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 4026 to 4050 of 5000 results

4026. Lent 3

Jn 4:5-42 · Rom 5:1-11 · Ex 17:1-7 · Ps 95

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... is to view the text with the eyes of faith and not as a historical critic alone, to think in images rather than in static linear categories. Imaginative preaching is preaching with images rather than concepts; it is preaching aimed more at seeing than understanding. A doctrinal sermon about baptism based on these texts can be something more than a set of abstract propositions about what baptism means and what the faithful must believe about it. It will illustrate the faithfulness of God in the face of our ...

4027. Proper 6

Matthew 10:1-42, Matthew 9:35-38, Romans 5:1-11, Psalm 116:1-19, Genesis 18:1-15

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... some privileged relationship that they have with him on a private, personal basis. This identification can help make some sense of the old custom of naming a child formally at baptism, because baptism marks the beginning of a Christian's ministry. It is easier to understand why the pope takes a new name at his election, for that name will forever be identified with the form and content of his papal ministry, for better or worse. The expanded form of the Old Testament lesson has to do with naming and its ...

4028. Proper 7

Psalm 86:1-17, Romans 6:1-14, Matthew 10:1-42, Genesis 21:8-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... difference does grace make for believers' lives? Can there be a more pertinent question in all of Christian reflection? Paul contemplates the past, the present, and the future of the Romans "in Christ." In their pasts, they died with Christ to sin. Paul understands that sin is a cosmic power—he even personifies it in his argument in Romans to dramatize its role in opposition to God. Effectively, sin deceived humanity and took humankind captive. Under the sway of the power of sin, humans were in bondage ...

4029. Proper 11

Mt 13:24-30, 36-43 · Rom 8:12-25 · Ps 139 · Gen 28:10-19a

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... the law of sin. Verses 12-17 explain the theme ("because") of vv. 1-11. To paraphrase: Christian life is life in the Spirit because persons led by the Spirit are the children of God. In one way Paul is speaking about Christian identity or self-understanding (more communal than individual, though there are implications for individuals), but he goes on to speak about the significance of such life. Life in the Spirit is much more than an identity; it is a relationship to God that has come as a gift from God ...

4030. Proper 21

Exodus 17:1-7, Matthew 21:23-27, Matthew 21:28-32, Philippians 2:1-11, Psalm 78:1-72

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... you both to will and to work for his good pleasure." What a foreign thought to our era—a God who tinkers even with our will! Immediately lights flash and bells ring. Does this mean that we do not have free will? To be frank, Paul would not understand the idea of a totally free human will. Paul understood that humans were creatures and that they were fully subject in every way to their Creator. Yet notice that Paul does not go to the other extreme. He does not cast humans as puppets on strings. Humans are ...

4031. Proper 29

Psalm 100:1-5, Ezekiel 34:1-31, Ephesians 1:15-23, Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... explored in preaching, depending on what issue may relate to your congregation. First, that hierarchies of power are inevitable (vv. 1-10). Second, that such structures of power are easily abused by humans in a number of ways (vv. 1-10, 17-22). Third, that a proper understanding of such power is not innate to us, but actually requires that God become the shepherd in order to show us how it works (vv. 17-22). Fourth, once God has shown us what the character of royal power is, we can claim this Davidic ideal ...

4032. Thanksgiving Day, North America

Luke 17:11-19, Deuteronomy 8:1-20, Psalm 65:1-13, 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

... stood at a distance so as not to run the danger of rendering Jesus and his companions actually and ritually unclean through contact with them. There was not much science in the medical diagnosis or handling of "leprosy" in the first century, so to understand this text we need to see how the lepers were regarded and how they regarded themselves, not to collect facts about Hansen's disease and psoriasis. The recognition of Jesus' authority is inherent in their address, "Master!" In response to the cry of the ...

4033. John 11:1-45

John 11:1-16

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... me, even thought they die, will live” (v.26). Although on the surface Martha’s response in v.27b sounds right, “Yes, Lord, I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world,” none of theses titles suggest a new understanding of Jesus and his mission. Indeed, all of these titles have already been declared by others in John’s gospel. While the disciples (1:41), Nicodemus (3:1-11), the Samaritan woman (4:25,29), and Nathanael (1:49) had all variously used the terminology of ...

4034. When Tragedy Strikes

Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

James W. Moore

... sea, there was sorrow in the heart of God." Then Barclay said this, listen closely: "When things like that happen, there are just those things to be said… first, to understand them is impossible; second, Jesus does not offer simple solutions to them. What He does offer us is His strength and help somehow to accept what we do not understand. Third, the one fatal reaction is the bitter resentment which forever after meets life with a chip on the shoulder and a grudge against God. The one saving reaction is ...

4035. When Losing Your Baggage Is a Good Thing

Hebrews 12:1-2

Sermon

James W. Moore

... robs us of the joy of life. We have actually brought that concept into our everyday language. We say things like this: “He’s good and talented, but he brings lots of baggage with him.” “She’s bright and capable, but before we hire her, we need to understand that there’s a lot of baggage there.” One NFL coach, at the end of last season talking about one of his star players said, “He is a great player. He was probably the best athlete on our team, but we traded him because we just could not ...

4036. Changed Lives - Mary Magdalene

John 20:10-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... would.” “Do you mean like Elvis?” the boy replied. Well, no. Not exactly like Elvis. This is a new world. People nowadays believe just about everything, except that which is most true. We have to work a little bit harder in this new world to help people understand the old story of the Gospel. In John’s telling of the Easter story, it’s Mary Magdalene who first comes to the tomb. “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone ...

4037. The Lost and Found Son

Luke 15:11-24

Sermon

James W. Moore

... be glad, for this your brother was dead and is alive again… he was lost and now is found.” What a powerful parable this is! Packed with meaning, packed with life! Now, we could go off in lots of different directions in trying to understand what it’s about, but for now, I want us to zero in quickly on the fascinating characters here… to do some character sketches. I. LOOK FIRST AT THE PRODIGAL When you look at him, the descriptive adjectives fly fast and furious – rebellious, restless, discontent ...

4038. When Extravagance Is Beautiful, and When It Is Not

John 12:1-8

Sermon

James W. Moore

... , Charlie Brown screeches to a halt. He turns and in a very mature way says: “Wait a minute, Lucy. You and I are relatively small children with relatively small problems and if we can’t sit down and talk through our problems with love, respect and understanding, how can we expect the great nations of the world to sit down and talk through?” And then, “Pow!” Lucy slugs him and says: “I had to hit him quick, he was beginning to make sense!!!” That’s what closed-minded people do. They don’t ...

4039. Don't Look Back, Remember Lot's Wife

Genesis 19:24-26

Sermon

James W. Moore

... lesson is obvious: “Don’t you look back over your shoulder ever again. You keep your eyes focused straight ahead on the finish line!” And then for emphasis, he added: “If you ever do that again, I’m gonna put ‘horse blinders’ on you! Do you understand me, young man?” And I said what any high school boy in his right mind would say in that moment, “Yes sir.” Now, that experience is something of a parable for us. Over the years, I have remembered that lesson many times. “Don’t look back ...

4040. Christmas Gifts That Always Fit

Luke 2:8-20

Sermon

James W. Moore

... , not me… and who could blame them for that? It was a “reality check” for me and also a valuable life-lesson. That experience reminded me that… Sometimes we mis-read things. Sometimes we mis-understand things. Sometimes we mis-interpret things. Sometimes we do that with Christmas… we mis-read and mis-understand what it’s really all about… and before we know it… Christmas has passed us by… and we have missed its warm embrace once again. Each year on Thanksgiving Day, as our family sits down ...

4041. Recognizing Christ

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

King Duncan

... each other in years. Finally, before Eugene could speak a word, he said, “You know, you’re never going to believe this, but I met some guy in here last week who looks just like you!” We could understand that happening. He hadn’t seen his old Army buddy in many years. We can even understand about the man in the hospital thinking another woman was his wife. But how do you explain Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb not recognizing the risen Christ? And how do you explain the two disciples on the road ...

4042. To Be a Christian

Acts 11:19-30

Sermon

James McCormick

... more we allow his spirit to shape our lives through prayer, the more we come to know his mind and his heart, so the more we understand what he asks us to do. There is a very popular but distorted version of Christianity which maintains that God is primarily interested in helping us ... was shocked. He said, “Do you realize that Idi Amin has wrecked Uganda?” “Yes,” she said. “Do you understand that there is no real government in Uganda?” “Yes,” she said. “Are you aware that anybody there can do ...

4043. Don't Worry! Be Happy!

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... and then we treat it with worry. We simply add another burden. How can we rid ourselves of this demon called worry? What does Jesus say that can help us lighten our load this day? First of all, we need to understand that worry is not based so much on an outer circumstance as on an inner condition. Do you understand that? Worry comes not so much from what is happening to us on the outside as much as it comes from how we process it on the inside. You don’t need to raise your hand, but is there anyone in ...

4044. Don't Worry, The Light Is Still Burning

Matthew 6:25-34

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... ! NO water! We’re going to die!” The second man, in a quite relaxed manner, propped himself up against a palm tree. He was acting so calmly, it drove the first man crazy. He began to shout, ‘Don’t you understand? We’re going to die!” The second man replied, “You don’t understand. I make $100,000 a week.” The first man looked at him quite dumbfounded and asked, “What difference does that make? We’re on an island with no food and no water. We’re going to DIE!” The second man, with ...

4045. The Thrill of Victory

2 Corinthians 2:14-15

Sermon

James Merritt

... a lovely perfume! We Christians have the unmistakable ‘scent' of Christ; discernible alike to those who are being saved and to those who are heading for death. To the latter, it seems like the very smell of doom; to the former, it has the fresh fragrance of life itself." Understand it is not our job to get people to like the smell; it's simply our job to give off the aroma. We are to make sure that that aroma is always the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Would to God that we would pray this prayer: So grant, I ...

4046. Just Know Him in His Victorious Resurrection

Acts 13:29-39

Sermon

James Merritt

... in I Cor. 15:20, "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." Jesus was the firstfruits. That is, he had a new kind of body, a perfect body, no longer subject to decay, disease, and death. But understand it was a physical resurrection. Now how do we know that? We are told that over and over and over in the New Testament: The disciples took hold of His feet—(Mt. 28:9) Jesus took bread and broke it before the disciples—(Luke 24:30) He ate broiled ...

4047. The Sin of Robin Hood

Exodus 20:15

Sermon

James Merritt

... or said they would steal if they thought they had a good enough reason.[1] A growing position within larger companies is "Vice President for Lost Prevention," with the testing of the employees for theft growing by 20% annually.[2] In a few moments, you will understand why. Now it is important that you understand that there is more than one type of stealing, and more than one way to steal. You do not have to crack a safe, pick a pocket, or hold up a bank in order to be a thief. There is more than one way to ...

4048. Freedom Faith Brings

Galatians 5:1-15

Sermon

James Merritt

... any way you want to. Peter said, "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as free, yet not using your liberty as a cloak for vice, but as servants of God." (I Pet. 2:15-16) Understand carefully, liberty is limited by love. When liberty is guided by love, the result is service; but when liberty is guided by license, the result is sin. Liberty is limited by love. First of all, it is limited by a love for the Savior. If you love Jesus, you will ...

4049. Heaven: The Home of a Godly Family

John 14:1-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... to think there is a heaven, when there really is not a heaven? The Lord Jesus lays out before us two things we need to understand about heaven. A. Heaven Is a Matter of Faith Everything Jesus tells us about heaven was meant to be not only a word of confidence ... I'm not going to send for you, I'm going to come get you, so "that where I am, there you may be also." Understand this clearly. Jesus is not where heaven is, heaven is where Jesus is. You take away the pearly gates, the golden streets, the angels and ...

4050. The Door Is Always Open

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

James Merritt

... long hours. They punch in at 8:00 AM and punch out at 5:00 PM and only take an hour for lunch. But Pharisees don't understand, you can work your fingers to the bone and do the best you know how and die and go straight to hell. What was so tragic ... me, and all that I have is yours." But instead of being grateful for what he did have, he was ungrateful for what he didn't have. Understand that the father loved both of his sons equally. He came out of the house for both boys. He wanted both boys to come home. He ...

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