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 4276 to 4300 of 5000 results

4276. How Can I Know The Truth?

John 16:5-16

Sermon

King Duncan

Sometimes fact IS funnier than fiction. According to an article in the New York TIMES, for more than 50 years authorities in the Soviet Union have been deliberately sabotaging their own maps of the Soviet countryside. Rivers, bridges, cities and coastlines have all been shown in wrong locations on maps or deliberately drawn incorrectly. Distance scales have been an absolute joke. Soviet theory, apparently, was that these errors made these maps useless to spies, invading armies, and the navigators of enemy ...

4277. A New Vantage Point

Colossians 3:1-17

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

Whenever people visit a beautiful, impressive church building, invariably there are two things they want to do: they want to go up to the pulpit and see how things look from this perspective; and then they want to go up in the balcony, if there is one, and look down on everything. And isn't that typical? There's something inside of us that needs to climb to the top and get the view from above. When we were children, we'd climb trees and build secret houses for ourselves up in the branches and spy down on ...

4278. How To Love

John 15:1-17

Sermon

King Duncan

You can learn things being around children. Here are some truths one father learned: There is no such thing as child-proofing your house. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long ways. Glass windows (even double pane) don't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan. If you use a waterbed as a home plate while wearing baseball shoes, it does not leak. It explodes. A king-size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2,000 sq. ft. house almost 4 inches ...

4279. Aging Is Mandatory; Maturity Is Optional

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever noticed that grown men can act like little children at times? Every woman in the house is nodding her head. Notice our lesson from the Gospel for today. It begins with some words with which we have become familiar: "They went on from there and passed through Galilee. [Jesus] did not want anyone to know it . . ." There it is again. The stealth Messiah, quietly going about his business, trying to stay out of the public eye. This time Mark provides us with an explanation: ". . . for he was ...

4280. A Failure To Communicate

Hebrews 1:1-4, Hebrews 2:5-18

Sermon

King Duncan

The following notice appeared sometime back in a newspaper in the northeastern part of the U. S.: "To those of you who bought our book, Skydiving Made Easy, please enter the following correction on page 12, paragraph 3, line 2: The words 'State zip code' should say "Pull rip cord.' We regret any inconvenience this mistake may have caused you." (1) I suspect it might have caused some inconvenience. A husband who was not used to doing housework decided to wash his dirty sweatshirt. After stepping into the ...

4281. A Father Pleased With His Son

Mark 1:9-13

Sermon

King Duncan

Is there any son or daughter in this world who is not thrilled by this little declaration of praise from a parent, "I'm proud of you?" When baseball great Henry Aaron hit his 715th home run breaking Babe Ruth's remarkable record, that is what he said: "I don't' remember the noise, or the two kids that ran on the field. My teammates at home plate, I remember seeing them. I remember my mother out there and she hugging me. that's what I'll remember more than anything about that home run when I think back on ...

4282. What Would Bill Do?

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Sermon

King Duncan

I want to tell you a simple, but moving story about a man named Bill. When Bill was born in the 1930s he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The doctor predicted that he would be mentally retarded and urged Bill’s parents to have him institutionalized. Fortunately, they ignored the doctor’s advice. At first, Bill attended a school for children with disabilities. Later he gained entrance to a mainstream high school. This was an unusual accomplishment for a physically challenged person of that era. Then, with ...

4283. More Than "Turkey Day" (New) Thanksgiving

2 Chronicles 9:1-28

Sermon

King Duncan

Although many countries and cultures have some type of ceremony for celebrating their blessings, no one celebrates Thanksgiving quite the way we do in the U.S. And for good reason. Few people on earth have as much for which to be thankful. Nightline host Ted Koppel emigrated to the U.S. from England in his early teen years. The Koppels were originally from Germany, but moved to England at the start of World War II. They had lived through food rationing, and had known the scarcity and desperation that ...

4284. Radical Surgery

Mark 9:42-50

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

I wish that Ted Koppel would run for president. Sometimes he seems to make more sense than all of the politicians put together. You know him as the popular moderator of ABC’s “Nightline” program. In a speech at Duke University a year ago he said this: “We have actually convinced ourselves that slogans will save us. Shoot up if you must, but use a clean needle. Enjoy sex whenever and with whomever you wish, but wear a condom. No! The answer is no. Not because it isn’t cool or smart or because you might end ...

4285. The Tenacity of Trouble

James 4:1-12

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Today we continue in our illuminating study of the Epistle of James. Often in our study of the Bible, we must read and know the chapter or verses that surround the body of scripture we are studying. This principle is quite evident in our efforts today. There is a reason why we must learn and receive instruction to Tame the Tongue and know the Trademarks of Truth. There is a reason we must know how to Trip the Tempter and Trust the Truth. It all hits home in the fourth chapter. Here we see the results of a ...

4286. Feasting and Fasting for Lent (Part III)

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Dr. William H. Willimon, our minister at the historic Duke Chapel at Duke University, shared an insight to the Lenten season while he was a pastor in South Carolina. He was called to the hospital to be with a couple who belonged to the congregation he served. The wife had given birth to a child. Word had drifted out of the delivery room that all was not well. Dr. Willimon then shared how the doctor spared few words. "Your baby is afflicted with Down''s Syndrome, mongolism. I had expected this. But things ...

4287. Pack Up Your Troubles

James 4:13-17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

In 1942, a man named Felix Powell sat down to a piano to play an old tune. He had every right to play it. He had written it himself. It had been tremendously popular in both World Wars. He was playing and singing it now. What's the use of worrying? It never was worthwhile.So pack up your troubles in your old kit bag, And smile, smile, smile. When Felix Powell finished his song, he walked in his bedroom, took out a revolver, put it to his head, and shot himself. He could write a song about not worrying, and ...

4288. Repentance: The No That Is A Yes

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Elie Wiesel is one of the great story-tellers of our time. He is a Jew who has a passionate memory of the Holocaust. He tells stories with a clarity and a passion that sets your soul on fire. In fact, a collection of his Hasidic stories is entitled "Souls on Fire". Let me read you the introduction to that book: "My father, an enlightened spirit, believed in man, My grandfather, a fervent Hasid, believed in God. The one taught me to speak, the other to sing. Both loved stories. And when I tell mine, I hear ...

4289. Seeing the Good News

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

John P. Jewell

"All flesh shall see the salvation of God." What amazing words. The deepest sense of these words is that peace, harmony, health and healing will break out all over the world! "All flesh shall see.." means that every single human being on earth will see this come to pass. Sounds impossible doesn't it? This promise from the prophet Isaiah, brought to us in the gospel of Luke courtesy of John the Baptist brings to mind the words of Jesus to his disciples, "For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things ...

4290. The Promised Messiah

Micah 5:1-4

Sermon

Elizabeth Achtemeier

In the prophecies of Second Isaiah, the Lord God declares, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways" (Isaiah 55:8), and how true that is of the God to whom the Bible witnesses! In our society, we adulate those whom we think are successful or talented or distinguished in some way. Many teenagers look up to a famous sports figure and try to imitate him on their own playing fields. Many viewers tune into the television program that interviews someone who is famous and rich. Fan clubs ...

4291. A Prophet Among Them

Ezekiel 2:1-3:15

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

A couple of years ago I was smitten in my heart by a word I heard in the ordination service of the Free Methodist Church. It was verses 4 and 5 of Ezekiel 2. Listen to it: “The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them. ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’ And whether they listen – for they are a rebellious house – they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (NIV) Get the setting in mind. Ezekiel is sharing his personal story of God coming to him in a vision, and ...

4292. When Jesus Comes to Church

Mark 11:27-33

Sermon

Michael Milton

1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, 3 ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.’ 4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. 5 He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 6 ‘I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.’ 7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have ...

4293. Surprised by God

Genesis 28:10-19a

Sermon

James L. Killen

We live in a culture that is increasingly secular. At its best, secularism is simply what we Americans call the separation of church and state. It is a practical way to keep people from having to live lives regimented by someone else's religious convictions and that keeps countries from being torn by conflicts between religious groups that all want to write the rules. There is a lot of history in our world that argues for the practicality of that kind of arrangement. As it has taken shape among us, however ...

4294. How Does It Work?

1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Sermon

James L. Killen

There is a very nice book for children that is titled, The Way Things Work. It uses cartoons and diagrams and simple explanations to help young children understand the operation of such things as a magnet, a light bulb, a water faucet, and even a car engine and a computer. These are things that children see working every day. They even have to work with some of them. It is important for them to understand how these things work so that they will understand how to work with them.1 We need to know how the ...

4295. Struggles, Death, and Christ

Philippians 1:21-30

Sermon

Jeff Wedge

Many people cling very tightly to life. They refuse to let go of it, and hold onto a shred of life beyond all reasonable expectations. And then there are others. There was an old man, lying in the bed in the back bedroom, surrounded by his wife, daughter, and his four granddaughters. His breath was coming slowly, almost in sighs, and the time between the sighs was stretching to longer and longer periods. Finally, when the silence had stretched to an unbearable length, the youngest granddaughter threw ...

4296. A More Perfect Union

Habakkuk 2:1-5

Sermon

Mark Trotter

The prophet Habakkuk is not considered to be one of the major prophets. He is known primarily for one line, which was read for us in the Old Testament lesson. "The righteous shall live by faith." That is the source of Paul's famous phrase found in his Letter to the Romans particularly, "The just shall live by faith." It became a battle cry for the Reformation, and it came originally from Habakkuk. But in this same passage is a wonderful phrase that I thought was appropriate for the Fourth of July: "For ...

4297. Laugh It Off

I Corinthians 1:18-20, 26-31

Sermon

Mark Trotter

I have heard people talk about the power of laughter to heal. I came across it first in a book written by Norman Cousins some years ago called, Anatomy of an Illness. It was a story of his own debilitating illness, and how he conquered it with laughter. It seems that he was overseas at a meeting, and felt a fever coming on. In no time at all he found himself in the hospital, his situation diagnosed as a degenerative arthritic condition. The prognosis was not good. At best, he would have life-long paralysis ...

4298. Proper 10

Genesis 25:19-34, Isaiah 55:1-13, Romans 8:1-17, Romans 8:18-27, Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Genesis 25:19-34 (C) Rebecca gave birth to twins, Esau and Jacob. Because of Isaac's prayers for his barren wife, Rebecca made up for lost time in having twins who fought each other before birth. Esau's great mistake was trading his first-son birthright for one of Jacob's meals. Lesson 1: Isaiah 55:10-11 (RC); Isaiah 55:1-5, 10-13 (E) God's Word shall accomplish his purpose. Lesson 2: Romans 8:1-11 (C); Romans 8:18-23 (RC) Both creation and creatures groan for redemption. Lesson 2: ...

4299. From Ha-Ha's to Ah-ha's

John 16:5-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The teacher kept saying it would suddenly dawn on me. That there would be a cloud-clearing, sun-streaming moment of revelation and I would miraculously get it. I [Elizabeth] was in the ninth grade and the "it" was working out proofs in geometry. For months I had been struggling to understand why the teacher and some of my friends could look at a problem and immediately visualize, then verbalize, how to get from A to B to C. No matter how many proofs I worked through with the teacher the moment I sat in ...

4300. Obstacles as Popsicles

Exodus 1:1-22

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Lake Junaluska is a conference center for United Methodists in the mountains of North Carolina. The first thing any visitor notices is the giant cross on top of a hill. When it's illuminated at night, it shines for miles, a beacon that draws Christians from the southeast and from all over North America every summer. A few years ago, I went to bed one night at Lake Junaluska with the resolve to climb the hill early the next morning as both physical exercise and spiritual pilgrimage. When I got on my jogging ...

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