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 751 to 775 of 885 results

751. “Lord, Who May Dwell in Your Sacred Tent?”

Psalm 15:1-5

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... faith in general, and still apply to our own lives. The exception is lending money to the poor at interest, but the moral principle that stands behind this prohibition should still be observed.[14] We should not miss this chance to speak about compassionate business practices. In summary, this rubric will instruct us that entrance into God’s presence (or our personal relationship to God) demands an ethical life both for entering and for living in relation to him. The third of the “Key Themes” is the ...

752. “Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit”

Psalm 31:1-24

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... his ideas, he commits his spirit into God’s hands (31:5a) and confesses that the significant moments of his life are in God’s hands (31:15a). A metaphor for God’s power, God’s hands are a symbol not of brute power but of God’s compassionate control over the lives of the faithful who, because of God’s abundant goodness, fear God and take refuge in him (31:19). The personalization of the covenant faith is further evidenced in David’s call to the congregation to “love the Lord” (31:23). It is ...

753. “May the Net They Hid Entangle Them”

Psalm 35:1-28

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... words of the priest, the wise, and the prophet (perhaps these three groups were the major source of the charges). Yet Jeremiah’s disposition is not one of total denunciation, for he reminds God of how he has pleaded for their welfare (18:20b), putting a compassionate face on Jeremiah’s preaching. He, like Jonah (Jon. 4:2), knows God’s gracious nature and wants to direct God’s response into the channel of punitive action. Jesus knows this psalm and quotes 35:19 in one of his discourses in John’s ...

754. “Endow the King with Your Justice, O God”

Psalm 72:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... moon no longer exists. Part 3: Pleas for worldwide dominion (72:8–11) These verses are a prayer that the king will rule universally (“from sea to sea,” 72:8) and that his reign will be universally acknowledged. Part 4: Prayer for compassionate justice (72:12–14) This section is introduced by “yes, indeed” (ki; NIV: “for”), and the discussion returns to justice for the “needy,” “afflicted,” and “weak,” the topic of part 1 (72:2–4) and verse 7 (“righteous” = the afflicted and ...

755. God Subjugates Judah under Babylon

Daniel 1:1-21

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... translates, “Elohim is my judge”; Hananiah, “Yahweh is gracious”; Mishael, “Who is like Elohim?”; and Azariah, “Yahweh helps.” Read together, these reveal the incomparably sovereign Lord Yahweh, who exacts national and personal justice, while rendering compassionate help to faithful servants.8Though the author does not explain these names, Hebrew readers can easily discern their meaning. The exact meanings of the Babylonian names are debated, although certainly they were intended to honor ...

756. Nabuchadnezzar’s Dream and Daniel's Interpretation

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

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... the longer phrase, “God of heaven and earth.”2 Interpretive Insights 2:17 his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. This is the last reference to Daniel’s friends by their Hebrew names, which poignantly speak of the incomparable God, Yahweh, who gives compassionate help to his faithful servants. Curiously, in 2:49 and throughout the next chapter only their pagan names are used. After that, these three Judeans disappear from the text of Daniel. 2:18 He urged them to plead for mercy. The Aramaic ...

757. The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace

Daniel 3:1-30

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... audience of the rich theology contained in these names that could encourage Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in this time of crisis (see the comments on 1:7). Knowing that the God whom believers serve today is still the incomparable (Mishael) and compassionate God (Hananiah) and is the ultimate rescuer (Azariah) can be of great comfort in circumstances similar to those of the three Jews long ago. What not to teach. First, this text does not present a precise historical backdrop to the narrative. Therefore ...

758. Nebuchadnezzar’s Judgment and Repentance

Daniel 4:28-37

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... only announce judgment but also promise blessing, if repentance is forthcoming. Similarly, Daniel juxtaposes God’s righteous judgment of Judah with a passionate plea for restoration (9:4–19). God’s work with Nebuchadnezzar affirms that God is gracious and compassionate to restore the repentant sinner. Exhort your listeners to practice restoration of those who raise their eyes toward heaven, of those who are moving toward God rather than away from him. Warn them sternlyto watch out for their own pride ...

759. Daniel in the Den of Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... for his behavior centered in the worthiness of the God he serves. Recount and reflect on the aspects of God’s character that warrant such costly obedience: he is able to rescue because he is sovereign; he cares in our times of need because he is compassionate; he expects us to live holy lives because he is holy—to name only a few. 2. “Worship” is an action verb. Threatening words can quickly turn into imminent danger, taking us beyond worship as usual to a place of urgent petitions to God for help ...

760. How Do You Get Rid of Evil without Destroying Good?

Matthew 13:24-30

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... in doctrine—those who made right belief and right interpretation of law the ultimate route of God. It interests me that some of the groups that are rigid in doctrine, purists in their belief, are cold and calloused, and in my mind, furthest from the compassionate mind of Christ. Others who hold to the notion that the church is to be a “called out people—untainted by the world,” put their emphasis on morality. And usually the emphasis is upon what they would call “sins of the flesh.” They refuse ...

761. Are You a Pillar or a Pillow?

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... , are they not? Some of you are strong at the broken places. You have confronted your disappointments, not with despair, but with determination. Instead of clinching your fists in protest, you have folded your hands in prayer. In turn this has made you more compassionate towards others. A man wrote to Reader’s Digest that his pastor, knowing that many members of the congregation were out of work and broke, put a hundred dollars, in one and five-dollar bills, into a wicker basket. Explaining that the money ...

762. Joseph’s Reassurance

Genesis 50:15-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... record. To that degree the brothers’ quotation of their father’s words is unverifiable (as is Absalom’s referencing his own earlier words in 2 Sam. 15:8). Their apprehension is all for naught. They fail to see that Joseph is different, that he is compassionate and forgiving, that he is unlike his brothers. “Am I in the place of God?” (50:19) he asks. Then Joseph follows with the classic line: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (50:20). The best evidence of spiritual ...

763. Spiritual Failures

Judges 2:6–3:6

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... for help. That is why in 10:14, the Lord, in anger, tells the people to “cry out” to the gods they have chosen instead. That being the case, the Lord’s intervention in stage four is to be understood as a gracious and compassionate act to the undeserving rather than a response to genuine repentance. Second, note also that the cycles are not simply static recurrences, but according to 2:19 each represents a further deterioration from the one before. This is also discernible in the narratives of the ...

764. Psalm 86

Psalm 86:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

An inclusio of hearing and answering prayer (86:1, 7) surrounds David’s requests to the pardoning and compassionate God for protection and deliverance. David then (86:8–10) declares that the world should praise God for his great works. Similarly, David announces that, because God has worked wonderfully on his behalf, he wants to know God better and praise him forever (86:11–13). David begins the final ...

765. Psalm 94

Psalm 94:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... assume that God has no idea what they are doing (94:7). Yet their beliefs about God are illogical; for the one who created the ability to hear, see, and think most certainly knows all about their sinful actions (94:8–11). This all-knowing, compassionate God justly disciplines his people so that they might follow his truth (94:12–16). Likewise, he deals with his enemies in justice, issuing a judgment that results in their destruction (94:20–21, 23). God, however, protects his people (94:17–19, 22).

766. Psalm 103

Psalm 103:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... his needs. David notes that God also demonstrates his care for others (103:6–8). God is not a machine, automatically condemning us as he well could (103:9). Likewise, he is not always fair to us—sometimes he shows mercy when we deserve punishment (103:10). Furthermore, God acts compassionately toward those who serve him, eradicating their sins, which have brought about the terrible shortness of life (103:11–18). This God, who rules over creation, deserves praise from his creation (103:19–22).

767. Psalm 111

Psalm 111:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the nations—thus fulfilling his promise (110:5–7). In 111:1, the author determines to publicly praise God. Then, in verses 2–9, he does so, speaking of God’s memorable works, which are worthy of thoughtful study—works by which the righteous and compassionate God redeems and cares for his people. In light of God’s character and works, the author (111:10) declares that true spirituality arises from having right attitudes toward God and right actions for God. He then concludes with praise for God.

768. Psalm 131

Psalm 131:1-3

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... (i.e., looking down on others as being of no account; cf. Prov. 30:12–13), not in achieving high status (Jer. 45:5), and not in doing miraculous things (as God alone does; cf. Ps. 72:18). David humbles himself before God, taking satisfaction in being in God’s compassionate and protective arms (much like a child does who delights in holding on to his or her mother; 131:2). Psalm 131:2–3 link back to 130:5–7. Hope (131:3) implies confident waiting—the opposite of what 131:1 describes.

769. God's Mercy and Israel's Unfaithfulness

Isaiah 42:18-25, Isaiah 43:1-13, Isaiah 43:14-28

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... things will bring with it the climactic fulfillment of these words. God’s people do not deserve his love (43:22–28). They have failed to honor him as God by neglecting to present offerings and sacrifices. But the nature of God does not change. He is compassionate and gracious and ready to forgive his people (Exod. 34:6–7; Ps. 103:3, 11–14). Because of God’s unchanging love, the prophet calls on the people to turn from their state of sin and return to Yahweh. From its beginnings, Israel has been a ...

770. Hope: Repent and God Will Forgive

Hosea 14:1-9

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... save them. These man-made attempts to survive in this world provide no lasting answers to the trials and tribulations of life. Their only hope is to trust in God, whose strength is seen when people are weak and unable to save themselves. Only God is truly compassionate to the weak, the powerless, and the fatherless. He is able to bring true hope and comfort if only people will turn from their sinful ways and depend on him. God next promises to forgive and restore his people when they trust in him (14:4–8 ...

771. The Lord’s Call for Judah’s Repentance

Joel 2:12-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... that the Lord will “relent,” he is using human language to describe God’s unfathomable will in refraining from immediate divine judgment (2:13). Similarly, the book of Jonah represents the prophet’s struggle with God’s character as compassionate and merciful in light of his apparent failure to judge Nineveh for its evil behavior. Joel reinforces the inscrutability of God’s actions by the rhetorical expression, “Who knows?” (2:14). The text recalls the practice of gleaning, or allowing ...

772. Jesus and John the Baptist

Matthew 11:1-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... from conflict:In Matthew 11:2–16:20, Matthew narrates Jesus’s ongoing ministry to Israel in the face of increased confrontation with and rejection by Jewish leaders. Faced with these controversies, Jesus withdraws from confrontation and instead turns to compassionate ministry focused on the Jewish crowds (12:15; 14:13; 15:21, 30). Matthew shows a range of responses to Jesus’s emerging identity, from rejection by Jewish leaders and Jesus’s hometown to the disciples’ right confession of Jesus ...

773. The Lord of the Sabbath

Matthew 12:1-14, Matthew 12:15-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... by healing their sick yet warns them not to reveal his identity (cf. 8:4; 9:30; 16:20). Matthew connects both of these actions to a citation from Isaiah 42:1–4, the longest of his fulfillment quotations (see “Sources” in the introduction). Jesus’s compassionate healing ministry is alluded to in 12:20 (Isa. 42:3), and his warning of secrecy connects to 12:19 (Isa. 42:2). In addition, the Isaiah citation confirms that Jesus is Isaiah’s servant of the Lord (also 8:17), who will bring justice not ...

774. A Prophet without Honor

Matthew 13:53-58, Matthew 14:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

13:54–16:20 Review · Conflict and identity: In this section, Matthew continues to narrate the growing conflict between the Jewish leaders and Jesus. As before (12:15), he withdraws from this conflict to engage in compassionate ministry to the crowds and interaction with his disciples (with withdrawal language at 12:15; 14:13; and 15:21). Jesus’s identity is highlighted in this section of narrative, as the disciples come to confess Jesus as the Messiah (16:13–20) while others misunderstand (14:1–12 ...

775. The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

Matthew 15:21-28

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Engagement in controversy again leads to Jesus’s withdrawing to compassionate ministry (15:21–31; cf. 12:15; 14:13), this time in the direction of Tyre and Sidon—Mediterranean coastal cities northwest of Galilee. In this location, Jesus is approached by a Gentile woman, a Canaanite, with the term evoking the Old Testament association of Israel’s enemies (15:22; ...

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