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 551 to 575 of 4339 results

551. Condemned to Wilderness Wandering

Numbers 14:1-45

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... in, but that is not accurate. This is the second time that Moses has prayed for God not to destroy Israel. The other time is in Exodus 32:9–14, at the making of the golden calf. Shortly after that incident God revealed something of his character as a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness and yet holy (Exod. 34:6–7). Moses prays with the assurance of God’s self-revelation that God is more inclined to forgive than to condemn. Arguably, God, who is omniscient ...

552. Balaam’s First Three Oracles

Num 23:1–24:14

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... Israel. . . . God’s blessing is so powerful and irrevocable that even the most renowned divination expert of the day could not counter its effectiveness. Only God could rescind his blessing upon Israel, and he would not because such an act would violate his character.”12 Not only is Balaam unable to curse Israel, but also he recognizes that it is destined to be blessed. God blesses the Israelites with large numbers (Num. 23:10a) and allows them to be strong and flourish (Num. 24:5–9). He promises ...

553. The Lord Decides to Build David a House

2 Samuel 7:18-29, 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... abandonment of Saul (1 Sam. 16:14; 28:15–16). 7:5 my servant David.This is the second time the words “my servant” have been used by the Lord to describe David (cf. 2 Sam. 3:18). Before this, the Lord has used these words of only three other characters: Abraham (Gen. 26:24), Moses (Num. 12:7–8; Josh. 1:2, 7), and Caleb (Num. 14:24). In the case of Abraham and Caleb, the Lord uses this phrase in conjunction with his covenantal promises, just as he does here with David (v. 8). While the use of this ...

554. Jonathan’s Faith Ignites a Victory

1 Sam 13:16–14:23

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... , courageous faith and would make a fine king for Israel, but we know from the preceding account that Saul has already forfeited his dynasty, and we suspect that Jonathan will never realize his full potential. Furthermore, Saul continues to display his flawed character (vv. 18–19), which quickly dilutes the victory and even jeopardizes his son’s life (vv. 24–46), much like Jephthah has done (see Judg. 11). Despite his heroism and faith, Jonathan ends up being a mere literary foil for his father ...

555. Séance in Endor: Bad News from Beyond the Grave

1 Samuel 28:1-25

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... times in succession for an answer to be legitimate. This would more readily explain why Saul can receive no answer.3 Interpretive Insights 28:3 Now Samuel was dead. The note is foreboding; it casts the pall of death over the story that follows. The first major character to appear in the book is dead and gone; now it is Saul’s turn to die and leave the stage. mourned for him and buried him. The next time the terms “mourned” and “buried” occur in the story, they are used of Saul (1 Sam. 31 ...

556. Job Comes to a Good End

Job 42:7-17, Job 42:1-6

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... last realizes that he must withdraw his legal complaint against Yahweh. Job is not given answers to all his questions, but he is willing to trust Yahweh, who does know all the answers. Job demonstrates that the person of faith must find answers in the character of the Lord, even when there are many questions left about why God does what he does. The lengthy questioning by Yahweh in chapters 38–41 had its intended effect upon Job. As Job considers all of the unanswerable questions that Yahweh has posed to ...

557. “Cast Your Cares on the Lord and He Will Sustain You”

Psalm 55:1-23

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C. Hassell Bullock

... the ancient world tells us something about the ancient diet and medicinal practice. The smooth taste of butter and the soothing effect of oil applied to the body are fitting metaphors for speech that sounds good but is designed to destroy character. It is the latter motive that calls forth the two corresponding metaphors of “war” and “drawn swords.” Interpretive Insights 55:1 do not ignore my plea.The verb “ignore” (lit., “hide oneself”) occurs in Deuteronomy 22:4 (RSV): “You shall not ...

558. “In Your Heart You Devise Injustice”

Psalm 58:1-11

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C. Hassell Bullock

... of justice, and all actions are to be measured by the standards of that system, which are in reality two: the righteous are rewarded, and the wicked are judged (v. 11; of course, there are also many degrees in between). The explanation for this is found in the character of God, who is “righteous,” and he rewards those who seek to be like him. Or to take a slightly different perspective, we reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7; also Job 4:8; Ps. 128:2; Isa. 3:10–11). Derek Kidner reminds us that this psalm ...

559. The Writing on the Wall

Daniel 5:1-31

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Ronald W. Pierce

... s generous and relevant work through Daniel in a particular situation. Illustrating the Text The question is not how to use the Spirit but how the Spirit uses us. Quote: R. A. Torrey. The working of the Holy Spirit in our lives is always a reflection of his character in us and should always point to him as the source. As R. A. Torrey has written, The Holy Spirit is a real Person, infinitely holy, infinitely wise, infinitely mighty and infinitely tender who is to get hold of and use us. . . . If we think of ...

560. Ancient of Days and Son of Man

Daniel 7:1-14

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... 2:41.9 7:8 another horn, a little one. “While I was thinking” slows the pace, drawing attention to the humanlike “little” horn that uproots “three” from among ten. This extends the scope of 2:40–43, preparing the reader for an emerging, diabolical character (7:19–25; 8:9–12, 23–25; 11:21–35). 7:9 the Ancient of Days took his seat. A poetic description of God’s holiness, purity, power, and judgment sets ablaze the dark prose setting (cf. 2:22). The Semitic metaphor “Ancient of ...

561. Ruth’s Proposal

Ruth 3:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... (3:11). Indeed, as a new Israelite, Ruth is a worthy woman. He deems it honorable that Ruth has pursued and preferred him (3:10). It is unfathomable given the writer’s intentionality in bolstering Boaz’s godly and reputable character that he would agree to marry “Ruth, the Moabite” if she had not changed her ethnic identity. Although Boaz agrees to the proposal and responds with gratitude, a potential threat looms (3:10–13). There exists another man whose legal rights to meet Ruth’s needs ...

562. Dynasty and Temple

1 Chron 17:1-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... an invitation from God. His reference to “servant” places himself at the service of Yahweh but also in company with other figures such as Moses, Joshua, and the prophets. In 17:20–22 David expresses the unique character of Yahweh among the gods and by extension the unique character of Israel among the nations. This uniqueness is highlighted by a rehearsal of the salvation story of Israel divided into the phases of exodus, conquest, and election. The prayer closes with David’s clear acceptance of the ...

563. Job's Second Test

Job 2:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . Though this is intriguing, it is better to keep in mind that the omniscient storyteller has carefully woven Job’s blamelessness and uprightness throughout the story so far. The expression at hand should not serve as a new hedge to Job’s blameless character. That said, Janzen does compare the differences between Job’s first response (1:20–22) and his second here, arguing that Job’s initial stalwart confidence in God, God’s ways, and himself has eroded (Janzen, 51–55). If so, we may see ...

564. Elihu's Words

Job 32:1--37:24

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... or God, Elihu admittedly has the earmarkings of a surgical insertion. Be that as it may, he is alive and well in the version before us, and we must reckon with him and his words at this juncture. Elihu, as a character, is young, brash, self-important, and dogmatic. Many find him quite unlikable. Elihu, as a speaker in the story, though, stands as a Janus-like figure, facing back to comment on what has been said, and facing forward, anticipating some of God’s rhetoric. Elihu pushes back against the ...

565. Proverbs of Solomon

Proberbs 10:1--22:16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , unlike those who futilely pursue success through evil (12:3). Verse 4 introduces a domestic context with the virtuous wife (cf. Prov. 31:10), who contributes to her house standing firm (12:7, similar to 12:3). These verses reveal a progression from character (12:4) to plans (12:5) to words (12:6) to consequences (12:7), with the negative clauses developing from disgraceful behavior to deceitful advice to destructive words to downfall and doom. Proverbs 12:8–12 focuses on work. One’s reputation should ...

566. How Beautiful are You

Song of Songs 4:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... that the imperative “awake” (4:16) in the lovers’ dialogue is conjunctive, not disjunctive. Yet in previous speeches the maiden has used the imperative verb disjunctively, indicating her address or response is intended not for the king but for another. The two-character approach also fails to adequately explain how the maiden remains a virgin (who has stored up her “delicacies” for her lover [7:12–13] and stood like “a wall” against the amorous advances of the king [8:10]) until she is ...

567. How Beautiful Your Feet

Song of Songs 7:1-13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 6 (cf. 7:1) may indicate that the king or bridegroom now joins in the adoration of the maiden (recalling the ecstasy of the sexual intimacies experienced the previous night according to the two-character interpretation). The language of the passage is the most erotically explicit of the poem. The three-character understanding of the poem views the passage as Solomon’s last attempt to betroth the maiden and add her permanently to the ranks of the royal harem. The descriptive song of the bawdy onlookers ...

568. If Only You Were To Me A Brother

Song of Songs 8:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... lover, and “bringing contentment” suggests his recognition of the rightness and the wholesomeness of their relationship. The term “vineyard” has consistently been a metaphor for the person of the maiden (including her sexual charms). The strongest support for the three-character interpretation of the Song is found here. The maiden’s “vineyard,” her love and sexual delicacies, belonged to her and were hers to give. Solomon had let out his vineyard (his own person and his own sexual energies) to ...

569. Imitating Christ’s Humility

Philippians 2:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , are to put the needs and interests of others above their own. It is a life of humility and unity that truly demonstrates the Christian life. 2:5–11 · The supreme example of Christ:At this point, Paul is still attempting to help the Philippians understand the character of a life worthy of the gospel. A mere list of virtues or an explanation of concepts is not enough to truly understand what it means to follow Christ as both an individual and a community. So Paul begins a series of examples in order to ...

570. Let Us Love One Another!

1 John 4:7-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God (4:7–8). God’s love, of course, must be extended, and the means by which God has done so is the sending of his Son so that the world might live through him (4:9). The very character of love, however, is defined as a factor of God’s initiative, not human ingenuity. God’s favor cannot be garnered by human merit or evoked as a consequence of human initiative. In contrast to the conditional covenant of the Mosaic law, and in diametric opposition to the ...

571. Jesus or Niccolo?

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... that fiery dart of "pride in riches." This is the desire to become arrogant or proud through what we own or control. If you have seen the movie or read the book, you already know that Bilbo Baggins, a fifty-something hobbit, is the main character and protagonist of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Hobbits are fictional diminutive humanoids who live in the lands of Middle-earth. Little Bilbo Baggins must cross paths with Smaug, one of the last great dragons of Middle-earth. Fearlessly, Bilbo Baggins creeps into ...

572. A Jiffy for Eternity

John 3:1-17

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... also connect personally with the inquisitive Nicodemus's words for they betray the fact that Nicodemus seems to consider Jesus as just one more prophet. Nicodemus is not a bad man. He is a highly thought of enquiring minded man of good character. Conversation Like everything else in scripture, this conversation is recorded for our benefit. As witnesses to the heart-to-heart exchange that ensues we have an opportunity to learn as much as Nicodemus about what truly matters. What is intriguing is that Jesus ...

573. Fix It, Daddy

John 11:17-45

Sermon

King Duncan

... the presence that Jesus promised. It is an interesting word. It comes from the law courts of the time. The paraclete was a person of unblemished character. When the evidence had been presented and a verdict was eminent in a court trial, this person of unblemished character, this paraclete, would simply come and stand with the accused. The power of the paraclete’s character gave the accused not only comfort but also moral support in the pursuit of a favorable verdict. Is this not what the presence of the ...

574. I Wonder Why Bad Things Happen to Good People

Romans 8:28-29

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... brothers, but he didn’t. Instead, he forgave them. His brothers approached him, scared to death, and Joseph said, “Don’t be afraid. Am I God? I can’t judge you. What you did was meant to hurt me, but God used it for good. I have strength and character, and now I have the power to save and provide for the people of Israel.” At that moment Joseph knew that God had taken something very ugly and made it beautiful. It Is Well With Our Soul H.G. Spafford had the same experience. In 1873, his wife and ...

575. Elephants in the Room: Depression

Lamentations 3:17-26

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... of Newman in one of his most famous roles, Cool Hand Luke. Cool Hand Luke is an important film with layers of meaning. Newman plays an unruly prisoner in a Southern chain gang during the 1930’s. Some folks have suggested that Newman’s character is somewhat of a Christ figure. For example, Luke surrounds himself with a band of followers. He also performs miracles, like a death defying escape during a football game. He catches the football, scores a touchdown, and just keeps on running. Eventually, they ...

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