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 4776 to 4800 of 4944 results

4776. An Old Tradition

Luke 2:22-40

Illustration

An old tradition was that Christmas decorations were taken down by Candlemas. Though it is still kept in some places, but for the most part it has been set forward to January 6, the day of Epiphany. The 17th Century English poet Robert Herrick wrote concerning this removal: Down with the Rosemary, and so Down with the Baies, and mistletoe; Down with the Holly, Ivie, all Wherewith ye drest the Christmas Hall. To leave them up longer was to invite bad luck. The plants were burned and their ashes along with ...

4777. The Coming of Christ Was to Simple Folk!

Luke 2:21-40

Illustration

James Cox

... he had begun to make by telling about the shepherds who were called from their fields and flocks to worship Christ: The coming of Christ was to simple folk! Luke, did you notice, doesn't even tell the story of the wise men; that's Matthew. Luke's whole concern, in the stories surrounding the birth of Jesus, is to emphasize one thing: Christianity is based on the faith of simple folk. Come to think of it, that's what Luke’s whole Gospel is about. It's what the book of Acts is about. Luke wrote the book ...

4778. Witnessing Involves Listening

Illustration

Brian Stoffregen

While the gospel is always a proclamation about God's actions, effective witnessing involves a lot of listening. For a proclamation to be "good news" for someone, it has to address their needs, their questions, their concerns. The following quote came from a course on witnessing: "You don't throw a drowning person a sandwich, no matter how good the sandwich might be."

4779. Jonah 3:1-5, 10

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... perhaps better than in any of his other writings, Paul's personal philosophy for surviving what he believes to be the harrowing last days of earthly existence before the imminent return of Christ. All the specific criteria Paul suggests concerning marriage, remarriage, celibacy, and slavery must be seen through this eschatological lens. Without condemning marriage or normal dealings with the world, Paul urges Christians to boldly adapt their attitudes to the new threats and challenges facing their faith and ...

4780. Isaiah 50:4-9a

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... and vulnerability before the world. This week's Epistle text provides the key to how we may escape from this self-attachment and full participation in servanthood leadership. The second chapter of Philippians begins by counseling that the correct Christian attitude elevates concern and love for others over self. The text read this week (verse 5-11) then spells out the way this attitude can be cultivated. The so-called "Philippians hymn" could easily serve as your only text for the message of servanthood ...

4781. John 20:1-18

John 20:1-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Father, the same God. Relating the Texts In Paul's letter to the Corinthians we have some of the first written records of Jesus' resurrection as told for the Church community. In a day before creeds and canonized texts, there was great concern over the various traditions that circulated about Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection. Paul's experience of the risen Christ shaped his spirit so profoundly that it is little wonder the apostle's writings helped establish the fledgling Christian fellowships as true ...

4782. Acts 4:32-35

Acts 4:32-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... for the sake of equality. Rather the gift of great grace creates an actively empathetic community which naturally does all it can to provide for its poorer members. Grace enabled these early Christians to transcend the fixation on self and replace it with concern for the whole community as the highest priority. Relating the Texts The Epistle lesson for this and several following weeks comes from 1 John. Like Acts this pastoral letter seems to be seeking to ease conflicts which have arisen within Christian ...

4783. Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... ) must have been with Jesus since his baptism under John until "the day he was taken up from us." Only one who personally witnessed Jesus' life, ministry, and death was eligible to be a witness "to his resurrection." Note that while Luke's concern may have been to ensure that those earliest on the road for Christ were actual eyewitnesses and would keep the miraculous story straight, the criterion articulated here by Peter would exclude Paul from true apostleship. Once the pool of potential apostles has been ...

4784. John 6:24-35

John 6:24-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . Eager to re-direct this conversation in the way they want it to go, the crowd turns back to the topic of tangible, especially edible, gifts that God has provided in the past. If Jesus has any connection to Yahweh, then surely he will continue this concern for their welfare and provide for them as well. It has been suggested that the entirety of this discourse (6:22-58) follows the format of a precise Midrashic homily (See P. Borgen Bread from Heaven [Leiden: Brill, 1965], 59-98.) In that format a biblical ...

4785. Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... quite different in flavor and savor from the rest of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. In fact the whole unit from 4:17-5:20 is often thought to be a post-Pauline insertion into the text. The first three chapters of Ephesians concern themselves with wide-angled lofty theological surmisings on the cosmic nature of Christ. As chapter 4 begins, Paul shifts his theological gaze to the now perpetually incarnated body of Christ - the Church. Because of the universality of Christ's lordship, Paul proclaims a freedom ...

4786. Ephesians 6:10-20

Ephesians 6:10-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Paul's letter to the Ephesians concludes with concern and confidence. He is capable of trusting in the unmatched love and faithfulness of God, while realistically confronting the hazards all Christians must face. Paul was no stranger to dangerous clashes between the new message of freedom in Christ and the established systems of the dominant pagan culture. Ephesus had ...

4787. Genesis 2:18-24

Genesis 2:18-24

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... school. Jesus foils their plan, however, by at once taking charge of the discussion and refusing to acquiesce in their agenda. Whereas the Pharisees ask the hair-splitting question about what is "lawful" or "allowed" (verses 2 and 4, Jesus instead concerns himself with what has been "commanded." Jesus' pronouncement to the Pharisees focuses on God's intention for marriage, not human manipulation of marriage for the sake of divorce. Rather than spend time arguing about the ability to dissolve a relationship ...

4788. Hebrews 4:1-3; 9-13

Hebrews 4:1-3; 9-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... yet remains a viable pledge. It did not conclude when the Hebrew people entered into Canaan. It has never been rescinded. But attaining the ability to spiritually rest in God is not some easy, passive spectator's reward. Throughout Hebrews one of the author's repeated concerns is that we might miss or avoid God's purpose for our lives and in so doing fall into apostasy - either by things done or left undone. Verse 1 thus urges believers to watchfully "fear" or "take care" lest we miss our chance to share in ...

4789. Mark 10:35-45

Mark 10:35-45

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Gnostic texts from this same era, however, there is virtually no interest in the path of this celestial expedition. While the various levels of heaven fascinated Gnostic writers, the author of Hebrews cuts right to the heart of what is of ultimate concern for human beings - the end result of Jesus' journey, which is his coming into glory in heaven, seated at God's right hand. That the writer of Hebrews excepted "sin" from Jesus' empathetic human experience is a typical early church affirmation. Christ ...

4790. Mark 10:46-52

Mark 10:46-52

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , his belief, his faithfulness and tenacity are all repeated in detail in verses 46-51. The healing miracle itself is mentioned only briefly - almost matter-of-factly - as a part of the concluding sentence to the whole pericope. Even then no mention is made concerning just what Jesus did to give Bartimaeus back his sight. At the close of the story, the focus is once again turned back on Bartimaeus, now the newest disciple, as he follows Jesus into the next phase of his ministry. Bartimaeus' vocabulary helps ...

4791. John 18:33-37

John 18:33-37

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

This week's gospel lesson comes straight from the climactic center of John's passion narrative. Typically, as John focuses on Jesus' appearance before Pilate, he is less concerned with chronological exactness than the presentation of a particular theological message. In this instance John constructs the confrontation scene between Jesus and the symbol of Roman authority to emphasize Jesus' kingship and his divine qualification for judging the entire world. Pilate and Jesus confront one another beginning in ...

4792. Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... week skips to verses 21-22, but even without omitting any of Luke's story, there is a strange, jerky quality to this transition. Jesus' baptism comes out of nowhere and slips by almost unrecorded before we know it. Part of this is due to Luke's concern with cleaning the stage for Jesus' entrance. Unlike in Matthew, Mark and John, the meeting between the Lucan Jesus and John the Baptist is not recorded. Indeed, if Luke's account of Jesus' baptism were the only one we had, we would be hard pressed to prove ...

4793. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... a solid theological foundation, Paul now feels free to cite some specific examples of spiritual gifts. While he does not explicitly state that his list represents a prioritized ranking, it is hardly coincidental that he leaves that topic of greatest concern to the Corinthians until last. Paul's list begins with rather staid, sober-sounding gifts - "wisdom" and "knowledge" and "faith" - which don't sound very ecstatic at all. His next gifts also sound more like energy than ecstasy - "healing," "miracles ...

4794. Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10

Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... activities. Ezra reminded the people of both the responsibilities demanded by God's commandments and the joy and hope sustained by God's promises. Nehemiah's political and practical actions, teamed with Ezra's prophetic words of love and concern, brought spiritual and physical renewal to a discouraged, disheartened people. The eighth chapter of Nehemiah intertwines the words and actions of these two men in a special way. Exegetically, the chapter challenges scholars to find its appropriate "home." Many ...

4795. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... form and content of Paul's version, which we read Christ into, would actually be quite acceptable to any learned Greek or Jewish scholar of Paul's day. Yet we know Paul was addressing a Christian community. He forges a strong link to the concerns of this Corinthian church in verse one by beginning with the gift of tongues. Paul's reference to the speech of "mortals and angels" refers specifically to that special communication we call "glossolalia." He now maligns this spiritual gift if it is not accompanied ...

4796. Luke 4:1-13

Luke 4:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... someday die, is what ultimately becomes our salvation. Only by willingly accepting the finality of death does Jesus overcome it and create the reality of resurrection. Relating the Texts Both the Old Testament and the epistle lessons this week are concerned with a right and proper attitude before God. The Deuteronomic text focuses on establishing a formalized ritual expressing the profound sense of gratitude and thanksgiving Israel feels towards God. While the result of this text (26:1-11) is to establish ...

4797. 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... standing-by-steadfastness that leads Paul to identify this rock with Christ. Without the life-giving water the peripatetic stone provided to the Israelites, they would have died in the desert. Its persistent presence assured them of God's continued concern for their welfare. No matter where they wandered, the source of life was with them. Having established the intimate and uniquely protective relationship between God and the Israelites, Paul knocks home his ultimate point to the Corinthians. Despite all ...

4798. Luke 19:28-40

Luke 19:28-40

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of "on earth." In the final verses in this week's text, Luke interjects his favorite nemeses into this triumphal scene. From out of the watching crowd some Pharisees complain to Jesus about his disciples' exuberant behavior. Whether these Pharisees are concerned for Jesus' safety (a highly unlikely event in Luke's gospel), or simply trying to protect their own political necks is not at issue. Regardless of its motivation, their criticism evokes from Jesus the revelation that events have progressed so far ...

4799. John 20:1-18

John 20:1-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... may propose that a scribal error in transcription has occurred. Indeed in the Syro-Sinaitic palimpsest text it matter-of-factly "corrects" this text to read that Mary "recognized him," instead of "turned toward him." (See T. Baarda, "'She Recognized Him': Concerning the Origin of a Peculiar Textual Variation in John 20,16 sys," Text and Testimony Essays in New Testament and Apocryphal Literature [Kampen: Uitgeversmaatschappij J. H. Kok, 1988] 34-35). But the third explanation for this extra "turning" in v ...

4800. John 17:20-26

John 17:20-26

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Not surprisingly the slave girl's owners take exception to his action, although they take pains to cite everything except the obvious economic reasons they have for getting Paul and Silas in trouble. First they act the part of proper citizens concerned for the welfare of the larger community when they complain that these missionaries are "disturbing the city." Then they divorce Paul and Silas from the mainstream by carefully isolating and identifying them as "Jews," setting up an outsider/insider dichotomy ...

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