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 601 to 625 of 4339 results

601. Elisha is Jeered

2 Kings 2:23-25

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... by the authors that this is common knowledge—which is why this extraordinary event is introduced in verse 1 in such a matter-of-fact way. When it actually occurs, the reader is again told what is happening (Hb. ʿlh haššāmayîm, v. 11). Of the characters in the narrative, however, only Elisha “sees” that this is so (v. 12). The prophets are merely bystanders (cf. at a distance, v. 7). They are aware, no doubt, that whirlwind and fire are signs of the LORD’s appearing (Exod. 3:2; 19:18; Ezek. 1 ...

602. This Woman Was a Fighter

Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

King Duncan

... experienced by a parent in that pre-scientific time. You can imagine how they might label their child as demon-possessed. Jesus’ reaction to this desperate woman’s request is quite disturbing. The truth is, he didn’t respond at all. That seems so out of character, doesn’t it? The Master always responded to human need of any kind. His disciples certainly didn’t want to have anything to do with the woman. They came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” Then ...

603. When God's Dream Captures Your Heart

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... the city’s walls, and the wealthy were busy behind the scenes exploiting and enslaving their poorer brothers. Nehemiah could not tolerate such an evil practice, and with his power as governor he put a stop to it. He was a man of conscience, compassion and character, and the people responded to his leadership, and the walls were rebuilt, the city was re-established, the great dream was realized. This brings us to our Scripture lesson for the day. It is one of the most beautiful passages in all of the Bible ...

604. The Value of Doubt

John 20:19-31

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... which can be verified through the human senses. If Sheldon cannot touch it, smell it, taste it, see it, or hear it, he doesn’t believe it. That results in Sheldon having a limited understanding of what is true. To say the least, the Sheldon Cooper character is not given to poetic imagination. He seems not to have the capacity to stand in awe at the evening sunset, to thrill at the sound of a Bach chorale, or to rejoice at the sound of children laughing. Because of this particular characteristic, issues of ...

605. Lying By the Side of the Road

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... Jesus instruct us to go beyond what the ordinary person is apt to do. We need to know that there are people who do go that extra mile, who care just a little bit more. In her book Profiles in Character, former Congresswoman Barbara Cubin of Wyoming tells how her character was shaped by the moral influence of her parents. Barbara’s parents divorced when she was young. A few years later, Barbara’s mother remarried. Her new stepfather worked hard to support the family. One particular story demonstrates the ...

606. Aha! I See It Now!

John 1:29-42

Sermon

King Duncan

... great movie. But it’s also remembered for having one of the worst lines of movie dialogue ever. The movie follows a traumatized soldier and his high-society friends as they search for meaning at the end of World War I. In the midst of this the main character has this awful line of dialogue: “The dead look so terribly dead when they’re dead.” (4) Isn’t that an absurd line? “The dead look so terribly dead when they’re dead.” It’s a horrible line! But that’s our problem. We don’t see the ...

607. Scrubbing Our Social Media Accounts

Romans 5:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... mean to have peace with God? The Greek word used here refers to having peace, prosperity, to be at rest, or to be one with something. It means that there is no more hatred or opposition between us. We are one with God. We can rest in God’s character, God’s will, God’s promises, God’s provision. True peace with God means there is no reason for fear or conflict or anxiety. And finally, Paul is trying to teach us that through our faith in Jesus Christ, we now stand in God’s grace for eternity. Grace ...

608. The Surrogate

Matthew 1:1-17

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... of Boaz and of God. Jesus would later also use the metaphor of the threshing floor, as it is used here. The reference to his winnowing fork already appears in John the Baptizer’s lecture to the Pharisees. Ruth has become part of the family through her character and her faith. “May you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!” says Boaz to Ruth distinguishing the land of her birth from the new “family” of her heart. But the story goes further ...

609. A Man Under Authority / A Centurion's Faith, An Elder's Love

Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... came to Jesus. The Centurion had a great reputation among and rapport with the Jewish people of Capernaum. He helped construct their synagogue, and perhaps he sometimes worshiped there as a visitor. He knew the elders well enough that they would vouch for his character and sincerity. Jewish elders brought him to Jesus. When the Centurion laid down the symbols of his position and power, and looked up at Jesus from his knees, he saw an even greater symbol of power upon Jesus’ head –the mark of the Messiah ...

610. The Death of John the Baptist

Matthew 14:1-12, Mark 6:14-29, Luke 9:1-9

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... given to the dancing girl, the seductive twists and turns of sin take precedence over the “turning to God” proclaimed by John in the story. The dance of the story is the story itself: the dance of death vs the dance of life. The interactions of the characters display a macabre dance itself, as the story plays out to its surreal end. Take Aways How does your faith pan out when your head is on the platter? What does this story say about Herod? About your life as well? If Herod had not listened to ...

611. Revised and Revisioned

John 8:48-59, John 9:1-12, John 9:13-34, John 9:35-41, John 10:1-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... is released to the page, he or she takes on a life of his or her own. Sometimes, what the author meant to write changes, as the personality of the character begins to take form. In a sense, that character is given life, and goes on to do unexpected things. We have hundreds of stories about this thrilling and terrifying process of creation. One of those is a simple children’s story I’ll bet all of you have heard. It’s called the “Gingerbread Man.” Does anyone remember the ...

612. Dorcas, Dinah, or Delilah (Who are You?)

Genesis 34:1-31, Judges 16:1-22, Acts 9:32-43

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... them as a threat. Interestingly, We don’t know much about Dinah, except that we get the feeling, she jives with her father’s way of looking at things. But in her story, she serves as a unwilling catalyst for disaster. Voiceless, Dinah’s character is essentially nearly missing from her own story. Yet she stands as a barometer in an ambivalent culture clash. The conflictive decision of building walls or bridges between Israel and other cultures/religions is revealed and, in a sense, weighed in by the ...

613. What is Your Golden Calf?

Exodus 32:1-33:6, Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... us until we can vanquish them somehow by coming to terms with our own insecurities and foibles, desires and disappointments. Something similar has been said of the iconic Mr. Rogers. In his recent biographical film, his wife revealed that by creating the characters he used in his weekly programs and displaying the relational problems between them, he could act out and ultimately work through dilemmas and doubts from his own childhood. A childhood filled with times when he felt unsure of himself or when he ...

The character of human life, like the character of the human condition, like the character of all life, is "ambiguity": the inseparable mixture of good and evil, the true and false, the creative and destructive forces - both individual and social.

Paul Tillich

615. The First and Last Things

Luke 23:26-43

Illustration

Brett Blair

... alone amidst rocks and pitfalls and pitiless things, and suddenly a hand, a firm strong hand, had touched his own. And a voice within him bade him be of good courage. . . . God was beside him and within him and about him." Note: Wells, through the Britling Character, draws more a picture of a finite God rather than an Omnipotent Being, saying, "After all, the real God of the Christians is Christ, not God Almighty; a poor mocked and wounded God nailed on a cross of matter…. Some day He will triumph…. But ...

616. Seeking Joy

Philippians 4:2-9

Sermon

King Duncan

... is the embodiment of love—which He is—then what in the world do we have to worry about? Listen, I’m talking to myself as well as to you. Worry comes from two sinful beliefs: The first is that God’s character and God’s purposes cannot be trusted. God’s character consists of goodness and love. When we doubt God’s goodness and His love and then doubt His plans and purposes for us, then we get twisted up in worry and anxiety. It is particularly true in times of disappointment and heartbreak. Worry ...

617. When We Are Weak

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... , ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (vs. 9) When we give up on our own strength and rely totally on God to help us endure our troubles, that’s the point when we discover the true nature of God’s character and the true faithfulness of God’s promises. Have you reached a point in your life where you are pleading with God to change you or to change your circumstances? Does it seem like God is silent in your struggles? Then instead of asking God to fix your ...

618. How to Beat a Stress Test

Ephesians 6:10-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... God. When you trust in God to lead you in wisdom, truth and power each day, obstacles become opportunities to grow in faith. Enemies become opportunities to grow in character. Challenges become opportunities to grow in wisdom. Does faith in God mean you’ll never experience fear? No! But it does mean that you will act with wisdom, character and courage in spite of your fear. When Pastor Bruce Larson was a boy, his family attended a big Presbyterian church in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Larson says that his ...

619. The Days Are Coming

Jeremiah 33:14-16

Sermon

King Duncan

... needs more justice, doesn’t it? There is an old Arabian story about a wealthy prince who claims the land of a poor widow so that he can enlarge his palace gardens. The poor widow brings her complaint before a local judge. The judge is a man of character and integrity, but he is also smart enough to know that the wealthy prince could ruin him. As it was in ancient times, so it is today: the poor and powerless have little chance of receiving justice when they go up against the wealthy and powerful. Rather ...

620. The Richest Family in Church

Luke 4:14-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... to the poor. That’s a vital truth to understand about the Messiah. Because it tells us so much about God’s heart, about God’s character. When you have good news to tell, who do you want to share it with? You want to share it with those most affected by that ... . And He cares about those who are hurting and in need. Doesn’t that tell you everything you need to know about God’s character? Isn’t that a God you can trust with your life? With all my heart, I believe so. And I hope and pray that this ...

621. The Hiddenness Of Life’s Truths: Christian Life As Surprise

2 Corinthians 5:20b—6:10

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... is greater than what was expected.6[6] The next time you encounter hard times and despair, the next time you wonder why there’s so much lack of fairness in the world, wonder about God’s ways, take a moment to reflect on the hidden character of the gospel. Confess your sin bravely. Remember the ashes you are receiving today. You and I deserve them. They epitomize the value of our lives without Jesus — just ashes blowing in the wind. That way of thinking will get you ready, ready for Easter, ready ...

622. First World Problems

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... of his own pleasure. In reality, God is our Creator. We were made by God’s hands and in God’s image and for God’s purposes. Wise people know this and they daily work to align their values, priorities, desires and actions with the character and will of God. Tricia Mayer is the Senior Director of Research digital engagement at Microsoft Corporation. She is also a follower of Jesus. In her senior position at one of the world’s most successful companies, Mayer says she has seen how the “shackles ...

623. More Than a Popularity Contest

Luke 12:49-53, Luke 12:54-59

Sermon

King Duncan

... when we read this passage from Luke 12. Jesus is the love of God in the flesh. He is the Prince of Peace. The one whose death healed our separation with God and with our fellow humans. So these words from Jesus sound like they’re out of character for him. That’s what happens when we take Jesus’ words out of context. To understand this passage, we need to understand the “conversation” around it. I want you to keep that context in mind as we read the first few verses in our Bible passage today: “I ...

624. Have You Seen a Buck Flying Past?

Luke 16:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... days later, Pastor Tyng lost his arm in a freak accident. His last words as he lay dying were, “Stand up for Jesus, father, and tell my brethren of the ministry to stand up for Jesus!” Pastor Dudley Tyng was just 33 years old. Pastor Tyng’s character and his ministry were so influential that his friend, Rev. George Duffield, wrote a hymn in Tyng’s honor and presented it at his memorial service the next week. The hymn begins like this, Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Ye soldiers of the cross; Lift high ...

625. Master Teacher

Matthew 15:10-28

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... may be happening “behind the scenes and between the lines.” To read in context isn’t just about “reading” the whole story though. It’s also about really “seeing” the whole story, seeing it play out like a moving picture or theatre play with characters that move, speak, feel, and gesture. It’s about putting yourself into the story, so you can really see what’s going on in 3-D. Reading a scripture story is something like reading a script. But you are missing the parentheses that say: [the ...

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