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 352 results

201. Gateway to Grace

Joshua 5:9-12

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... lives. The slightest infection could cast them into eternity. They were subject to the whims of rulers who believed they were descended from gods but whose personal morals suggested they were more likely descended from demons. Those who look back with fondness to a century ago might conveniently forget that blacks were oppressed in our country and subject to horrific lynchings, often hung from trees and burned alive for crimes they had not committed. People certainly forget that disease and illness killed ...

202. Living in The Spirit of Generosity

2 Corinthians 9:6-12, Galatians 5:22-25

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... trying to out give God, it just can't be done. Somebody said the best way to be kind is to "Remember the Golden Rule . . . and remember that it's your turn." I really like that. Samuel Johnson once said: "Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not." (6) Ann Curry, news anchor of NBC's Today Show writes concerning her father: "Kindness has always mattered to our father. He taught us to honor people, and he has encouraged us since before I can remember to empathize with human suffering. When I was a ...

203. Be A Barnabas

Acts 4:33-37

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... 'll lean on you and you lean on me and we'll be okay." That's the spirit of being a Barnabas. That's the spirit of being a Son or Daughter of encouragement. And when we live like that, it changes lives. There was a certain downtown businessman became fond of the little boy who shined his shoes every day. He did such a good job that one day the businessman asked him, "Son, you always do a great job. How come you are so conscientious about your work?" The boy beamed after being complimented. He looked up to ...

204. God's 'Yes!' To Every Promise

2 Corinthians 1:18-22

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

It's kind of silly now, nothing more than a fond memory that has been replaced by the deep love I have for my wife, Mary. But as a boy in the third and fourth grade it was major. It was no simple school boy crush. I was completely, madly, irrevocably head over heels in love with a girl by the ...

205. Holiness of Heart and Life

Romans 2:21-23

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... (Quoted in Outler, Wilson Lectures, p. 16). Wesley spoke of inward holiness” that is love of God and the assurance of God’s love for us. And He spoke of “outward holiness” that is, love of neighbor and deeds of kindness. He was fond of speaking of persons being “happy and holy.” For him the two experiences were not opposites, but actually one reality. “Why are not you happy?” Wesley frequently asked then he would answer “Other circumstances may concur, but the main reason is because you ...

206. A Gallery of Mirrors

John 12:1-11

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... become our God. What do I mean by that? Think for a moment. Isn’t it true that temptation comes through our talents, that for which we are naturally fitted. Judas had a gift for handling money – that’s why Jesus gave him that job. Yet, “Judas became so fond of money that he became a thief and then a traitor for the sake of money.” (Barclay, The Gospel of John, Vol. 2, page 130). How often do we see it happen? Isn’t that the story of Jake Butcher over in Knoxville? And we name him only because ...

207. Why Am I A United Methodist?

I Timothy 1:12-17

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... much more interested in practical religion than theological discussion. There are, however, some family traits that characterize the Methodists. If time permits, I will mention five of them today. I. UNITED METHODISTS ARE OPEN MINDED Our founder, John Wesley, was fond of the phrase “think and let think.” Our denominational media blitz known as Igniting Ministry promotes our identity of “open hearts, open minds, open doors” around the world. Let me hasten to say that “to think and let think” is ...

208. The Power to Begin Again

Acts 3:12-19

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Being married to a public school teacher, I have always been fond of this old poem: He came to my desk with quivering lips, The lesson was done. Dear Teacher, “I want a new sheet," he said, “I spoiled this one." I took the old sheet, stained and blotted and gave him a new one, all unspotted, And into his sad eyes ...

209. When the Winds Are Against Us

Mark 6:45-56

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I’ve always been fond of the story of the two men in a boat in the midst of a severe storm. As the waves rose and the boat threatened to capsize, the men knew that they needed help. They were not religious men, but they decided that prayer was all that was left, so ...

210. Why We Need the Pledge of Allegiance

Matthew 13:31-35, Matthew 13:44-46, Matthew 13:47-52

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... we had shouted our last "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords! Hal - le - lu - jah!" Later, of course, we learned why these few fearless folks had risen to the occasion. When the German prince, George II, became king of Great Britain, he had a special fondness for Handel's music. At the premier concert of the Messiah in 1743, the king and the crowds were deeply moved by the glory and grace of the masterpiece. When the musicians swelled the "Hallelujah Chorus" and thundered those mighty words "... and he shall ...

211. God’s Providence: The Long and Short of It

Genesis 45:1-15

Sermon

David J. Kalas

We human beings are naturally fond of happy endings. We have an innate sense of the way things ought to be, and that part of us is profoundly satisfied when things turn out that way. The episode that we read today from the story of Joseph is a classic happy ending. It's a beautiful scene. ...

212. The Victory Is Ours

Revelation 7:9-17

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... them, of walking beside them, and for the influence of their lives on our own. It was a life-lesson Jon would never forget. One day, when Jon was about seven, he remembered having a fight with his best friend, Jimmy. "Sparks flew," Jon fondly recalled, "names were called, and off we stomped — separately — to mourn the loss of our friendship." That day, Jon was certain he would never speak to Jimmy again. His mother tried her best to comfort him, "These things happen in life," she said. Jon thought ...

213. A Vision of Hope

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... , telling of future events that would instill a deep sense of hope in the people. Our lesson ends with the promise, "I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd." The people fondly remembered the reign of King David as the good old days to which they longed to return. David's reign brought about many positive changes and was viewed by many as an almost idyllic time. It had been nearly 400 years since the time of David. The promise ...

214. Are We There Yet?

James 5:7-10

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... element in God's character, which James wants his readers to know with absolute confidence. The Christian can be patient in suffering and consider trials pure joy because of the assurance that God will give wonderfully good gifts even through the hardships. Wesleyan-type Christians are fond of saying that we need to "Pray as if it all depends on God and work as if it all depends on us." Christian belief is fundamental to Christian practice. What is the truth about God? Is God a god of grace or not? If we ...

215. The World According to Paul

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

... to faith in the one true God is a courageous social and religious step to take. Paul is impressed by their willingness to change. Paul's letter to the Thessalonians is in many ways a tribute to friendship. The letter is warm, full of fond memories and uplifting words. It is spontaneous and full of emotion. Paul promises to remember his new friends in prayer and offers eloquent thanks to God for the members of the congregation. Thanksgiving and prayer are wonderful ways to nourish friendships. Paul feels ...

216. A Man Named Useful

Philemon 1:8-25

Sermon

King Duncan

... ’s what his name means Useful. We know him as Onesimus. St. Paul is writing from prison, probably in Rome. Somehow, under Paul’s influence, this runaway slave named Useful, or Onesimus, has become a follower of Christ. It is clear that Paul has grown quite fond of Onesimus. But Paul has a dilemma. Legally Onesimus belongs to a man named Philemon. Ironically, Philemon is a good friend of Paul’s in Colossae. And Philemon is a devout follower of Christ. A house church meets in his home. So, here’s Paul ...

217. Closing the Curtains

Luke 16:19-31

Illustration

Brett Blair

The great thing about having small children is you have a great excuse to watch cartoons again. Well, I'll own up here. I watched them even before I had children. One cartoon that I am particularly fond of is Garfield the Cat. There is a great humor in those sarcastic witticisms of his. One cold winter night Garfield looks out the window and sees Odie the Dog peering through the window. Garfield thinks to himself: This is horrible. Here I am in the comfort of a warm ...

218. See What Love . . .

1 John 3:1-7

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... God A. Today I don't want you to step back in time. We're not really going on a nostalgia trip. Instead, I just want you to remember how it felt to be safe and unafraid because of the love of your parents. For some of us, there are fond memories of joyous times, of carefree times. But for some others, there never was a sense of safety. For there never was a sense of belonging. Maybe they were the unwanted step children in a second or third marriage. Or maybe there wasn't a father to turn to in ...

219. Totally Poured Out

2 Timothy 4:9-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... others that we find value in our lives. Here’s the final question: when your race is over, what will the Master say about your life? It’s important that your friends comment favorably about your life. It’s even more important that your family remember you fondly. But what will the Master say about your life? Will he say that you have been a faithful servant of Christ? One day in a small English town a tailor named George Viccars received a shipment of cloth from London. When he unpacked the box, the ...

220. The Idea of Resurrection

Luke 20:27-38

Illustration

Scott Hoezee

... that exploited the old Israelite practice of levirate marriage to wonder what a woman who on earth had seven husbands would do in the afterlife. The set-up reminds you of the time someone wanted to get under the skin of C.S. Lewis. Lewis was fond of suggesting that in heaven, animals (and maybe even our cherished pets) could very well find a place. A person who thought that to be silly snidely asked Lewis "Well, what about the mosquitoes?" to which Lewis replied that God was clever enough to combine a ...

221. Mary Magdalene: An Adulteress?

John 4:1-26

Illustration

David J. McBriar

... years is a long time. There's no relationship in the New Testament between the woman taken in adultery and Mary Magdalene. Mel Gibson erroneously identifies her with the adulterous woman in his famous film, The Passion. It's clear that Jesus had a fondness for women. Luke, far more than any of the other gospel writers, points that out. Women were the first evangelizers, the first to tell the good news of Jesus' resurrection to his disciples. Martha and Mary, Lazarus' sisters were always considered to be his ...

222. Finger Food

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... finally snag that little round “O.” Getting the cereal off the tray and then actually into the mouth is a moment of pure triumph and joy. Mastering the “civilized” way to eat with forks or sticks is nowhere near as much fun. Does anyone have fond memories of chasing peas around your plate with a fork, or trying to carve up a Cornish game hen without it regaining its ability to fly, right into your lap? But using utensils is a “must” in polite society, even though worrying about whether you are ...

223. The Ear, the Tongue, and the Temper: A Lesson in Spiritual Anatomy

James 1:17-27

Sermon

Thomas Lentz

... come and visit us. We won't get old. We'll get tired, but we won't get old! Age is a state of mind. You're as old as your doubt, as young as your faith, as old as your despair, as young as your hope. (I'm also fond of saying, "Age is mind over matter. If you don't mind it doesn't matter.") The Old Testament talks a lot about the eagle. You know the eagle never gets old. He dies at the height of his strength, when he is most robust. The Old Testament says, we ...

224. Hope on The Day of Judgment

Hebrews 9:24-28

Sermon

Patrick J. Rooney

... by the nuns of my youth, would be read and I would be found wanting in some way or another, guilty to some degree or another, sin-filled in more ways than I could count. There is no putting off that day of judgment for, again as the nuns were fond of telling me, Jesus is coming again whether we are ready or not. That is the lesson we read in our gospel over and over as Jesus speaks of the bridegroom coming unexpectedly in the middle of the night; as we are told to be on guard for we know ...

225. Oh, That I Knew Where I Might Find Him

Job 23:1-9, 16-17

Sermon

Robert A. Hausman

... , for in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). People have always claimed to find God present in the created world (natural theology), in the common ordering of societies (natural law), or in the hidden recesses of the soul. In America, we are particularly fond of the image of God as our buddy, who, "though it makes him sad to see the way we live, he always says, ‘I forgive.' " Our text makes it clear, however, that things are not that simple. God is not at our beck and call. God does not ...

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