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 1151 to 1175 of 1913 results

1151. Lessons in Discipleship

Luke 17:11-19, Luke 17:1-10

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: True discipleship cannot be undertaken casually; the service of God demands all that we can bring to it. Understanding the Text In 17:11 Luke reminds us that Jesus and his disciples are still on the journey to Jerusalem. Much of the journey narrative (9:51–19:44) consists of teaching given to the disciples. In the last few chapters this has largely taken the form of parables, and we will return to parables at the beginning of chapter 18. But in this section we find four separate units of teaching ...

1152. Introduction and “Hello”

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: Paul introduces himself as a fellow Christ follower and reminds his Corinthian friends that calling Christ Lord should generate life patterns that reflect such a relationship to Christ. Understanding the Text If anything strikes someone who begins reading 1 Corinthians, it is how Paul packs content into every word from the outset. When we realize how well he knows the Corinthian congregation even on a personal level and recognize that this is at least his second letter to the church (5:9), it is ...

1153. Imitation and Role Modeling

1 Corinthians 10:23--11:1, 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: Christ followers must aim to become imitators of Christ in all they do. Their testimony to their relationship to Christ trumps their Christian “rights” and leads to a rejection of contexts that hamper this testimony. Understanding the Text After a rather direct warning to the “strong” Christians in Corinth against self-assuredness and the pursuit of personal rights at the expense of the “weak,” Paul now returns to his earlier differentiating argument about the relationship between idol meat and ...

1154. Portions for the Priests and the Levites

Numbers 18:8-32

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God provides for those whom he calls to ministry. Understanding the Text Numbers 16 deals with the question of who is holy and may thus serve as priests in the tabernacle (Num. 16:3). The followers of Korah discover to their shock that only the sons of Aaron can do this. In Numbers 17 the miracle of the staff that blossomed underscores that the tribe of Levi and especially the sons of Aaron have been set apart for divine service. Numbers 18:1–7 describes the role of priests and Levites as ...

1155. The Lord Is with David

1 Samuel 18:1-30

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord protects and grants success to his chosen servants. Understanding the Text The tension between Saul and David has been building in the story line. At first, Saul’s successor was described as one who is in touch with God and superior to Saul (13:14; 15:28), but he was not named. In chapters 16 and 17 he appears and quickly demonstrates his qualifications by bringing the king relief from his distress and then leading Israel to a great victory. All seems to be well. Impressed by David’s ...

1156. Eliphaz Condemns and Counsels Job

Job 22:1-30

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Daniel J. Estes

Big Idea: Eliphaz accuses Job of sins he has not committed and gives Job advice that does not apply to him. Understanding the Text Job 22 begins the third and final cycle of speeches, and it is evident that Job and his friends are rapidly reaching an impasse. In the third round, the speeches are much shorter than before, and eventually the dialogue disintegrates completely when Zophar’s turn comes but he does not speak (after chapter 26). In addition, the speakers are increasingly frustrated and caustic ...

1157. “Some Trust in Chariots . . . , but We Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God”

Psalm 20:1-9

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: While reliance on our own resources is a mark of achievement, it can also become an obstacle to trusting in the Lord. Understanding the Text Psalm 20 is a royal psalm because it concerns the king (“anointed,” 20:6; “the king,” 20:9)[1] and his success in battle. Indeed, the psalm is concerned with the king’s obedience to the law of God (Deut. 17:16). Craigie calls the psalm a royal liturgy for use in the sanctuary,[2] and Goldingay considers it a dialogue between the people and the king,[3] ...

1158. “Ride Forth Victoriously in the Cause of Truth, Humility and Justice”

Psalm 45:1-17

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: Great value is put on leaders who, by their own lives, exemplify the virtues of truth, humility, and justice. Understanding the Text Psalm 45 belongs to the genre of royal psalms, which celebrate the king and his reign, not as a lone-standing king, but as a stand-in for Yahweh as king. It is better to think of these psalms as constituting two subgenres, psalms of the heavenly King, which celebrate Yahweh as king, providing the model for all kingship, and psalms of the earthly king, which shine ...

1159. You Are a Child of God…Uh-Oh

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

King Duncan

Retired Presbyterian pastor John Buchanan tells of baptizing a two-year-old boy in a Sunday worship service. After the child had been baptized, Pastor Buchanan, following the directions of the Presbyterian prayer book, put his hand on the little boy’s head and addressed him like this. He said, “You are a child of God, sealed by the Spirit in your baptism, and you belong to Jesus Christ forever.” Unexpectedly, the little boy looked up and responded, “Uh-oh.” The people in the congregation smiled, of course ...

1160. If There is A God, Why Is There Suffering In the World?

Jeremiah 12:1, Romans 8:18-28

Sermon

Charley Reeb

I conclude our series with most challenging question of all. I am sure it has been on many of our minds the last few months and weeks as we have seen the devastation that Hurricane Matthew has caused. Out of that suffering comes the granddaddy of all questions: “If there is a God then why do people suffer?” Another way people ask this question is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” In theological circles it is called the theodicy question. The process of the question goes like this: If God can’t ...

1161. The Crucifixion

Mark 15:21-32

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

15:21–32 It is striking that the central event in the story of Jesus’ obedience to the will of God is narrated with such stark simplicity and economy of words (compare the Lucan version, 23:26–43). The mention of Simon, the Cyrenian Jew (v. 21), a person included in all the Synoptic accounts of the crucifixion (cf. Matt. 27:32; Luke 23:26), looks like an echo of early tradition. In Mark, there is the distinctive reference to two sons of the man (Alexander and Rufus, v. 21), perhaps indicating that the men ...

1162. God's Wrath Against Mankind

Romans 1:18-32

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Paul now launches into the body of the epistle with an indictment against humanity. He will maintain the charge until 3:21, at which point he will return to righteousness by faith which he introduced in 1:16–17. Romans 1:18–3:20 is a sobering exposé of the dark side of human nature. Throughout the attack Paul labors to demonstrate that there is no distinction between Gentile and Jew in the matter of sin and guilt, a point reasserted in 3:10–12, 3:23, and 11:32. Gentile and Jew are equally guilty before God ...

1163. Clean and Unclean Animals

Leviticus 11:1-47

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

Manual of Purity: Chapter 11 begins the third section of Leviticus, which provides instructions on what is clean and what is unclean. Although these chapters are somewhat disparate, this theme unifies them—thus the title “Manual of Purity.” Following these instructions, chapter 16 describes the ritual of the Day of Atonement. Some commentators (e.g., Hartley) treat chapter 16 separately, but while it does allude to the narrative in chapter 10, it also provides a means of removing the effects of the ...

1164. Absalom’s Death

2 Samuel 18:1-18

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Absalom’s Defeat: 18:1–5 David’s forces may have been more limited than he had been used to in recent times, but he and Joab were skilled in making the most of limited resources and in fighting battles where they were outnumbered. The description of his army’s structure leaves the impression that these are well-organized professional forces, as opposed to Absalom’s perhaps more haphazard arrangements. We are given only an outline, but the campaign appears to have been well-organized. David intended to lead ...

1165. The Vinedresser and the Plundered Vine of Israel

Psalm 80:1-19

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

The occasion underlying this corporate prayer psalm appears to be one of extreme national distress: passers-by ravage as they please, burning and destroying (vv. 12–13, 16). The people experience sorrow and strife (vv. 5–6). The question “How long?” implies that this tragedy has persisted for some time. As with most psalms, historical details are omitted so the psalm can be used for any similar national emergency (see the Additional Note). This psalm, besides exhibiting the normal structure of the prayer ...

1166. Daniel’s Training in Babylon

Daniel 1:1-21

Understanding Series

William Nelson

Daniel and His Three Friends Avoid Defilement: Chronological notations frame the opening chapter. It begins with the third year of King Jehoiakim of Judah, at which time the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem (1:1). It ends with the first year of King Cyrus of Persia (1:21). These are roughly the parameters of the exile; apparently they are also the bookends for Daniel’s career. Nebuchadnezzar deported to Babylon the Jewish leaders, including Daniel and his friends; Cyrus conquered Babylon ...

1167. David Mourns

2 Sam 18:19–19:8

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

1168. The King Who Exalts Himself

Daniel 11:36-45

Understanding Series

William Nelson

The Final Revelation--The Body: We enter now into the body of the last main revelation of the book of Daniel. There has been some progression in the visions of the book from a more general scope, encompassing larger blocks of history, to a more narrow focus on shorter periods of time. So, for example, Daniel 2 spans four and a half centuries by outlining the four human empires of Babylonia, Media, Persia, and Greece, which are swept away by the fifth—the eternal kingdom of God. Aside from the fact that the ...

1169. “I Am from Him and He Sent Me”

John 7:25-44

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The temple discourse begins anew with a notice that Jesus cried out. This second announcement (vv. 28–29), like the first (vv. 16–19), initiates an encounter with the crowd, yet itself comes as a response to something already expressed. As verses 16–19 addressed the question that perplexed the religious authorities in verse 15, so verses 28–29 address the debate among the people of Jerusalem in verses 25–27. Specifically, they address the objection that Jesus cannot be the Messiah because everyone knows ...

1170. The Death of Jesus

John 19:28-37, John 19:17-27, John 19:38-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The mention of the soldiers by the NIV in verse 16b makes the natural and probably correct assumption that it was the Roman soldiers of verse 23 who took charge of Jesus. Though the verb took charge is, strictly speaking, used impersonally (i.e., “they” took charge of Jesus, or Jesus “was taken into custody”; see the first note on 18:28), its close link with verse 16a suggests the continuing involvement of the chief priests (and their officials) in all that happened. Clearly, they are present, as is Pilate ...

1171. The Burial of Jesus

John 19:38-42, John 19:17-27, John 19:28-37

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

1172. Moses Forbidden to Cross the Jordan

Deuteronomy 3:21-29

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

3:21–22 To close his opening historical survey, Moses looks forward to the future as entrusted into the hands of his successor, Joshua. The lessons of the past were especially for him, and the most important lesson of all was that God’s victories were infinitely repeatable. If God could defeat two kings, God could defeat many more. Yahweh was a God who was not coincidentally lucky, but consistently victorious. These words, placed here, are picked up again in 31:1–8, when Moses actually commissions Joshua. ...

1173. The Lord Appears to Elijah

1 Kings 19:9-18

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Elijah and the LORD: Elijah has been involved in a mighty battle. He seems to think it decisive and so he has left the battlefield for Jezreel. Yet there have been several hints in the narrative thus far that it is the queen, and not the king, who is the real general of the opposing forces. She will not be so easily cowed as her husband, and Elijah is now to see that to win a battle is not necessarily to win the war. That realization will send him into retreat, both physical and mental, as victory becomes ...

1174. The Call of Elisha

1 Kings 19:19-21

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

1175. How Well Do You Listen?

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon

King Duncan

Bob Woolf in his book Friendly Persuasion tells a hilarious story that former talk show host Larry King once told him. It seems that Larry was a guest on a morning show in Dallas, TX. The woman who interviewed him was the classic host who asks you a question and then looks off in another direction, not paying any attention to what you say in reply. This host had five questions written out by someone else and she checked off each question as she asked it. Larry noticed she wasn’t listening at all. She was ...

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