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 1 to 25 of 172 results

1. Living beyond Apprehension

Matthew 24:36-44

Illustration

Staff

C.S. Lewis wrote with deep humor and insight about his faith in God in Christ. Lewis understood the gospel of Jesus to be Good News, not a fearful encounter with God as judge, but a meeting with a God full of agape love. Lewis remembered a moment of anxiety felt by his wife, Joy. "Long ago before we were married, [Joy] was haunted all one morning as she went about her work with the obscure sense of God (so to speak) 'at her elbow,' demanding her attention. And of course, not being a perfected saint, she ...

2. Jacob Apprehension in Meeting Esau

Genesis 32:1-32

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Jacob’s Enigmatic Wrestling Match: Before Jacob’s wrestling match (vv. 24–30), he has a vision of angels at Mahanaim (vv. 1–2). On the surface this brief report seems to be disjunctive. Nevertheless, several terms tie these two passages into the flow of the Jacob narrative. Jacob meets the angels or messengers of God (mal’ake ’elohim), and he sends “messengers” (mal’akim) to meet Esau. There is a play on “camp” (makhaneh; 32:2, 8, 10, 21) and “gift” (minkhah; 32:13, 20; 33:8, 10). Two terms for grace ...

3. Why Do You Stand Looking Into The Sky?

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... to the remotest parts of the world was not a call to be taken lightly. This was scary business Christ had called them to. "Men of Galilee," asked the two figures in white. "Why do you stand looking into the sky?" Probably it was awe. Maybe it was apprehension. OR MAYBE IT WAS THE SUDDEN AWARENESS OF CHRIST'S ABSENCE. I'm sure that was part of it. After all, he was their Lord and Master. They had looked to him for guidance, for strength, for spiritual nourishment. What would they do now? Suddenly they felt ...

4. On Your Mark, Get Set . . .

Mark 13:1-8, 32-33

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... passage is one that deals with the Return of Christ or the End Times as some people call it. And that causes a lot of anticipation and apprehension for some. As we look at the passage I think it tells us to "GET ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, STAY READY." I. Get On Your Mark ... or sixth grade when it all became very real to me. The whole nation was filled with excitement, anticipation and apprehension about the flights. These weren't just routine shuttle take launches reported briefly on the evening news. Every early ...

5. Faith for Troubling Times

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

King Duncan

... to scripture for help and reassurance. And we come to these words from Luke 21: "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your ...

6. Advent 1

Luke 21:5-38, 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13, Jeremiah 33:1-26, Psalm 25:1-22

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... claim to predict exactly when, where, and how Christ will return and usher in a new age on earth. 4. Certainty in the Midst of Uncertainty. While life is fragile and the future fraught with uncertainty, we do not need to live with constant apprehension and anxiety. Christians make affirmations about certainties that enable them to live in the midst of the sound and fury of the world with calm and assurance. A fundamental affirmation is that the God revealed to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to the prophets of ...

7. The Difference Between God And Santa

Mark 13:32-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... biblical answer is that we are watching for Christ's return. How should we feel about that return? Apprehensive? Fearful? Should we be on our best behavior? You may have seen a bumper sticker that reads something like this: Jesus is coming back--and boy, ... is he angry! Some people would be very apprehensive if they thought Christ really was going to return. It's like two boys who spent a delightful afternoon just outside of town ...

8. The Guiding Light for a New Year

Isaiah 60:1-22

Sermon

King Duncan

... be liberated the man died. (2) We can only speculate that what killed him was loss of hope. How we approach this new year will determine what kind of year it will be. Do we approach it boldly, confidently, expectantly? Or do we approach it with fear and apprehension? It's like the husband who said to his wife one day, "I've noticed that you always carry my photo in your handbag to the office. Why?" His wife said, "When there is a problem, no matter how impossible, I look at your picture and the problem ...

9. A Visit To Millennium Manor

Luke 21:5-38

Sermon

King Duncan

... in every heart. In the 21st chapter of Luke we read these words from our Lord: "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your ...

10. God's Say-So

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... and that’s a great hymn. I hope you will keep that one as you fill your repertoire with all the wonderful modern praise music. It’s the kind of hymn you sing when things are crumbling around you, when fear threatens to bring your life to shambles, when apprehension and your own frailty cause you to know how vulnerable you are; and how, unless you get some help from somewhere else, you’re not going to make it. So you sing it: “Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by thy help I’m come; And I hope, by ...

11. Abram in Egypt

Genesis 12:10-20

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... sister’s marriage in the patriarchal age, as is evident in Laban’s role in permitting Rebekah to become Isaac’s bride (24:29–60) and Jacob’s sons’ obstructing their sister’s marriage to Shechem (34:13–17, 25–29). Abram’s immediate apprehensions clouded his memory of God’s protection and blessing, causing him to jeopardize God’s promise of a great nation through his offspring from Sarai. Abram’s passing his wife off as his sister troubles us as it has troubled students of the Bible ...

12. Abraham and Abimelech

Genesis 20:1-18

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... have another introduction. To prod Abraham into responding, Abimelech asked why he had done this. With this final question Abimelech displayed his desire that all living under his rule would act justly. 20:11–13 Abraham responded with a threefold defense. First, he was apprehensive that since there was no fear of God in this place, he would be killed for his wife. Lack of the fear of God in a society means that the people act without high regard for human rights, especially for the weak and foreigners ...

13. Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

Genesis 28:10-22

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... he lay down to sleep in that unknown spot, many conflicting emotions must have flooded his mind: triumph at securing the family blessing from his virile brother, remorse at having tricked his aging father, relief at being out of range of Esau’s anger, apprehension about the long journey ahead to Haran, and a deep sense of loneliness for his mother. God, being aware of Jacob’s troubled thoughts and his feelings of vulnerability, knew that this was not the time to condemn Jacob for his acts of trickery ...

14. The Second Journey to Egypt

Genesis 43:1-34

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... did not want them to delay in bringing his father to Egypt because of a difference of opinion. It is also possible to read the line, “do not be agitated on the way” (Wenham, Genesis 16–50, p. 430); that is, they were not to become apprehensive about returning to Egypt. 45:25–28 On reaching Canaan, the brothers reported to Jacob that Joseph was alive and that he was ruler of all Egypt. Stunned, Jacob did not believe them. They continued to seek to persuade him by telling everything Joseph had said ...

15. Transition to Jesus’ Public Ministry

Matthew 4:12-17

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... terms of light shining in darkness. In his classic tale Tom Sawyer, Twain captures the fear and despair of being lost in the dark. Tom and Becky join a group of adventurers in scouting caves. Soon, they become separated from the group. Unease turns to apprehension. Apprehension morphs into fear. Fear becomes panic. Panic sinks into despair. We read, Becky was very weak. She had sunk into a dreary apathy and would not be roused. She said she would wait, now, where she was, and die—it would not be long. She ...

16. Tell Someone Else, My Brothers

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

... was exactly what he needed, replied, "Tomorrow you are to conduct the chapel and preach the sermon." The next day as this young brother stood behind the pulpit and looked out into the eyes of his peers who had assembled in the sanctuary, he was greatly apprehensive. He was so nervous he hardly knew what to do. He started his sermon by asking, "Brothers, do you know what I am going to say?" They all shook their heads in the negative. He continued, "Neither do I. Let's stand for the benediction. Pax vobiscum ...

17. Return To God

Joel 2:1-11

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... is what he suggested: "Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble" (Joel 2:1). Christians today generally think of the day of the Lord's coming as a time of great anticipation and even greater celebration. So why should we tremble? Why would we quiver in fear and apprehension? We seem to have lost the sense of God's judgment that will be an integral part of that day. Judgment will be a part of that day and Joel sounded the alarm so that all would be aware of what was coming. He described that day in these ...

18. Sometimes, You Gotta Get Your Feet Wet First

Joshua 3:1-4:24

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

... the land beyond it. Among other things, walking into these waters means overcoming their greatest fear, and perhaps more importantly, placing their greatest faith in Yahweh. And thus, you can almost imagine the priests pausing as they draw ever closer, all the while looking apprehensively over at Joshua to see what he is going to do. I mean, when the Hebrew slaves traveled through the Red Sea, Moses at least had pointed a staff and commanded the waters to part. But this scene is different. Joshua just seems ...

19. All Things Hidden Will Be Revealed

Drama

Karren Boehr

... really nothing. Just a little matter of difference of opinion. 2ND SAINT: (Agrees, puts hand on 1st Saint's shoulder) We were just discussing how excited we were about the prospect of seeing heaven. You know, we're a little apprehensive. GATEKEEPER: (Nods understandingly, though he is not fooled) Okay, then. Name, please. (SAINTS should use own name if known by the congregation) 1ST SAINT: James ... James Thieszen. GATEKEEPER: (Leafs through first one book, then another) No James Thieszen here. 1ST SAINT ...

20. Christmas 1

Hebrews 2:5-18, Colossians 3:1-17, 1 Samuel 2:12-26, Luke 2:41-52

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... , the sermon often becomes a brief meditation. Christmas 1 affords the preacher an opportunity to preach a doctrinal message on the Incarnation. 3. Christmas 1 is probably the last Sunday of the calendar year. People are aware of the close of the old year and are apprehensive of what a new year might bring. If a church does not have a New Year's Eve Watchnight service or a New Year's "The Name of Jesus" service, the preacher may find it beneficial to deal with the passing of the old year. 4. Christmas ...

21. Bad Timing

Matthew 20:20-28

Sermon

Thomas Long

... about the job potential of her two sons. No surprise there; parents have been anxious about their children's vocational advancement as long as there have been children heading out into the world. Moreover, with James and John, there was undoubtedly reason for apprehension. After appearing to have settled on the family fishing business, the two brothers had abruptly gone into the admittedly shaky field of discipleship (Matthew 4:21-22), and their mother is merely inquiring of their boss if the two had made a ...

22. Rules For A Happy Life

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

E. Carver McGriff

... real world" before deciding to become a clergyman. So, too, had a new classmate. Toward the end of our first quarter, our class in church history gathered for our final exam. Those of us who had been away from the classroom for several years were quite apprehensive about the threat of final exams. Soon, the exam books were opened and we all began to write. Suddenly, we were appalled to see the professor walk over to the desk where my classmate was seated and roughly yank the exam booklet away from the poor ...

23. Tying Up A Strong Man

Mark 3:20-30, 1 Samuel 8:1-22, 2 Corinthians 4:1-18, Mark 3:31-35, Psalm 138:1-8

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... to them the will of God and aiding them in living now in the kingdom of God are already enjoying eternal life. The direction of the movement of our life, either to death or to life of the spirit, shows us where we will end. We already have apprehensions of our part in the totality of existence, whether we are part of the good or the evil. How we act in the flesh has a determinative effect on what we are becoming, whether to eternal life or eternal death. Illustrative Materials 1. Exorcism. The news recently ...

24. The Unclean Spirit

Mark 1:21-28

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

... The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10). The word "fear" is not spoken in this miracle story. However, it is present in the questions the unclean spirit asks. Fear involves a wide range of emotions from simple apprehension to dread. In the Old Testament, persons express fear whenever a threat appears against their security and particularly their lives. In the New Testament, fear fixes upon worldly fear, timidity, cowardice, and death. When one's own authority is threatened, as with ...

25. Prayers for Advent 2

Isaiah 40:1-31, Psalm 85:1-13, 2 Peter 3:1-18, Mark 1:1-8

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... of Confession God of the first day, God of today, God of the last day, we admit that we are more frightened by the threat of a nuclear accident or a nuclear war than we are hopeful for a new heaven and earth. It is like our apprehension of major surgery, an unpleasant experience, but one that can bring about the condition in which healing can take place. We may be fatalistic and feel powerless to change unjust institutions that provoke and promote war. Forgive our reluctance to look for the new day and to ...

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