Synonyms: renounce, relinquish, dispense with, forswear, disclaim, disown, disavow, discard, wash one's hands of, give up, stop, cease, drop, forgo, desist from, have done with, abjure, abstain from, discontinue, break off, refrain from, set/lay aside, desert, leave, leave high and dry, turn one's back on, cast aside, break (up) with, vacate, quit, evacuate, withdraw from, surrender, cede, yield, indulge in, give way to, give oneself up to, yield to, lose oneself to/in, uninhibitedness, recklessness, lack of restraint, lack of inhibition, unruliness, wildness, impulsiveness, impetuosity, immoderation, wantonness
Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on
Showing 51 to 75 of 266 results
51. The Divine Deal ...
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
Sermon
Ken Lentz
The priest challenged the rabbi at lunch: "Rabbi Cohen, when are you going to eat a piece of this delicious ham?" The rabbi answered, "I'll make a deal with you, Father Laughlin. If you get married, I'll eat the ham at your wedding." Deals. The owner of a house wants to sell it. She picks a realtor. In return for 6% commission, the realtor will find a buyer. The papers are signed. The deal is struck. The realtor has promised to represent the seller. A potential buyer seeks the help of the realtor. ...
Understanding Series
Arthur G. Patzia
The Appeal and Pattern for Unity Chapter 4 begins what often is referred to as the ethical or practical section of the epistle. If chapters 1–3 provide the theological basis for Christian unity, then chapters 4–6 contain the practical instruction for its maintenance. Unity has been established (the indicative); now it becomes the duty of the believers to strengthen and maintain unity in their fellowship (the imperative). This generalization does not mean that chapters 4–6 are devoid of theological content ...
Understanding Series
Donald A. Hagner
The Definitive Nature of Christ’s Work We now come to the first detailed statement of the definitive nature of Christ’s work—an argument that will be restated in several forms before we reach the end of this major section of the epistle in 10:18. It is now convincingly shown that, although the work of Christ corresponds in considerable detail to that of the levitical priesthood, it stands in contrast to the work of the latter as its ultimate counterpart. It is what truth is to shadow, what pattern is to ...
54. The Levites
1 Chronicles 23:1-6
Understanding Series
Louis C. Jonker
David Organizes the Cultic and Secular Officials: According to 1 Chronicles 10–22, David prepared everything for the building of the temple, including full instructions to his son Solomon. First Chronicles 23–27 now describes the division of the Levites for various kinds of service and gives an elaborate and intricate overview of how the cultic service was organized in Jerusalem. The short, opening comment that David made Solomon king serves as the bridge between David’s and Solomon’s reigns. From 23:2 ...
55. Gershonites
1 Chronicles 23:7-11
Understanding Series
Louis C. Jonker
David Organizes the Cultic and Secular Officials: According to 1 Chronicles 10–22, David prepared everything for the building of the temple, including full instructions to his son Solomon. First Chronicles 23–27 now describes the division of the Levites for various kinds of service and gives an elaborate and intricate overview of how the cultic service was organized in Jerusalem. The short, opening comment that David made Solomon king serves as the bridge between David’s and Solomon’s reigns. From 23:2 ...
56. Kohathites
1 Chronicles 23:12-20
Understanding Series
Louis C. Jonker
David Organizes the Cultic and Secular Officials: According to 1 Chronicles 10–22, David prepared everything for the building of the temple, including full instructions to his son Solomon. First Chronicles 23–27 now describes the division of the Levites for various kinds of service and gives an elaborate and intricate overview of how the cultic service was organized in Jerusalem. The short, opening comment that David made Solomon king serves as the bridge between David’s and Solomon’s reigns. From 23:2 ...
57. Merarites
1 Chronicles 23:21-32
Understanding Series
Louis C. Jonker
David Organizes the Cultic and Secular Officials: According to 1 Chronicles 10–22, David prepared everything for the building of the temple, including full instructions to his son Solomon. First Chronicles 23–27 now describes the division of the Levites for various kinds of service and gives an elaborate and intricate overview of how the cultic service was organized in Jerusalem. The short, opening comment that David made Solomon king serves as the bridge between David’s and Solomon’s reigns. From 23:2 ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:17 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— ...
59. Christ the King
Psalm 100:1-5, Ezekiel 34:1-31, Ephesians 1:15-23, Matthew 25:31-46
Sermon Aid
William E. Keeney
Actions Determine Judgment The parable brings us to the end of the parables in Cycle A of the lectionary. It is also the end of the last block of teaching material in the Gospel according to Matthew. It is appropriate that the parable points to the final judgment, the outcome of all that Jesus was trying to teach and demonstrate about the meaning of the kingdom of heaven. The parable contains some rich contrasts in the imagery it uses. On the one hand is the image of the king and the hosts of heaven. It is ...
60. The Unveiled Truth
Exodus 34:29-35
Sermon
Robert A. Hausman
Moses with horns! Have you ever seen a painting of Moses with horns? It was a common artistic convention in the middle ages to portray Moses with two horns, one on each side of his head. It all began with this passage. It says that when Moses came down from the mountain, the skin of his face shown. The root of that verb for shining (grn) is the same as the word for horn. Here it seems to be used in the sense of a ray (of the sun) coming forth from the head as a symbol of divinity. The Latin translation, ...
61. Christ The King
Ezekiel 34:1-31, Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Corinthians 15:12-34, Psalm 95:1-11, Psalm 23:1-6
Sermon Aid
THEOLOGICAL CLUE The very title given to this Sunday by the Roman Ordo and the LBW lectionary, Christ the King, firmly reinforces the eschatological framework of the church year, closing the gap between the Ascension of Our Lord and the end of the Pentecost cycle/season. All of the Sundays between the Ascension and Christ the King Sunday reflect the fact that in the Ascension Jesus has begun his reign. In the LBW liturgy, the traditional hymn of praise may be replaced by "Worthy is Christ," with its verse ...
Sermon
Brett Blair
This morning we conclude our series of sermons on the Ten Commandments. When Jesus came upon the scene, he did not come to a society that was devoid of ethics. The Jews possessed the ethic of the law, and the cornerstone of the law was the Decalogue---the Ten Commandments. For years Vince Lombardy coached the Greenbay Packers when they were at the height of their glory years. He was once interviewed by a sports reporter who asked him the secret of his winning success Simple, he said, I get my players to ...
63. What Time Is It?
Matthew 24:36-51
Sermon
Mark Trotter
As the year wears down, the days become shorter, the nights longer and darker. All people, both in our time and in ancient time, turn to questions of human mortality and the future of the earth. When I was in Mexico at the end of October, I saw the preparation for El Dia de los Muertos, "The Day of the Dead." Shrines were being erected in anticipation of November 2. The picture of the deceased loved one will be placed in the middle of the shrine, the frame of the shrine will be decked with beautiful yellow ...
Sermon
Bill Bouknight
Recently at the grocery store I noticed that even at this time of year you can buy half of lots of fruits, like watermelon and cantaloupe. This helps you judge something about the ripeness of the fruit, if not the taste. That reminds me of a woman who went to a grocery store and asked to buy half a great fruit. The clerk asked her to wait while he checked on that possibility. He went to the back of the store and said to the manager, “There is some nut here who wants to buy half a great fruit.” Then he ...
65. Doomsday Prophets
Matthew 25:1-13
Illustration
Steven A. Peay
In the early part of the nineteenth century a farmer by the name of William Miller began reading his Bible with an eye to the book of Revelation. He came to the conclusion in 1818 that in 25 years or so, probably in March, the second advent of the Lord would come. He got ordained, started preaching, and many followed him especially in the area of upstate New York he came from which was dubbed the "burned over district" since the fires of revival had burned there so often. March of 1843 and of 1844 came and ...
Sermon
Donald Charles Lacy
Keeping our word has a long and positive history in our nation. For generations, a man was known by whether or not he kept his word. His word was his bond. Deal after deal was made on that basis. The essentials of the business world found it always helpful and even necessary for commerce to run smoothly. Some of us can remember vividly how these agreements functioned. Woe be unto that man who did not keep his word! If it happened more than once or twice and there were no extenuating circumstances, he was ...
Sermon
Maxie Dunnam
It’s something for a commoner from rural Mississippi to be in the presence of royalty, but I want you to know I was there. I shook hands with Prince Philip. And my wife Jeri was standing beside the Bishop of Kenya, when he was introduced formally to the Queen of England. It was the occasion of the reopening of Wesley’s Chapel in London in 1980. It was a great occasion and people from all over the world, Methodists from all over the world had come for that exciting event. I’ve never experienced anything ...
68. Grand Opening
Matthew 2:1-12
Sermon
Robert J. Elder
Carefully the plans are laid. The property is purchased, the foundations are poured, the combination of bricks and sticks are put in their proper places, so that, after weeks of work and waiting, the building begins to take shape. Then, when the building is completed, a merchant makes his appearance on the scene, having long since made his purchasing plans and placed his orders for the first selection of goods to be offered to his anticipated customers. The empty store shelves and racks fill with ...
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
By the end of July the bounty of a backyard summer garden finally starts to really produce. The earlier, “lighter” crops — peas, lettuces, baby carrots — give way to the rich ripe produce of high summer. Tomatoes, cucumbers, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, corn on the cob, string beans, radishes, spinach — all the stuff that makes for great “sides” at every summer barbecue. Backyard farmers revel in their “crops” because every vegetable is grown with TLC. Yet with the cost of plants, containers, ...
70. The Runner
Romans 9:30--10:21
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
Your most beloved things are not always your most perfect things. And your most beloved relationships are not always your most perfect relationships. Remember your “blankie?” Come on now, you all had one. And it was in perfect shape, right? It was the rattiest, most stained, most beat up thing anyone has ever seen. But the condition it was in mattered not a wit at nap time, or bedtime, or cry time. Or what about that stuffed animal? Come on, now. You all had one. And it was in perfect shape, right? No ...
71. David’s Victories
1 Chronicles 18:1-13
Understanding Series
Louis C. Jonker
David’s Wars: In 17:10 the Chronicler made a small change to the verb of his source text. The result was a promise of Yahweh that he would subdue David’s enemies. The narratives that follow in the next three chapters provide proof that Yahweh did indeed fulfill this promise. These chapters emphasize that it is not David’s valor or his political aspirations that drove these military victories. It is rather Yahweh’s initiative in preparing the way for the dispensation of peace and rest that will prevail ...
72. The Last Day of the Feast
John 7:45--8:11, John 8:12-30
Understanding Series
J. Ramsey Michaels
Jesus’ third public announcement at the Feast of Tabernacles took place on the last and greatest day of the Feast (v. 37). It is perhaps the most remembered and certainly the most widely discussed saying in Jesus’ temple discourse if not in the entire Gospel. Of the nineteen articles on John 7 listed in the bibliography of Raymond Brown’s major commentary, seventeen deal with verses 37–39! (The Gospel According to John, AB 29A [New York: Doubleday, 1966], p. 331). This is attributable both to the intrinsic ...
Teach the Text
C. Marvin Pate
Big Idea: Paul merges two grand themes: mystery and mercy. The mystery of God is that the end-time conversion of the Gentiles will occur before the restoration of Israel, the reverse order of the Old Testament prophecies. God’s mystery involves his showing mercy to both Gentiles and Jews in these last days. Understanding the Text Romans 11:25–32 is the grand conclusion to chapters 9–11, showing that God has not cast off Israel, all the while showing mercy to the nations. Romans 11:25–32 divides into two ...
Teach the Text
Joe M. Sprinkle
Big Idea: Ingratitude toward God can lead to forfeiture of blessings. Understanding the Text After nearly a year at Mount Sinai, Israel resumes its march toward the promised land (Num. 10:11; cf. Exod. 19:1–2). It is an auspicious start. Everyone lines up as God has commanded through Moses (Num. 10:13–28) and as directed by the blasts of silver trumpets (Num. 10:1–10). God himself guides the Israelites in the fire cloud and with the ark (Num. 10:34–36). But after three days’ journey from Sinai (Num. 10:33 ...
Teach the Text
C. Hassell Bullock
Big Idea: When our sins and their consequences are misconstrued by our adversaries, God will dispense his discipline without malice. Understanding the Text Psalm 38 is an individual lament (esp. 38:2–14) about the psalmist’s sickness that, in his view, has been caused by his sin, which he confesses (38:3–4, 18). Generally this genre includes, according to Westermann, complaints against God, against an enemy, and against the psalmist himself.[1] While a lament need not contain all three, Psalm 38 does: ...
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