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 2376 to 2400 of 2699 results

2376. The Request of James and John

Mark 10:35-45

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... 13:9–13 make explicit). But the fact that they will indeed share his sufferings does not settle the question of their position in the kingdom of God. This, Jesus insists, is a matter for God alone (v. 40) to decide; and we get the impression that this may already have been decided in God’s sovereign plan. The discussion between Jesus and the two brothers precipitates a wider controversy involving all the Twelve (v. 41), indicating that the attitude behind the request of James and John was shared by the ...

2377. Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

Mark 10:46-52

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... is cheered (v. 49) by the people and dramatically throws off his old cloak (v. 50) to answer Jesus’ invitation. Whenever Mark furnishes his stories with these vivid details, it indicates that he wished to make the accounts prominent and effective in impressing upon the reader his portrait of Jesus. This account, so simple and yet so dramatic, demonstrates Jesus’ merciful power, and the readers are no doubt to see their own illumination and salvation prefigured in the curing of the man. Additional Notes ...

2378. Jesus Clears the Temple

Mark 11:12-19

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... worship Israel’s God, which was conferred in the Christian gospel. Mark’s sandwiching of this incident between the story of the barren fig tree helps the reader to see that the temple was like the fig tree. Outwardly, the temple was an impressive institution, suggesting great devotion to God. But Jesus’ inspection of the temple indicated that it was a hollow show, and that the priestly leadership was far more interested in revenue from the merchants than in reverence for God. For Mark’s readers, the ...

2379. Paying Taxes to Caesar

Mark 12:13-17

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

12:13–17 This passage deals with the first of three questions put to Jesus by his critics in 12:13–34. The purpose of the question is to trap him (lit., “to snare”). The trap does not succeed, however, and Jesus impresses his opponents in this discussion tinged with hostility. In order to understand the significance of the question and how it was intended as a snare for Jesus, it is necessary to take notice of the political situation of the time. The land of Palestine was under the rule of the ...

2380. Jesus Heals a Paralytic

Luke 5:17-26

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... the Lord was present for him to heal the sick (v. 17), the stage is set for the appearance of the paralytic (v. 18). This power will be seen, not only in the physical healing of the paralytic, but in the pronouncement of forgiveness. Apparently what has impressed Jesus is all of the effort and trouble to which this sufferer and his friends have gone in order to see him. Such effort could only indicate faith. Jesus does not, however, immediately heal him, but tells him that his sins are forgiven (v. 20; see ...

2381. Blessings and Woes

Luke 6:17-26

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... up into the mountain” (5:1) with Luke’s statement that Jesus “descended to a level place” (6:17). Probably the simplest solution is to recognize that each evangelist utilized the mountain setting for his own purpose. Whereas Matthew is content to leave the impression that Jesus taught the crowds on the mountain (though exactly where the people were supposed to be seated is not clear, nor does it really matter), Luke is more concerned with where the people were to sit for this sermon and so mentions ...

2382. Jesus' Mother and Brothers

Luke 8:19-21

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... removed the implicit criticism of Jesus’ mother and family because in the Marcan context from which Luke had taken this material (Mark 3:21, 29–35), Jesus had warned of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Perhaps, thinks Leaney, Luke wished to avoid leaving the impression that Jesus’ family was guilty of such blasphemy. For more on the theme of preaching the word in this section, see William C. Robinson, Jr., “On Preaching the Word of God (Luke 8:4–21),” in Leander E. Keck and J. Louis Martyn ...

2383. Six Woes

Luke 11:37-54

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... When I saw that you ate without washing your hands and without (saying) a blessing, I thought that you were an idolater” (Numbers Rabbah 20.21). 11:44 unmarked graves: Lit. “unseen tombs.” Matt. 23:27 has “whitewashed tombs,” which advances the idea of looking impressive on the outside, but of being corrupt on the inside (see Gundry, pp. 466–67). It is not easily decided if Luke represents a variant version of the same saying or if he has given us a distinct saying. 11:45 experts in the law: See ...

2384. The Parable of the Great Banquet

Luke 14:15-24

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... forceful expression. Whereas earlier passages depicting Jesus’ compassion for the poor, the sick, the needy, and the sinner have suggested all along that the kingdom of God is meant for these people as well as for those of more obvious and more impressive religious qualifications, in Luke 14:7–24 the messianic invitation to those thought unqualified is made explicit. There can be no mistaking Jesus’ message now. In the concluding words of the Central Section: Jesus has come to seek and to save the ...

2385. Additional Teachings

Luke 16:16-18

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... see Acts 2:16–39). During this period of time the church is commanded to preach the Good News throughout the world (Acts 1:8). In declaring that the old era is now past, the era of the law of Moses, Luke is anxious to avoid leaving the impression that the law is either irrelevant or, worse yet, broken. The second saying (v. 17) reaffirms the eternal validity of the moral, or ethical, aspects of the law. Acts 15 shows that the Gospel writer believed that the sacrificial aspects of the law were no longer in ...

2386. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Luke 18:9-14

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... the fallen angels states: “they did not raise their eyes to heaven out of shame for their sins.” God, have mercy on me, a sinner: Unlike the Pharisee (vv. 11–12), the tax collector offers God no list of virtues (nor a list of excuses); he has done nothing to impress God, but can only admit his sinfulness and plead for God’s mercy. In this we see the essence of grace, an idea that closely relates to the New Testament teaching of justification by faith (Ellis, p. 214).

2387. The Rich Ruler

Luke 18:18-30

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... to eternal life, one who follows Jesus will lay up treasure in heaven through obedience, particularly in giving to others in need (see 12:33). 18:23–25 Luke omits Mark’s mention (10:22–23) of the young man’s departure, thereby creating the impression that Jesus’ comments about the difficulty of the rich entering the kingdom of God were heard by this person, as well as by his disciples. 18:24 to enter the kingdom of God: This comment, coming where it does, suggests that receiving eternal life (v ...

2388. Jesus Again Predicts His Death

Luke 18:31-34

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... Luke 24:25–27, 44–46, where the uncomprehending disciples have the Scriptures explained to them by the risen Christ. For now, however, the disciples do not understand any of this. And it is not because they are dull of understanding (which is the impression with which one is left in the Marcan version); it is because its meaning was hidden from them. This understanding would be imparted to them after the resurrection of Jesus. It is in his rejection that the Scriptures will be fulfilled. But it is ...

2389. Signs of the End of the Age

Luke 21:5-38

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... that the “end” that is predicted has to do with the destruction of the temple. The coming of the Son of Man is carefully separated from this destruction (whereas in Mark 13, as well as in Matthew 24, one is given the impression that the destruction inaugurates the “end” which culminates in the return of the Son of Man). Jesus’ startling prediction elicits further questions from his disciples. They want to know when the destruction will take place and what signs will portend this destruction ...

2390. Peter Disowns Jesus

Luke 22:47-53

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... of this approach are unrealistic, even comical, and frequently lead to a distortion of the Gospel portraits themselves. Additional Notes 22:54 Tannehill (p. 272) suggests that Luke omitted the flight of the disciples not to lessen their failure but to avoid creating the impression that they were not witnesses to all that happened in Jerusalem (see Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8, 21–22). 22:61 The sentence, The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, occurs only in Luke and helps to heighten the drama. Peter has ...

2391. The River of Life

Revelation 22:1-6

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... more inclusive community of faithful disciples; cf. 21:12, 14) occupies John’s new Jerusalem, we do agree that these idioms for divine presence reflect the intimate knowledge of God as a manifestation of the new covenant: God’s people “have also come to bear the impress of his nature on their lives (cf. 1 John 3:2; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Cor. 15:49)” (Revelation, pp. 280–81). Further, this more personal acquaintance with God reverses God’s curse of Cain, who was banished not only from the land but from ...

2392. Saul's Family

1 Samuel 14:49-52

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... their having seen the angel was bound to lead to death (Judg. 11; 13). Whether or not the authors intended that reminder, this passage challenges readers to consider whether cursing or oath taking are appropriate ways to discover God’s plans. The writers leave no impression that God has no plans, is incapable of making those plans known, or cannot ensure that they be carried out. Rather, God alone will decide what is sinful and will deal with sinners. Any action carried out in response to a curse or an ...

2393. Saul Kills the Priest of Nob

1 Samuel 22:6-23

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... had the use of the ephod available to him and Saul did not—further evidence, perhaps, of God’s ongoing support for David and rejection of Saul. The brief mention of the prophet Gad in 22:5 and this reference to the ephod reinforce the impression that God’s servants, both priest and prophet, had abandoned Saul and were behind David. Additional Notes 22:6 Virtually every reference to Saul in these chapters has him with spear in hand. His spear was a symbol of his kingship and possibly had some function ...

2394. David and Ziba

2 Samuel 16:1-4

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... David, and become a loyal part of his army. Ittai’s reply to David suggests that he had become a convert to Yahwism. 15:23 That the whole countryside wept aloud may reflect a bitter mourning at the thought of the onset of civil war. However, the impression is that it reflected deep sorrow at what had happened to David. 15:24 Abiathar, who had been with David since his previous days in exile, probably led the Jerusalem priests until he was deposed by Solomon (1 Kgs. 2:27). However, Zadok seems to have had ...

2395. Shimei Curses David

2 Samuel 16:5-14

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

2396. The Next Two Days: The Call of the Disciples

John 1:43-51, John 1:35-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... King, paradoxically, in his death (cf. 12:13, 15; 19:14, 19). Nathanael has prophesied the end from the beginning, yet his confession is not quite adequate. The words are right, but they rest on an insufficient foundation. Nathanael believed because he was impressed with Jesus’ supernatural knowledge. Jesus promises him, and the other disciples, greater things than that (v. 50). They will see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man (v. 51). The promised vision is like ...

2397. The Disciples Rejoin Jesus

John 4:27-38, John 4:1-26, John 4:39-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... case, however, the knowledge is gained through normal channels. When Jesus received word that the Pharisees were beginning to perceive him and John as rivals, he decided to leave the area (v. 3). The writer takes a moment in passing to correct a possible false impression given by 3:22 and 4:1 (as well as 3:26). Jesus was not personally baptizing anyone. Baptisms were taking place in Judea as a result of his ministry and under his jurisdiction, but the actual baptizers were his disciples. The intent is to ...

2398. The Validity of Jesus' Testimony

John 8:12-30

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... The summary statement that “he spoke these words while teaching in the temple area” (8:20) corresponds in form to the ending of the synagogue discourse two chapters earlier (“He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum,” 6:59) and so gives the impression that the temple discourse is now concluded. In fact, the discourse continues to the end of the chapter. What is concluded is merely one stage of the debate between Jesus and the Pharisees, in the Court of Women on the eighth day of the ...

2399. Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

John 13:18-30

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... , whether made on the spot by the beloved disciple or (more likely) in retrospect as the story was told and written down. 13:29 To buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor: The first of these suppositions reinforces the impression given by v. 1 that the Passover Feast had not yet begun, that the meal described in this chapter was not a proper Passover, and that the disciples still expected that they would all celebrate the Passover together (see note on 13:23). The reference to ...

2400. The Disciples' Grief Will Turn to Joy

John 16:17-33, John 16:5-16

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... their world mission (cf. 17:17, 19). Additional Notes 16:4b Because I was with you: Jesus’ language implies that in a certain sense he is no longer with his disciples, for he is already on his way to the Father (cf. v. 5: “Now I am going”). The impression of distance is stronger in chapter 17, where consistently Jesus speaks of the disciples in the past tense (e.g., 17:12, “While I was with them”; cf. 17:11, “I will remain in the world no longer … and I am coming to you”). In Luke, it is the ...

Showing results