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 1001 to 1025 of 4943 results

1001. Divided Loyalties

Luke 12:1-12, Luke 12:13-21

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R.T. France

... meet, and that will challenge them to stand up for God in a hostile environment. A collection of sayings of warning and encouragement spells out the uncomfortable choices that disciples must make. This then raises the issue of the priority of spiritual over material concerns, and the parable of the shortsighted plutocrat then leads into the theme of the tension between God and mammon, which will run through much of the rest of chapter 12 (and will be resumed in chaps. 14 and 16). Outline/Structure In 12:1 ...

1002. Lost and Found

Luke 15:1-7, Luke 15:8-10, Luke 15:11-32

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins. Here a female scenario balances the story of the male shepherd (as in 13:18–21). The coins are drachmas, each of which would be roughly a day’s wage, so that the loss of one was a matter of real concern in a peasant household. The story is making essentially the same point as that of the shepherd, though since the loss of the coin need not be as public as that of the sheep, the extravagant public celebration is more striking in this case. 15:11 There was a ...

1003. A Blind Beggar and a Rich Scoundrel

Luke 19:1-10, Luke 18:35-43

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R.T. France

... may be helpful when teaching this passage to review some of the key texts in Luke that carry forward this theme. Notice especially these three: the call of Levi (5:27–32), the parables of lost things (chap. 15), and the Zacchaeus episode. The call of Levi concerns a tax collector and opposition to Jesus’s dining with sinners. It climaxes with Jesus’s claim that, as the great physician, he has not come to call the self-righteous, but sinners (5:31–32). The parables of the lost and found in chapter 15 ...

1004. Jesus Takes the Initiative

Luke 21:5-38, Luke 21:1-4, Luke 20:41-47

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R.T. France

... (e.g., Isa. 13:10; 34:4, the passages more explicitly alluded to in the parallel Mark 13:24–25). Interpretive Insights 21:7 when will these things happen? And what will be the sign? This question, which sets the agenda for Jesus’s reply, is exclusively concerned with the prediction that he has just made of the destruction of the temple. It does not (as the equivalent question in Matt. 24:3 does) prompt any reference to the second coming (the parousia). 21:8 many will come in my name. These are not ...

1005. The Gospel of God in Christ through Paul

Romans 1:1-17

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C. Marvin Pate

... :6–9). And that twofold promise of God’s blessing on Jews (the restoration of Israel) and Gentiles (conversion of the nations) receives eschatological status in Isaiah 40–66. This twofold promise is spelled out in Romans 1:3–4 concerning Israel and in 1:5–7 concerning Gentiles. Jesus Christ is the one ordained by God to bring about the fulfillment of those promises. 1:3–4 descendant of David . . . Son of God. First, many interpreters believe that these two verses consist of a pre-Pauline hymn ...

1006. The Reversal of the Deuteronomic Curses and Blessings: Replacing Law with Faith

Romans 9:30--10:21

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C. Marvin Pate

... is by faith alone. Third, the parallel between 10:5 (“righteousness that is by the law”) and Philippians 3:9 (“not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law”) is too close to be denied. Since the latter is negative in connotation concerning the law, it stands to reason that so is the former. Fourth, Paul’s negative employment of Leviticus 18:5 in Romans 10:5 would be consistent with his pejorative usage of Leviticus 18:5 in Galatians 3:13,7which warns that following the law ...

1007. The Mystery and Mercy of God

Romans 11:25-32

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C. Marvin Pate

... Jews as a group have rejected their Messiah. This allows for the current conversion of the Gentiles, and then the restoration of Israel will transpire. And the date of Israel’s change of heart regarding Jesus will occur in and around the events of his return. Concerning the second sermon/lesson, the problem of Israel’s belief looms large in the New Testament. Jesus’ answer to that quandary was to view Isaiah 6:9–10 as a prophecy of Israel’s future rejection of God and his Messiah (compare Isa. 6:9 ...

1008. “Weak and Strong” Should Get Along

Romans 14:1--15:13

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C. Marvin Pate

... the sacrifice of Christ by not imposing on their Gentile siblings Jewish culture. Verses 7–13 root Christian unity in Christ. It is through Christ that both believing Jew and Gentile have access to God. Ultimately, the catena of Old Testament prophecies concerning Jew and Gentile worshiping God together that Paul draws on in these verses finds its fulfillment in Christ. Here we may apply a truism lamenting the racial divide between blacks and whites in Christian worship: America is never so segregated as ...

1009. Introduction and “Hello”

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

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Preben Vang

... life will have to be laid on the line for the God he loves. He is devoted to God and the church, is not particularly proud, and certainly is not evil. But he is detached and in no sense connected to the people he serves. He is more concerned about his people’s stability than about their spiritual needs. He conducts his life on a higher level than they will ever attain. He asks to be called “Your Reverence”; he is given preferential treatment; his food is served to him, his vestments laid out. He has ...

1010. Church Divisions and Confusion of Allegiance

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

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Preben Vang

... centered on Christ. Literature: “Revelation,” by Flannery O’Connor. In this posthumously published short story, the great American writer O’Connor (1925–64) points out with dark, ironic humor the problem of grouping people. O’Connor was more concerned with pride than anything else. Her short stories, which appear bizarre to some readers, insightfully examine our need to be important and to make ourselves gods in our own worlds. In “Revelation,” her main character, Ruby Turpin, walks ...

1011. Being Wronged versus Claiming One’s Right

1 Corinthians 6:1-11

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Preben Vang

... a country’s legal authorities should stay away from any and all church issues? The answer from 1 Corinthians 6 is clearly no! A case in point could be the issue of pedophilia that continues to mar some churches and denominations. Paul’s concern is civil cases, not criminal. He continues to trust governmental legal authorities to determine criminal laws and the punishment for their violation (Rom. 13:1–7). That being said, the church should be more vigilant in its care and discipline of its leadership ...

1012. Personal Rights and Christian Testimony

1 Corinthians 9:1-27

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Preben Vang

... . Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain. The quote from Deuteronomy 25:4 sets the stage for Paul to give a typical rabbinical qal wahomer (from lesser to greater) argument.6 Oxen, the lesser matter, are not the real concern of the text; rather, God’s command gives direction to his people, the greater matter.7 Paul neither attempts a wild-eyed allegorical exposition nor tries to pick a fight with animal lovers.8 He simply applies a fully accepted method of interpretation to demonstrate ...

1013. Worship and Humility

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

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Preben Vang

... Supper with humility, they would all join for a common meal without distinctions (11:19). The self-examination is the test that reveals whether their behavior and lifestyle reflect Christ’s (cf. Mark 14:17–21). 11:29 without discerning the body of Christ. Lack of concern for the body brings judgment. It is uncertain whether Paul has the church or the elements of the Lord’s Supper in mind with this phrase. It is possible he deliberately plays on the dual application of the expression. Those who lack ...

1014. The Horrific End of Nadab and Abihu

Leviticus 10:1-20

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... . 21:10–12). To avoid impurity, Aaron’s cousins are called in to remove the bodies of Nadab and Abihu. 10:6 Do not let your hair become unkempt and do not tear your clothes. The command to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar concerning unkempt hair possibly refers to removal of their head caps (“Do not uncover your heads” [NIVmg]; cf. Lev. 8:13), though the similar expression at Leviticus 13:45 seems more likely to refer to the hair hanging loose. The command against tearing their clothes has ...

1015. Unclean Animals

Leviticus 11:1-47

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... ; 19:1–20; 31:19–24; Ezek. 44:25–26); touching the carcass of an unclean animal (Lev. 11:24–28) or of a clean animal that has died on its own (Ezek. 44:31). Leviticus 11 treats impurity through contact with unclean animals. Its purpose concerns respecting the holiness of God (Lev. 11:44–45). Deuteronomy 14:1–21 gives a parallel list of unclean animals. Historical and Cultural Background Israel’s neighbors did not have food laws like Israel’s. Pork (v. 7) was a staple meat among gentiles. It ...

1016. Samuel Confronts the People

1 Samuel 12:1-25

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... shown mercy to Israel throughout their rebellious history for the sake of his own name (Ezek. 20:9, 14, 22; cf. Ps. 106:8) and promises to continue to do so in the future (Ezek. 20:44). In interceding for the people, Jeremiah appeals to the Lord’s concern for his own reputation (Jer. 14:7, 21). Several psalms appeal to God on the basis of his reputation (Pss. 25:11; 31:3; 79:9; 109:21; 143:11). Illustrating the Text The Lord is willing to restore his relationship with those who have rebelled against him ...

1017. Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice

1 Samuel 15:1-35

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... ”), but he distances himself from the Lord when he says to Samuel, “Come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God” (as also in v. 15). Having just heard that the kingdom has been irrevocably torn from him (vv. 28–29), he is concerned with his standing before the people. This foreshadows what will transpire in the chapters to follow. God’s choice of David is readily apparent, even to Saul (24:20), yet Saul hangs on to his royal position and seeks to kill David. 15:31 So Samuel went ...

1018. “Your Love, Lord, Reaches to the Heavens, Your Faithfulness to the Skies”

Psalm 36:1-12

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... most of the references to “servant of the Lord” are to Moses, this occurrence “may well suggest that a messianic interpretation of David . . . is already in operation here rather than a straightforward historical one.”5 36:1 I have a message . . . concerning the sinfulness of the wicked. Taking the phrase “concerning the sinfulness of the wicked” as part of the oracle, and wickedness (“sinfulness,” pesha‘) as a personification, the sentence would read: “An oracle. Wickedness [speaks ...

1019. “The Span of My Years Is as Nothing before You”

Psalm 39:1-13

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth. The “ways” he needs to watch are his speech. At first the psalmist expresses his intention to keep silent “while in the presence of the wicked.” The reasons for silence are related to his concern that he might sin against God and, likely, that the wicked might provoke him to misspeak. In Job 2:10 “to sin with one’s tongue” (NIV: “Job did not sin in what he said”) is an allusion to blasphemy. The verbal form of the term for “muzzle ...

1020. “If I Were Hungry I Would Not Tell You, for the World Is Mine, and All That Is in It”

Psalm 50:1-23

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... the Elohistic Psalter’s preference for ’elohim (“God”) rather than YHWH (“Lord”), ’elohim replaces the tetragrammaton. The rest of the psalm, like the Ten Commandments, is composed of God’s words. 50:8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices . . . ever before me.Yahweh has no problem with their sacrifices or their burnt offerings. The “continual burnt offerings” were those sacrifices made in the morning and afternoon services (see Lev. 1 and 3). The word “continual ...

1021. “In God I Trust and Am Not Afraid. What Can Mere Mortals Do to Me?”

Psalm 56:1-13

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C. Hassell Bullock

... will have the effect of turning back the psalmist’s enemies when he calls on God, and the result is help that is roused by God’s solicitous care. The preposition “by” is not in the text, and the statement may simply be an affirmation of God’s careful concern, meaning, “This I know: God is for me.” This affirmation is only a step away from “God is with us” (cf. Isa. 7:14). 56:11 What can man do to me?There are three terms for humanity in the psalm: ’enosh (“man,” 56:1; NIV: “they ...

1022. “You Laugh at Them, Lord; You Scoff at All Those Nations”

Psalm 59:1-17

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C. Hassell Bullock

... of the earth that God rules over Jacob.” That God’s people might forget what he has done is one of the passionate concerns of Deuteronomy (Deut. 8:8–11; see also Pss. 78; 106). The use of the expression “my people” here suggests that the king is ... we should draw attention to the fact that both Psalms 58 (58:3–5) and 59 (59:3–4, 6–7, 14–15) are concerned about evil people who use the power of speech to destroy the objects of their malicious schemes. Despite our sometimes glib assertion that ...

1023. “Zeal for Your House Consumes Me”

Psalm 69:1-36

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... ,” 69:4). 69:6 Lord, the Lord Almighty, may those who hope in you not be disgraced.The use of three names for God reinforces the prayer. The lesson here is that an individual failing has consequences for the wider community. Wilson draws attention to the shared concern of Psalms 69 and 70–71 for disgrace and shame as a result of enemy attacks (69:6–7, 19; 70:2; 71:1, 13).6 69:7 I endure scorn for your sake.The Hebrew word for “scorn” bears social consequences of rejection and rebuke. Note ...

1024. “Endow the King with Your Justice, O God”

Psalm 72:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... ideal” king, which David prays that Solomon will become. In fact, Solomon began well (1 Kings 3), but as with so many other kings, his reign took a downward spiral from which it never recovered. The “afflicted” and “needy” were to be the kings’ concern because they were economically helpless and socially vulnerable. The prophets identify this category of citizens as the special object of the monarchy’s and the society’s care (e.g., Isa. 1:17; Jer. 21:12; Amos 8:4). In the Beatitudes, Jesus ...

1025. Daniel in the Den of Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

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Ronald W. Pierce

... practices of wiping out a dynastic line to limit future contenders for the throne or of attempting the genocide of a race of people.3 Interpretive Insights 6:19 At the first light of dawn. The urgency of the language carries forward from Darius’s concern for Daniel’s situation in the previous pericope, yet it introduces a new context for this narrative: a moment of truth in which God’s power to rescue is dramatically revealed. 6:20 Daniel, servant of the living God. The king’s acknowledgment of ...

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