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 2026 to 2050 of 4971 results

2026. No More Tears

Sermon

King Duncan

... day be rewarded. There are many good people who love Christ, who serve Christ, who serve their communities, who seek to be good neighbors, who seek to reach out to help those unable to help themselves, and yet they find their lives are very hard. Does anybody care? Yes, Somebody does care. Let me assure you that, if you are seeking to be a follower of Christ, then God is aware of your situation. You may not sense His presence now, but one day you will experience the love of the Father in a way that only the ...

2027. The Death of Lazarus

John 11:1-16, John 11:17-37

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... what you said, but because we ourselves have heard him, and we know that he really is the Savior of the world.” What was it that brought Jesus from this place of acceptance and recognition back to a place of hostility and possible death? Not a carefully planned missionary venture, and not a conscious decision to reveal himself one more time in Jerusalem. What brought him back was a response of love to a dear friend’s need (11:3). The narrator pauses to introduce Lazarus (vv. 1–2), and the story begins ...

2028. Pilate and the Condemnation of Jesus

John 18:28-40, John 19:1-16

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... We have no king but Caesar (v. 15). In denying Jesus, they deny in the end their own Jewishness, and in a strange turn of phrase, Pilate is said to have handed him over to them [the Jews] to be crucified—a Roman method of execution! The narrator is careful to fix precisely the time and the place of all this. It is the day of Preparation of Passover Week; the hour is about noon (about the sixth hour); the place is called the Stone Pavement, also designated by the Semitic name Gabbatha (vv. 13–14). Why is ...

2029. Crucified, Dead, and Buried

John 19:17-27, John 19:28-37, John 19:38-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... ’ mother here becomes the spiritual mother of all Christians, or even that a true disciple of Jesus becomes his spiritual brother or sister (cf. Mark 3:33–35). The point is simply that Jesus, before he died, arranged for his mother and his closest disciple to care for each other and provide for one another’s needs. If there is symbolism here, it is a symbolism akin to that of the washing of the disciples’ feet (cf. 13:14, 34). Those whom Jesus has loved must fulfill that love by becoming servants to ...

2030. The Empty Tomb and the First Appearance

John 20:1-9, John 20:10-18

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... as the historical recollection of an eyewitness. The beloved disciple reached the tomb first and looked in at the strips of linen (cf. 19:40) but did not enter the tomb (vv. 4–5). When Peter arrived, he entered the tomb at once; what he saw is carefully described (vv. 6–7), but his reaction is not. Finally the beloved disciple went into the tomb, and his reaction is described: He saw and believed (v. 8). The implication is not that Peter saw but did not believe; it is only that the narrator tells Peter ...

2031. Jesus, Peter, and the Beloved Disciple

John 21:15-25

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... you. 1. Feed my lambs. 2. Simon son of John, do you truly love me? 2. Yes, Lord … you know that I love you. 2. Take care of my sheep. 3. Simon son of John, do you love me? 3. Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. 3. Feed my ... sheep. There is a fondness for synonyms in this exchange—two different Greek words for love, two words for feed/take care of, and different words for lambs and sheep—yet the narrator’s interest is in the repetition of the same thought, not in subtle ...

2032. Pressing on Toward the Goal

Philippians 3:12-4:1

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

... , but the imitation of Christ was an exercise he cultivated daily. He knew that many of his converts would imitate him in any case, and he knew that, if his example led them astray, he would have to answer for it on the Day of Christ. Hence the care with which he practiced unremitting self-discipline, so that, “after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27). See also 4:9 below. Nor was it only his own example that he recommended. There were others who followed the same ...

2033. Joy at Believers’ Walking in the Truth

3 John 1:1-14

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

... 1 John 2:19; 4:1; and 2 John 7 in reference to the secession and mission activity of the Elder’s opponents) for the sake of the Name. They were advancing its cause, proclaiming its truth, and defending it from attack and misunderstanding. Therefore, they are to be cared for as God’s representatives. This use of the term the Name was common in the OT and in Judaism as a reference to God. It was a way of speaking of God without using the sacred Name of YHWH itself. In early Christianity it also became a ...

2034. Adam and Eve

Genesis 2:4-25

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... task, but he found none. 2:20b–23 Since the man found no suitable helper among the animals, God set about to make one. Whereas the man’s origin is recounted in one verse (v. 7), the origin of the woman is told in three verses, emphasizing God’s care in making one who was so important for the man and for the achievement of God’s goal in creating. The fact that she is the last of God’s creations in this account also conveys her importance. For this operation God caused . . . a deep sleep to fall on ...

2035. Love and Obey the Lord

Deuteronomy 11:1-32

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... covenant love, loyalty, and service. The result would be agricultural abundance and sufficiency (cf. 8:6–10). In verses 11–12, the land is portrayed as enjoying the blessing of Yahweh by itself, as it were, simply as the object of his lavish care. But for Israel to enter into the enjoyment of that blessing in the land they must remain committed to obedience to Yahweh (vv. 13–15). Thus, their obedience would not earn the blessing of fertility, nor would it somehow magically induce fertility. That ...

2036. Cities of Refuge (II)

Deuteronomy 19:1-14

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... Obviously this precaution could be flouted, as Naboth discovered (1 Kgs. 21), but it provided at least some safeguard. Verses 16–19 expand the basic rules for witnesses given in Exodus 23:1–3. This text is notable, first, for its insistence on great care and diligence in establishing the truth of each case, on the assumption that all matters of justice are decided in the presence of the LORD, the supreme judge. Second, this text has a simple but effective deterrent to perjury. Anyone proved to have lied ...

2037. Exclusion From the Assembly

Deuteronomy 23:1-8

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... In India, though it is officially outlawed, many young girls are made into “devadasis,” i.e., to serve as religious prostitutes. 23:19–20 Calvin discusses the texts on interest in his “exposition” of the eighth commandment, Harmony IV, pp. 125–33. He carefully observes the law’s prime objective of protecting the poor from exploitation and argues that this is a universal principle: “the common society of the human race demands that we should not seek to grow rich by the loss of others.” He ...

2038. Firstfruits and Tithes

Deuteronomy 26:1-15

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... portion (i.e., that which specially belongs to God) among the needy. Thus, giving to the needy is not only a sacred duty to God, but it also is the defining point for any claim to have kept the law. The law is kept only if the poor are cared for. Only when Israel responds to the needy by enabling everyone in the community to eat and be satisfied can they affirm I have done everything that you commanded me. This shows once again the essential thrust of OT ethics—that love for the neighbor is the practical ...

2039. Naboth’s Vineyard

1 Kings 21:1-29

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... gan-yārāq) in particular is significant. The phrase occurs elsewhere in the OT only in Deuteronomy 11:10, where a contrast is offered between Egypt (a vegetable garden requiring human care) and the promised land (which “the LORD your God cares for”). When one realizes that Israel is sometimes portrayed in the OT as a vine under God’s special care (e.g., Isa. 3:13–15; cf. Mark 12:1–12 and parallels; John 15:1–17), then it becomes clear that Ahab’s desire to replace a vineyard with a vegetable ...

2040. Naaman Healed of Leprosy

2 Kings 5:1-27

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... be restricted to those unavoidable occasions when he is found in Rimmon’s temple in the course of official duties (v. 18; cf. 2 Kgs. 7:2, 17). 5:20–27 Gehazi, on the other hand, has not grasped the meaning of what has happened, or does not care. His “grasping” is of a baser sort. He pursues profit (vv. 20–21). He concocts a story that is designed to explain Elisha’s change of heart (he has two new arrivals to provide for, v. 22). It is a clever ploy, for the amount requested is not excessive ...

2041. Riddles and Metaphors

Ezekiel 15:1-8, Ezekiel 16:1-63, Ezekiel 17:1-24

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... s prophecy in order to produce this structure or, more likely, Ezekiel so shaped the text himself and is responsible for the final form of ch. 16. The HB sometimes symbolically describes cities and lands as women. This image can be positive, as an affirmation of God’s love and care for the city (e.g., Isa. 62:1–5; compare the image of the church as the bride of Christ in Eph. 5:22–32; Rev. 21:9–27). But it can also be negative. So, e.g., Hosea depicts Israel’s unfaithfulness in the sign-act of the ...

2042. Sermonon the Mount: The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:1-12, Matthew 5:13-16

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... who shall live in those days [of the Messiah], to see the good things of Israel that God shall accomplish in the congregation of the tribes” (17:44 NETS). for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The blessings (beatitudes) that Jesus announces in Matthew are carefully structured, with eight stanzas that can be understood as two sets of four blessings. (The final beatitude in 5:11–12 is really an expansion on the eighth and moves outside of the poetic framework of 5:3–10.) It is significant that the first ...

2043. Sermon on the Mount: Giving, Prayer, and Fasting

Matthew 6:1-4, Matthew 6:5-15, Matthew 6:16-18

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... September 13, 2004, episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, in which the host enthusiastically gave away new cars to each audience member. Or one could easily point to several well-known billionaires who have made public displays of their charity. While we should be careful in judging the motives of others, Jesus calls Christians to a different kind of giving: one with no acclaim or notoriety attached to it, one that is done in secret for God alone. Jesus’ disciples are given a pattern for prayer that centers ...

2044. Eschatological Discourse: Being Faithful and Merciful

Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 25:31-46

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... 2] 25:40 whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. As the superlative of mikros (“little ones” [10:42; 18:6, 10, 14]), the word elachistos (“least of these”) highlights the theme of care for the most vulnerable with little status.[3] The term is qualified here (though not in 25:45) by “brothers and sisters” (adelphos), which has been used by Matthew primarily to refer to believers (possible exceptions are 5:21–24, 47; 7:3–5). Scholars and ...

2045. Parables of the Kingdom

Mark 4:1-20

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... those who do not want to repent; the rocky soil, the dropouts who want only life without tribulation; the thorn-infested ground, those whose life is wrapped up in making money and having the best things in life.”8The good soil is defined only as being “careful how we hear.” This means openness to truth and a desire to live it in our lives. Illustrating the Text Fruitfulness is the work of God. True Story: A visiting professor at Fuller Theological Seminary told a story about preaching a sermon in a ...

2046. Failing the Test and Spiritual Failure—Hardness of Heart

Mark 6:45-56

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... will dominate the rest of Mark. First they fail to understand the basic theme from the feeding miracle: “God will take care of you.” The reason for that failure is their spiritual obduracy. The disciples at this point are not very different from ... hardened hearts. For example, rather than reaching out into the world with the gospel, the church often is focused on taking care of its own. Churches often are marked by power struggles and critical hearts rather than unity. Giving often reflects fear ...

2047. Luke the Historian

Luke 1:1-4

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... until Jesus’s ascension. They had seen and heard it all, and so now here was a rich fund of (presumably largely) oral tradition for Luke to draw on in addition to the written records compiled by the “many.”2 1:3 I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning. Luke’s work presents itself as a serious research project rather than a random collection of reminiscences. If Luke was in Palestine during the two years or so that Paul was in prison before his transfer to Rome (see ...

2048. A Sick Woman and a Dead Girl

Luke 8:40-56

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... on the faith of those seeking help. When dealing with the first, be sure to emphasize both (a) Jesus’s ability to heal and (b) his willingness to do so. Our God is both all-powerful and all-compassionate. If he were only the former, he would not care about our human needs. If he were only the latter, he would not be able to deliver us. Since he is both, we can have absolute confidence that he will bring us through life’s difficulties. The other angle is the importance and nature of faith. To teach ...

2049. “Love Your Neighbor”

Luke 10:25-37

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... Jew thrown across his donkey was to invite dangerous misunderstanding. 10:35 he took out two denarii. This is about two days’ wages (cf. Matt. 20:2), enough to pay for a few days in the fairly basic accommodation at the inn. But the traveler’s care extends even to the possibility that a longer stay might be needed. His “compassion” (10:33) is not just impulsive; it is practical and thought through. 10:36 Which . . . was a neighbor to the man? In Leviticus 19:18 the “neighbor” is the one to ...

2050. Two Parables about Prayer

Luke 18:9-14, Luke 18:1-8

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... what God is like. Rather, he is shown as a selfish scoundrel in order to set up the “how much more” argument of 18:6–7. If even a man like this can be prevailed on, how much more so will a response be obtained from God, who really does care for his people’s good. 18:3 Grant me justice against my adversary. We are not told the nature of the dispute, but it may well have been about property. The root term for “justice” (edik-) used here and in 18:5, 7, 8 focuses on the vindication of someone ...

Showing results