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 4326 to 4350 of 4963 results

4326. What's In A Name?

Matthew 1:18-25

Illustration

Merle G. Franke

... the importance of names. Antonio started to explain, "I was named after my grandfather, and he was named after St. Anthony, who was a great saint in the church." "So ..." responded the boy, who didn't get the point of it all. Antonio was patient in his response, "So, my grandfather was a very wonderful man. He lived with us for many years and taught us many good things. He died last year, and I try to keep his memory strong by remembering that my name, Antonio, is the same as his name." But the questioner ...

4327. Will We Enjoy Heaven?

Jonah 3:1-10

Sermon

Harold Warlick

... build our vision of God too tiny to prepare people for living in the mansions of heaven where all the forgiven strangers will come from east and west and sit with us. Fortunately, even for us, God is not flat and predictable. Our religious response from God is not always nailed down and unchanging. We are not one-dimensional people. Consequently, sometimes we can even be foreigners to our own previous religious perception. Terminal illness can move us from universal concern into the room of Jesus loves me ...

4328. Doing The Right Thing

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... Church, something inconvenient and expensive. It would require him to make available for a period of several months some facilities which he used in his business. Frankly, when it was decided to ask this man's help no one was very optimistic about a favorable response. For one thing, the man is a leading Catholic layman. He would have nothing at all to gain by agreeing to the request. At the very least, the whole thing could be a nuisance. But somewhat to everyone's surprise, the man agreed. Later, in ...

4329. Church As Redemptive Community

Acts 4:32-37

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... as genuine leaders. Frequently the person sharing meager rations with the sick or hungry children was someone least successful and prosperous in the former life situation. Gilkey said he was amazed to observe a slow but profound re-alignment of station and responsibility based, now, on character and humane courage and sensitivity. And he saw this: The people who rose to the top were the people of Christian faith. This last factor so profoundly affected him that Gilkey later became a respected and articulate ...

4330. Times Of Refreshing

Acts 3:11-26

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... the same characteristics of human nature which had been at work in the people involved in the crucifixion, are working in human hearts today. The relevance for us is that it's no less true for us than for Peter's hearers. It's a mistake to assign responsibility for Jesus' death to the Jews or the Roman soldiers any more than to the rest of us who, had we been present, would almost surely have done much the same as those who were there. I once visited Dachau concentration camp near Munich. I recall standing ...

4331. Kindness In Action: Evangelism

Acts 8:26-40

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... to the homeless and the hungry. They have linked with an ethnic minority church, and have sent work parties to third world countries to assist churches there. There's more. And it's all undergirded by strong, effective worship. However, people who come in response to the many caring ministries are free to worship there or elsewhere. Having said all this (and there are a growing number of churches with similar outreach ministries), the primary call is to each of us to find our own individual form of ministry ...

4332. The Sadness Of God

Isaiah 51:17--52:12

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... on the wrong track. Although he'd been a good boy through his teen years, he'd fallen in with the wrong crowd. Before long, the boy had begun to drink too much, to stay out until very late hours, and to show no inclination to become a responsible adult. His parents were patient, but as every mother and father will know, their pain was deep. One night the boy stumbled home, obviously having had way too much to drink. He ignored his parents, staggered up the stairs and disappeared into his room. For a time ...

4333. Written On The Heart

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... man is a God-shaped place." We are born with an inherent understanding of the divine expectation. Actually, as we look at some people today, we are caused to wonder. Many of our streets are filled with hopeless people who seem to have no sense of responsibility to God or to anyone. That's a tragic characteristic of this decade for which many still search for humane answers. For those of us gathered here, however, we do know what is right. The Bible is fairly clear about that, what with the Ten Commandments ...

4334. Standing Firm

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... reaction. But instead, Dr. White was silent for a long moment. Then he said, "You must excuse me. That's a serious accusation and I must be alone to pray and think about it." Perhaps there's a lesson there for us. If we're to take a responsible role in life, we'll inevitably have to step forth and say things and do things and believe things with which others won't agree. At times we'll be opposed, often criticized. Sometimes our critics will be right, sometimes not. As Christians we should not be turned ...

4335. Wind -- Word -- Spirit -- Community

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Arthur H. Kolsti

... Words can also heal and bind up. Think of some time when you were down in the dumps and someone's word to you at just the right time became an enabling word. Think of the time when a kind word of yours to another person evoked the response, "You have just made my day." Words, words, words! Words that hurt and words that heal. Words that set person against person, group against group. Words that disrupt community and words that create community. You and I have a central concern with words, for in the kingdom ...

4336. Acquaintances Or Friends?

2 Samuel 16:15--17:29

Sermon

Arthur H. Kolsti

... his disagreement, "My father has troubled the land." Meanwhile, Saul is trying to get some advice from God about the next step in the campaign. When he can't get through to God he concludes that somehow sin has gotten into the picture. He announces that whoever is responsible will die, even if it is his own son. Through the casting of lots the finger points directly to Jonathan, who confesses that he took a taste of honey. Saul vows to kill him but the people rise as one and bluntly tell the king not to ...

4337. No Particular Place To Go

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... carried the letter with the order for his own death. Uriah, the dutiful soldier, hand delivered his death warrant to General Joab. The order was carried out. Uriah died in battle. David knew the ten commandments, yet still managed to break three of them. David was responsible for another man's death. As the story of David is told it would appear that he showed no sorrow, just as there was no hint of caring or love when he called Bathsheba to his palace. This lesson teaches us that there are consequences to ...

4338. Between The Parentheses

Revelation 1:4-8

Sermon

William G. Carter

... of faith. This insight offers a constant reminder to the church about the integrating center of all we proclaim. In a certain church, the pastor stood at the door after worship one Sunday, waiting for compliments on the weekly homiletical masterpiece. The response did not come as expected. In desperation, the preacher turned to a wise friend from the congregation and asked, "How did I do this morning?" The friend shrugged the shoulders and mumbled a few pleasantries. These words also did not satisfy, so ...

4339. A Taste Of Life

Mark 14:12-26

Sermon

William G. Carter

... to test our faithfulness. They are not intended to toss believers into a murky pool of guilt. The loaf and the cup are given, and received, as gifts. Through these gifts, our relationship with Christ is nourished, sustained, and increased.2 Our only appropriate response to such generosity is to offer a word of thanks. Taken without a sense of gratitude, the story we heard from the Gospel of Mark becomes subject to an unduly sorrowful interpretation. It is the story of the Last Supper, the final occasion for ...

4340. Water Won't Quench The Fire

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

William G. Carter

An unusual piece of mail arrived at the office the other day. Inside the envelope was a colorful brochure, a response card, and a prepaid business reply envelope. A computer-generated cover letter was addressed to First Presbyterian Church. "Dear First," it began, "have you ever found yourself in deep spiritual need? Are you hungry for meaning in your life? Would you like to free yourself from earthly constrictions and reach ...

4341. A Blessing Behind Locked Doors

John 20:19-23

Sermon

William G. Carter

... times. I have no doubt that there are people who would take their church to court if too many people shook their hands, or if neighbors were too friendly, or if fellow pewsitters interrupted their private little religious moments. To that end, I think the pastor's response to the lawyer was right on target. He said, "Like it or not, when you joined the church you gave up some of your privacy, for we believe in a risen Lord who will never leave us alone." Then he added, "You never know when Jesus Christ ...

4342. When We Feel God Has Moved And Left No Forwarding Address

Job 23:1--24:25

Sermon

Zan W. Holmes

... us to ask: Where is God? What is God doing? Well, God may be giving us the freedom and honor of having a part in determining the final outcome. Or God may be allowing us to experience God's absence so that we can grow and mature in our human responsibility. One evening when I was leaving a meeting at a church I pastored, I saw one of my members acting very strangely. As he moved along a tree-lined sidewalk he was darting around and behind the trees as if he were hiding from someone. He would pause for a ...

4343. From Rejection To Redemption

Ruth 3:1-18

Sermon

Zan W. Holmes

... culture of Israel, the kinsman was not just a relative. A kinsman was someone bound by custom to take the side of those who were in trouble. Indeed the term kinsman was also used to mean redeemer. If trouble came to one family member, it became the responsibility of the next of kin to redeem the situation. In fact, Naomi and Ruth had apparently forgotten that there was an unnamed kinsman who had the first right of refusal to the heritage of Elimelech which would have allowed him to claim Ruth as his wife ...

4344. Have You Heard The Good News?

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

John A. Stroman

... that he was seeking to deposit on the earth?" The treasure is not gold, but gospel. Not silver, but good news. Not hard, cold cash, but grace, love, and peace. He points out that God could have left it with the politicians, those who are responsible for collecting taxes, building schools, and passing laws, but God didn't. God could have left this treasure with Zechariah, the high priest, but his unbelief took him out of the picture. Long states that God left the treasure in the least likely of places ...

4345. A Moment Of Decision

Mark 1:9-13

Sermon

John A. Stroman

... is dulled. I measure things in terms of happenings. O, to understand the meaning of perspective That I may do all things with a profound sense of leisure.1 For several years I have served on the Board of the Ordained Ministry. This board is responsible for the preparedness of candidates for ministry. We are now seeing older men and women who are already established in a career coming before the board as candidates for ministry. They have grown tired of climbing that corporate ladder of success and they are ...

4346. Pass It On

John 1:43-51

Sermon

John A. Stroman

... sense, so are we all. Commitment To Discipleship Not only did Philip encounter Jesus that day, but later he was called to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. We are called to be disciples. The word "disciple" denotes a call, a commitment (a response to the call), and a discipline (the assuming of a lifestyle). Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book The Cost of Discipleship reminds us that discipleship has a cost, a price tag. How could we ever be a disciple or enter discipleship without discipline? Bonhoeffer talks ...

4347. God Is Down To Earth

John 1:1-18

Sermon

John A. Stroman

... to yield noble and joyous music. God Became Domesticated in Jesus By means of the incarnation, God becoming flesh, God has come into the midst of life. Jesus knew life as we know it. He was raised in a family as the elder son was eventually responsible for caring for his widowed mother. He knew what it was for one's friends to turn against him, to be falsely accused and to suffer rejection and finally a cruel death. E. Stanley Jones has suggested that in Jesus Christ God became domesticated. He knew ...

4348. He Abides In Us

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

... pile. Our Creator God has the right to make a judgment on our lives. God expects us to produce. God looks for us to give evidence of what God has invested in us. Our lives are under constant judgment. There is no way we can escape the responsibility for which we have been created. In the very same way we look for foliage on the vine, God scrutinizes our lives for some signs of productivity. All of creation exists under that searching examination by God. That searching comes into our lives in a variety of ...

4349. Easter Consecration

John 17:6-19

Sermon

Harry N. Huxhold

... . One reason for failure in human relations is due to the fact that people are put in opposition to one another by indifference and distrust. However, what is more fundamental is that we have lost the basis for human values and priorities, because we have lost the sense of responsibility to the One who alone is able to make us at one. It is in our Creator that we discover who we are in relationship both to him and to one another. It is for this reason that Jesus prayed that we be protected from the evil one ...

4350. Proper 21

Matthew 21:28-32

Bulletin Aid

Dennis Koch

Gospel Notes RSV and NEB give two very different versions of this passage, reversing, in effect, the sons' responses and accordingly, changing the crowd's reply to Jesus' question. The point, however, remains the same: outcasts are far more ready to accept God's coming Reign than are the overtly religious, ostensibly because the latter's self-righteousness prevents them from responding to God's graciousness. Liturgical Color Green ...

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