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 4988 results

201. Bride's Wedding Gift to Her Father

Humor Illustration

All eyes were on the radiant bride as her father escorted her down the aisle. They reached the altar and the waiting groom, the bride kissed her father and placed something in his hand. The guests in the front pews responded with ripples of laughter. Even the priest smiled broadly. As her father gave her away in marriage, the bride gave him back his credit card.

202. An Extraordinary Wedding Gift

John 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

During a wedding rehearsal, the groom approached the priest with an unusual offer. “Look, I’ll give you $100 if you’ll change the wedding vows. When you get to the part where I’m to promise to ‘love, honor, and obey’ and ‘forsaking all others, be faithful to her forever,’ I’d appreciate it if you’d just leave that part out.” He slipped the priest the cash and walked away. The wedding day arrived. When it came time for the groom’s vows, the priest looked the young man in the eye and said, “Will you promise ...

203. Gifts for Building the Temple

1 Chronicles 29:1-9

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

29:1–5 These verses follow after David’s encouragement of his son in the previous subsection. It is also direct speech, again directed at the whole assembly. It reminds one again of the speech presented in 22:5. In the speech David indicates that he has already provided for many of the materials needed for the construction but that he, in his devotion to the temple of his God, also wants to contribute from his personal treasures. He is setting the example by giving offerings of his own free will. David ...

The ability to get into trouble and the ability to get out of trouble are seldom present in the same person.

James S. Hewett

205. The Gift of Encouraging Words

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

A great place to glean some profound insights into life is from children’s stories. On a Winnie the Pooh record, for instance, there is a scene that is a delightful illustration of our desire to hear words that are friendly and warm, rather than harsh or hard: One day Pooh Bear is about to go for a walk in the Hundred Acre wood. It’s about 11:30 in the morning. It is a fine time to go calling—just before lunch. So Pooh sets out across the stream, stepping on the stones, and when he gets right in the middle ...

206. The Greater Gift

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.” Proverbs 3:13-18 Sin, repentance, ...

207. Unity and Community (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... to work together in order for them to benefit everyone in his community (12:7; cf. 14:14, 26; Eph. 4:12). The Spirit, in other words, operates in direct contrast to the Corinthian perception alluded to in 6:12 and 10:23.12The patron grants enabling gifts to his clients in order to empower his community to accomplish his purpose. Theological Insights Being filled with God’s Spirit transforms a person and enables him or her to call Jesus Lord. To call Jesus Lord means to accept, even strive for, a life that ...

208. Bittersweet

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... was about to change. Herod would soon plot to kill all boys in the vicinity of Bethlehem under the age of 2. Jesus only newly born was already setting the world on edge. When you go into the world as a follower of Jesus, lighting up the world with the gift of God’s grace and mercy, wearing the robe of righteousness He has given to you, you will bring down on yourself the jealousy and jaundice of the world. You will taste the bitterness of the world around you. But the good news of Jesus that will see you ...

209. Witnesses of the New Covenant

Romans 12:1-8

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... are you? Are you nobody, too? Then there’s a pair of us—don’t tell! They’d banish us, you know. How dreary to be somebody! How public, like a frog To tell your name the livelong day To an admiring bog!5 The diversity of gifts among believers brings unity to the body of Christ. Film: Places in the Heart; It’s a Wonderful Life. These films have wide appeal, and both illustrate beautifully the concept of individuals in communities responding in varied ways to the sadness and tragedy in the lives of ...

210. God Is a Giver

Sermon

James Bjorge

... ." Yes, it certainly was. But then God gave it to man. That was and is his nature ... to give. "For God so loved the world that he gave ... his only begotten Son ..." (John 3:16). And Paul says, "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15). God is a giver of gifts. Any man who has gotten to know God is very aware of this truth. We could even go so far as to say that God is more eager to give than we are to receive. Then when we struggle with the image of God concept something ...

211. Many Parts, One Body

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... parts do not, they cease to be one body. A limb must fulfill its assigned purpose in the body or it will itself cease to be a limb and consequently leave the rest of the body impaired. Paul’s concern centers on those who feel insignificant in gifting and status. By letting the body parts speak in the fashion of fables (“if the foot should say . . .”), Paul addresses the community’s divisions head-on. Preferring hands over feet (12:15), eyes over ears (12:16), or even ears over nose (12:17) would be ...

212. For The Love of God Is Empowering

Matthew 22:36 -40 · John 4:1-32

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... be Christ like. But Jesus doesn't cut us loose to have to do it on our own. Instead, the Son of God fills us with the Holy Spirit, empowering our lives to be able to accept the love of God. Empowering our lives to be able to accept the gift of self. And empowering us to live the faith. The two greatest Commandments are: "Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself." It's hard, sometimes to love our neighbors because we don't know how to love ourselves. And we ...

213. Smart As A Goat

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... be just as guilty of having a “me-me-me" mind-set. We forget that the church is the ultimate team. A basketball team consisting of all point guards would rank in the bottom of their league. We need each member of the “team" to use his or her special gifts to make the church complete. Bishop T.D. Jakes makes the point that few of us move outside our comfort zones in life. We hang around with people who are like us: people who are in our same profession, or of our same race or religious preference or from ...

214. The Priority of Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... be fully restored (John 17:23; Col. 3:14–15; 1 John 4:17–19; Rev. 21:3–4; cf. Isa. 65:19–25). At that time gifts will cease to have purpose and will be abolished, along with all God’s adversaries (1:28; 2:6; 15:24, 26; 2 Thess. 2:8; 2 ... examples of what will become the norm. Just as the childish ways of the young are put aside when they are recognized as immature, gifts also bear witness to a greater time to come. Likewise, the promise of a dim mirror is the clarity of twenty-twenty vision. What ...

215. Unwrapping Christmas

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... as an ox. I've paid for my purchase but what is it worth, If I can't get it out of the box?" (1) Half the fun of Christmas morning is seeing the excited look on everyone's faces as they look at all the brightly wrapped and packaged gifts under the tree. The other half is opening those packages. Some you savor and take your time opening; others you just rip your way through. If you're anything like me or my family, all through the Christmas season you watch the mail with great anticipation. Everyday you sort ...

216. Unity in the Body of Christ

Ephesians 4:1-16

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... benediction in Romans 11:36, where he states: “For from him and through him and to him are all things.” The Giving of Spiritual Gifts to the Body 4:7 The apostle has been discussing the unity of the whole (4:1–6); now he turns to the individual parts ... Stott, p. 160). There may be a certain legitimacy to this, but it does not help to clarify the original meaning of an office and/or gift and to understand it in the context in which it is used. Here, it is not a case of putting new wine into old skins; the ...

217. Like A Breath Of Fresh Air

John 20:19-23

Sermon

Larry Goodpaster

... breath of Christ, that which was and is the life of Christ, is the life of the Holy Spirit. The breath of Christ becomes the wind of the Spirit. The energy and warmth of the very being of Christ is the fire of the Spirit. God, the Redeemer Christ, “gifts” the church with a saving breath of life. It is the same breath that moved over the storms of chaos, and brought order to creation. It is the same breath that moved over a valley filled with dried, scorched bones in order to restore life to a people ...

218. A Tragic Waste

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... later greatness. So it is in the church today. God uses people who are willing to offer themselves and all they have to Him. More important than our individual talents, or abilities or intellect is the spirit with which they are given to God. Have you a gift which can be used to the glory of God? If so, how are you using it? Sometime back TV host Merv Griffin interviewed some body builders. Merv asked one of his musclebound guests this memorable question: "What do you use all those muscles for?" One of the ...

219. Worthy of God

1 Thessalonians 2:9-13

Sermon

Rick Brand

... us, it will take us in a direction of contentment and joy, it will take us in a direction where we are at one with ourselves and our gifts. It will give us that sense of being on a level and going in the same direction as the will and purpose of God. To lead a ... life that is worthy of the God who called us will bring us to end with the saints into the kingdom of our God. To use the gifts that God has given in a way that is worthy of them is to find our Sabbath rest and joy in all we do. 1. Cynthia Gadsen, " ...

220. One Body, Many Parts

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... way in which God has combined the members of the body. The goal of God’s work was that there should be no division in the body. Implicit in this verse is a foundational assumption. Not only has God enriched the unified body by granting distinctive gifts to the diverse parts of the body, but also God created the unified body per se, and the deliberate arrangement of the diverse members of the body. In other words, not only has God brought the richness of diversity to the coherence of unity, but also God ...

221. In His Debt

Matthew 23:1-39

Drama

Robert F. Crowley

... , how about Malachi 3:10 -- "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse." GUY: Oh, then this is your tithe. I see then, that explains it. Well, thanks. I'm sure the church can use it. MARLA: This isn't my tithe. I already gave my tithe. This is just a gift. LES: Now, you just wait a minute. What right have you to question what the lady wants to give to God? GUY: I was questioning her intentions. LES: All right, her intentions then. What right do you have to question her intentions? If she wants to bring a ...

222. The Spirit - For Me Too?

Joel 2:28-32

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... Spirit comes calmly, easily, and in an orderly fashion when, with open minds and hearts, we hear the Word with faith. On the other hand, you may not have an awareness of the Spirit in your lives, simply because he is not there. You and I may have received the gift at one time, but we no longer have him. To receive the Spirit once does not guarantee we will have him forever. As the Spirit comes, he can go. Thus, in Psalm 51, David prays, "Take not thy holy spirit from me." It is said of Samson, the Bible’s ...

223. Love Sender

John 3:1-21

Sermon

James Merritt

... had a temper, whatever he thought came out of his mouth, and he wouldn’t let anyone make a fool out of him. When dad opened his gift, he handed me the gum but to my shock put the Milky Way in his shirt pocket. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe it. My plan ... to ourselves? Our job is to pass His love on to others who are also willing to believe and receive. The easiest way to share the gift Jesus spoke of in John 3:16 is to invite a friend or family member to church. In your Worship Guide today is an invite ...

224. The Holidaze Craze

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Christmas since the Fourth of July. Maybe you've heard the new Christmas Carol called "OH, LITTLE BANK AMERICARD," sung to the tune of "O Little Town of Bethlehem?" Oh, little Bank Americard, you bring me Christmas Cheer. Without your clout, I have no doubt no gifts I'd give this year. Your credit line allows me to run up bills quite large And when I'm through exhausting you, I'll use my Master Charge. (Same tune, sung in late February) Oh, little Bank Americard, you bring me discontent. I calculate your ...

225. In the Service

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... and those not quite with-it among the Corinthians would judge them as such. Instead, Paul showed the new Christian community of believers in Corinth (almost all of them Gentiles) that the Spirit of God they had received at the moment of their baptism transformed them, gifted them, by making them into “body builders.” At baptism we put service over self. At baptism, the question changes from “What can I get out of this? What can I get out of my faith?” to “How can my faith help me to serve God, the ...

Showing results