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 2076 to 2100 of 3082 results

2076. The Piety That Isn't

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Sermon

Carl Jech

Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen ... (Matthew 6:1a) The well-known San Francisco newspaper columnist, Herb Caen, recently made a provocative observation when he wrote: "The miracle of Christmas is that it survives those who believe in it too loudly." The Christmas/Epiphany season is now over, and it might be good for us to ponder the significance of Mr. Caen's observation. Lent is traditionally a time for self-examination. The most common form of such self-examination focuses ...

2077. Windows Of Wonder

Sermon

James Angell

I feel life is so small unless it has windows into other worlds.- Bertrand Russell "Windows On The World" is the name of a classy restaurant atop the World Trade Tower in New York. It has tall panels of windows, and it is one of the best places - especially around sunset - to see what the Apple looks like from 60 or 70 stories up. "Windows" is also a metaphor in preaching that describes the role illustrations play in making sermons concrete, powerful, and memorable. They let the light in. Through them we ...

2078. When The Cheering Stopped

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

Brett Blair

Some years ago a book was written by a noted American historian entitled “When The Cheering Stopped.” It was the story of President Woodrow Wilson and the events leading up to and following WWI. When that war was over Wilson was an international hero, There was a great spirit of optimism abroad, and people actually believed that the last war had been fought and the world had been made safe for democracy. On his first visit to Paris after the war Wilson was greeted by cheering mobs. He was actually more ...

2079. On Having "The Right Stuff"

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

"The right stuff" describes the qualities of character, competence, and temperament possessed by the early astronauts. They had "the right stuff" for the job and all of us admired them for this. In terms of American history, they are kin to those sturdy folk who first settled this nation, as well as those who later broke out of the confines of the eastern seaboard and courageously headed into the western wilderness. Some years ago there was a book about these latter heroes titled Men to Match My Mountains ...

2080. Working and Praying Go Together

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

"When Jesus heard the news, he left that place in a boat and went to a lonely place by himself. The people heard about it, left their towns, and followed him by land. Jesus got out of the boat, and when he saw the large crowd his heart was filled with pity for them, and he healed their sick. That evening his disciples came to him and said, 'It is already very late, and this is a lonely place. Send the people away and let them go to the villages and buy food for themselves.' 'They don't have to leave,' ...

2081. The Yoke of Christ

Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

"Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. The yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light." (St. Matthew 11:29, 30 TEV) Life is full of questions. One we frequently ask, consciously sometimes and unconsciously other times, is this: how can I find some rest? Some people ask that question quite literally. They have trouble sleeping. They have insomnia. If Sominex can't do it, then how can I find some rest? they ...

2082. The Resurrection of the Body

John 11:17-37

Sermon

Dean Lueking

I am the Resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. (John 11:25) An Unsurpassed Word of Comfort Without question, these words of our Lord are unsurpassed in the comfort, assurance, and strength they bring to all who hear them in faith. To know that the blank, the ache, and the emptiness which death brings have been met and conquered by one who is equal to the task is the best news we can ever receive. If you know what it means to listen for a footstep that never ...

2083. The Two Washings

John 13:1-17

Sermon

Dean Lueking

On this Maundy Thursday let us ponder again the Cross of Christ our Savior and its consequences for us all. One way to approach such a task as this is to direct our thinking to two washings that take place in connection with the passion of Christ. The first one is described by the Evangelist Matthew: So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man ‘s blood, see to it yourselves." ( ...

2084. Trinity Sunday

Jn 16:12-15 · Rom 5:1-5 · Prov 8:22-31

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Proverbs 8:22-31 Wisdom was with Yahweh when he created the earth. Before the earth was created, wisdom, a female figure, was created and observed Yahweh's bringing the world into shape: the earth, heavens, the boundaries of the sea, and the foundations of the earth. According to this passage, Yahweh did not create out of nothing, but ordered creation. The climax of creation is humanity in whom wisdom delighted and rejoiced. In the Old Testament wisdom is used to express God's self-disclosure in ...

2085. Proper 12

Lk 11:1-13 · Col 2:6-15 · Gen 18:20-32 · 2 Ki 5:1-15

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY 2 Kings 5:1-15 General Naaman of Syria is healed of leprosy by obeying Elisha's order to bathe in the Jordan. The confession of faith by an unknown Jewish slave girl in the home of Syria's chief of staff results in the cure of leprosy for her master, Naaman. On the basis of the confession Naaman goes to Israel. When Elisha the prophet orders him to wash in the Jordan seven times, he goes off in a rage feeling insulted. But his aides convince him to stay. Naaman then dips himself in the Jordan ...

2086. Proper 21

Lk 16:19-31 · 1 Tim 6:6-19 · Joel 2:23-30 · Am 6:1-7

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Joel 2:23-30 After the plague of locusts Yahweh will bless the land with plenty and his spirit. Today's Lesson 1 is taken from the latest of the prophetic hooks written in the post-exilic period around 400-350 B.C. Judah experienced a plague of locusts accompanied by drought and famine. Joel calls upon the people to gather in Jerusalem to repent and pray for relief. Because the people obeyed, Joel assures them that Yahweh will give them plenty to make up for the years of drought. Never again ...

2087. "He Who Commands Is He Who Fulfills"

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

Some years ago, a parishioner gently offered his pastor a piece of criticism. It had to do with the way one of the rubrics in the weekly bulletin had for decades been phrased: an asterisk in the margin indicated those times when "the congregation reverently kneels." "You can command people to kneel," said this lay theologian, "but you can’t command that they be reverent about it." Interesting observation. On the one hand he had a point: some people kneel humbly and reverently; others kneel haughtily ( ...

2088. Beyond the Ordinary

Matthew 5:38-42

Sermon

Joe Pennel

At 7:00 a.m. every Monday, I teach Bible study. About twenty of us meet from 7:00-7:15 a.m. for coffee, juice, and a light breakfast. Each week, a different member of the group brings the food for the rest of the crowd. The fare consists of biscuits, muffins, bagels, and various breads complete with the appropriate condiments. For fifteen minutes, we sip hot coffee and nibble on high-calorie homemade delights. After breaking our fast, we settle in for the Monday morning Bible study. When we studied Matthew ...

2089. Advent 1

Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122:1-9, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 24:36-51

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The risen, ascended Lord, Jesus Christ, whose reign has begun, will return at the end of this age, to bring in the fullness of God's Kingdom and reign over all of the affairs of the earth. Be prepared! Wait! Watch! Wonder! Work! Walk! The First Sunday in Advent is the theological/thematic key to the entire year's preaching from the lectionary; it sets the stage, as it were, by directing the attention of preacher and people upon the completion of God's business with the world in Jesus ...

2090. Labor Pains

2 Samuel 18:1-18

Sermon

There was no Labor Day holiday for Tom Sutpen. Every day he had to wrestle the red-eyed Virginia sun as he bent before the plow. Each sunset he shambled off to his shack. Each night was a black abyss as he heard his children cry out for food and his wife dream of shoes for each of the little ones. Thomas Jr. saw the seasons turn his father’s hair wintry white. He smelled the whiff of death on his father’s breath, and decided to follow his dream far from the blistering gaze of the Virginia delta’s sun. His ...

2091. Christ Our High Priest

John 18:28-40, Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

Good Friday is a day of conversion. It is a day that focuses on the stark symbol of the cross, upon which our Lord sealed the New Covenant in the shedding of his blood. Just what was accomplished on the cross? The answer to that question is summarized in one word: Atonement. Atonement means a reconciliation of two parties. You can remember this by breaking down the word by syllables: atone-ment. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross achieves an at-one-ment of humankind with God. How did this happen? Down ...

2092. Loyalty: Imperative Ingredient

Ruth 1:1-22

Sermon

Christian unity assumes loyalty. In our present passage, we read a classic statement of loyalty. There were no circumstances too hostile or potentially dangerous to keep Ruth from being with her mother-in-law. It is an ancient story and everytime it is told, for the first time, to a new generation, its worth to motivate loyalty shines with a majestic simplicity. Our blessed Lord demonstrated it over and over again. He was loyal to his mission, even to death upon the cross. He calls his disciples to follow ...

2093. Security: Deeply Personal

Ezekiel 34:1-31

Sermon

Christian unity proclaims security in a personal King, Jesus the Christ! The whole concept of security has taken on new connotations since the Second World War and especially with the news other nations besides the United States have the atomic bomb. Relatively speaking, it has not been too many years that individuals or even nations could cross mountains and/or oceans to gain security from enemies. Our own nation, for generations, was free from direct interference of the ongoing wars and intrigues of ...

2094. Is Jesus Still in the Healing Business?

Luke 4:38-44, Luke 4:31-37

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

In a city where I pastored years ago, a clergyman caused quite a controversy. When visiting his church members in the hospital, he would not pray for healing. He believed that the laws of cause and effect are constant and could not be swayed by prayer. It put me in a tight spot because his members began to ask me to come to the hospital and pray for them. There is no doubt that Jesus was in the healing business. Indeed, healing miracles made Jesus famous. Even Rudolf Bultmann, one of the most skeptical New ...

2095. A Brass Cross and a Barometer

Luke 6:1-11

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Did you read in the newspaper a few months ago about the little first-grade boy who kissed a little first-grade girl at school? We're not sure what got into him, but he gave her a little peck on the cheek. A teacher witnessed the incident and reported it. In a monumental display of bad judgment, the principal suspended the boy for three days for sexual harassment! When people think only of rules and eliminate common sense, bad things happen. Some people are incurable rule makers. Such were the Pharisees of ...

2096. The Yestermorrow Eclipse

John 10:1-21

Sermon

It was a fearsome sight ... striking terror to the hearts of city dwellers and country-folk alike. Mysterious, unexplainable, frightening. Surely the wrath of the gods had come upon them, and perhaps the end of the world was at hand. Few events in history have penetrated human lives with such universal mystery and fear. As the Greek writer Archilochus described it, "sore fear came upon men," and Theoclymenus notes that "an evil mist has spread over all." People would hide, tribes would dance feverishly, ...

2097. Kindness That Makes You Sorry!

Joel 2:12-17

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

"... Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, and relenting of evil." (NAS) A gentle Christian of the Society of Friends, a lady by the name of May Haviland, lived alone. One night as she entered her bedroom, she found a burglar rifling through her bureau drawers. When she turned on the light, he pointed a gun at her heart. She gently said to him: "Put that thing away. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s guns. Besides, if your ...

2098. "Hold Your Horses!"

Acts 1:12-26

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

"... wait for the Promise of the Father." When you were a child, did your parents ever say to you, as mine said to me, "Hold your horses!" I must have heard that phrase literally hundreds of times as I was growing up: when I wanted school to be out for the summer, when I fretted because a meal was not ready, when I wanted to do something exciting "now," when I spoke too hastily, when I demanded something be done immediately, when I couldn’t stand still while mother measured a hem in a skirt - I can hear it ...

2099. The Excitement of Meaningful Living

John 10:10 · Matthew 6:33 · Ephesians 3:20

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

When Jesus said, "My yoke is easy," he was telling it like it is. This caring, this moral commitment, this faith and obedience we have been talking about are really not a burden upon the life of the individual. All these dimensions of life, when inspired by the Holy Spirit, are generators of strength and purpose. In this way personal life finds its wholeness and completeness, and this is what Jesus meant by saying, "I came that you might have life and have it more abundantly." It is a joyful thing. This is ...

2100. Old and New

Mk 2:22 · 2 Cor 5:17 · Is 43:19

Sermon

Robert Noblett

Something old, something new; Something borrowed, something blue. That’s what the old rhyme suggests every new bride ought to have on her person come the wedding day. We’re not going to spend any time talking about "borrowed" and "blue," but we do want to spend some time on "old" and "new." Those words have a way of cropping up more than just occasionally. Nearly every day we hear them used. They are used religiously. "As for me," says Carol, "you can give me that old-time religion." They are used ...

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