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 4963 results

2026. David Brings a Plague upon Israel

2 Samuel 24:1-25

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... . The portrait of an angry and deceptive Deity who relents only after slaughtering a massive number of people is frightening in the extreme and does not tend to attract the reader to him. But if we assume, as we should, that God is justified in his response to Israel’s sin, the divine perspective replaces our own as certain truths become clear: (1) God hates sin and is perfectly justified in punishing sinners in whatever way he deems appropriate. (2) It is a testimony to God’s patience and mercy that we ...

2027. Disrespect Can Be Deadly

1 Sam 2:12-36

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... contrast to Hannah, whose trust in the Lord is exemplary, Eli’s sons are depicted as those who dishonor God. Earlier Hannah pleads with Eli not to regard her as “wicked” (1:16), the same Hebrew word used of Eli’s sons in 2:12. Eli’s harsh initial response to her (1:14) suggests that he perceives her as such a woman, but ironically his own sons are really the ones who are wicked.1Eli is thus portrayed as a poor judge of what is evil or not, which calls into question his qualifications to serve as a ...

2028. The Lord Is with David

1 Samuel 18:1-30

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... noted above, in this chapter the narrator continues to mount his case that David is God’s chosen king, even though he also refuses to whitewash David. The Lord is with David and grants him success (vv. 5, 12, 14, 28, 30). The narrator presents contrasting responses to God’s chosen king. Desperate to hold on to his position in spite of Samuel’s prophetic announcement of his coming demise as king, Saul grows jealous and afraid of David and tries to kill him. Everyone else comes to love David (vv. 3, 16 ...

2029. Job’s Reply to Eliphaz

Job 6:1–7:21

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Daniel J. Estes

... ’s ship and bitten off his leg. Though he has been warned about his jaundiced view of an experience that could befall any whaler, Ahab pursues the whale—which many critics believe is a symbol of God—believing him to be utterly evil. In response to a warning about his blasphemy, Captain Ahab cries out for vengeance, “The white whale is that wall, shoved near to me. . . . He tasks me; he heaps me; I see in him outrageous strength, with an inscrutable malice sinewing it. That inscrutable thing is ...

2030. “I Love You, Lord, My Strength”

Psalm 18:1-50

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C. Hassell Bullock

... the verb “take refuge” (18:2 and 30), registering its total effect in the question that follows: “For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?” (18:31). Part 2 (18:31–45) is the implicit answer to that question, articulating the response, “There is no god besides Yahweh.” Part 1 (18:1–30) a. Introductory hymn of praise (18:1–3) b. Account of the crisis (18:4–6) c. The theophany and rescue (18:7–19) d. The psalmist’s righteousness (18:20–24) e. The Lord’s ...

2031. “Some Trust in Chariots . . . , but We Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God”

Psalm 20:1-9

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C. Hassell Bullock

... to his own larger edition of Book 1. Outline/Structure A simple outline of Psalm 20 is the following: 1. The people bless the king (20:1–5). 2. The psalmist (or prophet or priest) affirms God’s answer (20:6). 3. The congregation affirms God’s faithful response to obedient faith (20:7–8). 4. The congregation prays for the king (20:9). Historical and Cultural Background It was customary in ancient times to pray for the king and for the king to pray before going into battle (2 Chron. 20:5–12). It was ...

2032. “The Earth Is the Lord’s, and Everything in It”

Psalm 24:1-10

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C. Hassell Bullock

... , O Jacob” (see KJV) should be read, “who seek your face, O God of Jacob” (Ps. 20:1; Isa. 2:3, and so LXX). This verse ends with selah, a liturgical term, here marking the end of a strophe and indicating where the Levites made a liturgical response (see NIV footnote; see also sidebar “Selah” in the unit on Ps. 3).6 24:7 Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors. “Heads” is a metaphor for the lintels of the temple gates. Yahweh was so marvelously great that the temple ...

2033. “Show Me Your Ways, Lord”

Psalm 25:1-22

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C. Hassell Bullock

... part of a king’s passion for his people. If so, it contributes an excellent balance to the psalm’s personal orientation. It is also possible, as suggested by Delitzsch[12] and others, that it is a virtual gloss in the form of a congregational response, used in worship by later generations. That is, a later generation applied this psalm to their own situation, much like David applied the ancient words of the Mosaic covenant to his personal life. Other psalms that add the communal aspect at the end of the ...

2034. “Why Do You Boast of Evil, You Mighty Hero?”

Psalm 52:1-9

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C. Hassell Bullock

... ESV), whose “tongue plots destruction” (52:2), could be Doeg, who put eighty-five priests and their families to death at Saul’s behest. While some doubt the Davidic connection, it nevertheless could very well be that it is genuine and that this is David’s response to the atrocious crimes committed by Doeg, who may have been a member of Saul’s “mighty men” (1 Sam. 14:52). In contrast to the violent disruption of the wicked (52:5), the psalmist is like an “olive tree” (52:8; see the sidebar ...

2035. “You Laugh at Them, Lord; You Scoff at All Those Nations”

Psalm 59:1-17

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C. Hassell Bullock

... ) a. Plea for deliverance (59:1–2) b. Protest of innocence (59:3–5) c. Enemies like snarling dogs (59:6–7) i. Negative refrain: They return at evening, snarling like dogs (59:6) ii. Enemies’ arrogance against Israel and God (59:7) d. God’s derisive response (59:8) e. Affirmative refrain: You are my strength (59:9–10a) f. Confidence in God’s actions (59:10b–c) 2. The dynamics of defeat (59:11–17) a. Prayer that their defeat will be a witness of God’s rule (59:11–13) b. Negative refrain ...

2036. The Writing on the Wall

Daniel 5:1-31

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Ronald W. Pierce

... this neither is a place to heroize Daniel as a wise sage and courageous prophet nor a place to dwell on his prestigious reward for serving God faithfully. Keep your focus on the God who humbles the proud regardless of their status, yet in response and proportion to their repentance. Second, the use of the numbers-and-scales metaphor does not teach that salvation comes from doing more good deeds than bad ones, but it does confirm that God cares about righteousness. Illustrating the Text Know your history to ...

2037. Gabriel Brings an Answer to Daniel’s Prayer

Daniel 9:20-27

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Ronald W. Pierce

... and justice. On the one hand, a partial restoration comes in a relatively short time. On the other hand, persistent sin results in extended punishment. Help your listeners to keep these two aspects of God’s character in balance, knowing that sometimes his response will reflect one of these more than the other. Call them to be people of righteousness who are, at the same time, thankful for his mercy. 3. Times of trouble. Persecution by ungodly people may cause us to question God’s justice and fairness ...

2038. The Plague of Blood

Exodus 7:14-24

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... can go and worship (8:8, 28; 9:28; 10:17, 24). As the devastation increases, Pharaoh even acknowledges his sin, seeking forgiveness (9:27; 10:16–17), and Moses consistently serves as mediator. The plagues stop as Moses calls on the Lord in response to Pharaoh’s plea for relief, interceding on behalf of this supremely evil ruler. Nevertheless, Pharaoh’s heart grows increasingly obdurate. 7:14-24 · When Aaron strikes the water of the Nile with the staff, all of it turns blood red, bringing death. The ...

2039. Achan's Sin

Joshua 7:1-26

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... to band together to annihilate them. But like Moses, Joshua also seeks to motivate the Lord to act on their behalf by pointing to the disrepute he will suffer if he allows them to be destroyed by the Canaanites (7:9; cf. Num. 14:13–16). The Lord’s response (7:10–15) seems to hint at a slight impatience with Joshua’s melodrama, as he tells him to get up and stop lying prostrate before him. He then tells Joshua that the real problem has to do with sin. Disclosing the nature of the sin, the Lord ...

2040. The Sun Stands Still

Joshua 10:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , that spectacular miracle is also recorded in the Book of Jashar (10:13), about which little else is known other than that it also contained David’s lament for Jonathan (cf. 2 Sam. 1:18). This unprecedented and hitherto unmatched intervention of the Lord in response to Joshua’s bold prayer thus prompts the author to declare in no uncertain terms that the Lord is fighting for Israel (10:14). Regarding the miraculous standing still of the sun and the moon, there is a plethora of attempts to explain what ...

2041. Ruth’s Proposal

Ruth 3:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Israelite and Moabite relations, she is still taking a great risk, regardless of her solid reputation. For this reason, Naomi and Boaz take precautionary measures as they instruct Ruth. Boaz responds with gratitude and a requirement ( 3:10–15 ) · Boaz’s response further shows that he is a man of integrity and noble character. He allays her fears and without hesitation happily obliges. His unequivocal acceptance of her proposal relies on the fact that she is a woman of noble character (3:11). Indeed ...

2042. Absalom's Death

2 Sam 18:1–19:8

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... clearly David has no desire for such a violent outcome. Though the troops return in triumph, their shouting and celebrating are quickly stilled in response to David’s mourning. Instead of congratulating his men, David continues to grieve uncontrollably over the death of Absalom. Although David’s response is understandable in his capacity as a father, it ignores his responsibilities as the king and military leader. For this reason Joab confronts David and rouses him from his despondency (19:5–8). In a ...

2043. Jerusalem's Deliverance Foretold

2 Kings 19:1-37

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Hezekiah is also given a sign (encouraging him to give patient leadership to the remnant who will survive), and the immediate crisis will be resolved as God will defend Jerusalem “for my sake and for the sake of David my servant” (19:34). While no response of Hezekiah is preserved, the resolution of the conflict surely provides some vindication for prophet and king (19:35–37). The same “angel of the Lord” who visits Elijah with bread in 1 Kings 19:7 now visits the vast Assyrian army with death. As ...

2044. The Ark in Jerusalem and the Tabernacle in Gibeon

1 Chronicles 16:7-43

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ministry is primary. For this next phase of history, the sacred shrine will have two locations, with the tabernacle remaining at Gibeon and the ark in a tent in Jerusalem. Of the Levitical clans appointed in 15:17 to transport the ark, Asaph is responsible for musical worship at the tent in Jerusalem (16:5, 37). First Chronicles 16:4 outlines the three basic types of songs that David commissions the Asaphites to compose for praise at the ark: petition, thanksgiving, and praise. It is these three types of ...

2045. Charging the Assembly

1 Chron 29:1-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... gave them (29:14–17), and concludes with requests for his people and Solomon that God may stir their inner affections to obedience to the law and completion of the temple project (29:18–19). This prayer then prompts from the assembly in 29:20–22a a response of praise to Yahweh and homage to the king followed by a sacrificial celebration in God’s presence. It is at this celebration that Solomon is then crowned king (29:22b–25) a second time. Solomon’s first coronation in 1 Chronicles 23:1 was a ...

2046. Opposition to the Rebuilding

Nehemiah 4:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... rubble would hinder the work. Tobiah joins the opposition by exaggerating the weakness of the wall. Together they attempt to stop the work. Psychological warfare often resorts to lies (as archaeologists have found that Nehemiah’s wall was nine feet thick). Nehemiah’s first response is to turn to God in prayer, a good example for us. He reminds God that his people are being despised. Then he asks God to judge and punish those who oppose his work. Apparently Nehemiah also motivates the people to work all ...

2047. Time and Eternity

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ; 3:1). It is disputed whether this verse is to be taken descriptively (i.e., there is a predetermined time to acknowledge or be passively submitted to) or prescriptively (i.e., there is a proper time for action to seek or for making an appropriate response). This is followed by seven (symbolizing completeness) couplets of paired actions (i.e., 7 × 2 × 2 = 28). The fourteen pairs of terms employ merism, a figure of speech that designates a sphere by means of polar opposites (e.g., Gen. 1:1 “the heavens ...

2048. Dealing with Drought

Jeremiah 14:1--15:21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... in a different way, by his own. Chapter divisions here obscure two symmetrical halves (14:2–16 and 14:17–15:9). In each there is a description of the famine (14:2–6; 14:17–18), a prayer (14:7–9; 14:19–22), and a divine response (14:10–16; 15:1–9). The droughts (plural) are vividly depicted in their effect on high-ranking people, farmers, and animals (14:1–9). City gates, more like open areas comparable to modern malls, were places for merchandizing and legal transactions. All has come to a ...

2049. God’s Love for His People

Malachi 1:1-5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... (Edom), how much more will it extend to all kingdoms! If the Edomites, who are related to the Israelites, will not escape the judgment of God, how will other nations avoid the day of the Lord? It is in this context that we must understand God’s response to Judah. He declares that he will so execrate and destroy evil that not a trace will be left. During the time of the postexilic restoration, the Jews remained subject to a foreign nation, the Persians. In the coming centuries they would be subject to the ...

2050. The Calling of the First Disciples

Matthew 4:18-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... to Jesus’s teaching about the kingdom and its relation to covenantal loyalty in the Sermon on the Mount (5:1–7:29). Then Matthew shows Jesus enacting God’s kingdom authority and mercy through his healings and other miracles with a wide range of responses to his ministry, from exceptional faith to unbelief (8:1–9:38). This section concludes with Jesus’s instructions to his twelve disciples to participate in his mission (10:1–11:1). 4:17–22 · Jesus’s message and ministry:At 4:17, Matthew ...

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