Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: thirstiness, dryness, parched, craving, strong desire, longing, yearning, avidity, hunger, voracity, keenness, eagerness, lust, appetite, passion, love, crave, want, covet, desire, hunger for/after, lust for/after, hanker for/after, have one's heart set on

Antonyms: aversion, distaste, apathy, dislike, hatred, antipathy, disgust, disregard, abhorrence, acrimony, wet, animosity, animus, antagonism, bad feeling, bitterness, be averse to, detestation

Showing 1 to 25 of 125 results

1. A Man Whose Dreams Came True

Genesis 37:1-11

Sermon

R. Blaine Detrick

... isn’t - and asks, "Why not?" We need persons like that, too. Our generation needs dreamers, persons who can see the invisible (cf. Hebrews 11:27), persons who can see what ought to be and then do their utmost to translate it into reality. Dreams vs. Animosity As so frequently happens with any dreamer - when faithful to his dreams, he finds himself in trouble - so it was with Joseph. He was devoted to his dreams, unashamed of them. And this led him to problems. One day his brothers were tending the flocks ...

2. The Seeds of Social Conflict

Genesis 4:1-26

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... sat together, Paul Simon and Charles Percy. What’s unusual about that? Paul Simon ran against and defeated Charles Percy for that high office. But there they were, side by side, brothers in Christ. What kept the seeds of conflict from producing a noxious crop of animosity? Jesus did. Jesus seemed to be thinking of Cain and Abel when he declared in the fifth chapter of Matthew, “You have heard that it was said of old, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to ...

3. The Embassy at 6601

Matthew 5:21-26

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... ourselves from such ugly behavior, I ask you to reflect on your own lives for a minute. Who was the last person you gossiped about or maligned? How frequently do you label or stereotype others who may disagree with you? How willing are you to savor animosity and bitterness toward a friend or family member in order to hold onto your own hurt, your own self-righteousness, your own brokenness and pain? I love to tell the story of the conservative Presbyterian who just a few weeks ago called me a heretic, a ...

4. Changing Dysfunction Into Function: Isaac, Jacob and Esau

Genesis 27:15-24, 30-34

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... is first. And when Christ is first in our lives, we learn through that relationship how to live our relationships with others. We learn first hand what it means to love and be loved. What it means to live without secrets, deception, selfishness, walls and animosity. We learn what it means to live with a spirit of love and grace that isn't dependent upon the other person response. Conclusion Robert Schuller tells about a little girl who was hearing-impaired. As a consequence, she could never hear her father ...

5. John 4:5-42

John 4:1-26

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... are doing this. In the past decade we have become acutely aware of the deep, often deadly divides between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. But in the first century the deep divide between Jews and Gentiles was not nearly as rancorous as were the animosities that simmered between the Jews and their “kissing cousins,” the Samaritans. That long-established lack of love between Jews and Samaritans is the underlying landscape of today’s gospel text. Jesus left Judea and started back towards Galilee using the more ...

6. Waiting for a Savior

Mark 13:32-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... country from Puerto Rico. Her brother is Bernardo, present leader of the street gang, The Sharks. Like most recent immigrants to this country, the Puerto Ricans are not accepted by those who already live here; and that animosity is intensified in the conflict between The Jets and The Sharks. In the midst of that animosity and hatred, Tony and Maria meet and fall in love. Fairly soon after realizing they are in love, they also realize there is no place for their love in the world they live in. And they sing ...

7. The Story Worth Living

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... us that they evoke revulsion and fear, even when we do not know if the snake we are looking at is dangerous, or a harmless natural insect repellant. So we do not readily have a warm, fuzzy relationship with limbless reptiles. We have been conditioned to this animosity, to this fear, since the words of Genesis. In the “second” but earliest Genesis story, the tale of Adam and Eve and their fall from the paradise of Eden, the first “bad guy” is not a guy but a serpent. The serpent would be turned into ...

8. Proverbs of Solomon

Proberbs 10:1--22:16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... :5–12), giving it a focus on the benefits of instruction. Great treasures as well as great knowledge are available to those who will heed it (15:6–7). More important, one living a righteous life experiences God’s favor and love (15:8–9) rather than animosity leading to divine discipline or death, as God punishes wayward actions and attitudes (15:10–11). The reference to the human heart in 15:7b and 11b is taken up in verses 13–15, which juxtapose the value of a joyful/cheerful heart with that of ...

9. Miracle Three: Healing A Leper

Mark 1:40-45

Sermon Aid

Harold H. Lentz

... could not understand the growing resentment against her. She started to feel cut off from others and a keen sense of loneliness engulfed her. When she learned of the false rumors, she did her best to refute them, but without success. The burden of animosity finally became so great that she committed suicide. At her funeral the pastor, who knew the true story, strongly rebuked his parishioners. In his funeral prayer he prayed: "Lord, you have sent me to minister to your sheep. But these are not sheep, Lord ...

10. The Peace Treaty

2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2

Sermon

Sandra Hefter Herrma

... United States were to call you into the Oval Office and say, "I am appointing you as ambassador to North Korea, and I have a difficult mission for you there. I want you to beg for peace. What we want here is to overcome the years of animosity and suspicion. So make no demands, no threats; issue no ultimatums. Do whatever you have to do to get the message across. Whatever violence you may face, whatever their attitudes are, I want you to be conciliatory. Probably you will be followed and harassed; you may ...

11. Don't Sell Your Inheritance for Cabbage Soup

Genesis 25:19-34

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... Esau settled down in the hill country and raised a large family. Many years later, he ran into his brother, the one who had cheated him. Jacob was terrified that Esau would harm him. Instead, Esau threw open his arms and welcomed his brother. He retained no animosity over the incident. Esau grew up to be a loving, healthy man. He had his priorities in order. The Scripture tells us he died in peace. In one sense, Esau sold a birthright for a bowl of cabbage soup. Jacob became the patriarch. On the other hand ...

12. Proper 19

Matthew 18:21-35, Romans 14:1--15:13, Exodus 13:17--14:31, Psalm 114:1-8

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... out and said they must be tired from their work and invited them in for some hot coffee and bread. They came and ate. Then sheepishly they returned to their work, only this time they put the tiles back on the roof and left without further animosity toward the family. 3. An Unforgiving Society · During the hostage crisis in Iran a group of Americans visited in an attempt to open a dialogue of reconciliation. In the process they asked the students who were holding the hostages what the Shah could do to be ...

13. The Scope Of The Spirit

Sermon

John A. Stroman

... Spirit. There is no citadel of self and sin that is safe from him, no unbelieving cynic secure beyond his reach. There is no ironclad bastion of theological self-confidence that is immune, no impregnable agnosticism he cannot disturb into faith, no ancient ecclesiastical animosities he cannot reconcile .... This is the glory of Pentecost" (p. 14). So Jesus said to Nicodemus, The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. -- John 3 ...

14. Demon-Possessed Child

Matthew 15:1-20, Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon Aid

Dallas A. Brauninger

... he listened to what I said, Jesus immediately healed my daughter no more talk about wasting crumbs on dogs. Asker: I cannot believe Jesus' God saw any child as lowly as a dog. Woman: Nor can I. However, the child was not the question. You underestimate the animosity between the followers of the god Baal and the Jewish people. I was willing to chase the dog slur. When I told Jesus that yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' tables, I spoke within my belief. I affirmed that belief by ...

15. The Bread That Endures

Luke 22:7-38

Sermon

Larry R. Kalajainen

... , but baking bread is an activity that is fundamental to human life, and doing it links us with something very basic. Perhaps if we could get the leaders of the various warring communities together in a kitchen to bake bread, some of the prejudices and ancient animosities which result in so much violence would be dissipated. It's hard to think violent thoughts when your arms are elbow-deep in flour. It's little wonder then that bread has become a metaphor for life itself. Not only in English, but in many ...

16. Epiphany 6

1 Corinthians 10:23--11:1, 1 Corinthians 9:1-27, Leviticus 13:1-46, 2 Kings 5:1-27, Mark 1:40-45

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... Elisha would heal her master. Children have something to teach us about faith and love. Outline: Introduction: We often forget that this story would not have happened without this girl. Consider this extraordinary girl. 1. She was kidnapped and yet seemed to bear no animosity against her captors. 2. She was genuinely concerned about her master this shows her love. 3. She offered a solution this showed her wisdom (v. 3). 4. She believed that the prophet would heal her master (v. 3) this showed her faith. 5 ...

17. Reuben: I'm Not A Sandwich

Genesis 37:12-36

Drama

Dr. Raymond Bailey

... nothing. "It's easier to judge others than it is to examine our own deficiencies. We all had something to learn. I hope our father learned something about showing such gross favoritism toward one brother over the others. We brothers learned that all of our plotting and animosity did nothing to enhance our position. It only broke an old man's heart. And, Joseph? He had a lot to learn, too. He learned it well. A more magnanimous heart I have never seen. More than a decade passed since we sold Joseph. We heard ...

18. Are You the One?

Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... belief that John the Baptist was in the grip of the kind of fear we’ve been talking about. Wouldn’t you be afraid if you were alone in a cold, dark, damp prison cell, not knowing what’s going to happen next, but keenly aware of the animosity your captor feels for you? How did that fear affect John the Baptist? Did he wake up in the middle of the night, drenched with perspiration, horrified by some nightmare of the fate that awaited him? Did he fear for the lives of those who followed him? What inner ...

19. Have You Talked to Jesus Lately?

John 4:1-26

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... it. If you know the history of the interaction between Jews and Samaritans in the Bible, you probably are not surprised when the woman, in effect, replies to Jesus, "Get your own water, you Jewish male chauvinist pig!" If you are not aware of the animosity that exists between these two ethnic groups, the writer of John has inserted a helpful comment: "Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans." Well, come on down and pick up your understatement of the year award, John! The Jews and the Samaritans ...

20. The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-37

Drama

Robert A. Lehmann

... journeyed, came to where he was. Solo 1: [Laughs] This is going to be good! Solo 4: Watch him zip by. Solo 3: Samaritans love Jews like wounds love dirt. Ha! Solo 2: [Laughs] No love lost between Jews and Samaritans. Solo 4: The whole world knows of their ancient animosity. Solo 3: A Samaritan wouldn't help a Jew on a bet! Jesus: When he saw him, he had compassion. [Solo 2 moves to DC and looks at spot off-stage] Solo 1: What? Solo 3: Really? Solo 4: I declare! Solo 1: You're kidding! Narrator: Hold on ...

21. The Church Associated With Life

John 14:15-31

Illustration

Carl Jech

If you have noticed that pastors often seem to dislike funeral chapels, you should know that the cause of the apparent animosity is not professional jealousy. The mortuary funeral chapel is used for only one purpose and is associated with nothing but death. The church building, on the other hand, is associated with all aspects of life. All kinds of things go on at churches - baptisms, weddings, potlucks, many types of meetings, ...

22. Faith Bridges the Gap

Luke 7:1-10

Sermon

... a verbal battle was taking place. "It was the last straw," he said. He asked the choir members to join hands, form a circle - and then he prayed, desperately - and from then on, things were different. God healed the broken relationships, the animosities, the petty jealousies, that were there. And because he had demonstrated his power in this area of human, almost insoluble, problems, he reached the conclusion that God means what he said through Christ - that we ought always to call upon him for help ...

23. The Man Who Came to Dinner

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

Carveth Mitchell

... , and all three come across the centuries and speak Jesus’ word to us. I "They were watching him." (verse 1) Lo! Our two questions are answered. He was invited so they could watch him. What further evidence could they gather to feed the fire of their animosity toward him? Obviously he knew they were watching him, so he gave them ample evidence as to the kind of person he was. In verse twenty-six, for example, which is omitted from our reading, a man with dropsy was planted in his path. Would he break ...

24. Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

2 Kings 13:10-25

Sermon

... came looking for reassurance, received only a rebuke. Instead of leaving with support, he left with a scolding. How was he to know how many times to strike the ground? The most glaring weakness of King Joash may have been that he did not share the same zealous animosity as the prophet for the enemies of God’s people. This then, is the account of the death of a prophet of God. His prophecy about the arrows came true. (2 Kings 13:25) He insisted on doing his thing right up to the last minute. His devotion ...

25. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

Jeremiah 20:7-18

Sermon

... of derision. Such is the experience of Jeremiah. He sees his enemies and some of his former friends waiting to pounce on him. They are watching for his downfall, just waiting for him to slip. The word "terror" is used to describe the animosity toward Jeremiah. Although the term "terrorist" seems to have become commonly used only in recent years, the significance of the term has been around ever since people discovered how to frighten one another. Even if you don’t have outright enemies, it is possible ...

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