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 1065 results

601. “In the Lord I Take Refuge”

Psalm 11:1-7

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: When our theological foundations are threatened, our fears are disabled by remembering God’s just and majestic character. Understanding the Text Psalm 11 is an individual lament. The lament is quite brief (11:1b) and obviously grows out of the immediate threat of danger that David faced (11:2), which itself grows out of the nature of the wicked “who love violence” (11:5). It is that bigger problem that shakes the foundations of faith and life (11:3), until Yahweh’s vision from his heavenly throne ...

602. God Subjugates Judah under Babylon

Daniel 1:1-21

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Big Idea: The incomparable Lord is sovereign over all earthly kingdoms, holding rulers and subjects alike accountable for sin and challenging believers to spiritual fidelity. Understanding the Text Daniel 1:1–21 introduces the narratives of chapters 1–6, which reflect the writer’s perspective on the approximately seventy years of Judean exile (605–538 BC) alluded to in verses 1 and 21 and throughout the book. It also serves as the Hebrew prologue to the book’s concentric Aramaic and Hebrew sections (chaps ...

603. Nabuchadnezzar’s Dream and Daniel's Interpretation

Daniel 2:1-23, Daniel 2:24-49

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Nebuchadnezzar Is Troubled by a Dream (2:1-16): Big Idea: God sometimes allows mere mortals, however powerful, to discover the bankruptcy of their belief systems before revealing himself through his messenger. Understanding the Text Daniel 2:1–49 is woven into the book’s overall literary structure in two ways. First, it advances the narrative of chapters 1–6, in which the first four focus on Nebuchadnezzar (chaps. 1–2 with historical markers and 3–4 without) and the last two show the transition from ...

604. A Lesson Learned from a Snake

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

Mrs. Billie Cannon--a Knoxville, Tennessee homemaker--was preparing to paint her back porch. In order to protect the floor, she very carefully placed around the edges of the floor a strip of Scotch tape--the kind with adhesive on both sides. It was her plan to place a drop cloth over the floor and secure it with the tape. Having succeeded in placing the tape around the entire surface, she went back inside the house to get a drop cloth. Returning to the porch sometime later, she found that all of her ...

605. Proverbs of Solomon

Proberbs 10:1--22:16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

10:1–29:27 Review · Proverbial Collections: Advanced Instruction in Wisdom: If one views Proverbs 1–9 as a basic introduction to proverbial wisdom, then chapters 10–29 serve as the advanced course. Or, to express it differently, the prologue presents and commends wisdom, while the collections that follow illustrate the scope and variety of situations in which wisdom is advantageous (without absolutely guaranteeing success) if employed properly and in a timely manner. Proverbs 1–9 also gives the reader a ...

606. Wealth is Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 5:8--6:12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

5:10–6:9 Review · Qoheleth concludes his examination of foundational human activities with an extensive and highly structured analysis of wealth. This section can be subdivided into three distinct scenarios involving wealth on the basis of the threefold use of “I saw” (5:13; 5:18; 6:1) as well as the striking verbal and conceptual parallels between 5:10–12 and 6:7–9. Two negative portraits (5:13–17; 6:1–6) frame a positive one (5:18–20). These three observations are in turn framed by an introduction and a ...

607. Lawsuits Among Believers

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

Having raised the issue of the relations of Christians both to other Christians and to those outside the church, Paul’s mind seems to move to the matter of how Christians relate to one another outside the life of the church. His discussion focuses on the issue of Christians suing each other in pagan courts of law. One cannot determine how Paul knows about this problem; nevertheless, he discusses the matter in some detail. Although interpreters regularly refer to these verses as an excursus, the discussion ...

608. The Fall of Babylon

Revelation 18:1-24

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

In chapter 18, John describes a variety of responses, from heaven (18:1–8, 20) and on earth (18:9–19), to the shocking news of Babylon’s destruction. These responses constitute the climactic scene of the seventh trumpet-plague and the “third woe” that precede the inbreaking of God’s reign on earth. Drawing upon biblical “doom-songs” and laments that were written of other city-states (cf. Beasley-Murray, Revelation, p. 262), John composes a dirge about Babylon’s destruction which deepens the significance of ...

609. David's Victories

2 Samuel 8:1-14

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

War and Peace – Enemies and Friends: 8:1–14 In contrast to the relaxed narrative style of the surrounding chapters, this is a terse summary of David’s military successes against the surrounding tribes. These verse fill in the background and explain how the LORD gave him rest from all his enemies (7:1). David’s victories eventually led to the stage where the Philistines no longer posed a serious threat. In a similar way, the other tribes surrounding Israel were subdued and often subjugated. Some, like ...

610. Eliphaz's Second Speech to Job

Job 15:1-35

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

Sin Prompts Your Mouth The “second dialogue cycle” begins here as we return to the argument of Eliphaz, from whom we last heard in chapters 4 and 5. There Eliphaz operated from the assumption that humans are “born to trouble” (5:7) and therefore “reap” what they “sow” (4:8). It is impossible for “a mortal to be righteous before God.” Since even God’s servants, the angels, are untrustworthy, “how much more” are humans subject to “error” (4:18–19). As a result, Job must deserve his suffering. His only hope ...

611. Personal Requests

1 Corinthians 16:5-18

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

16:5 Paul sketches his future itinerary, indicating the intention to pass through Macedonia on the way to Corinth, which was in Achaia. This particular route meant that Paul did not plan to sail directly from Ephesus to Corinth, and from 2 Corinthians 8–9 one learns of the Macedonian Christians’ participation in the collection. 16:6 Paul’s reference to a possible stay in Corinth is simple. He intended to spend the winter, the season when travel was impossible, in Corinth; then, when spring came he could go ...

612. David's Officials

2 Samuel 8:15-18

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

613. Jesus Sentenced to be Crucified

John 19:1-16, John 18:28-40

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The sentencing of Jesus to death takes place within the framework of a series of exchanges between the Roman governor Pilate and the Jewish religious authorities. The time is from early morning (18:28) to noon (19:14) of the day after Jesus’ arrest. The structure of the narrative is determined by the fact that the Jewish authorities, for reasons of ritual purity, would not go inside the palace that served as Pilate’s headquarters (v. 28). Contact with the dwelling of a Gentile—even a temporary dwelling, ...

614. Am I Eating Manna or Bread from Heaven?

John 6:35, 41-51

Sermon

Rick McCracken-Bennett

When I was very young, being reared in another denomination, my mother and I, for reasons I cannot remember, were at church together without the rest of the family. In my memory it was evening; also for reasons I cannot remember. What I do recall is that my mother had a very traumatic experience at that service of Holy Eucharist. We were seated in back instead of in our customary pew halfway up on the left side of the sanctuary and so were among the last to receive communion. We followed the instructions ...

615. What Really Counts

Mark 9:38-43

Sermon

King Duncan

There is a time-honored story about a Roman Catholic Church that was hosting a community Thanksgiving service. This was to be a first for the church and for the community. Naturally everyone was quite excited. With great dignity the priest led his three Protestant colleagues toward the chancel area when suddenly he realized that he had forgotten to put out chairs for his guests to sit in during the service. In a state of great agitation, he whispered in the ear of one of his elderly laymen, “Please get ...

616. The Year of the Woman

Genesis 2:18-24

Sermon

King Duncan

Pastor Billy D. Strayhorn tells about a certain church which held a Sunday service patterned after those in colonial America. The pastor dressed in long coat and knickers, and the congregation was divided by gender: men on the left side of the aisle and women on the right. At collection time, the pastor announced that this, too, would be done in the old way. He asked the “head of the household” to come forward and place the money on the altar. The men instantly rose. To the amusement of the entire ...

617. From Deep Unto Deep

Luke 22:14--23:56

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

On the Christian calendar, today begins the last week of Lent.1 The forty days between Shrove Tuesday, at the end of Mardi Gras, and the Saturday before Easter are intended as a time for prayer, meditation, reflection, and repentance. Generally speaking, the serious nature of Lent makes it emotionally a rather dreary time. During Holy Week, the mood moves from dreary to downright lugubrious. Next Sunday morning, of course, we will awake to the joyous news that “Christ the Lord is risen today. Alleluia! He ...

618. From His Arrest to His Crucifixion and Burial

John 18:1--19:42

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

It was the last week of July 2013. An ultramodern, high speed passenger train neared the end of a six-hour trip from Madrid to the northwest Spanish city of Ferrol. The train entered a long, steep curve on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela. Those of us watching the slow motion security camera video realized immediately that this was not going to end well. The train was traveling 120 miles per hour, more than twice the speed limit. About half-way through the curve, a passenger car in the middle of the ...

619. Blessed

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

We hear it all the time. We hear it in church, in interviews with sports and movie stars, and we hear it a whole lot around the Fourth of July. “I’ve been blessed.” “We’ve been so blessed.” But what does it mean? What does it mean to be blessed? Usually we associate it with plentitude. It means that we have a lot of something: money, property, talent. Certainly, in that sense things haven’t changed much over the past 2,000 years. Ask any first-century Jew who the blessed people were in their community and ...

620. Unreasonable Mercy

2 Kings 5:1-27, Matthew 8:5-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Prop: YouTube Clip from the Emperor’s New Groove (provided below) and Ad for Discover Card. You can also optionally play some of the clip from Abbott and Costello. [Hold up a cell phone.] Technology. We love it. And we hate it. It makes our lives easier, faster, more convenient, for sure. But like any form of mediating communication, it can also confuse, convolute, cause misunderstandings between us. And we have enough trouble understanding each other without it! Remember the old skit from Abbott and ...

621. Vendetta

2 Kings 1:1-18

Sermon

Lori Wagner

You probably all know the play by Shakespeare called “Romeo and Juliet.” Even if you aren’t a Shakespeare fan, or even if you detest trying to read an older version of English, modernized versions of the play in the form of movies and references have made the story timeless. For those of you who may not know the whole story, it centers around two families, the Capulets and the Montagues. Another family, the Verona family is in different ways tied to both. But the famous feud takes place between the ...

622. Fake News vs. Fantastic Good News

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

King Duncan

Early in 1761 two small earthquakes hit London, England. Soon afterwards, a rumor spread through the city that a well-known psychic had predicted a massive earthquake would occur on April 5 of that year. Gullible people were alarmed. Citizens of London began leaving the city, moving to other cities nearby or setting up camps in the outlying rural areas. And then they waited for the big one to hit. And, of course, it never did. (1) Such rumors or faulty predictions have spread in this country from time to ...

623. Missional Discontinuity

Mark 6:30-44, Mark 6:45-56

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

What is it with Americans and work? We work, on average, 1,836 hours a year, more than just about anyone else in the industrialized world, and we take less vacation. 42% of working Americans don’t take any vacation at all and, of those who do, 61% report that they were working when they should have been playing!1 Paid time off makes up, on average, 7% of an American workers’ compensation package but most workers don’t collect all that they are entitled to. In fact, according to Fortune magazine, the ...

624. The Call

Matthew 16:13-20, Mark 1:14-20, Matthew 5:13-16

Sermon

Will Willimon

When I was a seminarian, in a geriatric hospital, learning to be a chaplain, this old man told me one day that he was Dwight D. Eisenhower. The nurses urged me to try to talk him out of it. I couldn't. He steadfastly insisted that he was Eisenhower. Trouble was, I had no personal acquaintance with Dwight D. Eisenhower. The man was bald, had a Midwestern accent, had been in the army, seemed harmless enough, which, for all I knew, qualified him to be Dwight D. Eisenhower. He told me that I didn't have to ...

625. The Grip

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Readiness. This is a word that our culture often has lost sight of. We tend to be a rather impulsive people today. When we want something, we want it now, …or better yet, yesterday. We leap into new ventures without checking them out fully. We rush headlong into situations that may or may not do us harm. We rack up credit by the thousands without a plan to pay it back. We have children without thinking through what those responsibilities will mean for us. We lash out at our friends, partners, and spouses ...

Showing results