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 101 to 125 of 172 results

101. Worship Services that Seek to Accommodate Rather than Dictate

Mark 10:35-45

Illustration

Timothy Wright

... he said, 'Please forgive my shaking. I've never been in a church before, and I'm a little nervous.'" Wright goes on to say: "Seekers often enter our churches feeling the same way. They do not know what to expect. They are apprehensive, if not actually frightened. I am unsure what they think will happen to them, but whatever it is, they think it could be awful. Visitor-oriented congregations take those feelings seriously and design services that put guests at ease. An informal setting encourages visitors ...

102. The Boy Grows Up

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

... horrifying childhood memories of watching her mother and older sister being shot to death flooded back. Dragging herself through months of pain and heartache, Melanie fielded calls from the police department about various suspects until the news of the killer's apprehension finally came. Eventually she found it in her heart to forgive the young murderer and wrote a letter telling him that she had forgiven him. He responded to her correspondence, and a relationship was begun. Today, that young man calls her ...

103. Who's Working In You?

Philippians 2:1-13

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... around since it first appeared in the 1998 Minneapolis Star-Tribune: It seems three-year-old Katie was taken to her pediatrician during a recent bout with the flu. As the doctor examined her ears, he asked, "Will I find Big Bird in here?" Apprehensively, Katie replied, "No." Then, before examining her throat, he asked, "Will I find the Cookie Monster in here?" Again, "No." Finally, listening to her heart, he asked, "Will I find Barney in here?" With innocent conviction, she looked him directly in the eye ...

104. Come, Holy Spirit, Come

Psalm 104:24-34

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... , “These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only nine in the morning!" I've always wondered what he might have said had it been six in the afternoon. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit transformed - Doubters into believers - The apprehensive into apostles - The scared into the sincere - Doors once locked now burst open with new opportunities. Language and cultures became blessings instead of barriers. This little band of believers, under the power of the Holy Spirit, found no limits to their vision ...

105. The Ladder from Our House

Genesis 28:10-19a

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... of our actions have troubled or even ended certain relationships. We ought to note, however, that there is nothing in Jacob's demeanor as he camps out that night to suggest that he had a guilty conscience or desired to mend his ways. He may have been apprehensive for, as far as he knew, his brother could have been pursuing him. He was probably despondent. And since he wasn't at home, there was no chance of him actually receiving the inheritance he had won by treachery. Yet, he does not appear to be sorry ...

106. Forward March

Joshua 3:1-17

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... journey filled with anticipation, unsure of what would happen to them once they settled in and did not have to live out of their suitcases any longer. It would certainly be a new experience for them. Understandably the people experienced some dread and apprehension. Our faith always calls us forward — into the future. There are times when we reminisce about the good old days when the church was filled with people, including plenty of children and youth. We view pictures of the past almost in disbelief ...

107. A Spiritual “Re-formation”

Romans 3:19-28

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

... typical of the 1950s, the church serves as a significant gathering place in the life of this community, providing residents with one of the few opportunities to get out of the house and socialize. Against a backdrop of bomb shelters and nuclear apprehension, the church provides a place of sanctuary and security in an era wrought with unrest. Life in New England is a struggle, where harsh winters and brief summers are constants, and feelings of isolation penetrate the population. The church provides a refuge ...

108. God’s Days

Matthew 6:19-24

Illustration

Robert Burdette

Robert Burdette wrote this piece called God's Days: There are two days in the week upon which and about which I never worry; two carefree days kept sacredly free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is Yesterday. Yesterday, with its cares and frets and pains and aches, all its faults, its mistakes and blunders, has passed forever beyond my recall. It was mine; it is God's. The other day that I do not worry about is Tomorrow. Tomorrow, with all ...

109. A Cluster of Adjustments

Illustration

Charles Swindoll

... with another for many years. Grief is teaching yourself to go to bed without saying good night to the one who had died. Grief is the helpless wishing that things were different when you know they are not and never will be again. Grief is a whole cluster of adjustments, apprehensions, and uncertainties that strike life in its forward progress and make it difficult to redirect the energies of life.

110. Lordship of Christ

Illustration

Charles Hodge

... in that sense in which God alone can be Lord having a dominion of which divine perfection is the only adequate or possible foundation. This is the reason why no one can call him Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. It is a confession which implies the apprehension of the glory of God as it shines in Him. It is an acknowledgement that He is God manifested in the flesh. Blessed are all who make this acknowledgement with sincerity; for flesh and blood cannot reveal the truth therein confessed, but only the Father who ...

111. Who's Holding the Rope?

Illustration

Staff

... gorge. Noticing a local youngster standing nearby, the man asked him if he would help them get the flower. The boy was told that a rope would be tied around his waist, and the men would then lower him to the floor of the canyon. Excited yet apprehensive about the adventure, the youngster peered thoughtfully into the chasm. "Wait," he said, "I'll be back," and off he dashed. When he returned, he was accompanied by an older man. Approaching the head botanist, the boy said, "I'll go over the cliff now and get ...

112. Four Bishops on Board

Humor Illustration

... shut off because of mechanical trouble. However, there is nothing to worry about. We will continue our flight with three engines and will land in Chicago on schedule. Also, I have some really reassuring news for you. We have four bishops on board." The elderly passenger, who had been listening apprehensively called the flight attendant. "Would you please tell the captain that I would rather have four engines than three bishops."

113. Trumpet Medley

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... for both. The sound waves that reach each one's ears are identical. However, the internal reaction of the two people is vastly different. The sound of the phone instantly fills the teenage girl with excitement. The same sound grips her father with apprehension and anxiety. Well, the prophet Joel called for the sound of a trumpet. What feelings would that evoke? How did the trumpet sound? The prophet Joel speaks from the vantage point of late Old Testament history. We consider some earlier Old Testament ...

114. The Man Who Wasn’t There

Acts 16:9-15

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... . The voyage across the Aegean takes only a moment to read in the text, but it required at least two days to make. Imagine the excitement and anticipation of the missionaries during those days and nights on board ship. And imagine, too, the apprehension and uncertainty as they approached unfamiliar territory and unknown challenges. With each hour of their voyage, the coastline of Asia Minor grew smaller and smaller behind them, until it was no longer visible on the horizon. With each hour of their voyage ...

115. Re-thinking Our Mission

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... would not be on his own for three hours. Imagine being a children’s teacher and having Brandon in your class. Imagine him constantly changing the subject to talk about things that he had heard from his 20-year-old uncle about girls. Think about listening with apprehension as he told the other children stories he had heard about his father in jail. April McClure did her best to reach out to Brandon. She set him right next to her in the Bible class and she let him help with passing out papers when he ...

116. On Speaking Terms

Exodus 33:12-23

Sermon

Argile Smith

... . God goes with us through life, every step of the way, guiding us along and never leaving us for one minute. Like Moses, we enjoy God’s abiding presence because he’s our friend. In the presence of the Almighty, our souls find rest. We have no apprehension because God is near. Moses made a second request of God. He asked the Lord, “Show me your glory!” Again, he made a daring request, but he felt confident in making it because nothing was off-limits between him and his God. We can appreciate Moses ...

117. He's Back

John 20:19-23

Sermon

David O. Bales

... here; because, he’s no longer entombed either in Jerusalem or in the first century. Jesus is here — the marks of the nails in his hands and the wound in his side. Jesus shows up in the hopeless gloom of Easter morning and in the frightened apprehension of Easter evening and beyond. On Easter evening Jesus doesn’t grant us the spiritual experience others enjoy a few weeks later on the Day of Pentecost. Yet Jesus gives us his Holy Spirit in order to bring his good news of forgiveness to others. Jesus ...

118. Daddy, I'm Afraid

Romans 8:1-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... with you?” he asked. She replied confidently, “Thank you, but that’s not necessary. I’m not afraid.” “Well, then,” he said, grinning nervously, “would you mind waiting with me?” There are some conditions that might make even a police officer a little apprehensive. Our theme for today is, “Daddy, I’m afraid.” Max Lucado, in his book, Applause from Heaven, tells the story of the time when his 3-year-old daughter, Andrea, awoke him in the middle of the night. He says he tried to ignore ...

119. An Annual Reminder

John 20:1-9

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... urge and remind them, in turn, to pass the good news along. An Alternative Application Mark 16:1-8. “The Very Large Stone.” The stone, “which was very large,” serves as a very useful metaphor for us. The women approached the tomb with apprehension about that stone. Who would move it for them? They were certainly unable to move it themselves. Likewise, as the stone symbolizes the seal of death, we human beings indeed face something too massive for us to move ourselves. We continually invest the ...

120. How God Looks at Marriage

Mark 10:2-16

Sermon

King Duncan

A young couple decided to wed. As the big day approached, they grew apprehensive. Each had a problem they had never before shared with anyone, not even each other. The groom-to-be, overcoming his fear, decided to ask his father for advice. “Dad,” he said, “I am deeply concerned about the success of my marriage. I love my fiancée very much, but ...

121. A Fig Tree Sprouts Leaves

Luke 21:25-36

Sermon

King Duncan

... air attack took place. (2) Signs are important. Our lesson for today begins like this: “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads ...

122. The Trial Before Felix

Acts 24:1-27

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... the shortness of the period, we may assume that the figure does not include parts of days. On this basis, we suggest the following scheme: the first day would be his meeting with James; the second, his commencement of the vow; the sixth, his apprehension; the seventh, the day before the Sanhedrin; the eighth, departure for Caesarea; the ninth, arrival in Caesarea; and reckoning five days inclusively from the ninth, the day of Paul’s trial would be the thirteenth, i.e., twelve full days. 24:27 When two ...

123. Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2:17--3:5

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... the present participle underlining the intensity of his feeling. So desperately does he want to be in touch with the Thessalonians that he is prepared “to be abandoned” (the sense of kataleipō, NIV to be left). This word helps us feel something of Paul’s apprehension at being left alone in these foreign cities (cf. 1 Cor. 2:3). One writer describes Paul’s experience as a “kind of widowhood.” But it was not too great a price to pay to find out how his children were faring. His emissary Timothy ...

124. Warning Against Falling Away

Hebrews 5:11-6:12

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... 3:2 and partially in 1 Peter 2:2. Solid food is what the author is presenting in this epistle, and in this particular context it is the argument about Melchizedek. His concern that they may not be ready for it suggests a degree of apprehensiveness about how it will be received. The teaching about righteousness (lit., “the word of righteousness”) may refer in a general way to the content of the gospel and is thus parallel to the “elementary truths of God’s word” in the preceding verse. The last ...

125. The Blood of Christ

Hebrews 9:11-28

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... (sōtēria), see note on 2:3. The idea of appearing a second time, after the accomplishment of atonement in the presence of God, is reminiscent of the reappearance of the high priest after he had accomplished his task in the Holy of Holies. The apprehensiveness of the crowd while the high priest was out of sight, followed by their great joy at his reappearance, receives eloquent witness in contemporary sources (e.g., Sirach 50:5–10). Only by means of an acceptable offering was salvation assured.

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