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 4935 results

4826. The Broken English of Pentecost

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Everyone and everything, it seems, is “going green.” There are fuel efficient hybrid cars, energy chiseling appliances, low-voltage corkscrew light bulbs, sod roofs now called “sky gardens,” and solar panels. Recycling is the new mainline religion, especially after the horrific BP disaster in the Gulf. Throwing away a plastic bottle is a major heresy. The new mission statement of the corporate world seems to be or will soon be “Green is green.” One of the latest “green” products is also one of the loudest ...

4827. Is It Okay To Laugh In Church?

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

James W. Moore

Some years ago, a train stopped somewhere in southern Georgia to take on water for the engine… A man on the train saw a local old-timer leaning against the depot platform and he yelled to him: “Anybody around here enjoy religion?” The old-timer on the platform shuffled his feet and then replied: “Them that has does!” Now, wouldn’t you like to find that old fellow in southern Georgia and shake his hand? He made a major accomplishment with his answer. He spoke four words and made four grammatical errors! Isn ...

4828. We Believe in the Holy Spirit

John 14:15-18, 25-27

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Let us begin this sermon with a prayer. Let us pray: “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful And kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created And you shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit Did instruct the hearts of the faithful, Grant that by the same Holy Spirit We may be truly wise and ever enjoy his consolations. Amen. We believe in the Holy Spirit. We baptize our people in the name of the Father and of the Son and ...

4829. There's Something about Con Men

Luke 16:1-15

Sermon

King Duncan

There’s an old story that many of you may know about a young man in Montana who bought a horse from a farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the horse the next day. However when the next day arrived, the farmer reneged on his promise. “I’m afraid the horse has died,” he explained. The young man said, “Well, then give me my money back.” The farmer said, “Can’t do that. I spent it already.” The young man thought for a moment and said, “Ok, then, just bring me the dead horse.” The farmer asked, “What ...

4830. He Descended Into Hell

1 Peter 3:18-22

Sermon

David E. Leininger

"I believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell." Familiar words from the Apostles' Creed, but words that not every church recites. "He descended into hell" was not in the earliest versions of the creed. In fact, we do not run into the statement at all until about 400 years after Christ. The other ...

4831. Romans 14:1-12

Romans 14:1--15:13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

In ancient Christian burial grounds in Rome, the inscriptions record that people died “in pace” or “in peace.” What this means is that they died as members of the church that is Christ’s peace, even though they fought just as much as we do. To be a member of the church is to share Christ’s peace, however much we annoy one another or disagree with one another. As Paul continues his parenesis in today’s epistle lesson, his advice to these Christians at Rome suggests that there were divisive issues within ...

4832. The Four Sacred Chords of Home

Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Salmon do it. Hummingbirds do it. Butterflies do it. Turtles do it. All these creatures, and many more: they all . . . go home again. Salmon find their way from the vast ocean back to whatever tiny tributary in which they were hatched. Hummingbirds fly over 6000 miles to find their nesting sites. Butterflies congregate in the same trees, generation after generation. Migrating turtles closed down whole runways this past summer (2011) at JFK Airport as they made their way back to home ground. The instinct to ...

4833. No Time for a Sermon

Hebrews 1:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Merry Christmas! Christmas Day is “No Time For A Sermon.” No, it is not that there is no time for a sermon because the choir sang so many beautiful Christmas songs. It is not because there is no time for a sermon because it took so long to seat the “Christmas crowd.” It is not because the critters in the “live” nativity scene got loose and ate all the Christmas cookies for coffee hour. The reason that on this Sunday, on Christmas Day, there is “no time for a sermon” is because on Christmas Day there is ...

4834. Romans 8:12-17

Romans 8:1-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Pentecost is the season of the Spirit. It is on that miraculous, transforming gift that Paul focuses in today’s epistle text. Paul asserts that the presence of the Holy Spirit is nothing less than the difference between life and death. Choosing between life and death is a daily obligation of those who confess Christ, but that “debt” (“opheiletes”) can only be met because of the presence and actions of the living Spirit. For those who live without the Spirit, who continue to live “according to the flesh,” ...

4835. Mark 6:14-29

Mark 6:14-29

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

This week’s gospel text is unusual in part because it is a lengthy section in which Jesus is neither speaking nor acting. While the focus of this text is on the dramatic story of John the Baptist’s death, Mark manages to remind his readers of Jesus’ own experience. While the awful end that awaits John is one of the most compelling stories in scripture, it also points readers toward the greatest story ever told the story of God’s ultimate saving work through Jesus Christ. What we do hear about in this unit ...

4836. The Gospel By Starlight

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

David E. Leininger

"Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him" (Matthew 2:2). Star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.[1] The annual observance of the birth of our Savior is almost over - Epiphany, recalling the visit of the wise men, is commemorated on January 6 and ends the liturgical celebration following the "Twelve Days of Christmas." No gifts of turtle doves, French ...

4837. A Faith That Makes A Difference

Acts 16:16-34

Sermon

David E. Leininger

This familiar account of the conversion of the Philippian jailer begins with Paul and Silas curing the madness of a young woman of the city whose insanity had been used by some unscrupulous men for their own personal gain. There was the belief in those days that insanity was a strangely special gift from the gods, a tool they used to convey their messages to mere mortals; it was based on the idea that since the insane girl had no mind of her own, the gods could put their own divine thoughts out on earth ...

4838. Proper 14

Psalm 33:12-22, Isaiah 1:1, 10-20, Luke 12:32-40, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

Call To Worship Leader: We’ve come here from a variety of places; each of us for our own reasons. Each of us has a perception of the Holy and we anticipate having that perception satisfied. People: We experience God as judge or as storm or as fire or as gentle voice or as creative friend. Leader: One thing we know is that God is Creator of the world and invites us to be responsible caretakers for the earth and its creatures. People: The Holy One does not ask us to appease divinity by killing animals and ...

4839. Proper 19

Psalm 14:1-7, Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28, Luke 15:1-10, 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

Call To Worship Leader: This is sanctuary! We’ve been busy all week losing and finding things, feeling successful and feeling inadequate! People: We are glad to be here! We’re expecting to rest and relax, to be real, open, and receptive to divine grace. Leader: What shall we do to accomplish your expectations? People: Sing. Pray. Speak. Listen. Leader: Then, let us be fully engaged — mind and body — with Holy Presence. Prayer Of Thanksgiving Innovative God — you’ve made us in your mold, like yourself! ...

4840. Proper 22

Lamentations 1:1-6, Lamentations 3:19-26, Luke 17:1-10, 2 Timothy 1:1-14

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

Call To Worship Leader: Autumn is coming. The land in the northern hemisphere is slowing down. The church calendar will soon conclude with celebrating “Christ as King.” Today, we acknowledge that Christians in both hemispheres and on all continents read the same scriptures, ask many of the same questions, pray about many of the same things, and desire to work for justice. People: All around the planet, Christians seek guidance for manifesting peace throughout the global village. Leader: We are Christians ...

4841. The Lost Five Commandments

Mark 12:35-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

When Moses descended from the heights of Mount Sinai, he juggled in his arms not two but three Tablets of the Covenant, with five commandments inscribed on each. At least that’s how Mel Brooks tells it in his classic comedy “History of the World, Part I.” ‘Hear me, o hear me! All pay heed!’ the movie Moses proclaims. ‘The Lord, the Lord Jehovah, has given unto you these fifteen . . . [One stone tablet drops and shatters. A perplexed Moses looks down and mutters ‘Oy!’] . . . ten, TEN commandments for all to ...

4842. From Tragedy to Salvation

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

On January 13, 1982, Washington DC and the surrounding area experienced a blizzard that paralyzed everything including the National Airport. Most of the day the airport would not allow any air flight takeoffs or landings. On that fateful day a decision was made to allow Air Florida Flight 90 to attempt a takeoff. The 737 had been delayed for hours. The chain of events that led to the ultimate crash into the 14th Street Bridge that broke the plane into three pieces and eventually caused it to fall into the ...

4843. But When God ...

Galatians 1:11-24

Sermon

April Yamasaki

In the early Christian church, there were no pulpits. It wasn't until the Middle Ages that pulpits were first introduced in churches and not until the Protestant Reformation of the 1500s and 1600s that the pulpit became a central symbol for the authority of scripture and the preaching of the word. But it hasn't always been that way. Instead, the very first Christian churches were house churches, where there were no pulpits, and everything was done face-to-face without a piece of furniture in between. The ...

4844. Keys That Unlock Miracles

Luke 7:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

H. L. Mencken was for a long time the editor of the American Mercury magazine. One day he startled his employees by suddenly shouting, “It’s coming in the doors!” Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at their boss. “It’s up to the bottom of the desk!” Mencken continued, “It’s up to the seats of our chairs.” “What are you talking about?” asked one of his confused colleagues. “It’s all around us. Now, it’s to the top of our desks,” shouted Mencken as he jumped to the top of his desk. “What do you ...

4845. Praying In Jesus' Name

John 14:5-14

Sermon

David O. Bales

It’s good to be with you in worship. I appreciate the invitation to preach. I especially appreciate having a worship leader directing me around the chancel, because worship is done differently in different denominations — even within denominations. When you visit a different church, you don’t always know what to expect. My wife and I visited here two years ago. I, ever eager to hear the sermon, chose to sit near the front, not realizing that no one would sit in front of us and you all know how you take ...

4846. The Family of Abraham

1 Chronicles 1:28

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Abraham’s Descendants: The previous section ended with Abraham, so this section dwells on Abraham’s descendants. The Chronicler hastens from Adam and Noah to Abraham, narrowing his focus all the time to get to the specific part of the family that he wants to portray, namely, the tribe of Judah (see next section). This section starts with a heading in 1:28, introducing the two sons of Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael. First Chronicles 1:29–31 contains the genealogy of Ishmael, while 1:32–33 presents the ...

4847. Reuben

1 Chronicles 5:1-10

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Descendants of Reuben, Gad, and the Half-Tribe of Manasseh: Whereas the previous genealogy covered the area south of Judah, the Chronicler now moves to the Transjordanian tribes to the east of Judah. Two of Israel’s sons mentioned in 2:1–2 are particularly associated with these tribes, namely, Reuben (5:1–10) and Gad (5:11–17). However, from 5:18 the half-tribe of Manasseh is also mentioned together with these other tribes. The last subsection of this particular genealogy (5:23–26) deals explicitly with ...

4848. The Greatness of Mordecai

Esther 10:1-3

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

Epilogue: Mordecai’s Greatness: The final chapter of Esther, which says nothing about Esther, is a tribute to the leadership of Mordecai. It begins with an image of the vast empire under Xerxes’ control. The second in command of this imposing realm is “Mordecai the Jew.” He has proven that a Jew in the Diaspora can serve his king and his people well. The book of Esther closes with a triumphant note of public vindication for the Jews and personal exoneration for Mordecai, their representative leader. If we ...

4849. Locusts, Fire and a Plumb Line

Amos 7:1-9

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

The Prophet’s Visions and Encounter with Amaziah: While this section contains two different types of visions and a biographical insert, it should be regarded as a unit that has been given its present form by the disciples of the prophet. The first two visions, in 7:1–3 and 7:4–6, are “event visions,” portraying what is about to happen, and they are identical in their form. The third and fourth visions, in 7:7–9 and 8:1–3, are “wordplay visions,” in which the meaning of what is seen depends on Yahweh’s ...

4850. Abram in Egypt

Genesis 12:10-20

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Abram’s Perilous Encounter in Egypt: On reaching the southern region of the land of promise, Abram faces two dangers that cast a heavy shadow over the promises God has made. A severe famine strikes Canaan, causing Abram to leave the land of promise for Egypt. Then, in Egypt Sarai is taken to Pharaoh’s harem. Only God’s intervention delivers Abram and Sarai from Pharaoh’s power so that they may return to Canaan together. 12:10–13 Up to this point Abram had journeyed from Haran through Canaan apparently ...

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