything that makes life meaningful and good. After all, Jesus did not offer himself on the cross to offer us a life of nastiness, backstabbing, hatemongering, and subsistence. What awaits us at the end of Lent is Jesus’ gift of new life, a life that is filled with “awesomeness” in its very everydayness. The journey of Lent is an everyday journey among everyday things and everyday holiness. It is the journey Jesus took to Jerusalem and to the cross in faithful obedience ...

3360. Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

Romans 4:1-25

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... ’s obedience to God, obedience to the covenant laws, as the basis for this promise. Paul rejects this interpretation completely by reminding his readers that when Abraham received the promise of the land it was only because of the “righteousness” that his faith had gifted from God. In fact, as Paul continues he finds that “faith” and “law” are mutually exclusive. If you have one, you do not have the other. Paul insists that if it is only by adherence to and practice of the law that one becomes ...

3361. Get Down and Dirty for Lent

John 9:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... out old file cabinets and ancient storage bins at church. Really, really, this time really, start a compost heap. It’s garbage. Its garbage that becomes good. It is garbage that can become great. It is April 3rd. If you have the talent, give the ultimate gift of helping those who don’t know what they are doing figure out their taxes. Organize a night of movies and popcorn and hanging out for teenagers. There will be dirt after they leave. There might be something more that they take home. Do Jesus: Lent ...

3362. Luke 24:44-53

Luke 24:50-53

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... readers would immediately know Jesus’ words are a reference to the Holy Spirit. But this would not be so clear to the disciples at this point. The language of Jesus’ last words would no doubt have indicated to these future “witnesses” that such a gift would create a divinely empowered mission. Jesus uses the verb “apostello” (“I am sending”), even as Jesus himself was “sent” (4:18, 43) and as Jesus had previously “sent” his disciples out (9:2,48; 10:1,3,16; 11:49). Jesus’ language ...

3363. The Rewards Program for Christians

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... of making our church and our neighborhood a “hunger-free zone,” let’s also define hunger in its widest sense: that hunger of the heart and soul that can be as painful as the hunger of the stomach. Let’s live together in a gift economy, where we give freely, no strings attached; where we circulate rewards freely and don’t hoard our chocolates; where we become reward entrepreneurs, people who are creative in making somebody’s day and finding new ways of paying it forward. Jesus also promised a ...

3364. Matthew 10:40-42

Matthew 10:1-42

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... little ones,” young children, within the context of this discourse it would seem Jesus’ primary reference here is to the “little ones” who are his own disciples. They are neither “prophets” nor “righteous ones.” They are instead seemingly insignificant, unimportant members of the community. Likewise, the gift that is offered here is the smallest, simplest gesture, “a cup of cold water.” In the hot, often arid lands of Israel offering a drink of water to a traveler was not a magnanimous ...

3365. A Lesson from Dr. Seuss

Romans 6:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (20-23). St. Paul contrasts people who are enslaved to sin and those who are servants of God. We need to understand what he is saying. First of all, let’s acknowledge that we are sinners. Even the best ...

3366. Romans 7:15-25a

Romans 7:7-25

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... his discussion of the relationship between God’s law and human sinfulness. Although Paul testifies that the law is a divine gift, in fact “holy,” and all God’s commandments “holy and just and good” (Romans 7:12), the consequences of the ... of the Holy Spirit. For if there is “sin that dwells within” for those who are living in Christ, there is also the gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling within the faithful. Nevertheless, for Christians and for those outside the faith, when the flesh alone strives ...

3367. Why Are You Acting Like Orphans?

Romans 8:18-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... decision if you have been offered the alternative reality of being one of the “children of God.” Not a good decision if you have received the inexhaustible inheritance that is ours as “adoptive children of God.” The greatest gift — knowing you are a “child of God” — offers a gift of never knowing abandonment. As a “child of God” your “parent” is always and ever present. I have talked to many adopted people over the years, and there are many here this morning. One story I have heard ...

3368. The Mouse Christmas

Drama

Frank Ramirez

... out the broom And sweep all the creatures right out of the room. But wait — I see shepherds and angels and maybe A king here and there, and of course here’s the baby! You’ve helped me to celebrate! Jesus is born! Please take to your homes this gift of sweet corn. All Mice Hooray, hallelujah! We mice love your present! This corn will make cold days seem awfully pleasant. And we in our turn will stay out of your house The rest of this winter. We’re that kind of mouse. Merry Christmas to all, may the ...

3369. Do You Hear What I Hear?

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... famous temple had been razed to the ground. The people were devastated, distraught, and depressed. Enter the prophet, commissioned by the God of all the universe and anointed to speak the unexpected — good news to people living in terrible times. Gift after gift the Creator will lavish on these beloved people. The horrific conditions of their everyday lives will be reversed: the oppressed will hear good news, the brokenhearted will be embraced, captives and prisoners will be set free, and all who mourn ...

3370. Our Magnificent, Mysterious, Mischievous God

2 Kings 5:1-14

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... , but over in the boondocks of dusty Samaria. To his credit, Naaman takes that in stride and makes the trek to Elisha's home. He arrives with his impressive caravan, all the trappings of money and might, his whole retinue of servants, not to mention all the gifts he was bringing. The prophet would surely be impressed by the show of power and prestige. But where is the prophet? Elisha does not even bother to come out of his house. Naaman's presence, which had struck such fear into the heart of Israel's king ...

3371. Worth the Wait

Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

Sermon

Robert J. Elder

... 's no mirage, from things we ate but miracle, well worth the wait so tell it near and tell it far, so wise kings foll'wing shining stars and folks from all lands in between come and see what we all have seen Christ is born say hallelujah! bringing great gifts here, right to ya' all we need do is receive them to be brothers, sisters to him take them all now, those gifts, abroad 'til all the earth will hear the laud and honor to our Christ the King on whom our deepest hopes take wing. Amen.

3372. Skin Game

Mark 1:40-45

Sermon

Robert J. Elder

... to believe that we have given up on them and are willing to let them suffer and die alone or with only the resources of their immediate family to sustain them. The fellowship of the church can provide a most precious gift when we offer nothing more than the gift of our companionship. Perhaps at work or at school many of us can think of modern day lepers who — by social practice or common consent among others around us — are ostracized, belittled, cut off from the normal exchange of human fellowship ...

3373. Looking Up: Looking Out

Mark 9:2-9

Sermon

Robert J. Elder

... transfiguring experience the disciples had with Jesus on the mountain. It is a preview of the resurrection to come at the end of our Lenten journey, a gracious glimpse into the final destination of this Lenten way, and in this way it is a gift to the church and to us. I have to tell you, though, preachers find this passage daunting. We are rational creatures, standing in a rational tradition of exposition, accustomed to rendering living experience into words on a page, one thought following logically upon ...

3374. It’s Anybody’s Guess

Mark 4:30-34

Sermon

Kristin Borsgard Wee

Several years ago, it was the week before Father's Day and the children and I were looking for a gift for their dad. As we strolled through the men's section of a department store our eyes spotted the perfect gift at the same moment. It was a bright, splashy Hawaiian style shirt with matching shorts. We giggled as we purchased it because Dan is a pretty conservative dresser. As I was handing the money to the woman at the cash register, I asked our oldest daughter, "But, do you think ...

3375. The Heart of the Matter Is the Heart!

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... few miles away, he never came to visit his daughter, never called her, never remembered her birthday, nor sent her a Christmas gift. In fact, in twelve years, although he earned a good salary and enjoyed many of the "toys" of adulthood, he never once paid the child support ... for Amber that a court ordered him to pay. As Rob Smitty's gift of a kidney to a stranger did not impress his daughter, so God is not impressed with any sacrifice not born of a heart ...

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