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 501 to 525 of 693 results

501. Interceding for Us Now

Hebrews 7:23-28

Sermon

Patrick J. Rooney

... Jesus Christ our Lord because he has said that whatever we ask in his name will be given to us. "In Jesus name we pray." This is not a cheap phrase, one to be used lightly, as though it were some sort of magical formula which will guarantee God's receptivity to our prayers. Rather as we pray in the name of Jesus we recall his unceasing work on our behalf interceding for us before the throne of God. Having been called to serve as the great high priest by God, Jesus now, in this very time and in this very ...

502. Let The Shofar Sound!

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Sermon

Ken Lentz

... drugs. He's in a halfway house now awaiting sentencing. Pastor, would you mind visiting him?" When the pastor arrived at the halfway house, Andrew was sitting outside in the garden on a bench with his head held low. The pastor wondered about the reception he would get. Had the aunt alerted Andrew about the visit? The pastor walked up and started, "Hello, Andrew, your aunt asked me to visit you...." Andrew sprung to his feet and wrapped his arms around the visitor. He sobbed and heaved without apology ...

503. Dancing in Holy Places

2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19

Sermon

William J. Carl, III

... dance cards; trying to show us that no matter what happens to us we never have to dance alone and we really should "dance with the one who brung us." I think the sixteen-year-old girl named Meredith whom I buried years ago understood all that. At a wedding reception not long after her funeral, I felt a tap on my arm and looked down and saw one of the little girls in our church asking me to dance, and suddenly imagined sweet Meredith, dancer that she was, tapping Saint Peter on the arm and taking a turn on ...

504. Risk and Reward

Illustration

... at Johnson & Johnson, one of his first projects was the development of a children's chest rub. The product failed miserably, and Burke expected that he would be fired. When he was called in to see the chairman of the board, however, he met a surprising reception. "Are you the one who just cost us all that money?" asked Robert Wood Johnson. "Well I just want to congratulate you. If you are making mistakes, that means you are taking risks, and we won't grow unless you take risks." Some years later, when ...

505. The Birthday Boy

Illustration

... mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself one way or the other at all." William Temple, "Christ in His Church" At a reception honoring musician Sir Robert Mayer on his 100th birthday, elderly British socialite Lady Diana Cooper fell into conversation with a friendly woman who seemed to know her well. Lady Diana's failing eyesight prevented her from recognizing her fellow guest, until she peered ...

506. The Missing Figure in the Nativity Scene

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

... Nixon, John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ. John’s message was one of righteousness and justice. John’s message was much more austere than that of Christ, but it was necessary. People needed to know what was at stake before they could be receptive to the work of a Redeemer. One writer compares the work of John the Baptist to that of a doctor named Ignaz Phillip Semmelweis, today known as the “savior of mothers.” In 1818, Semmelweis was born into a world of dying women particularly women ...

507. Reputations At Stake

Humor Illustration

... . President Calvin Coolidge had a reputation that he never laughed at anything. Finally, Will Rodgers was invited to the White House. People wondered what would happen. Both men's reputations were at stake. It is said that Will Rodgers came through the reception line and was introduced to the President. "President Coolidge, this is Will Rodgers. Mr. Rodgers, this is President Calvin Coolidge." Will Rodgers leaned forward and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name." The President cracked up and started ...

508. The Little Heckler

Humor Illustration

I was speaking at a women's organization, and they asked if I would mind standing in a reception line following the meeting. The program chairperson was quite persuasive, so I agreed to do so. The speech must have gone well, because the ladies coming through the line were saying nice things to me, and smiling as they shook my hand. Pretty soon I noticed a little boy standing ...

509. Singing with Lutherans

Humor Illustration

... Church in America and LCMS is Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. When and where I grew up in Minnesota, intermarriage between the two was about as popular as Lutherans and Catholics marrying.) Lutherans feel guilty for not staying to clean up after their own wedding reception in the Fellowship Hall. Lutherans are willing to pay up to one dollar for a meal at church. Lutherans believe that it is OK to poke fun at themselves and never take themselves too seriously. Lutherans still serve Jell-O in the proper ...

510. I Want My Dollar Back!

2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Sermon

King Duncan

... gave her a large amount of money. She asked them, “Where did you get so much money?” They answered, “We got married two days ago. Before we got married we had decided not to celebrate the wedding, not to buy wedding clothes, not to have a reception or a honeymoon. We wanted to give you the money we saved.” Mother Teresa knew what such a decision meant, especially for a Hindu family. She asked them, “But how did you think of such a thing?” “We love each other so much,” they answered, “that ...

511. A Story of Meeting Christ

Eph 5:1-21

Illustration

Michael Card

... wire. I was dragged from the village and left to die in the bush." Joseph somehow managed to crawl to a water hole, and there, after two days of passing in and out of consciousness, found he had the strength to get up. He was puzzled about the hostile reception from family and friends whom he had known all his life. "I decided that I must have left something important out of the story I told them about Jesus. So I practiced it over and over, then limped back to tell them the good news. I went again, from ...

512. Risk Takers

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Cynthia Cowen

... of his efforts. However, he had taken an eternal risk that was to be costly: "But God said to him, ‘Foolish man! Tonight your life will be taken from you. So who will get those things you have prepared for yourself?' " (Luke 12:20 NCV). The poor are receptive to the good news found in salvation. The rich are deaf — closed — and go to ruin because they were the ones who made it. God was never in their picture. The rich man used his wealth to enrich only himself. He was proud of his business sense and ...

513. Water Into Wine

John 2:1-11

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... who have many daughters would like to see resumed). The ceremony would be scheduled for a Wednesday evening (that was the rule to allow travelers to avoid the necessity of going any distance on the sabbath).Then the other card in the envelope would say, "Reception to follow over the next seven days and nights (Judges 14:12). RSVP." They needed to know how many would be showing up so they could make adequate preparation for food and drink. They would certainly not want to run out of anything, because in ...

514. 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 ...

515. The Messiah’s Mark

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... over the Torah and over this individual Scribe. He judges which commandment is “first,” but also points beyond the Torah to the kingdom. It is not the Torah that brings this Scribe “not far from the kingdom of God.” It is the man’s reception to Jesus and his words. Mark’s final comment on this exchange asserts that “After that no one dared to ask him any question.” Though this may seem like a “throw-away” comment, it actually reveals one of the greatest betrayals of the faithfulness of ...

516. Mark 12:28-34

Mark 12:28-34

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

517. Live the Lullaby

Luke 1:46-56

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... womb. In today’s gospel text both John the Baptist and Jesus got the messages they would proclaim throughout their adult lives even though they received them as lullabies while in the womb. Modern medicine increasingly documents just how receptive unborn children are to their environments. They respond to loud noises, to great music (Mozart and Beethoven are favorites), to melodies and movement that emit soothing, comforting, yet compelling vibrations. The greatest “lullabies” we can offer both enrobe ...

518. The Bride of Jesus

John 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... , Joanna said, “I’m fine, Mom, I’m fine. Get away from me, now.” Her eyes were evidently fixed on Chris. Chris and Joanna exchanged business cards, ostensibly for insurance reasons, and the next day Chris called and asked Joanna out. At their wedding reception, the couple did not place flowers or chocolates at each place setting. Instead, they posted copies of the accident report. (1) If I were to ask some of you, how did you meet your mate? I would get some interesting stories. I would also get ...

519. When the Drought Gets Really Bad

Isaiah 55:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan

... countries could be in very serious trouble. (5) That’s scary if you think about it. What happens if we run out of water? The people of Israel knew about droughts. They lived in a land where water was a precious commodity. So Isaiah the prophet spoke to a receptive audience when he wrote, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does ...

520. Can you Hear “The Voice?”

John 5:1-15

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... ’ voice is individually directed towards all those in need, regardless of the day, or how dire their circumstances. Have you heard that Voice? Can you still hear that Voice? The power of a voice is both in its projection and in its reception. The mega-hit reality show “The Voice” first focuses on the purity of the verbal talent being projected. The celebrity judges, all big-name popular music success stories, listen to contestants with their back turned. With no “eye-candy” distracting them, these ...

521. Financial Planning

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... read like this: “Phil, Richard, Karen, Allison, John, Matt and Steve request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their mother and father. Because they are combining two households, they already have at least two of everything. So please, no presents! Reception and garage sale immediately following the ceremony.” (1) We do accumulate a lot of stuff nowadays, don’t we? What will happen to all that stuff when we die? Jesus was teaching one day and someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher ...

522. Lean on the Cloud

Hebrews 11:1-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... never faltered, and human faith had an unfailing anchor. Living a life “by faith” opens doors to amazing possibilities. A “by faith” life gives you an attitude of “yes” instead of “no.” A “by faith” life opens one up to receptiveness instead of defensiveness. A “by faith” life addresses challenges and real hardships with the spirit-set (not “mind-set”) of “why not” and moves forward instead of bewailing “why me?” and collapsing in defeat. The examples of “faithfulness ...

523. Prelude to the Passion

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... Sunday morning and Jesus and his disciples started out from Bethany, which was located on the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives. Their destination was Jerusalem. Doubtless, the disciples had no comprehension of what the coming week would bring the reception they would receive in the Holy City, the adoration aimed at their Master, the subsequent rejection, the persecution, the mockery of a trial to which their Master would be subjected, the crucifixion and his subsequent resurrection. It was truly the ...

524. The Voice-activated Life

2 Peter 1:12-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... and disengaged rather than astir within messy, real relationships. 2) We need to learn to listen and be silent. Do you want more of God? Then shut up and listen. But to "listen" is not just passive. Voice-activation living is active engagement with and reception of revelatory truth so that it moves us forward in obedience and trust. Or as our Scripture puts it this morning, it is hearing until the “day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts.” Has the “day dawned and the morning star” risen ...

525. Ring Those Bells

1 Peter 3:8-22

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... been an easy week for some of us. We have lost…[mention someone in your congregation who died recently]. We had a wonderful witness to the resurrection for them, which was followed by what may be called a birthday party. You say, what? A memorial reception as a “birthday party?” Yes, in the early church the day you died, not the day you born, was celebrated as your birthday because your death day is your birthday into eternity. Timothy Radcliffe, a master of the Dominican Order, has written a book on ...

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