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 2276 to 2300 of 4943 results

2276. Negative Responses to Jesus

Luke 11:33-36, Luke 11:29-32, Luke 11:14-28

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... the light that we now must shine to the world. Understanding the Text There have been indications throughout Jesus’s ministry in Galilee that not everyone is favorably impressed by him. Now the opposition is focused in two specific lines of attack (11:15–16). The first concerns his deliverance of those who were demon-possessed, a major theme of Luke’s account of Jesus’s ministry so far (see 4:31–37, 41; 6:18; 7:21; 8:2, 26–39; 9:37–43). An attempt to turn his exorcisms against him now leads ...

2277. The Story of Israel and the Story of Gentiles

Romans 1:18-32

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C. Marvin Pate

... 1:19–32 divides into two parts: verses 19–21 are a general statement of Gentile disobedience of God’s natural law (but also with Jews and the Torah in mind); verses 22–32 are a detailed analysis of Gentile disobedience to God (but also concerning Jewish disregard for the Torah). This last section further divides into three subsections (vv. 22–24, 25–27, 28–32), each centering on the ominous phrase “God handed them over.” As Jews read about the sin and judgment of Gentiles as spelled out in ...

2278. Paul, Phoebe, Patronage, and Spain

Romans 16:1-27

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... a saviour who put an end to war and established all things . . . and whereas the birthday of the god [i.e., Augustus] marked for the world the beginning of good tidings [euangelion]through his coming . . .2 Paul counters with the assertion that the true gospel concerns Jesus Christ. Second, imperial worship (confessing that Caesar is a god) was on the rise in the Roman provinces in the first century due to Gaius (AD 37–41), Nero (AD 54–68), and later Domitian (AD 81–96). But Paul challenges the Roman ...

2279. Christian Maturity

1 Corinthians 3:1-23

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Preben Vang

... God’s affirmation. They will, in the words of Amos 4:11, be “snatched from the fire” in the last minute. Theological Insights Not everything that glitters is gold. The absence of maturity becomes clear when Christians are busier, and more concerned, with their own enjoyment and benefit than with building an alternative, Christ-empowered community where the presence of God’s wisdom is evident. Teaching the Text Christian maturity is often measured against criteria that have little or nothing to do ...

2280. Separation of Faith and Life

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

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Preben Vang

... Paul here refers to the man, the church, or both. Paul is neither a dualist nor a Platonist. He does not suggest that the killing of the man’s flesh will enable his disembodied spirit to find eternal salvation on its own. So, is Paul expressing concern for the church itself? Is he suggesting that leaving the “leaven” as a part of the community (5:6; NIV: “yeast”) eventually will lead to the community’s destruction? This could be, but it is more likely that Paul has both the man and the church ...

2281. Many Parts, One Body

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

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Preben Vang

... with the others. If or when the 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 ...

2282. Resurrection and Christian Living

1 Corinthians 15:12-34

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Preben Vang

... baptism but to a practice where some were baptized because of a promise given to a dying loved one—so they could “meet again.” Since those being baptized were believers, Paul did not need to give a theological correction of mystical misconceptions concerning baptism. The custom simply allowed him to refer to the issue as a general practice, and it functioned well as an argument for the obvious necessity of the resurrection. Paul’s point is that the mere suggestion that baptism enables loved ones to ...

2283. Last Encouragement and Final Greeting

1 Corinthians 16:19-24, 1 Corinthians 16:5-18

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Preben Vang

... touch and shows heartfelt affection for the audience (cf. Gal. 6:11; Col. 4:18; 2 Thess. 3:17; Philem. 19). What Paul has stated throughout the letter comes to them not as a cold philosophical discourse but as an expression of his genuine concern for their spiritual welfare. let that person be cursed! Paul’s curse follows his covenantal understanding. Curses fall on those who do not love the Lord, while blessings come to those who do (Deut. 28; cf. Jude 14–15). The undercurrent of Paul’s thought ...

2284. The Sin Offering

Leviticus 4:1--5:13

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... and of itself purge sin. What allowed forgiveness of sin was that to which these sacrifices (with their emphasis on blood) pointed: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (more below). Teaching the Text 1. There are sins of omission, negligence, and impulse. Sin is a major concern in Leviticus and Numbers, as well as the rest of the Old Testament. Sin can be against other people (1 Sam. 2:25), but the Bible overwhelmingly speaks of sin as an offense against God. Sin is doing “what is forbidden in any of the Lord ...

2285. Holiness of Priests

Lev 21:1–23:2

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... with the dead makes people unclean for seven days (Num. 19:11) and makes a priest unfit to serve the sanctuary for seven days beyond that (Ezek. 44:25–27). God is to be associated with life, not death (cf. Deut. 30:15–20). Things concerning death are inimical to God’s vibrant presence. See further “Teaching the Text” at Numbers 19. 21:5–6 Priests must not shave their heads . . . the edges of their beards or cut their bodies. These pagan mourning rites (LXX adds “for the dead” [cf. Deut ...

2286. Ingratitude and Judgment

Num 11:1-35

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... must resist jealousy (vv. 26–30). When Eldad and Medad obtain God’s Spirit without coming to the tent, this upsets Joshua, who is jealous for his master (vv. 28–29). Could this unauthorized ministry not undermine Moses’s authority? But Moses is not concerned. He responds, “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” (v. 29). Even apart from a ceremony, God himself has confirmed that these leaders have been chosen along with the others to ...

2287. Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Obedience

Num 15:1-41

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... the land” (Num. 15:2, 18). These laws thus reassure Israelites who in the previous narrative have just been condemned not to enter the land that at least their children will enter. Historical and Cultural Background Observant Jews still follow the law concerning tassels, the tsitsit. These are intertwined with a blue thread and attached to the four corners of the prayer shawl, the tallit, in compliance with the law of Numbers 15:38. Traditionally, they also have 613 knots to symbolize the 613 commandments ...

2288. Moses’s and Aaron’s Sin at Meribah

Numbers 20:1-13

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... 20:3) as the narrative transitions toward the new, better generation. Numbers 20:2–13 echoes a similar event nearly forty years earlier in Exodus 17:1–7 before Israel had arrived at Mount Sinai. In both, the people quarrel with Moses over lack of water and express concerns that they and their livestock may die of thirst. In both, they long to be back in Egypt. In both, Moses prays to Yahweh and is commanded to take a staff to a rock. In both, he strikes the rock, after which water comes forth at a place ...

2289. Cities of Refuge

Numbers 35:6-34, Numbers 35:1-5

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... will settle in the Transjordan, and Numbers 34 describes the borders of the land of Canaan that Israel is to conquer for the nine and a half tribes who will settle there. Numbers 36, on the daughters of Zelophehad (see Num. 27:1–11), is concerned with not disturbing the tribal plan of inheritance, ensuring that Zelophehad’s inheritance will not end up in the hands of another tribe or clan. Chapter 35 deals with the Levites’ inheritance. They are not to inherit a section of Canaan like the other tribes ...

2290. The Daughters of Zelophehad (Part 2)

Numbers 36:1-13

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... 27:1–11 God, through Moses, grants the request of the daughters of Zelophehad to be allowed as women to inherit land so that their land can be handed down under their father’s name. In Numbers 36 this ruling is narrowed to address the concern of leaders of the Gilead branch of the tribe of Manasseh to keep the inheritance of Gilead-Manasseh land within that tribe, though this does not contradict the original promise. In some ways, the discussion may have seemed premature. Israel does not yet have the ...

2291. David Runs for His Life—Again

2 Samuel 15:13-37

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... works, including the immortal epic poem Paradise Lost. Milton had written a few of his great poems before 1652, but he had not yet achieved fame. What makes this sonnet (1652–55) so pertinent to the principle above is that as he writes it, he is concerned about how he can serve God in such a condition. As he works through his dilemma, he compares the situation to the parable of the talents. He wonders if God demands “day-labour, light denied.” He hears the answer that though God doesn’t need our ...

2292. Defeat, Death, and Departure

1 Sam 4:2-22

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... end of the story epitomize the fact that he is a relatively passive and ineffective leader, always waiting to receive information from others. There is irony here—his is a passive authority in which his passivity emasculates his authority. his heart feared for the ark of God.Eli’s sole concern appears to be the ark, not his sons (see v. 18 as well). This seems to be commendable and suggests that he has his priorities straight, but actually his obsession with the ark is tragically ironic. His lack of ...

2293. The Ark Heads Home

1 Samuel 6:1-7:1

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... chapter to the flippant way the Israelites later treat the ark. It also anticipates Samuel’s calls for Israel to repent in following chapters of the unfolding history (1 Sam. 7:3; 12:20–25). Historical and Cultural Background When the Philistines need advice concerning what to do with the ark, they call for their priests and “diviners” (1 Sam. 6:2). The Mosaic law prohibits divination in Israel (Deut. 18:10); in the ancient Near East it was a popular form of discerning the divine will and receiving ...

2294. Israel Demands a King

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... Lord demands radical faith on Israel’s part that is counter to the cultural norm and expectation. The typical arrangement can too easily cause people to trust in the tangible, rather than in the God behind it. Earlier in Israel’s story we see God’s concern in this regard. He commands Joshua to burn the Canaanite chariots (Josh. 11:4–11); he makes Gideon dismantle the bulk of his army lest the people think they have defeated the Midianites by their own strength (Judg. 7:2). In Deuteronomy 17:14–20 ...

2295. Saul Forfeits a Dynasty

1 Samuel 13:1-15

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... s favor” (the Hebrew word may carry the idea of “appease” here; see HALOT, 317). On closer inspection, Saul’s viewpoint is flawed in at least three important ways: (1) His concern about his dwindling forces reveals a belief that human armies, not the Lord, will decide the battle (in this regard recall Judg. 7). (2) His concern with offering a sacrifice reveals a faulty theology that elevates ritual above obedience (see 15:22–23) and tends to think that ritual can in some way guarantee divine favor ...

2296. Saul on the Rampage

1 Samuel 22:6-23

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... Uriah. 22:23 don’t be afraid. David was afraid in the presence of Achish (21:12), but now that he is again relying on the Lord’s prophetic guidance (22:3, 5), he can give reassurance to others. You will be safe with me. David’s concern for the priest shows he is an ally of the Lord, while Saul has become the Lord’s enemy. Theological Insights This episode shows how Saul’s disobedience culminates in his actively opposing the will of God. Thus the story is a vivid reminder to the exilic readers ...

2297. David Spares Saul’s Life

1 Samuel 24:1-22

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... addressing Saul as his benefactor and protector (cf. the use of the term “father” in Job 29:16; 31:18; Isa. 9:6; 22:21; 1 Cor. 4:15) to remind him of his dependence on him. In a ninth-century BC Phoenician inscription from Samal, Kulamuwa speaks of his concern for his people: “But I was to some a father; and to some I was a mother; and to some I was a brother” (COS, 2:148). In another Phoenician inscription, dating to around 700 BC, Azatiwada claims, “Ba‘al made me a father and a mother to the ...

2298. Escaping a Tangled Web

1 Samuel 30:1-31, 1 Samuel 29:1-11

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... chance that he will be allowed to fight, so he protests to make it look like he really is loyal. After all, if he agrees too readily with the Philistine leaders’ assessment, it might look as though they are right. David may also be concerned that the Philistine leaders might have heard about his deceptive actions in the Ziklag region. (In v. 6, Achish gives little detail; he simply says that the leaders consider David unreliable.) If so, by asking Achish for evidence of disloyalty, he may hope that the ...

2299. Adversity of a Righteous Man

Job 1:1-22

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Daniel J. Estes

... that Job may be using Yahweh to get the material blessings he wants. Unstated, but perhaps hinted implicitly, is that Yahweh may be using Job to get the worship he craves from humans. If this is the case, then the adversary is making an accusation concerning the motivation that prompts Job’s apparently exemplary piety. 1:10–11 Have you not put a hedge around him? The Bible often speaks about how God is the protector of his people (cf. Pss. 91; 121). Here, the adversary asks a question about the ...

2300. Zophar’s Final Words for Job

Job 20:1-29

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Daniel J. Estes

... judgment. In Zophar’s mind, Job stands guilty and condemned, without any other possible result. Zophar does not plead with Job to repent, as the other friends have done, but rather he paints a picture of certain and total destruction. As far as Zophar is concerned, Job’s adversity is proof positive that he is wicked, and his wickedness requires that he must necessarily be punished by God. Nothing that Job has said could alter the firm conclusion to which Zophar has come. In arguing that the wages of sin ...

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