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 4701 to 4725 of 4770 results

4701. Body

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... sources to be at work in the heart. In fact, it is sometimes identified with the heart of stone that will be replaced by a heart of flesh in accordance with Ezek. 36:26 (Lev. Rab. 35:5; Song Rab. 6:26). The possibility that Paul has in view here a Jewish tradition seems to be underscored by his use of the expression day by day (lit., “day and day”), which is apparently a Hebraism meaning “each day” (cf. Esth. 2:11; 3:4 [translated kath’ hekastēn hēmeran in the LXX]; 11QPs. 27.6; 11QTemple ...

4702. Denunciation of the Intruding Teachers

Jude 1:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of Moses, then, gives way to the second group of three: Cain, Balaam, and Korah (v. 11). This woe oracle sounds like it was pulled out of Old Testament prophecy. While the first and last of the group were rebels, all three were viewed in Jewish tradition as having taught evil. There is a crescendo in the descriptions: “taken the way of,” “rushed for profit into,” “been destroyed in.” Only the spiritually suicidal would emulate them. These others are a part of the local community of believers ...

4703. Processing Grief

Lamentations 3:1-66

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . One of the poet’s answers to suffering is to affirm God’s goodness. For this reason the afflicted do well to wait even in silence. There is approval for turning over the yoke (responsibility?) to the younger generation (3:27). However, the context supports the view that yoke deals with suffering (cf. 3:1); the lesson of trust in God, when learned early, is orientation for the remainder of one’s life. Verses 28–30 once more picture the afflicted person in order to set the stage for verses 31–33 ...

4704. The Kings of the South and the North

Daniel 11:2-35

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... 1. God has sovereign foreknowledge. The Lord’s knowledge of the future, together with his sovereign rule over human kingdoms, should give us confidence that he is in control. This chapter is unique in the Old Testament with its sixth-century BC view of second-century BC events, making it an appropriate place to note the foreknowledge of God. Draw from the theologically rich statements in previous chapters, which confirm that God sets up and takes down human kingdoms to establish his kingdom. Remind your ...

4705. Advocating For Whom?

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

Sermon

David Coffin

... funerals, quite often the question is asked why their loved one died. I respond it is because of “sin.” The advocate reminds people of faith of their sin. In modern times this can prove to be difficult as to what is defined as “sin.” Most Christians view the ten commandments in Exodus 20 as a point of reference as to what it means to disobey God and sin. For example, we may see a story on television about a person running in the park and being violently murdered. Our instant gut instincts tell us ...

4706. Toil is Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 2:17-26

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... refer to the entire situation in which God gives blessings to some people and takes them from others? At this point in the book, when retribution has been affirmed but not yet made problematic, the reader is more likely to take the former view. Later, when it becomes clear that people have little control over (or even knowledge of) whether they are pleasing to God, this provisional decision may need to be revised. Additional Note 2:24 Nothing better than: The comparative understanding depends on supplying ...

4707. Zion's New Name

Isaiah 62:1-12

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... B.C. The subsequent return of further groups such as those who came with Ezra, as well as the continuing existence of Babylonian Jewry, not as deportees or exiles but as people who were content to have settled in a foreign land, support this view. The promises of the Preacher match those of Zechariah 2, which still look for the return of the people and the restoration of the city. Additional Notes 62:5 Your sons is banayik (literally, “your children”), but this makes poor sense. “Your builder” (NIV ...

4708. Blessings for a Defiled People

Haggai 2:10-19

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... community as a whole (prophecies in Zech. 1–8 and Isa. 56–66 provide some of the relevant data). We cannot be sure which of these Haggai had in mind, and he need not have had particular problems in mind. It would be an uncontroversial view that, for a variety of reasons, the community had a problem with its defilement. The temple was designed to have a key role in resolving questions about defilement; hence the link between Haggai’ s stress on the significance of the building project and his questions ...

4709. Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

Haggai 2:20-23

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... stands alongside that; Judah is “in but not of the empire” (Meadowcroft, Haggai, p. 213). There is no suggestion that Yahweh is commissioning Zerubbabel to put down the Persian Empire or to rule the world. Probably Haggai is following the usual prophetic view that this is Yahweh’s business; however Yahweh brings it about, it will not be through action on the part of little Judah. So perhaps Haggai, too, avoids overemphasizing Zerubbabel’s significance. He is simply the “governor” (as far as we ...

4710. Dancing in the Wind

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... effects of living out of a sense of joy, tells us that joy, whether from optimism, positivity, laughter, inspiration, gratitude, or relational engagement can entirely change the way we look at ourselves and the world. Joy literally changes not only our point of view but our entire physiological, psychological, and spiritual make up. Joy has the power to shift our minds and hearts in a way that 1) opens us up to see things differently. As our vision or perspective changes and widens, so does our awareness ...

4711. Prophet Without Honor

Mark 6:1-13

Sermon

David Coffin

... whom we love. They may ignore us. Rather than get discouraged, we are called to move on and continue on with the mission God calls us. There are people that even Jesus Christ himself could not reach with his message. Possibly we can view this as a “seed planted,” and somebody else must nurture it in other ways. In the opening illustration, the high school student did take advantage of their school’s tutoring services. These are professionals who are extremely patient with slower learners. The math ...

4712. Shake It Off

Mark 6:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... to the “haters,” the rumors, and the gossip circulating about her at the time, the assumptions made by others about her life. Refusing to become a “victim,” Swift instead sloughed off the vitriol with joy, creating the irresistible, driving, pop hit song, now viewed over 3 billion times online![1] The song gone viral is so enticing, you can’t help but dance! You too can throw cares away, get into the beat, and “shake off” your cares and worries, stress and frustration. All you have to do ...

4713. What He Said!

Mark 6:30-44

Sermon

George W. Hoyer

... the point at this stage. But alienation from God is a terrible, tragic problem. For us to realize what scatteredness, what shepherdlessness, what alienation from God means, we might do well to translate all this sheep-shepherd imagery into current terms. From God's point of view every created thing ought to realize that only in God do we live, move, and have being. Of course, there may be some here who do not admit the existence of God. Some of you may not concede that the concept "God" by definition makes ...

4714. Maybe Today....

Luke 21:25-36

Sermon

John B. Jamison

... , golden columns of the temple. It was a sight that used to give him a feeling of pride and great hope. But now, the people controlling the temple were working with those who sent the security groups into the streets. As he turned away from the view of the temple and entered his office, all he felt was disappointment. “Maybe today,” he said. For many, life in the first century was living in darkness. Things that had once given comfort and hope, like the Jerusalem temple, now just hurt to look at and ...

4715. Bread and Call

John 6:35, 41-51

Sermon

David Coffin

... good in gym class either, so the military was out for me. I ended up in the same vocational school as my brother Anthony; however, they only had openings in “Printing and Graphic Arts.” So I attended that vocational school for two years. While I was not viewed as an academic scholar in my suburban high school, I was at the top of the class among the urban students in my vocational school printing class. One student per year was chosen to attend a state college which taught printing, and I was chosen. I ...

4716. Belonging at the Table

John 6:51-58

Sermon

David Coffin

... classes because their family’s name was in the local newspapers as related to a crime that was playing itself out very slowly in the court system. An Adult Inquirers Class might be useful for the child to learn more about the church’s views on scripture, sacraments/ rites, and so on. This becomes a “win-win” solution for both the family and the congregation who wants to maintain some sort of standards for first communion. In some church traditions, it is a practice to have first communion classes ...

4717. When the Rules Change

7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Sermon

David Coffin

... might also take in a paying boarder to help with the financial burdens of raising money for a wedding. The unemployed state employee might want to seek a position as a lobbyist for one of the private sector companies who seeks to have their views heard in the government sector. By some standards, these might be considered less than “ethical” actions. However, when the rules changed, Jesus had to revisit the reasons why certain food laws were in place in our lesson. Finally, after the empty tomb event ...

4718. Did Jesus Say What I Think He Said?

Mark 7:24-37 · James 2:1-9 · Isaiah 35:5-6 · Psalm 146

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

... like a dog is just fine, it will be sufficient to heal my daughter; my faith tells me so.” So maybe Jesus’ healing the daughter was his way of saying, something like, “Well played, worthy opponent!” There’s another lens through which to view this encounter, one that gives the woman her due, but also presented Jesus in a way that maintains our expectation of his kindness and openness. Elton Trueblood is the theologian who first exposed me to this idea. Trueblood believed that from the start, Jesus ...

4719. The Friendship Mirror

Mark 7:24-37

Illustration

Philip W. McLarty

... down the names of ten people you consider to be friends – people you enjoy being with … people you like … people you feel most comfortable relating to. Then he’d ask you to describe them in terms of their age, race, height, weight, education, views, whether they’re married or single, with children or not. When you finished, what you found was a striking similarity between the people you like the best and … are you ready for this? Yourself! Surprise! We tend to identify most easily with those ...

4720. The Power of Weakness

Mark 8:27-38 · Psalm 19

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

Our lessons this morning feels like an archery target. The psalm starts with the long view, the perspective of the psalmist marveling at the beauty of creation. “The heavens are telling the glory of God,” it begins, but that translation doesn’t quite capture the essence of what is to be expressed Psalm 19:1 (NRSV). It more closely means, “The heavens are continually telling the ...

4721. Risky Business

Mark 8:27-38

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... to a standard or goal. It means making your faith about healing and loving, about relationships and cultivation of hope in others instead of making it a goal for you to accomplish in order to plump your pews or fix your finances. Right motivations plus a healthy view of failure will equal a mind and heart open to risk taking, the kind of healthy risk taking that can lead you into the most fulfilling adventures of your life. Cause you never know when that day will come that you will encounter the unexpected ...

4722. Badger or Bonobo?

Mark 9:38-50

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... !” Jesus knows that continuing in such a territorial manner will harm and inhibit their ministry in ways that will kill his mission. To be part of the “Jesus Leadership Development Program” meant that you needed to widen your umbrella, broaden your view, put your territorial instincts aside, and become a collaborative leader, working together, even with those who may not be part of your inner circle, to share skills and build a kingdom of love, peace, and value for all. Territorialism claims a deep ...

4723. Baptized in Water

Mark 10:35-45, Psalm 104:1-35

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

... understood that there was only so much of anything. If they were blessed with an abundance of food; that meant someone else was going hungry. In the same way, if one was afflicted with trouble, say drinking from the cup of calamity, then someone else wasn’t. They viewed the world as a zero sum game, which meant that the cup of wrath didn’t go away, but another nation had to drink from it. In Matthew’s gospel when Jesus was praying in Gethsemane he prayed, “let this cup pass from me.” Matthew 26:39 ...

4724. Seeing With The Eyes Of Faith

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

... crowd. Look at the ones who told the blind man to be still, not to bother the savior. “Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly” Mark 10:48 (NRSV). Who was blind in this story? Who couldn’t see what was in plain view? Certainly it was the crowd, those who had gathered around Jesus, those who were about to parade with him up to the temple. Who saw clearly? Certainly it was the one who couldn’t see at all! It was the one who would not be silenced — even though it was ...

4725. Bread for the Journey

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

... our hearts we were always asking, ‘How long until we get there?” “Getting there is half the fun” is a good slogan for Presbyterians, because we take great care whenever we make a decision. We insist on hearing as many points of view as possible. As a denomination, we do not jump to quick, simple answers. Instead we believe that the Holy Spirit works through congregations, task forces, committees, and ruling councils. We believe that decisions we reach together — guided by the Holy Spirit — bring ...

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