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 1259 results

176. The Gift of Newness

2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Sermon

James McCormick

What picture pops into your mind when someone says the word, “church”? Is it a picture that quickens your pulse and stirs your blood? Or, is it a picture more likely to encourage a snooze? Is it characterized more by excitement and adventure? Or more by dullness and predictability? If we are talking about the first century church, those questions are easy to answer. Those first century Christians became so excited about their message that onlookers accused them of being drunk. They became so energetic ...

177. Radiate Love

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

I love old Science Fiction movies. When you look back at all the faulty science and scientific assumptions plus the early 50's and 60's concepts of computers. It's really a hoot. With the development of Atomic Power in the 40's, Sci Fi writers and film makers started letting their imaginations run wild. We didn't know that much about Radiation and the effects of radiation, so everything was fair game. The movie industry started churning out such classics as "Them" in which the monster was giant ants. "The ...

178. The Best Gift of All

Titus 2:1-15

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

There is a special feeling from being in church on Christmas Eve. For many of us it feels like coming home for Christmas. We come to hear the familiar story of Mary and Joseph making their way to the little town of Bethlehem. We hear once again of Baby Jesus born in stable. Soon after an unexpected encounter with angels, the shepherds head to the manger to see Jesus for themselves. Children have creatively acted out this story for generations complete with the wise men offering their gifts. Living ...

179. Paul, Phoebe, Patronage, and Spain

Romans 16:1-27

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Phoebe, Paul’s patron, will deliver Paul’s covenant letter and have it read to the Roman Christians. Phoebe’s authority as patron and deaconess will reinforce the reading’s solemnity. The Roman Christians should respond to Paul’s letter by providing hospitality for Phoebe and joining their resources with hers to launch Paul’s mission to Spain. Understanding the Text Romans 16:1–2 continues the document clause of Paul’s covenant letter to the Roman Christians (15:14–16:27). Romans 16:1–27 divides ...

180. The Tragedy of Caiaphas

John 18:1-27 · John 11:45-47 · Matthew 26:36-75

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64) “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16) Greek theatre became an art form long before the first century. But in the first century it still flourished in the cities of the Roman Empire ...

181. Choosing to Be Grateful

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

Albert G. Butzer III

Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they?” — Luke 17:17 There was once a minister who was well known for his beautiful and moving prayers. He always knew just what to say because, I am told, his heart overflowed with gratitude. But one Sunday morning he woke up to the kind of day we preachers dread. If it was not a full-blown nor’easter, it came pretty close. The wind was howling and the rain was coming down in sheets. As a result, many people stayed home from worship ...

182. Come and See

John 1:43-51

Sermon

David E. Leininger

I have always liked this story — and not for the WHOLE story, just that one memorable line: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth? (John 1:46)” That is just the kind of snide comment that makes me smirk. And, to be quite honest, it is one of the things that I like about our scripture — it is honest. Over and over and over again, the pages of our holy writ are littered with snide comments, unfaithful friends, ugly confrontations and some of the most unsavory “saints” that anyone could ever imagine. But ...

183. God Is Like...a Comforter

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Sermon

Kenneth L. Gibble

If you were asked to name the invention that has had the greatest impact on daily life in the past century, what would you say? The electric light bulb, the automobile? You could make a strong case for either of them. I’d add another to the list: central heating. Some of you, like me, grew up in homes that had no central heating. You may remember gathering around the kitchen stove to change clothes in the morning and going up the stairs at night to a frigid bedroom. You’d crawl between icy sheets and then ...

184. Seeing as the Lord Sees

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Sermon

In the story of David’s selection to be the second king of Israel, we see an important distinction between the ways we look at ourselves and others, and the way that God sees us. The Lord said to Samuel, "The Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks in the heart." That is an important distinction, and an encouraging word for us who are on the journey of faith. Samuel had been called of God to anoint the first two kings of Israel. The first king was Saul, a man who had ...

185. Why Christmas Is So Dangerous

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

There is no doubt about it, Christmas is a dangerous time of year. You ever tried negotiating a mall parking lot between Black Friday and Christmas Eve? You know one level of danger. You ever tried to gather together a fractious, far-flung family into one Christmas moment? You know another level of danger. You ever tried buying a toy for the kids or grandkids, a toy where levers don’t break off, where there are no hidden, choky bits, where glitches galore don’t make the toy “unsafe?” You know another whole ...

186. How To Treat Your Enemies

2 Samuel 18:1-18

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

Did you hear about the man who went into the preaching ministry, worked for seven years, then resigned to go back to medical school and become a doctor? "People," he explained, "don't want spiritual health. They just want to feel good." But after working as a physician for seven years, he again resigned, this time to go back to school. "I'm going to become a lawyer," he explained, "because, in the end, people don't want spiritual health. They don't even want physical health. They just want to get even." I ...

187. Behold The Man Who Taught By The Sea

Mark 4:1-20

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

It was the end of the school year and a first grade teacher was saying good-bye to her students. One little boy said to her, "Teacher, I sure do like you. I'd like to stay in the first grade forever, but I've been promoted. Boy, I wish you knew enough to teach me in the second grade."1 So many people who are successful are able to look back at a person who first turned on a light inside the mind, who quickened the thinking, who first stirred the desire to learn. Behind every successful person there is the ...

188. Redemption Near And Dear

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

Erskine White

Look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. (Luke 21:28) A few years ago, a rather well-known preacher wrote a book called Shaping a Successful Life, and as is customary in the book business, his publisher arranged a series of interviews on radio and television as a way of promoting sales of the book. Now, amid everything he had written on being successful, he also included one chapter on coping with troubles and tragedies in life, and to this man’s surprise, everyone who ...

189. The Road To Capernaum

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

Dr. Robert V. Ozment served for many years as the pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. In one of his books, Love Is The Answer, he told about a lady he went to see in the hospital. She was very complimentary in the things she said about him. She said, "You are the best preacher I have ever heard. I've read some of your books, and you are a great author. You are the sweetest, kindest person in the world. You are a very handsome man." Just then her nurse came in and he started to ...

190. Life From Water: The Ark

Genesis 6:11-22

Sermon

Steve Swanson

Water is the very stuff of life. When God created the heavens and the earth, he put water right at the very heart of his system. More than seventy percent of our amazing world is covered with water and that water is teeming with life. It's true that beef, pork, and poultry are important to our diets as well as to our economy, but whenever some farmer gets a"big" head and begins to think that these are the only sources of non-vegetable protein, he or she should be reminded that ninety percent of this planet ...

191. The Benefit of the Doubt

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Johnny Dean

Well, I guess Easter is over for another year. The lilies are gone, attendance is down from last week, the new has worn off the Easter dresses and suits, and the candy has long since been devoured. Things are pretty much back to whatever passes for normal these days, back to the old, pre-Easter routine. And in churches all across America today, pulpits are being filled by substitute preachers. Our denominational leaders advise us that it is wise for preachers to take some time off the week after Easter. ...

192. Time and Stewardship

Sermon

Larry Powell

Religious authorities in Jesus' day pressed the matter of Sabbath observance to the extent of ridiculous extreme. In addition to those regulations which had long been entrenched in tradition, others were continually being produced by ambitious rabbis. The list of prohibitions was exhaustive. Ploughing and reaping were disallowed on the Sabbath (Exodus 34:21), as was pressing wines and canning goods (Nehemiah 13:15), bearing burdens (Jeremiah 27:21), carrying on trade (Amos 16:26), gathering wood (Numbers ...

193. Prayers for Year A

Bulletin Aid

William S. Carter

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT · Matthew 24:37-44 Come, Lord, in whatever way you choose. Get through to us even today, and prepare us to receive your entrance into our lives; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and rules with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, within our world today. Amen. Alternate · Matthew 21:1-11 Come, Lord, we praise your entrance into our lives. Give us clear voices to tell your story, with happiness and joy and expectation; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and ...

194. Sunrise Surprise

Drama

Cast (in order of appearance) NARRATOR MARY MAGDALENE JOHN PETER JESUS Production Note At the beginning, and then at the close, of "Sunrise Surprise," it is suggested that the scene be changed by "revolving the stage." This option is possible in a stage or theatre setting where such mechanics can be attended to. For those planning to present the drama in a chancel setting, the stage setting could be changed by manually moving the props; by the use of lighting; or by suggestion on the part of the actors. ...

195. Our Scheduled Appointments with God

Hebrews 10:19-39

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

That epic movie "Titanic" is breaking attendance records at the theaters, proving yet again that the awful tragedy of 1912 continues to fascinate people. 1645 passengers died that night in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. Over 600 were saved. As the movie demonstrates, most of the survivors were people who stayed close together and encouraged one another. That same principle applies in our faith journey. The evil one (Satan, the devil) is angered by every profession of faith in Christ. Each person ...

196. Legends Of Christmas

Drama

Georgianna Summers

Scene I [Members of a junior high Social Studies class are seated on one side of stage area. Miss Hardgrader, the teacher, stands in front of them.] Hardgrader: Now, class, before you leave today I just want to remind you that your reports on Christmas legends are due tomorrow. [Everyone groans.] I will call on some of you to read yours aloud; so all of you come prepared. I’ve also invited the other grades in our wing to come visit our class tomorrow when you give your reports, and I thought it would be ...

197. Take a Close Look (At the Widow)!

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

James W. Robinson

Mark is a marvel when it comes to storytelling. He is the O. Henry of the New Testament, a magician with words, who squeezes a novel into a paragraph or two. His skill is nowhere more evident than in his account of the widow with the two coins at the temple treasury. It is a gem of a short story. He makes it so easy for us to visualize the woman as she waits patiently in line to drop her offering into the chest with the trumpet-shaped tube. Without going into a detailed character study, he makes us feel ...

198. Gentle Light

1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Sermon

William F. Dunkle

Every pastor knows how difficult some converts become. In fact there is a phrase for this - "the zeal of a convert." Sometimes it’s hard to live with. The Corinthian Christians had written to the Apostle Paul concerning their controversies about a number of things. In their puritanical zeal, some church members, for example, were very disturbed because other church people did not hesitate to buy and eat the meat of animals which had been slaughtered for sacrifice on the altars of pagan gods. Was this not ...

199. Dealing With The Dividing Walls

Ephesians 2:11-22

Sermon

James W. Moore

Have you heard about the young man who was an All-American football player in college? He went on to play professional football for a few years and then came back to his alma mater as an assistant coach. One of his main responsibilities in his new job would be to go out and scout and recruit players for his college team. Before he made his first recruiting trip, he went in to visit with the head coach, the same coach for whom he had played when he was there in college some years before. The head coach was ...

200. A Mother's Gift

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Sermon

David E. Leininger

If there were ever a day that felt like Mother's Day to Hannah, this was it. This was the day she would get to see her son, Samuel, for the first time since last year. Each autumn, Hannah and her family would make the pilgrimage from their home in Ramah to the religious center of the nation in Shiloh for the Feast of Tabernacles - the annual celebration of the harvest, a time to renew the covenant between Israel and her God - one of the three holiest festivals of the Hebrew year. To be sure, Hannah was a ...

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