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 480 results

351. What Would You Like Written?

John 6:24-35

Illustration

David E. Leininger

... . It became a challenge to him, and for the rest of his life, that man made the effort to live up to that glowing obituary he had written. It worked. He DID become involved in his church and community more than ever before, and the result finally was that the fanciful obituary he had written on one slow day proved to become a roadmap for his life. What kind of obituary would you like to have written about you?

352. The Coat Off Your Back

Luke 3:7-18

Sermon

Cynthia Cowen

... . Have a wonderful Christmas," Nora said. The woman smiled, turned, and went out the door. Returning to cleaning up, Nora's friend asked, "Did you get your coat back?" "No, I didn't, but no need to worry," Nora answered. "I happen to know that Roy put a big, fancy-wrapped box under the tree for me. I'm sure it's that black leather coat I've been hinting about." "But that red coat looked so good on you. I could chase the woman down and tell her we made a mistake," her friend said. "Don't get upset ...

353. Simple Enough?

John 13:31-35

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... great thing? Today's scripture passage is short, but there's a lot there. And it's simple. John the Evangelist knew he had an important message, and he chose to write it in the world language of his day, Koine Greek. Koine Greek was not fancy Greek. It wasn't literary Greek. It was letter writing Greek, receipt writing Greek, business Greek. Greek was everyone's second language in the first Christian century. John's Greek is very simple and his vocabulary is limited. It seems likely that this was his ...

354. Ready Or Not, Here He Comes!

Luke 3:7-18

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... river for safe haven from the flames. Are there things in our lives that ought not to be? Are there people who have been neglected who need our love and attention? Has life become too hectic, too wrapped up in the pursuit of passing fancies? Probably. And that is precisely why we need the season of Advent ... not simply to let us know that there is a diminishing number of shopping days until Christmas, but for the expected use of this time for reflection, for introspection, for taking spiritual inventory ...

355. Religion and Politics

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... they to me?" says the Lord. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats" (Isaiah 1:11). Then God turns thumbs down on fancy religious processions - "this trampling of my courts" (Isaiah 1:12). Forget the extra commitment offerings and the fragrant incense, the special services of worship and celebration. "I cannot bear your evil assemblies" (Isaiah 1:13), God says. Perhaps the most radical announcement of ...

356. Prayers For the President

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... — what are they to me? I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats" (Isaiah 1:11). Then God turns thumbs down on fancy religious processions: "This trampling of my courts" (Isaiah 1:12). Forget the extra commitment offerings and the fragrant incense, the special services of worship and celebration. "I cannot bear your evil assemblies," God says. Perhaps the most radical announcement of all comes when ...

357. Chauvinism In Action

Humor Illustration

... , I assume you will be coming to my inauguration?" "I don't think so. It's a 10 hour drive." "Don’t worry about it Dad, I'll send Air Force One. And a limousine will pick you up at your door." "I don't know everybody will be so fancy. What would your mother wear?" "Oh Dad," replies Debra, 'I'll make sure she has a wonderful gown custom-made by the best designer in Washington." "Honey," Dad complains, "you know I can't eat those rich foods you eat." The President-to-be responds, “Don’t worry Dad. The ...

358. Good Hearts

Romans 5:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... a good heart. Watch this video and see if you have put your heart on hold, or have a heart that is still beating and throbbing. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=447028668722073&set=vb.209753919160720&type=2&theater “Justification by grace through faith” is a fancy way of talking about what it means to have a “good heart,” to have “God’s heart,” and to live in this world with a “new heart” of heart-rending love. That means that the question is not how big is your world. The question is ...

359. Divided We Fall

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... , was a successful farmer at the turn of the twentieth century. To show his thanks to God, he paid for building the church. Just before he died, Cedric donated furniture to the church including, “a giant red horsehair couch whose rich color Cedric fancied would brighten the church.” The horsehair couch was placed behind the pulpit. The huge chair featured massive curved arms with dark mahogany legs, each carved like the claw of a lion. As the years passed, the church as well as the community changed ...

360. Work Like the Who?

Luke 16:1-15

Sermon

King Duncan

Dan Miller in his book No More Dreaded Mondays tells a delightful story about a farmer many years ago in a village in India who had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to the village moneylender. The old and ugly moneylender fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter, so he proposed a bargain. He would forgive the farmer’s debt if he could marry the farmer’s daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal, but the cunning moneylender suggested that they let providence ...

361. Looking Down on God

John 13:1-17

Sermon

David O. Bales

... And here it is, in our living room.”[1] So ended the story and ended it pretty well. That’s a little of what happens when we read the stories in the Bible. We might think the Bible is about a time and place far away, maybe even a fanciful, float-in-the-air land that has nothing to do with us; but, with a thump the Bible story lands right here in this room where we gather for worship. Tonight the whole text from the Bible is transferred here — Jesus, Peter, Judas, and the entire crew. Peter, always ...

362. Framed, Changed, Challenged

Acts 2:42-47

Sermon

Tony Everett

... the Lord added to their number” (Acts 2:47). It was the attitudes and behavior of these Christians that God used to get the respect and goodwill of the people. It wasn’t three-step strategies or free camel rides. It wasn’t fancy greeter badges or even changes in worship style that did it. Folks simply saw behaviors change, generosity flow, and attitudes improve. Then the Lord (not a committee) drew them into this growing community of changed people. Then, together they learned the Jesus story, shared ...

363. Be Reconciled With God

2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2

Sermon

King Duncan

... the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God says to them, “Dust thou art, and to dust thou shall return.” That’s part of the symbolism of the ashes which we shall place on our foreheads this night. It is a reminder of our mortality. We like to fancy that we shall live forever. Some day we shall. But not in this world. This world is but a fleeting image of the world that is yet to come. Ash Wednesday puts it all into perspective. Of course, the subject of our mortality is not a popular one. One man ...

364. A Prayer for Persecuted Christians Everywhere

John 17:6-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... that all humanity had been searching for. It still is. We keep fighting the same battles. We keep committing the same sins. We keep being horrified by the same actions. But we have had an answer for the last 2000 years. It is not new. It is not fancy. It is Jesus: “Jesus, the name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease; 'Tis music in the sinner's ears, 'Tis life, and health, and peace!” (Charles Wesley) Let us pray: Father, Help me to see myself as you see me. Help me to accept myself ...

365. Waking the Giant

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... number of Chinese Christians is growing rapidly, in spite of government opposition. Of course, China is an enormous country so the percentage of the population that is Christian is still small. Nevertheless it is growing quickly. Think about that for a moment. We fancy ourselves to be a Christian country. In the eyes of a segment of our population, we are the Christian nation, that is, the only one God surely blesses. However, what does God do when China has more Christians than we do? Particularly while ...

366. The Two Faces of Thanksgiving

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Brain science has now discovered what The White Queen in “Alice in Wonderland” always knew: "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards." The most recent research in cognitive science, which is a fancy name for the science of “how the brain works,” reveals that remembering the past and visualizing the future use the same neural mechanisms. Memory and prophesy are flip sides of the same mental coin. Human memory works forward, and the very skills that enable you to remember your past ...

367. While It Was Still Dark

John 20:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan

... . Would she live long enough to use a summer purse? That day, Dr. McAdams decided not to tell her mother the diagnosis. Instead, she went out and bought the most expensive summer purse she could find. And every year since then, she’s bought her mother a fancy purse. At the time of her writing, Dr. McAdams’ mother was about to celebrate her 83rd birthday. (8) There is amazing power in hope, is there not? Hope is what Easter is all about. Without Easter this is a dark, dark world. With Easter, hope bursts ...

368. Poem: Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard

Eulogy

Thomas Gray

... lawn. “There at the foot of yonder nodding beech That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high, His listless length at noontide would he stretch, And pore upon the brook that babbles by. “Hard by yon wood, now smiling as in scorn, Muttering his wayward fancies he would rove, Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn, Or crazed with care, or crossed in hopeless love. “One morn I missed him on the customed hill, Along the heath and near his favourite tree; Another came; nor yet beside the rill, Nor up ...

369. Don't Worry! Give Thanks!

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... be any different? One of the most appealing stories from an earlier generation is Jean Webster’s “Daddy Long Legs.” It’s the story of a young girl in an orphanage who is befriended by a person she does not know. This kind stranger takes a fancy to her when she is a small child and befriends her. But he does not reveal his identity. Year after year the favors flow in from her unknown friend. She passes through her childhood years and all the way through college, pursuing opportunities provided to her ...

370. A Man Named Many

Mark 5:1-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... his life all together, who was at peace with himself, who knew who he was. People who had known him were impressed by his expression. People who had known him for a long time were also impressed by the clothes that he wore. They were not necessarily fancy clothes or even stylish clothes. But the people were still impressed by the placid look on Many’s face as well as his clothing. Now you are probably sitting there wondering: Who is this man named Many-- who impressed people just by the expression on his ...

371. Atheism’s Oversimplification

Illustration

C.S. Lewis

... of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that, then my argument against God collapsed too—for the argument depended on saying that the world was really unjust, not simply that it did not happen to please my fancies. Thus in the very act of trying to prove that God did not exist—in other words, that the whole of reality was senseless—I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality—namely my idea of justice—was full of sense. Consequently atheism turns ...

372. Grace Knows No Conditions

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... that moment Queen Elizabeth had no more faithful, devoted servant than that woman who had intended to take her life. That is exactly the way the grace of God works in the life of an individual—he or she becomes a faithful servant of God. Note: Perhaps this is a fanciful illustration on the part of Dr. Ironside. We were not able to substantiate any parts of this story.

373. Enough For Fifty Hopes

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... about a certain young man who has determined that he is going to build his life without God. He has his philosophies all worked out, and none of them include God. But then he admits to an older friend: Just when we are safest, there’s a sunset-touch, A fancy from a flower-bell, someone’s death, A chorus-ending from Euripides. And that’s enough for fifty hopes and fears; The Grand Perhaps.

374. On Cyprus

Acts 13:4-12

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... been accused of inventing the itinerary set out in this narrative, but this seems highly unlikely. First, it is hard to believe that he would have included the story of Mark’s defection if he had been giving free rein to his fancy. Second, most of the places visited were quite insignificant. If Luke had been inventing, he would surely have taken his heroes to more exciting locations. And third, some places are named where Luke mentions nothing happening—Seleucia, Perga, Attalia. One wonders why ...

375. Body / Ambassador

2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... , why the apostle shares in the sufferings and death of Christ (cf. 4:10–11) and also otherwise takes on the functions of Christ (e.g., his suffering and dying benefits others [1:6; 4:12]). Furthermore, although Paul’s opponents in Corinth fancy themselves to be “apostles of Christ” (11:13) and “servants of Christ” (11:23), Paul in effect disputes their claim by asserting that he is the personal representative of Christ on earth. As an ambassador for Christ, Paul speaks as though God were making ...

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