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 1801 to 1825 of 2552 results

1801. Rehearsal for Christmas Eve

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

... notes. A Youth Choir of all ages stands off left by a piano, singing. Other children stand off left and off right, or sit in front pews.) Stage Manager: We’ve cast every part now but Joseph. Director: I know. None of the boys want to play that part. I guess it’s not as much fun as being a shepherd or a king. He doesn’t have many lines. And he has to walk with a girl. You know how much the younger boys like that! (thinks a bit) Hey, how about Clark? Stage Manager: Are you kidding? The last ...

1802. Kingdoms in Conflict - Sermon Starter

John 18:33-37

Illustration

Brett Blair

... this story. It's a great story: Many years ago, when Hitler's forces occupied Denmark, the order came that all Jews in Denmark were to identify themselves by wearing armbands with yellow stars of David. The Danes had seen the extermination of Jews in other countries and guessed that this was the first step in that process in their countries. The King did not defy the orders. He had every Jew wear the star and he himself wore the Star of David. He told his people that he expected every loyal Dane to do the ...

1803. The Intimate Gospel: The Word became Flesh

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... soul of this message of John’s prologue, because in this prologue he’s describing who Jesus is. Those three words are – preeminent, powerful, and personal. The first word is preeminent. The dictionary defines preeminent as distinguished above all others, supremely eminent. Well I guess that is as eminent as you can get. Distinguished above all others, supremely eminent. But that’s a gloss if you don’t really bring it down to earth. So let’s bring it down to earth as we look at who Christ really ...

1804. A Miracle Child

Exodus 2:1-10

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... and the majesty and the grandeur of space. And that old Maine guide had never heard anything like that before, and when they were snuffing out the campfire that night, he scratched his head and said, ‘well, if what you fellows have been saying is true, I don’t guess it would be too bad if Bryan were elected president.’ Now, now we need to be reminded now and then of the long view, and it has nothing to do with democrats and republicans. We need to be reminded of the long view, and that God’s will is ...

1805. Chipmunks Aren’t All Alike

Luke 2:41-52

Illustration

Brett Blair

... him over to inspect the new plants more closely, and he saw that indeed each was delicately formed and quite lovely except for the bruised places where he had pulled on them. "They are not like I thought they would be," he said to his wife. "I guess they decided to be themselves." His wife answered, "Chipmunks aren't all alike either," she added. (Abe's Fable, from The Illuminated Life, by Ab Arkoff) We have a tendency to hold our children back, to make them in our image, to set expectations for them that ...

1806. The Word that Changed the World

John 1:1-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... long beard flowing backwards behind his head, has an expression of panic, dread, terror and fright on his face. The New Year Baby, with hands raised high in the air like a teenager on a roller coaster has a face showing exhilaration, enjoyment, and elation. (3) I guess your perception of time, depends on where you stand in the aging continuum. As we begin this New Year, I want to ask you to focus on some of the most beautiful, dramatic and powerful words in all the Bible. They are found in the prologue to ...

1807. Startled By Jesus

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... high." The disciples were startled by Jesus' sudden appearance in the Upper Room where they were gathered out of both grief and fear for their own safety. The passage says, [37] "They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost." I guess that would make Jesus a "holy terror." Sorry, I couldn't resist, we've had the grandkids for the last couple of days and it just sort of slipped out. Jesus suddenly appeared in the midst of the disciples. Like some magician's illusion in reverse ...

1808. They Devoted Themselves

Acts 2:42-47

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... Biblical illiteracy. In a recent survey they found that only 61% of Christians know that Jonah is a book in the Bible. And 30% didn't know where Jesus was born. 24% of Christians surveyed thought that the book of Isaiah was in the New Testament or didn't even guess where it could be found. That shouldn't surprise us. After all 93% of Americans own at least one Bible but 70% of non-Christians and 23% of Christians said they never read the Bible at all. (2) How can we know anything about a book we never read ...

1809. Living In The Spirit Of Love

Galatians 5:22-25

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." And my favorite one of all: "God could have said magic words to make the nails fall off the cross, but He didn't. That's love." (1) If you haven't guessed, today we're going to be looking at "Living In The Spirit Of Love." Let's listen again to the passage from Paul. Galatians 5:22-25 (NRSV) [22] By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, and self ...

1810. Seeing God In The Ordinary: Family

Luke 4:16-30

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... &M when he was 18. He's now at Emory University working on his PHD in Political Science. People are always amazed when I tell them that. It is sort of parental bragging rights but they always ask "How did you do it?" And "Wasn't it hard?" And I guess the best answer is, "He was just Josh." He started that way and was always that way. He didn't turn four and all of a sudden all the smarts turned on. He was just Josh. We adapted to him and his needs just as if he were a gifted ...

1811. Seeing God In The Ordinary: Friends

John 11:1-45

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... if we were in a fancy restaurant and I came out of the bathroom with a streamer of toilet paper on my heel." (inside the card) "O.K., you'd laugh, but you wouldn't start singing, "I know something yoooooou don't know" and make me guess till I figured it out." (1) One of the greatest human longings and desires is to be close to someone through the bond of friendship. Friends offer us companionship. Friends offer us support and help. Someone wrote, "A good friend or neighbor is one who watches your vacation ...

1812. A Cloud Of Witnesses

Hebrews 12:1-3

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... , occasionally there were glimpses of the man my Dad could have been. I remember one in particular. I couldn't' have been much older than 7 or 8. But Dad had a friend from work who was a giant of a man, at least to me. If I had to guess, from pictures I've seen, I'd say he was about 6' 6' or so. My Dad was only 5' 8" so it made for a comical sight, kind of like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito in the movie "Twins." I'm not sure but I think his name was ...

1813. Set An Extra Place

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... began with "Chaconne," from Bach's Partita No. 2 in D Minor. Bell calls this a "spiritually powerful piece, emotionally powerful, structurally perfect." By the way, "Chaconne" is also considered one of the most difficult violin solos ever written. Can you guess what happened? Did busy commuters suddenly stop in their tracks, mesmerized by this master violinist, and drift towards the magical music? Not so much. For the first three minutes of Bell's "concert" no one passing by acknowledged anything. Not the ...

1814. Plenty Of Room

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... two signs side by side on the check in desk. The first sign read: "Please introduce yourself to your fellow guests since we are one big happy family." Next to it was a sign which read: "Please, do not leave valuables in your room." (1) I guess there was room for family but not for trust. Thoughout the Advent season, the weeks leading up to Christmas, we asked the question, "Is There Room At The Inn?" We discovered or reminded ourselves there is room for Christmas, prophets, shepherds, a Savior and Wisemen ...

1815. Superman: More Than A Super Hero

John 1:1-5, 9-14; John 13:31-32; John 20:30-31

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... John" And "When his mother finds her son in the field after his return, she holds him just like Mary did Jesus in Michelangelo's Pieta'. (3) Did you know that originally Superman's parents names were Mary and Joseph and not Martha and Jonathon. I guess they thought it was too blatant. (4) In the current movie, Lex Luthor is a compilation Herod and Pontius Pilate and when Jesus is under the effects of the deadly Green Kryptonite, Luthor's minions beat, kick, mock and spit on him just like the Roman Soldiers ...

1816. A Word to Prodigals

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

King Duncan

Retired seminary professor Fred B. Craddock was preaching on the parable of the prodigal son. After the service a man said, “I really didn’t care much for that, frankly.” Craddock asked, “Why?” The man said. “Well, I guess it’s not your sermon, I just don’t like that story.” Craddock asked, “What is it you don’t like about it?” He said. “It’s not morally responsible.” Craddock asked, “What do you mean by that?” “Forgiving that boy,” said the man. Craddock asked, “ ...

1817. Batman: Driven By Guilt or Grace?

Romans 5:1-11; 8:1-2

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... his faith. Leave his wife and the business he had worked so hard to build to follow an itinerant preacher whose message quickened his heart, who many, including his brother claimed to be the Messiah, but who never claimed that for himself? Guilt, regret, second guessing, uncertainty all mingled with his excitement and sense of calling had to have driven this analytical man crazy. No wonder one moment he was fully a man of Jesus filled with the deepest faith and the next minute a man of the world filled with ...

1818. Spiderman: Saved To Serve

Colossians 3:1-4, 12-17

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... has gone, and Peter tells him, "He quit. He wanted to try other things." With hope in his eyes, Henry asks, "But he'll be back, right?" Peter replied, "I don't know." Henry, dejected, turns to go. Aunt May steps up and says, "You'll never guess who he wants to be Spiderman." Peter asks, "Why" I love what Aunt May says, " There are too few characters flying around like that, saving old girls like me. Lord knows, kids like Henry need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people, setting examples for all of us ...

1819. LOST? Finding Meaning

Genesis 1:1-5, John 1:1-5

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... of time, this great throng of partying people arrives to hear "the answer to life, the universe, and everything." If you're a Douglas Adams fan, you know the answer is "42." Everybody gets upset because now they need the question so the answer will make sense! I guess, maybe only second to searching for a parking place close to the door at your local Wal-Mart is the search for The Meaning of Life. I. The Search for Meaning A. That search often starts at a young age. I have a friend Susan, whose 9-year ...

1820. LOST? Pursuing Purpose

1 Peter 2:9-10

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... his pastor and he told me that he'd been fighting that call for over twenty years. When he became a Chiropractor he thought God would leave him alone. And then I was appointed to the Church, we became friends and God started working on him again. Guess who won? There was something special going on in that congregation because God raised up four preachers while I was there. Each of those men discovered God's Purpose for their lives and then, like me, they began Pursuing the Living out of that Purpose. B. I ...

1821. A Soul Restored

Psalm 23:2-3a

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... our ministry and lives have been able to be Still Waters for at least a few because we want people to drink deep of this grace and love God has for each of us. We want everyone to experience the new life and the refreshment God offers. B. I guess that's why gossip just crawls all over me. Because gossip has the opposite effect in the Church. Gossip poisons the waters. It stirs them up and muddies them to point they are undrinkable because the trust level has dropped to zero. I think it's the insidious work ...

1822. Close Enough For Comfort

Psalm 23:4, John 14:15-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... Norman Dale, a volatile coach with a spotty past and the father of one of the boys on the team. This father just happens to be the town's basketball-loving drunk. Norman Dale takes this group of undisciplined athletes and a town chock full of second-guessing fathers, and leads their high school team to victory. The boys have arrived in the state capital and the coach takes them into the stadium where the game will be played. It's huge. It's like comparing our gym to the AmericanAirlinesCenter. The boys are ...

1823. Jonah: Run!

Jonah 3:1-10

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... Lady, you should be able to explain what you believe!" She respectfully and quietly repeated her inability to know exactly how Jonah survived. She talked about it all being a matter of faith but that wanted enough. This guy just kept pushing until finally she said, "Well, I guess I'll just ask him when I get to heave." Sarcastically, the guy said, "And what if Jonah didn't make it to heaven?" She paused for a second and said, "Well, then you can ask him." And then she went back to reading her Bible. This is ...

1824. Cleaning House

Mark 1:1-12

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... Everything went great. Everything was perfect. And yet, somehow I feel like something is missing. I just didn't feel Christmas this year. Here it is Christmas Day and it doesn't feel like Christmas." Trying to console her, Tom said, "Well, we were pretty busy." "Yeah, I guess," Linda said with a sigh. Then she headed into the living room to pick up the last few glasses. For some reason, she decided to walk by the nativity. And when she did she let out a loud gasp and called, "Tom, Tom." Tom came running and ...

1825. The Character Of Christmas; Herod: The Not So Great

Matthew 2:13-22

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... , though he did assuage his own people by renovating and adding on to the Temple. It's really Herod's Temple that we remember the most, not Solomon's. So, who is this guy Herod? In every drama we have to have an antagonist. And I guess the underlying antagonist in the drama of the story Christ is sin. But sin's leading role was played by Herod. Herod is the quintessential villain. He is Simon Lagree, Philthy McNasty, Snidley Whiplash, Captain Bly, Lex Luthor, Darth Vader, the Grinch and Lord Voldemort all ...

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