Synonyms: renounce, relinquish, dispense with, forswear, disclaim, disown, disavow, discard, wash one's hands of, give up, stop, cease, drop, forgo, desist from, have done with, abjure, abstain from, discontinue, break off, refrain from, set/lay aside, desert, leave, leave high and dry, turn one's back on, cast aside, break (up) with, vacate, quit, evacuate, withdraw from, surrender, cede, yield, indulge in, give way to, give oneself up to, yield to, lose oneself to/in, uninhibitedness, recklessness, lack of restraint, lack of inhibition, unruliness, wildness, impulsiveness, impetuosity, immoderation, wantonness
Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on
Showing 126 to 150 of 266 results
Drama
Setting: One platform, or chancel area, should have an ornate chair in the center for the Pilate’s throne. A bowl of water and a towel should be on a table somewhere on the stage. Near it, a sign with the words, "King Of The Jews." At the edge of the chancel, front center stage, there will be a stand for the cross. The cross should be substantial in size but not too difficult for an actor to hold it on his shoulder and carry it. The cross may be placed in one of the aisles toward the back but not so far ...
127. The Precepts of the Lord
Exodus 20:1-21, Psalm 19:7-14
Sermon
The Covenant is a Covenant of Law. WHOA! Isn’t the Christian Covenant a covenant of grace, as opposed to works? Doesn’t Saint Paul complain that the Law, the "dispensation of death," kills, while only the Spirit gives life? (2 Corinthians 3:6-7) "Law" has often gotten bad press among Christians. While not arguing for the kind of legalism that rightly offended Jesus and very nearly made a neurotic out of Saint Paul, there are some positive features of God’s Law. 1. Martin Luther, who waged a famous quarrel ...
128. Echoes of Eternity
Matthew 10:24-32
Sermon
Dennis Kastens
"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. And do not fear those who ...
Sermon
James W. Moore
One day some years ago, I was with a group of people when suddenly they began to gossip. They were attacking a friend of mine. They were spreading ugly, vicious rumors about him. They were crucifying my friend with harsh, cruel words. I started to say something to defend my friend. I wanted to say something to stop the verbal abuse but I didn’t know those people very well… so I kept my silence. But, later as I walked to my car, I was kicking myself. I was feeling sad and ashamed that I hadn’t seized the ...
130. Herod Antipas
Luke 13:31-35
Sermon
Warren Thomas Smith
Almost twenty centuries ago, as a carpenter from Nazareth entered Jerusalem, he was hailed by the population. About the same time, another figure made his appearance in the ancient city. His name was Herod Antipas. The two might have arrived on that significant day. Passover was at hand. A faithful Jew looked upon it as one of the three principal festivals of Israel. Its celebration brought huge crowds to Jerusalem. Josephus mentions that Governor Cestius, in reporting to Emperor Nero, asked the high ...
131. Paul Today
Acts 17:16-34
Sermon Aid
T. A. Kantonen
The task that remains is to summarize our study of Paul’s theology and to make a specific application of it to the present day. Our point of view has been to regard Paul as the foremost theologian of the early church, the supreme interpreter of Jesus and his gospel to the world of his day. He was not, as liberals at the beginning of the present century thought, the second founder of Christianity who introduced dogma and mysticism to transform Jesus’ simple message of the fatherhood of God and the ...
Sermon
Bill Bouknight
One must be very careful with a Thanksgiving sermon. In the first place, not everyone feels thankful; and those who do are not thankful for the same things. In fact, one person's cause for thanksgiving could be another person's cause for gloom. I could illustrate that in the political realm, but I better not. I could illustrate that from the world of sports, but I don't think I need to. Some people are thankful for their jobs, while others despise their jobs but don't know where to find other employment. ...
133. The Perfect Gift
Galatians 3:26--4:7
Sermon
Bill Bouknight
Someone told me about a man who got tired of the Christmas hoopla. All the frantic haste and the crass commercialism disgusted him. So, he decided not to go along with the crowd. Among other things, he decided not to send Christmas cards, feeling that the expense and effort were non-productive. For the first ten days of December he felt good about his decision. But then, as the mail brought him greetings from friends near and far, he began to feel more and more guilty about sending no cards. Finally, four ...
Sermon
Bill Bouknight
A seven-year-old girl was sitting on her grandmother's lap. As the little girl moved her hand across the older woman's face, Grandma said, "Those are my wrinkles. They mean that I'm getting older." The little girl asked, "Do wrinkles hurt?" What a loaded question! It involves more than just wrinkles. It deals with the whole business of getting older. Everybody has to address that question if one lives long enough. Is it fun to get old? Is it humiliating? Should we look forward to it or dread it? Should we ...
Sermon
Bill Bouknight
If today at lunch someone asks you what the preacher talked about today, you will have an easy answer. It is this: When God is your guide, any road is good. Let's repeat that together: When God is your guide, any road is good. The great jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes, when quite old, was catching a train one day. The conductor stood in front of him waiting for his ticket. Judge Holmes was searching through all his pockets trying to find it. The conductor, knowing Judge Holmes, said, "No problem, sir. I know ...
136. Adultery, Cure and Prevention
Proverbs 7:1-27, John 8:1-11
Sermon
Bill Bouknight
Sometime ago a lady wrote to the famous advice columnist Ann Landers and asked this question, "Do all men cheat on their wives? I have been suspicious of my husband for some time. I even hired a private detective to trail him, but he couldn't come up with a thing. I went to a lawyer. He told me to grow up and accept the fact that all husbands fool around. Do they?" Ann Landers very wisely replied, "No. There are plenty of married men who never cheat, and your husband could be one of them. The only thing ...
Sermon
James Bjorge
The other morning after picking up the mail at the post office there was an abundance of Christmas cards. Later on in the morning I was sitting in my church office and the coffee urge arose in me. So I called my wife and announced, "Say, wife, I’ll be home in a few minutes for some coffee and Christmas cookies ... and, by the way, I picked up the mail and there’s a real bunch of Christmas greetings." She replied, "Great, see you soon!" I couldn’t help but retort, "Are you glad because you will see the mail ...
138. A Reason to Hope
Lamentations 3:1-66
Sermon
Michael J. Anton
HOPE Lamentations 3:18-24 "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child." I suppose every generation could write its own book of lamentations. At least most of us seem to find enough to gripe about. Of course, many of our complains are about the people we don’t like because they don’t see life our way, or about the taxes that never seem to go down, or the noise the kids make, or the fact that they don’t make cars the way they used to. The tragedy of much of our griping is that too much of it is hot air blown ...
Sermon
Bill Bouknight
When a child is very young, mirrors don' t mean anything to him or her. But one day, sometime between six months and one year old, the child suddenly catches on. She recognizes that the creature holding her is the same one she has been trying to train for months, the very same one who will grin from ear to ear each time she says "Da Da", the same guy who will come quickly if she screams. She also notices that if she raises an arm, the good- looking baby in the mirror will do likewise. Suddenly, with a ...
140. The Ultimate Christmas Gift
Psalm 85:1-13, Ephesians 2:11-22
Sermon
Erskine White
"The Lord will speak ... to His people." (Psalm 85:8) As we consider the wide variety of gifts we might receive this Christmas, we could probably place those gifts in one of several categories. First and least importantly, there are those entirely frivolous items which we do not need and never intend to use. How many of us, for example, have received things like automatic toothpick dispensers or electric yarn untanglers which now sit forgotten on some closet shelf collecting dust? Then again, there is no ...
141. It Isn't Fair!
Matthew 20:1-16
Sermon
Brett Blair
One day a rich young ruler came enthusiastically running up to Jesus and asked: “What must I do to be saved?” Jesus answered: Keep the law. “This I have done from my youth up,” came the reply. Yet one thing do you lack said Jesus. Go and sell all that you have and give it to the poor. Then come follow me. We are told that the young man walked away sorrowfully, for he had great wealth. Concluded the Master: It will be hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples had been watching the ...
142. Proper 4
1 Samuel 16:1-13, 2 Corinthians 4:1-18, Mark 2:23-3:6
Bulletin Aid
Paul A. Laughlin
First Lesson: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Theme: Human perspective versus God’s perspective Exegetical Note This account of Samuel’s choosing and anointing of David as Saul’s successor is very rich, but a key element is the distinction it makes between Samuel’s human perspective, which focuses on outward appearance and to which several of the candidates looked promising, versus God’s perspective, which looks upon the heart and thus finds regal potential in the least likely and last considered of all, a very young ...
143. Proper 28
Daniel 7:1-14, Hebrews 10:1-18, Mark 13:1-31
Bulletin Aid
Paul A. Laughlin
First Lesson: Daniel 7:9-14 Theme: God prevails over the worst of enemies Exegetical Note This passage is a pivotal part of the apocalyptic seventh chapter of Daniel, which describes the reign of the four beasts (undoubtedly the Babylonian, Medean, Persian and Greek empires), and singles out a "little horn" that "uproots" ten others, a reference to Seleucid ruler Antiochus Epiphanes IV, who gained power by overthrowing the ten successors of Alexander the Great and was especially notable for his persecution ...
Drama
Michael L. Sherer
"All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death ..." Philippians 3:8-11 Participants enter and take their places in the chancel. As they come forward, the congregation sings the hymn, "In the Hour of Trial." When the hymn is completed, the drama begins. LECTOR: I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown ...
Bulletin Aid
Dallas A. Brauninger
Call to Worship God's parenting contains nothing miserly. Love is lavished on God's children, not parsimoniously dispensed to dependent underlings. A good solid start -- is that not what good parenting is about? Come, receive God's love in all its abundance. Accept God's love in all your fullness. Collect Blessings go to you, O God, who has blessed us in Jesus with every spiritual blessing. Blessings go to you who chooses to give us Jesus. You save us with your forgiveness. You open us with your kindness. ...
146. Be Joyful
1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
Sermon
King Duncan
Bill Adler wrote a book once that consisted of children's letters to Santa Claus. Here are some of the letters: "Dear Santa: Last year you didn't leave me anything good. The year before last year, you didn't leave me anything good. This year is your last chance. Alfred Dear Santa: My baby brother would like a cowboy suit. Do you have one with diapers? --Andy Dear Santa: In my house there are three boys. Richard is two. Jeffrey is four. Norman is seven. Richard is good sometimes. Jeffrey is good sometimes. ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Earlier this year on the news there was a story about an African-American man whose house had been newly painted. Within days someone had spray-painted graffiti all over it. Who would have done something like this in his neighborhood, he wondered? He was angry and rightly so. At first he thought it was racially motivated. Someone did not like him living in their neighborhood. He asked around hoping to find out who had spoiled his house. He found that the graffiti was painted by an eleven-year-old boy. It ...
Sermon
Siegfried S. Johnson
"SUPERSIZE IT!" Fast food operations hear that word thousands of times a day, giving the word "SUPERSIZE" a new meaning in the ever-expanding English lexicon. Why buy a regular combo meal when, for a few cents more, you can have it SUPERSIZED? More french fries to clog your veins. So much Coke that the colossal cup won't jam into the car's console holder. Perhaps nowhere is the American SUPERSIZED appetite for soda pop better evidenced than at 7-11. Thirsty on your way to work? Stop in and buy a 64-ounce ...
149. The Tenth Man
Luke 17:11-19
Sermon
King Duncan
A 4-year-old boy was asked to return thanks before Thanksgiving dinner. His family bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes, even the Cool Whip. Then he paused, and everyone waited--and waited ...
Sermon
Donald B. Strobe
“But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ “ (John 12:4-6) You’ve got to admit that Judas had a point. His was the voice of sweet reasonableness. “Let’s not let ourselves get carried away,” he said, “Let’s not jump off the deep end. This is wasteful extravagance. This costly perfume could be sold and the money given to the poor.” Never mind that the author of the Fourth ...
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