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 4376 to 4400 of 4952 results

4376. A Fig Tree Sprouts Leaves

Luke 21:25-36

Sermon

King Duncan

... than they are today. Maybe I ought to preach sermons to our boys and girls on not letting Jesus catch them at an “R” rated movie. Or maybe not. I’ve never been very good at mixing faith with fear. Especially during Advent. If you love Jesus, the thought of him coming any time, whether at Christmas or at the end of time ought to be an occasion for rejoicing, not being afraid. “Joy to the world,” wrote Isaac Watts, “the Lord is come.” That’s my kind of religion. It’s like a story one pastor ...

4377. The Peaceable Kingdom

Luke 3:1-6

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... oath of allegiance that violates the conscience of Sir Thomas More before his God. Since he will not swear the oath, More is put in jail. His daughter Margaret comes to visit him. "Meg," he calls her, with affection. She's his pride and joy, the one who thinks his thoughts after him. Meg comes to plead with her father in prison. "Take the oath, Father!"she urges him. "Take it with your mouth, if you can't take it with your heart! Take it and return to us! You can't do us any good in here! And you can ...

4378. Saints Are Awake to Life's Deepest Joy

Luke 6:20-31

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... the saints who have made a difference in your life. While there are some people who are likely choices for being thought a saint, there are others who are unlikely. Until recently, few would have predicted that Dan had saintly potential. He is ... does Dan's job sound boring, most who know him have concluded that adjective fits Dan's life. He never hurt anyone but Dan never thought it important to help anyone either. He is just a neighbor down the street. He doesn't take risks and he always seems immune to ...

4379. "Gotcha" Questions from Mean-Spirited People

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... they had the perfect "gotcha" question, but once again they are foiled. Jesus' answer amazes them. Luke tells us it even left them speechless. The score: Jesus — three; the mean-spirited — still zero. One might have thought the Master's enemies would give up after three failed attempts, but mean people are tenacious. The mean-spirited reorganize and try again with a different group assigned to ask the questions. In today's gospel reading, Luke 20:27-38, they send in the Sadducees. This sect of religious ...

4380. King Jesus

Luke 1:46-56, Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... . When a baby is born, it is a gift for both of them, since neither could produce it alone. Yet it is more than just an outside gift that is brought into the relationship; it is itself the relationship come to expression. The gift is not just a thoughtful gesture (level 1) or even a meaningful enhancement to the relationship (level 2); this gift is the essence of the relationship come alive in a unique and special way (level 3). So it is with Jesus. In the past God spoke of the divine commitment of care to ...

4381. Demons, Pigs, and the Economy

Luke 8:26-39

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... , Jesus honored the demons' request to go into 2,000 pigs (that's three demons per pig!). Now demon possessed, the pigs, in a demonic frenzy, rush off the cliff into the lake and drown. So much for the forbidden pigs and non-kosher pork. At least, thought the more faithful and Orthodox Jews, the pigs were put to good use! The economic question here is, is a man worth 2,000 pigs? The former demoniac is now sitting calmly at Jesus' feet, clothed, sane, whole, peaceful, and ready to lead a productive life as ...

4382. The Good Samaritan (Revised Edition)

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... showed mercy on him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." — Luke 10:36-37 It was a dark, rainy summer night on a remote road. David was driving home to his lake cottage after a movie in the resort village. Going around a corner he thought he saw it. He slowed, wondering if he had seen correctly. He stopped, backed up in the driving rain, then moved his car toward the edge of the road, shining his headlights toward the ditch at the corner. Sure enough. There it was. A car overturned with its tail ...

4383. God's Adopted Children

Ephesians 1:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... . Paul, “he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will . . .” How often do you think of yourself as a son or daughter of God? Once a week, perhaps, on Sunday? Once a year? How about, never? Some of you have never thought of yourself as a child of God at all. You don’t feel worthy to be a son or daughter of God. “Pastor, you don’t know what I’ve done.” Maybe I don’t, but God does. And God still loves you . . . and God loves me. Larry ...

4384. A New Status

Acts 19:2

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... reason, they spent twenty years in the mountains, during which time they saw no other white men. Finally, another group of travelers made its way through the region and came upon these isolated settlers. Naturally, there was much conversation about the outside world. The travelers asked the mountaineers what they thought about “the Republic” and the policies of “Congress.” The isolated ones answered, “We have not heard anything of a Congress or a Republic.” Then they went on to explain that they ...

4385. God's Omnipotence

Illustration

Brett Blair

... single detector on our planet, keeping scientists from getting an accurate measure of the energy peak. If the sun had belched out the same amount of energy, the earth and all matter in our solar system would have vaporized instantly. At first it was thought that the source, since it was so strong came from our galaxy, but scientist later discovered it game from another Galaxy close to ours. What was it? It was gamma-ray eruption from a LMC (Large Magellanic Cloud). Imagine that, the strongest energy burst ...

4386. Urim and Thummim

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... . I’d like to ask you a question.” The old man said, “Well, I don’t know if I can answer it, but I’d be glad to try. What is your question?” The young man said, “Tell me, what were the Urim and the Thummim? The old man thought a moment, then said, “Well, sir, I don’t know really, and I don’t think anyone else does either. We do know the names mean ‘lights’ and ‘perfections’ and that these were the instruments by which the high priest could determine the mind of God in specific ...

4387. Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

Acts 1:12-26

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... :29, 37; 7:2; 13:15, 26, 38; 15:7, 13; 22:1; 23:1, 6; 28:17; cf. “men, Galileans,” 1:11; “men, Judeans,” 2:14; “men, Israelites,” 2:22; 3:12; 5:35; 13:16; “men, Athenians” 17:22; “men, Ephesians,” 19:35), it has been thought to reveal the hand of Luke. Even if this were so, it would be no objection to the essential historicity of any of the speeches in which it occurs. 1:17 Shared in this ministry, lit., “received the portion of this ministry,” or, perhaps, since the definite article ...

4388. The Believers’ Prayer

Acts 4:23-31

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... act of creation. He is the Sovereign no less in human affairs: “He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’ ” (Dan. 4:35). 4:25–27 The thought of God as the God of history, implied in verse 24, becomes explicit in the verses that follow by reference to Psalm 2:2f., which God spoke by the Holy Spirit through … David (v. 25; see disc. on 1:16). In the first instance, this psalm was addressed to a ...

4389. Stephen’s Speech to the Sanhedrin

Acts 7:1-53

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... tells the story, it would appear that the thing was done in secret and that Moses intended it so (Exod. 2:12). But as Stephen told it, it was done with the Hebrews’ full knowledge and in the hope that it would establish him as their leader—Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them (v. 25; cf. Josephus, Antiquities 2.205–216). He did not reckon, however, with their unresponsiveness, and in fact, they did not understand (v. 25; cf. vv. 35, 39). 7:26–29 This ...

4390. Philip and the Ethiopian

Acts 8:26-40

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... was through an angel of the Lord, and in view of the later references to the part played by the Spirit (vv. 29, 39; see disc. on 5:19), we have no hesitation in identifying the angel with “the Spirit of the Lord,” as was common in Jewish thought (cf. 23:9). In short, Philip was on this road by divine guidance—an inner compulsion, perhaps, to which Luke has given this vivid description. 8:27–28 No sooner had Philip felt this constraint than he “got up and went” (v. 27; cf. 16:10). The Greek gives ...

4391. In Lystra and Derbe

Acts 14:8-20

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... of thing). The Lycaonians had probably long since syncretized their own gods with those of Greece. It has been objected that Hermes was the messenger of Zeus, not his spokesman. But this is mere quibbling. If the two gods were thought of together, Hermes would naturally be thought of as spokesman. He was, after all, the patron of orators. That the people reacted as they did is entirely consonant with what we know of their beliefs, bearing in mind that Lystra was no sophisticated metropolis. Ovid tells how ...

4392. The Council at Jerusalem

Acts 15:1-21

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... of any converts from that sect other than Paul (v. 5). They were believers, where the perfect participle is intended perhaps to emphasize the reality of their faith (see disc. on 14:23), that is, they were fully convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, though they thought of him still as the king of Israel from whose kingdom the Gentiles would be excluded unless they accepted its law (cf. 1:6). 15:6–7a The initial meeting described in verse 4 may have been intended as no more than an official reception, and ...

4393. Paul and Silas In Prison

Acts 16:16-40

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... would still have been in chains, though the chains themselves were now free from the walls, and in Paul and Silas’ case their feet were probably still in the stocks. In any case they may have had no time to collect their thoughts before the jailer was on the spot. 16:27 This man’s first thought when he saw through the dust and darkness that the doors were ajar was that the prisoners had escaped. In this circumstance, it seemed to him that his only recourse was to take his own life. By Roman law, if a ...

4394. Paul in Ephesus

Acts 19:1-22

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... of including the one effective in the particular case. The sons of Sceva, therefore, or rather two of them as the Greek of verse 16 seems to suggest, having seen the power that Paul wielded by his appeal to “the name of the Lord Jesus,” thought to include that name in their repertoire. There is a notable passage in Justin Martyr in which he complains that as a class the Jewish exorcists had adopted the same superstitions and magical aids as the heathen (Dialogue 85). It need not surprise us, then, that ...

4395. Before the Sanhedrin

Acts 22:30--23:11

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... (he had not hesitated to use the sicarii himself; see Josephus, Antiquities 20.204–207; War 2.241–244 and 441–448), and it was in keeping with this reputation that he now ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. He may have thought that Paul was lying or he may have taken exception to his claim to be a citizen of the heavenly commonwealth. Either way, it was an unwarranted act. The parallel with Jesus is unmistakable (John 18:22), though this detail is not found in Luke’s Gospel ...

4396. Hearts

2 Corinthians 6:14--7:1

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... (as indeed all the references to Paul’s opponents have been to this point [cf. 2:17; 3:1; 5:12]), it seems clear that the apostle is talking about specific people who are allied against God and his Christ. If we follow the flow of thought in Paul’s defense of his apostleship in 2:14–7:4, we recognize that he has repeatedly polemicized against his opponents in Corinth, including their slanderous charges and false values (cf. 2:17; 4:2; 5:12). Paul actually wants the Corinthians to become hostile ...

4397. Boasting

2 Corinthians 11:1-15, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... 16–21a, Paul admits with mock shame that he did not come to the Corinthians like a conquering ruler as his opponents did. The opponents allege that Paul’s personal appearance is weak (10:10; cf. 1 Cor. 2:3). Picking up on that thought, Paul mockingly admits his weakness as a reason he did not come to Corinth to enslave and exploit the Corinthians. In actuality, of course, Paul considers his intentions with the Corinthians to have been forthright and honorable. 11:21b–12:13 In this section, which ...

4398. Identification and a Wish for Grace and Peace

Galatians 1:1-10

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... is the one who has the highest authority in the Galatian community—God the Father who raised Jesus Christ from the dead. God was spoken of as a “Father” in both the Greek world in which Paul missionized (Zeus was referred to as “father”) and the Jewish thought world that shaped his gospel (e.g., Isa. 63:16; Jer. 3:4; 31:9). Thus, the apostle seems to have found it a particularly useful appellation for God. He uses it in all of his opening addresses, usually in the context of his wish for peace (e ...

4399. Doing Good to All

Galatians 6:1-10

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... Younger 65.5 [Perrin, LCL]). 6:2 While this is Paul’s only use of the phrase law of Christ he does use a similar phrase in 1 Cor. 9:21 (see also Rom. 8:2). Some scholars have interpreted the phrase to mean that Paul thought that Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, brought in the anticipated messianic Torah, which consisted primarily of the ethical teaching of Jesus, “the law of Christ” (so Davies, Paul and Rabbinic Judaism, pp. 69–74, 142–45, 174–76; and P. Stuhlmacher, “The Law as a Topic of Biblical ...

4400. Stand Firm

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... see disc. on 1 Thess. 3:2; cf. Rom. 15:5; 2 Cor. 1:3), i.e., in giving us every reason for confidence before God. The adjective extends that benefit beyond this time into eternity. This leads Paul to add good hope (cf. Rom. 15:4), where the thought is of our eternal relationship with God (for hope, see disc. on 1 Thess. 1:3). In that confidence, Paul prays: May God, Son and Father, encourage your hearts (parakaleō, the verb corresponding to the noun of the previous verse; see disc. on 1 Thess. 3:2 for the ...

Showing results