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 876 to 900 of 1499 results

876. What Happens When I Die?

John 14:1-4

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

My children and grandchildren introduced me to that delightful little comic strip Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson. In one strip, Calvin is lying on a hillside, next to his stuffed tiger Hobbes, pondering the meaning of life. He asks: I wonder where we go when we die. They lie there for a few moments, and then Hobbes replies, Pittsburgh? In the last panel, Calvin asks, You mean if were good or if were bad? A day or two before he died, William Saroyan said to his friends, “Everybody has got to die; but I ...

877. What about Spiritual Healing?

John 4:43-54

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

The story is told of a Methodist and a Baptist who were once discussing the subject of infant baptism. The Baptist asked his Methodist friend, “Do you believe in Infant Baptism?” “Believe in it?” the Methodist replied, “Why, man, I’ve seen it!” The same might be said by almost any minister if the question were asked, “Do you believe in spiritual healing?” “Believe in it, why, we’ve seen it!” We may not talk much about such experiences. We may not write books about it or go on television and talk about it. ...

878. Philip the First

John 1:43-51

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

I wonder about folks who proclaim their theology through the medium of bumper stickers. I have wondered ever since I read about the fellow who honked when he saw the bumper sticker, “Honk if you love Jesus,” only to be greeted by an obscene gesture from the driver of the other car. I suppose “Have a nice day” is harmless enough, but I recently came across one which said: “Don’t tell me what kind of a day to have!” A few years ago there was a campaign which plastered bumper stickers on cars with the caption ...

879. What Do You Want Me to Do for You?

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

I find it strange that, in a time when we are becoming more and more sensitive toward persons with handicapping conditions, our nation’s State Department would adopt a policy which effectively eliminates blind persons from foreign service positions. As the editorial in the Ann Arbor News put it, “It’s probably a good thing Helen Keller isn’t alive today to apply for a job with the U.S. foreign services, They’d turn her down, flat.” (Thursday, December 1, 1988) I can understand that blindness would ...

880. On Doing Beautiful Things

Mark 14:1-11

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

That was a beautiful thing which was done in 1989 by the Boy Scouts from Troop 4, sponsored by First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor, and from Troop 61, sponsored by Domino’s Pizza. They gave money to help the owner of the taxicab which was damaged by rioters celebrating Michigan’s NCAA Basketball championship. (Ann Arbor News, April 19, 1989, p. 1) That was a beautiful thing to do...and I hope that somebody else sees fit to reimburse the poor fellow for the rest of the repair bill for the incident, ...

881. On the Singing of Hymns

Mark 14:12-26

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” (Mark 14:26) This little verse in Mark’s Gospel which occurs at the end of the Last Supper account, has always intrigued me. It may well be one of the greatest pictures of quiet courage and confidence in all of literature. For Jesus and His students were singing in the very shadow of the cross! I. THEY WERE NOT THE FIRST NOR THE LAST TO DO SO. Scholars suggest that the hymn they may have sung was the famous hallel Psalm 118, which was ...

882. What Kind of Vote Would Jesus Get?

Mark 15:1-15

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

All four Gospels make reference to Barabbas, the man who got more votes than Jesus did on that fateful Good Friday so long ago. In his book PERSONALITIES OF THE PASSION, Leslie Weatherhead says: “Matthew and Mark tell us that the priests incited the multitude to choose Barabbas as the one who should be released by the act of clemency with which the government marked the day of Jewish festival. It seems a strange choice.” (New York and Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1953, p. 87) I. NOT TO ME IT DOESN’T. It ...

883. What Is Your Response toe the Resurrection?

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Were you as surprised as I was to see that Mark concludes his marvelous Gospel with these words, "and they said nothing to anyone--for they were afraid?" We know from personal experience that fear is not always a negative response, but to end a Gospel in this way almost seems out of place. However, it is not God''s response to the Resurrection that Mark is being honest about; it is the human response. The Resurrection was God''s response to human folly, but the human response to God was that of fear. As we ...

884. What Is Your Response to the Resurrection?

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Were you as surprised or shocked as I was to read that Mark concludes his marvelous Gospel writing in chapter 16, verse 8 with the words, "and they said nothing to anyone--for they were afraid." We know from personal experience that fear is not always a negative response, but to end a portion of God''s word in this way almost seems out of place. However, it is not God''s response to the resurrection that Mark is being honest about; it is the human response. The resurrection was God''s response, but the ...

885. Mother's Day

Proverbs 1:1-7

Sermon

Eric Ritz

I think everyone knows today--that this Sunday is the day we celebrate and honor motherhood. It is the day we descend on Mom to show her our love. It is always inspiring as we leaf through the pages of history to see the great influence that mothers have had on their sons and daughters. Our own founder and spiritual mentor, John Wesley, was deeply influenced by the godly character of his mother, Suzanna. There is much debate and controversy today among Christian leaders and pastors over the Biblical role ...

886. The Fox

Mark 6:14-29

Sermon

David G. Rogne

I know that I don't have much status up here in Gaul, but will you do me the favor of listening to me? I've had an awful lot of time to think during these years I have been in exile, and I need to share my conclusions about life with someone. My name is Herod. The problem is that our family is so extended, and so many people bear that name, that I should really use my given name, which is Antipas. My circumstances used to be far different than they are now. It's not that Lyons is such a bad place to end up ...

887. Waiting for Godot?

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Sermon

Fredrick R. Harm

As we embark on another Advent Adventure we pause to remind ourselves that this sacred season holds a twofold emphasis. Not only do we journey towards Christ's nativity but also we project our thoughts towards his second advent when the final curtain will be lowered on the world as we now know it. This twofold emphasis is underscored in Saint Paul's greeting to his friends in today's text. In Samuel Beckett's tragicomedy, Waiting for Godot, we are introduced to Vladimir and Estragon who are waiting for the ...

888. Who Can Ask for Anything More?

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Sermon

Fredrick R. Harm

Those who have read Charles Dickens' famous story, Oliver Twist, will recall that little Oliver, still hungry after receiving the thin gruel doled out to him in the orphanage, was always saying, "More, please." Whether we are entitled to more or not, we human beings are very much like Oliver. We are always saying, one way or another, "We want more." Who was it that first said, "Enough is always a little more than a man has"? Philosophers and sages of long ago were sure that happiness does not lie in ...

889. Breaking The Negative Cycle

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

One of the most destructive foibles of human nature is the tendency to lock ourselves into rigid patterns of thinking, ruts of responding, and unalterable avenues of acting. It was this way of thinking that caused Jesus to condemn the Pharisees, admonishing them about straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. The most common pattern into which we humans tend to move is what I call a negative cycle. I doubt if there’s anything more devastating to daily living, to our effective functioning, to creative and ...

890. Living With The Nitty Gritty

1 Peter 1:13-2:3

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Our scripture lesson is from the first epistle of Peter, the 1st chapter, beginning at the 13th and reading through the 21st verses. This is the word of the Lord. Therefore, gird up your minds, be sober, set your hope fully upon the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is Holy, be Holy yourselves in all your conduct. Since it is written, you shall be Holy for I am Holy. And ...

891. The Christian Life Defined By Prayer

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

My grandmother Dunham came to live with us when I was four or five years old. She was a quiet, gentle woman who spoke very little. But her presence was like a benediction to our entire household. I remember Grandma as she sat on the swing on the front porch. Now you don’t know anything about the South, unless you know that swings on front porches are very important. She would sit in the swing on the front porch, reading the Bible. During our play, we often found her with her hands folded over the open ...

892. He Is Not Here He Is Risen

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

If I were not preaching through the Gospel of Mark these days, I would have probably chosen another Gospel from which to read the Easter story. All the other Gospels tell a fuller and more complete, even more dramatic, story of the Resurrection. Mark’s announcement of Easter is really understated. In Mark’s Gospel, the big day is Good Friday He builds up to that day for five chapters, beginning with Palm Sunday. I don’t know whether you’ve ever noted it or not, but the events of Holy Week take up one-third ...

893. Called To Finish What Is Finished

Colossians 1:24--2:5, Colossians 1:15-23

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Someone has said, and I agree, that the idea of Redemption in a world of sin and tragedy constitutes the noblest concept ever to enter the mind of God or the awareness of a human being. Paul would also agree. The theme of Redemption is woven into the fabric of everything he wrote. He repeats that theme over and over again in Colossians, affirming that God's implementation of his idea of redemption is the love gift of his son Jesus Christ on the Cross. The most amazing truth for you and me today is that we ...

894. Loving The Jesus Way

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

A tramp, one day, knocked at the door of a Catholic Rectory. "Father," he said to the priest, "I've been floating around for a long time, and I was wondering if I could join your church and settle down?" "Why, yes," said the priest, "I'd be happy for you to do that, but first let's find out what you know about faith." With Christmas coming, he decided to ask the tramp a simple and seasonal question. "Where was Jesus born?", asked the priest. Without even hesitating, the tramp said, "In Pittsburg." "No," ...

895. Noah: The Bearer Of An Alternative Possibility

Genesis 6:1-8:22

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I read recently of a young man, recently married, who chanced to meet an old friend. The friend had already notched several anniversaries on his belt. After a bit of small talk, the veteran said to the rookie: "How's married life treating you?" "To tell the truth," said the young fellow, "things don't seem to be going all that well. My wife is always telling me what to do...bossing me around...acting as if I can't think for myself." "Had that trouble myself," said the man with many years of marriage behind ...

896. At The Fork In The Road

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

In his book, Invitation to Pilgrimage, John Bailey wrote, "I am sure that the bit of road that most requires to be illuminated is the point where it forks." (Charles Scribner's and Sons, 1942, p. 8) He's right, isn't he? There's no place on our life's journey where we need more light than when we come to some crucial fork in the road and have to make a decision as to which direction we are going to go. Do you remember the story of the woman who was trying to get into a parking space in a heavily congested ...

897. When Jesus Comes

Luke 8:22-25

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

"Jesus walks in church today, Jesus speaks while people pray Touch and hear one bowed in grief Strengthening a weak belief, Healing habits too long King, Showing judgments reckoning, Granting one a new life's start. His garment's hem just brushed my heart. (Quoted by Leonard H. Budd, Jesus Christ My Healer, Church of the Savior, Cleveland, Ohio). Did that take you by surprise? Plunging right in, quoting a poem, every word of which you need to get to get the picture. You who are regular attenders and hear ...

898. I Saw Satan Fall

Luke 10:1-24

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

As we pick up in our preaching journey through Luke, let me review for just a moment. Recently, we looked at the passage from Luke 9, verses 57-62. It was the story of Jesus’ encounter with three different men and their discussion about what it meant to be a follower of Jesus. Jesus spoke demanding words to all of them, concluding with that dramatic exhortation: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” But there is another side to the story. A man was complaining ...

899. Fair Weather Friends

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I'm not a music buff -- in fact, I take too little time to listen to music. But I like the Blues and I am fascinated with country music. One of my favorites in Blues is Mose Allison. He's a Mississippian who went to Ole Miss and is now singing all over the nation -- and I understand is becoming very popular abroad. In one of his songs he says, "I fooled around and got to feeling good, messed around and got humanized. You may think I'm ill advised, but I've gotten humanized." In another he says, "Well, I'm ...

900. Preparing for Christmas

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

King Duncan

Pastor John Ortberg was giving a bath to his three children. Johnny was still in the tub. Laura was out and safely in her pajamas. He was trying to get Mallory dried off. Mallory was out of the water, but was doing what has come to be known in their family as the Dee Dah Day dance. This dance consists of running around and around in circles, singing over and over again, "Dee dah day, dee dah day." It was a relatively simple dance expressing great joy. When Mallory is too happy to hold it in any longer, ...

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