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 3551 to 3575 of 4339 results

3551. “The Lord . . . Rules the World in Righteousness”

Psalm 10:1-18, Psalm 9:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... of trouble” (9:9), and “the Lord is King for ever and ever” (10:16). Encourage your listeners to keep a list of the names, titles, and descriptions they discover as they read the Psalms. Also, challenge them to reflect on which of these aspects of God’s nature and character they need to experience more fully in their lives.

3552. “The Lord Looks Down . . . to See If There Are Any Who Understand”

Psalm 14:1-7

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... , there are two competing voices. The first is the sinister sound of those who claim to triumph over the truth (12:4a), adding their voices to the psalmist’s enemies who claim triumph over David himself (13:4). The second, of a nobler character, is the sound of rejoicing from the psalmist, whose defeat was extremely exaggerated (13:3b), added to the multitudinous voice of God’s people, rejoicing because the Lord had reversed their ill fortunes (14:7b). As the Lord “restores his people,” Psalm 14 ...

3553. “When I Awake, I Will Be Satisfied with Seeing Your Likeness”

Psalm 17:1-15

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... been careful about how he has represented his neighbor (17:1b), and his speech has not been sinful (17:3). Moreover, he has treated his neighbor with respect and has not engaged in violent actions (17:4). Thus, the psalmist believes that this right character gives him an advantage in prayer. In fact, should the Lord want to conduct his own thorough examination, he would find nothing against the suppliant (17:3). Yet we should stress that the psalmist is not totaling up his merits, demanding that God honor ...

3554. “Some Trust in Chariots . . . , but We Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God”

Psalm 20:1-9

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... but it goes beyond that. Behind “trust” is remembering, or recalling past experience—in short, remembering God. Few of us trust in something we know nothing about. Thus to “trust” in the name of the Lord is to recall and rely on his character and his past actions (note the historical implications of “God of Jacob” in 20:1). While the application should be obvious throughout the lesson or sermon, we might conclude by putting the question more pointedly: “How would our lives change if verse 7 ...

3555. “Ascribe to the Lord the Glory Due His Name”

Psalm 29:1-11

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... movie Twister. This movie is a fictionalized account of storm chasers who are seeking to understand tornadoes. The destruction of the wind is incredible as it levels buildings, uproots trees, and destroys everything in its path. At one point in the film, the characters discuss the Fujita scale for measuring tornadoes. The most powerful type of tornado, the F5, is in hushed tones referred to as “the finger of God.” The movie shows the power of nature and, when connected with Psalm 29, provides a great ...

3556. “His Anger Lasts Only a Moment, but His Favor Lasts a Lifetime”

Psalm 30:1-12

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... in the morning. The first half of the verse represents the general principle of the psalm (God’s anger and favor), illustrated by the second half of the verse (weeping and rejoicing). Both 30:5 and Exodus 20:5–6 make a character statement about Yahweh, whose “anger” against sin is short-lived compared to his favor. The NIV has “lifetime” for “life” (hayyim). The contrast works well in the English translation (“a moment,” “a lifetime”), but unfortunately hayyim does not elsewhere mean ...

3557. “Taste and See That the Lord Is Good”

Psalm 34:1-22

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... the psalmists make the point that they have been done ill for no cause of their own (35:7, 19; 59:3–5; 69:4; 109:2–3). Third, the suffering they lament is for the Lord’s sake (69:7–9), giving the suppliants strength of character to endure. Fourth, the psalmists’ faith in God’s goodness is still intact (e.g., 109:21), even though their faith in human beings has taken a downward plunge. Fifth, at times the suppliants were very confident in the support of their community that hoped for their ...

3558. “The Span of My Years Is as Nothing before You”

Psalm 39:1-13

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... I may know how fleeting life is”), it could be read like that (so KJV), and indeed that seems to be the purpose of the prayer. Pilgrims and strangers Literature: What’s Mine’s Mine, by George MacDonald. In MacDonald’s novel, Ian, one of the main characters, says to his farmer brother Alister: But I am sometimes not a little afraid lest your love for the soil get right into your soul. We are here but pilgrims and strangers. God did not make the world to be dwelt in, but to be journeyed through. We ...

3559. “Blessed Are Those Who Have Regard for the Weak; the Lord Delivers Them”

Psalm 41:1-13

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.“Integrity” (tom) is innocence (Gen. 20:5–6 [NIV: “clear conscience”]; 2 Sam. 15:11; 1 Kings 22:34/2 Chron. 18:33 [NIV: “at random”]) and also a consistency of good character, as well as spiritual fortitude.17The verb “uphold” (tmk; see also Ps. 63:8) suggests that God is supporting the psalmist in his sickness, and even in the opposition his pretentious friends have raised against him. The suppliant is assured of the fulfillment ...

3560. “For Your Sake We Face Death . . . as Sheep to Be Slaughtered”

Psalm 44:1-26

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... on the title for Psalms 42–43. 44:1 We have heard it . . . O God; our ancestors have told us what you did.The psalm begins by invoking God (cf. ESV). The NIV unfortunately shifts the direct address to the end of the sentence and thus weakens both a character trait of the Elohistic Psalter and the prayerful appeal to God that is the heart of the psalm. Based on 44:17–22, Israel has not only heard but also been faithful to the covenant. See also Psalm 78:3. 44:2 With your hand you drove out the ...

3561. “Within Your Temple, O God, We Meditate on Your Unfailing Love”

Psalm 48:1-14

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... talk about Moses’s interchange with God at the burning bush: What should he tell the Israelites when they ask who sent him and when they ask him, “What is his name?” (Exod. 3:13). Rather than answering with a name as such, God answered with a character description: “I am who I am” (Exod. 3:14). It comes from the Hebrew verb “to be” (hyh) and evidently is intended to assure Israel that “God is with them” (cf. Isa. 7:14).12We may even make a short digression on the name of Jesus and refer ...

3562. “If I Were Hungry I Would Not Tell You, for the World Is Mine, and All That Is in It”

Psalm 50:1-23

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... to Israel’s understanding of sacrifice than an indictment. The psalm is the first of the Asaph psalms and the only one in Book 2, separated from the other eleven that are located in Book 3 (Pss. 73–83). Like other Asaph psalms, it exhibits a prophetic character in its inclusion of what appear to be prophetic “oracles” (50:7–15, 16b–23; two other Asaph psalms exhibit brief “oracles” also [75:4–5; 81:6–16]; 95:8–11 does as well, but it is not an Asaph psalm).3 The historical and ...

3563. “Create in Me a Pure Heart, O God, and Renew a Steadfast Spirit within Me”

Psalm 51:1-19

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... is justified in the verdict (51:4b; Luke 15:19), and God is responsive to a broken and contrite heart (51:17; Luke 15:21–24). The story of the prodigal is not designed to duplicate the story of Psalm 51, but it is a match for its spiritual character. This psalm, as well as the parable of the prodigal, sums up the teaching of Scripture about God’s forgiveness. There is another story, said to be found in the Talmud, that wraps up this truth in a real-life action. Like the prodigal, a certain son left his ...

3564. The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace

Daniel 3:1-30

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... not become preoccupied with the identification of the fourth person in the furnace. His descriptions come in the form of narrative, and from the mouth of a pagan king. This mysterious intermediary plays a brief and secondary role in comparison with the primary character: “the Most High God” of the Judeans. Second, Nebuchadnezzar’s decree does not indicate a permanent conversion of him or his people. Third, do not spend time in a sermon on the question of the Masoretic Text’s ending of this chapter ...

3565. Daniel Interprets the Dream and Confronts Nebuchadnezzar

Daniel 4:19-27

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... Illustrating the Text Greatness comes from God, whether used for good or for ill. Film: Star Wars. God is the source of all human greatness, whether we use it for good or evil. In George Lucas’s Star Wars films (1977–2005), two of his characters most gifted in “the Force” are Jedi knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Both are respected and admired for their power, which comes from the same source, and are in many ways comparable in their abilities, having once been master and pupil. Yet Obi ...

3566. Nebuchadnezzar’s Judgment and Repentance

Daniel 4:28-37

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... through the way he works with mere mortals in Scripture. Emphasize the one true God as the Most High ruler of an everlasting kingdom with both heavenly and earthly dimensions. God welcomes the questions and struggles of believers, but this expression of his character is a gift and privilege, not our entitlement. None of us has the right to question his wisdom. What not to teach. First, God’s sovereign prerogative does not mean that he capriciously inflicts suffering without cause, although we may not be ...

3567. Spiritual Warfare and Jewish Suffering

Daniel 8:1-14

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... is because we, or others in our community, have sinned; and sometimes God simply does not reveal the reason we suffer. Regardless, God allows his people to suffer. Give your listeners hope that their suffering is not in vain, that it produces patience and godly character. Let them know that God’s all-sufficient grace will not allow them to suffer beyond what the faithful can endure. Assure them that suffering will end when God’s kingdom is fully established here on earth as it is in heaven. What not to ...

3568. The Rise of Media, Persia, and Greece

Daniel 8:15-27

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... better “transgressors” [so ESV]; see the comments on 8:12), in this context, most likely references the sin of Antiochus and his followers, since it coincides with his rise to power.9 fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue. Antiochus’s character is described in two ways. First, he is “strong-faced” (‘az panim; NIV: “fierce-looking”),[10] a term used elsewhere to describe Babylon as a dispassionate, merciless nation that conquers Israel “without respect for the old or pity for the young ...

3569. Daniel's Prayer

Daniel 9:1-19

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... covenantal blessings to his people. 3. God’s covenantal accountability. God’s promises also warn us that he will keep his people accountable regarding their fidelity to him. Refer your listeners to Jeremiah 29:11–14 to show this aspect of God’s character. There, Jeremiah’s promise of restoration is inseparably linked with the people seeking God with all their heart. Daniel reminds his readers of the original stipulation in the torah to love and obey God if they wish to know his blessing (Deut. 7 ...

3570. What To Do While Waiting for the Judgment?

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... arrived and the wise virgins who were prepared entered the wedding banquet with him and the door was shut. There’s nothing in Scripture about the foolish virgins having oil when they returned, only that they wanted to get in. I believe it is true to the mind and character of Christ that if they had found oil, they would have gotten in. To the persons who are ready, the door is always open. They are ready come what may. So, thus the truth: the best way to get ready for tomorrow is to be ready for today ...

3571. Good for Nothing

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... the Baptist—and Jesus! No land, great or small, in ancient or modern times, can match that galaxy of inspired leadership. Their insight is still the chart and compass of our voyaging world. But this intensive privilege had produced no good result in character. Nor was Israel’s barrenness the end of her mischief. (Had God not given all of his attention to Israel, and chosen Israel and given her that ultimate privilege, He might have bestowed that privilege upon some other nation—He might have chosen ...

3572. Our Most Common Sin

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... and he made his money by oppressing the poor. The Pharisee was taught in the law and punctilious in keeping it. Some listeners no doubt felt like calling out: ‘Just a minute, Teacher. Did you mean what you have just said? Did you not get the characters reversed?’ If a modern preacher should tell a story with a gangster as the hero and a priest as the rascal, the congregation might wonder at his sanity.” [2] But that really is the contrast Jesus is drawing, dramatic as it may be. “A medieval monk ...

3573. How Do You Get Rid of Evil without Destroying Good?

Matthew 13:24-30

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... of home, church, community, and world we would have if the human point of this parable could get through to our calloused consciences and hard hearts. No more snap judgments! No more hurrying from headline to headline in frantic haste! No more execution of character by hearsay and gossip when someone disagrees with us even in fundamental matters!... Where would you be if someone had not been patient with you? The second thing Jesus teaches us in the parable is: put your emphasis on the wheat, not the tares ...

3574. A Celebration of Hope

Isaiah 2:1-5

Sermon

King Duncan

A little girl named Jana was given a part in her church’s Christmas drama. Jana was so excited about her part that her mother thought she was going to be one of the main characters. Jana, however, would not reveal to her mother the part she was supposed to play. After much anticipation, the big night finally came. The parents were all there eagerly awaiting their children’s participation in this Christmas drama. One by one the children took their places. The shepherds fidgeted in ...

3575. Unnoticed at Your Own Party

Isaiah 35:1-10, Matthew 11:2-11, James 5:7-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... , that glorious forerunner of Christ surely wished for a back door as he languished in Herod’s jail. His worse days, however, were yet to come. Remember, he was beheaded by Herod. Was it for a crime that he had committed? Hardly. John was a man of flawless character. Indeed, Jesus said that no better man had ever lived than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11). But that did not keep him from needing a back door. All true prophets yearn for a back door at some time in their lives, as we all do. The writer ...

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