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 351 to 375 of 2078 results

351. Abijah King of Judah

1 Kings 15:1-8

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... like David” or not. 15:1–8 Abijam was just as bad as his father and, indeed, his grandfather in his later years: his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God (cf. 11:3). Because of the special place held by David and Jerusalem in God’s affections, however (11:11–13, 31–39; 14:21), the idolatry of Solomon and Rehoboam had not brought upon them the judgment of God that had been expected. It is no different with Abijam. For David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem (v. 4; cf ...

352. The Lord's Devastation of the Earth

Isaiah 24:1-23

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... unfolds, the ambiguity deepens. On the one hand, verse 4 also uses the word that specifically refers to the world. But then verse 5 sounds like a description of the people of God. Judah cannot simply dismiss this vision as a depiction of calamity that does not affect them. Only when it has faced the possibility that it may be under God’s judgment can the people of God dare to think that other people may be under God’s judgment. The concreteness of the picture and the two-sidedness of the word ’erets ...

353. Sermon on the Mount: Allegiance and Trust

Matthew 6:19-24, Matthew 6:25-34

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... service to both God and money (6:24). 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The reference to a person’s treasure and heart being in the same location reflects the understanding of the heart as the seat of allegiance and affection. It is “a term for what is of central importance in a person, what constitutes their true character” (e.g., 15:18–19).1 6:22–23 The eye is the lamp of the body. This saying is difficult to decipher unless we address ancient views of human ...

354. Spiritual Hypocrisy—Living by the Rules, Not by the Heart

Mark 7:1-23

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... from the heart, but food (even unclean food) enters only the stomach and the digestive tract. It moves from the plate to the toilet, passing through a person without affecting the spiritual side. Physical food concerns that part of a person that relates only to this world, and people need to be more concerned with what affects the “heart” (their thoughts, words, and actions), for that is where true defilement takes place. 7:19 Jesus declared all foods clean. This is another of Mark’s editorial ...

355. Two Memorable Healings

Luke 5:17-26, Luke 5:12-16

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... outside staircase. The roof normally was made of thatch and clay over wooden beams, but sometimes also of tiles. This dramatic plan to get access to Jesus must have caused a lot of noise and debris, but we are spared the details of how it affected Jesus’s teaching in the room below. 5:20 Your sins are forgiven. See “Historical and Cultural Background” above. It is possible that either the man or his friends (or both) thought that the paralysis was the result of sin, but it is equally possible that ...

356. The Reversal of the Deuteronomic Curses and Blessings: Replacing Law with Faith

Romans 9:30--10:21

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... righteousness by obeying the law. That is, anyone who intends to find acceptance before God by following the law had better be prepared to obey it perfectly or suffer its curses for disobedience. But, of course, no one is capable of fulfilling the law, for all are affected by sin (see Rom. 3:20; 7:5–11). Nor does one need to obey the Torah, for Christ’s coming has spelled the end of that approach in the divine program (10:4). Rather, what is needed to acquire God’s righteousness is faith in Christ ...

357. The Four Horsemen

Revelation 6:1-17

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... predict the date of Christ’s return or map out a detailed timeline of end-time events (Acts 1:6–7). These judgments in particular cannot be restricted to any one period of history. Death, as the apostle Paul reminds us, is the last enemy and affects us all (1 Cor. 15:25–26). A much better approach is to look for the effect of the vision on the original readers and, by implication, on us as contemporary readers. Mounce rightly concludes that “visions at best are to be experienced rather than analyzed ...

358. Adversity of a Righteous Man

Job 1:1-22

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly realms. The prophet Elisha prays in 2 Kings 6:17 that Yahweh will open the eyes of his servant to see the invisible divine forces protecting Elisha. Daniel 10 speaks of angelic conflict that affects the success of nations. Although the book of Job may have been written as an imaginative parable rather than as literal historical narrative (see the discussion in the introduction), in either case the reference to the adversary in Job 1–2 may be ...

359. “In God I Trust and Am Not Afraid. What Can Mere Mortals Do to Me?”

Psalm 56:1-13

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... are so precious to God that he would store them in a bottle. It is a metaphor to inform us that God will not forget our sorrow, and that sense depicts the beautiful relationship we have with our God. Any parent or caregiver understands how a child’s tears affect you. You have wiped them away many times and taken up the child in your arms to provide comfort. In a similar metaphor Isaiah says that the Lord has engraved Jerusalem’s name on the palms of his hands so he will not forget her (Isa. 49:16). Paul ...

360. How to Deal with Demons

Matthew 12:38-50

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... to make Him the Lord of our life. We have to allow the Holy Spirit to take residence there, to fill up our lives with meaning and direction, in order that other demons will not return and claim us. It’s a matter of the expulsive power of a new affection. How do you deal with demons? You make Jesus Lord of your life. You allow Him to be the organizing center around which your life turns. John knew this when he talked about the spirits—the demons that seek to control our lives. He talked to the spirit of ...

361. Opposition from Within: The Crisis of Intermarriage

Ezra 9:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... attitude—“Look what they have done!” Rather, he identifies with the people. True, we are each individually responsible for our obedience to God. But each one is also a part of the community, the people of God. What affects one or a few members of the community in reality affects all. The Bible teaches that we are each other’s keepers. Some are guilty, but others have condoned or permitted the behavior of the guilty. So Ezra includes himself in this confession. Due to the preaching of the prophets ...

362. The King and the Maiden Banter

Song of Songs 1:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... shepherd lover she has left behind and not as direct responses to Solomon’s flattery. 1:2–4 · In the anxiety and confusion of her separation from her home in the northern hill country and her shepherd lover, the maiden recalls the tenderness of his affection and the pleasure she experienced when kissing him (1:2–4a). The pleasure of the lover’s kiss is likened to wine, a connection well attested in ancient literature (4:10; 5:1; 7:9; Prov. 9:2, 5). More than the physical sensations of lovemaking ...

363. I am a Rose of Sharon

Song of Songs 2:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , nesting birds, and early fruit of the fig orchards (2:11–13). Love is awakened; it is now time for the lovers to be rejoined in their natural setting. The certainty of warmth and spring growth following the winter rains no doubt images the ever-budding affections of the lovers. The two-character interpretation of the poem strains at this point to make sense of the plot. If Solomon is the lover, why must he come from the hills and peer through garden lattices for a glance of the maiden? If the maiden ...

364. The Great Day of the Lord

Zephaniah 1:14--2:3

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... which there would be no escape (5:19), a time marked by sheer helplessness. Zephaniah intensifies Amos’s explanation by heaping up words portraying an admixture of cause (war), emotion (the cry of despair), and results (ruin). The intent of the prophet is to so affect his hearers that they will respond with dread and repent. The prophet shifts his description from the day of Yahweh to the effects of the Lord’s judgment (1:17–18). Yahweh comes as a warrior against his own people to bring distress on ...

365. Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

Romans 6:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... would have been reminded by Paul’s formulation of their immersion in water when they had come to faith in Jesus and became members of the congregation of believers.) Jesus is a representative figure—the Messiah, who is the second Adam and whose obedience affects those who belong to him (5:12–21). Since Jesus died on the cross—the place where God was graciously present to atone for their sins—their immersion into Jesus Christ is an immersion into his death. Faith in Christ therefore establishes a ...

366. Love

Romans 12:9-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... diversity of believers and their ministries can constitute one body only if their lives are controlled by love (cf. 1 Corinthians 13). The gifts of the Spirit are functions of the body, while love determines how the members of the body function. Love is the esteem and affection believers have for each other as a result of having been saved by God’s love (Rom. 5:5, 8; 8:39) and Christ’s love (Rom. 8:35). Since all good gifts can be manipulated and devastated by human beings, Paul emphasizes that the love ...

367. Personal Greetings

Romans 16:1-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 14 and “the Lord’s people” in verse 15 probably represent two further house churches. Believers greeted each other by kissing (16:16; cf. 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26; 1 Pet. 5:14), a sign of familial affection—probably not only in church but also when they met in public. This was a potent expression of the transforming power of the gospel, particularly when wealthy believers greeted Christian slaves. Paul sends greetings from “all the churches of Christ” (16:16)—that is, from ...

368. An Appeal for Complete Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 6:14--7:1, 2 Corinthians 6:3-13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... with a perspective that looks through appearances and perceives the realities of God’s power at work in his ministry. Having “spoken freely” in an attempt to lay open his ministry before them and make himself fully vulnerable in love and “affection,” Paul brings his appeal for reconciliation to its legitimate close by entreating the Corinthians in “fair exchange” to open their hearts to his ministry (6:11–12). A part of such openness, however, entailed the church giving heed to his apostolic ...

369. Appreciation of the Philippians’ Gift

Philippians 4:10-20

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... this gift allows the Philippians to show. Paul does not admit to having any need but only rejoices in their ability to care for him. Paul states that he is content no matter the circumstances, which is a reference to his situation in prison. Paul is not affected by outward circumstances, because they are not the focus of his life. He concentrates on what is truly important: the preaching of the gospel, the imitation of Christ, and what it means to live as a citizen of heaven. As long as the gospel is being ...

370. Elephants in the Room: Abuse – I Have a Secret

Matthew 11:28

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... me.” Some of you may be thinking why I would preach such a sermon. Because, more than likely, there are several people listening to me right now who are currently being abused or who were abused as children or who are abusers themselves. Abuse could be affecting your daughter, your sister, your best friend right now. I want to end this sermon with Leslie’s words: “I was able to end my own crazy love story by breaking the silence. I’m still breaking the silence today. It’s my way of helping other ...

371. Playing One Hand

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon

Tom Garrison

... of a child's face. When she glued them back together, she happened to turn the pages over and there was a one page map of the whole world. And it dawned on her that as she was putting together correctly the countenance of a little child, she was also affecting the shape of the whole world. The old adage about "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world" has much truth to it, and this side of "the one hand" image needs to be underlined as well as the other. This brings me back to where we started. Jesus ...

372. Hallelujah! Come On, Get Happy

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

David G. Rogne

... being useful. "Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness," says Jesus. These are people who want to do God's will. We have been subjected to the idea that happiness involves being able to do pretty much as we please with little concern for how it affects others. I recall a line in the movie Three Days of the Condor that describes many people in to-day's world. Robert Redford shakes his head as he confronts a CIA bureaucrat and says, "You guys think that not getting caught in a lie is the same ...

373. A Dead Girl and A Sick Woman

Mark 5:21-43

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... sounding a bit like a magic formula; but then he dissolves this magical atmosphere by translating the “formula,” (something not to be done in magic circles!). The translation clarifies that this is no incantation or solemn formula but a simple order tinged with affection, Little girl, I say to you, get up! (see note). The command to silence (v. 43) is of course not an indication of secret, magical practices but is only another example of the secrecy theme in Mark that is connected with the larger Markan ...

374. God's Wrath Against Mankind

Romans 1:18-32

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... “unfit” (NIV, depraved) means “failing the test,” or “disqualified.” For most people sin probably conjures up images of immoral behavior as something one does. But John Calvin (among others) drew attention to its noetic or intellectual effects. Before sin affects behavior it affects thinking. This idea is presented here. When humanity gave up honoring the one whom it ought to have honored, God gave it over to do what ought not be done. This expression, like several others in the latter half of ...

375. The Birth of Samuel

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... faith, the ark of God. As so often in OT narratives, characters who will later play an important role are introduced almost in passing. So we are informed here that Hophni and Phinehas served as priests alongside their father, Eli. It is not clear, and it does not affect the point of the story, whether the visits of Elkanah’s family were at the time of one of the regular feasts or were a private arrangement, perhaps associated with a vow (cf. v. 21). 1:4–5 It would be possible to translate the Hb. as ...

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