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 2626 to 2650 of 4961 results

2626. The Defining Moment (A Sermon for New Year's)

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

King Duncan

We're only a few days away from the New Year, and I can feel the anticipation--or dread, depending on your point of view--growing. I heard one guy say he already dreads the new year. He said, "The holidays aren't quite over and already I'm about 90 days ahead on my calories and 90 days behind on my bills." Some of you can identify with him. Our calendar did not come down from above. It was established by human minds. There is no real reason why one day on the calendar should bear more significance than any ...

2627. Beneath The Shadow Of The Cross

Mark 15:16-37

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

A. It was weird. It was really weird. The sky that afternoon had taken on a ghastly, ghostly, almost haunted hue. Ever since the midday bells had rung it had been like the edge of night. The darkness of the day seemed to reflect the way the apostle felt. It seemed to reflect the darkness of his soul and the darkness of the event taking place. John; one of the chosen twelve; one of the inner circle of leadership; the one who always seemed closest to Jesus, stood shrouded in his own sorrow. The lump in his ...

2628. What Does the Bible Really Say about Divorce?

Mark 10:1-12

Sermon

King Duncan

I enjoy humor about married couples. Comedian Brian Kiley said recently, “I love being married. When I was single, I got so sick of finishing my own sentences.” A pastor was teaching on Proverbs 16:24 which reads like this: “Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” The minister then added, “In other words, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” One woman in the congregation put this advice to work immediately. She leaned over, put her head on husband’ ...

2629. Beneath The Shadow Of The Cross

Mark 14:1--15:47

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

It was weird. It was really weird. The sky that afternoon had taken on a ghastly, ghostly, almost haunted hue. Ever since the mid-day bells had rung it had been like the edge of night. The darkness of the day seemed to reflect the way the apostle felt. It seemed to reflect the darkness of his soul and the darkness of the event taking place. John; one of the chosen twelve; one of the inner circle of leadership; the one who always seemed closest to Jesus, stood shrouded in his own sorrow. The lump in his ...

2630. Seder Service: The Passover Haggadah

Bulletin Aid

Robert L. Linder and Rabbi Sol Ester

The Passover "A program of fellowship for adults and/or youth in Christian congregations desiring a better understanding of the heritage and the meaning of the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion." This work was inspired and initially written by Rev. Robert L. Linder while pastor of First English Lutheran Church in Toledo, Ohio. He was assisted by Jewish leaders of the community. It has since been revised by others, including Rabbi Sol Oster of Lima, Ohio. BLESSING OF THE FESTIVAL CANDLES Before ...

2631. Aren’t All Religions Basically Alike?

John 14:5-14

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

College students have an innate sense of fairness. They may not always practice it, but they usually have it lurking around somewhere. And so they often ask ministers questions like, “Why should Christianity claim to be the one true religion? What is God going to do with all those millions of people who are not Christians, and who never heard of Jesus Christ? Aren’t they as sincere as we are? Aren’t all religions, after all, basically alike?” Those questions usually arise after they have had their first ...

2632. United We Stand

John 17:11b-19

Sermon

King Duncan

Today is Mother’s Day, a day when we honor our Moms. We learn many things from our Moms. My mother taught me religion. She used to say things like, “You better pray that comes out of the carpet.” My mother taught me medicine: “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they’re going to freeze that way.” My mother taught me how to be a contortionist: “Will you look at the dirt on the back of your neck!” My mother taught me to appreciate a job well done: “If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just ...

2633. Called To Freedom

Galatians 5:1-15

Drama

Jerry Eckert

Comment: Several times over the years, I preached a series of sermons out of the letter to the Galatians. Having tried a number of other dramatic techniques, I decided to have a phone conversation between Paul and Barnabas. I prepared a script and got two phones, one for me (Barnabas is one of the great saints of the New Testament and I played him) and one for a church member who played Paul. In succeeding weeks, I went further, having a four-way phone consultation including a representative of the ...

2634. A Tragic Waste

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Sermon

King Duncan

In 1977 Patrick Bissel was a fastrising star with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. Critic Clive Barnes had nothing but praise for Bissell. In his column Barnes hailed "the emergence of a major new star." Bissel, however, never fulfilled that prophecy. He died earlier this year from an overdose of cocaine. Bissel's story made the headlines because all who knew him recognized the tragedy of such vast potential wasted. At age 20 Patrick Bissell had been drafted from the ranks to perform roles normally ...

2635. The Church Of Our Dreams

Ephesians 4:1-16

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

One day a couple by the name of Herman and Mary were riding along in their shiny new car. Mary spoke up and said, "You know, Herman, if it weren't for my money, we probably wouldn't have this wonderful new car." And Herman just sat there and didn't say anything at all. As they pulled into the driveway, Herman turned off the motor and they quietly admired their new home. Then Mary said, "You know, Herman, if it weren't for my money, we probably wouldn't have this new house." And again, Herman just sat there ...

2636. If You Look Like Your Passport Photo

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon

Mark Trotter

When you have your picture taken, are you nervous about the results? They say "the camera doesn't lie," but you and I know better. A woman said to the photographer, "I hope your camera will do me justice." He said, "Ma'am, you don't need justice, you need mercy." The title of this sermon comes from an old aphorism, "If you look like your passport picture, you need the trip." I renewed my driver's license a little while ago. I got one of these new California driver's licenses with your picture on it. So I ...

2637. Don't Sweat the Sin Debt

John 19:30

Sermon

James Merritt

It was a crisp May morning in a small pastorium of a small rural community called Buck Grove, Kentucky. I had been living, eating, sleeping, and breathing with a document called a dissertation. I had read from hundreds of books, articles, and journals in English, French, and German. Hardly a day went by for three years that I did not work on this thesis. It was midnight on that May morning, and I wasn't just tired, I was, as they used to say in the country, "all tuckered out." I started to put my pen down ...

2638. Israel: The World’s Invincible Nation

Jeremiah 23:2, 7-8

Sermon

James Merritt

I recently got E-mail from a young man that I took very seriously. There are several reasons why I immediately responded to this young man's E-mail. First of all he is a very bright student. In fact, he may graduate a year early from his university. Second, he is a very fine Christian young man with extremely high values. Thirdly, he goes to a very wonderful godly Christian university. Fourth, I know his Dad and Mom probably better than I know anybody in the world, and his Mother especially expects me to ...

2639. Jesus: The Promise Received

Luke 2:10-14

Sermon

James Merritt

Jessica was four years old and she had had a perfect Christmas. She got all the presents she wanted. Her cousins were with her to share the holidays. She had eaten her favorite food all day long and as her mother tucked her in for bed she looked up at her at smiled and said, "Mom, I sure hope Mary and Joseph have another baby next year." After Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph did go on to have several other babies. However, the first baby born to Mary was not one that they had. It was one that Mary had by ...

2640. Adopted

Ephesians 1:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

A man in Wilton, Connecticut named Gary Klahr told a remarkable story in Guideposts a few years back. He said that one night in 1975 he made a new friend at a local restaurant. This new friend, Steve Barbin, happened to be seated at the next table and they got to talking. By the time they finished their burgers, they’d pushed their tables together and were well on the way to becoming best friends. They grew so close that they finished each other’s sentences and shared belly laughs at jokes that no one else ...

2641. Living to Please God

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

The first three chapters of this letter are largely personal and historical in character, the last two practical and doctrinal. They are joined in the Greek by the conjunction oun, which sometimes expresses a logical connection, as in Romans 12:1 where the exhortation arises out of the doctrinal exposition (cf. also Eph. 4:1; Col. 3:5). But not here. The oun is simply transitional. In his report, Timothy may have noted a tendency, or at least a temptation, for the Thessalonians to slip back into heathen ...

2642. Final Instructions

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

Generally speaking, the report brought by Timothy concerning the church in Thessalonica was most heartening, and when Paul heard it, he offered thanks to God for their faith and love, for their hard work and hope. But in some respects there was room for improvement. Of particular concern was the relationship between the leaders of the church and the other members. Due perhaps to a restlessness provoked by uncertainty about the Parousia or by some other factor (see disc. on 4:11; 5:14; 2 Thess. 3:6–13 and ...

2643. Accusations

2 Corinthians 2:12--3:6

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

For Paul, Satan is a conquered, yet still dangerous, foe. Although “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20), Satan is still “the god of this age,” who blinds the minds of unbelievers from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4), and he is “the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Eph. 2:2). There can be no fellowship between the realm of Belial and unbelievers, on the one hand, and the realm of ...

2644. The Greatest Sin

Luke 13:6-9

Sermon

King Duncan

Let’s imagine that everyone in this room today is a follower of Jesus Christ. [Let me hasten to say that if you are not, it is time you made that decision.] But let’s assume we all are. Let me ask a most important question: what is the worst sin any of us can commit as a follower of Christ? Of course, I’m assuming that we are not going to murder someone, or commit adultery, or rob a bank. What then is the worst thing we can do as a follower of Jesus Christ? Think about that for a moment. Jesus told a ...

2645. Homesick For a Future: New Life for the New Millenium

Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I don’t know how it is with you, but occasionally I have flashbacks. Sometimes these are connected with a task at hand, or a decision with which I am struggling, or when I am wrestling with what I perceive as a call of God upon my life. Occasionally these flashbacks are connected with my preaching. It happened a couple of months ago. I was struggling with personal direction issues, but had also begun to think of the assignment of preaching on this occasion. The words of a young man named Nicholas in The ...

2646. I Am the Vine

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Jesus was the master of figurative language. He used stories to proclaim his great truths. He told parables, he painted word pictures, he referred to ordinary things in order that he might underscore extraordinary and eternal truths. The disciples would have been able to identify this image of Jesus, the image of the vine and the branches, fruit bearing and pruning, dead branches burned. They would have been able to identify with it because Palestine was the land of vineyards. But more than that, the vine ...

2647. The Healing at the Pool

John 5:1-15, John 5:16-30

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

At this point the narrator’s interest in Jesus’ itinerary begins to wane. The events of chapters 5, 6, and 7 are introduced by the vague connective phrase, meta tauta (some time later, 5:1; “some time after this,” 6:1; “after this,” 7:1). The transition from chapter 4 to chapter 5 is a natural one in that a person appropriately goes to Jerusalem from Galilee for a feast of the Jews (v. 1), but the transition between chapters 5 and 6 is more awkward. Jesus is assumed to be still in Jerusalem at the end of ...

2648. Life Through the Son

John 5:16-30, John 5:1-15

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

2649. Proper 17

Lk 14:1, 7-14 · Heb 12:18-19, 22-24; 13:1-8 · Eze 18:1-9, 25-29 · Prov 25:6-22

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Ezekiel 18:1-9, 25-29 Each person is responsible for his/her life. Ezekiel here stresses individual responsibility for sin. Heretofore the emphasis was upon community, the nation. Now Judah is in bondage and the community (nation) exists no more. The old proverb said that the children suffer for the sins of their parents. Those now in exile holding to this view could feel no responsibility for their plight and could accept the situation as fate. Ezekiel corrects this one-sided view by preaching ...

2650. Digging Deeper

Philippians 3:12-16

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Three students were discussing various versions of the Bible. One said, "I like the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. It is easier to read than the older versions." A second student said, "I like the Message. It's easy to read and it's pithy and to the point. I can use it in my daily prayer." The third student surprised them all and said, "I like my mother's version the best. She translated the Bible into action I can use in my daily life." I really like that. Somebody once said, "You may be the ...

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