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 352 results

176. Recognizing Christ

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

King Duncan

... Eugene was in a restaurant with some business associates when a distinguished-looking gentleman rushed up to his table. Hardly able to contain his enthusiasm, the man began to pump Eugene’s hand vigorously, all the while addressing him as Joe, fondly recalling the great times they had together in the Army. Eugene, who had served in the Merchant Marines, gently told the man that he was mistaken, and had evidently confused him with someone else. The stranger, obviously embarrassed, apologized profusely and ...

177. To Be a Christian

Acts 11:19-30

Sermon

James McCormick

... , let’s talk about what it does not mean. It does not mean simply that you have been baptized and you are a member of a local congregation. Certainly a Christian will want to do that, but there is more to it than that. It was Billy Sunday who was fond of saying, “Going to Church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” You will not want to be a Christian and not be a member of the church. But you can be a member of the church and not be ...

178. Is It Well with Your Family? - Sermon Starter

Rom 16

Illustration

Brett Blair

... speculation. When and where did Paul meet Rufus' mother? Did she nurse him through some serious illness? Did she receive him into her home for an extended stay during his missionary journeys? How did this woman and Paul form such a close bond that he refers to her fondly as being like his mother? Mark tells us that Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried Jesus cross, had two sons: Alexander and Rufus. Was this the same Rufus to whom Paul was speaking? If that is true, his mother would be Simon of Syrene's wife ...

179. Let's Get Ready to Rumble

Ephesians 6:10-20

Sermon

James Merritt

... you how attractive he would look. It would even shock you how gracious and kind he could seem to be. You would never know that he is the most wicked force in the universe. I want you to understand this devil is interested in darkness and wickedness. We're so fond of saying that "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." Well, I think we ought to add to that this reminder: "Satan hates you and has a wicked plan for your life." You mark this down. The devil is doing everything he can right now to ...

180. Deal with It, Get over it, and Get Help

Romans 8:18-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... naïveté. Faith is not pretending bad times or genuine suffering are not real. Faith does not insist that everything’s coming up roses, or that stinking circumstances smell like strawberry shortcake. Faith is best expressed in the words our 17-year-old son is fond of saying: “Deal with it, get over it, or get help.” The Stockdale realists faced the facts “We’re not getting out by Christmas! Deal with it, Get over it, and Get help!”— but they faced the facts with faith, faith in the ultimate ...

181. A Time for Penance and a Time for Partridge

Ps 100, Col 2:1-7

Sermon

... , are seen as holiday-dampeners, seeming to suggest that we will never get the "true meaning" of it, unless we take the fun and pleasure from it. Instead, I would turn you to no less a giant of the spiritual life than Teresa of Avila, who is fond of reminding Christians that "there is a time for penance and a time for partridge"…."penance" having to do with falling and failing, "partridge" having to do with feasting. Therefore, in the spirit of St. Teresa, let me declare Thursday to be a day for feasting ...

182. Apocalypse Wow!

Isaiah 25:6-9

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

... our regional distinctions, as well as personal prejudices. On All Saints, we remember all the faithful departed who have preceded us into eternal life. This is the church's memorial day, a time to commemorate those who have died in the Christian faith. We recall with fondness all those who have gone before us as we remember the faith, the hope, and the love that has inspired and enlivened our own faith journeys. We are thereby directed to the Christ who gave them that life, grace, and hope. In Christ we are ...

183. The Bonds of Love

1 John 4:7-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... also become one of the most maudlin and meaningless words in our vocabulary. The American Heritage Dictionary defines love in terms of sex and sports: an "intense affection and warm feeling for another person; strong sexual desire for another person) a strong fondness or enthusiasm; or a zero score in tennis." The sacrificial, incarnational nature of Christ-like love has been lost amid our claims that we "love" our favorite soft drink, baseball team, or partner-of-the-moment. Love has become such a nebulous ...

184. God Is Faithful

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... question with another: Can we imitate God's faithfulness in our own response to others? And if so, how have we done it? Below are two examples to prime the pump or to use as possible "closers," or "to bring you home" as African-American preachers are fond of saying.] Ronald M. Patterson, of Dayton, Ohio, tells of visiting in someone's home in early March: "We were talking, and suddenly I looked up on a corner shelf and noticed a Christmas ornament hanging almost as though it had been forgotten in the mad ...

185. Heads Down, Thumbs Up

Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the fact that Jesus was born in a cave or stable full of smelly animals, into a family of dirt-poor Jews. We tell all sorts of stories about Jesus' closest followers, his most devoted disciples focusing on their being ignorant fishermen and recalling fondly how they constantly misunderstood him, doubted him, talked back to him and betrayed him. Most of all, we actually admit that, well, yes Jesus was executed as a state criminal, crucified between a couple of common thieves, and he died hanging on that ugly ...

186. Luke 9:51-62

Luke 9:51-62

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of the life-and-death decisions they must make. Elijah had intentionally come to get Elisha, passing the mantle of prophetic ministry on to him. Jesus, on the other hand, was on a divinely ordained journey. His face was set towards Jerusalem. There was no longer time for lingering fondly with family, remembering old times. God was about to do something completely new and those who would be a part of it must face the future, their eyes fixed ahead to run a straight furrow, not constantly looking back.

187. Luke 9:51-62

Luke 9:51-62

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

188. Hosea 11:1-11

Hosea 11:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the direction in which Israel runs is firmly identified toward the local gods of the Canaanites, the ba'als. This blatant disobedience against both God's singularity and power does not ignite a divine rage at rejection. Instead, God indulges in a fond recalling of the nurturing care showered on the son "Ephraim" (Israel). The stanza created by verses 3-4 recounts six different actions that reveal God's unwavering parental love for this "child" Ephraim. Equating the newfound nation of Israel created by the ...

189. Ephesians 5:15-20

Ephesians 5:15-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... is unclear whether the author has a clear differentiation in mind between these three forms he lists "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs." It is possible that this three-fold division simply reflects the author's love of stockpiling images and his special fondness for using groups of three. "Singing and making melody" (NRSV) or more simply offering "song and praise" to the Lord is not only a communal activity it should also be the experience of each individual believer. The author thus specifies the Spirit ...

190. Everyone Is Looking For You! - Sermon Starter

Mark 1:35-39

Illustration

Brett Blair

The great architect Frank Lloyd Wright was fond of an incident that may have seemed insignificant at the time, but had a profound influence on the rest of his life. The winter he was 9, he went walking across a snow-covered field with his reserved, no- nonsense uncle. As the two of them reached the far end ...

191. The Boat Is a Symbol for the Church

Mark 4:35-41

Illustration

... narthex. That's "churchspeak." But where you are is the nave. The word "nave" is obviously linked, linguistically, to the word "naval." Literally, "nave" is the Latin word for "ship." Even as we sit here in church, we are in the boat with the disciples. And, as Al Gurley is fond of pointing out, if you look up at the ceiling, you can see the ship's prow, albeit upside down.

192. The Ride of Your Life

Mark 4:35-41

Illustration

Leonard Sweet

... in order to make the Bible make sense, we have tried to rationalize everything in the Bible that sounds irrational. Now I suppose the idea of a man standing in boat and rebuking waves of that magnitude borders on the irrational. Which is why we are fond of saying: "Ah! Jesus was not talking to the waves at all. When Jesus said, 'Peace, be still,' Jesus was talking to the disciples. He was calming his men. And once calmed, they could face the storm without the need of any supernatural intervention." Now that ...

193. Proper 25

Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Psalm 90:1-17, Matthew 22:34-46, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... wise in the knowledge of you, that we may love ourselves truly and our neighbor in the same way, like our loving brother, Jesus Christ. Amen PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING God of strength and gentleness, we rejoice in the gentleness we see in those who care fondly for children. We are grateful for the deliberate beneficence of those who have more than they need and provide for those who are needy. We are thankful for those who use their power not to exploit others but to defend and protect those who are vulnerable ...

194. We Are At War

Ephesians 6:10-20

Sermon

James Merritt

195. The Shoeshine Boy

Illustration

Charles R. Leary

A certain downtown businessman became fond of the little boy who shined his shoes every day. He did such a good job that one day the businessman asked him, "Son, how come you are so conscientious about your work?" The boy felt complimented. He looked up to the man, and said, "Mister, I'm a Christian ...

196. The Great Divide

Luke 16:19-31

Sermon

James Merritt

... . The road that leads into hell is a one-way dead-end street. There will be no missionary journeys to hell, and there will be no vacation trips to heaven. There's no such thing as purgatory. There's no such thing as a "second chance." Baptists are fond of talking about the eternal security of the believer. That is, once a person is truly saved he is always saved. But the Bible also teaches the eternal security of the sinner. Once a person dies without Christ, he will be without Christ for all eternity. As I ...

197. Jesus, The One And Only

Philippians 2:5-11

Sermon

James Merritt

... named Weeden Scott. In the story of White Fang there is a tremendous section where the wolf-dog undergoes an amazing transformation from an old life to a new life. It is as if that great animal had a change of heart. You see, White Fang was very fond of chickens and on one occasion he raided a chicken-roost and killed fifty hens. His master, Weeden Scott, who had grown to love this animal, scolded him and took him into the chicken yard. When White Fang saw his favorite food walking around right in front of ...

198. A Sense of Place

2 Samuel 5:1-5, 6-10

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... the churches. Some of the parsonages I liked and some I didn't care much for. But each time the bishop pointed me toward a new appointment, I found myself looking forward it with some anticipation. I was always sad about leaving people of whom we had become fond, but I don't become so greatly attached to the physical locations that it is wrenching to leave them. My wife, however, tends to get rooted in a place. She has the nesting instinct, and so she put a good deal of herself into decorating the houses we ...

199. The Two Prodigals

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

... younger son came into an awareness and did the right thing. He admitted to himself the party was over. It is possible he was so emaciated he was hard to recognize. Maybe that's when he truly came to himself and did so remembering with great fondness and exhilarating appreciation his former life. It had been quite a time of planting pernicious seed and now the harvest was being grievously gathered. He had learned internally and externally that whatever we do in life has a result to it. Yes, he was reaping ...

200. Compassion Can Do More Than You May Think

Luke 7:11-17

Sermon

David R. Cartwright

A teacher was fond of asking students in his counseling classes this question: "What can you know about a perfect stranger the moment you meet?" After the students had a go at the question, the professor shared his own answer, "You can bet that the stranger has just lost something." That person has just ...

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