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 526 to 550 of 4943 results

526. Ezekiel a Watchman

Ezekiel 33:1-20, Ezekiel 33:21-33

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... with the divine word formula (vv. 1, 23). The first part, comprising verses 1–22, is a recapitulation of the prophet’s message to this point, taken from Ezekiel 3 (vv. 1–9, 21–22) and 18 (vv. 10–20). This section reaches its climax with the word concerning Jerusalem’s fall and the opening of the prophet’s mouth (vv. 21–22). The second part (vv. 23–33) deals with the significance of the fall of the city for those remaining in the land (vv. 23–29) and for Ezekiel’s community in exile (vv ...

527. Spiritual Blindness and the Way to Overcome It

Mark 8:22-26, Mark 8:14-21

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... of Mark’s Gospel. Self blinds their eyes to the truths that Jesus is teaching and to the path Jesus asks them to walk with him. That is also the problem of every one of us today. Our spiritual side is easily clouded with our own ambitions, and our primary concern is to get God to give us the life that we wish for ourselves. 3. Remembering God and Christ in the past brings help in the present. Every part of the New Testament is grounded in the Old Testament past, for it is the same God who is presently at ...

528. Israel and the Present Curses and the Past Blessings of the Covenant

Romans 9:1-29

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... Israel by beginning with an oath, stated both positively (“I speak the truth in Christ”) and negatively (“I am not lying”). To reinforce the truthfulness of his oath, Paul says that his conscience is confirmed by the Holy Spirit. Then comes his concern: “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.” It is implied that his anguish is because Israel has not accepted Jesus the Messiah. Then Paul expresses the depth of his anguish: he is willing to be cursed, separated from salvation in ...

529. Applying God’s Wisdom to Life’s Issues

1 Corinthians 2:6-16, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... God’s Spirit can grant the power needed for a person to live a life that demonstrates God’s wisdom (2:4). The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. The neuter noun “deep things” can be translated “depths,” “areas,” “thoughts,” or “concerns.” Humans may search for wisdom in many areas, but only the Spirit can search the depth of God’s heart and reveal it to humans. That should not surprise anyone; the same holds true with the spirit of a person (2:11). No one but ...

530. Christian Success and Christlikeness

1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... outlined in 1:10: “Become my imitators” (NIV: “imitate me”). Although some have understood this statement as Paul’s attempt to claim or regain a special and privileged place of authority among the Corinthians, this is not likely.6 More likely, Paul is genuinely concerned about the church’s identity, and his statement here should be understood in light of his fuller statement in 11:1—be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. His self-description in 4:9–13 is designed to make this point. Put ...

531. Imitation and Role Modeling

1 Corinthians 10:23--11:1, 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... a new set of priorities and a life pattern for his community to imitate. Teaching the Text 1. The Corinthian elite, or the “strong,” saw it as their civic and Christian right to participate in the city’s celebrations. Paul is concerned about their disregard for the incongruity between worship of God and the idolatrous worship of pagan culture. The strong see themselves as able to handle direct participation without being led into an idolatrous participation. Modern Christians can easily miss Paul’s ...

532. The Focus of Christian Worship

1 Corinthians 14:26-40, 1 Corinthians 14:1-25

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... and appointing themselves the official arbiters of what is “good” or “bad” worship. Explain how your church’s commitment to unity in worship is expressed in terms of compromise, sensitivity to various groups and their needs, and a spirit of love and concern for discipleship. Quote: Dwight L. Moody. “I have never yet known the Spirit of God to work where the Lord’s people were divided.” If this is true, then claiming to join in adoration of Christ while simultaneously spurring one another on ...

533. The Lord Chooses a New King

1 Samuel 16:14-23, 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... that Jesse’s son Eliab, who apparently is physically impressive (v. 7), is God’s chosen king (see as well his words in 10:24). Humans tend to look on the outward appearance when evaluating someone’s suitability for a task, but God is more concerned about what is on the inside. He accommodated himself to the people’s wishes and standards when he selected Saul, but he will choose Saul’s replacement in accordance with his own standards. 16:13 the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David ...

534. The Lord Guides, Encourages, and Protects David

1 Samuel 23:1-29

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... Lord. David’s action marks a significant turning point. Earlier he was wavering in his faith, but now he actively seeks the Lord’s will as he sees a need in Israel. Go, attack. These words echo the Lord’s earlier commission to Saul (15:3, concerning the Amalekites), suggesting that David now occupies the role once assigned to Saul. and save Keilah. The Lord (v. 3) and the narrator (v. 5) cast David in the role of savior. This places David in a long line of saviors, including Othniel (Judg. 3:9), Ehud ...

535. Eliphaz Condemns and Counsels Job

Job 22:1-30

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... into greater understanding, as Yahweh later does by his queries in chapters 38–41. When he asks if a man can be of benefit to God, Eliphaz implies that the transcendent God is so distant that the good or evil that humans do is of no concern to him (22:3). Eliphaz fails to realize that if human behavior means nothing to God, then the whole retribution principle, which insists that God always rewards the righteous and always punishes the wicked, is invalidated. 22:4 Is it for your piety that he rebukes ...

536. Elihu Makes His Appearance

Job 32:1--37:24

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... , what humans do is negligible. The implication of what Elihu says is that there is no way the high God could be concerned enough about a human situation to respond to Job’s cry or to intervene on his behalf. This, however, clearly conflicts with the prologue ... of the book, in which Yahweh is very much aware of Job’s life and concerned about his condition, as well as Psalm 8:4, where Yahweh is mindful of humans and cares for them. 35:9 People cry ...

537. God Subjugates Judah under Babylon

Daniel 1:1-21

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... “produce” diet is also offered to idols. Or he may wish to limit his indebtedness to the king, yet his training as a courtier further obligates him to the king. Instead of choosing only one option, Daniel seems to be moved by a combination of these concerns (and perhaps others) to resist full assimilation in order to retain his Jewish heritage.6 1:9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion. As in 1:2 and 17, the verb “to give” (natan; NIV: “caused to show”) links the three ...

538. Daniel's Prayer

Daniel 9:1-19

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... is striking. Understanding from Jeremiah 25:1–14 and 29:1–14 that the exile is to end with Babylon’s fall, one would expect praise, thanksgiving, and festive celebration. Instead, Daniel’s pleading, prayer, petition, fasting, sackcloth, and ashes suggest that he is concerned, rather than relieved, by this knowledge.11 His adoption of these habits of crisis and mourning sets the tone for his prayer in 9:4–19. 9:4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed. The reader is also surprised by Daniel ...

539. Proverbs of Solomon

Proberbs 10:1--22:16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 16:17). The familiar proverb “Pride goes before a fall” contrasts the parallel clauses of verse 18. In context, and paired with verse 19, it illustrates what the “upright” of verse 17 will avoid. Wisdom gives life stability. Proverbs 16:20–24 concerns wise speech. Heeding instructions and trusting in the Lord (16:20) are both characteristic of the humble (16:19). A sage’s reputation for insight, a spoonful of rhetorical sugar, and skilled speech issuing from a wise heart all serve to “promote ...

540. The Year of the Lord's Favor

Isaiah 61:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... this will be funded by the wealth of the nations. The new position of the people of God is expressed by the word “priests” (61:6). They will be priests of the living God, while others take care of menial tasks. Spiritual benefits are mixed with God’s concern for physical well-being. The people have been disgraced in exile, but they are assured that they will have a double portion in the land. The Lord knows that his people have suffered double for all of their sins (Isa. 40:2), and he gives back what ...

541. Intermarriage and Divorce

Malachi 2:10-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... The history of Israel before the exile was marked by idolatry, syncretism, and acculturation. Intermarriage was the way in which the people of Judah and Israel had accepted the cultures and gods of the nations (Judg. 2:11–13, 19; 1 Kings 11:1–8). Malachi’s concerns, together with Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s (Ezra 9:1–2; Neh. 13:23–24), are with the identity of God’s people. When any of God’s people flout his law and break the covenant, they have no right to belong to the covenant community. They ...

542. Jerusalem Council and the Identity of Gentile Believers

Acts 15:1-21, Acts 15:22-35

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... idolatry, sexual immorality, and blood, and the purpose of that section in Leviticus is to facilitate the interaction between Israelites and foreigners within the same land and community. The apostolic decree may well address the same sociological concern, as the prohibitions are meant to facilitate the practical interaction between Jews and Gentiles. These then should not be considered as requirements through which one can be saved. A third option is to see this apostolic decree within the context ...

543. Introduction

Romans 1:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... world is a cause for revulsion to Jews and foolish nonsense to Gentiles (1 Cor. 1:23). Paul is not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for salvation. Paul summarizes in 1:16–17 the following convictions about the gospel of God concerning Jesus the Messiah. (1) The gospel has power; that is, it achieves what it promises. The gospel is effective, as it is the very power of God that convinces people of the truth of the “message of the cross.” This means for Gentile believers among his ...

544. The Weak and the Strong

Romans 14:1--15:13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , he concludes the main body of the letter. In verse 7 he asserts that mutual acceptance and unity are fundamental values for two reasons: all believers have been accepted by Christ, with whom they are united by faith; and the glory of God is the primary concern and reality of those who honor the Creator, as he must be honored by his creatures, who live in his presence. In verses 8–9 Paul explains how Christ accepted both Jews and Gentiles. Christ came as a servant for the Jews who waited for messianic ...

545. Second Meeting with Jerusalem Leadership

Galatians 2:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 18), then Paul has the task of explaining why he went to Jerusalem at all if he did not need to appear for the purpose of defending his ministry before those who had the power to direct it. Paul’s explanation emphasizes a few points concerning his encounter with Jerusalem on that occasion. He begins, not coincidentally, with the impression that his arrival had the air of one who was the leader of a delegation from the Gentile missionary enterprise (2:1). The mention of his fellow traveler Barnabas and the ...

546. Treatise: The Efficacy of Grace over Law

Galatians 3:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ’s belief. Thus, the prototypical Jew is to be viewed as one who received a place in sacred history by grace through faith. Using a quotation from Genesis 15:6 (found in the Septuagint), Paul recites what he believes to be the most explicit statement concerning God’s means for justifying humankind: Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (3:6). The faith of Abraham is interpreted to be that which operated on the premise that God was who he said he was and was worthy of ...

547. Judge Those Who Work among You by the Truth of the Gospel

Philippians 2:19-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... encourage them about his own situation in Rome. Timothy is Paul’s “son” in the gospel and can represent Paul in a special way to the Philippian congregation. But Timothy is also an outstanding example of a true Christlike leader who is not concerned with himself but looks to the interests of others, especially the Philippians (2:20–21). Just as Paul called the Philippians to look to others’ interests (2:4), he is going to send to them someone who exemplifies this important aspect of the Christian ...

548. Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... explains the long discourse regarding Paul’s attempts to return in 2:17–20, the rehearsal of the motivations for sending Timothy in 3:1–6, and the notes about a future visit in 3:7–12. The question that arose was about the apostles’ character and concern for the church. First Thessalonians 2:1–12 is the beginning of a response that spans chapters 2 and 3. In 2:1, Paul speaks about his coming to Thessalonica as his “entry” (NIV “visit”; see comments on 1:9). While Paul may refer either to ...

549. Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2:17--3:5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... blocked the apostle’s attempts to return to the city (2:18). The purpose of the “tempter” was not simply to provoke the Thessalonians to sin but also to get them to embrace the sin—apostasy (Luke 8:12; 1 Pet. 5:8). Hence Paul’s concern for their stability and continuance in the faith (1 Thess. 3:2–3, 6, 8). Had his labors in establishing a church in the city been rendered futile, considering the persecution and satanic opposition these new believers faced? What would Timothy find when he arrived ...

550. Listening and Doing

James 1:19-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... (2:10–12), but only as they have been made a part of “the royal law” that Jesus proclaimed (2:8). James becomes more specific still. What does it mean to “do” the word? Three areas of obedience are singled out by James: personal behavior, social concern, and inner values. James again shows his concern about sins of speech by highlighting careful speech habits as an example of the religion that God accepts (1:26). Another characteristic emphasis in James is mentioned in verse 27 for the first time ...

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