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 1751 to 1775 of 4963 results

1751. Chutes or Ladders

Mark 9:2-9

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... older it slowly begins to dawn on us that as we give more of our lives to working our way up the "ladder of success," the problem with finally getting what we want is that then we've got it! The longed-for prize becomes just another new responsibility, another step on the ladder. "Success" is still somewhere else. Or as an old French proverb puts it: "You not only have to want what you want, but you have to want what you want leads to." Unfortunately, we've also been willing to strap our Christianity our ...

1752. Say What?

Luke 9:28-36 (37-43)

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the sky than with soupy clouds. From the cloudy mountaintops, it is hard to see where one is, where one has been or where one is going. One needs an interrupting voice to speak from the overshadowing clouds. After the Transfiguration, Peter does not know what response to make (Luke 9:33). So he babbles. Peter always has to say something _ even when vision is obstructed, when silence is what is called for and when experience eludes understanding until one is off the mountain. 2. There is little growth on the ...

1753. Freedom in Bondedness

Galatians 5:1-15

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... men" tell the story of how he became a "self-made man." After his presentation was over, he remarked to Dr. Parker, "What did you think of my story?" To which Dr. Parker replied, "My dear man, you have just relieved Almighty God of an enormous responsibility." Cross then goes on to observe: "Self-made persons are a truly powerful argument against the use of unskilled labor. Self-serving is an oxymoron! We are neither human enough, nor divine enough, to serve ourselves, and in the end, if that is what we use ...

1754. Back to the Real World

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

King Duncan

... the stories we read together when I was little. It’s the story of the rooster who got up before dawn every day to sit on the roof of the farmhouse and crow so that the sun would rise. Because that’s what he really believed: that it was his responsibility to make the sun come up. He was always afraid that if he didn’t crow, everything would go wrong. He kept worrying: What would happen if I fell ill, or even died? How would the crops grow, and the children wake up in time for school, and the frost ...

1755. Mark 8:31-38

Mark 8:31-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... established between God and Abraham serves Paul well to illustrate how the Christian community is united in faith, not divided by national identity. This week's Epistle text starts with Paul's bold pronouncement that because of God's grace, issued in response to our faith, we are now all descendants of Abraham. The genetic link in Paul's redefined criteria for Abrahamic descendance is faithfulness, not circumcision. God's promise at the time of the covenant was that Abraham should be the ancestor for ...

1756. Ephesians 2:4-25

Ephesians 2:4-25

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of creation because of God's love. Yet while Christ is God's most complete abridgment of the rule, John makes it clear that even this divine ploy faces human obstruction. Verses 17-21 clearly spell out who must take the initiative and responsibility once Christ's death and resurrection are accomplished. God's freeing love for us allows for complete human freedom of the will, notwithstanding our oftentimes perversely independent nature. We choose whether or not to accept God's ultimate gift to us. God's ...

1757. Acts 2:1-21

Acts 2:1-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... have come to pass. The final verse from this week's text offers both an invitation and a challenge to the Jews surrounding the disciples: "Everyone who calls upon the Lord shall be saved." The invitation has been made, even in their native languages; the response is now up to them. Relating the Texts The gospel text from John relays Jesus' promises about the Holy Spirit - the "Advocate" or "Counselor" - in greater detail. The John text read this week is part of a larger section (15:26-16:33) believed to ...

1758. James 1:17-27

James 1:17-27

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... God and so were redeemed or offered to God. Christians now are the first fruits of the gospel. While God's word is the word of truth, human words are not nearly so noble. In verse 19 James now looks at the deficient nature of human responses. Again James is probably citing a common proverb to listen carefully and not respond rashly - which he now gives a specifically religious ring. James' writings are often characterized by an over-arching concern for the well-being of the Christian community, so it is not ...

1759. Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... whole of the Torah while I am standing on one foot." Cutting through the heft of traditional scholarship and scriptures, Hillel replied, "What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah. The rest is commentary; go and learn it." Jesus' response is similar. He combines Deuteronomy 6:4-5 with Leviticus 19:18 to give a two-pronged answer to the scribe's question. Only here in Mark's rendition of this encounter does Jesus recite the line "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is ...

1760. Luke 2:41-52

Luke 2:41-52

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , not his earthly parents. Having set the dramatic stage for a battle between heavenly and earthly authority, Luke now suddenly springs on us the surprise ending of this marvelous story. Despite the fact that Mary and Joseph fail to understand his response (verse 50), Jesus suddenly submits to their authority as his parents and returns home with them. Notice that Luke carefully points out that Jesus "descends" with his parents to return to Nazareth. He voluntarily leaves the high ground of his experience ...

1761. Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10

Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... forbade the land-grabbing, freedom-robbing practices of the wealthy that put the poor into slavery and the community into disarray. In rebuilding the city walls, Nehemiah helped to once again cement the bonds of community that made everyone responsible to and for one another. Ezra was the establishment, the officially recognized religious leader of those days. Now numbered among the prophets, Ezra worked alongside Nehemiah and added another message to the reforming, rebuilding activities. Ezra reminded the ...

1762. 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . A new history of deliverance is about to come to the Hebrews. When God continues, and Moses realizes that he is to be God's instrument in making this deliverance real, he is filled with dismay. As with all those whom Scripture records God calling, the immediate response of this chosen one is to deny his ability and worthiness to perform such a mission. In Moses' case, he objects no less than five times between Exodus 3:11 and 4:17 to Yahweh calling him. But while Moses keeps doing his best to convince God ...

1763. Luke 9:51-62

Luke 9:51-62

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... kingdom of God because he was busy in his own little corner of the world. The third confrontation with a hesitant follower once again echoes the Elijah-Elisha cycle. Compare this exchange to the one in this week's Old Testament lesson. Elijah's response to Elisha's hesitation is much more subdued than Jesus' retort to the similar question posed in Luke 9:61-62. Elijah is intentionally ambiguous, neither approving nor disapproving Elisha's request for a farewell moment. In what will many centuries later be ...

1764. Galatians 6:7-18

Galatians 6:7-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... applicable to this situation. Verse 8's sowing and reaping imagery defines the active role believers take in shaping their own destinies. The Spirit is available to all who seek it. But it is also quite avoidable. Paul states plainly where the ultimate responsibility lies for those whose harvests are stunted and decayed. It is within everyone's own power to determine whether the outcome of their life will be blessing or judgment. Verse 9 relieves this somber picture with the apostle's positive advice that ...

1765. 2 Kings 5:1-15ab

2 Kings 5:1-15ab

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , the king despairs and suspects a trick. The slave girl's prophet from Samaria, Elisha, now enters the tale to bail out the panicked king. From the outset Elisha is in control of this situation - relieving the Israelite king of any responsibility. He chastises the king for his cowardly response and orders Naaman to be sent to him. Once again this powerful general loads up his gear and journeys out to see the prophet. But when he arrives, his reception is far from what he expected. Naaman's presence, which ...

1766. Hebrews 12:1-2, 12-17

Hebrews 12:1-2, 12-17

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... imagery suggests becomes a theological issue in this text. In verse 14, the author entreats these Hebrew Christians to seek after peace and holiness because each Christian must take an active role in achieving his or her own salvation. Each life is responsible for opening itself up to Jesus' message and mission. The writer's first of three warnings is stated here as he cautions that those who do not strive after sanctification will not see God. Verse 15 sounds another warning note, reminding this community ...

1767. Luke 21:5-19

Luke 21:5-19

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... much time they have left. Instead of giving them a definite time, Jesus describes a series of tell-tale events. One impending sign will be the proliferation of false leaders (v.8). Their success will indicate that "the time is near." Still in response to the disciples' question, Jesus continues to describe other events signaling the rapid approach of this judgment day (v.9). Yet Jesus counsels courage in the face of these "wars and insurrections" - for even these are only portents of even more extensively ...

1768. Colossians 1:11-20

Colossians 1:11-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . The rock motif is a carry-over from Psalm 94:22, reminding Israel that the Lord is its refuge. But primarily this procession opens with praise and thanksgiving. Verses 1-5 are ecstatic, calling for noisy prayers and songs and praises as the proper response to the miracle of salvation. Rather surprisingly, however, what this psalm first chooses to highlight about this praiseworthy God is not the specifics of salvation, but the power and majesty of God. The Lord is to be exalted not because of what God has ...

1769. Matthew 14:13-21

Matthew 14:13-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the focus of Matthew's text, the disciples themselves seem doubtful of the need for crowd concern, only crowd control. In verse 15 they counsel Jesus to order the people back to the surrounding villages so that they can get food for themselves. In Jesus' response to this counsel, there is the hint of both indignation and inquisition. First, Jesus declares that the crowd "need not go away" (v. 16). Even as Jesus' commitment to serving the needs of the people was so great that he cut short his private moments ...

1770. Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:26-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Gabriel proclaims the baby not just a Davidic Messiah, but none other than the "Son of God" (v.35). As if to offer some proof to Mary of what he says, the visiting angel next reveals the remarkable pregnancy of Elizabeth. Mary's immediate response, however, is not to exclaim about Elizabeth but rather to hand herself over completely to the plans God has put into motion. Her declaration "Here am I" is a Hebraism that expresses an unhesitating willingness to serve or listen. Mary then describes herself in ...

1771. Luke 24:1-12

Luke 24:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... " about the whereabouts of Jesus' body. Still trying to comprehend Jesus in death as they did in life in wholly human terms they are stumped about what could have happened to the body they seek. Only after the women experience this typically human response to the situation does Luke introduce the surprising and mysterious element of the "two men" into this empty-tomb scene. Careful readers will note that Luke describes these two figures as wearing "dazzling clothes" just as he had described the two visitors ...

1772. Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... indeed active he obeys God's directive to leave his established home and journey to a place he did not know. Although the author is clearly using Genesis 12 as his template, his focus on Abraham's response as one of "obedience" is his own interpretation. Obedience is explicitly noted as part of Abraham's response to God only in Genesis 22:18 and 26:5, and both instances are concerned with the divine command to sacrifice Isaac. But obedience is an integral part of faith throughout Hebrews faith is always an ...

1773. Hebrews 12:18-29

Hebrews 12:18-29

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of hostile weather, deafening noises and terrifying darkness, the Israelites begged that "not another word be spoken to them" (v.19). There is no opportunity for sitting and learning at God's feet here hands-over-head cowering is the only credible response in the face of this encounter. Second, the author improvises even further on the biblical version of the first covenant experience when he has Moses confess, "I tremble with fear" (v.21). One chapter earlier, in his long litany of the Old Testament ...

1774. Mark 8:31-38

Mark 8:31-38

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

1775. Ephesians 2:4-25

Ephesians 2:4-25

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

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