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 3451 to 3475 of 4456 results

3451. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Can there be a less true statement? In our Google world of instant communication, constant internet connections, incessant tweets, blogs, and IM’s, words create the only reality most people know. Words cannot only “hurt.” They can transform, destroy, recreate, panic, popularize, polarize, or annihilate any person, idea, cause, politics, reputation, or national debater. Thankfully for those first century faith communities known now as the ...

3452. The Garden of Temptation

Genesis 3:1-24

Sermon

King Duncan

A woman tells of joining a weight-loss organization. At one meeting the instructor held up an apple and a candy bar. “What are the attributes of this apple,” she asked, “and how do they relate to our diet?” Among the answers that came from the group: “Low in calories” and “lots of fiber.” She then detailed what was wrong with eating candy, and concluded, “Apples are not only more healthful but also less expensive. Do you know I paid seventy-five cents for this candy bar?” The group stared as she held aloft ...

3453. Come with Me to the Mountain

Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

Charles Swindoll in his book Day By Day tells the story of a mysterious event that occurred several years ago to a group of young guys from the church he pastored in Southern California. They were on a mountain climbing excursion, along with their youth leader. While taking in the breathtaking sights, the leader realized he had lost the trail. A heavy snowfall had completely covered the path, and he didn’t have a clue where they were or how they could get back to the main camp. Sundown was not far away, ...

3454. God's Day Off

Mark 2:23-3:6

Sermon

David E. Leininger

We know the importance of taking breaks. "You've got to stop and smell the roses." "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy — and Jill a rich widow." Even the Bible affirms the premise — one of the Ten Commandments: "Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy ... Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work ..." (Deuteronomy 5:12-14). And it is not a suggestion; it is a command! To be sure, many, through the years, ...

3455. Welcoming Jesus

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

David E. Leininger

Kids — munchkins — rug rats — ragamuffins — you have to love them. Jesus obviously did. Youngsters appear regularly in the gospel narratives. There must have been something not only winsome but downright fun about Jesus for children to want to be around him. And Jesus obviously appreciated the perspective of children — he went so far as to make that startling statement that unless we have the kind of faith that children have, we will miss out on the kingdom. What is that perspective? Is it trust? Some. Is ...

3456. Speaking Peace

John 20:19-31

Sermon

John Smylie

On the evening of that day, that first Easter Day, the disciples were gathered together, but as yet none of them had seen their risen Lord. There they were behind locked doors. We can begin to imagine the thoughts they held within their minds, we can almost sense and feel the depth of their fears, and we can listen for their quiet conversation among themselves as they questioned everything. There in the middle of the room were the deepest feelings of guilt because they had scattered and abandoned their ...

3457. Dividing Walls

Ephesians 2:11-22

Sermon

Gibson “Nibs” Stroupe

"Welcome to the center of the world!" This is the message of the first chapter of Ephesians. The author of Ephesians has told the Gentile-based churches that they have been brought into the center of all that is — in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the rest of this letter, he will be seeking to tell them the meaning of this great news. He wants to stress that this relocation of themselves by God's motivating grace means that they are called to change the way they understand their ...

3458. The Faithfulness of God

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

Sermon

Richard Gribble

Mrs. Dowson stood in the doorway of Arthur's room and buttoned the cuff on the sleeve of her pink blouse. There had been a button missing but Marie had replaced it despite all the work she had to do: the cooking, cleaning, and all the other housework. Marie was a treasure — that is how Mrs. Dowson's mother would have described her. Mrs. Dowson crossed Arthur's room to the mantel where the Seth Thomas clock was located. She tried to set the time; the clock had stopped at two o'clock, but it was a lost ...

3459. Words From a Father

Illustration

John Trent

Recently, I heard a touching story which illustrates the power that words have to change a life. A power that lies right in the hands of those [reading this article]. Mary had grown up knowing that she was different from the other kids, and she hated it. She was born with a cleft palate and had to bear the jokes and stares of cruel children who teased her non-stop about her misshaped lip, crooked nose, and garbled speech. With all the teasing, Mary grew up hating the fact that she was "different". She was ...

3460. What a Hug Can Do

Illustration

Dean Walley

It's wondrous what a hug can do. A hug can cheer you when you're blue A hug can say, "I love you so," Or, "I hate to see you go." A hug is "Welcome back again." And "Great to see you! Where 'er you been? A hug can soothe a small child's pain And bring a rainbow after rain. The hug, there's just no doubt about it We scarcely could survive without it! A hug delights and warms and charms; It must be why God gave us arms Hugs are great for fathers and mothers, Sweet for sisters, swell for brothers; And chances ...

3461. Dear Pastor

Humor Illustration

Dear Pastor Letters: Dear Pastor, I know God loves everybody but He never met my sister. Yours sincerely, Arnold. Age 8, Nashville Dear Pastor, Please say in your sermon that Peter Peterson has been a good boy all week. I am Peter Peterson. Sincerely, Pete. Age 9, Phoenix Dear Pastor, My father should be a minister. Every day he gives us a sermon about something. Robert, Age 11, Anderson Dear Pastor, I'm sorry I can't leave more money in the plate, but my father didn't give me a raise in my allowance. ...

3462. Another Mary, Another Martha

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

December 6, 2002, was my birthday, and I had no idea what a great birthday present was in the offing, if I had just waited. I'm a Lakers fan, and when I got home that evening the Lakers were down 70-46. I was disgusted. At the start of the fourth quarter they were down by 28 points. I didn't wait to see what would happen. I turned off the set. I missed one of the greatest comebacks in basketball history, as the Lakers won 105-103. It was my own fault. I wasn't constant. I wasn't there. In order to witness ...

3463. When God Overdoes It

Lamentations 1:1-6

Sermon

David E. Leininger

A couple of years ago, a fascinating book by Mitch Albom hit the bestseller lists. You may have read it - Tuesdays with Morrie. The author had learned that his old teacher was slowly dying of Lou Gehrig's disease, and after an absence of many years, the two reconnected and began to get together every Tuesday. The book shares some of the great lessons that emerged from those weekly conversations. For example: "Okay, question," I say to Morrie. His bony fingers hold his glasses across his chest, which rises ...

3464. Serving the King of Kings

John 18:28-40

Sermon

King Duncan

In 1957, Ben Michtom, president of the Ideal Toy Company, had a brainstorm: why not sell a Jesus doll? The majority of kids in America were Christian, so he figured parents would jump at the opportunity to make playtime a religious experience. Other Ideal executives were horrified, but Michtom consulted with some religious leaders, including most notably the Pope, and the Jesus doll was born. It had beautiful brown glass eyes and was wrapped in molded swaddling cloth. It came in a 12” x 16” package, brown ...

3465. Proper 22

Lamentations 1:1-6, Lamentations 3:19-26, Luke 17:1-10, 2 Timothy 1:1-14

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

Call To Worship Leader: Autumn is coming. The land in the northern hemisphere is slowing down. The church calendar will soon conclude with celebrating “Christ as King.” Today, we acknowledge that Christians in both hemispheres and on all continents read the same scriptures, ask many of the same questions, pray about many of the same things, and desire to work for justice. People: All around the planet, Christians seek guidance for manifesting peace throughout the global village. Leader: We are Christians ...

3466. Formula for Eternal Life

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

Sermon

Richard Gribble

George lives in FortPortal, a town on the western front of Uganda, some fifty miles from the Congo. Like the RwenzoriMountains (the Mountains of the Moon) that surround the town, George is a beautiful man in many ways. He works as a cook, among many other tasks, for a local school. There is actually little that George does not do. He is the one who washes, irons, and mends the students' clothes, cleans the dormitory, fixes what is broken, does the grocery shopping, and takes care of the outside yard. In ...

3467. Passing the Test

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

"Students, it is time to get out your pencils, close your books and remove any notes from your desks. The test is about to begin." Those are words that make us shudder, our hearts start to pound and the palms of our hands begin to sweat. From our earliest days in school, we all have had to learn to deal with tests. It may begin with a simple first grade spelling test. But it doesn't take too long before it morphs into ISTEP, the SAT, the Bar, the Boards, or a doctoral qualifying exam. Or it might be as ...

3468. Sing Praise

Colossians 1:15-23

Sermon

April Yamasaki

Theologian Karl Barth was once asked to sum up his life's work. Instead of quoting from one of his many books, sermons, or university lectures, he responded with the words of a children's song: "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so." Whether we sing a children's song like "Jesus Loves Me," or a great hymn of the church like "How Firm A Foundation," the songs we sing can express what we believe. In turn, they also shape our understanding of God, of who we are as human beings, and of the ...

3469. Garden Gone Bad

Isaiah 5:1-7

Sermon

Chrysanne Timm

This summer I decided to take up some simple vegetable gardening. I knew it would happen someday. It's in my blood. My dad has planted and tended summer gardens of various sizes my whole life. For several years, our family's garden filled the whole half acre second lot behind our home. We had strawberries, melons, tomatoes, sweet corn, lettuce, onions, cucumbers, zucchini, acorn squash, and even pumpkins. I don't remember much about Dad planting the garden each spring, but I suppose that is because ...

3470. A Matter of Trust

Galatians 1:11-24

Sermon

King Duncan

One of the questions that is becoming more a matter of concern all the time is this one who can I trust? We live in a strange world. Did you know that you can now buy trust in a bottle? All of you aspiring politicians listen up . . . all you guys who want to win over a member of the fairer sex . . . all of you who have a questionable product to sell to an unsuspecting public. A New York City lab claims to have put trust in a bottle. According to their ads, “After showering in the morning simply spray a ...

3471. The Dirt on Jesus

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

How many of us have a garage that can no longer be parked anymore because it is filled up with so much other “stuff?” How many of us have an off-site storage unit because we have too much “stuff” to keep in our homes, so we arrange for visitation rights to see our “stuff?” The late comedian George Carlin famously did an entire monologue on this “stuff” — proclaiming that the “meaning of life is trying to find a place to put your stuff” and that “A house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out ...

3472. Building a Solid Foundation

1 Corinthians 3:1-23

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

The long-awaited dream would soon become a reality. Ground was broken for the family’s new home. The ground was cleared and soon a foundation was dug; blocks and then cement were laid. Then masons came and carefully laid the bricks. Carpenters were next on the scene, nailing two-by-fours, framing the new house. After only a few weeks the house was beginning to take shape, which pleased the family. Roof trusses were carefully hoisted into place. Once the outside work was completed attention would be given ...

3473. Going Home

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Sermon

Argile Smith

At the end of a long trip, home always looks appealing! Turning the corner and seeing the house you left days or weeks earlier can sometimes provide the best snapshot of the whole trip. The word home has a pleasant ring to it, and it’s a particularly beautiful word to hear after being away from it for a while. While such an assertion makes sense after a weeklong vacation at a theme park, it makes even more sense after the long journey called life. For Christians, coming to the end of life’s journey doesn’t ...

3474. The Christian's Royal Jelly

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

“Where seldom is heard, a discouraging word.” The dream of a new start, a fresh beginning, a blank slate is a big part of something known around the world as the “American dream.” The opportunity to take a new path, to get off old roads and out of deep ruts has brought hundreds of thousands of immigrants to this country. By the mid-nineteenth century, starting over in America meant moving west. The opening of the rich farming and grazing lands in the prairie, the vast expanse of wilderness beyond the Rocky ...

3475. On the Ropes: Round 2 - Debating God

Habakkuk 1:12--2:1

Sermon

James Merritt

Even though we know we can’t do it we all have tried at one time or another. Even though we know it won’t work we’ve all taken our shot at it. Even though we know deep down it really doesn’t do any good we do it anyway. I am talking about bargaining with God. We’ve all done it. We’ve all tried to bargain with God to get God to meet us on our terms: “God, if you’ll do this I’ll do that” or “God if you will just come through this one time I promise I’ll do this or do that.” That desire goes all the way back ...

Showing results