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 176 to 200 of 439 results

176. A Prophet in a Panic

1 Kings 19:9-18

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... vulnerable. Dick Morris is the infamous Washington political advisor whose escapades with a prostitute cost him his job and his marriage. He has an insightful observation in his book "Behind the Oval Office." He writes, "I was out of control, driven by my ego. Having won a struggle within the White House to help the President get back on his true course, I felt omnipotent." As the Bible reminds us, "pride goeth before the fall." We must be especially cautious in our victorious moments. Notice this second ...

177. God's Design for Marriage

Ephesians 5:22-33

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... . It is composed of ten persons. I and all other staff members report to that body. But if I said, "No laypersons are going to tell me how to run this church..." then you who have spiritual perception would say, "That guy Bill has an ego problem." My responsibility is to submit myself to the established authority of the church, so that the church can achieve God's plans. Jesus Christ was submissive to established authority, even when it was wrong. He acknowledged the authority of an evil high priest and of ...

178. Making a Name for Ourselves

Genesis 11:1-9

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... not mutually exclusive. But which part of that epitaph gets your best thinking and energy? Are you building a tower of Babel or a spire pointing towards God? Some people spend most of their energies trying to become successful at work, to fulfill their own ego needs and in order to take a large paycheck home. They assume that is all that is required of them. But a family deserves more than a paycheck and an occasional few minutes of leftover time. They need a servant, spiritual leader who values the home ...

179. So Many Pieces to Play With

Illustration

Paul Tournier

... like so many pawns which we manipulate in an effort to win. There are never enough pawns. Each individual chooses his pawns, or rather uses those he has available - his body or his mind, his health or sickness, his family, titles, reputation, wealth. In this way the ego is enlarged to include all its pawns in order to increase its chances. It is not enough, of course, to have pawns. One must also know how to use them. And the more one has, the more difficult this is - and the more ignominious it would be ...

180. Dual Citizenship I - What Do We Owe To Our Country?

Matthew 22:15-22

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... of America!" Immediately the students jumped to their feet and applauded. We are not "one nation without a God." We are not "one nation afraid to name its God." We are "one nation under God." Now why is this so important? It's not because God's ego needs to be propped up. It's because God is the source of our liberty and our knowledge of right and wrong. Our only valid absolutes come from God. Thomas Jefferson, the father of the separation between church and state, knew that belief in God is essential ...

181. The Garden: All Things New

John 20:1-9

Sermon

J. Ellsworth Kalas

... is the place known as the Garden of Eden. It was a perfect place. Those who lived there had everything they needed, every beauty, every dream. It was the best of gardens. Still today its name symbolizes all that is wonderful. But through human selfishness and ego, it became the worst of places. Or at any rate, the worst of decisions was made there, so that the place of perfection became the doorway to tragedy. The second garden was outside the City of Jerusalem. At first sight, it appears to be the worst ...

182. The Authority of Jesus

Drama

Curt M. Joseph

... ’d ask you. Andrew: Me! Why me? Judas: Because you were the first to follow Jesus. In fact, if it hadn’t been for you, Peter and Jesus never would have met. Look, I have nothing against your brother; it’s just that he is a hothead with a big ego. And James and John are so busy jockeying for position, they don’t know which end is up. Yes, I’d pick you, and then I’d pick Matthew. A businessman. A man of letters. Matthew: What do you mean a man of letters? Judas: I mean you can write ...

183. Stewards and Our Bodies

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

... (which is our body) and as stewards of its drives, instincts, and energy, we must learn about, become comfortable with, and teach others about this great gift of body, male and female. Sexually, we must never use the other partner for our own egos or gratification alone. The integrity of our relationship is crucial to the Christ-like approach of giving and loving the other person. Not long ago Planned Parenthood advertised, "Love Carefully." Because God has created us male and female, many have the great ...

184. Augustine, Defender of the Faith

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

... yet have the correct concept of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Those evil desires of our imperfect nature tempt and convince us, also: • that lust to possess others sexually; • that greed to get and keep all we can; • that self-centered ego which tells us to tramp on others to get ahead; • that lack of self-esteem which drives us to be critical of everyone else; • and that which our American way of life encourages: "If it feels good, do it." Augustine’s and St. Paul’s struggle ...

185. Mother Teresa and the Dying Poor

Sermon

Jerry L. Schmalemberger

... priest will perform and her message will percolate down to the roots. Maybe Mother Teresa has something there. Maybe that is why our own male-dominated church has been so slow to help very many and so careful to take care of itself first. Perhaps the male ego has gotten in the way. Most of all, Mother Teresa pointed to the dying poor who needed to be comforted and loved. Let us remember Jesus’ promise that "Happy are those who mourn, God will comfort them." We ought to take seriously what it means for a ...

186. Discipleship - Path to Fulfillment

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

James W. Robinson

... . Suddenly I understood that the others considered me an intruder. Strangely, they had not expected to see me there. In panic, I glanced down at the program in my hand. Sure enough, the name of the Director of Evangelism was conspicuous by its absence. Whoosh! My ego collapsed like the proverbial balloon. Humiliated and embarrassed, my face burning, I shed my robe and exited as inconspicuously as I could. I exaggerate but little when I say that I crept on hands and knees to join my wife in the pew. I no ...

187. Waiting

Isaiah 63:7--64:12

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... aside and adapt to the facts. Then it is we can take advantage of opportunities knowledge gives us. We learn to spell because we can accept the dictionary. We learn to paint when we accept the difference between the actual painting and the impatience our ego demands bring to it. To put fact and self together and work harmoniously toward a goal is wisdom. The genuine artist, parent, cook, and statesman all know what waiting requires of them and eventually what it can produce for them and others. The more we ...

188. A Way Back In

Isaiah 40:1-31

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... get back in. The second skill is knowledge. This knowledge is not precision with things. Rather, such knowledge comes from broad experience in human nature through which we gain a profound empathy with the strengths and weaknesses of all others. We know about the brittle ego that pushes people out on a limb and the shame that keeps them there. We have gained an understanding of the dynamics of pride and how it tends to move ever closer toward self-destruction. Add to this the wise willingness to wait for ...

189. You Can Depend on It

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... the union between God and his chosen that is the endpoint of worship, right living. Righteousness was the maintenance of the dependable relationships with God, oneself, and his people. In a world with so many offerings for pleasure and gratification of the ego, the prophets spoke to the needs of the self as they still speak today. With the coming of Jesus and his ministry - beginning with the temptations and his total surrender to whatever his relationship with God might require - the wisdom and spiritual ...

190. "But, Lord, I Didn’t Want To Be Saved in That Way"

2 Kings 5:1-27

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... , rolling eyeballs, flinging hands, grandiose words, and an oleaginous voice. With such an invocation summoning him, the Lord knew better than to delay. The action must be in keeping with the results. The massage was the message. And what type of massage? Whatever massaged the ego would do nicely. If money paved the way, then Naaman was in control and all would be well. Instead: Elisha issued a simple command. It was: go, do! Obey the word of the Lord. Naaman was to submit his pride to a force greater than ...

191. Everybody a Cinderella

Hosea 2:2-23

Sermon

Thomas D. Peterson

... us forth to be what we can be. From depression he signals a way across by means of which we walk cautiously at first and then with increasing assurance, feeling his support grow with every faithful step. We are moving along. And, from pride and vanity, qualities of the ego that bind us up and block out any chance of grace, he re-spects you and me and calls us along. The love of Christ saves. He looks within to the counterpart of himself that he sees and begins to build upon it. As Cinderella heeded the call ...

192. Proper 9

2 Samuel 7:1-17, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Mark 6:1-6

Bulletin Aid

Paul A. Laughlin

... earth. In the name of the master builder, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen Prayer of Confession Almighty God, we confess how much we love to build things like churches with brick and stone and wood and steel in the name of Christianity, but mostly for our own egos. Forgive us, we pray. Teach us that our churches and your Kingdom are properly built out of the hearts and spirits and flesh of godly people, and inspire us to become workers to that end. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen Second Lesson: 2 Corinthians ...

193. A WALL OF ROCK AND THE EVERYBODY GAP

Drama

William McKee Aber

... like marriage each individual would get that support! Unfortunately, Wormwood, you and I know that all relationships have both some love and some hate in them. When one side is hurt - let’s say the wife claims the husband isn’t a good provider - his ego is shattered and he sees his wife (who supposedly loves him) not as that loving person but as an extension of all those people who hinted at his inadequacy - maybe his parents, his teachers, his boss - and the very place where he expected support turns ...

194. THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD, YOUR SANCTIFICATION

1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11

Sermon Aid

John W. Rilling

... all begin life like the predatory spider sitting at the center of his web just waiting for things to get caught in the web whose filaments all converge on the center where the spider waits. But it can happen that this process is reversed. The ego is dethroned when Christ takes over. Then those same converging roads become transformed into highways of the spirit into ever enlarging circles of serving love. "This is the will of God, your sanctification, that as you learned from us how you ought to live - you ...

195. The Technicolor Sign

Genesis 9:1-17

Sermon

Larry Powell

... in heaven; and come, follow me" (Luke 18:22). Unwilling to give up his reserves and affix his signature to the covenant, "he went away sad." What do you hold in reserve? A personal habit, is it, which if removed would cause you distress? A sizable chunk of ego to which you feel you are entitled? A segment of leisure time which must be guarded at all costs? No matter the reserves. The bow is in the clouds and the Cross is above the altar as God’s signs, or signature, of the covenant. The greater question ...

196. When Ten Equals Two

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Larry Powell

... , "I could swallow Alexander Stephens whole." To which Stephens replied, "And if you did, you would have more brains in your stomach than in your head." We are on the trail now of morality, on the assumption that it is the result of a transformed ego which translates self-respect into respect for others. Love is the word we are reaching for, but it is not yet within our grasp. Reach farther. Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford, once addressed a meeting of a Scientific Society. Darwin’s "Origin of the ...

197. God’s Choice

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Sermon

Roger Prescott

... it. God chooses us for servanthood, not based on other people’s ideas, but rather based on his. Our baptism is God’s choice alone (through our parents, to be sure) instead of ours. Remember choosing teams as a youngster? Being first was always a boost for the ego. Even making the team felt good. But our being chosen was always a chancy thing, unless we were a good player. One of my favorite stories is about a little boy who played baseball. He came home from a game one day looking dejected. "Why the sad ...

198. Worthwhile Arguments

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

Richard Patt

... we run the risk of hurting another person’s feelings. All of us - and I put myself at the top of the list - need to be on our guard about hurting other people’s feelings with our words. You see, in worthless arguments we become so centered on our ego, so intent upon winning a battle of words, that we can end up wounding another person’s feelings, often quite deeply. How many words would not most of us do anything to be able to take back - in the heat of an argument! Oh, friends, if you’re going ...

199. Overcoming Loneliness

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

... away and hide in a solitary cabin." But, thank God, he didn’t! He goes on to warn us against too much self-analysis: "As you peel an onion, there is always another layer, but you never reach the kernel. So, when you analyze the ego, it disappears completely." Many lonely people have gazed inwardly upon themselves until there is nothing there that is visible - and they are canceled out. The Transforming Friendship, a small book written by the great London minister, Lesle D. Weatherhead, is a very practical ...

200. A King - A Kingdom

John 18:28-40

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

... soon crumble amid the flooding waters. Rameses’ colossi, now removed to safety, look out over lake and desert. It is all that is left of Rameses’ once proud kingdom. He built statues of himself, and an empire that was an extension of his own inflated ego. Where, pray tell, is that kingdom today? Shih Huang Ti Shih Huang Ti was one of the most merciless tyrants of Asia. He sought to unify his China by crushing all local war lords and establishing himself sole master. In the third century before Christ ...

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