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 1576 to 1600 of 3285 results

1576. Palm Sunday (Prologue)

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... Valley Forge at the beginning of our country’s history, when a government official arrived on the scene to obtain a first-hand report on the field situation from General George Washington himself. The government man began complimenting the general on his ability to hold the Army together under such trying circumstances: “General Washington, you are a great leader, a great man, an inspiration to us all,” he said. Whereupon Washington, impatient with all the effusive praise, standing in the midst of his ...

1577. Whose Hand Is On Your Shoulder? (Part 4)

1 Chronicles 4:1-23

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... that God would use him in some dramatic way to expand God’s kingdom. When you take little steps, he reports, you don’t need God. It’s when you thrust yourself into the mainstream of God’s plan for this world, which is beyond our ability to accomplish, and plead with God, "Lord use me--give me more ministry for you," that miracles are released. (3) Last week we invoked the example of John Wesley who claimed the world as his parish. Wesley, with humble resources, sent missionaries to America with the ...

1578. Who Is the Light of Your Life? (I am the light of the world)

John 8:12-30

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... has given the human race all this light, then why do we have so much darkness? Something dreadful happened to humanity. Despite the light that God created and gave, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden, humanity became blinded spiritually. Something happened to our ability to walk in the light, which represents a God-directed life. And since that time, we have come to prefer our own way and we have come to love the darkness. With God even the blind see and understand the truth and purposes of life ...

1579. Called by Life ( I Am the Resurrection and the Life)

John 11:17-37

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... both the human and divine nature of our Lord. We read that "Jesus wept." It is one of the most powerful sentences in scripture. Our God does not have a heart of granite, but actually cares and has compassion upon his people. We see Christ''s divinity in his ability to bring new life into Lazarus'' dead body. We see his love and devotion to Mary and Martha, in that he is moved to bring back their brother from the dead. Jesus knew that nothing stretches the fabric of our faith more than the death of a loved ...

1580. The Lord's Prayer: A Surplus of Meaning

Matthew 6:5-15

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... often known as the Disciple''s Prayer, the Perfect Pattern Prayer, or the Model Prayer. It is a prayer that Jesus did not pray himself. The prayer calls for the forgiveness of sins and, of course, Jesus Christ was sinless. He was tempted to sin--he had the ability to sin--but he did not. Jesus also would have said, "My Father," rather than "Our Father." However, it is The Lord''s Prayer in the sense that he is the author and designer of its words. The real Lord''s Prayer as known in the Christian Community ...

1581. The Lord's Prayer: Deliver us from Evil

Matthew 6:5-13

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... is exhausting--it can evaporate hope quicker than anything else I know on the human scene. When Dr. Edward A. Steimle was teaching and preaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, he shared: "The thing that always keeps bringing me back to the Bible is its ability to tell it like it is. Some people believe it only tells them like it was. So they no longer read it but let it gather dust on coffee tables. This book talks about Evil, Demons, and Angels. Somehow to them it is far removed from jobs ...

1582. Where the Bread Loaf Is Not a Stone

Matthew 7:7-12

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... of my aunts in Virginia would make her delicious jellies she would put in something called "pectin." It helps to give the jams a solid base. You can eat "pectin," but it has no calories, no protein. Some weight loss programs include pectin because it has the ability to make you feel full. But if pectin is all you eat--you will die. It provides no real nourishment for the body. Jesus knew that the human spirit and soul need God himself--not pectin, not something to make us feel full--but something so great ...

1583. Don't Let Your Tongue Bite You

James 3:1-12

Sermon

Eric Ritz

The ability to communicate correctly with each other is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Our inability to communicate is sometimes at the heart of many of our greatest and most serious problems. We mis-communicate with each other when we don''t say or don''t hear what we ...

1584. The Greatest Table in the World

Mark 14:12-26

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... slightly boyish and dusted with freckles, filled the television screen...Although she admitted that she still carried scars and sometimes struggled with terrible memories, she said her triumph was evidenced in a successful eleven-year marriage with a good man along with her ability to hold a responsible professional job. When the woman was asked why she thought she had not only survived but triumphed, she answered, `I had more love than they had hate.'' She said it just that way: direct, firm, and with chin ...

1585. Love: The Greatest Commandment and the Greatest Challenge

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... , giving, reinforcing, sharing. When she didn''t return, Crane called. "Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?" "Divorce?" she exclaimed. "Never! I discovered I really do love him." Her actions had changed her feelings. Motion resulted in emotion. The ability to love is established not so much by fervent promise as by repeated deeds. (2) Our commitment to love in the Christian faith is to believe all things, hope all things, endure all things. When we do this, all relationships, including marital ...

1586. Joy: The Echo of God's Presence In Us! (Part I - Introduction)

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... luncheon (before my surgery) where a woman confessed to having a lump on her breast but was terrified to find out whether or not it was malignant. "We all know about fear. We know it lives within all of us. We know it doesn''t listen to reason, paralyzes your ability to think and expands upon command. We know it''s contagious and can be spread from one person to another without physical contact. "I had a great advantage. Three years ago I wrote, `I Want to Grow Hair, I Want to Grow Up, I Want to go to Boise ...

1587. Facing Difficult Decisions in Life! Part VI

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... about it. He was sacrificial in his orientation to life and death. Dr. John Killinger of Samford University shares: "The one thing that distinguishes capable preachers from all the ordinary, humdrum preachers people grow tired of listening to is their ability to see things. It''s as simple as that. They don''t go through life like Mr. Magoo, myopically missing the brilliant hues, interesting sights, and exciting occurrences in their environment. Instead, they are like Zorba, in Kazantzakis'' novel who ...

1588. Tackling Troubles Triumphantly

James 1:1-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... had only given the computer system three taps with a hammer. The man responded, "The taps cost a total of $1.00 but it will cost you $9,999 for my knowing where to tap." When we are faced with troubles and trials that exhaust our human strengths and abilities, we cry out with the psalmist to God for strength and stamina to endure. Only God knows where to "tap in" to our lives to bring us correction and renewal when the circuits of our lives are overloaded and burned out. When Satan tempts us, it is to bring ...

1589. Paths of Righteousness

Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... the spirited player that he or she forget the notes. Notes matter, but hitting the notes isn''t what it means to be a musician. Somehow the musician has to have spirit; without it the notes do very little. "Paraphrasing the words of Jesus, unless our musical ability exceeds that of the good note player, we''ll never make it as a musician. And this is what Jesus is after. He''s not primarily concerned about the notes; he is concerned about the spirit. The person of spirit is the blessed, the approved man or ...

1590. The Bible: The Book No Other Can Match!

2 Timothy 3:16

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... of forgiveness; forgiveness for my sins of avoiding or not doing my exercises which alone would enable me to walk again. It was also a story which gave me a context for exploring my skepticism about ever being abe to walk again and about God’s ability to enable me to do that. "In the process of remembering this story, Jesus Christ became present for me. The return of my strength and energy was a steady gift that was profoundly connected with this story. In some sense, remembering the story enabled me to ...

1591. Feasting and Fasting for Lent (Part I)

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... There are times when we simply need to change direction and set a new course in our lives. Fast a known sin, and feast on obedience to God''s word and direction to some area of your life. FAST FROM WORDS THAT POLLUTE, FEAST ON WORDS THAT PURIFY. The ability to bring out the best in each other by the power of encouraging words is truly one of the best pieces of evidence that the Holy Spirit is empowering your witness. Encouragement is like peanut butter on a sandwich--the more you spread it on the bread, the ...

1592. Living with the Aches and Alleluias

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... a child of God when he ought to conclude, "That''s it! I quit! I throw in the towel! I give up!" If God can reach down and touch the earth in all its darkness and sin and win the victory, he can handle your situation. If freedom is the ability to fulfill the purpose for which you were created, then fear is that power which attempts to destroy that purpose and goal. Christ knew the awesome power that fear could unleash into the life of a believer. He saw his own disciples when fear was ruling the day. He ...

1593. Thanksgiving: Where Are You Looking for It?

Psalm 103:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... back to the pew. There were few dry eyes in the church house that day. Why? Because they had experienced an offering like they had never seen before. They had experienced a real thanksgiving. Yes, the woman may have been poor, but her ability to give thanks liberated her from poverty. Real thanksgiving is found in a GRATEFUL HEART. Real thanksgiving is found in expressing our thankfulness with others who are needy in our land. Real thanksgiving is found in having a personal, ongoing relationship with God ...

1594. Just Speak the Name

Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... home phone. Every time one of those threatening and obscene phone calls came in, she automatically pushed a button and a beautiful rendition of "The Lord''s Prayer" was heard by the hate-filled caller. The phone calls ceased after a little while. Mrs. Tilly knew that the ability to love her enemy did not reside in her name and power but in the name of Jesus. In a few moments, my words will cease, and you will come to the alter railing to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. I will share the words of the ...

1595. Great Feast or Sad Fast

Luke 14:1-14, Luke 14:15-24

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... that the first invitation was flawed in its scope. One of the things that Jesus shares with those who have gathered around him at a meal at a certain home of a Pharisee is that their celebration is incomplete--in that they have used their ability to invite persons to their celebration who can enhance their social prestige and enlarge their circle of similar type people. So many are excluded in their planning. Jesus is going to be sharing with them a whole new set of guidelines and social etiquette. Often ...

1596. Making a Difference

John 1:43-51

Sermon

Paul E. Flesner

... in the morning as one of the more difficult decisions that he faces during the day. He admitted that there have been many times when he went to work wearing some very strange color combinations. He went on to say that he is fascinated by his wife's ability to pick colors that go well together. What is most fascinating is how she notices that the appearance of a particular color in a piece of fabric can be changed by the colors which are around it. She will hold up several different ties and say, "Oh -- this ...

1597. Cross Connections

John 18:1-11

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... then, to "turn to them the other also" was a way of neutralizing their power. This wasn't cowardice; it was a strategy designed to place one's adversary in a no-win situation in a non-violent way. It stripped him of his ability to dehumanize you. Absorption. Neutralization. But the cross also invokes the image of transformation. What else can explain the seemingly inexplicable shifts that occur in the wake of Jesus' death? What is heinous becomes hopeful; what is deadly becomes salvific; what is seemingly ...

1598. A Higher Calling

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... seems to have played a role in this. The story goes that his wife Laura gave him an ultimatum. But George Bush didn’t turn around by himself. His faith played a significant role. And he got his life together. And he impressed a nation with his abilities and his sincerity, and he was elected President of our land. It’s a story that’s been told time and time again. Some of you are familiar with the name Charles Colson. Chuck Colson was, at one time, a power player in Washington politics, a member ...

1599. What Gets Into People?

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

King Duncan

... other, “What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.” Then Mark tells us, “News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.” We will see in the coming weeks that Jesus’ ability as a healer made him wildly popular. In fact, so popular that it interfered with the rest of his ministry. And why not? When people are hurting they will do anything for a cure. Writer Gordon MacDonald, in his book Forging a Real World Faith, paints ...

1600. Keeping Sunday

Mark 2:23-3:6

Sermon

David G. Rogne

... a day of rest will lessen their return from life. I read an epitaph once which someone had written for a person who worked himself to death. It said, "Born a man, he died a grocer." Actually, a time of rest enhances our ability to enjoy the remainder of life. Winston Churchill stayed rested and alert during the difficult days of World War II by scheduling cabinet meetings around his naps. Albert Einstein believed that regular naps refreshed his mind and stimulated his creativity. The recurrent Sabbath ...

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