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 326 to 350 of 4943 results

326. The Great Multitude in White Robes

Revelation 7:9-17

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... with the “Lord God Almighty and the Lamb” (cf. 21:22). The hymn resounds with biblical themes, especially of the “promised land” that appears especially good to returning exiles (Mounce, Revelation, p. 175). It is a doxology of promise fulfilled, the concerns of theodicy are answered. Believers suffer in a fallen world, perhaps even more so now that the world has been judged by God through the slain Lamb. Suffering believers have a certain confidence in an exalted Lamb, however, that God’s ...

327. The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath

Revelation 16:1-21

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... of those who lament the fall of Babylon (18:9–19) is centered not upon the loss of human life but upon the loss of the city and its great wealth. According to Revelation, at the foundation of evil’s self-destruction is its love and concern for Mammon and self rather than for God and neighbor. Perhaps implicit in this narrative is this conviction: if the people of God abandon the gospel for the seductions of worldliness, then the global village itself is lost to the self-corrupting influences of its own ...

328. Unacceptable Sacrifices

Leviticus 22:17--23:2

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... These instructions also operate from the notion that sacrifice should not be casual; the best is to be given to Yahweh. It is to be costly and not an opportunity to get rid of imperfect animals. The Holiness Code, in chapters 17–22, has demonstrated concerns with both ethical and cultic matters. This section contains some of both and provides a transition to material covering worship. 23:1–2 The instruction is given to Moses, who is to pass it on to Israel. An important term is appointed feasts (mo’ed ...

329. Accusations

2 Corinthians 2:12--3:6

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... given him a good opportunity to preach the gospel (cf. 1 Cor. 16:9; Col. 4:3; Acts 14:27). 2:13 Having mentioned the successful missionary work in which he was engaged in the period after sending the tearful letter, Paul then describes how his concern for the situation in Corinth overwhelmed him. Despite the good opportunity for spreading the gospel in Troas, Paul did not wait there for the arrival of Titus. Paul wanted to hear as soon as possible from Titus how the letter had been received in Corinth (cf ...

330. Hearts / Repentance

2 Corinthians 7:2-16

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... 3:2). 7:5–16 After giving an extensive apology for the legitimacy of his apostleship in 2:14–7:4, Paul now resumes his travelogue from 2:12–13. Paul had mentioned there that he had abandoned an open door in Troas because of his concern for the Corinthians’ reaction to his tearful letter, and so he had gone to Macedonia in order to find Titus and hear his report. Paul began the defense without actually stating whether he managed to meet with Titus in Macedonia. Hence, the present section resumes the ...

331. Boasting

2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 2 Corinthians 1:1-11, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... reaction to his tearful letter before he heard back from Titus (cf. 2 Cor. 2:12–13; 7:5–7). In Paul’s own words, “We were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within” (7:5). Paul is evidently still quite concerned about the situation in Corinth, particularly as some members have been led into sin by the intruders. 11:30–33 Paul concludes the tribulation catalogue with a statement emphasizing his stance on boasting (v. 30), an oath formula (v. 31), and a concrete illustration ...

332. Two Kinds of Wisdom

James 3:13-18, James 3:1-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... :46; 1 John 1:8. With if anyone is never at fault in what he says James focuses in on the particular sin that concerns him: the wagging tongue. The need to control the tongue was well known in Judaism and Christianity (Prov. 10:19; 21:23; Eccles. 5: ... Last Supper, God was blessed or thanked for the food. In Didache 9:2, 3, “We thank you, our Father, for …” is repeated concerning the cup and the bread, showing this to be the practice of the early church. See further H. G. Link, “Blessing,” NIDNTT, vol ...

333. Be Holy

1 Peter 1:13-2:3

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... rendered “attractive.” On chrēstos, see Turner, p. 247. The words you have tasted that the Lord is good are from Ps. 34:8. This psalm in its Septuagint form is much quoted in the NT, and in the early church it was evidently a favorite source for proof-texts concerning Christ and his life and work. In the following verse (2:4), the words “as you come to him” allude to Ps. 34:5; Ps. 34:12–16 is cited by Peter in 3:10–12. The verb loutroun, to redeem, pay ransom (Ps. 34:22) occurs in 1 Pet ...

334. Walking in the Light and the Problem of Sin

1 John 2:15-17, 1 John 1:5--2:14

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

... has written so far, about forgiveness and the purifying death of Jesus (1:7, 9), is not a license to sin. Just because sin is an inevitable reality and forgiveness is available does not mean that the believer should take a lenient attitude toward it. (Paul faced the same concern in Romans 6:1: “Shall we go on sinning that grace may increase?”) In fact, the author says that it is one of his purposes in writing (cf. 1:3–4) that the community will not sin, that they will completely reject sin as a way of ...

335. Sabbath Law

Exodus 23:10-13

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... the Lord’s provision. The seventh-day rest also points to those who bear the heaviest labor. Rest “so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.” The Lord’s concern for sustaining and restoring the most vulnerable, the poor and the nonhuman creation, is again at the forefront. Verse 13 is more than a general summary to “do everything I have said to you.” The admonition, “Do not invoke the names of other gods,” speaks ...

336. True Fasting

Isaiah 58:1-14

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... 13–14 is that observing the sabbath can be a direct means of contributing to the well-being of ordinary working people (cf. Deut. 6:12–15 and the fiftieth-year rule in Lev. 25), that same well-being with which the comments on fasting have been concerned. Doing as they please then means turning the sabbath into an ordinary business day (cf. Neh. 10:31; 13:15–22). But the overt focus (as in Nehemiah) does not lie on the well-being of people. Rather, it lies on the significance the sabbath plays in ...

337. The Light That Dwells Among Us

Matthew 16:13-20, Matthew 16:21-28, Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him ...

338. Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

Haggai 2:20-23

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... to square with Yahweh’s commitment to David, either in terms of the Davidic king’s rule of Israel or in terms of his being Yahweh’s vice-regent in the world as a whole. So the positive aspect to Yahweh’s undertaking to put down the superpower concerns what will take the place of the power of the nations (v. 23). Only here does Haggai use the expression On that day. Elsewhere it often marks the beginning of a new prophecy, though it can also make a link with the prophecy that precedes, and in other ...

339. A Maturing Faith

Acts 16:16-40

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... . They are sitting in jail, facing charges, but they are not worried about their future because they have trusted God to direct them and to provide for them. Suddenly, there is an earthquake and they are freed from the confines of the prison. But out of concern for the jailer, they stay to witness and minister to him. It was extraordinary behavior in the face of such danger. Such courage was made possible by their absolute trust that God cared for them and would deliver them in God's time. Two years ago ...

340. The Agony And The Ecstasy Of The Family

Mark 3:20-35

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... preacher, which had no security for him or for his family. There must have been a lot of gossip in Nazareth when that happened. The family was embarrassed by what appeared to be an act of an irresponsible man. They were concerned about the security issue. They were also concerned about the safety issue. Jesus' family thought he had thrown away safety. Most people in most cultures play it safe. It was no different with Jesus' family. Jesus was on a head-on collision course with the orthodox religious leaders ...

341. Sabotaging The Sabath

Luke 13:10-17

Sermon

Richard Patt

... of kindness on the Lord's day ends in an uproar. Things ended up the way they did (and do in our lives), because of someone's selfish spirit, in this case the spirit of jealousy. It is fairly obvious that this ruler of the synagogue had a concern beyond guarding the sabbath day from abuse. It is clear that he was jealous of Jesus. As the keeper of the synagogue, he felt that his own role as an enforcer of sabbath rules was being deliberately challenged or made light of. But surely Jesus was doing no more ...

342. Miracle Four: Healing A Paralytic

Mark 2:1-12

Sermon Aid

Harold H. Lentz

... us today to hear Jesus say this as a cure for the unfortunate man. But to the people of Christ's day there was a direct connection between sin and sickness. If someone was suffering, it was believed that he must have sinned. Even the disciples once asked Jesus, concerning a man blind from his birth whom they met along the way, whether it was the sin of this man or the sin of his father that had caused the blindness. Jesus answered that in this case the blindness was not the result of sin. Sin can sometimes ...

343. Salve To Soothe Our Souls

Jeremiah 8:4--9:26

Sermon

Richard L. Sheffield

... your god, the thing you live for and even die for. Jeremiah's jeremiad was a plea for a return to the worship of the Lord our God. The nation, Judah, was in disarray. The worship life of the people was directed to other gods, other concerns, and some of what Jeremiah describes would be frankly considered inappropriate reading from this pulpit, even though it's described in detail on headline news. You'll have to read the details for yourself. Jeremiah describes a nation, a people, a community, set in their ...

344. Be Ready!

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Phyllis Faaborg Wolk

... , of making a difference in the world for the sake of the gospel. It is not easy to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, or speak out against hatred. It is not a simple matter to alter our lifestyles or open our minds to the needs and concerns of others. But if we take one another's dreams seriously and work together, we can ready ourselves for Christ's presence in the way God cries out for us to do. I saw a news account about a teenager named Trevor. One night on the evening news, Trevor saw ...

345. The Scope Of The Spirit

Sermon

John A. Stroman

... blows in the church blow elsewhere? 2. Is it possible that the Holy Spirit is active in the lives of people and nations who have no knowledge of the Spirit? If so, where is this happening today? 3. Comment on Norman Pittenger's statement that "wherever there is a concern for justice, truth and love -- there is the Spirit of God at work." 4. How do you respond to the statement that "There is no thing that God cannot turn into good. God may not be the author of all things, but God is the master of all things ...

346. More Than Sex

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... of these worship services in the past two or three years, one of the scripture readings has been from chapter 2 of the Song of Solomon. A year ago I was invited to preach on this text at a wedding, and the mother of the bride called to express her concern over what I might say, because she was a Sunday School teacher and UMW President and she knew that this book is about sexuality. You don't have to be a private detective to figure out why, in the text quoted at these weddings and which I read a moment ...

347. Gifts of Lent VI: The Thief Who Gave Nothing

Luke 23:26-43

Drama

Donald Neidigk

... Remember you? Ha! You, a man who had every opportunity and yet threw them all away; you, a man who had nothing but contempt your whole life for everything good and decent; you, who never darkened the door of God's house in your adult life; you, whose only concern in life was yourself! Remember you? Not a chance! That's how we might think. But not Jesus. The very essence of his being is grace and forgiveness. Never would he turn away a repentant thief, or even you. So he spoke those sweetest of all words to ...

348. Moving At The Speed Of Light: Nazareth: Family Ties

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Sermon

Frank Luchsinger

... Peter. So imagine how his family felt when they showed up at Peter's house while Jesus was teaching, having made the trip from Nazareth -- Jesus' mother, brothers, and sisters. Some think they had come to bring him back to his real home -- Nazareth. They were concerned about him. They knew how the crowds were pressing upon him and that sometimes he was forgetting to eat. People were saying, "He is beside himself; he is out of his mind!" (Mark 3:21). And there had been controversy with the Pharisees! So here ...

349. Epiphany 8

Mt 6:24-34 · 1 Cor 4:1-13 · Is 49:8-18 · Ps 131

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... priorities. To get our priorities straight we must first know that which is a priori, namely, God and the kingdom. God is that which comes before all not only in terms of time but importance. If the Lord and his kingdom is our highest goal, all other concerns will assume their proper place. "But strive first for the kingdom of God ... and all these other things will be given to you as well" (v. 5). Outline: In our world there is a crisis of values The basic problem self is a priori Solution: Make Christ ...

350. The Nativity Of Our Lord

Luke 2:1-20 · Titus 2:11-14 · Isaiah 9:2-7 · Ps 96

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... The Toy Man is Eric Hultgren, who was a tool and dye maker for over four decades. Eric's life was turned on its head by his wife's final illness. Shirley was dying of lung cancer, but being a kind and Christian woman she still was concerned for others. Shirley suggested to Eric they should make something for the kids. Before Eric had emigrated from Sweden, his father had created for him a wooden truck, his prized toy. Shirley suggested that he construct some toys like that for the children. Since Shirley's ...

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