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 2051 to 2075 of 4963 results

2051. Jesus Heals a Paralytic

Matthew 9:1-8

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Matthew’s account of Jesus’s healing a paralytic emphasizes his authority to forgive sin (9:1–8). In response to the faith of the paralytic’s friends, Jesus unexpectedly grants the man forgiveness rather than healing (9:2; ... two. Yet he heals the paralytic to show that the forgiveness granted is genuine (9:6–7). The crowd’s response contrasts with the response of the teachers of the law: the crowd is filled with awe and praises God for the authority to forgive sins that Jesus displays (9:8).

2052. Jesus Predicts His Death

Matthew 16:21-28

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . 15:20–23). Second, while Peter has rightly understood Jesus’s identity as Messiah (16:16), he does not understand the kind of Messiah Jesus is. Since it is not clear that suffering was a part of first-century messianic configurations, Peter’s response is understandable. Yet for Jesus (and Matthew), suffering and death are central for defining the kind of Messiah Jesus comes to be. Though Rome executed any number of would-be messiahs for their pretensions, Jesus is not predicting his death based on ...

2053. A Dead Girl and A Sick Woman

Mark 5:21-43

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... touch Jesus is rivaled by Jesus’s desire, despite the disciples’ remonstrations, to know who touched him. Not content simply to dispatch a miracle, Jesus wants to encounter the woman. For Jesus, miracle must lead to meeting. Jesus’s tender response, “Daughter, your faith has healed you” (5:34), overcomes the woman’s fear of social ostracism. The Greek word for “heal,” sōzō, means both “to heal” and “to save”—both senses are appropriate in this instance. The drama now intensifies ...

2054. Watchfulness

Luke 12:35-48

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... is speaking specifically to the apostles/disciples or to all people (12:41). Jesus does not answer the question directly, although he implies that he is referring only to the apostles/disciples, because they possess authority over the other servants (12:42). In this third parable, Jesus focuses on the responsibility of managers to take care of their servants (12:43–46). He warns that the delay of the master should not lead the manager to abuse the servants. Irresponsible behavior will be punished, and ...

2055. Is Jesus the Christ?

John 7:25-44

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of the eschatological Feast of Tabernacles water. Jesus is the source of the Spirit (7:39a). In 19:34 we may even have a symbol of this flowing when Jesus is glorified (7:39b). At the middle of the feast (7:14) Jesus’s revelation is met by a response from the people (7:25–31) and the Jewish leadership (7:32–36). On this last day the same applies: the people and the leaders are divided (7:40–52). Some express incipient faith (7:40–41, 46); others show contempt (7:41, 44, 47–49). In both cases ...

2056. Before the Sanhedrin

Acts 22:30--23:11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , Paul makes it clear that he is defending not merely himself but the God whom he preaches. Apparently because of his claim in regard to his relationship with God, the high priest Ananias (AD 47–59) orders Paul to be struck on his mouth (23:2). In response, Paul says, “God will strike you,” a phrase that evokes a curse on those who are disobedient to God (cf. Deut. 28:22). The label “whitewashed wall” points to his hypocrisy (Ezek. 13:10–16; Matt. 23:27–28; cf. Luke 11:37–44), a point made ...

2057. The Trial Before Felix

Acts 24:1-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 16:1–4; 2 Corinthians 8–9; Gal. 2:10). “To present offerings” (24:17) refers back to his presence in the temple to accompany others in fulfilling their vows (21:26). Paul then points to the “Jews from the province of Asia” (24:19) as responsible for stirring up the crowd. This section of the speech is linked with the previous section by yet another reference to “the resurrection of the dead” (24:21). Paul again admits that he is only guilty of one charge: preaching the resurrection of Jesus ...

2058. Death through Adam, Life through Christ

Romans 5:12-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... this section, Adam stands for the sinfulness of all humanity (1:18–3:20), while Jesus Christ stands for God’s solution to the problem of the human condition (3:21–5:11). In 5:12 Paul sets up a contrast between two men. One man is responsible for sin in the world, resulting in death, which has spread to all people. Death is described as an unnatural state: it was not originally part of the world; it entered God’s creation through Adam (whose name means “man”). Death is both physical and spiritual ...

2059. Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... persecution was initiated by the Jewish community in Thessalonica, the Gentiles carried it out (Acts 17:5–9). Paul begins the litany of the sins of his own people, saying that they “killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out” (2:15a). He passes over Roman responsibility for Jesus’s death (1 Tim. 6:13) as he focuses on his own people’s role (Acts 2:23, 36; 3:13–15; 4:10; 5:30; 7:52), since they acted as had their ancestors in slaying the prophets (1 Kings 19:10, 14; Matt. 23:31 ...

2060. Final Instructions

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... and leaders of groups. Those who led communities were often their benefactors (Rom. 12:8; 16:1–2), but these leaders’ authority was derived from the Lord. They also “admonish you,” correcting the congregation’s moral and doctrinal errors. Ministerial responsibility includes teaching but also changing conduct (5:14; 2 Thess. 3:15). The following verse (5:13) calls the Thessalonians to honor their leaders and to live in harmony with one another. Leaders should be respected to the highest degree and ...

2061. The Antichrists Are Coming! They Deny Jesus Came in the Flesh

1 John 4:1-6

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... who heed the elder show themselves also to be knowers of God; conversely, those who are not rooted in God turn a deaf ear to the Johannine leadership. The parallel to the interpretive reflection on the reception of Jesus here is clear. Just as the response of Jesus’s audiences to him and his message exposed the degree to which they were “of the truth” and “knowers of God,” the same measure is now extended to the elder’s audiences. The spirit of truth and the spirit of error are distinguished ...

2062. The Womb of Amazing Grace

John 4:5-42

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11) We are not responsible for reaping the harvest but we are responsible for planting the seeds of harvest. Again God himself says, I have made you a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, "You shall surely die ...

2063. The Power of the Trust Factor

John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... On one occasion, Job says, "Though he slay me, I will hope in him" (Job 13:15 ESV). On another, he says, "He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold" (Job 23:10). How can anybody say such things in response to such devastating loss? The answer is only by faith, a faith that holds onto God despite all else. That kind of faith does not come naturally to any of us. Pastors spend part of their lives on the edge of other people's tragedies and disappointments. There are times ...

2064. New Year's Resolutions

Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

James L. Killen

... on in our lives. There is just one more thing. The circle of God's love reaches out to embrace everyone in the world, and God wants the circle of our love to reach out and surround everyone whom God loves. If that happens, we will find ourselves being naturally responsive to the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, and all of the other needy people who are parts of God's family. It will just happen. In case you haven't guessed, this life that God wants from us and for us is the very best life that we can ...

2065. Humanity Reaching Out

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

There is a humanity that lives within us and among us that is always responsive to the showing forth of God whenever and wherever it happens. It is in the response of our humanity to the showing forth of God that fullness of life emerges. But there is also an inhumanity that lives among us -- and sometimes within us -- that ... human in our world responding to the showing forth of God so that fullness of life can emerge among us. What is your humanity calling you to do in response to the showing forth of God?

2066. Called to Bigness

Isaiah 58:1-12, Matthew 5:13-20

Sermon

James L. Killen

... structure their congregational lives to attract people who are shopping in that way. So long as we are thinking in this way, we are not likely to be able to catch the vision of the bigness of the faith to which Jesus calls us. We are not likely to be responsive to the call to become a part of a unique covenant community called into existence by God for the purpose of doing God's loving work in the world. But if we take an honest look at the world we live in, we will see that the littleness in our ...

2067. Wounded Healers

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... , causing paralysis in living. And still, for some, the wounds are spiritual, aching and longing for healing. We do not have to look too deep within ourselves or others to understand that we are all wounded at one level or another. Yet as Christians what should our response be to being wounded? How does God want us to handle our wounds? Is there hope for the wounded? I believe with all my heart that there is a salve for our wounds. There is hope for our scars. And this hope begins with our willingness to ...

2068. The Temptation of Jesus

Matthew 4:1-11

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... correspond to the three ways of loving God as charged in the Shema (Deut. 6:4; 11:13–21; Num. 15:37–41; heart, soul, strength) and expanded in the Mishnah (The Testing of God’s Son, pp. 71ff.). Jesus turns to Scripture (it is written) for his response. God had humbled the Israelites by allowing them to go hungry in the wilderness and then supplying them with manna. His purpose was to teach them that “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8 ...

2069. Always Ready

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

David G. Rogne

... of inner-city children, said, "We keep saying that Johnny can't read because he's deprived, hungry, and discriminated against.... The reason Johnny can't read well is that Johnny doesn't practice reading" (quoted in Pulpit Resource, Vol. 9, No. 3, p. 45). Personal responsibility is also important to the development of one's spiritual life. As I was calling on people in the community who had attended our church, I met a man who told me that he had been a Methodist all his life. He was born a Methodist, he ...

2070. Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit

Mark 1:21-28

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... other members of the twelve disciples (1:29). Jesus apparently made the town his headquarters and home during his ministry (Matt. 4:13). Matthew 11:23–24 and Luke 10:15 record Jesus’ condemnation of Capernaum along with other Galilean towns for its poor response to his message. The site known as Tel Hum is now identified with Capernaum by the Israeli government and many archaeologists. (See IDB, vol. 1, pp. 532–34; MBA, 228.) Sabbath … synagogue: The command to observe the seventh day of the week as ...

2071. The Parable of the Sower

Mark 4:1-20

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... . That is, the fact that the disciples have been divinely enabled to participate in the activity of the kingdom of God is intended as good news, encouragement, to them. At the same time, the fact that they have been given the secret connotes sacred responsibility. Second, the apparently harsh words in 4:12, suggesting at first glance that those outside are deliberately kept in confusion, are actually not quite so cruel. They are an allusion to Isaiah 6:9–10, where the prophet Isaiah is called to proclaim ...

2072. God's Wrath Against Mankind

Romans 1:18-32

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... into the cacophony of vices listed in verses 29–31. In the primary relationships of self, nature, others, and God, human failure to acknowledge God leads not to an evolution of something better, but to a devolution of something worse. In each case God’s response to human refusal is the same: three times Paul says, “God gave them over to” the wretchedness they desired (vv. 24, 26, 28). This refrain falls like so many blows of the ax, severing the ropes by which humanity could pull itself back to God ...

2073. Life Through the Spirit

Romans 8:1-17

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... of Moses, nor does he send someone in his behalf. In the Son, God comes in person. His own Son emphasizes the filial intimacy between Jesus and the Father. In Jesus, God takes the problem of sin into his own hands. In Jesus, God takes personal responsibility for humanity’s salvation. “God sent his Son” was a heavily freighted expression in the early church (John 3:16; Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:6f.; 1 John 4:9). It was both a theological and liturgical capsule of the mystery of the incarnation: the preexistent ...

2074. Ingrafted Branches

Romans 11:11-24

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... . The passive voice of the verb, have been broken off (v. 17), is doubtlessly a “divine passive,” and, like its counterpart in 11:7 (they were hardened), it means that this has happened according to God’s will. But, as we have noted, Israel is also responsible for its excision from the nourishing sap of the olive root (v. 17), for they were broken off because of unbelief (v. 20). This accords with Paul’s teaching especially in 9:30–10:4 that Israel’s present alienation is due to its rejection of ...

2075. On Divisions in the Church

1 Corinthians 3:1-23

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... , p. 77 n. 85) for a list of parallels in both biblical and classical literature. Conzelmann (1 Corinthians, p. 77) summarized the significance of these two verses: “This is the reverse side of the fact that works do not bring about salvation. But we remain responsible for our works before God (2 Cor 5:11); for the life of believers is service.” 3:16 As Fee (Epistle, p. 147) has pointed out, if Paul is still thinking eschatologically in this verse, as he clearly was in the preceding verses, he may ...

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