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 126 to 150 of 693 results

126. The Joy of Christmas

Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... of God. There is so much noise that we don’t hear very well. If we want to hear from God, we must find the silence that the shepherds found. I like the story about Franklin Delano Roosevelt. One day he was tired of all the small talk during receptions at the White House. As a long line of people were waiting to shake his hand he decided to say, “I killed my mother-in-law last night.” People did not hear it. They walked by and said, “That’s nice.” Then a foreign diplomat came through and FDR ...

127. Future Glory

Romans 8:18-27

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... the Spirit we could not possibly bear up under God when he acts in this way to hear and fulfill our prayers (Lectures on Romans, pp. 240–41). Luther is not accusing God of sadism. Rather, God uses human need to create receptivity, and receptivity is the prerequisite to acknowledging God’s lordship, which is active in our behalf, although not always in accordance with our expectations. Additional Notes 8:20 According to Genesis 3:14ff. certain aspects of creation were cursed because of human disobedience ...

128. The Lord's Supper

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... at 15:1–8, where he recounts the resurrection appearances of the Lord. Paul’s manner of phrasing the way he knew and taught traditional materials does not explain the source of his information or the circumstances of his reception of the material. Attempts to rationalize Paul’s knowledge as coming from other Christians and attempts to defend the supernatural revelation of the tradition are equally speculative and indefensible. With regard to another context, however, see Paul’s explicit statement ...

129. A Prophet Without Honor

Mark 6:1-6

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... in very negative terms, in contrast with the commendation of faith in 5:34. It is not really his purpose to say that a lack of faith completely ties God’s hands but rather to indicate that receptivity to God, faith, is rewarded by God’s miraculous power, and that there are opposite consequences in the absence of such receptivity. (See comments on 5:21–43.) It is interesting that Jesus likens himself to a prophet in 6:4, for this is one of the labels given by observers, according to Mark (cf. 6:14–16 ...

130. Personal Requests

1 Corinthians 16:5-18

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... have been to Paul, as one of those cited as a leader, among competitive cliques (ch. 1), and so Timothy as Paul’s agent might have encountered difficulties. Indeed, the labored manner in which Paul addresses Timothy’s possible reception—or lack of a reception—in Corinth probably indicates the strength of the opposition that Paul perceived toward himself. Timothy is going as Paul’s representative, so Paul attempts to shield his emissary with these words. Finally, exactly what Paul means by saying ...

131. A Mystery

John 16:12-15

Sermon

Robert C. Cochran

... Creator.” And — poof! — there you have it... a Jewish/Lutheran service. I thought everything went perfectly until a tiny, beautiful Jewish grandmother came up to me as I ate dinner at the reception and said, “You did a wonderful job today, Pastor. But if you ever do this again, you may not want to conclude the table blessing at the Reception with, “In Jesus’ name, we pray.” I’d done such a good job removing our Lord from the service until I got to the one line I’d ad-libbed all day, and ...

132. The Wedding Planner's Worst Nightmare

John 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... is to create the perfect day for the bride and groom. That’s a huge responsibility! When issues arise at the last minute, the wedding planner has to do whatever it takes to redeem the situation. For example, the DJ doesn’t show up for the reception. What do you do? One enterprising wedding planner named Hannah Albert hooked up her iPhone to a laptop and served as DJ so the wedding party could go on as planned. (1) Another wedding planner named Roxy Zapala discovered at the last minute that the church ...

133. Jews and Christians: All in the Family

Romans 15:4-13

Sermon

Will Willimon

... darkness and pleaded with the brother to come in, but to no avail. In our day, the story has taken a sad and unexpected turn, one which Luke couldn't have imagined. The younger brother soon lost his repentant, contrite spirit. The shock of his father's gracious reception wore off. He came to resent his older brother's failure to party at his homecoming. He began to scheme against his brother, to take on airs, to forget how fortunate he was to be in his Father's house. At last he even resorted to locking the ...

134. When the Rules Change

7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Sermon

David Coffin

... outcome of the particular purity, politically correct or implied traditions of the day? When the rules change, such laws either may nor may not be helpful. Would the Christian couple be willing to use the WICCA temple fellowship hall for their reception, if they were offered a reasonable cost arrangement? Another example might be a resume section with community activities that show organizational and people skills that may be more beneficial in the job market than another academic degree. The couple in the ...

135. A Faith That Overcomes

Acts 9:32-43

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... at his office one day. The call came from a woman who was to be married in two days. She was frantically searching for a minister who could perform her wedding. Apparently this woman had planned her wedding all the way to the minute details of a lavish reception, complete with live band and cake. She had forgotten just one thing -- the minister. Can we really have much hope for a marriage in which God's presence is merely an afterthought? If we want to be able to draw on the power of God to strengthen and ...

136. Reward Time

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... in a strange \nland, and you helped him. \nGEORGE: I did? \nRIDGE: On a crowded freeway, where traffic was backed up because \nof construction, you let this man in line ahead of you. \nGEORGE: I did? \nRIDGE: Yes, and because of that kind deed this man was receptive \nto the gospel that he was listening to on his car radio and came \ninto God's kingdom. \nGEORGE: I don't remember that. \nRIDGE: Your heart attitude was right when you did that. So, you \nwere right. You do get a reward, a very fine reward ...

137. Anybody Listening?

Mark 6:1-6

Sermon

William G. Carter

... . If Joseph was still in the picture, perhaps he was too embarrassed to admit publicly that the carpenter's kid grew up to be a preacher. Who knows if Mary came to listen? Perhaps she was busy giving one of her daughters directions for a homecoming reception after the service, telling her to inscribe a cake with the chocolate-frosted words, "WELCOME HOME, JESUS." In any case, Jesus began to speak and "they took offense at him" (Mark 6:3). There he was, among his own people, surrounded by his own family, and ...

138. The Open Hand

Mark 2:23-3:6

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... fist is an open hand. The problem of the Pharisees was closed minds, hard hearts, and clenched fists. Jesus told the man with a withered hand to stretch out his hand. Indirectly, Jesus was saying that the Pharisees refused to open their hands to God in the spirit of receptivity. Now we are close to the heart of the text and the application of our text to today. Isn't this the real problem with people who refuse to worship or can't pray today? Isn't this the human malady in our day as well as Jesus' day ...

139. Dinner Parties With A Difference

Luke 7:36-50

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... to impress rather than be impressed, to talk rather than to listen, to be confirmed in their prejudices rather than to be changed. Notice the difference between Simon and the prostitute. Simon was cold and calculating, the prostitute warm and receptive. Simon, in his self-centeredness, unforgivably had forgotten the common courtesies of mid-eastern hospitality of washing guests' feet and greeting them with an embrace and kiss. The prostitute washed Jesus' feet with her tears, dried them with her hair ...

140. The Call Of The Tradition: Remember And Return

Nehemiah 7:73b--8:18

Sermon

Robert A. Hausman

... the people were eager to hear. Ezra read in Hebrew and the Levites translated it into Aramaic, the common language, so the people could better understand it (v. 8). Ezra read from early morning to midday and the people listened attentively (v. 3). Their reception of the word was marked by weeping (v. 9). Apparently they had drifted far from the word, forgetting its stories and tradition and failing to live according to its laws. It is easy to understand how that could have happened. The people knew that ...

141. Lent 4

Psalm 32:1-11, Joshua 5:1-12, 2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2, Luke 15:1-7

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... love is the fulfillment of justice, as some have suggested. When are mercy, grace, and compassion the fulfillment of justice and not the denial of justice? What do these issues have to say about the Christian attitude toward capital punishment, prison sentences, and reception of persons who come out of prison? Homily Hints 1. An Aggrieved Father. (vv. 11-32) The sermon would concentrate on the nature of God as portrayed in the parable. A. Sinned Against. By both of the sons. B. Taking Initiative. Watching ...

142. Sow's Ears And Silk Purses

John 2:1-11

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

... . At least one member of the bridal party was known to Jesus' family, since it is recorded that his mother was among the invited guests. Weddings in those days were extravagant events. Life savings were spent making certain the guests had the best time possible. The reception was far more than punch and cake, with a few nuts and mints thrown in. And the party didn't end in the two hours we allocate. It went on for seven full days! Sometime toward the end of the festivities, Jesus and his friends arrive ...

143. Seeds And The Kingdom

Mark 4:30-34, Mark 4:26-29

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... by force. In the sixteenth century certain self-proclaimed prophets expected God to install his kingdom in the city of Strasbourg. The prophet was imprisoned and the kingdom did not seem to be coming there. Then some of the followers found the city of Manster receptive to their preaching. They concluded that they were mistaken both in the place and the way the kingdom was to come. They decided MÅnster was the place and that they should take over the city. They forced those who did not agree to leave the ...

144. Awake, Christ Is Coming

Romans 13:8-14

Sermon

Richard Hasler

... the right time, too. Learning does not proceed at the same pace; at certain critical moments new insights appear. Maria Montessori in her pioneer work with children called these critical moments "sensitive periods" during which children are especially receptive to certain stimuli that enhance learning. Abraham Maslow used the term "peak experiences" to identify critical moments when people see something clearly or gain an inner assurance that enables them to be exceptional persons. In short, in almost ...

145. The Peace Treaty

2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2

Sermon

Sandra Hefter Herrma

... of trust, and such an appointment is one of the highest honors any country can bestow upon a citizen. Yet here is the president of the United States saying that your safety as ambassador cannot be guaranteed ‚--û that in fact we can count on a hostile reception. You will be ambassador of the most powerful nation on earth, yet you are asked to go, hat in hand, to our sworn enemy and petition for reconciliation! Is this any way for a superpower to act? But this is exactly what Paul claims: that he comes ...

146. The Control Center

Isaiah 6:8

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To stress the importance of learning to listen and to be receptive to what others say. Material: A remote control from a television set. Lesson: This morning I have an interesting little gadget that I think some of you have probably seen or used. Do you know what this is? ... It is called a remote control. And do you know what it ...

147. Make A Choice

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

Robert Beringer

... Jesus as the Christ. For many people, both then and now, Jesus is simply not the kind of Messiah they expected. The fulfillment did not live up to the promise! It is not unlike the young couple who have the big wedding, the glamorous reception, and the romantic honeymoon. They come home to start their married life on Cloud Nine. But then comes the reality: a stubby beard in the morning ... hair curlers all over the bed ... the crunch of burnt toast ... short tempers ... the clash of wills ... the inevitable ...

148. The Second Meal

Sermon

Robert F. Scott

... forgiveness; by faith she accepted his gift. Now she was a new person, able to demonstrate her response of love. She could go in peace: peace with God, peace in her own heart. The story is charged with emotion. Jesus' correction of Simon, his tender reception of the sinner, the eloquence of her silent actions, all fit into the picture of God's concern.The living God is not indifferent; God loved the world so passionately that God sent the only son -- sent him so that everyone who believes in him should ...

149. Expecting the Unexpected

Judges 4:1-24

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

... born the wisdom of Solomon? Or move ahead into the New Testament and think of those marvelous gospel passages depicting Jesus' birth. Talk about expecting the unexpected. Here, the wedding invitations are already in the mail, a hefty down payment on the reception hall, perhaps even a few premarital counseling sessions with the local rabbi, and suddenly Joseph discovers that, through no fault of his own, his fiancee is pregnant. Mysterious? Of course. Miraculous? To be sure. Expected? Not! I mean, let's face ...

150. The Truth Will Make You Free

Sermon

Phyllis Faaborg Wolk

... the words. With the confirmation promises made, the gift of holy communion celebrated, the prayers prayed and the promises of God shared in word and deed, the worship service was complete. The confirmation students recessed out of the sanctuary and formed a reception line where they were greeted by a joyful congregation. The feeling of freedom washed through Chris' body. The butterflies' flutter disappeared. His hands were no longer damp with sweat. He felt that a heavy load had somehow been lifted off his ...

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