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 4826 to 4850 of 4951 results

4826. Counting The Cost?

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

... miles in order to submit the expense account. Vouchers are required for all things. There must be the lists. It is contemporary life; we have little choice. It may be that the widow had a joy and freedom we can never know. She probably had a liberated spirit unknown to the people of substance who were making generous contributions that day. She just gave and forgot the counting. I hope God does not employ a computer to tabulate our giving. I do pray there is no tape listing what we have done, counting the ...

4827. Enduring

Mark 13:1-31

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

... , but were rather stern judges, grim and philippic. Religion had become literal adherence of pendantic scribes. Many religious pundits became experts, not in keeping the law, but in how to get around it: how might the letter be kept, but the spirit violated? Jesus called these people "hypocrites," "whitewashed tombs," "serpents," and "a brood of vipers." He said, "So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity" (Matthew 23:28). Antiquity I love antiques; I ...

4828. Twenty-First Century Reformation

John 8:31-41

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

... I could only take a deep, deep breath," lamented a middle-aged secretary. Speaking to the contemporary’s situation - and most of us are in that boat - is the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are free. We can possess that inate dignity for which the human spirit cries. Luther loved the text, "God sent forth his Son ... to redeem those who were under the law" (Galatians 4:4-5). Luther insisted: We are priests, and thus greater than mere kings, the reason being that priesthood makes us worthy to stand before God ...

4829. Ode to Wisdom

Job 26:1--31:40

Sermon

Alton F. Wedel

... for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him,’ God has revealed to us through the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:6b-10a). Whence, then, comes wisdom? And where is the place of understanding? "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." The struggle didn’t end for Job, of course, at that point. It never ends ...

4830. Life Wish

Mark 5:21-43

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

... . Amen. Prayer of Confession We need the comfort and assurance of your leading us on, O God. We admit that we are weak, that we are weary and worn down by the pressures of daily living, from the frailties of body and spirit, and from asking ourselves to do less or more than we are able. Because our independence is not omnipotent, we need your help to come through the temporary times of feeling our vitality nearly depleted. Amen. Hymns "Tell Me The Stories Of Jesus" "There Was Jesus By The Water" "Precious ...

4831. Give Me A Break

Mark 6:30-44

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

... all by yourselves and rest a while." Collect Just the thought of a time-out, a pause and respite, brings us comfort, O God. Let us find during this service of worship a time to pause from ceaseless reaching out and a time to find renewal for the spirit. Amen. Prayer of Confession Well, God, sometimes we feel drained from caring about others, from giving when there seems no more energy for loving, and from coming up with more ideas and new plans for accomplishing the goals we have set. Teach us not to berate ...

4832. No Room for Bitterness

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

... , engage in clean, right relationships, and draw one another toward greater kindness. Let us be encouragers as we attempt to live in a Christian manner. Amen. Prayer of Confession You tell us to put away from us all bitterness, God, because bitterness causes death of our spirit. We would prefer to keep an ounce of bitterness to call up when we are in a foul mood, just to remind us that we are human. Instead, increase our kindness, so we will let go of all bitterness, putting it beyond our reach. For the ...

4833. The Choice Is Always Ours

Ecclesiastes 9:1-12

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

... and feisty Christian communities at Corinth - who may have been down-in-the-dumps over their failure to reach the goal of their every member canvass - says: I (too) know what it is to be completely overwhelmed... Paul’s not always compassionate spirit, in this instance, accepts and affirms the "what can we do now?" circumstances of the Corinthian Church leaders. Total defeats still dog our contemporary Christian movements. Just this week, I received a letter from a 53-year-old Christian minister whose ...

4834. The Gifts of the Left Hand

Luke 7:36-50

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

... to see whether we can advocate the gifts of the left hand as vital to our total giftedness, and to propose to you that the left hand carries the gifts rising out of our weakness, the gifts that complete and round out our strengths, and the very gifts of the spirit. The left hand is the weak hand In the midst of all the excellence we have here, I suspect it is harder for us to give the gifts of our left hand. Many people either give something they know is acceptably excellent, or they just hold back and hole ...

4835. Thomas Didymus: An Honest Skeptic

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

... heart. It is still a danger when it comes to understanding, comprehending, accepting, experiencing God the Father as God whose Word is his Son. From now on one cannot rely only on the five senses, one must rely on the knowledge which comes to the spirit through faith. Easter day has come and gone; are you like Thomas, the doubter who said he could not accept such nonsense about resurrection? Saint Paul said the Christian belief in the Living Lord was a stumbling block to the Jews, and a folly to the ...

4836. On Loneliness

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

... are solved, and we are no longer lonely." This is what we often hear. "If we are lonely, it is our own fault." But deep within us we know that it is not that simple. God is with us, of that we are assured. "Whither can I go from Thy spirit, or whither can I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold Thou art there." "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou art with me." "I am persuaded that nothing can ...

4837. When You Reach Wit’s End

Psalm 107:1-43

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

... and he turned from his religious devotion to write his great and stirring hymn, closing with the lines, God’s Word forever shall abide No thanks to foes, who fear it, For God Himself fights by our side With weapons of the spirit. Though they should take our life, Goods, honor, child or wife, Though all things pass away They cannot win the day! The Kingdom ours remaineth. When you reach wit’s end, tie a knot of religious devotion and hang on! I close with this. An expedition of naturalists was once ...

4838. Gaurd What Proceeds from Your Heart

Mark 7:1-23

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... been? Leader: In Christ, we are called to go into all the world without fear! All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect O God, it is so wonderful that You never asked us to be religious but instead to be faithful, and that You have promised Your Holy Spirit for all who will follow You. Bless us today, Lord. In Christ we pray. Amen. Prayer Of Confession Lord, we have often failed to remember that we are sent into all the world to tell of Your love and mercy, and not just to the places where we feel safe ...

4839. The Measure of Greatness

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

Brett Blair

... Jackie Robinson. The story of Jackie Robinson, the first professional black baseball player is a story of triumph and perseverance over adversity. If you’ve heard his story you know the insults that were hurled at him. His story is the triumph of the human spirit. Perhaps some would say that ones contribution to humanity is what makes for greatness. If that were the case, then few would argue against calling Jonas Salk great. It is difficult for us to imagine today the terror that the word polio struck in ...

4840. Work Clothes

James 2:1-13

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

... together as people rich with hope and of skimpy faith to do your work in this world. Amen. Prayer of Confession Remind us to stretch beyond what is easy to do, O God. Remind us to put on the work clothes of our faith. Remind us to open our own spirit so we can reach beyond ourselves with unbiased caring. In the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen. Hymns "In Christ There Is No East Or West ...

4841. Make Peace

James 3:13-18

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

... lives that will encourage peace in your world. Amen. Prayer of Confession When self-interest threatens to promote general disorder in the world, we wonder how we can turn things around, O God, so that your wisdom will draw us to introduce a spirit of gentleness that encourages peace. Give us the patience to persevere in all peacemaking. Through the Holy Spirit. Amen. Hymns "Worship The Lord In The Beauty Of Holiness" "Touch The Earth Lightly" "O God Of Love, O God Of Peace" "O God Of God, O Light Of Light"

4842. No Fault Healing

Mark 10:46-52

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Leader: God blesses us in times of darkness as well as light. People: God blesses us in times of weakness as well as strength. All: Come, let us receive the love of the tolerant Creator who recognizes our faith and blesses us with a healing Spirit. Collect As we travel together walking side by side with our neighbors, show us the wisdom to reduce our penchant to judge. Guide us so that our works avoid becoming good-doing that ignores the dignity of those we try to help. In the name of Jesus ...

4843. Finally

Hebrews 9:11-28

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

Call to Worship Christ died once and for all on our behalf and yet, like a gentle, enduring Spirit, Christ faithfully continues to enter our waiting lives again and again bringing quiet, life-giving hope. Collect Into the sin of laziness, into the sin of mental or physical cruelty, into the sin ... living of each day within the freedom Christ's sacrifice has given us to surmount what seems insurmountable. Amen. Hymns "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" "How Like A Gentle Spirit"

4844. Called Forever

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

... of purpose, an integrity surrounds us that has little to do with length of time or amount of money. Collect You offer to your people, O God, the sustenance of having a purpose and a sense of meaning. You bring us energy of spirit for accomplishing our daily tasks despite weaknesses and frailties. We give you thanks for your bolstering support. Amen. Prayer of Confession We are told, God, that we are better people for our suffering. Suffering makes us stronger. Suffering hones us to use our energy ...

4845. How to Profit from Prophets

Luke 1:67-80

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... from the prophets are even better, giving success to the soul, enlightenment to the mind, and hope for our troubled spirits. After all, what does it profit us if we gain the world and lose our souls? Always and forever the prophets bring salvation ... to the soul. And there is no greater profit than that! Prayer Almighty God, Spirit of the universe, in whose life all living things receive their heartbeat and in whose mind all thoughtful beings find their true ...

4846. The Inner Galaxy

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... sense sublime Of something far more deeply interfused, Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns ... A motion and a spirit, that impels All thinking things, all objects of all thought, And rolls through all things.... -- Lines Composed A Few Lines ... and to open the door wide to our inner galaxy, where mystery waits to ignite a cold mind, and where hope beckons to a defeated spirit, and where most of all, love would flood our inner beings with love for God and love for one another. So with Phillips Brooks we ...

4847. Winter Warmth

1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

... for the care you show us by sending your son. We offer you our gratitude by not hoarding your love but sharing it throughout all aspects of our life. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Prayer Of Confession The hunger in our own spirits sometimes overwhelms our ability to recognize the impoverished spirit in another. As you draw near to us in this season of Advent, O God, let us also draw near with strength-giving kindness to those around us. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Hymns “It Came Upon The Midnight Clear” “Break ...

4848. For You, God

Hebrews 10:1-18

Bulletin Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

... knowing that God’s coming into the world as Christ changes everything. In response, let us follow the model of Jesus who said, “See, God, I have come to do your will.” Prayer Of Confession When change meets us, O God, help us to meet change with a spirit of taking on the challenge. We will let go of useless habits and practices. We will begin to live in the new way you would have us live. Come with us on this new journey, O God. For the sake of Christ. Amen. Hymns “The First Nowell” “O Word ...

4849. When the Sermon Turns Sour

Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

William G. Carter

... years. And there were a lot of widows in the land of Israel in the time of Elijah. But remember where he went? God sent Elijah to a Gentile woman in Sidon.” “Let me tell you another story,” Jesus said. “Remember Elisha? He followed Elijah, and whatever spirit Elijah had, well, Elisha was given a double share of it. He was a powerful man. And in his time, there were many people with leprosy in the land of Israel. They were sick and covered with sores. But Elisha didn’t heal any of them. Instead he ...

4850. The Future Shapes the Present

1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Sermon

Harold Warlick

... forth the dream of a world of peace, where the will of God would be done, a kingdom of God where the lion would lie down with the lamb; where the king on the throne would be the Prince of Peace and not a totalitarian despot. He said his Spirit, his Holy Spirit, would be here to support it. But it doesn’t seem to have happened. To be quite honest, even in the day of Jesus there was a dark side to Christmas. There was no peace on earth. At the human level it appeared that nothing had changed. The rivers ...

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