Synonyms: renounce, relinquish, dispense with, forswear, disclaim, disown, disavow, discard, wash one's hands of, give up, stop, cease, drop, forgo, desist from, have done with, abjure, abstain from, discontinue, break off, refrain from, set/lay aside, desert, leave, leave high and dry, turn one's back on, cast aside, break (up) with, vacate, quit, evacuate, withdraw from, surrender, cede, yield, indulge in, give way to, give oneself up to, yield to, lose oneself to/in, uninhibitedness, recklessness, lack of restraint, lack of inhibition, unruliness, wildness, impulsiveness, impetuosity, immoderation, wantonness
Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on
Showing 4326 to 4350 of 4939 results
4326. Epiphany 8
Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15, Isaiah 55:10-13, Luke 6:39-49, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58
Bulletin Aid
Julia Ross Strope
Call To Worship Leader: It’s Sunday again! So soon! It’s good to be together. It’s a good day to praise God and to catch up with one another. In our scriptures today, there are verses from Sirach in the apocrypha that describe conversation: “Never praise anyone until you hear that person talk!” People: We talk with each other often, and we are aware that our words indicate our characters and our attitudes about life. Leader: We can be honest with one another about our thoughts, and we can be honest with ...
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
If you’ve ever driven across the U.S. using I-90 (the northern route), you have seen signs for “Wall Drug.” Located in Wall, South Dakota, Wall Drug is a totally smarmy, schmaltzy, middle-of-nowhere “tourist trap.” And it is THE place to stop. Why? Because around 1936 the family running Wall Drug figured out that they were still on the road to somewhere. Wall Drug’s “claim to fame” is that when Mount Rushmore opened, Ted and Dorothy Hustead, owners of a “mom’n’pop” pharmacy/soda fountain shop way out in ...
4328. No Substitutes
Galatians 3:15-25
Sermon
King Duncan
A church organist sent the following note to his minister: “I am sorry to say that my wife died last night. Could you please find a substitute for me for the weekend?” Well, I’m certain he meant a substitute organist not a substitute wife. Speaking of substitutes, there was an award ceremony years ago for the legendary baseball player Joe DiMaggio at the Lotos Club of NY. At that event, DiMaggio’s former teammate, Phil Rizzuto, told the audience that one time DiMaggio, who was wildly popular, was supposed ...
Sermon
David J. Kalas
The Christmas story is so familiar to us and to our people that we may no longer see it clearly. Specifi­cally, I wonder if we can fathom how full of surprises was that event — and the days preceding it — for Joseph and Mary. Between the two Christmas accounts (both Matthew and Luke offer versions of the story), we see both Joseph and Mary having angelic visitations and communications. Likewise, the shepherds outside of Bethlehem and Zechariah in the temple were visited by angels. Assuming such appearances ...
Understanding Series
David J. Williams
Such was the impact of the Christians on the city (they were not necessarily numerous, but they were in the public eye; see note on 4:4), that the city fathers, chiefly the Sadducees, decided again on overt action against them, or at least against their leaders. The broad similarity between the arrest and trial of the apostles described here and the earlier arraignment of Peter and John has already been noted, as has the parallel between their escape and Peter’s escape in 12:6–19 (see disc. on 3:1–11). ...
4331. Living for God
1 Peter 4:1-11
Understanding Series
Norman Hillyer
Live Wholly for God 4:1 What are the practical implications for Christians of Christ’s suffering and consequent triumph over death and the powers of evil? Recalling the opening of this section, back in 3:18, Peter reverts to the death of Christ. This is the example that believers should follow. They must turn their backs on the immoral practices of their pagan neighbors, formerly their own life-style, and wholeheartedly follow their Master by copying him. Christ suffered in his body, that is, he gave his ...
Understanding Series
Leslie C. Allen
A Communal Pledge of Obedience: Before Jerusalem could be repopulated in line with Nehemiah’s plan in 7:4–5, the last part of the program laid down in chapter 1 had to be implemented. The community had started to take the Torah into account in the readings and responses of chapter 8, but they had to go further. Their prayer of repentance in chapter 9 must logically lead to wholehearted obedience to God’s commands. The divine condition for a return to Jerusalem, “if you return to me and obey my commands” (1 ...
Understanding Series
J. Ramsey Michaels
The brief exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees in 9:39–41 is only the beginning of a discourse extending (with one interruption) through most of chapter 10. The pattern found in chapters 5 and 6, a miracle followed by a discourse interpreting it, is maintained here as well. What chapter 10 interprets, however, is not the healing of the blind man as such but the events that followed the healing, that is, the former blind man’s expulsion from the synagogue and his confession of faith in Jesus. Two ...
4334. God’s Judgment of Babylon Calls for Celebration
Revelation 19:1-10, Revelation 18:1-24
Teach the Text
J. Scott Duvall
Big Idea: God’s people are called to rejoice over his judgment of the evil city and his vindication of the saints. Understanding the Text We now enter the final stage of Babylon’s destruction (17:1–19:5). The laments of Babylon’s codependents in 18:9–19 are contrasted with the rejoicing of the righteous in 18:20–19:5. God’s people are urged to celebrate God’s judgment of the “great city” (18:20). This command is followed by the announcement of Babylon’s certain destruction (18:21), which focuses upon what ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
Big Idea: The Lord vindicates his chosen servants when they look to him for justice. Understanding the Text Chapter 23 ends with David’s escaping from Saul, yet one suspects that this is but a respite in the unfolding conflict. Indeed, once he has dealt with the Philistine problem, Saul resumes his pursuit of David. This time divine providence hands David an opportunity to kill Saul, yet he refuses to do so. Instead, he confronts Saul, protests his innocence, and appeals to God for justice. Throughout this ...
Teach the Text
C. Hassell Bullock
Big Idea: Our lives, guided by a single purpose, find their security in our relationship to God. Understanding the Text This psalm has two distinct parts, which leads some interpreters to suggest that it was originally two separate poems.[1] Part 1 (27:1–6) has the qualities of an individual psalm of trust (see the sidebar “Psalms of Trust” in the unit on Ps. 16),[2] while part 2 (27:7–13) takes the form of a complaint[3] or lament. The difference in genre cannot, of course, be the definitive word, since ...
Teach the Text
C. Hassell Bullock
Big Idea: Life’s pendulum swings from sorrow to joy, and faith’s lintel is inscribed with “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (30:5). Understanding the Text Like other psalms that straddle two or more genres, Psalm 30 is sometimes classified as an individual psalm of thanksgiving, or, as Kraus advocates, a prayer song of the sick (30:1–3, 8–9).[1] The more traditional form-critical classification is an individual psalm of lament (it contains complaints against God [30:5a, 7 ...
Sermon
James L. Killen
Jesus came preaching "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near" (Matthew 4:17). Then Jesus went up a hillside and gathered around him the people who were interested in what he was saying and tried to explain to them what he meant. That was the Sermon on the Mount, and our scripture reading for today is the first part of it. The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are the same thing. This concept is one of the biggest ideas that you will find in the Bible. It is very important. It has many ...
4339. Who Cares?
Matthew 25:31-46
Sermon
David G. Rogne
When Vince Lombardi, the eminently successful professional football coach in the 1960s, was asked how he produced winning teams, he declared that any group of naturally endowed athletes could win more games than they lost if they concentrated on the "little things" of the game — the fundamentals. After a close game won by his Green Bay Packers, Lombardi called a special session for Monday morning because he felt his players were losing sight of the small details that guarantee victory. Appearing before his ...
Understanding Series
Larry W. Hurtado
8:31–9:1 This passage completes the scene begun in 8:27–30, gives us the first of three predictions by Jesus of his impending suffering and death (cf. 9:30–32; 10:32–34), and sets the terms for discipleship as a following of him even to death. We must understand that in ancient Judaism there was no concept that the Messiah would suffer the sort of horrible fate that Jesus describes in 8:31. Thus Peter’s response in 8:32 is in one sense fully understandable. All definitions of the nature and function of ...
Sermon
Don Tuttle
We all make choices. Sometimes they are binary. The optometrist asks: “Which is better, A or B?” Other times we choose from a plethora of options. Think Starbucks. Will that be a Mocha, Latte, Cappuccino, Macchiato? Tall, grande, venti? Decaf, half-caf, regular? Skinny or regular? Straight or flavor shots? Such is life. Our text today is about choices. The most obvious one is the one made by the chief priests, elders, and people. They choose between Jesus, the King of the Jews, or Barabbas, a notorious ...
4342. A Loving Parent
Revelation 7:9-17
Sermon
King Duncan
I want to begin today by saying, “Happy Mother’s Day” to all the Moms here today as well as to those who serve as Mom substitutes. You deserve to be celebrated on this special day because of the incredible impact you have on so many lives. A good mother is such a powerful example of God’s love. Many mothers are willing to do almost anything to communicate their love to their children. Some even try desperately to keep up with the changing styles popular with young people nowadays. Good luck with that. ...
4343. The Funeral Crasher
John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14, John 14:15-31
Sermon
Lori Wagner
Ash Wednesday is only a few days away. For most of us Ash Wednesday means a time of sackcloth and ashes, repentance, mourning, sadness, the beginning of a season of Lent, a solemn time of contemplation and seeking until we enter Eastertide. The shift from Lent to Easter is the shift from cerebration to celebration. But most of all, Ash Wednesday reminds us of our ashes-to-ashes mortality. “From ashes we came, to ashes we return” is a reminder of our humanness, our inevitable cycle of birth, life and death ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
“And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:4) Prop: Water Fountain and small stones “Are we there yet?” Every parent knows that mantra. It’s summertime. We’re looking forward to that vacation in the mountains, or at the beach, or at some other destination where we hope to relax, take it easy, see some sights, sleep well, eat well, have a great time. So, we plan our route, we pack the car, we generate ...
Sermon
King Duncan
I’m taking another poll this morning, and I’m asking everyone to participate. Don’t worry, it’s not difficult. In fact, it only has one question and there are no wrong answers. Here it is: what are you most likely to forget in the course of your day or your week? Everybody forgets something on a fairly regular basis. Some people forget the names of people they just met. That’s awkward. Some people are famous for forgetting where they put their glasses—even when those glasses are on the top of their head. ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo in their book The Misfortune tell about an incident that occurred in July, 1981. Two men, Harvey Bugner and Edward Egan, were walking by the New York City offices of AT&T, then known as “the telephone company” when they spotted an envelope on the sidewalk in front of the AT&T headquarters. Inside that envelope was $10 million in negotiable securities payable to the bearer. Theoretically this meant that they now had in their possession documents that could make them suddenly very ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
“The dog ate my homework.” Isn’t that the standard for shifting blame for an undone assignment? We adults have a similar mantra: “The devil made me do it.” This simple phrase suffices for almost anything that we don’t want to take responsibility for, or that we want to avoid owning up to. Except that this phrase at least attests to the fact that “something” was done. The “homework” excuse means that nothing was done at all. This is a case of “avoidance” to the “nth” degree. Sadly, discipleship today leans ...
4348. A VIP Seat
Luke 14:1-14
Sermon
King Duncan
In our society, we have a unique obsession with following the “lifestyles of the rich and famous.” There are TV shows and websites and magazines that focus on the homes and wardrobes and parties of the wealthy and well-connected. And so many of us like to take a sneak peek into this world that we will never experience in real life. Back before the pandemic, sociologist Ashley Mears wrote a book titled Very Important People: Status and Beauty in the Global Party Circuit that shared insider details on the ...
4349. Imagine This
Matthew 3:13-17
Sermon
John Jamison
We’re going to start the story today some 400 miles away from the Jordan River. The city of Tarsus was a major business center in what is now Turkey and a place where many Jewish families had settled who had fled the harsh Roman rule around Jerusalem. We’re going to start by looking at one particular Jewish family in Tarsus. It was a devout Jewish family. A son in that family would later refer to himself as “of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a ...
4350. The Well
John 4:5-42
Sermon
Lori Wagner
Have you ever seen a well? A real well? On my grandmother’s farm stood a real well. When I was young, we loved to go to the “old house” (as they had since built a new one down the road but kept the other one to rent out) for fall apple picking. While the adults stood on ladders gathering apples from the trees, I ran for the well with its black iron pump firmly planted into a covered base. In order to draw water from the well, you had to pump the handle. After a few pumps, the water would start to flow. Now ...
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