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 4770 results

2076. The Resurrection of Our Lord

Mt 28:1-10 · Col 3:1-4 · Acts 10:34-43 · Ps 118

Bulletin Aid

First Lesson: Acts 10:34-43 Theme: Easter as God's "Yes" Exegetical note The heart of the kerygmatic recapitulation contained in Peter's speech to Gentiles here is his view of the resurrection (in v. 40) as God's validation of Jesus after the crucifixion. The latter was the "no" of humanity (designated with an indefinite "They") to Jesus' ministry, while Jesus was God's resounding, and ultimately prevailing "Yes." Call to Worship (based on Psalm 118) Leader: God is ...

2077. Proper 5

Genesis 22:1-19

Bulletin Aid

Theme: God will provide Exegetical note: Behind this well-known story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his own son at God's bidding lies a view of God that, for most modern readers, would suggest a measure of insecurity and unreasonableness, if not sadism on the part of the Deity. Be that as it may, in the final analysis, God does provide what is needed in the situation, which (on the basis of vv. 8 and ...

2078. Proper 10

Romans 8:1-17

Bulletin Aid

... or debtors, but sons (and daughters!) Exegetical note Though there is still some disagreement about the extent of Hellenistic dualism in Paul's thought, it seems prudent not to read him in a too Neoplatonistic (dualistic) light, but rather to view his references to "flesh" and "spirit" as both referring humans in a more holistic sense, the former meaning their unredeemed state and the latter their redeemed. Whereas "fleshly humans" are captives and debtors, "spiritual humans" are sons and daughters, who ...

2079. Proper 18

Matthew 18:15-20

Bulletin Aid

... that we do not always deal with differences of opinion in positive and productive ways, even within the Church, and that we sometimes vent our own personal frustrations in life by escalating petty issues to the level of grand causes, and make slight divergences of view into major disagreements that provoke hard feelings and arguments. Forgive us, O God, and help us to take to heart Saint Paul's advice to settle all matters in a Spirit of fellowship, harmony, and selfless love. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen

2080. Proper 20

Exodus 32:1-33:6, Psalm 106:1-48

Bulletin Aid

Paul A. Laughlin

Theme: Selfless intercession Exegetical Note Readers may have difficulty with a view of God that allows for the divine wrath to get so out of hand that the deity has to be dissuaded from and repent of the vengeful evil that the divine indignation has threatened. More plausible, perhaps, is the selfless intercession of Moses, who gave up the flattering divine offer ...

2081. Proper 21

Exodus 33:12-23, Psalm 99:1-9

Bulletin Aid

... his "face" (presence) would go with Moses. But the following verses make it clear that no one, not even Moses, can look upon God's face and live. The majesty of God is simply more than mortals can take "head-on," so they must be content with viewing God's "backside" (v. 23). Call to Worship Leader: God reigns! Let all people tremble! People: GOD IS ENTHRONED! LET THE EARTH QUAKE! Leader: God is great in Zion and exalted over all nations! People: LET ALL PEOPLE PRAISE GOD'S GREAT AND TERRIBLE NAME! (Based on ...

2082. Proper 23

Mt 22:1-14 · Php 4:1-9 · Ex 32:1-14 · Ps 106

Bulletin Aid

First Lesson: Exodus 32:1-14 Theme: Selfless intercession Exegetical Note Readers may have difficulty with a view of God that allows for the divine wrath to get so out of hand that the deity has to be dissuaded from and repent of the vengeful evil that the divine indignation has threatened. More plausible, perhaps, is the selfless intercession of Moses, who gave up the flattering divine offer ...

2083. God's Word at Work

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Bulletin Aid

Exegetical note Verse 13 here depicts Paul's paradoxical view that God's word has worked dynamically in himself in such a way that his words to them have actually amounted to the very word of God. Since he states that the same word is at work in all believers, his implication is that their own words may convey God' ...

2084. Easter 5

John 14:1-4

Sermon Aid

... Consider including Philip's confusion: Begin with words similar to these, "What, in the name of common sense, was wrong with Philip? A man in his position, with his intelligence, certainly should have known better. After all, he had more than a bird's eye view of Jesus. He had known him intimately, personally. He had talked with him face to face. He had witnessed, first hand, Jesus' miracles. What more proof did he need?" And Jesus' response, "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father." You may want ...

2085. Proper 6

Matthew 9:35-38

Sermon Aid

... 35-10:8 Theme: The cycle of giving and receiving. Pastoral Invitation to the Celebration One pastor began this way: "Good morning to the corporate celebration of the community of faith, hope, love. When worship is truly corporate, it is a celebration of the wholeness of life. We view life, not from B.C., but rather from A.D. Therefore, we rejoice, not because Jesus had to suffer, but because he won the victory over life and death. So, let's worship as if he were the Victor!" You may want to follow with this ...

2086. It's Not All That Bad

Luke 18:9-14, Mark 4:1-20

Illustration

Bill Bouknight

... American churches don't talk about sin, judgment, or hell. Why? Because they are post-modern. Most Americans read the Bible selectively, omitting those parts they don't like. The first thing many American churchgoers throw out is the concept of hell, because (in their view) a nice, well-behaved God wouldn't let anybody go to hell. After you lose hell, you lose a sense of sin. Nobody is guilty of anything. Everybody is just a victim. The call to repent has no meaning. Dr. Calvin Miller of the Beeson ...

2087. A Glory Revealed in Liberty

John 8:31-41

Sermon

... ." - John 8:31-36 (RSV) This short passage of Scripture used to elude me. Being trained in the Reformation tradition, I was used to the ideas of guilt and forgiveness, of rebellious alienation and reconciliation. But it took some time for the third major way the Bible views Christ’s work for us to sink in. This is strange in a way, because it had been in front of my eyes every time I studied the Small Catechism. The first part goes like this: I believe that Jesus Christ - true God ... and true man ... is ...

2088. Poured Out for Many

Exodus 24:1-18, Mark 14:12-26

Sermon

... just happens to be Yahweh, the Lord God Almighty, the Holy One, who is shrouded in mystery, who will not let us set foot on Mount Sinai, lest we see him and die. We have mentioned how the Old Covenant pre-figures the New Covenant. This view of the Covenant tends to exaggerate the differences between Old and New. It portrays the Israelites as "groping in the darkness," in contrast to the Christians who walk as "children of the light." There is some legitimacy to that. When the Hebrews were being sprinkled ...

2089. Christ Our High Priest

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

Sermon

... , we read these words: My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world. (John 18:36) Now that sounds rather like the view that we got while at the foot of the cross, through our wide-angle lens. The cross signifies a spiritual battle, carried on in our behalf by God in Christ, whose kingdom is not of this world. The fact is that all three viewpoints about Christ’s saving work ...

2090. Loyalty: Imperative Ingredient

Ruth 1:1-22

Sermon

... else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Roman Catholics have a spiritually beneficial series entitled "Romans 8" and any sensitive and serious Christian can profit by it. As one views the past, the Lutheran/Roman Catholic relationship would seem to be a tolerating isolationism, at best. Yet, with both, who represent hundreds of millions, we know tragedy - even centuries of it - is not decisive. "Ecumenism: A Lutheran Commitment," which is an official ...

2091. Respect: Lesson for Victorious Living

Ruth 4:1-12

Sermon

... , one who was a Methodist circuit rider, and another who was the first woman to give birth to twins in the new territory. How much respect is there? We find irrelevant those who may have lived in the eighteenth century and before. Christian unity views all of humanity related. In "Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions," emerging from Vatican II, we read: "For all peoples comprise a single community, and have a single origin, since God made the whole race of men dwell over ...

2092. Success: Ultimate and Unlimited

Revelation 7:9-17

Sermon

... words have a way of unlocking the future shape of things. We have all heard persons say there will be good this and good that in heaven, emphasizing the weakness of denominational labels in determining our future abode. The generosity of such a point of view in our day and time becomes more and more questionable. I say this because it is too easy to dismiss the cause of Christian unity with it. It can serve as the lowest common denominator blocking the essential explorations Christians are being called upon ...

2093. Security: Deeply Personal

Ezekiel 34:1-31

Sermon

... have with the promise of more - much more. AS CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE A GIFT which defies measurement; it is called a security that is deeply personal. We have been living in the King’s castle all along, at times insensitive to our privileged place. Christian unity views that castle much as Thomas Ryan in Tales of Christian Unity, with a great house all on one level and rooms situated around a common dining room with one table. The doors are all open and people come and go as they please; the common table ...

2094. Don't Jump?

Luke 16:19-31

Drama

... . Can’t decide whether or not to say anything, or what to say. Finally] Hi, there! 1: [Just stares at 2] 2: It’s a pretty nice day. 1: [Laughs] You’ve got to be kidding! 2: [Flustered] Say, what are you doing up there? 1: [Sarcastic] Checking out the view! 2: [Relieved] Oh. Is it nice? 1: [Laughs] Just great. 2: [Worried again] It’s pretty high up there, isn’t it? 1: Oh, yes, very high. 2: Aren’t you dizzy? 1: A little. 2: Well, why don’t you come down? 1: Oh, I plan to, as soon ...

2095. Is Jesus Still in the Healing Business?

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

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... which were, in his and his contemporaries’ understanding, miracles; that is to say, events that were the result of supernatural divine causality. Doubtless he healed the sick and cast out demons." (1) Jesus overturned the common notions of his day about how God views sick and disabled people. He denied that all sickness is God’s judgment on immoral people. Jesus wanted the sick to know they are especially loved, not cursed, by God. Every one of his miracles of healing undercut the common teaching of the ...

2096. A Brass Cross and a Barometer

Luke 6:1-11

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... common sense, bad things happen. Some people are incurable rule makers. Such were the Pharisees of Jesus' day. They were a deeply religious organization, but they had this compulsion to regiment everybody. They were in constant conflict with Jesus because he had a dim view of rules, especially if they got in the way of relationships. Jesus was completely supportive of the Ten Commandments. But beyond those, Jesus had just two rules: Love God, and love your neighbor. If other rules got in the way of the Big ...

2097. Zacchaeus

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Brett Blair

... Newton, a converted ex-slave trader, to write those immortal words: Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! Zacchaeus, being of short stature, could not see for the press of the crowd. So he climbed into a tree to get a better view. His inaccessibility to Jesus was more than literal, it was also symbolic. It is hard to know what drove Zacchaeus to turn on his kinsmen. Desire for power, love of money, revenge upon Jewish leadership, or just plain greed. He could have been blocked in so ...

2098. All The More Reason To Give Thanks

Psalm 100:1-5

Sermon

Brett Blair

... aside [and whispered in my ear]: "This is the end; but for me it is the beginning of life." The next day he was hanged in Flossenburg. The beginning of life. How is it that Bonhoeffer worshiped God in a Gestapo prison with the gallows in view? I will tell you. He understood the meaning of thanksgiving. Out of great suffering have come the greatest expressions of gratitude. And so I suggest to you this morning that in the wake of the terrorist attacks, the immeasurable loss of civilian life, the Afghan war ...

2099. The Yestermorrow Eclipse

John 10:1-21

Sermon

... our attention on the sky and an eclipse involving sun, moon, earth, or perhaps Jupiter, we’re totally blind and unaware of a more dramatic and perhaps more deadly eclipse. The picture is a bit like someone sitting on a stool, watching an impressive celestial view ... totally unaware that as he watches, termites have just put their finishing gobbles on the legs of his stool which, at that moment, is ready to collapse. The more deadly eclipse is the more subtle one. It doesn’t broadcast its coming in any ...

2100. The First Council

Acts 15:1-21

Sermon Aid

CSS

... Europeans?" The situation is not as esoteric as it might seem; nor is it something confined only to the earliest days of the church. Members of the Antioch congregation recognized the seriousness of the problem. They firmly agreed with Paul’s point of view. They therefore determined to send a delegation to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles and elders on this question in the hope of arriving at an amicable settlement. Paul and Barnabas headed the group, which went up to Jerusalem through Phoenicia and ...

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