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 1601 to 1625 of 2669 results

1601. Accepting the Lord Once Again

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... justice, would not rebel nor shield his face from buffets or spitting, whose appearance was marred. He would be one who others would avoid; he would be pierced for the sins of others. While the former image was most attractive and the dominant belief of the Hebrews, the servant model was present. Despite the predictions, the Hebrews, while recognizing him as a prophet and holy man, did not accept Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus announced the kingdom, but did not fulfill it. Moreover, the Jews' enemies were ...

1602. Unacceptable

Mark 8:31-38

Sermon

David T. Ball

... will lose my life if I try to save it, but I will save it if I lose it? Absolute truth. Don’t we as Christians believe that there is such a thing? I guess so, but doesn’t asserting the existence of absolute truth entail another belief, held equally strongly, that truth can be spelled out and stated, clearly, in a straightforward manner? Jesus keeps lobbing paradoxes our way, statements that whether they’re true or not seem anything but straightforward. To try to save my life means that I’ll lose it ...

1603. Seeing and Not Being Seen

John 12:20-33

Sermon

David T. Ball

... everyone gaping in awe and amazement. I think of the passage when Jesus was asked whether it’s lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not. This was a tough question to answer. If he were to say, “Yes,” he might be seen as violating Jewish beliefs about the importance of worshiping only one God, for the emperor, too, claimed to be divine. If he were to say, “No,” that might have ended his ministry right there, with a swift arrest and conviction for inciting disobedience of Roman tax laws. So instead, he ...

1604. Anywhere But Home

Mark 6:1-13

Sermon

George Reed

... anyway?" Few listen to his words and he can do very little good among them. Jesus comes to recognize that a prophet can be recognized anywhere but at home. We really shouldn't be that surprised. Haven't we all experienced how hard it is to live out our beliefs at home? It may have first happened when we went away to church camp for a week. We found ourselves in a new environment where doing our daily devotions was not only acceptable but it was expected and was part of the daily schedule. Then we come home ...

1605. A Revolutionary Text

Matthew 22:15-22

Illustration

Staff

... an essay entitled "The Christian Citizen and Democracy," Mr. Weigel noted that the Scriptures say to submit to the governing authorities and to pray for them (1 Peter 2:13-14, Romans 13:1), but that Caesar is not God, contrary to a common belief in the times of Jesus. Mr. Weigel questioned whether atheists can really be good citizens, arguing that democracy requires a standard of truth and morality outside the scope of fallen human beings. Richard John Neuhaus, editor-in-chief of First Things, was quoted as ...

1606. With Friends Like These ...

Job 38:1-7 (34-41)

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

... ' sins. They must visualize God as someone like "a high school principal in a gray suit who never remembered your name but is always leafing unhappily through your files."3 The visit results in a heated argument, as Job's friends try to impose their own beliefs upon him as a solution to his problems. The last thing he needs at this time is a sermon on God's unfailing justice. From gentle suggestions to specific accusations, they accuse him of sinning, believing this has to be the explanation for all he has ...

1607. The Outstretched Arms

John 19:28-37, John 19:17-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... 1079-1142), who was virtually a contemporary of Anselm's, first proposed it. Abelard’s theory doesn't picture the Devil as an extortioner, or God as an executioner, but does portray Jesus as little more than an exemplary figure who, hanging on the cross, inspires belief and altruistic behavior in the onlooker. In the words of the hymn: See from his head, his hands, his feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down: Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown. The problem with the moral ...

1608. Revitalizing the Lo-cal Church

Acts 1:12-26

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... telepathy with God. Prayer is also something you do with your entire being and body. This means more than that old saying "When you pray, move your feet." It has to do with what organ of the body, do you think? Your entire being. Our behavior stems directly from our beliefs. Words are not the only means or signs of prayer. If you want to show someone how badly you feel for them, or how deeply you love them, do you tell them in words or do you put your arms around them?

1609. Speaking the S-word

1 Samuel 16:14-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... possession does not occur in the Bible - demoniacs "have an evil spirit," a description which is actually more in keeping with our own understanding of "What possessed me?" But there is a possession syndrome that occurs when people become controlled by others or by the perceptions and beliefs of others. Evil forces need to be (1) bound in Jesus' name (Luke 11: 17-26); (2) commanded to harm no one and to depart from that person (Luke 8:29; 4:36); and (3) directed to go to the place that God has appointed for ...

1610. You've Got That Healin' Touch

Mark 5:21-43

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... new way of looking at the universe. In many cases scientists have now demonstrated more trust in the qualitative nature of existence than have our theologians. Often it has taken science to awaken Christians to the awesome power of thoughts and beliefs to shape our behavior and destiny. Within recent years there has been a renewed appreciation for the way ancient peoples thought of words as concrete and powerful forces, almost material entities. In the formula that Einstein believed unlocked the secrets of ...

1611. The Urge to Purge

2 Samuel 12:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... -baptismal sins. Just as the church took seriously the regenerative effect of baptism, it took seriously any later pollution of that new state of purity. Especially problematic and horrifying to the church was what to do with those believers who temporarily recanted their belief in Christ when faced with death or imprisonment. The first response of the church was to make the road back to full inclusion in the ecclesial community as long and arduous as possible. This is how penance became part of church life ...

1612. Seeing the Elephant/Hearing the Owl

2 Samuel 18:24-33

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... massive as war, global warming, the AIDS epidemic and economic recession, Christians face challenges to their personal faith so great that a kind of spiritual paralysis can set in. How can the church get people moving again and buoy up their belief that their individual attitudes and actions do make a difference? "How to Plan for 1995," a feature article in Fortune Magazine (December 1990), begins with the following declaration by management theorist Ronald Henkoff: "One year into the Nineties and this is ...

1613. The Golden Calf and the Golden Table

James 1:17-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... tiny gods at an impressive rate. From the moment that the ancient Hebrews began to worship only one God, people of faith have been confronted with the enticement of worshipping at the feet of many gods. What does the way of faith centered on belief in the omniscient power of one God have to offer to counter these gold-plated seductions of the spirit? Today this former yearning after wisdom has been replaced by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. But there is a tragic difference between the ancient quest ...

1614. No Green Without Red

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... supreme? Is it any wonder the modern western self, with its estrangement from nature, its egotism, its pursuit of excess, is sick and infesting this whole planet with a virus that kills all living things? People are tailoring their religions and customizing their beliefs to meet their needs. Not surprisingly this religion does little to change behavior or attitudes. In its Christian version, it is either a form of decaffeinated Christianity - it won't keep you awake at night; no need to fear loss of sleep ...

1615. Back to School

Luke 2:41-52

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Spirit: Recovering the Teaching Office of the church (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1990) asks all the right questions of our present institutionalized faith. Has the church lost the "teachable spirit," which Osmer sees as a "willingness to suspend old beliefs and open oneself to the forgiving and transforming grace of God ... a fundamental, lifelong task, focusing in the renewal of the mind and heart." A similar appeal comes from Ronald J. Allen and Clark M. Williamson. In their recent The ...

1616. A Lovehope Faith

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... it my calling to arrange collisions between the minds of young people and the great truths of our human existence." Paul was trying to impose that kind of traffic pattern on the anxious, fractious members of the Corinthian church. Their concern over proper beliefs and the distribution of spiritual gifts had left them weary. In chapter 12 Paul used the analogy of a human body to try and get the Corinthians to view charismatic gifts within the proper perspective. But now Paul hastens to add the single ...

1617. Grits, Grats and Gruts...Not Grunts

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... fully realize our ability to share in the new life inaugurated by the second Adam, a life which flows naturally from the Spirit. Until then we must try as best we can to splice together our physical and spiritual selves, knowing that behavior emerges from beliefs and intentions. Such is the power of the will. Grits, Grats, and Gruts may seem like so many grubby fund-raising schemes. But when they arise out of an active will and desire to please God - combine material goods with a spiritual response - they ...

1618. Healing in His Wings

Acts 14:8-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... myth we long to believe: that we can be in control through technological manipulation and mastery. The quest to control nature has led to an explosion in scientific knowledge - allowing us to splice genes, wipe out pathogens and multiply our food supply. Likewise our belief that we should be able to manipulate time and space has led into the tiny world of the microchip and out to the vast expanse of the unexplored galaxy. We control our environment - using it, abusing it or completely hiding from it. (Some ...

1619. The Compleat Christian

Romans 5:1-5

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... hope, as hope has been maintained throughout the life of the church, it is inexorably caught up in our eschatological expectations. We hope because we are part of a community of hope, living on the Holy Spirit. Christian hopefulness is rooted in a belief that there is purposeful movement in history towards a future filled with meaning. Without this sense of hope we become little more than momentary globs of protoplasm on a mindless, soulless shell of existence. Do you suffer for Christ's sake? Once again ...

1620. A.Y.O.R. (At Your Own Risk)

Hebrews 12:1-2, 12-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... on handicap accessibility, while ignoring the biggest commitment in your life, your commitment to Christ? The author of Hebrews cautioned his readers in the sternest tones about the finality of the consequences of some choices. His use of Esau spoke clearly about his belief in no second repentance. They had the freedom to choose to abandon their commitments to Christ, but they must realize the attendant cost. One of the gifts Christ's presence in our lives gives us today is not freedom of choice but a ...

1621. Armageddon Anxiety

John 6:56-69

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... John 6:66? Or will we remain standing with Peter? Will we continue to confess "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God" (vv.68-69). Will it be that belief and that message that take us into the new millennium?

1622. Wanted: A Lasting Marriage. Only Good Chemists, Bad mathematicians, Expert Soul-O-Flexors Need Apply

Mark 10:2-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... were also present (such as equality, ability to disagree constructively and frequency of sex), none made the impact of joint prayer. Religion and spirituality play a more important role in marital happiness than most people realize. In a Gallup survey, religious beliefs enhanced marital stability for people of all ages (not just for older folk, who tend to be more religious and maritally secure). A fluke? According to a 1990 university study, virtually ignored by social scientists, decades of research have ...

1623. Strength's Weakness

John 20:19-31

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Without physical evidence, the prosecution has no case. Thomas is confronted here with nothing but words, "hearsay" we might call it, about Jesus' miraculous resurrection. Thomas has to decide how to integrate the alleged appearance of the risen Lord into his old belief system. Thomas chooses to fall back on his old reliable source of strength the plain physicality of Jesus' earthly mission. A faith based on "seeing-is-believing" had held Thomas in good stead thus far. Why change his tune now? What Thomas ...

1624. Self-Fulfillment Through Self-Sacrifice

1 Peter 2:19-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... God while serving others and let us be fulfilled, even as we are poured out. 1. Believe Erwin McManus, senior minister of The Church on Brady, says, "You and I were not created to believe in nothing." But believing in God is not something done for our own sake. Greater belief in God enables us to believe in each other. We need people around us who believe in us. Isn't it great to have people in your life who believe in "us"? Isn't it great to have people in your life who believe in you? The 19th-century ...

1625. Dr. God

Matthew 9:18-26

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the presence of love. Compassion, concern, empathy all those nonmedical elements we long for are the common components in successful healings. Without love, without specific caring, making the "healing connection" is impossible. Healers of all stripes testify to this common belief that the ability to extend love toward the ones seeking healing is the first step. Love it seems is what opens up that connection between a healer and one who desires healing. After feeling the touch of the hemorrhaging woman ...

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