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 744 results

526. Reformation Sunday

Revelation 21:1-27

Sermon

George Paul Mocko

A Book Misunderstood; Jerusalem the Great and Jerusalem the Golden; Away With the Sea and Tears and In With Love; and Faith in a God Who Can Do Anything. One of the best comedy routines I've ever seen on TV took place in the waiting room of a veterinarian. Among those gathered was a man with a huge box which shuddered and lurched about from the struggles of the creature inside. Strange growls, fur, feathers, and dust all came belching out. At one point the top flew open. The owner grabbed an umbrella, ...

527. Preaching the Miracles of Jesus

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

Despite our scientific and technological generation, we live in an age of miracles. They are so many, and they occur so often, that we tend to take miracles for granted. When one gets well from a serious illness, we say, "His recovery was a miracle!" When we see pictures of a car wreck, we say, "It was a miracle all were not killed." A wife sent a friendship card to her husband with the message, "You love me! Will miracles never cease?" Every day we experience miracles. They are miracles because we cannot ...

528. Is It God's Will?

Hebrews 2:5-18

Sermon

Erskine White

For because He himself has suffered and been tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18) A young woman is driving her car down the highway on a bright summer's day. She's got the radio turned up and the windows turned down; her long hair is flowing freely in the wind; it's one of those days when it feels just great to be alive. Suddenly, as she rounds a bend in the road, there is another car speeding towards her in the wrong lane. She tries to turn out of the way, but her car spins ...

529. Wedding: A Need for Newness

Sermon Aid

John M. Braaten

(Name) and (name), in the soft, romantic glow of this candlelight wedding, everything seems so warm and wonderful that it's hard to imagine that you will experience anything in your life except joy and happiness. Everything about your marriage has a newness and a freshness to it. It is so enchanting that you might think you're dreaming. Of course you're not, although I know you do have dreams - dreams for yourselves as you begin this marvelous enterprise of life. If only you could live the rest of your ...

530. Bread That Will Not Spoil

John 6:27

Children's Sermon

Objects: a plastic sandwich bag with a slice of fresh bread inside; a slice of hard, stale bread without a storage bag. Boys and girls, today our Gospel story reminds us of last week's Gospel story. Both are about bread. Today's story reminds us that there are two kinds of bread. I have both kinds right here. What is the difference? (Let them answer.) That's right. One kind of bread is fresh and soft and ready to eat. It looks pretty good, doesn't it! The other kind is hard and stale and crumbly. Nobody ...

531. Advent 1

Luke 21:5-38, Jeremiah 33:1-26, Zechariah 14:1-21, 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The powerful impetus toward eschatological awareness and preparedness, which comes from the theological framework of the Christian year, as well as the particular lections as-signed to this day, makes the preacher conscious of how the future affects the present age. The result is a "get your house, and the world, in order" kind of theology emanating from a reading of the propers for this day. Advent makes Christians realize that "the best is yet to come, "in the promised return of Jesus ...

532. The Highway to Peace

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Thomas Slavens

Christmas Eve/Day • Christmas Eve/Day Only the bleat of a lamb could be heard through the quiet of the night. Across the treeless grazing land a soft breeze kissed the warm earth. Within a secluded nook a herd of sheep were dozing while on a mound only a few feet away a group of men slumbered calmly. The ruddy faces, hands and sandaled feet of those men betrayed the fact that they had long been exposed to the elements. Their garments covered rugged bodies which in turn housed rugged minds carved by a ...

533. A Farewell Gift

John 14:15-31

Sermon

John M. Braaten

I have never liked saying "goodbye," it always elicits feelings of finality. So I say other things like, "See you!" or "Hope to see you sometime." Most of the time I like quick goodbyes. However, when a loved one leaves there are no formalities. We embrace, sometimes through tears. It is not uncommon to cast out cliches, often with a bit of humor, to lighten the atmosphere. But in the end the word "goodbye" is bound to be spoken. It's a comforting thought really, because it is a shortened form of "God be ...

534. God Is Our Refuge And Strength

Psalm 46:1-11

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

Suggestions: Use before the pastoral prayer. 2 readers - senior spouses Key: 1 = woman, 2 = man 1: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, 1 and 2: though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam,though the mountains tremble with its tumult. (Speak "Selah" softly as a spoken pause.)2: Selah. (2:) There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the most ...

535. The Answering Machine

Drama

Timothy W. Ayers

Topic: Serenity, stress, bills, hard times, troubles, caring God Characters: One female Props: Answering machine, table, chair, Bible, mail, letter opener Scene: Living room Character walks in with a briefcase, purse, bag of groceries, and a stack of mail in hand. As she comes in, the bag of groceries breaks. As she is leaning over to pick it up, the purse opens up and dumps its contents. When she tries to put her briefcase down, it opens up. Papers and flies fall out. She finally gives up and sighs. Still ...

536. The Needle’s Eye

Mark 9:42-50

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

No mistake. This is a hard text. Jesus was often given to double-edged sayings, paradoxes and extreme comparisons. He spoke ironically and often with biting humor. Here he uses the images of cutting off a hand, a foot, or plucking out an eye. The text begins with the disciples concerned with protecting their turf. All people have vested interests and will go to great lengths to defend themselves against encroaching threats. The disciples tell Jesus that they have found someone else working in his name; but ...

537. The Victory Of The Cross

Sermon

Erskine White

Old Testament Text: Psalm 139:7-12New Testament Text: Luke 23:44-49 ... and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. (Luke 23:44b) In the rolling hills of northern New Jersey stands a small church with a large, stone cross cut into an inside wall. Now, it happened that one of the church's wealthier members didn't like the cross there and said it was an eyesore. He offered to give a huge donation to the church in order to take the cross out of the wall and replace it with a stained glass ...

538. Walking the Valley of the Lost

2 Samuel 1:17-27

Sermon

Donald Zelle

After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag; And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said: "Thy glory, O Israel, is slain uponthy high places!How are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath,publish it not in the streets ofAshkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistinesrejoice, lest the daughters ...

539. It Just Doesn't Work That Way

Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:36-43

Sermon

Johnny Dean

I have to admit that I didn’t exactly look forward with eager anticipation to the prospect of planting a garden this year. It’s the first garden we’ve planted in several years, and my track record with gardens is not what anyone would rate as successful. Oh, I can usually manage to grow tomatoes and okra, the low maintenance vegetables. You just dig some holes, plant the seed or set out the young plants, pour a little Miracle Grow around them, and wait for them to grow. It you didn’t have the foresight to ...

540. How Much Is Enough?

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

Johnny Dean

I will defend to the death my theory that the most perfect food, the one item that provides nourishment for body, mind, and spirit is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread. I have felt that way for as long as I can remember. When I’m feeling a little depressed or lonely or homesick, when I just want a snack, when I’m having lunch by myself, nothing satisfies the hunger of the body or lifts my spirits like a peanut butter jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread. It’s a complete meal. The ...

541. Episode 1: The Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Brett Blair

In 1977 two teenagers walked into a movie theatre in Memphis to watch a movie that was then virtually unknown. The name of the movie was Star Wars. The characters were unknown to my brother Todd and I. In fact, the movie was virtually unknown to many. Star Wars was not expected by anyone to be a smash hit let alone the biggest grossing movie of all times. We did know it was science-fiction. That’s the reason we went to see it; having grown up on a steady diet of comic books and Star Trek, we were a ready ...

542. Conversation or Monologue?

1 Samuel 3:1--4:1

Sermon

Johnny Dean

Professional athletes, as a group, are not noted for their oratory skills – off the playing field, that is. From what I understand, several of them are highly efficient when it comes to getting under the skin of their opponents by the use of verbal punches. I think it’s called "trash-talking" – or at least, it used to be called that. But the ability to stand in front of a group of people and talk about something other than the sport they play is uncommon. Maybe that’s the reason why one interview, ...

543. At the Foot of the Cross

Sermon

Ron Lavin

"I hope this damn thing doesn't last too long. I've got things to do, people to see." These were my thoughts as I was waiting for the criminals. I am a Roman soldier and part of my job is to help with the crucifixion of criminals. My name is not important, but what happened to me is important, and I'd like to tell you about it. I remember how they walked along the road with the people watching them. Some of the people looked sorry for them. Others enjoyed the cross-carrying ceremony as much as they enjoyed ...

544. Better Than the Real Thing

John 4:1-26

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

Props: A can of Coke, a can of Pepsi, and a communion Chalice. Lesson: Hide the Chalice behind your back.Holding the can of Coke and Pepsi before the kids: What do I have in my hands? (response) Which one is better? (response) To those who said coke: Why do you like Coke? (response) And to those who said Pepsi: Why do you like Pepsi so much? (response) You might want to adlib a bit about how much you like a Coke with your pizza or burger and then ask What do like to eat with your soft drink? (response). ...

545. The Real Jesus is Channeling Grace

John 17:20-26

Sermon

Carl Jech

I made known to them your name, and I will make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. (John 17:26) Over the last couple decades we have heard critics decry what has been variously described as "civil religion," "religion in general," or "the religion of the American way of life." Recently, Dr. Robert Jenson, a professor at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, restated the criticism this way: "The God proclaimed in American Protestantism is ...

546. A Baptism of Blood

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

Carl Hoefler

We cannot go back to Calvary. The cross was an event in history. It happened, never to be repeated. It was a deed of God determined, dared, and done. Our emotions may run high when we hear the words of the familiar spiritual, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" But, there is only one honest answer. No! We were not there. We are here, with two thousand years separating us from the cross on which our Lord died. The cross is dated; but, it is not out-dated. What happened then affects us now. Why? ...

547. Faithfully Fixing Our Eyes Upon Jesus

Hebrews 11:1-40

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

Call to Worship Leader: Come, let those who seek to serve Christ enter this place of worship! People: We seek to serve Christ in all we do and say as we live every day. Leader: Let our focus always be on Christ so our hearts will be filled with love. People: Only in the love of Christ can we truly serve as we are called to do. Leader: Not in our own power but in the Holy Name of Christ our Lord do we serve. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect Most loving and merciful God, in Your infinite wisdom ...

548. Welcoming The New Millennium

Sermon

James Angell

At a wedding I attended 50 years ago, the bride's brother sang a love song, "At Dawning." I was the groom, and have since forgotten the lyrics. But even the words of the title have a nice sound. Dawn is a gorgeous time of day. Drenched in pastel beauty, mist, and quiet, it comes very softly, even as the freeways begin their hum of first traffic. For ships at sea, it is a time to do important navigational work. Sailors call it "morning twilight." And though the twenty-first century is still a few heartbeats ...

549. God Is All Things for All People

Romans 11:33

Children's Sermon

Object: A pocket, a big sack - such as burlap, a book, some money, a leaf, a feather. Boys and girls, do you know what a mystery is? Do you like mysteries? Tell me what you think a mystery is. (Allow them to give you their definitions). Well, those are all pretty good answers. I have a mystery for you today and I wonder if you might help me solve it. Let’s see what I have here. It looks like a coat and in this coat is a pocket. How many of you have pockets? Wonderful, a lot of you have pockets! Now, listen ...

550. Cross Purposes

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

"In the cross of Christ I glory towering o'er ..." Is the cross today towering over the world? Atlanta is presently boasting of its newest hotel, seventy stories high, the highest hotel in the entire world. Just a couple of blocks from this hotel are a Methodist church and a Catholic church, each with a tower and a cross on top. There was a time when the highest point in a town was the church spire with a cross on its pinnacle. Now city skyscrapers dwarf the church with its cross. The cross is over-towered ...

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