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 1201 to 1225 of 1964 results

1201. The Jesus RX and the Biology of Belief

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... in the church are so ready to believe nocebos . . . · we listen to the nightly news--and curse the condition of the world · another environmental disaster occurs--and we write off an ecosystem ("there goes another one" we shrug) · global warming, ignorance, and greed bring on a widespread famine--and we think "population control" · border skirmishes and long-nursed hatreds erupt into seemingly eternal wars--and we build higher walls to protect ourselves from the alien hoards The nocebo effect encourages ...

1202. The Wussification of the Church

John 9:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... ' power – power to bring light to blind eyes and empty lives. Too much of Christ's church has become a wuss. Like those of us who live in states where a normal winter is constant snow showers, for the past few winters we've been spoiled by warm weather and snowless skies. Now when a rare snowstorm does appear, look at how we handle the challenge. We're no different from those living in the Sunbelt – we huddle in our homes because of below-zero temperatures, skip church because of cars that need to be ...

1203. This Kiss

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Even though we intentionally got the "simpler," user-friendly version, the control pad still looks like something that could launch nuclear weapons. Luckily, the creators of this amazing machine - which in all likelihood will never be called upon to do anything more challenging than to warm-up cold coffee and left-overs - took pity on those of us too technologically-challenged or too lazy to take three weeks of our lives to learn how to operate it. For us there are a few simple button we can live by. "Easy ...

1204. WaterFire Disciples

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... fire" within us that haunts and hounds us. Canadian theologian Ron Rolheiser, a member of a religious congregation called the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, refers to a "holy longing" within each person that shapes our dreams and desires. "If you want to get warm you must stand near the fire: if you want to be wet you must get into the water." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, rev. and enl. ed. [New York: MacMillan, 1960], 137.) Conclusion: Do you burn? Julia "Butterfly" Hill so burned for an ancient ...

1205. The King Who Died

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

King Duncan

... that only about 5 percent of SUVs are ever taken off‑road--which means that you’re more likely to see a Range Rover at Starbucks, for example, than anywhere near a mountain lake. And in these days of rising gas prices and fears over global warming, SUV owners sometimes face resentment for their decision to buy a rugged, off-road vehicle for driving through downtown suburbia. Hays tells about a product he found at Target that the SUV owner can buy to escape any such criticism. It is called “Spray-on ...

1206. Who Let the Dogs Out?

Romans 13:8-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... or moving around, or wearing cologne/perfume, or have on dark clothes, you get two points. If you are vigorously moving, or perspiring, you get three points. In other words, mosquitoes are like critics and other nagging, gnatty people: they love warm, moist, moving bodies. The more active you are, the most vulnerable you are to attack from all manner of bloodsuckers. Mosquitoes don't bother with dead or lifeless bodies. (From information gathered by the American Mosquito Control Association.) Beware: DOGS ...

1207. Prayer

Luke 2:8-20

Bulletin Aid

Stephen Brown

... . Good News is coming. Strange how you bring it. Good News travels on a donkey in the bosom of a teenage mother. Accompanied by a confused husband from David’s lineage. Relegated to the stable in the back alley. Not born in a clean nursery or a warm bed at home. Good News is coming. Strange how you bring it. We should know you by now. We should trust your stories. We should believe in your promises. You call tax collectors and fishermen and dine with prostitutes and sinners. Can we respond to your call ...

1208. Prayer

Matthew 3:1-12

Bulletin Aid

Stephen Brown

O God who shoots forth in our gardens… grows as winter’s wheat… God who breaks through thistles and thorns… blossoms in field and forest. In the winter of our soul we long for your coming To warm our hearts and cheer our spirits. In the cold of our frozen lives we await your arrival To thaw our relationships and fire our visions. Your Spirit comes upon him: The one who bears your likeness The one who bears our flesh. The one who carries all creation. The one ...

1209. The Good Life vs. The God Life

Isaiah 55:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... we're calling the GodLife Relationship, a theme which Jesus would pick up in John 10:10. The Israelites Isaiah was addressing here were not just a bunch of simple shepherds who had no notion of any comforts beyond that of a warm campfire at night. The exiled Israelite population had been forced into the civilization of the Babylonian empire one of richest, most sophisticated civilizations that had ever wielded power in the history of the ancient near-eastern world. Although as outcasts, servants, prisoners ...

1210. Dare to Be Different, Not Just Better

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... . Shoveling snow and scraping ice are great little calorie-burners not to mention all the calories it takes just to keep toes from freezing off. Unfortunately, all that fresh air and exercise tend to rev up the old appetite, especially for some kind of warm, cozy, comfort food. Ever notice how comfort food is never calorie-conscience food? But there's one family favorite, mid-winter snack that bucks the killer-cholesterol-cozy food alliance. That food is popcorn. The smell of fresh-popped corn is one of the ...

1211. Death by Chocolate

Hebrews 9:11-28

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the womb into life. Your father, your brothers and sisters, and I can barely wait for that moment of birth!" The little one, if it could, would probably argue back, "I don't want to be born. I like it here. All my needs are met. It's dark, warm, moist, and comfortable here. Don't talk to me about birth!" The mother would respond, "But my little one, it's beautiful out here. There's sunshine, flowers, laughter, dancing, friendship, and music. It's so much better! In fact, it's terrible if you stay in there ...

1212. Drop It!

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... few good antlered head-butts. At the end of the clip the vanquished hunter picks up his rifle and runs away, stumbling and staggering, as fast as he can. There's nothing like reality to shake us loose from our comfortable, warm, fuzzy preconceptions. No, deer are not always liquid-eyed, shy and retiring, meek and afraid. When threatened they can turn into a whirling Cuisinart of horns and hooves that inflict real injury. Jesus spent his lifetime challenging preconceptions, shocking sensibilities, upsetting ...

1213. The Candles of Advent - Year A

Bulletin Aid

Richard J. Fairchild

... appearing. Live in us and help us to live in you. By the power of the Holy Spirit, transform us so that our worship, our celebration, our time of preparation, may be pleasing unto you - both now - and forevermore. Amen. SONG: A Candle is burning, a flame warm and bright, a candle of hope in December's dark night. While angels sing blessing from heaven's starry sky, our hearts we prepare now for Jesus is nigh. RETURN TO YOUR SEATS AS SONG IS SUNG Note - "A Candle is Burning" is by Sandra Dean, 1986. Music ...

1214. Dirty Laundry or Angels?

John 20:1-9

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Easter morning must have been for the men and women who suddenly found themselves confronting the most unexpected of scenes. According to John's gospel it's Mary Magdalene who first trudges out to the barren, cold tomb of her master even before daylight had managed to warm the ground or adequately light her way. But in that dim first-light of day, Mary can see well enough to discern what she interprets as a disaster: the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of Jesus' tomb. For Mary this was a sure sign ...

1215. Looking for Shoots or Roots?

Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. *As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. *We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. *We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. *We ate cupcakes, bread and butter and drank soda pop with sugar in ...

1216. Make Room for Mystery

Isaiah 55:1-13

Sermon

James McCormick

... . I believe that. I believe that deeply! So, hear me loud and clear: there is no excuse for fuzzy thinking. The failure to develop our minds is poor stewardship of a God given gift. In the Christian tradition in which I was raised, there was a two-fold emphasis: the warm heart and the enlightened mind. I am proud of that. I am proud to be a part of a Church that does not ask you to park your brain before coming to worship. I am sure that God expects us to use our minds to their fullest capacity! But there ...

1217. Wrestling for a Blessing

Genesis 32:22-32

Sermon

James McCormick

... the struggle of the butterfly to extricate itself from the cocoon. It’s a bit scary, I am sure, because the butterfly doesn’t know what it is like “out there.” It does know what the cocoon is like. How tempting to return to the safe, familiar, warm surroundings! But, of course, to do so would be to die, and to miss out on the experience of dancing through the air as a butterfly! I believe that growth always takes us in a good direction, but often that good direction requires even more struggle. I ...

1218. The Church on Main Street

Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

James McCormick

... of the isolation tank and put him into the community tank. There, a remarkable thing happened: when he began to sink, one of the other dolphins began to swim underneath him, holding him up. Two other dolphins began swimming on each side of him, pressing their warm bodies against his, until his body temperature returned to normal and he was able to swim freely again! That is what the Church is supposed to be. We support one another when we are falling. We surround one another with warmth and love when we are ...

1219. Thanksgiving Is a Choice

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Sermon

James McCormick

... much the same.” The next day another family came to the town and found the same local man sitting on the fence. They asked the same question with the same response, “What kind of people live in the town you just left. They replied, ”They were warm people, friendly people, helpful in every way!” The man on the fence replied, “Well, I imagine you’ll find these people to be pretty much the same.” You see, no matter where you go, there is one factor which is constant – YOU! You bring your values ...

1220. Are You Getting Hymns Out of Your Lions?

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on to describe twenty-first century living, it would surely be stressful. Anyone here this morning want to deny that we face a host of stress-inducing factors in this world? How about terrorism. How about war? How about avian flu? How about global warming, or diminishing resources, vanishing species, increasing Population, or WMD's? Not to mention the Islamic Republic of Iran with a head of state who's on record wanting to nuke Israel out of existence? And that's just the background noise behind each of ...

1221. In Life Nothing Works but the Impossible

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... brown. "I," said the Cow, all white and red, "I gave Him my manger for His bed; I gave Him my hay to pillow His head." "I," said the Cow, all white and red. "I," said the Sheep, with the curly horn, "I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm; He wore my coat on Christmas morn." "I," said the Sheep, with the curly horn. "I," said the Dove, from the rafters high, "I cooed Him to sleep that He should not cry; We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I." "I," said the Dove, from the rafters high ...

1222. Christmas Is Love

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... the song “Christmas Love.” As they sang, each child held up a letter to spell out the title of the song. But a little girl in the middle of the front row got confused and held her letter upside down. She had the “M” in Christmas. Warm sighs and smiles flowed through the audience as they read the children’s message. Instead of “Christmas Love,” the upside-down “M” changed the message to “Christ Was Love.” (2) And it’s true. Christ was love. This is the message of Christmas. We need to ...

1223. A Word of Hope for a Hard World

Matthew 2:13-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... about. But we live in that kind of world. A certain church had just completed their annual Christmas pageant. There had been Scripture readings, and hymns, and candle light, and decorations. It was beautiful and reverent and joyful. Everyone was enjoying that warm and worshipful attitude that we often refer to as the “Christmas spirit.” The pastor was just reciting her closing prayer when she felt a little hand patting her leg. Seven-year-old Lilly, who had played King Herod in the Christmas pageant ...

1224. Which End Is Up?

Ephesians 3:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... bubble gum out of your mouth so I can understand what you’re saying,” the man demanded. Whereupon the boy cupped his hands and spat it out. “It’s not bubble gum,” he said. “It’s my secret. You’ve got to keep the worms warm.” Here are a couple of powerful images you might want to explore further: “scrambling” and “broken patterns.” Both come, strangely enough, from a 60s quarterback named Fran Tarkenton. As the Super Bowl is coming up, you might want to bring in some metaphors from ...

1225. Hypocrites

Matthew 6:1-4

Sermon

King Duncan

... for one thing and do something else. We might be able to stomach a politician who allegedly solicits gay sex, but not when he’s one of Congress’ leading gay bashers. It somehow troubles us when we see someone who expresses concern about global warming, and they drive the biggest gas guzzler in the community. Or how about the guy whose always talking about tithing, but gives a paltry percentage of his income to the church. Even Jesus disliked hypocrites. We’re often reminded that Jesus never called ...

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