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 1876 to 1900 of 2078 results

1876. Do It Now!

Illustration

Sid Ascher

... owner of a large business concern who bought a number of signs reading “DO IT NOW!” and had them hung in prominent places around his office. He hoped to inspire in his people promptness and energy in their work. Several days later, a friend asked him how the scheme had affected the staff. “Well, not the way I thought,” the businessman answered. “The cashier skipped with $30,000, the head book-keeper eloped with my private secretary, and three employees asked for a raise.”

1877. Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... at the end of time.” The eschaton is an existential reality; the kingdom is breaking forth right in front of us. Right now! Look, there it is! It is in the love of a mother for her infant child and in the laughter of a teenager. It is in the affection of husband and wife for each other and in the sacrificial living of a missionary doctor. It is in the courage, hope, and the vision of those who remain in the mission field long after the crisis is over. It is in the simple lesson of a Sunday school teacher ...

1878. The New Moses

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... went. The angel said stay here, he stayed. The angel said don’t be afraid, he was not afraid. He was the very model of righteousness. He heard from God, trusted God, and obeyed God. The second man was rich and powerful. And yet he was powerless to affect the things that were going on around him. His response was one of threat and fear. The only response he could come up with was that of violence. Like that other king, some 1,500 years earlier, he was threatened by even the most powerless before him. It ...

1879. True Love

Illustration

Ann Landers

... . It's a great image of true love: Dear Ann Landers: I’m going to tell you about a love story that I witness every time I go to the nursing home to see my husband who has Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, I know firsthand how this terrible illness affects family members, but I would like the world to know what love really is. I see a man who, I understand, has spent the last eight years caring for his wife who has Alzheimer’s. They have been married more than 50 years. He cooks and feeds her every ...

1880. Jesus Destroys the Power of Sin

Mark 2:1-12

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... of “leprosy” was applied to many different skin disorders in the first century. But whether or not the “leper” in today’s text actually suffered from what we now call Hansen’s Disease, or some other skin malady, the results for the affected individual were the same — extreme social isolation, the label of “unclean,” a life lived separated from family and community, and the assumption by others that the lesions and sores on the skin were evidence of some divine punishment for personal sins ...

1881. The Art of Impersonation

Matthew 5:21-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... . He says, “I think with him more than any other impression or impersonation, it’s really the attitude. It’s coming in totally confident and being, ‘You’re it. You’re No. 1.’ That’s really important. It’s actually kind of affected me personally,” says John DiDomenico. “It actually helps me be more confident, because his confidence is so, oh so big. I have to carry that through.” (1) All kinds of people are the targets of impersonators—even televangelists. Another man named Michael ...

1882. Trusting in the Goodness of God

Genesis 2:15-17, Genesis 3:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... . What if you had never heard of God before, had no concept of God, and someone read you Genesis 1 through Genesis 2:15—how would you describe the character of God? That’s a really important question. Our beliefs about the character of God affect every part of our lives, from our sense of identity and purpose to how we handle suffering and death. An interviewer once asked theologian R.C. Sproul what the greatest spiritual need of the world is. Sproul answered, “The greatest need in people’s lives ...

1883. New Tendons for Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... John W. Ritenbaugh says, “When a person is freezing to death, he feels a pleasant numbness that he does not want to end. He just goes to sleep as he is freezing to death. But when heat is applied, and the blood begins rushing into the affected areas, pain immediately occurs. Though it hurts, the pain is indicative of rescue and cure. God sends a prophet to people who are cold in their relationship with God—spiritually freezing to death—though they want to stay that way. The prophet turns the heat on ...

1884. Re-Gifted but not Returned

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... it? Baptism is, basically, three things: It is a symbol, it is a celebration, and it is an initiation. First, it is a symbol. It is a symbol of God’s grace, of God’s unconditional love. It is a symbol of God’s all forgiving and accepting affection not just for human kind as a group but for each one of us individually. Remember, in the earliest days of the ancient Christian church, baptism was done by emersion. It was a symbolic bath which symbolized the washing away of sin and a rinsing away of our ...

1885. Listening 101

John 4:1-26, John 4:27-38, John 4:39-42

Sermon

David & Marian Plant

... be so dim, and those so distant be so smart? It is great drama, worthy of multiple sermons such as the importance of women as those who get it, or the reality of “bad blood” and probably more accurately in today’s terms, racism, that affected perceptions of who was in the know. Perhaps the focus on physical water and spiritual water, and which of them really quenches? Or maybe a reality check on how much we invest in proclaiming “sacred places,” or “sacred organizations,” or any of the other ...

1886. Clearing the Eyes

John 9:1-12, John 9:13-34, John 9:35-41

Sermon

David & Marian Plant

... redirect our thinking for a moment before I return to Jesus’ answer I would like you to think about sunglasses. I would like you to think about the various kinds of sunglasses that we wear. We have sunglasses in all manner of colors to affect the various spectrums of light so that we might accomplish special tasks. Some are glasses to enhance the sport we play. The person who fishes wears glasses that take the reflection off the water so he can see what is happening underneath the sundrenched surface ...

1887. The Surrogate

Matthew 1:1-17

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... , from whose line the messiah would come. Notice that nowhere is Bathsheba blamed for a crime. Notice that nowhere is David chastised for adultery. His crime is selfishness and lack of compassion. Why? In the story by Nathan, he compares the poor man’s affection for the ewe as that of a daughter, who was beloved and cherished. And Nathan says, the man “brought up the ewe” and it ate along with his children. Is Bathsheba (the daughter of opulence) mentioned in the story a young girl who has perhaps ...

1888. By the Sea

Matthew 4:18-22, John 1:35-42, John 1:43-51

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... “primal memories” are often our “earliest” memories –those we may not be able to visually or consciously remember, but those that have been implanted from infancy. They are sensory and soul memories that lack verbal expression. They lie deep within us and arise --often subconsciously—to affect our daily life. It’s a bit that way when you listen to the sounds of the sea, isn’t it? You can’t quite put your finger on it, but the sea has a way of calling you home, a way that touches your soul ...

1889. The Light That Dwells Among Us

Matthew 16:13-20, Matthew 16:21-28, Matthew 17:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... , sometimes, we don’t realize how much we need the light also for our spiritual wellness. We need the dark too, but we’ll save that for another sermon. Scientists now know that there is an actual depressive illness called “SAD”: Seasonal Affective Disorder.” Those living in places where there is little sunlight have a higher rate of depression. The treatment: light. The more light a person experiences, the more the “blues” are chased away. But living in the dark is not just an emotional ...

1890. Praise God! Selah!

Luke 1:67-80, Luke 1:57-66, Luke 1:46-56, Luke 1:39-45, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 1:5-25, Luke 1:1-4

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... God’s gifts that overcome all adversity! To praise and worship God no matter what is coming our way! A person of faith is someone who hopes against all odds that God makes all things turn out good in the end! Glorify God….with appreciation, adoration, affection, and subjection, says Watson. We are to be thankful for God and esteem God’s power and being, praise and worship God always, love God before all else, and serve God with gladness even in difficult times. We glorify God, because all of our hope ...

1891. The Healer

Matthew 4:23-25, Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... was spiritually endowed by God’s power. They were instruments through which God could effect a cure.^^ But they also were aware, perhaps influenced by their Greek neighbors and the Hippocratic school, that diet, prostitution, lifestyle, and cleanliness also affected the spread of disease. Many of the Jewish laws which included strict dietary regulations, moral guidelines, and cleansing rituals were as much about containing health issues, as following God’s commands. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, a small ...

1892. Lady of the House / The Practice of Joy

Luke 10:38-42

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... of you are already smiling! We now know scientifically that if you smile, you will feel happy! Scientists tell us, when you’re feeling down, smile. Just smile. You’ll feel happier. We’ve known for a long time that emotions affect our bodies. You can lower your blood pressure, alleviate stress, even prevent disease by “feeling” emotionally and spiritually …happier! Medical science tells us that happier people live longer. People who feel content, joyful, and laugh a lot are healthier people. But ...

1893. Liminal Space

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... , if you’ve seen the recent “Manchester by the Sea” (2016). But like a good book, a good movie too will lead you into a new place. And you’ll emerge back into your own reality, bringing something of it with you, something that no doubt has affected you in some way, moved you, taught you, left you traumatized, or left you smiling. While you’re slumped in that theater seat, that movie has been your liminal space. And during that time, you may not know what to expect, what will happen next, how it ...

1894. "Salt and Swaddle"

Luke 2:1-20 · 1 Samuel 16:1-23

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... and God’s adoption of her as God’s own people, cleansed and wrapped in covenant (16). God’s own people, beloved of God, are wrapped up in covenant with God, as in a swaddle. Swaddling indicated special status, loving protection and affection, and a kind of purity that signalled a very special birth. For the Jewish people, this ritual would also bring into play that other important metaphor –the salt covenant. Salt was a supremely important metaphor for Hebrew thought. Jesus himself would indicate ...

1895. Garden of Love

John 20:10-18, Song of Songs 4:1-16, Revelation 22:1-6

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... that we can contemplate with our minds, critique with our faculties of reason, claim with our moral countenance? Might it have something to do with intimacy? As long as we can hold the story at arm’s length, it is “safe.” It doesn’t really affect us too deeply. We listen to it. We nod. Then we go back to our lives. But those stories that truly touch us, touch off our emotions, ravage our empathy, awaken our feelings, provoke sensory reactions within us –those are tough stories to handle! Too hot ...

1896. Scroll Bread and Honey

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... . But we try, right? Cause we have no real desire to poison our bodies. We all want to live well for as long as we possibly can. Today, more than any other time in history perhaps, we understand what food does for our bodies and how what we eat affects how we live. What we put into our bodies in large part determines how long we can sustain our health and the quality of our lives. We know that many diseases can be prevented by eating the right kinds of foods with essential vitamins and nutrients. We know ...

1897. Wild Thing

Luke 4:31-37

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... for most of us, it’s enough to be without our morning coffee. Ever know one of those people? “Coffee! I need coffee!” The truth is, whether you call it a mood or a mental state or a spirit, we are terribly complex beings whose spirit can be easily affected by all kinds of things, some more than others. During the course of any day, we probably change moods a half a dozen times at least, as we experience the world. But that’s not the kind of spirit we’re talking about today. We’re talking about ...

1898. We Will Be Changed

Ezekiel 37:1-14, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, 1 Corinthians 15:12-34, 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... identified a new syndrome called “takotsubo” –an incurable heart condition in which the heart muscle becomes literally “stunned” by grief or trauma causing the left ventricle to actually change shape. It is brought on by intense emotional or physical stress and affects the heart’s ability to pump blood. Although the condition is rare, and most recover after several months, for some the condition can be fatal. Even when not, the heart incurs scarring that never goes away.* In the medical field ...

1899. The Good Yoke

Matthew 11:25-30, 1 Kings 19:1-8, 1 Kings 19:9-18, 1 Kings 19:19-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... , marriage, prestige, position. Or a life filled with Jesus. We humans are relational beings. It is part of the human condition to seek out yokes. The ones you choose will in some way or another define your direction in life, and will affect your well-being, the well-being of your mind, body, heart, and soul. Your politics, your spending habits, your relationships, your addictions….. your yoke becomes your identity. And the yoke you choose will either strengthen or weaken your authentic self. Some yokes ...

1900. Calling All Wide Receivers!

Luke 2:8-20

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... is passive, does not initiate, but who is presented with, who accepts compliantly, unassertively the gift or direction of another. For many of us, this can be a pleasant thing. We receive gifts. We did on Christmas day. We receive love. We receive compliments. We receive affection. But for a lot of us that means trouble when we are not certain of the motives of the giver --or if we are too much lovers of control ourselves. There is manipulation and control, and then there is initiation. They don’t need to ...

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