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 2551 to 2575 of 5000 results

2551. Being A Man of God

1 Peter 2:4-12

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... when I noticed a bumper sticker on the car in front of me. The large letters said, “I AM A GENERIC CHRISTIAN.” Well, that got my attention. I never though about anyone being a generic Christian. I saw that something else was written on the bumper sticker and I wanted to know what it was. I’m afraid I got dangerously close to the rear end of that fellow so that I could read what else was there. It said, “Ask me what I mean.” That intrigued me even more. What was that person trying to say? “I’m ...

2552. Equipping the Whole People of God: Penultimate Questions

1 Peter 2:4-12

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... can walk right in here and take over?” asks Linus. “These five fingers,” says Lucy. “Individually they are nothing, but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold.” “Which channel do you want?” asks Linus. After a moment, he turns away, looks at his own fingers and says, “Why can’t you guys get organized like that?” There are all sorts of lessons in this exchange. There are the personal ones that have to do with ourselves. Most ...

2553. Partners In the Gospel

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... s history. There is a sense, my friends, that the covenant we celebrate tonight is connected and goes all the way back to the covenant God made with Abraham. Isn’t that tremendous? Can I get an amen to that? So, to make that glorious universal reality concrete, I want us to look at the church at Philippi, and let Paul speak to us in this particular phase at this particular time as he spoke to that church, 2000 years ago. Get the setting in mind. In verse one of chapter four of this letter, Paul tells us ...

2554. Power For Christian Living: Am I On My Own?

Romans 3:3-5

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... Thus a holy life is a life of victory, as we grow more and more into the likeness of Jesus. I remember a time in my life, back in the early 1960s, when I was confronted with this shocking fact: “I am as holy as I want to be.” I was a young Methodist preacher in Mississippi and organizing pastor of a congregation, which had experienced amazing growth and success. The fellowship of the congregation was splintered by my involvement in the Civil Rights movement. I didn’t think there was anything radical ...

2555. Why Being A Christian Has Worn You Down v1

1 John 4:7-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... in the fact that there is a time to leave to God and to others what we cannot do ourselves. Now let me say that again because I want it to sink in – it’s a very helpful truth. Relax in the fact that there comes a time when we need to leave to God and to ... . He described a time when he was under a terrific strain and pressure because of some terrible decisions he had to make. He didn’t want to make them. He didn’t know which way to turn. One day he was invited to give a speech in another town. His host ...

2556. People With Shining Faces

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon

King Duncan

... wouldn’t let anyone see him--not even his wife. She went to Dr. Maltz for help. He told the woman not to worry. “I can restore his face.” The wife was unenthusiastic. Her husband had repeatedly refused any help. She knew he would again. Then why her visit? “I want you to disfigure my face so I can be like him!” she said. “If I can share in his pain, then maybe he will let me back into his life.” Dr. Maltz was shocked. He denied her request but was so moved by this woman’s love that he went ...

2557. The Curriculum of God’s Kingdom

Matthew 4:12-17

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

... God is more fierce and loving than we ever imagined. I believe that before he offers a change in behavior, Jesus offers sight and insight. He opens our eyes to who he is and stirs within us a desire to follow and find out what he is about. He wants us to see the world and ourselves through his eyes, and when that happens we literally enter a whole new world, through we inhabit the very same space. We cross over a threshold. There is no substitute for spiritual sight, for having the eyes of our hearts opened ...

2558. The Privilege and the Price

Matthew 5:13-16

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

... at first defensive because of a silly wounded pride, but later on after honesty rises up and humility kicks in, I am grateful. Here is why: I want to keep the gap as narrow as possible between my theology and my ethics, between what I preach and how I actually live. It might not ... and light are we? I’m not, and by God’s grace I’m going to do better and do smarter and do more, and I want you to join me in our common mission of salt and light. Every time I reach for a salt shaker I’m going to ask, Am ...

2559. Loving Like God Loves

Matthew 5:43-48

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

... out of the wall and ordered her into a closet. Hartman dropped to her knees and asked the burglar if she could pray for him. "I want you to know that God loves you and I forgive you,'' she said. The burglar apologized for what he had done. Then he yelled out ... all good so far as they go, but it was Nikka, aged 6, who came the closest to the heart of the matter, “If you want to learn to love better,” she said, “you should start with a friend who you hate.” Nikka understood what Jesus was after and why ...

2560. A Kingdom Investment Policy

Matthew 6:19-24

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

... , a 20-year-old employee of a web company in Atlanta. When asked what were his prized possessions, he listed four cars, including a Jag and a 1981 Delorean. When asked for his philosophy, Dinin confessed, "It's all about money. All those guys who say they just want to make a difference in the world, that's bull."3 Is it common sense? Practical atheism? Gross spiritual deception and a sign of hell on earth? Which is it? And does it matter? That depends; it depends on whether there is a personal God, of what ...

2561. Big Fish

John 21:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... at the end of life and hearing him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Some of you are undoubtedly familiar with a 2003 Tim Burton motion picture, Big Fish. It’s a strange film about a man who told tall tales--fish tales. His son William wants to know what his father was really like, but he finds it difficult to separate fact from fiction, the tales he told from the life he lived. In the novel on which the movie is based there is a scene in which people hear that Edward Bloom, his Dad ...

2562. A Time of Grief

Luke 7:11-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... a sinking heart, “Oh my God, it is true.” Months later he was to say in an interview in Rolling Stone magazine, “After it sunk in that my son had died . . . it’s funny, but I really didn’t feel anything; I went blank. I just turned to stone and wanted to go away. I mean there was no way I could have ever prepared for what had happened. But in time I found that I couldn’t avoid feeling the pain of Connor’s death. I had to go through the suffering.” Out of his suffering, Clapton turned to his ...

2563. Achieving Peak Performance

Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... Take it, look it over. You will see tasks under all of the Keys that we suggest need to be done. But if you have something you want to do that is not on there, let us know, and we will find other people to join with you so we can start a new ... who is lonely. You do that, and you will discover all kinds of things, good things, will be given to you. Not wealth or fame. If you want those, then you are in the wrong place. Go out in the world. The world will teach you how to get those things. But Jesus is waiting ...

2564. Warning To The Clueless Enthusiasts

Luke 14:25-35

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... family SUV. Christianity is a comprehensive way to think about the world, to decide right from wrong, and to interpret life's ordinary as well as extraordinary events. Think of faith as a very good set of spectacles through which we see things as God wants us to see them. I am convinced that looking through the corrective lenses of the Christian faith clears up our vision so that we see the landmines and potholes as well as the beauty of God's created order. Stated most succinctly, this Christian worldview ...

2565. Seeing Just Enough of God

Exodus 33:12-23

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... for God to forgive. When Moses is in the midst of this spiritual funk, God calls him to get up and keep going (Exodus 33:1). Surely, Moses is wondering how he can keep going. With perhaps a mixture of a sense of failure and of anger, Moses doesn't want to keep going. Who can blame him? The problem is, Moses and the people can't go back -- that would mean returning to Egypt, and they can't stay put -- they are in the middle of nowhere. The only thing they can do is go forward. Despite the frustration, the ...

2566. A Christian's Resumé

2 Corinthians 6:3-13

Sermon

Richard W. Ferris

... got all excited and ran to Peter, who was in charge of the meeting, and asked if he might tell the exciting story of his survival from the Johnstown flood. Peter hesitated for a moment and then said, "Yes, you may share that story. But you might want to remember that Noah will be in the audience tonight." During this Lenten season, let's update our resumes. Let's add those elements of our lives that are missing. We can include those skills and characteristics that humbly will lead others to Christ. But let ...

2567. Say What?

1 John 3:5-6

Sermon

Rick Brand

... passage from 1 John comes as close as any passage to a dictionary-type definition of sin. Sin is the transgression of the Law of God. So it is not surprising that the Shorter Catechism uses that as the answer to the question, "What is sin?" Answer: "Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the Law of God." But that just throws us back to the next question: What is the Law of God? And that is why the Old Testament and the Jews are so concerned with the law. You have to know the rules so that ...

2568. Beware of Crowds

Mark 1:29-39

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... years ago, wrote in one of her books, "Any event is magnified by a factor of ten by virtue of being published in the newspaper." And you can say that any attendance at church is magnified by a factor of ten by virtue of being reported by the preacher. Everybody wants a crowd, because in the world, a crowd always means success. But look at what a crowd means in the Bible. In the Bible, the crowd is what Jesus tries to get away from. In the Bible, the crowd tries to use Jesus. In the Bible, the crowd on one ...

2569. Dig In

Jeremiah 29:1-14

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... , the lounge will be open at 9:00 a.m. You can't get in until then!" The businessman said, "Get in? I don't want to get in. I want to get out!" There is in our time an exodus from public life in our society into private life, a narrowing of our world into ... world that you grew up in, then Jeremiah is speaking to you. Or if you find yourself in a situation in this life that you don't want to be in, but there is nothing you can do about it, then Jeremiah is speaking to you. This is what Jeremiah has to say to ...

2570. Family Matters

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... to become a Christian. Paul came back to Jerusalem to raise that question among the elders. Paul is making his point. The elders are all sitting around in a circle, Paul in the middle. Paul brought Titus with him. Titus is a Gentile. He is not circumcised, he doesn't want to be. He says he doesn't need to be, because Christ is with him. Paul brings Titus to Jerusalem so these old guys sitting around the room can see that he is not immoral, Titus is not an evil person; so they can see that the Lord is with ...

2571. Here We Go Again

Luke 21:25-36

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... a new covenant, a new promise." The promise is, he will always be with us. The testimony of the Church, for two thousand years, is the Lord is with us, and also with you. We are not alone. Life is still an exodus, from where we are to where we want to be. Or life is like an exile from what we have known. But we are not alone. Our text concludes with the counsel, "When these things come to pass, stand up and lift up your heads, for your redemption is drawing near." That's been the experience of Christians ...

2572. How to Be a Blessing

I Peter 3:8-12

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... and said, "I've just bought an Alfa Romeo. Will you bless it?" The minister said, "Wow! An Alfa Romeo! What a terrific car. I've always wanted to ride in one. Will you give me a ride? And by the way...what's a blessing?" We Methodists don't know very much about these ... a flower and placed it on the casket as it was being lowered. On the ride back to the funeral home he confessed to the woman, "I want to be your friend. And I can't be your friend unless I tell you the truth. I'm afraid I have to tell you that I ...

2573. Leave No Child Behind

Mark 10:13-16

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... America. We send children to the worst schools, the most vile hospitals, the filthiest and most unsafe neighborhoods, and then we study these children to find out why they don't have any values. In every city, there is a section where we don't go, and we don't want to see what's there. The children who live in that part of the city are not our children, and we have nothing to do with them. I tell you, that is a form of the old Roman practice of child abandonment, getting rid of unwanted children by ignoring ...

2574. Look Ma, No Hands

Mark 6:7-13

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... way her wig looks. Then she asks about me. She asks about my family, the children, where we are going to spend our summer. Then she cries. Because you know, it's not the right time. Things are not the way they should be. There are still things that she wants to do. There are joys that mothers know that she will never experience. There are celebrations that are coming, and she won't participate in them. But it's not going to happen. So she weeps. Then she says, "But I'm going to keep on going anyway. I'm ...

2575. Scandalous News

Luke 4:16-30

Sermon

Mark Trotter

... on the billboard that will catch the attention of people who are traveling 70 miles an hour. But I do have some standards, I want you to know, unlike other preachers I know. I know a preacher who preached on Jesus' baptism, where the heavens open, and a voice ... can tell you when you return to preach in your hometown, they don't come to hear a sermon, they come to see the preacher. They want to see if he is still the same kid who was "raising cain" when he was sixteen. So when Jesus came back to Nazareth to ...

Showing results