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 1913 results

526. Sit Up and Speak!

Luke 7:11-17

Sermon

Arley K. Fadness

The telephone rang in my office one day, and a mother, a member of my parish, blurted out, "Oh, pastor, they just found the body of my son, Kenneth. He drowned in the Missouri River over at Chamberlain!" I was stunned, and then I heard her sob. "It had been a hot day. Kenneth, driving gravel truck all day, decided to take a swim to cool off. And he didn't make it back to shore. Pastor, what'll I do?" I remember swimming at that very beach with my family over the years. As I drove over to Erna's house, I ...

527. Fire from Heaven

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

“I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.” Is there any food more universally loved than ice cream? It’s cool and creamy. Silky smooth. You can have it in any flavor you desire. Even garlic. Ice cream is the ultimate “cool” comfort food. Of course there was no “ice cream” until there could be “ice-on-demand.” That means available ice when it was not threatening to bring down your roof or freeze you to death during a blizzard. Ice cream did not come into its own, was not tasted by other than the ...

528. Don't Give Up Now!

2 Corinthians 4:16 - 5:2

Sermon

Have you noticed that some people can’t seem to win, no matter what they do? It’s like one lady I heard about. True story. In 1957 Richie Ashburn, center fielder for the Philadelphia Phillies, swung and hit a foul ball that went into the stands and hit a spectator named Alice Roth. As she was being taken away on a stretcher, Ashburn slammed another foul ball . . . and hit her again. (1) Poor Alice. I guess it just wasn’t her day. I’ve had days like that, haven’t you? I would guess we all have. Pastor Alan ...

529. Demons, Pigs, and the Economy

Luke 8:26-39

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Garasenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. — Luke 8:37 In polite society we have not wanted to talk much of demons and the demonic. In our liberal, educated culture, we believe that sin was due mostly to ignorance and that evil could be eradicated by education. In our psychologically enlightened times we have avoided the more ancient religious and mythological language of devils ...

530. Jesus, Isaiah’s Servant of the Lord, Heals Many

Matthew 8:14-17, Matthew 8:5-13, Matthew 8:1-4

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Matthew encourages his readers to trust in Jesus, as he brings the power of God’s kingdom to bear upon human sickness and suffering, both to Israel and as a foreshadowing of Gentile inclusion. Understanding the Text As Matthew’s earlier summary of Jesus’ teaching (4:23–25) indicates, Jesus’ messianic ministry is characterized by preaching (4:17), teaching (5:1–7:29), and healing (8:1–9:38). This section of Matthew introduces Jesus’ healing and miraculous ministry in Galilee, accentuating themes ...

531. Jesus Transfigured as a Foreshadowing of Future Glory

Matthew 17:1-13

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Matthew indicates that Jesus will suffer in the pattern of his predecessor, John the Baptist, but also foreshadows Jesus’ resurrection glory, which will follow his suffering. Understanding the Text Matthew’s account of the transfiguration, following directly on the heels of Jesus’ first passion prediction, highlights Jesus’ (future) resurrection glory. As Peter has been prominent in the confession of Jesus as Messiah in 16:16–20, so here too he plays the key, supporting role in this narrative ( ...

532. The Ark Finds a Resting Place

2 Samuel 6:1-23

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord’s willingness to dwell among his people is cause to celebrate, but he expects his people to respect his holiness. Understanding the Text When Samuel was young and Eli was old, the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant (1 Sam. 4). The ark wreaked havoc in Philistine territory: the image of Dagon in the Ashdod temple ended up decapitated, and the Philistines’ cities were devastated by a plague (1 Sam. 5). The Philistines sent the ark back to Israelite territory, but when it arrived ...

533. A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman

Matthew 9:18-26

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

9:18–19 As Jesus continues to teach, a Jewish ruler comes to him in behalf of his daughter who has just died. Kneeling before Jesus, he declares that if Jesus will but come and touch her she will be restored to life. This ruler of the synagogue (as Mark and Luke both identify him) was an important person in the Jewish community. To seek the help of one who would be considered a dangerous heretic by the orthodox indicated how desperate he was. His faith in the power of Jesus to perform such an act suggests ...

534. Fish Tales

Luke 24:36b-48

Sermon

John Jamison

Have you ever had to sell an idea or a concept or a belief? Have you ever had to sell something intangible, something you couldn’t see, touch, or taste? And maybe it was an idea that was really rather strange; one that most people would find really hard to believe. So, before you actually got someone to believe in the idea, you first have to somehow convince them that the idea is even possible. What if you weren’t trying to sell this idea because it was a part of your job or even something you were being ...

535. The Power of the Wilderness

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

It is not by strength that one prevails. (Hannah’s Prayer) Props: hiking boots or tricycle (you’ll need a child volunteer from the congregation for this) and matches (or one large match) to light a candle; oil Some of you have probably seen the movie Wild, based on the recent best-selling book. The story is about a young woman, Cheryl Strayed, who takes a long trek through the mountain trails of Washington State in order to deal with her “inner demons.” She is mourning the loss of her mother. She is trying ...

536. Syrophoenician Lives Matter!

Mark 7:24-30, Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6) Animators (Props): cornucopia….apples…..pumpkins As we enter the fall season, we prepare for a lot of celebrations. Halloween, All Saints Day, Thanksgiving, Advent. In the midst of all that, there are festivals for families and celebrations for children too. It’s the ...

537. Tangible Tests

John 20:19-23, John 20:24-31

Sermon

David & Marian Plant

In the musical “My Fair Lady,” Eliza Doolittle challenged her suitor Freddie to the tangible test — the “show me so I can see, hear, taste, touch, or smell its realness” test. She sings to him that he should show her just how much he loves her (and quit talking about it). Poor Freddie just wasn’t up to the challenge. The church’s best moments — the church at its most believable self — is when it blows the tangible test out of the water, scoring off the charts. It’s the early believers and questioners being ...

538. Living Bread

John 6:51-58

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

In my thirty years of ordained ministry and 50 years of church membership, I have discovered that there are five kinds of Christian: Free Riders, Fans, Friends, Followers and Fanatics. FREE RIDERS are Christians in name only. If you ask them, they will tell you that they believe in God and Jesus. They know how to answer the questions correctly. God is the creator of the universe. Jesus is the son of God, blah, blah, blah. They aren’t sure what any of that means. They don’t really think about it. Most of ...

539. Call It Like You See It

Mark 7:24-37

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

In Tobit, one of the books of the Apocrypha, the hero Tobias sets out on a journey to call in a loan owed to his father, who has gone blind. He will return with a bride and a cure for his father’s blindness. But he sets out on the journey with a young man — who he does not recognize as an angel — and a faithful dog. Well, sort of. There are several versions of this apocryphal book. In the version that was current among Greek-speaking Jews, there is a dog. In the versions that circulated among Jews closer ...

540. Out of the Darkness

Matthew 5:13-20

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Does anybody else have a tough time with winter darkness at this time of year? We’re still six weeks away from the start of spring, and most of the U.S. is experiencing short days and long nights. Medical studies show that people have less initiative and are more likely to get the blues during the darker winter months. It seems that most of us don’t function well without light. There’s a small town called Rjukan (roo-KAN) in Norway that is located in a valley between two mountains. For six months of the ...

541. All We Are Left With...

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Sermon

King Duncan & Angela Akers

Do you ever find yourself reminiscing about someone you love who has died? Maybe at family gatherings or when your friends get together the conversation eventually turns toward someone you loved. And you start sharing stories about this person. Stories about their quirks and silly side. Stories about their habits or hobbies or advice they shared. And with every story, a little more of that person’s character is revealed. I read an interesting article from an Irish journalist who interviewed folks on the ...

542. Proper 4

Matthew 7:15-23, Matthew 7:24-29

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

In the first part of 1994 heavy rains in California sent mud slides down the hills near Los Angeles. Houses were ruined by the slides. Heavy rains falling on areas that were denuded by earlier forest fires caused the slides. The persons who were affected by the mud slides looked to the government to help them rebuild their houses. Should these people rebuild in the same locations? If they do, should those who have suffered by the mud slides get government help to rebuild in the same locations? Are they ...

543. Forgiven!

Sermon

Lee Griess

John 12:1-8 On a recent religious talk show the hostess was interviewing a young woman who had just recently come to know Christ and had been received into the church. Until her recent conversion, she had lived on the wrong side of the tracks, lived in the fast lane, and teetered on the brink of destruction. So overwhelming was the sense of forgiveness that this young woman practically gushed with joy as she spoke. "I can't express," she said, "the sense of gratitude that I feel that God has changed my ...

544. Stilling The Storm

Mark 4:35-41

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

WHAT'S HAPPENING? First Point Of Action: In the evening, Jesus wants to leave the crowds and cross to the other side of the lake. The disciples take Jesus in the boat. Several boats accompany them. Second Point Of Action: A storm rises and swamps the boat. Jesus sleeps through it all until the frightened disciples wake him. Third Point Of Action: Jesus speaks to the wind and to the sea. The storm stops. Jesus speaks to the disciples. Fourth Point Of Action: The disciples respond with awe and wonder. ...

545. Lent 5

John 12:20-36, Jeremiah 30:1--31:40, Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: The heart of Jesus was broken in death so that he might create within us a new heart. In the First Lesson the new heart is promised. In the Second Lesson, Jesus poured out his heart of suffering to the Father. In the Gospel Jesus promises that he will unite our hearts through the cross (draw all people to himself (v. 32). COMMENTARY Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:31-34 Written after the destruction of the nation by the Babylonians, the prophet promised that God will establish a new covenant with both ...

546. Forgiven!

John 12:1-11

Sermon

Lee Griess

On a recent religious talk show the hostess was interviewing a young woman who had just recently come to know Christ and had been received into the church. Until her recent conversion, she had lived on the wrong side of the tracks, lived in the fast lane, and teetered on the brink of destruction. So overwhelming was the sense of forgiveness that this young woman practically gushed with joy as she spoke. "I can't express," she said, "the sense of gratitude that I feel that God has changed my life." The talk ...

547. Delivery

Sermon

Michael Rogness

I once visited a church in which the minister delivered what seemed at the time to be an interesting sermon, but I couldn't quite grasp the real thrust of the message, because it was delivered in a monotone, most of it read with little warmth or enthusiasm. [The church secretary] agreed to mail me a copy of the sermon I'd just heard. When the sermon arrived in the mail and I read it, I realized that the structure of the message was coherent and sound and the points well made. I could hardly believe I was ...

548. Joseph's Story

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Erskine White

An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife." (Matthew 1:20) I am the forgotten person in the Christmas story. Oh sure, you all have little statues of me in your creche scenes at home and you set them out every year at Christmas time, but let's face it: people who look at your creche are looking at the Christ Child and His mother - they're not paying much attention to me. Even the shepherds and Wise Men (and a little drummer boy who wasn ...

549. The Story Of The Scandalized Neighbors

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

John M. Braaten

I don't know what this world is coming to. It seems to me that parents don't do as good a job raising their kids as they used to. Consider my neighbor. His punk kid ran off with a wad of money last year. A couple of days ago he came back looking like death warmed over and what are they doing? They're throwing a party for him. From what I've heard they are going to spend a bundle on it. Sounds like the affair will be bigger than a wedding bash. If you ask me it's scandalous, celebrating as though he was a ...

550. What Happens When We Can't Believe It?

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

All three of our Bible lessons for today touch on themes that cannot help but direct our attention to last Sunday's celebration of the festival of Easter. (The Roman Catholic lectionary's first lesson [Acts 2:42-47] reminds us of the Easter festival, as its reference to the community shared among the early Christians is reminiscent of an active church member's joy in seeing a packed church on Easter Sunday.) I do not know about your feelings with certainty, but I suspect that last Sunday's worship service ...

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