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 1501 to 1525 of 1913 results

1501. What Is Your Life?

James 4:13-17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

When the historian H. G. Wells died in 1946, many of the newspapers reporting the event quoted the last words he ever spoke. Friends and nurses were fluttering about his bedside trying to be helpful, adjusting pillows, pulling up the covers, administering sedatives, and so on. Wells turned to them and said, "Don't bother me. Can't you see I'm busy dying." It was the last flicker of humor from a gallant spirit. I've been thinking about that lately...about the way people die. It says a lot about how they ...

1502. Baptized...and Baptized

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Last Sunday, we talked about John's message of repentance as the "no" that becomes a "yes." We talked about the fact that the call to repentance is a call to repent of our sins, but it's also a call to repent of trying to hide from our sins. We never repent of our sins until we quit hiding from them. Also, repentance is more than a feeling. It is a mind-change -- a mind-change that involves admitting we have been wrong in supposing we can manage our life as if we were God. A second aspect of the mind- ...

1503. Food That Is Needful

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Listen to a letter I received from a friend of mine in Laurel, Mississippi, a few months ago. "A few years ago when Lessie and I moved back to Laurel I took on the job of trying to sell a farm that was left to Lessie and her two sisters and one brother. After a period of a year or so of being unsuccessful at the task, I decided to buy the other shares and keep the farm in the family for future years. The farm was overgrown because of many years of neglect. One of the beauty spots of the farm that I always ...

1504. Through God's Breathed Word

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

George Gallop has been studying American opinions and attitudes for more than 55 years. Increasingly, of late, he has been exploring the inner life of people. His recent book is a study of what it is that makes a saint. A couple of years ago, Gallop cited six basic spiritual needs of Americans. Number five in that list was this: the need to know that one is growing in his or her faith. Last Sunday we began our series of sermons on the general theme of growth. We're building on the Scriptural admonition, " ...

1505. Christmas and the New Family

John 1:1-18

Sermon

J. Ellsworth Kalas

When Wilbur and Orville Wright completed their historic flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, they sent home a succinct telegram. In minimum words it reported that their venture had succeeded, and concluded, "Home for Christmas." Whether they knew it or not, their achievement had ushered in a new age. Along with that, their "coming home" announcement might seem very mundane. But any of us who have longed to go home for Christmas will understand that the two subjects of the telegram ...

1506. Thorns and Thistles

Jeremiah 1:1-19

Sermon

Elizabeth Achtemeier

We modern-day Christians are not called to be prophets in the Old Testament sense of the term. We must remember that when preaching from this text. An Israelite prophet was one who had the ecstatic experience of standing "in the council (i.e., the heavenly court) of the Lord to perceive and to hear his word" (Jeremiah 23:18; cf. 1 Kings 22:13-23; Isaiah 40:1-8). He was then sent as a messenger of that council to tell where, when, and why God was at work in Israel's life. Old Testament prophets had new ...

1507. Generic Christianity Is Not Enough

Romans 12:1-8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Preaching to you only once a year is not an easy task -- so I spend a great deal of time simply seeking to discern what message God desires to speak through me. In that discernment process -- involving a lot of prayer and reflection -- my memory served me well. The Holy Spirit brought to my mind an experience I had here in Memphis. Since it was an experience worth remembering and since it happened here, I have an idea I shared it with this congregation when it happened. Didn’t I always share the important ...

1508. The Prize of the High Calling of God

Hebrews 11:1-40, Philippians 2:12-18

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I am intrigued by bumper stickers. Someone was smart. Since modern Americans spend so much of their time in cars, why not turn the bumper into a kind of chrome or, alas with modern cars, plastic bulletin boards. Thousands would get the messages as they come near the car in front of them. It was a brilliant idea. Religious folks have not missed this communication opportunity. So you have the traditional bumper sticker message: “Honk if you love Jesus”. And the more avant-garde, “In case of the rapture, this ...

1509. Power For Christian Living: Am I On My Own?

Romans 3:3-5

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

The glorious good news of the gospel is not only are we pardoned by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live as “new creatures” – “everything old has passed away…everything has become new” (II Cor. 5:17). We are not on our own. After expressing the truth that we are justified by faith and have peace with God through Jesus Christ, (Romans 12:1). Then states a heartening aspect of the gospel: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that ...

1510. The Vocation of Leadership: A Prophet Among Them

Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

The original invitation to deliver this Johannaber Lecture included the general instruction that the lecture theme have something to do with spirituality and/or spiritual formation. The more I thought of that in the context of a “ministers week,” the more certain I was that I wanted to focus on leadership – the vocation of leadership. Pastors are leaders, but they are specifically Christian leaders. So that’s my focus: leadership from a Christian perspective. I begin with three pictures. The first is out ...

1511. Why Being A Christian Has Worn You Down v2

1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

A mild little boy, not known for being ugly or mean, was being chastised and about to be punished for pulling a little girl’s hair. His mother asked him, “Son, why did you do it? That’s just not like you.” “Mama,” he responded, “I just got tired of being good all the time.” It happens to all of us, doesn’t it? We get tired of being good. But it’s not just a periodic getting tired now and then – the truth is we get worn out – being Christian and practicing ministry wears us out. We talk about fatigue in all ...

1512. Rejoice At The News Of Jesus' Birth

Luke 1:39-45

Bulletin Aid

H. Burnham Kirkland

Call To Worship All the world rejoices at the news of Jesus' coming. To those who believe the infant born in Bethlehem is truly Immanuel -- God With Us -- the news brings us not only joy but a sense of awesome responsibility. Come, let us rejoice together as well as rededicating ourselves to be faithful followers of Jesus, the Son of God. Collect Heavenly Father, our hearts are filled with gladness and gratitude that you have revealed yourself to us through your Son, Jesus Christ. As we celebrate his birth ...

1513. Stick to the Knitting

John 1:43-51

Sermon

Mark Trotter

"Stick to the knitting," is a phrase that I came across in that book by Peters and Waterman, In Search of Excellence. They outlined some successful businesses that emerged in this country following the Second World War. One of the characteristics they said successful businesses had in common was that they focused on what they did best. Peters and Waterman called that, "stick to the knitting." There have been other studies of businesses since then, founded after America's rude awakening that it was no ...

1514. A Cloud of Witness

Hebrews 12:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

It was baseball season in a small Pennsylvania town. If you know anything about Little League baseball, you know it is also a time when little boys’ hearts and egos are on the line. A certain ten-year-old had ridden the bench most of the season. But in the championship game, his coach finally called him up to bat. The little boy’s whole extended family had turned out for this very special game. His parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, second cousins--they were all there, cheering and ...

1515. Financial Freedom

Luke 16:1-15

Sermon

King Duncan

Some of you may have read a remarkable short story sometime during your school years by D. H. Lawrence titled, “The Rocking‑Horse Winner.” I wonder if you remember how the story begins? It is a haunting tale about a family living above its means. The mother is considered by friends and neighbors to be the perfect mother, in spite of the fact that deep down she knows she has difficulty loving her three children. It’s important to the husband to keep up the pretense of success--the large house, staffed with ...

1516. Look Who Is Standing at the Door

James 4:1-12; 5:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

Imagine a happening with me. The scene is a fine restaurant all decorated for the holidays. It is noontime and the restaurant is crowded. Five well-dressed businessmen are seated around a round table enjoying drinks after an expensive lunch. They are entrepreneurs. Each has been successful in building up a business and operating it in a way that has made him wealthy. Since it is the holiday season, they have gathered for a celebration. But they are not celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah. They are ...

1517. Thank God, We're Already Dead

Romans 6:1b-11

Sermon

William G. Carter

If you ever find yourself on the corner of 56th Street and Lexington Avenue in New York City, stop in to see the baptismal font at St. Peter's Lutheran Church. Not long ago, a small group of tourists went for a visit. We were astonished by what we saw. The font is off to the left, by the main entrance into the sanctuary. That in itself is appropriate, for baptism is the entry into the Christian life. We are brought into the church when we are baptized, so the people in St. Peter's put the font right by the ...

1518. The Cloak

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

Sermon

Rick Brand

If you can't refute the argument, then you can attack the person, and the best way to attack a person is to question the motives. So Paul is responding to attacks upon the Good News of Jesus Christ by those who have attacked him and questioned his motives for coming to Thessalonica. He rejoices that when he came to preach, people heard the message joyfully. Paul says he preaches because he has to. He preaches to please God. But, of course, there were some who suggested that Paul was really preaching from ...

1519. Scandalous News

Luke 4:16-30

Sermon

Mark Trotter

Much to my surprise the title of this sermon, "Scandalous News," has caused a lot of people this past week to take notice. They would ask me, "What are you going to say?" I said, "I don't do previews." I did say, though, "It's not what you think, but it's probably much better than you could ever imagine." Titles can be misleading, but I have to put something out there on the billboard that will catch the attention of people who are traveling 70 miles an hour. But I do have some standards, I want you to ...

1520. The Source of Self Esteem

Romans 8:14-25

Sermon

Mark Trotter

About ten years ago the California Legislature funded what they called the "Task Force on Self-Esteem." I remember it received a lot of recognition, a lot of satire and criticism as well. Doonesbury, the comic strip, took after it. For instance it had Boopsy, the actress who has out of body experiences, volunteer to be a part of the task force. Of course the national press jumped on this, and had a field day. Some of the members of the task force looked like the stereotype of the California New Age type. I ...

1521. What If He Shows Up?

John 2:13-22

Sermon

Mark Trotter

I know that you remember Murphy's Law, which said, "If anything can go wrong, it will." There are a thousand variations of that law, such as, "Buttered toast, when falling to the floor, will always fall face down." But it seems that one day in this particular house the toast fell to the floor, and to the amazement of the family, it landed buttered side up. Immediately the scientists were called in to analyze this. Did this really refute Murphy's Law, which said that "buttered toast, when it falls to the ...

1522. God's Delight

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

Once upon a time a student approached his teacher and announced that he was ready to assume the office of ministry. "And what are your qualifications?" the teacher asked. "I have mastered the art of physical discipline," the student replied. "I am able to sleep on the ground, to eat nothing but raw grains, and I can carry huge loads on my back." The teacher took the young man by the arm and led him toward a field. "Do you see the mule? He too sleeps on the ground, eats nothing but grains, and can bear ...

1523. God Never Gives Up on Anyone

John 14:15-21

Sermon

Richard Gribble

The name Robert Stroud is not one commonly heard in ordinary conversation, but this man's contribution to humanity will live on in the minds of many under a different title, "The Birdman of Alcatraz." By nature, Robert Stroud was not a congenial man. As a youth he was always getting into fights, disagreements, and various altercations. When he was only nineteen he killed a man in a barroom brawl, was convicted of second-degree murder, and was sentenced to the Federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas, ...

1524. Cross Purposes

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

All around the upper ledges of the curved glass windows in our living room perches a collection of dappled and dimpled art glass tumblers. These brightly colored tumblers come from an old family collection. They were put together long ago by grandparents long gone. They bring hundreds of different shades and hues of color into the room on a sunny day. Of course, our house is also located in an earthquake zone. In fact, every year at least a couple low-number, rocking-n-rattling sessions roll through the ...

1525. Choose Four

Acts 2:14-41

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

US citizens spend more on weight-loss programs, pills, and panaceas than any other people in the world. US citizens also spend more on greasy, high-calorie, nutritionally-free, fast foods than any other people in the world. No wonder USAmericans are so often pilloried in the press as being two-faced or wishy-washy in our priorities and commitments. The problem is, that as privileged citizens of this remarkably gifted country, US citizens have so many choices available to us that limiting ourselves to one ...

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