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 1851 to 1875 of 2275 results

1851. “Create in Me a Pure Heart, O God, and Renew a Steadfast Spirit within Me”

Psalm 51:1-19

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... come naturally but is inspired by God.10 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop. This is a figure of speech that is drawn from certain rituals prescribed in the Torah. Generally the hyssop plant was used as an applicator, while at the same time yielding its medicinal qualities in the process (Exod. 12:22; Lev. 14:4, 6, 49, etc.). See “Historical and Cultural Insights.” 51:9 Hide your face from my sins.God’s hiding his face from the worshiper’s sins implies that God will not take them into account. 51:10 ...

1852. “God Looks Down from Heaven . . . to See If There Are Any Who Understand”

Psalm 53:1-6

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... is drawing a contrast between the two generations. 53:6 salvation for Israel . . . When God restores his people. Psalm 14:7 has “salvation” (sg.) and 53:6 has “salvations” (pl.), but the plural rather than the singular is a common occurrence to emphasize the quality as well as the quantity (of God’s salvation). Note also the use of ’elohim in 53:6 rather than YHWH (14:7) (see the comments on 53:2). Theological Insights Psalms 14 and 53 provide an opportunity to think about the way God deals ...

1853. “I Will Praise Your Name, Lord, for It Is Good”

Psalm 54:1-7

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... pits “truth” (’emet; NIV: “faithfulness”) against “evil” (54:5). While evil and truth do not at first glance appear to be opposites, it is evil that is the enemy of truth, for evil always aims to distort truth. In fact, the psalmist recognizes an inherent quality of evil—or at least God’s power to make it so—that evil will recoil on itself (54:5). Another point we may make is that the Old Testament, and especially the Psalms, tends to deal not so much with the “problem” of evil as ...

1854. “In God I Trust and Am Not Afraid. What Can Mere Mortals Do to Me?”

Psalm 56:1-13

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... the realm of human affections. Indeed, it is the presence of fear, suggests Weiser, that causes the psalmist “to throw himself into the arms of God at the very moment when he is in danger of succumbing to his fear. . . . Trust in God robs fear of its quality of terror; the fear of men is mastered by the fear of God.”11 Teaching the Text This psalm gives us an opportunity to deal with the deepest sorrows that grow out of life’s detrimental circumstances and, at the same time, offers us an occasion to ...

1855. “Your Love Is Better Than Life”

Psalm 63:1-11

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... on science, that expectation matters. Discussing the power of the “placebo effect” in medicine, Berdik argues that this same principle can be applied broadly to all areas of life. For instance, Berdik writes, “brain scans reveal that expectations about a wine’s quality (based on price or a critic’s review) actually change the level of activity in the brain’s reward centers when a person takes a sip. Highly-trained weight lifters can out-do their personal bests when they believe they’ve taken ...

1856. “Endow the King with Your Justice, O God”

Psalm 72:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... they were economically helpless and socially vulnerable. The prophets identify this category of citizens as the special object of the monarchy’s and the society’s care (e.g., Isa. 1:17; Jer. 21:12; Amos 8:4). In the Beatitudes, Jesus takes the material qualities of this group of people and turns them into the spiritual values of the kingdom of God (Matt. 5:1–12). Corresponding Verbal and Thematic Connections in Psalms 69–72: Psalms 69–72 form a conclusion to Book 2, and the following table is ...

1857. God Subjugates Judah under Babylon

Daniel 1:1-21

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... King Nebuchadnezzar’s storehouses. Such persons were members of royal families, administrators, those in visible and influential professions (such as court officials in training), political refugees and exiles, and even soldiers on duty outside the palace.1 The nature, quality, and preparation of these provisions varied according to the intended group. The king and his dinner guests were among those who received the richest of dishes, such as meats like pork and horseflesh. Akkadian texts that speak of ...

1858. Nebuchadnezzar’s Testimony and Tree Dream

Daniel 4:1-18

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... make us aware that God’s Holy Spirit is working in and through us today, as it was with Daniel. Challenge your audience to develop a deeper relationship with God through the work of his Spirit in their lives, so that their inner spiritual quality shows outwardly to others around them like a light to a dark world. 3. God is sovereign over human kingdoms and rulers. Employ good examples of how God displays his power and care today—perhaps through “signs and wonders”—emphasizing his kingship over our ...

1859. The Rise of Media, Persia, and Greece

Daniel 8:15-27

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... order to ensure our children’s future. Likewise, we do not need to fully grasp the chemical process that links bad eating habits with a heart attack or stroke in order to eat well. Rather, a basic awareness of how to operate a computer, what practices result in bad air quality, and how to construct a healthy diet are sufficient. So it is with apocalyptic visions—the basic contours of the text reveal the central message, from which we can draw principles for godly living.

1860. The Power of Persistence

Luke 11:1-13, Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... be sure, if we know our own hearts, we cannot deny the existence of evil, but we cannot deny the presence of goodness either. Where does this come from—this goodness, this decency, this humanity? Does a mechanical theory of evolution account for spiritual qualities such as brotherhood and love? Can a blind, inhuman force create persons who put their duty to their brethren above their own comfort? Shall we assume that evil is a mystery but kindness is automatic? Jesus did not think so and neither should we ...

1861. Our Most Common Sin

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... New English Bible has it, “It was aimed at those who were sure of their own goodness and looked down on everyone else.” The story is simple and straightforward. Two men went up to the Temple to pray. One boasted to God of all his good qualities; the other simply asked for God’s mercy. The proud man, the Pharisee, was a respected pillar of the church. The humble man was outside the church—almost a religious untouchable. However, he showed his deep humility before God by his attitude in prayer, “he ...

1862. Claiming Hope

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

... , and enormous inconvenience. Lots of things would have to be reorganized in Bill's life. Hope was no longer easy for Bill. He began to make some practical reorganizations of his life in case he did not survive. He began to value things differently. He began to spend more quality time with his family. When he saw a bright blue sky, he paused to enjoy it. His hope began to focus more on the present than on the future. He did what needed to be done, because he chose hope. In spite of all efforts to defeat the ...

1863. Take Your Job and Love It

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... , however. If you feel like your work is making a difference in the world, it can bring you real satisfaction. If you can see a purpose higher than a pay check, it can improve your attitude toward your work. You are helping produce a product that will improve the quality of people’s lives. You are helping to keep a city running. You are educating young people for the future. I know that it can sometimes seem that we are just a cog in a great machine, but what if your job was not done? Would society be the ...

1864. Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:1-26

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... accepted Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s. Genesis 4 does not supply an answer but rather shifts its concerns to another matter: how does one respond when God says no? Those who try to discern a reason for the acceptance/nonacceptance of the offering usually focus on the quality of the gifts or the motives of the givers. Perhaps a better clue is to be found in the fact that Cain offered a gift to God that came from the soil, or ground, which God cursed in 2:17–19. Cain is very angry and his face is ...

1865. Jacob’s Deceit

Genesis 27:1-40

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Esau, whom Isaac has blessed. But a word once spoken cannot be recalled. This is the reason, by the way, for the many injunctions in the Old Testament against speaking too much, making rash vows, injudicious talk, and so forth. There is an irrevocable quality attached to words. One cannot “unsay” them. For a second time there is a play on Jacob’s name, this time by Esau (27:36). He is correctly called Jacob, says Esau, for twice now Jacob has supplanted him. The Hebrew words for “Jacob,” “heel ...

1866. Jacob Blesses His Sons

Genesis 49:1-28

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 21 is by no means clear. Joseph is to be a prosperous tribe and is to be victorious over his enemies. But all this prosperity and victory is due to the presence of God. Six times in verses 25–26 some form of “bless” appears. Benjamin is to have warlike qualities and is compared to a wolf. (Note the frequent use of animal imagery in this chapter: oxen—49:6; lion’s cub, lion, lioness—49:9; donkey—49:11, 14; snake, horse—49:17; doe, fawns—49:21; wolf—49:27.)

1867. The Lord Commands Joshua

Joshua 1:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... success, is that the Lord’s presence will be with Joshua just as it was with Moses. In light of these two promises, the first command, repeated three times in 1:6–7, 9, is for Joshua to be strong and courageous, essential qualities that will enable him to lead the people against hostile forces to inherit the land. The other two commands, however, are slightly different. Although the earlier promise that no one will be able to stand against Joshua sounds unconditional, the following two commands provide ...

1868. Gideon Defeats the Midianites

Judges 7:1-25

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... who lapped are chosen over those who kneeled—much of the speculation has to do with the alertness of the soldiers as reflected by their drinking pose—the text itself is silent on the matter. Since the main issue here is the number of troops and not the quality of the soldiers, perhaps the only reason why the lappers are chosen over the kneelers is that there are fewer of them (note in 7:4 that the group to be chosen is not specified beforehand). For if the victory is to be entirely the Lord’s doing ...

1869. Samuel Rebukes Saul

1 Samuel 13:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 13:8–15). Instead, God will now choose “a man after his own heart” to rule Israel (13:14; 16:7). This phrase “a man after his own heart” does not, contrary to popular interpretation, refer to the Lord’s particular favor of David or some special quality of David’s; rather, it refers to the Lord’s divine right and freedom to choose a new king. Thus it might be better translated “a man according to his [the Lord’s] choosing.” This new choice is motivated by Saul’s guilt in ignoring the ...

1870. David’s Fame

1 Sam 16:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... come only to offer a sacrifice. He then invites Jesse and his sons to come to the sacrifice with him. When they arrive Samuel is impressed by the oldest son, Eliab, a tall and handsome man. But the Lord reminds Samuel that he considers the inner qualities of an individual rather than the outward appearance. None of Jesse’s seven sons present at the sacrifice is the chosen one, so Samuel insists that the youngest son be brought from tending the sheep. When David arrives, he too is handsome and fit, but as ...

1871. Preparations for Building the Temple

1 Kings 5:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... he will do (float the logs by sea) and finally mentions his own expectations in the transaction: food for his household. A number of commentators argue that Hiram gets the better of the deal, but Solomon is willing to make it because of the unique quality of timber. He wants, in other words, both the materials and the highly skilled artisans that Hiram could supply, and in return provides a huge quantity of produce for Hiram’s court. We have seen a marriage arrangement with Egypt; now there is a northern ...

1872. Amaziah King of Judah and Jeroboam II King of Israel

2 Kings 14:1-29

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... to an extent not seen since the days of the Solomonic empire. This reclamation project is undertaken at the prompting of the prophet Jonah, whom the reader later meets in the book that bears his name. For the second time in as many chapters the narrator reflects on the quality of divine mercy (vv. 26–27), and so it is that Israel’s dominance during this period is due less to Jeroboam II’s acumen and more to God’s grace—to the point that he saves them through the king’s hand. It is as though the ...

1873. Victory over the Nations and Administration in Israel

1 Chronicles 18:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the regions lying outside of traditional Israelite lands but also in developing the internal administration of the kingdom (18:14–17). It is clear not only that it is important to have proper organization for this new kingdom (vv. 15–17) but also that a premium is placed on the quality of this rule, described in verse 14 as “just and right for all his people” (cf. Psalm 72).

1874. Building the Temple Structure

2 Chronicles 3:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... into the curtain (3:14) that, along with doors (see 4:22), separates and protects this special room from the main hall (cf. Exod. 26:31–33). Two pillars stand in front of the temple, their names Jachin (“he will establish”) and Boaz (“in him is strength”), signifying the enduring quality of the temple and the kingdom of those who will worship there.

1875. The Reign of Abijah

2 Chron 13:1–14:1

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... theological foundation of the Davidic covenant. Jeroboam’s rebellion against Rehoboam is clearly treated as illegitimate, even if 2 Chronicles 11:4 does reveal that this act lay within the permissive will of Yahweh. Called a “covenant of salt,” possibly a reference to the quality of salt for preservation and purification and/or the use of the salt at covenant agreement meals (see Num. 18:19; cf. Gen. 26:30; 31:54; Lev. 2:13), the Davidic covenant is not an option for the nation. Abijah’s attack on ...

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