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 2101 to 2125 of 4770 results

2101. Revival at Corinth

Acts 18:1-17

Sermon Aid

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... point. He then "went up and greeted the church" at Jerusalem. We hear nothing about Paul’s stay in Jerusalem, or about his welcome by the church, or of his purpose in being there. Presumably he went into the temple to complete his vow, but in view of his feeling about the Jewish sacrificial system this does not seem entirely logical. Next he went to Antioch, where he was among old friends. He spent "some time" there before starting out once more on a journey. This time he trudged northward to revisit the ...

2102. Rome at Last

Acts 28:11-16

Sermon Aid

CSS

... have gone to the synagogue, as was his custom. Because of his restrictions as a prisoner this was evidently impossible; certainly the pagan Roman guard who would have to accompany Paul would not be permitted to enter the synagogue for his presence in the view of the Jews would defile it. At this point, Luke sharply condenses his account. The response Paul gets from the Jewish leaders is puzzling. They tell him three things: 1) they have received no letters or accusations from Jerusalem about him; 2) none of ...

2103. Shirking Responsibility

Illustration

L. Robert Keck

The cop-out mentality from a theological point of view would have us thinking that we are being most obedient to God when we think lowly of that which God has created, namely, the human being. I don’t think that pays God any compliments! Harvey Cox, the Harvard theologian, has reflected on the subject in his book, On Not ...

2104. The Deeper Magic

Luke 23:26-43

Sermon

Brett Blair

... not think that Christians who read these books or watch the movie are in any way practicing witchcraft. The books are first and foremost literature. There is, in the movie and book, a great deal of attention given to spells and incantations but from my point of view the main point being made has nothing to do with witchcraft. I will get to this point in a moment. But first let me throw in a word of caution. If anyone misses the point of the books and rushes headlong into witchcraft or Wicca, or any version ...

2105. Let Yes Be Yes!

Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

... Christian theology there has been an unending tug-of-war between the idea (on the one hand) that "our" faith is (really) God’s gift, and (on the other hand) the idea that faith is our free response to grace. Truth is best served when we see both views in healthy tension. There is no response without God’s gift and God’s prompting us to respond to his "Yes!" to our life. But faith is meaningless if it is not an answer given by the gifted person, given freely and enthusiastically. When we answer God in ...

2106. This God’s For Real!

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

... said thus far. But Peter confessed something that cut him and his compatriots and Christians from his day to this off from the company of Israel, when he said, "You, Jesus, are the Son of God, the Living One." Such blasphemy (from Israel’s point of view) contributed directly to the killing of the Christ at Calvary. Simon Peter’s confession was that this authoritative, strident, flesh-and-blood proclaimer of the Living God was of the very family - essence, if you will - of God, The Living One. That was a ...

2107. Opportunism? Or Opportunity?

Matthew 21:33-46

Sermon

... the vision and the "good infection" (to quote C.S. Lewis) that goes with it. Just consider what resulted because one lone individual, Rachel Carson, now deceased, took on the whole world with her fight against earth-fouling and destroying chemicals. Today her views are commonplace, and God’s creation is a bit more livable. Consider what resulted when one person, Martin Luther King, Jr., refused to see black human beings stepped on any longer. King received a Nobel prize for his non-violence. A tidal wave ...

2108. You Figure It Out

Matthew 22:15-22

Sermon

... . During the Vietnam Conflict, this movement grew in the land, supported in part by professing Christians. They argue that to let the government pursue a warlike policy is to participate in murder. We could make a Christian argument for any of these points of view. Wiser folks than any of us here have advocated any and all of these prespectives. There has been no success in attempting to locate one final, true, Christian solution to the question. In fact, the answer to the question, "Is it Christian - or ...

2109. Let’s Face It

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Michael L. Sherer

... hoped, or anticipated. (If it had, the foolish virgins would have gotten away without need of an extra flask of oil, but, to their surprise, the bridegroom didn’t come as quickly as they thought he would.) From Matthew’s time until our own, we’ve had a more circumspect view of the end of things. Few of us look for the skies to open and the Son of Man to burst onto the scene, even though all of us know it could happen at any moment. We are more inclined to interpret the call to readiness in a second ...

2110. Surprise! Surprise!

Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

Michael L. Sherer

... and, by now, more comfortable way. So it comes as no surprise to us that we are guilty, constantly, of drawing boundaries around ourselves and our neighborhood and our congregation and our values, so that when those, who have slipped into poverty or crime or hopelessness, come into view, we find they don’t fit our convenient life-style. It’s not that we hate such people. We just don’t want to be right next door to them, and, God forbid, we don’t want them beside us in the pew. In the first parish I ...

2111. Changing the "Too Much Syndrome"

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

David M. Oliver

... of God had his humble birth announced by angels to a group of shepherds who were tending their flocks of sheep outside of Bethlehem. Ironically, shepherds were held in such ill repute that their testimony was not allowed in a court of law. They were viewed as social outcasts, scoundrels, liars, and cheats. God chose to give those whom society declared as having nothing worthwhile to say the greatest news ever heard by human ears. Through the angels God told them: "Do not be afraid; for see -- I am bringing ...

2112. He treated me with dignity

Matthew 11:1-19

Illustration

William B. Kincaid, III

... to it. The man simply used Peterson as an audience and lectured endlessly about Ephesians to the young boy. Finally, Peterson encountered one who treated his God-interest and prayer-hunger with dignity. Instead of trying to shovel Peterson full of pious wisdom or viewing him as a "project," a man named Rueben Lance prayerfully listened to Peterson and all his hopes and fears, questions and feelings. Years later Peterson would write, "He let me be. He didn't mess with my soul. He treated me with dignity. I ...

2113. Kindness That Makes You Sorry!

Joel 2:12-17

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... . She can buy a dozen roses on Monday, and they are dead on Tuesday. He says, "It’s a part of the vibrations, and over-all, they are negative vibrations. It destroys everything around her. I’ve never seen anything like it!" You’d think that, in view of our sinfulness, we’d get bad vibes and quiver with fear before a holy God whom we have wronged. Rather, we get only good vibrations from God, for he is so very compassionate and kind. Frederick W. Faber wrote a lovely hymn, one stanza of which says ...

2114. Faith isn’t Easy - But it Works!

Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... ," but Abraham believed them anyway! God promised so much: well-being, security, prosperity, and prominence. And the well-being of Abraham carried also the possibility for the well-being of other nations. How good of God to extend the promised blessings to include the larger view! God never intended any of us to live in a vacuum of selfishness. We must always live with, for, and among others - "By you shall all of the families of the earth be blessed." And all of these wondrous things because "THE LORD SAID ...

2115. Christians Die Well

Acts 7:54--8:1a

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... and strength in every time of trouble. Stephen Had the Gift of "Wisdom" (verse 3) The Holy Spirit which gave Stephen power also gave him wisdom. It was a God-inspired insight, sensitivity, discernment, and understanding that directed his life. He could see the long view of things, as God sees them. His reasoning and logic were not as shortsighted as the man who decided to manufacture dog food. He said, "I’ll use all the selling arts. I’ll design an alluring can, an eye-arresting label, catchy slogans ...

2116. Jesus Gives Us Tomorrow!

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... God is upon us! We are going to make it after all! And, still blessing them, Jesus parts from them. Their awed, tear-filled eyes follow him up - and up - and up - and up, until their sight of his blessed form is obscured by a cloud which hides him from view. He is out of sight. But still they strain to see him just one more time, maybe just a glimpse, but when they do not see him again, they begin to comprehend that his physical presence is no more. Yes he is gone - but not really. His bodily form is ...

2117. "Hold Your Horses!"

Acts 1:12-26

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... bank, and the drive-in cleaners. In some places, we now have drive-in funeral homes which let us pay our respects while we stay in the car. "The Register of Friends Who Called" is shoved to our car window, and we sign it while viewing the corpse in the display window and listening to music by Bach in the background. Our nation somehow equates speed with progress, giving us faster boats, cars, jets, phone service, and insurance settlements. We even dream that we can improve our school system by accelerating ...

2118. Sinners Anonymous

Matthew 9:9-13

Sermon

Dennis Kastens

... out from his next bite of food and, in a kind of off-the-shoulder remark, says, "They that be whole need not a physician, but only those who are sick." This, of course, is another way of his saying that there are no people who are not sinners (in view of the fact that the Son of Man is come to seek that which was lost) - and who was lost? "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) "... God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them ...

2119. Suffering for Christ

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Dennis Kastens

... and sacrifice! This is true regarding our salvation and the suffering Jesus endured to make it possible, and it is true also concerning the lesser values and treasures in life. A few of you perhaps have had the privilege of visiting Rome to view some of the world’s most splendid artistic productions in sculpture, canvas, and architecture. While there, perhaps you saw what is regarded by some as the most outstanding of all artistic expressions, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel done by Michaelangelo. What ...

2120. Power to the Faint

Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

Dennis Kastens

... are told it is good for the soul. A period of quiet time, reflection, and meditation on a regular basis is a helpful tonic. Another problem we face as moderns is that we don’t have the right perspective for our lives. We don’t seem to get the view of things that we ought to have, If we could just see each day and our entire life in the way that God sees it (especially from the perspective of eternity), life would not become so meaningless. Without the eternal perspective, it’s easy for us to fall into ...

2121. Have This Mind

Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon

Craig Erickson

... of the Christian pilgrimage, which consists of spiritual warfare against the powers of evil. It is entrance into the Covenant and the acceptance of responsibilities therein. Yes, we Earthlings have our own way of looking at things. But so does God. Holy Week invites us to view the cosmos through God’s eyes, by putting Christ at the center. God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the ...

2122. What’s God Going to Do With You?

Hosea 5:1-15, Hosea 6:1--7:16

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... I wonder. The things you do. The dope. The girls. Everything seems so free and easy. Doesn’t your God say that these things are sinful?" "It’s all interpretation," he explains. "Nothing is sinful if it’s done with love ..." According to this view, love makes it right to steal, murder, and commit rape! This is in total contradiction to the Scriptures. Moreover, sin has become so normal that it is a way of life. We are making sin respectable by changing the traditional names for sin. Wife swapping ...

2123. Who Are God’s People?

Exodus 19:1-25

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... God and will be saved by God’s mercy." If he is correct, there is then no need for the church’s evangelism and missions. On this basis, if we send missionaries, it would not be to win souls but to upgrade the people’s standard of living. This view that all peoples are God’s people is contrary to the teachings of the Scriptures and particularly our text. Indeed, it is God’s will that all peoples should be his very own, but that is far from the case today. Yes, since Abraham and in Moses’ day, the ...

2124. Bad Good News Won’t Sell!

Jeremiah 28:1-17

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... know what terrible crimes are taking place because we don’t want to know. What is the life condition of people in the ghetto, or in the downtown area, or across the railroad tracks? Another way we can dodge the real condition of society is to take a polyanna view of life. We are determined to see and hear no evil. We want to live always on the up-beat and wear rose-colored glasses. "God is in his heaven. All’s right with the world." Tell people what they want to hear - nothing but good news. One popular ...

2125. Is God Still God?

Isaiah 44:6-23

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... country was getting away from God. And this is still the belief of some Jews. In 1961, Israeli Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, said in an address to the World Zionist Congress: "Whoever dwells outside the land of Israel is considered to have no God." According to his view, all Jews living elsewhere in the world had to move to Israel to have God as their God. God’s kingship is universal. His kingdom extends to the ends of the earth and includes all peoples. God cannot be limited to a race or a nation. A ...

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