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 201 to 225 of 4944 results

201. Personal Injuries

Exodus 21:12-36

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... refuge at the Lord’s altar (see 1 Kgs. 1:50; 2:28). Hittite laws, by contrast, provided that a murderer of means could buy back his life from execution, a practice that Numbers 35:31–32 specifically legislates against. The second and fourth cases concern grown children attacking either their mother or father. “Anyone who attacks his father or his mother must be put to death.” The Code of Hammurabi §195 provided no protection for a mother and called for cutting off the hand of the one who struck ...

202. A Message About Egypt

Jeremiah 46:1-28

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... It was used in the treatment of wounds. See Nahum 3:19 for the use of the incurable wound theme as directed toward Assyria. Egypt is referred to here as the Virgin Daughter of Egypt (see also vv. 19 and 24). This term of endearment expresses God’s concern for the other nations of the world that are thought of as his children. But its use in a context of judgment like this should probably be taken as ironic. Earlier in Jeremiah Judah is referred to as God’s virgin daughter, also often in the context of ...

203. Habakkuk’s Complaint

Habakkuk 1:1-4

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... in Egypt (zaʿaq). Yahweh listened to that cry—why not to this one? The subject of the cry is “Violence!” (khamas). Violence filled the earth before the flood (Gen. 6:11, 13), it is another recurrent topic for prayer in the Psalms (e.g., 55:9; 74:20), a concern of Proverbs (e.g., 16:29), but especially of the Prophets in Habakkuk’s time (e.g., Jer. 20:8; Ezek. 7:23; Zeph. 1:9). But no one protests at “violence” more resolutely than Habakkuk and his God—six times in two chapters (1:2, 3, 9; 2:8 ...

204. A Call to Build the House of the Lord

Haggai 1:1-15

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... Yahweh is not on the side of the poor. The whole community needs to focus on honoring Yahweh in the way symbolized by building the temple. Therefore . . . (v. 10). This word is commonly the segue from a prophet’s indictment of people to the pronouncement concerning what will now happen. Here it has an equivalent place in making a declaration about what has happened. The specifics of the trouble that Yahweh has sent link with the date of the prophecy, at the beginning of the sixth month. In terms of the ...

205. Imitating Christ's Humility

Philippians 2:1-11

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

... Greek or Semitic). It consists of a recital of the saving work of God in Christ, in self-humiliation followed by exaltation. He humbled himself; he was exalted by God. According to 1 Peter 1:11 the Spirit of prophecy in OT times was chiefly concerned with predicting “the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow”; this is the twofold theme of the hymn now before us. Whether it was Paul’s own composition or someone else’s, Paul incorporates it into his present argument in order to ...

206. Joy at Believers’ Walking in the Truth

3 John 1:1-14

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

... truth (cf. 2 John 1, 3). Truth and love are the two most prominent themes in the Johannine epistles. They reflect the elder’s concern for right belief (in Jesus as the incarnate divine Son of God) and for right conduct (obedience to the love command which Jesus gave them ... 3:11–12, 32–33; cf. 4:39; 5:31–39; 7:7; 8:13–18; 10:25–26; 18:23, 37–38). The Johannine community testifies concerning Jesus in John 1:14 and 3:11, and in John 19:35 and 21:24 they (note the “we” in 21:24) affirm that the ...

207. Solomon's Prayer of Dedication

1 Kings 8:22-61

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... 44)—the army fighting as the executive arm of God’s justice on the earth. The seventh petition (vv. 46–51) returns to the question of defeat and exile. Its length, and the fact that it returns to a topic already dealt with, identifies this as the major concern of the prayer. If exile should take place, and if the people should repent and pray towards land, city, and temple (vv. 47–48; cf. Dan. 6:10 for the practice), then God is asked to regard them once more as God’s people and uphold their cause ...

208. Personal Accountability

Ezekiel 18:1-32, Ezekiel 19:1-14

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... :5; see also Job 37:23; Pss. 36:6; 103:6; 106:3; Isa. 5:16; 28:17; 33:5; Jer. 4:2; 9:24; Mic. 7:9) who is ultimately responsible for guaranteeing the rights of the powerless. This does not mean, however, that ordinary people need not concern themselves with justice. The Lord declares confidently that Abraham “will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just” (Gen. 18:19). The wise teachers of Israel state, “To do what is right and just is ...

209. Jesus Announces His Impending Suffering and Death

Matthew 16:21-28

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... status preoccupation (18:1–5; 19:30; 20:16, 25–28), and valuing those most on the margins (18:6–14; 19:13–15; cf. 10:42; 25:40, 45). Yet the Twelve struggle to understand the ways of discipleship that Jesus proclaims, often showing an inordinate concern for status categories and their own elevated position in the kingdom (e.g., 18:1; 19:13–15, 27; 20:20–28). Interpretive Insights 16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples. Matthew draws on a twofold formula here and at 4 ...

210. Jesus Demonstrates Status Inversion in the Kingdom

Matthew 19:1-12, Matthew 19:13-15, Matthew 19:16-30

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... in God’s coming kingdom and their own place in it (e.g., 18:1; 19:13–15, 24–26; also 19:27; 20:20–28). In contrast, Jesus’ teachings on the kingdom have both hinted and highlighted that God’s reign will be characterized by concern for those with lower status, such as children, “little ones,” women, and the poor (18:1–14; 19:1–26). Jesus points to children, for instance, as examples for the disciples to emulate. In the first-century Greco-Roman world, with its clear levels of status ...

211. “Do Not Drag Me Away with the Wicked”

Psalm 28:1-9

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... , which means part 2 was most likely composed in light of part 1. Several commentators have observed that the theme of the Lord’s house forms a bond for Psalms 26–28. In Psalm 26 the worshiper, much like the suppliant of Psalms 15 and 24, is concerned about the ethical requirement for entrance into the temple (26:2–8), finally arriving there for worship (26:12), where the security and joy of the temple make him want to stay forever (27:4). In Psalm 28 he engages in worship there, lifting up his hands ...

212. Widows and Their Worries: Back to Bethlehem

Ruth 1:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... faithfulness (Deut. 28:3–5, 8, 11–12; Lev. 26:3–5). Thus, the news of food in Bethlehem is linked to the Lord’s favor, a connection that the writer implicitly emphasizes. With this bit of “good news” Naomi realizes that the way forward for all concerned is the way back to her home in Bethlehem. The three women set out for their trip to Judah. For Naomi it represents a return trip, but for Ruth and Orpah it entails a journey into the unknown. The Nature of Naomi’s Worries/Naomi’s Resolve ...

213. Questions about Marriage, Divorce, and Celibacy

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... a woman in that case to remain unmarried or to be reconciled to her husband). Paul’s answers so far have been given to believers who are married to one another, but now he turns to the rest, and to questions (raised out of the same context of concern for a spiritual status) about mixed marriages. In doing so, Paul states openly that his instructions go beyond those of Jesus (see also 7:25). But this does not mean they lack inspiration (7:40) or authority (1 Cor. 1:1; 4:1). Again, the counsel is given ...

214. Living to Please God

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... will of God (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 6:6). The passage contrasts the life oriented around God’s will with that guided by passions (4:5). Here the will of God is their sanctification, or holy living (1 Pet. 1:15–16). Sanctification is the principal concern of this passage (4:3–4, 7), while the particular manifestation of it has to do with sexual purity (4:7). In language that echoes the Jerusalem decree (cf. Acts 15:20, 29), the apostles call the readers to avoid sexual immorality. “Sexual immorality” is a ...

215. Final Exhortations and Greetings

1 Peter 5:1-11, 1 Peter 5:12-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... failed to translate. This makes the connection clear: in times of suffering and trial, special responsibility rests on the leaders of the churches to support and be shepherds of God’s flock (5:2). Peter turns to this vital practical concern to round off his letter. But in fact his concern is not just pastoral, for there remains a theological question, raised by what he has said about submission to earthly powers and Christ’s victory over them, which needs to be tackled as well. If, as he has told us ...

216. Warnings from Israel's History

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... life with the phrase I do not want you to be ignorant. See Rom. 11:25; 1 Cor. 12:1; 2 Cor. 1:8; 1 Thess. 4:13. After this commanding opening the verses that follow in this section display a refined rhetorical character that indicates Paul’s concern and magnifies his basic argument. On the structuring of the material in 10:1–13 as a subtle exegetical development of Exod. 32:6, see W. A. Meeks, “ ‘And Rose up to Play’: Midrash and Paraenesis in 1 Corinthians 10:1–22,” JSNT 16 (1982), pp. 64–78 ...

217. The Resurrection of Christ

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... 2:1 (cf. Matt. 16:21), Isaiah 52:13; 53:10–12; or Psalm 15:8–11 LXX (Ps. 16:8–11 in the NIV; cf. Acts 2:25–28) are likely connections that would have been made. Indeed, the rhetoric of Paul and other NT authors concerning the scriptural bases of comprehending Christ, his death and resurrection, is often sufficiently general to support the suggestion of some commentators that Paul and other early Christians thought of Christ as the fulfillment or key to understanding all of the OT in and for the life ...

218. Job’s Reply to Zophar

Job 12:1--14:22

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... end of Job, God responds to Job’s intercessory prayer for the three friends by “lifting up [Job’s] face” (42:8–9) as a sign of divine approval. In a sense, Job says here, the friends seek to argue the case for God—their primary concern is to justify God rather than to support Job, or even to seek the truth of the painful realities that confront the honest observation and experience of human existence. 13:9–10 But God would not look kindly on such distortion of truth and frustration of justice ...

219. Eliphaz's Third Speech to Job

Job 22:1-30

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... of acting to affect the world. Thus Job’s real question is: What kind of God can know that evil lurks in the world bringing low the righteous without acting in response? 22:15–16 Eliphaz cautions Job that an attitude that dismisses God’s awareness of or concern for human activity is doomed to failure and is tantamount to taking the well-worn path that evil men have trod. Job is in danger of entering this path of denial, Eliphaz infers, and must now decide to turn back in order to have any hope of ...

220. Surrendering to God’s Inescapable, All-Searching Presence

Psalm 139:1-24

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... the OT for “besieging,” and God’s hand upon a person can denote affliction, cf. 38:2). The verse may be intentionally ambiguous, though we should note from the next section that the speaker’s immediate response is one of flight. 139:7–12 This section concerning God’s omnipresence is phrased in terms of actions that the speaker does, and they are those of flight from God: Where can I flee from your presence? Verse 8 does not merely say, “As for the heavens, you are there; as for the depths, you ...

221. The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace

Daniel 3:1-30

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... on 3:12). So, there is a contrast in the speech of the Chaldeans: “You, O king, have made a decree” (v. 10), but these three Jews “have not paid respect to you” (v. 12). The second and third accusations relate to the discussion in verse 1 concerning whether the statue was of a god or of Nebuchadnezzar. The answer depends partly on the meaning of Daniel 3:12, 14, and 18. The NIV reads, “They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up” (3:12; similar translations appear ...

222. Daniel in the Den of Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... 20:5) (Driver, Daniel, p. 72). The Aramaic verb nezaq, suffer loss, is used three other times in the OT: “and the royal revenues will suffer” (Ezra 4:13); “troublesome to kings and provinces” (Ezra 4:15); “to the detriment of the royal interests” (Ezra 4:22). All four instances concern the possibility of loss to the king. 6:5 The word dat, law, is a Persian loanword. It is used in 2:9, 13, and 15 in the sense of “penalty” or “decree.” In 6:8, 12, and 15 (6:9, 13, and 16 MT), it refers to ...

223. The Kings of the South and the North

Daniel 11:2-35

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... between Xerxes (486–465 B.C.), in verse 2, and Alexander (336–323 B.C.), who is introduced in verse 3. However, no matter what view we take, there will be gaps, because the text is not exhaustive, as it leaves out many of the kings. The author’s concern is not to supply a comprehensive history of Persia, as he is pressing on to the Hellenistic era so that he can focus on the Seleucids and especially on Antiochus IV. The last part of verse 2 is very difficult to translate. The NIV has he will stir up ...

224. Suffering for Doing Good

1 Peter 3:8-22

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... is unceasing. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous is a colorful biblical way of describing God’s personal concern for his own, as is the companion phrase his ears are attentive to their prayer. The vivid metaphors may appear to ... it was applied to Jesus: Acts 3:14 (by Peter); 7:52 (by Stephen); 22:14 (by Paul). The unrighteous: The Greek term (adikos) basically concerns law rather than ethics; here it has the sense of “those who break God’s law.” Bring you (prosagein) to God: The verb, found in ...

225. Abraham Pleads for Sodom

Genesis 18:16-33

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... for a corrupt society threatened by judgment. Abraham asked Yahweh if the city would be spared if there were fifty righteous in it. His premise was that it would be uncharacteristic of God’s just nature to kill the righteous with the wicked. The intensity of his concern led him to utter twice during his intercession, Far be it from you. He concluded his pleading for Sodom with a moving rhetorical question grounded in the nature of God: will not the Judge of all the earth do right (e.g., Ps. 96:10; 97:1 ...

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