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 1776 to 1800 of 2078 results

1776. The Weak and the Strong

Romans 14:1--15:13

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... in itself”) and love in verse 20 (“do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food”). The whole section falls into three parts, each initiated by “therefore” (in Greek). The first shows how the principle of freedom in service of others affects weaker believers (vv. 13–15); the second concerns its effect on others in general (vv. 16–18); and the last shows how it builds up the church (vv. 19–23). 14:13 The opening line, Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another, summarizes ...

1777. Personal Greetings

Romans 16:1-27

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... a labor of obedience to plant and perpetuate the faith which has been passed down to the present day. If the adjectives are anything to judge by, we should conclude that the early church was characterized above all by hard work (Gk. kopian) and affection (Gk. agapētos)—two not insignificant traits for a healthy church in any age. While there is ignorance about the specific contributions of some of them, the church is nevertheless indebted to their witness. Finally, this list is a reminder that Romans was ...

1778. Thanksgiving

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... in mind. The word always in this report emphasizes Paul’s regularity and constancy in remembering and rejoicing over the Corinthians. Paul’s thankfulness, however, is not primarily because of the Corinthians themselves, but rather because of the grace of God that affects the lives of the Corinthians. God as the source of grace and the giver of grace is the object of Paul’s thanksgiving. Grace itself in this statement is the experience of salvation, but not merely as the moment of initial faith ...

1779. Apostles of Christ

1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... s representative. If Paul is under fire in Corinth, his agent would experience the same kind of scrutiny and criticism, since his task is to remind them of Paul’s way of life in Christ Jesus. Paul’s declaration of personal affection (“whom I love”) and his praise of Timothy’s Christian conscientiousness (“who is faithful in the Lord”) are strong words of recommendation. Paul qualifies the lifestyle and teaching that Timothy would represent to the Corinthians with the phrase which agrees with ...

1780. Expel the Immoral Brother!

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... the point he has made repeatedly: Your boasting is not good. Having driven that conviction home, Paul introduces the metaphor of leaven in a rhetorical question. In antiquity yeast was a common image for a small matter that had the potential to affect a much larger or more significant situation. The implication of Paul’s sarcastic question is that the Corinthians ought to, but apparently do not, know better than to tolerate “a little” immorality. 5:7 Having introduced the metaphor of leaven or yeast ...

1781. Marriage

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... Christian who is married to an unbelieving spouse. God’s peace is relational, and it does not exist in or promote the presence of destructive strife. Paul’s words here recognize the freedom of the believers despite the difficulties of divorce that may affect their lives. God’s peace is to be the end result of both marriage and divorce. 7:16 In turn, verse 16 summarizes the intention and motive of Paul’s teaching that, if possible, Christians should remain married to non-Christian spouses. Critical ...

1782. The Rights of an Apostle

1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... , so one may conclude that it is not the spiritual things per se but the bad theology of the Corinthians in relation to spiritual things that Paul sought to correct. 9:12 Again, the NIV creates a paragraph in a questionable location that may affect one’s reading of the text. Other currently available translations also break the paragraphing in the middle of v. 12, so the NIV is not alone in making this decision. Nevertheless, Paul’s rhetoric at this point is vivid and spiraling, and he merely finishes ...

1783. The Resurrection Body

1 Corinthians 15:35-58

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... Thanksgiving?” ABR 26 [1978], pp. 34–42). 15:58 The language of this final “ethical” admonition is weighty in tone and in Paul’s choice of words. One should see, however, that despite the seriousness of this exhortation, Paul’s genuine affection for the Corinthians shows through in the statement: my dear (Gk. mou agapētoi; lit. “beloved of me”). Paul’s words call for action and inspire confidence, ultimately grounding all effort and all security in the reality named in the final ...

1784. The Guilt Offering

Leviticus 5:14--6:7

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... or divine, brings responsibility and calls for acts of reconciliation. This section provides a cultic, corporate way to deal with such breaches of faith. To ignore the violations would jeopardize the whole community’s relationship to God, because sin affects God’s presence. Again, the ritual is described in a dramatic fashion, and its purpose—reconciliation—is emphasized several times. In the call for restitution to a wronged neighbor, the text connects worship and ethics. The reparation provides ...

1785. Regulations about Infectious Skin Diseases

Leviticus 13:1-46

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... declares the person unclean. If not, the person is clean—the spot was a scar from the boil. This last notice of purity reminds the reader that not all skin conditions treated in this chapter are unclean or dangerous for the person affected or for the community. The issue is making that determination. This chapter demonstrates the central and dominant position of the priests. They exercise much social control in this process. They also need much knowledge and discernment to carry out their tasks. These ...

1786. Cleansing from Mildew

Leviticus 14:33-57

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... is greenish or reddish and whether it appears to sink below the surface of the walls. A quarantine period of seven days comes next. When the priest returns, he inspects the house again to determine whether the fungus has spread. If so, the affected stones are disposed of in an unclean place outside the town. All the inside walls are scraped and the resulting material similarly dumped. Then repairs are made. These directions presume an urban setting. 14:43–47 Recurrence of contamination has been covered in ...

1787. The Day of Atonement

Leviticus 16:1-34

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... of Atonement followed the divine instructions to Moses. The Day of Atonement is central in Leviticus. The ritual is heavy on symbolism and displays the position of the high priest and the nature of atonement. The actions are not empty ritual but clearly affect the community and its members; witness the confession of sin over the scapegoat. The same kinds of confession and fasting are described in Psalm 35:13. In Christian tradition, Hebrews 9 speaks of the tabernacle and of Christ, both as the high priest ...

1788. Korah, Dathan and Abiram

Numbers 16:1-50

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... the elders, proceeds to carry out the instructions. Dathan and Abiram would not come to him (vv. 12–15), so he goes to them. Moses calls on the people to move away from the families and possessions of the rebels. The judgment will probably affect the whole household and could be contagious. The people obey Moses’ instructions and separate themselves from the leaders of the revolt. Moses then suggests a clear way to discern the divinely chosen leader of the people. Should Korah, Dathan, and Abiram die a ...

1789. Samuel's Farewell Speech

1 Samuel 12:1-25

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... over power to Joshua and with Joshua’s final speech (Deut. 31; Josh. 23). This speech is included because it makes points of which the reader is expected to take note. Whether it records Samuel’s words or is a later composition does not affect that fact. However, its combination of passion and ambiguity fits with Samuel’s position. 12:1–2 Samuel realized that the appointment of Saul meant a fundamental change in his own position. He had been acting as the primary national leader, carrying out a ...

1790. The Lord Rejects Saul as King

1 Samuel 15:1-35

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... 7). 15:10–11 Samuel was upset when he heard that Saul had grieved God with his disobedience because he knew that Saul had finally burned all his bridges. In spite of any tension between them, Samuel had a great sense of affiliation with and affection for Saul. He had been responsible for Saul’s appointment, and he wanted Saul to do well. Therefore, Samuel had a sense of personal grief that Saul should have failed. Samuel’s long and desperate prayers were probably related to the knowledge that he would ...

1791. David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan

2 Samuel 1:17-27

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... Notes There are a number of minor textual and linguistic problems in this lament in 1:17–27. For example, the meaning of the term translated bow in v. 18 is unclear, and the phrasing in v. 21 could be rendered in different ways. However, these problems do not affect the main sense of the poem or the force or depth of the emotions it conveys. 1:18 The Book of Jashar was used to record the phenomenon described in Josh. 10:12–13 when the sun stood still in the sky, giving the Israelite army extra time to ...

1792. David Flees

2 Samuel 15:13-37

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... have added to Shimei’s discontent. However, although David had been scrupulously careful not to take action against Saul, in the matter of Uriah and Bathsheba he was a man of blood and a scoundrel. This recognition of the accuracy of the charges may have affected his reactions to Shimei. 16:9 David’s men would have had to go over to reach Shimei. Presumably he was ranting at them from a ridge, separated from the retreating army by a chasm or ravine and thus safe from immediate retaliation. The insulting ...

1793. The Gibeonites Avenged

2 Samuel 21:1-14

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... that ch. 9 must come first. But if Saul had so many descendants at that time it seems strange that David would not know of them and would have to set up the kind of search that is described in ch. 9. The interpretation of either incident is not greatly affected by which came first. 21:1 The text does not explain why the famine was allowed to go on for three years before anyone attempted to identify a cause of God’s judgment. Perhaps a shorter famine was considered to be a normal hazard of life. Num. 35:33 ...

1794. The Last Words of David

2 Samuel 23:1-7

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... much as similar royal pronouncements receive wide media coverage today because of wide public interest. But David’s reputation as a poet and a man who was close to God would also generate interest in this oracle. He might have something to say that would affect God’s treatment of the whole people. This speech therefore fits well within this appendix, and it is particularly well placed after David’s psalm (ch. 22). The description of God as Israel’s Rock (22:47; 23:3) directly links the two passages ...

1795. David Counts the Fighting Men

2 Samuel 24:1-17

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... possible for the satisfaction of justice. Even in his deep distress, David retained awareness of God’s nature. The phrase your enemies in verse 13, along with David’s do not let me fall in verse 14, could imply that this would be a personal pursuit, affecting David more seriously than the whole of Israel. However, there is no further comment on this implication and it seems not to be the point of the text. Eventually a plague is sent, and seventy thousand people from throughout the whole nation die as a ...

1796. Job's First Test

Job 1:6-22

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

In the Presence of Yahweh: 1:6 Having established the character of Job on the basis of social reputation (1:1), evidence of divine blessing (1:2–3), and demonstrable piety (1:4–5), the narrative takes a darker turn to reveal hidden circumstances affecting Job. One day is not just any day or a day selected at random, but actually the day in Hebrew. It probably indicates a particular day set in advance for a formal gathering when, unknown to Job or any other human, a meeting takes place in which the ...

1797. Job's Reply to Bildad

Job 9:1–10:22

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... , but the deepest interest and concern of his living self in all its physical limitation and pain. To speak to one’s nepesh is to deliberate deeply at the very center of oneself. When this deepest self is consumed by bitterness, the person’s whole worldview is affected. 10:2 I will say to God. Like a debater preparing for a match, Job imagines the best way to present his case to God and rehearses his speech, as he shifts to directly address God. Using legal terminology, Job assumes from the pain he is ...

1798. Job’s Reply to Zophar

Job 12:1--14:22

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... ) is related to the noun rib, “law suit,” which in the Prophets often describes God’s accusation against Israel for breach of its covenant obligations. Job seems to be implying that God’s refusal to act according to expectations has severely affected his relationship with God. 13:7 Job now embarks on an extended accusation of the friends’ false testimony against him and describes how God’s examination as judge will find the friends’ arguments not only lacking, but also deceptive. The false ...

1799. Bildad's Second Speech to Job

Job 18:1-21

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... Bildad does not validate Job’s arguments as the logical conclusions of sagely wisdom—he has already called him unreasonable in verse 2. Job’s words are instead, Bildad insists, the heated and chaotic outpourings of unrestrained “anger.” His suffering has affected his reflective processes and his confusion has led him to lash out at anyone near. The end result, however, is more destructive to himself as he tears himself to pieces. The “tearing” here is the Hebrew trp, most often associated with ...

1800. Job's Second Reply to Bildad

Job 19:1-29

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... verses indicates. God has alienated (hirkhiq, “cause to withdraw to a distance”) Job’s associates so that they then estrange themselves and forget their former friend. 19:16–20 The erosion of Job’s status among family, associates, and friends affects even his servant, who dares to refuse to answer his master’s summons—even when Job is reduced to begging. Job turns from social isolation to his physical deterioration, which repels his former intimates. His breath is offensive (lit., “stinks ...

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