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 1913 results

1801. Priesthood Confirmed and Its Mediation Duties Specified

Num 17:1–8:7

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God confirms his ministers and directs them to protect that which is sacred. Understanding the Text In Numbers 16 Korah challenges the exclusive privilege of priesthood by Aaron and his sons. But in the contest between Aaron and the followers of Korah, God shows Korah to be wrong by sending fire to consume the 250 non-Aaronites who have come to offer incense to God. A challenge also comes from Reubenites, who in sympathy with Korah claim that “the whole community is holy” (Num. 16:3b), not just ...

1802. Victory and Serpents

Num 21:1-9

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God helps his people overcome enemies and their own mistakes. Understanding the Text Most of the narratives up until now in Numbers are of a negative tone, filled with rebellion and sin and death. These events include the rebellion and sin of the leaders Moses and Aaron (Num. 20:2–13) and the deaths of Miriam and Aaron (Num. 21:1, 22–29). But as the old generation disappears, the tone of the narratives becomes increasingly positive. Numbers 21:1–9 shows progress, regress, and progress. The people ...

1803. Joshua Appointed as Moses’s Successor

Numbers 27:12-23

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God raises up new leaders for his people. Understanding the Text The decision allowing the daughters of Zelophehad to inherit land (Num. 27:1–10) is an appropriate occasion for God to remind Moses that he will not enter the promised land. Moses instead must appoint a successor in leadership. Moses is thus instructed about how he will soon die after viewing the land from atop the Abarim mountain range in Moab, though this foretelling is not immediately fulfilled. Moses still needs to convey the ...

1804. Keeping Promises

Numbers 30:1-16

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Take solemn promises and commitments seriously. Understanding the Text Following the first census in Numbers is a section dealing with vows, specifically Nazirite vows (Num. 6). Likewise, after the second census Numbers 30 deals with vows, especially women’s vows. Why would a section on vows follow Numbers 28–29, which is on offerings made on holy days? Perhaps because holy days are occasions for completing vows. Numbers 29:39 mentions that “vows” can be completed by sacrifice on holy occasions. ...

1805. David the Conqueror

2 Sam 5:6-25

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord accomplishes his purposes through those who promote his kingdom agenda and act in accordance with his reliable promises. Understanding the Text Israel has been humiliated by the Philistines and torn by civil strife, but finally the tribes have united and made David king in accordance with God’s purposes. David immediately takes the ancient site of Jerusalem as a prelude to establishing a central sanctuary there. He also seeks the Lord’s guidance and experiences his supernatural ...

1806. David on the Run

1 Sam 21:1–22:5

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: Even when faith wavers, the Lord confronts his chosen servants with their divinely appointed destiny. Understanding the Text As David left Jonathan, he knew that Saul was now fully committed to murdering him. The king tried to kill him in a variety of ways, but each time David escaped (chaps. 18–19), once through the Lord’s direct intervention (19:23–24). Apparently unaware of Saul’s latest attempts to kill David (19:9–24), Jonathan was confident that his father would not harm David (cf. 19:6–7 ...

1807. “God Is Our Refuge and Strength, an Ever-Present Help in Trouble”

Psalm 46:1-11

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: Human effort is necessary to build God’s kingdom, but the final word is that we should “be still” and recognize that God is the real Builder. Understanding the Text Psalm 46 is a type of poem that challenges form criticism’s assumptions. Gunkel has identified it as a subtype of the hymn, which he labels “Zion Songs.”1 Goldingay helpfully lays out the features of this psalm that overlap with other types and concludes that the psalm of trust is the best choice of categories.2 Indeed, the spirit of ...

1808. “Come and See What God Has Done”

Psalm 66:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: God’s redeeming work in our lives is the extension of his great redeeming acts in history. Understanding the Text This psalm appears to be a hybrid of a hymn, a community psalm of thanksgiving, and an individual psalm of thanksgiving.1It only hints at the adversity that has prompted the psalmist to make and pay his vows of thanksgiving to God in the temple (“when I was in trouble,” 66:14). This hint, though nothing more than that, takes its place parallel to Israel’s trial in Egypt, which he ...

1809. Nebuchadnezzar’s Testimony and Tree Dream

Daniel 4:1-18

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Big Idea: In contrast to this world’s belief systems, God communicates his sovereignty to powerful leaders through his Spirit in faithful servants. Understanding the Text Daniel 4:1–37 is woven into the book’s overall literary structure in two ways. First, it advances the narrative of chapters 1–6, in which the first four focus on Nebuchadnezzar (chaps. 1–2 with historical markers and 3–4 without) and the last two show the transition from Belshazzar of Babylon to Darius the Mede (chaps. 5–6). Second, it ...

1810. Daniel in the Den of Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Daniel’s Success and Darius’s Decree (6:1-9): Big Idea: God may allow those who remain faithful to him and his word to experience jealous opposition from unbelievers in a hostile environment. Understanding the Text Daniel 6:1–28 is woven into the book’s overall literary structure in two ways. First, it advances the narrative of chapters 1–6, in which the first four focus on Nebuchadnezzar (chaps. 1–2 with historical markers and 3–4 without) and the last two show the transition from Belshazzar of Babylon to ...

1811. Gabriel Brings an Answer to Daniel’s Prayer

Daniel 9:20-27

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Big Idea: Despite the prayers of a faithful servant, the persistent sin of God’s people can bring serious consequences before their punishment is completed. Understanding the Text See the unit on 9:1–6 for a discussion of the larger context, structure, and comparisons of this chapter. Against this backdrop, 9:20–27 is the appearance vision proper. It can be divided into three parts: Gabriel’s arrival to answer Daniel’s prayer (9:20–23), the announcement of “seventy ‘sevens’” (9:24), and an explanation of ...

1812. Daniel’s Final Revelation

Daniel 10:1--11:1

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Big Idea: God reveals the essential, though sometimes overwhelming, reality of spiritual warfare behind his purpose and plan for humanity. Understanding the Text The literary unit of Daniel 10–12 is woven into the book’s structure in several ways. First, it is the last of Daniel’s four apocalyptic visions: chapters 7 and 8 in “symbolic” form, and chapters 9 and 10–12 in “appearance” form (see “Table 1: Appearance Visions of Daniel 9 and 10–12” in the unit on 9:1–6). Second, it concludes the concentric ...

1813. Good for Nothing

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

The story is told of a man in Easter Liverpool, Ohio, whose oil well caught fire. It was one of those uncontrollable fires and the man offered a $3000 reward to whomever could put it out. Well, all the fire departments from the surrounding cities and villages came and tried, but the fire was so intense that no one could get near enough to begin to work on it. Then a volunteer fire department from the village of Calcutta arrived on the scene. They had one fire truck, one ladder, three buckets of sand, two ...

1814. Without Christmas, Life Would Be Impossible

Luke 2:1-14

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

George died in May. He was only 37 years old. The cancer appeared seemingly out of nowhere, instantaneously, over night. It was diagnosed in January—and by May he was gone. So little time, so shocking, so devastating to his wife, Ann, and their three children. Christmas came. Ann, alone at Christmas with her three little girls, sent a card to her pastor. The familiar handwriting on the envelope brought a lump to the pastor’s throat. As he held the card, he asked himself again the same kind of questions ...

1815. Can It Be Sin to Be Shy?

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

There is a wonderful story from long ago about a man in Maine named Ike who was exceedingly shy. Ike fell in love with a beautiful young maiden named Anna. Anna seemed to Ike to be too wonderful for him to ever ask her to be his wife. So, he went on loving her in silence for ten years. He remained single, as did she. During this time, he built a fine house, with a barn and outbuildings, and a beautiful rock garden. Still, though he was very much in love with her, he hadn’t yet dared to propose. Finally, ...

1816. Preparations to Receive the Covenant

Exodus 19:1-25

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

19:1–24:18 Review · Covenant at Sinai:God’s revelation comes to the people in the wilderness, characteristically a place for purification and for meeting God. The covenant encompasses the whole of Israel’s life. Their community comes into existence at the gracious will of God, and they are expected to exercise appropriate societal and individual responsibilities as his people. Even though there are affinities between the covenant and the Hittite treaty pattern, this relationship between God and the entire ...

1817. Law of Purification from Corpse Impurity

Numbers 19:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Leviticus and Numbers have repeatedly mentioned the severe physical ritual impurity of corpse contamination (Lev. 21:1–4, 11; Num. 5:2; 6:6–12; 9:6–12), the possibility of purification from it on the seventh day after defilement (Num. 6:9), and the means of cleansing through sprinkling water of purification (Num. 8:7; cf. v. 21). Numbers 19 explains the nature of the water and specifics of the sprinkling. A comprehensive remedy for corpse contamination comes as a relief after all the deaths that have ...

1818. David’s Song

2 Samuel 22:1-51

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Just as 1–2 Samuel begins with Hannah’s song of thanksgiving for the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 2), it ends with David’s song of praise for God’s deliverance from his enemies. The song appears in almost identical form in Psalm 18. In both passages the same historical heading referring to Saul and other enemies introduces the hymn. When David was fleeing from Saul he was forced to take refuge in a number of caves (22:2–4). These hideouts are sometimes called “strongholds”; the same word is applied to the ...

1819. Eliphaz

Job 4:1–5:27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

4:1–14:22; 15:1–21:34; 22:1–27:23 Review · Three Cycles of Dialogue: Job has no idea how true his last few words are. He has spoken them of his past. He will soon discover that they anticipate his future. The frustrating dialogues with the friends lie ahead—agitating trouble has indeed come. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar will by and large collectively affirm a traditional doctrine of divine retribution: God rewards good and punishes evil. Job will declare his innocence. The friends will increasingly grow ...

1820. Living to Please God

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

4:1–5:22 Review · The apostolic instruction: The life that pleases God: Paul, Silas, and Timothy here transition to the second section of the body of the letter, which addresses both ethical and theological concerns. The teaching they have delivered to the new church includes moral orientation, and now they stimulate the new converts to grow in what they know and put the teaching into practice. The section responds to concerns regarding the church’s sexual ethics (4:3–8) and the issue of labor (4:11–12). ...

1821. Thanksgiving and Appeal

2 Timothy 1:1-2:13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1:1–2 · Salutation: The apostle discerns that Timothy needs fortification beyond the words of 1 Timothy. The distinctive terms of this second greeting provide further strengthening for Paul’s protégé. Paul’s own call is by “the will of God” himself, and his call, like Timothy’s, serves the “promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.” In addition, here Paul calls Timothy “my dear son” (literally “my beloved son”). Timothy is thus reminded, first, that he ministers under an authority that he ought not to ...

1822. The Prologue of 1 John—from Witness to Fellowship

1 John 1:1-4

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The first Johannine Epistle appears to have been written as a circular to one or more Christian communities in Asia Minor. The author names himself as “the elder” in the second and third Epistles (2 John 1; 3 John 3), but in his first and fullest communication he simply begins with a worship piece that is very similar in vocabulary and form to the prologue of the Johannine Gospel. Note the use of first-person plural references (“we,” 1:1–5) as a means of including the audiences with the community of the ...

1823. Jesus or Niccolo?

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

This world's kingdoms have never been presented in a more Machiavellian fashion or more compellingly. And never before and never again have they been nor will they be targeted to one with more reason to succumb. Surely one of the great strengthening comforts of taking Jesus Christ as our Lord is that he, more than anyone else, understands our temptations. Scripture tells us, "He himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested" (Hebrews 2:18). So we can say with ...

1824. I Wonder if God Exists

Genesis 1:1-5

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Recently, the Barna Research Group conducted an important poll to get the pulse of inquiring hearts about religion. They asked a cross section of American adults: “If you could ask God any question about your life, what is the single most important question you would want to ask him?” In addition, USA Today conducted a similar poll by asking readers, “If you could get in contact with God directly, and get an immediate reply, what would you ask?” Not surprisingly, the results of these polls yielded very ...

1825. Nothing Is Impossible with God!

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Charley Reeb

To me the best thing about Christmas is the surprises. Who does not enjoy the look of wondrous surprise on a child’s face on Christmas morning? Who among us does not remember the rush of excitement we experienced when we were surprised on Christmas day with the best gift ever? I will always remember the surprise I experienced the Christmas of 1984. That Christmas I received one of the best gifts an American boy could receive. In the months leading up to Christmas I had begged my parents for it, but they ...

Showing results