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 3876 to 3900 of 4770 results

3876. Grain Offerings

Leviticus 2:1-16

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... 6:15]) is uncertain. It is from a root that means “to remember, mention,” but it is unclear what this offering memorializes or remembers or mentions. Other renderings include “representative portion” (NIVmg), “token portion” (NRSV), or “invocation portion.”2This last view suggests that God’s name was called out (“mentioned”) or praised as part of the grain offering was offered to him. Anything “most holy” (v. 3b) must be eaten at the sanctuary by a ritually clean priest (Lev. 6:16 ...

3877. Diagnosing “Leprosy”

Lev 13:1-59

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... unfair for God to have people ostracized as part of the punishment. Scripture teaches that God sometimes used skin disease to discipline his people (see Deut. 28:27, 35; Isa. 3:16–17). But was leprosy only a result of sin? The rabbinic view (see “Historical and Cultural Background” above) assumes that it was. Perhaps this was a supernatural affliction that only God could cause and cure. But the lack of any reference to sin, supplication, or forgiveness in Leviticus 13–14, and its placement between ...

3878. Living by God’s Sexual Standards

Leviticus 18:1-30

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... ; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” [Deut. 30:14] that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim. Does Paul take Leviticus 18:5 to mean that the Old Testament saint was supposed to merit eternal life by keeping the law? In this view, Paul quotes Leviticus to prove that eternal life under the law was supposed to be obtained by works, while Deuteronomy is quoted to show that it was possible only by faith. But would Paul really think that Deuteronomy contradicts Leviticus? The real contrast in ...

3879. Punishments for Sin

Leviticus 20:1-27

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... acts for the Christian. He warns that those engaging in such behaviors are in danger of exclusion from the kingdom of God, but he never implies that homosexuals should be executed. Again, Paul affirms the morality of the law, but in view of the changed historical and theological circumstances, he does not apply its sanction. In the book of Revelation behaviors found in Leviticus 20 are also condemned, but the sanction, though severe, comes from God, not from humans: “But the cowardly, the unbelieving ...

3880. The Census of the Twelve Tribes

Num 1:1–2:54

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... was expendable. Protecting God’s dwelling and throne was essential. Likewise for us, God and the spiritual values associated with him must be indispensable in our lives. We must guard against all encroachments on our place of meeting with God. This illustration could be enhanced by having a chessboard in view. The speaker could give a brief introduction to the game of chess, explaining what some of the pieces do, finishing with the king and its essential place in the game.

3881. The Census and Duties of Levites

Num 3:1–4:49

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... be guarded. Understanding the Text The census of Israel (Num. 1–2) is followed by the census of the Levites (Num. 3–4). The priests and Levites are not counted in the census of Numbers 1–2 because they are not to participate in the conquest in view of their sacred duties (see the sidebar). But in Numbers 3–4 they have their own census on different principles. In Numbers 3 they count every male from one month old and above who serves as a substitute for Israel’s firstborn. Numbers 4 counts only ...

3882. Racism and Envy

Numbers 12:1-16

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... had given each nation its own lands and boundaries (e.g., Acts 17:26). But this ignores the fact that nations (a political designation) were often ethnically diverse. For example, the Assyrian Empire consisted of a plethora of races. More importantly, this view ignores or tries to explain away those places where the Bible approves of interracial marriages under the Mosaic covenant (Moses’s Cushite wife; Rahab; Ruth), and that under the new covenant God has broken down the barrier between the races so that ...

3883. Condemned to Wilderness Wandering

Numbers 14:1-45

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... Love” (hesed) encompasses the love, grace, mercy, loyalty, faithfulness, and the like that one shows to someone with whom one has a relationship. In pointing out that God abounds in hesed, or “covenant love,” Moses is beseeching God to act in love and mercy in view of his covenant relationship with Israel despite its sin. In Exodus 34:6, after Israel has made the golden calf, “God’s love takes the shape of mercy and grace, of abstaining from anger and of being ready to forgive the thousands (i.e ...

3884. Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Obedience

Num 15:1-41

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... God is less important than that one sets aside time for him. The basic purposes of the Sabbath were to set aside time for God and to rest from labor. Christians can keep the spirit of the Sabbath by doing these two things. Whatever view one takes, there is no justification under the new covenant for the church making Sabbath violations capital offenses. Israel’s death penalties for religious offenses were based on the special holiness of Israel, with God dwelling among them in the tabernacle/temple. Old ...

3885. The Red Heifer

Numbers 19:1-22

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... alien from the God of the Bible as seen in Numbers 19 and elsewhere. God is to be associated with life, not death. Death defiles. It is not something to be glorified. Even killing for justifiable reasons makes a person unclean, according to the Bible. Unlike the view of these fanatics, the real God never revels in killing and death. He is the God of life who wants people to have abundant life. Hymn: “All Creatures of Our God and King,” by Francis of Assisi. The text of this classic hymn is based on a ...

3886. Through Moab into the Transjordan

Num 21:10-35

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... . The Hebrew word mehoqeq is used of the object “ruler’s staff” in Genesis 49:10 and of God as “ruler/lawgiver” in Isaiah 33:22. In Numbers 21:18 the parallel with “staffs” suggests that the object rather than the person is in view. However, the singular “scepter” (ESV), though it might be a collective for “scepters” per the NIV, may well represent a focusing on Moses’s ruler’s staff, which, along with the staffs of the other leaders, helps dig this well. That meaning would make ...

3887. The Daughters of Zelophehad (Part 1)

Numbers 27:1-11

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... with at least half of their net worth in their lifetimes. The list has continued to expand to include billionaires from around the globe, and it has opened up to people of all incomes. A list of signatories is published online, allowing people to view profiles for each of the generous donors. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? But such wealth and generosity cannot compare to the God we worship. His resources are infinite, and his willingness to bless is unquestionable.5 Christianity has played a major role in ...

3888. Joshua Appointed as Moses’s Successor

Numbers 27:12-23

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... to inherit land (Num. 27:1–10) is an appropriate occasion for God to remind Moses that he will not enter the promised land. Moses instead must appoint a successor in leadership. Moses is thus instructed about how he will soon die after viewing the land from atop the Abarim mountain range in Moab, though this foretelling is not immediately fulfilled. Moses still needs to convey the remaining laws of the book of Numbers and to deliver the speeches of Deuteronomy before his final acts on the mountain ...

3889. Keeping Promises

Numbers 30:1-16

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... whose reflection he could safely see Medusa, winged sandals, and Hades’s cap of invisibility, Perseus was able to behead Medusa and escape from the supernatural beings around her to deliver what he had promised to Polydectes, who himself was turned into stone when he viewed Medusa’s decapitated head. As in the case of biblical oaths, Perseus felt bound by honor to carry out the oath even at risk of his own life. In this mythological world, his imprudent oath became the occasion of a heroic act. But in ...

3890. War against Midian

Num 31:1-54

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... not on excess income but rather on commitments often formed from an early age (between childhood and their twenties). Commenting on the attitude that Christians should have about giving, Pastor Andy Stanley writes, Whenever we sense that hesitation, it’s because we have started to view our money as our money. In those moments, we’re not completely in touch with the fact that everything belongs to God, comes from Him and is dispensed by Him. In a way, we’re buying into the myth that we own it and we ...

3891. Reviewing the Past

Numbers 33:1-56

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... is a store city built by the Israelites (Exod. 1:11) and from which Israel begins the exodus (Exod. 12:37).2Israel does not sneak out of Egypt, but leaves Rameses “boldly” (Exod. 14:8 [lit., “with a high hand”]; cf. Num. 15:30) in full view of the Egyptians, who are burying their firstborn (v. 4; cf. the tenth plague in Exod. 12:29; 13:15). Theologically, God brings judgment on the Egyptian gods (Exod. 12:12) by showing them powerless before the true God, who is incomparably greater than they (Exod ...

3892. Making a Successful Future

Numbers 34:1-29

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... north of Mount Hermon. 34:10–12 eastern boundary.Hazar Enan may be modern Hadr at the foot of Hermon or, more likely, Qayatein, about seventy miles northeast of Damascus and sixty miles east of Lebo Hamath (Laboue). This decision is significant: the latter view implies an 80 percent larger territory for Israel than the former.6That the northern border extends to the Euphrates (Gen. 15:18; Deut. 1:7; 11:24; Josh. 1:4) makes Qayatein more likely. The location of Shepham is unknown. Riblah probably is ...

3893. The Road to the Throne Is Covered with Blood

2 Sam 1:1–5:5

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... role of David’s “enemy.” Others have done the same, including the narrator (1 Sam. 18:29), David’s men (24:4), Saul (24:19), and Abishai (26:8), but David did not use this designation for Saul, and his response here shows that he does not view Saul in this manner. the Lord has avenged my lord the king. Earlier David appealed to the Lord for justice and prayed that the Lord would avenge Saul’s offenses against him, but he refused to lift a hand against Saul (1 Sam. 24:12). Having consistently taken ...

3894. Fighting Wars and Keeping a Promise: David Establishes an Ideal of Kingship

2 Sam 8:1–10:19

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... the home inevitably being reflected in a child’s relationship to others. Human Experience: In almost every other religion, humans create and raise up gods to call on in worship who will reflect their personal and cultural values: fertility, prowess in battle, wealth, intelligence, vengefulness, and so on. The biblical view inverts this idolatry as God creates and raises up humans and calls them to worship by reflecting his values in their persons and cultures.

3895. “Your Sin Will Find You Out”: The Lord Confronts His Sinful Servant

2 Samuel 12:1-31

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... Kings 8:51). Micah 7:18–20 relates God’s merciful, loving forgiveness with his unconditional promises to the fathers. Illustrating the Text Divine discipline is severe even when forgiveness is extended. Literature: King Lear, by William Shakespeare. This play (1608), viewed by many as full of biblical allusions, is a study in the consequences of King Lear’s fatal pride and his humiliation. When the play opens, the eighty-year-old king is blinded by power and selfishly requires tangible expressions of ...

3896. The Return of the King Brings Turmoil in the Kingdom

2 Sam 19:9–20:26

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel. The tribal unity sought by David is in serious jeopardy, despite his efforts to promote reconciliation. 20:1 a troublemaker named Sheba. The narrator leaves no room for a sympathetic view of the Benjamite rebel Sheba. He labels him a “troublemaker” (’ish beliya‘al). Abigail used this same expression to describe her husband, Nabal (1 Sam. 25:25), and Shimei falsely accused David of being such a person (2 Sam. 16:7). Similar ...

3897. David’s Mighty Men

2 Samuel 21:15-22

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... it may be a metaphor for David’s leadership, which his men regard as essential for Israel’s well-being.2 Since a lamp is a symbol of physical life and prosperity (Job 18:6; 21:17; Prov. 13:9; 20:20; 24:20), it is possible that they view David as an agent of divine blessing for the nation. 21:21 he taunted Israel. The same verb (harap) appears in 1 Samuel 17, where the Philistine champion defied (harap) Israel and its armies (vv. 10, 25–26, 36, 45). Like David when he killed the Philistine, Jonathan ...

3898. Barren No More

1 Sam 1:1-20–2:11

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... :10), which depicts military strength. The idiom “exalt the horn” signifies military victory (Pss. 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam. 2:17). In the ancient Near East powerful warrior kings would sometimes compare themselves to a goring bull using its horns to kill its enemies. Hannah views herself as the victor in her struggle with Peninnah. 2:2 There is no one holy like the Lord. In the Ugaritic myths the assembly of the gods is called “sons of the Holy One” (COS, 1:246, 343). El, the high god, is the head ...

3899. Disrespect Can Be Deadly

1 Sam 2:12-36

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... from the people. As far as the Lord is concerned, Eli’s actions speak louder than his words and implicate him in their crimes. 2:30 would minister before me forever. The phrase translated “forever” refers to an indefinite period of time, with no immediate end in view (Deut. 23:3; 1 Sam. 1:22; 2 Sam. 12:10; Isa. 32:14; Jer. 17:4), and does not necessarily connote the concept of eternality. One might think that the use of “forever” in the Lord’s promise would make it irrevocable, but this is ...

3900. The Ark Heads Home

1 Samuel 6:1-7:1

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... read by the NIV. they looked into the ark. The standard interpretation of this text is that some of the people looked into the ark (which implies that someone touched it) and were struck down because of their lack of respect. However, this view is problematic. The Hebrew expression used here (ra’ah, “see,” followed by the preposition b-, “in”) more commonly means “look at,” not “look into.” But it seems unlikely that the Lord would strike the people down for simply looking at the ark. The ...

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