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 4726 to 4750 of 4935 results

4726. The Pretzel

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To think with the children about stewardship and prayer. Material: A bag of pretzels. Lesson: Somewhere I read that pretzels were created by a monk who lived in Southern France about the year 610. The purpose of the pretzel was to use up some of the scraps of dough that were left after his baking chores were over. In this way every bit of material was used so that nothing would be wasted. He formed the shape of the pretzel to represent the arms of children folded in prayer. To put these little ...

4727. Exile

1 Peter 1:17

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: A large suitcase - packed with clothes and other articles that indicate a long stay away from home. Good morning, boys and girls. Today I want to talk about a word that the Bible uses to describe what we are doing here on earth when we all hope to spend the rest of our lives in heaven. The word the Bible uses is a good one. The word is exile. The Bible says that we are living in exile. Does anyone know what that means? (Let them answer.) It is a hard word and not one that we use very much, but it ...

4728. Stop, Look, and Listen

Hebrews 10:20

Children's Sermon

Objects: paper "stop," "yield," and "railroad crossing" highway signs I'm sure one of the biggest complaints about growing up is that you can't do what you want to all the time. But have you ever thought what the world might be like without rules? Everything would be confusing and messed up. I have before you three signs which you probably see every day. (Illustrate these signs as you explain them.) First, there is a stop sign. Imagine you are riding in your car with your father. Soon he sees this red sign ...

4729. When Old Nick Met Nicodemus

Drama

Cast (in order of appearance) NICK (an old newspaper vendor) JIM/NICODEMUS (a younger man) JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA SOLDIER I SOLDIER II PETER JOHN SALOME MARY MARY MAGDALENE EXTRAS Introduction We are blessed with a professional actor in our church, who loves to play the part of old men. This play was written with him in mind, but any man with a bit of make-up and whitened hair can win your audience with this warm story of an old man on Easter morning. The scenery is very simple ... an old street corner ...

4730. Matthew 3:1-12

Matthew 3:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

For the second week of Advent, the gospel text is once again one that urges preparation in the hearts and souls of the faithful for the imminent arrival of the Messiah. Whereas the living Jesus proclaimed this counsel in last week's text, this week, the gospel reading focuses on the message John the Baptist preached before Jesus entered into his public ministry. All four gospels are unanimous in their presentation of John the Baptist as the recognized precursor to and herald for Jesus the Christ. The ...

4731. Ephesians 1:3-14

Ephesians 1:3-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The enthusiasm and eloquence of the Ephesians' author are magnificently apparent in these opening texts. Ephesians 1:3-14 is actually one very long complex sentence, into which the author weaves both the traditional opening blessing format of a formal letter, an internalized hymn and the outline of concerns and issues that will direct the rest of this epistle. While far richer and more extensive, Ephesians 1:3-14 is similar in style to the opening texts in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 and 1 Peter 1:3-12. All of ...

4732. Power Sharing

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon

David O. Bales

Modern people are fascinated with power. We fiddle with a switch on the wall and it delivers the results from dynamos in dams and atomic reactors. We domesticate nature's powers in order to light the den, vacuum the carpet, and brew the coffee. Power is at our fingertips. Technology has opened endless possibilities, chugging along from wood and coal fired steam, converting to petroleum, accelerating to internal combustion engines, and expanding to jets and rockets. We, this living generation, have most ...

4733. Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

All across the US there are signs popping up in windows and outside homes: “99%.” It’s one of the oddest slogans to “catch on,” this proud proclamation that one is among the “99%.” What was meant as an isolation of the uber-wealthy, the “1%,” essentially has everyone else claiming “we’re all alike.” For a culture that has spent the last twenty years ultra-personalizing and customizing every facet of life (ring tones, web-sites, school curriculums, insurance plans), the boast to be “just like everyone else ...

4734. Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 5:1-11

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

The idyllic picture of the church presented in 4:32–37 had to be qualified. The church must soon have made the painful discovery that sin could enter into its fellowship, and because it suited his theme, and was a matter of particular interest to him, Luke chose to mention what was probably an early and notorious instance of sin in connection with the common fund. Ehrhardt sees the story of Ananias and Sapphira as a test case for the question whether a rich man could be saved—important for the church of ...

4735. The Watch Begins!

Luke 21:25-36

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: A candle Good morning, boys and girls. This is the first Sunday in Advent. One of the things that many churches do is to light Advent Candles. These candles help us to prepare to celebrate Christmas. Light is the symbol of Christmas, isn't it? We see tree lights, candle lights, as well as stars on top of Christmas trees. It is a beautiful symbol that in the darkness of winter the light of Christmas still shines. It reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world. Actually, modern science has helped ...

4736. Solomon's Other Activities

1 Kings 9:10-28

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Glory under a Cloud: It was Solomon’s rule over the surrounding kingdoms, combined with his status in the world in general (4:21–34), that put him in a position to be able to plan, build, and dedicate the temple (5:1–8:66). First Kings 9:10–10:29 brings us back to consider the glory of this empire. It is glory that must now be seen with respect to 8:22–53 and 9:1–9. It is therefore glory under a cloud, destined to fade away. This of itself would affect our view of what we read in 9:10–10:29, even if we ...

4737. Jonathan’s Faith Ignites a Victory

1 Sam 13:16–14:23

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: Faith in the Lord’s great power can be the catalyst for his saving intervention. Understanding the Text After announcing the demise of Saul’s dynasty, Samuel departs, leaving Saul alone with a mere six hundred troops to face the Philistine army (1 Sam. 13:15). The situation appears to be bleak, especially when the narrator informs us that the Israelite troops are ill equipped for battle due to a Philistine monopoly on iron (vv. 19–22). But sometimes crisis is the seedbed for heroism. Saul’s son ...

4738. Abimelek

Judges 9:1-57

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The narrative begins with an account of Abimelek’s rise to power (9:1–6). As indicated in 8:31, Abimelek is a son of Gideon by his Shechemite concubine. Going to his relatives in Shechem, Abimelek asks the city’s leaders to support him over Gideon’s seventy sons as sole ruler. Seeing that Abimelek has both legitimacy as Gideon’s son and blood relationship with them that Gideon’s other sons lack, the Shechemites throw their support behind Abimelek by providing him with the necessary funds to stage a coup. ...

4739. The List of Returnees

Ezra 2:1-70

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The modern reader may wonder why this long list of names is included in the narrative. Why would the original readers be interested in this list? Since Israel, God’s covenant people, descended from Jacob, their family records were always important to them. Here their genealogy is especially important to show they are the continuation of the preexilic Jewish community. Each person wanted to confirm his or her identity as part of the covenant community, which also served to emphasize their separation from ...

4740. Paul’s Apostolic Salutation and Prayer

Philippians 1:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The opening verses of Paul’s letters often introduce the major themes of the epistle that follows, and Philippians is no exception. Although Paul follows the letter-writing conventions of his time, he is not limited by them and uses them to further his purposes in writing. So in the opening sentences of the Letter to the Philippians, Paul presents the great theme of the Philippians’ partnership with him in the gospel that will characterize the entire epistle. He also introduces the idea of humble service ...

4741. Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit

Mark 1:21-28

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

1:21–28 It is significant that the first scene of Jesus’ ministry (after the calling of the four disciples) is one in which Jesus teaches and performs an exorcism. Both actions are emphasized in Mark’s Gospel as characteristic aspects of Jesus’ ministry, and by placing this account in the opening of Jesus’ ministry, Mark shows the reader immediately a representative scene. Although Mark says that Jesus “proclaimed” (1:14), more characteristically he describes Jesus as teaching, as here in the present scene ...

4742. God’s Salvation for the Individual and the International Manifestation of His Glory

Psalm 57:1-11

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Psalm 57 is a prayer psalm of the individual, but one that presents the individual’s need within the wider context of God’s glory with its cosmic revelation (v. 5 = v. 11) and international proclamation (vv. 9–10). Initially, the psalm appears to have several internal inconsistencies. How do we explain the transition from lament motifs in the first half (vv. 1–4) to hymnic motifs in the second (vv. 5–11)? How do we explain that the concerns of an individual seeking protection become overshadowed by ...

4743. Jesus and Beelzebub

Matthew 12:22-37

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

Opposition Mounts: In chapter 12 Matthew relates a number of incidents that reveal the basis for Pharisaic opposition to Jesus and his ministry. Jesus vindicates his disciples’ plucking grain on the Sabbath (vv. 1–8), restores a paralyzed hand on the Sabbath (vv. 9–14), moves away when he hears of a plot against him (vv. 15–21), refutes the Pharisees’ claim that he drives out demons by the power of Beelzebub (vv. 22–32), calls his antagonists “snakes” who will be held accountable on the day of judgment (vv ...

4744. The Protection of My God in the Midst of Threat

Psalm 91:1-16

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

91:1–16 A key to understanding this psalm in its original context lies in interpreting its imagery. The dominant image describing the obligation of the believer is that of taking “refuge” (vv. 1–2, 9, cf. v. 4). This seems to be not an abstract metaphor but a concrete symbol for trust in God that derives from the temple and the cherubim wings outstretched over the ark of the covenant. God’s protection is further spelled out by images of a hiding place, a shadow from the burning sun, a military fortress ( ...

4745. To the Church in Pergamum

Revelation 2:12-17

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

2:12 Continuing north up the coastline of the Aegean Sea, then moving inland, brings one to Pergamum, the capital of the Asian province. The city was built around a great acropolis on which the first temple of the imperial cult was built to Augustus in 29 B.C. For Christians, Pergamum symbolized secular power and civil religion; indeed, Christ identifies it as the city “where Satan has his throne … where Satan lives” (2:13). The Lord possesses the sharp, double-edged sword, again repeating what John had ...

4746. Patches

Luke 5:36

Children's Sermon

Wesley T. Runk

Object: patches (enough for each child), a smaller patch of the same material. Have you ever had anything shrink? Do you know what I mean when I tell you that my socks shrank? (Wait for answers.) That's right, it means that they got smaller. A lot of times when you put some clothes into the wash for the first time they shrink. The material pulls closer together so that it is not the same size that it was. Jesus told a very interesting story about how you should be very careful with the kind of material ...

4747.

Psalm 91:1-16

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

The Protection of My God in the Midst of Threat 91:1–16 A key to understanding this psalm in its original context lies in interpreting its imagery. The dominant image describing the obligation of the believer is that of taking “refuge” (vv. 1–2, 9, cf. v. 4). This seems to be not an abstract metaphor but a concrete symbol for trust in God that derives from the temple and the cherubim wings outstretched over the ark of the covenant. God’s protection is further spelled out by images of a hiding place, a ...

4748. Proper 13

Mt 14:13-21 · Rom 8:31-39 · Ex 12:1-14 · Ps 143

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

The Miracle Of Feeding 5,000 A little lad was asked which was his favorite parable. He replied, "I like the one about the loafs and fishing." The kid may be confused whether the story of Jesus' feeding the 5,000 is a parable or a miracle. However, the miracle of multiplying is also a favorite of the gospel writers. This miracle of Jesus is the only one recorded by the four evangelists. In addition, there are two accounts of feeding the 4,000 which New Testament scholars consider to be different versions of ...

4749. Mark Twain's Briefcase And A Great Mental Attitude

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

King Duncan

Mark Twain was taking a train trip. He didn't want to carry his briefcase with him, so he asked a baggage handler if he thought the briefcase was strong enough to be checked and placed in the baggage compartment. The baggage handler shrugged, took Twain's case, and promptly hurled it to the pavement. "That, sir," he said, "is what she'll get in Philadelphia." Then he picked it up and struck it five or six times against the side of the train car. "And that," he continued, "is what she'll get in Chicago." ...

4750. Promises Kept!

Matthew 2:13-18

Sermon

King Duncan

Some years ago the Canadian Medical Association reported the strange case of Jack Traynor. Jack was an Englishman who fought in the trenches of World War I. Twice he was shot: one bullet severed the nerves and tendons in his right arm; the other put a hole in his skull. Jack was alive, but his arm was useless and his brain was damaged. He couldn’t walk, and he had constant epileptic seizures. His right arm hung paralyzed. Doctors stopped treating him and predicted his death in a very short while. The ...

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