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 2651 to 2675 of 3108 results

2651. Laugh It Off

I Corinthians 1:18-20, 26-31

Sermon

Mark Trotter

I have heard people talk about the power of laughter to heal. I came across it first in a book written by Norman Cousins some years ago called, Anatomy of an Illness. It was a story of his own debilitating illness, and how he conquered it with laughter. It seems that he was overseas at a meeting, and felt a fever coming on. In no time at all he found himself in the hospital, his situation diagnosed as a degenerative arthritic condition. The prognosis was not good. At best, he would have life-long paralysis ...

2652. Scandalous News

Luke 4:16-30

Sermon

Mark Trotter

Much to my surprise the title of this sermon, "Scandalous News," has caused a lot of people this past week to take notice. They would ask me, "What are you going to say?" I said, "I don't do previews." I did say, though, "It's not what you think, but it's probably much better than you could ever imagine." Titles can be misleading, but I have to put something out there 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 ...

2653. This Is Not the Race I Entered

Mark 8:27-38

Sermon

Mark Trotter

The scripture lesson for this morning comes from the Gospel of Mark, right in the mid-point of the story. It is the hinge on which the plot turns. Mark has a wonderful symmetry to his gospel. The turning point comes in the exact middle of the narrative. There are sixteen chapters in the Gospel of Mark, and this scene comes in the eighth chapter. Behind us in the first seven chapters are the halcyon days in Galilee, those three years in which he gathered his disciples and taught them. Ahead of us now are ...

2654. What If He Shows Up?

John 2:13-22

Sermon

Mark Trotter

I know that you remember Murphy's Law, which said, "If anything can go wrong, it will." There are a thousand variations of that law, such as, "Buttered toast, when falling to the floor, will always fall face down." But it seems that one day in this particular house the toast fell to the floor, and to the amazement of the family, it landed buttered side up. Immediately the scientists were called in to analyze this. Did this really refute Murphy's Law, which said that "buttered toast, when it falls to the ...

2655. What If It Is True?

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Mark Trotter

Well here we are already, the fourth Sunday in Advent. Christmas is just a few days away now. If you have noticed the sequence of lessons read here in church during these four weeks, they begin the first Sunday with longing, and expectation, and the hope that God will send a savior, a Messiah. Each week we move closer to that event that we as Christians believe is the event in which God kept that promise to send a savior, the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem. It was here at Bethlehem, we believe, that God ...

2656. What Time Is It?

Matthew 24:36-51

Sermon

Mark Trotter

As the year wears down, the days become shorter, the nights longer and darker. All people, both in our time and in ancient time, turn to questions of human mortality and the future of the earth. When I was in Mexico at the end of October, I saw the preparation for El Dia de los Muertos, "The Day of the Dead." Shrines were being erected in anticipation of November 2. The picture of the deceased loved one will be placed in the middle of the shrine, the frame of the shrine will be decked with beautiful yellow ...

2657. Why Join the Church?

Acts 2:1-21

Sermon

Mark Trotter

My wife and I were driving down the freeway one day, and she saw the title of the sermon on the marquee, "Why Join The Church?" She said, "That's the dullest title I've ever seen!" I asked her if she had ever heard Tammy Wynette sing, "Stand By Your Man"? Actually I believe it is a good title because it reflects the opinion of many people, that it is not necessary to join the Church in order to be a Christian. I suppose most of your neighbors feel that way. They probably wonder what you are doing getting ...

2658. Christmas 2

Jn 1:1-18 · Mt 2:13-15, 19-23 · Jer 31:7-14 · Eph 1:3-19 · Ps 147

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:7-14 Yahweh promises to rebuild the nation of Israel. God's word is one of hope through restoration of the exiles to their homeland. Previously Jeremiah had the unpleasant task of giving God's word as a message of doom, destruction, and exile. Now, God has him give a message for the period after the Babylonian captivity. Through Jeremiah, God has a word of hope by promising the gathering and returning the exiles to Zion. Epistle: Ephesians 1:3-14,15-19a In Christ God ...

2659. Epiphany 6

Matthew 5:17-37, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16; 3:1-23, Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 119

Bulletin Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (C) Moses gives his people a choice of life and death. The scene is Moab where the Israelites have assembled prior to crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. Our pericope is the conclusion to Moses' third address to his people in which he exhorts them to renew the Sinai covenant and warns them of disastrous consequences of their disobedience. The people are called upon to make a life or death decision. "This day" occurs three times to accent the urgency of the ...

2660. Lent 5

John 11:1-16, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 8:1-17, John 11:17-37, John 11:38-44

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Ezekiel 37:12-14 Ezekiel preaches the Word to the dry bones of Israel and they come to life. Ezekiel is a prophet to the exiles in Babylon. This Lesson comes from the section of the book that depicts a restoration of Jerusalem and its temple. He sees the Hebrews in exile as dead in hope because they are separated from the holy city and temple. God commands Ezekiel to preach to the dead bones and the Spirit brings life to the bodies. Through the preached Word, the Spirit of God ...

2661. Palm Sunday

Isaiah 50:1-11, Matthew 27:11-54, Philippians 2:1-11

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 50:4-7 Yahweh's servant faces suffering confident of his help. This pericope constitutes the third of the four servant songs in Isaiah. Yahweh's servant hears his voice and is therefore fortified with determination to suffer mental agony in terms of ridicule, false accusations, humiliation, and shame. He suffers confidently because Yahweh will vindicate, help, and pronounce him innocent. Epistle: Philippians 2:6-11 Jesus' humiliation and God's exaltation of him. Paul is ...

2662. Proper 14

Genesis 37:1-11, Genesis 37:12-36, 1 Kings 19:9-18, Jonah 2:1-10, Romans 9:1-29, Romans 9:30--10:21, Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-18 Joseph's brothers sell him into slavery. Jacob sent his favorite son, Joseph, to check on his brothers who were tending sheep. Because Jacob loved Joseph more than the other sons and made him a coat of many colors, the brothers hated Joseph. As he approached, they conspired to kill him. Their plan changed when traders on the way to Egypt came by. They sold Joseph to them for twenty pieces of silver. Old Testament: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 A discouraged Elijah ...

2663. Proper 18

Exodus 12:1-30, Romans 13:8-14, Matthew 18:15-20, Ezekiel 33:1-20

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Exodus 12:1-14 The Passover feast is inaugurated. In preparation for leaving Egypt, Yahweh instituted the Passover. Each family was to roast a sheep or goat and eat unleavened bread. The blood of the animal was to be placed on the doorposts to keep the angel of death from entering their homes. This is to be an annual feast to remind the people of God's deliverance. Old Testament: Ezekiel 33:(1-6) 7-11 He who warns the wicked shall live. Epistle: Romans 13:8-14 Christians are to ...

2664. Proper 15

John 6:25-59, 1 Corinthians 10:14-22, Deuteronomy 8:1-20

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16 Moses reminds the Israelites of Yahweh's providence during the wilderness experience. Deuteronomy is the renewal of the Mosaic covenant during the reign of Josiah in the seventh century. The Sinai covenant is applied to a new age. The book consists of Moses' farewell address to people who are about to enter Canaan. They are warned of coming temptation, the possibility of forgetting their God, and are urged to remain faithful to the covenant. Today's ...

2665. Disappointed in Jesus

Matthew 11:2-11

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

It was a painful experience for both of us. Jane was a young mother about my age. She had been on the pastor nominating committee that called us to New Jersey. And we had shared much laughter and friendship through the years. She also was on the session - and that cold November night she seemed edgy and distant. I soon found out why. Following the meeting, she waited for me out in the parking lot. And after I locked the church door, she simply lit into me. "How dare you!" she said. "How dare you push your ...

2666. Jesus Transforms the Darkness into Light

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Richard Gribble

Pastor David Johnson was all ready, he thought, for his Easter sermon. Having only graduated from the seminary three months prior to taking his present position at the Maple Street Community Church, he possessed all the latest and most interesting theology. He made the final touches to his sermon on Holy Saturday morning and outlined its content to his wife. He told her that his sermon was based on theology of Paul Tillich and spoke of the resurrection as a symbol that the estrangement from our authentic ...

2667. Pentecost! Slow ... and Sure!

John 20:19-23

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

Have you ever noticed how we preachers often promote the early church as if it were the ideal? "Why, they did a miracle a day in the early church." "When they had a prayer meeting, everyone came!" " They spoke in Greek then!" (As if it were some sort of superior language!) On and on we can go browbeating ourselves by comparison. Yet, when one really studies the Bible, he discovers that early believers weren't perfect either. Moses had his temper. Noah got drunk. David fell into adultery. Peter couldn't ...

2668. A Guide to Christmas

Matthew 21:23-32

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

If you talk about the blind and guides you are talking about seeing-eye dogs. If you discuss Alpine mountains and climbing, you must think of a Swiss guide. If you are ignorant and in college, your guide is a professor. So it is with foreign lands and tour guides, taxes and tax consultants. But what of Christmas? I think many of us feel that Christmas is so easy to find that we don't need a guide. Yet, let me remind you that there were few that found their way to the first nativity. In fact, most missed it ...

2669. Supper's Ready!

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

Let's pretend! Let's pretend that you've been invited by the Queen of England to attend a banquet at Buckingham Palace. Close your eyes for a moment and think. What would you wear? What would you talk about at the dinner table? Should you arrive ten minutes early, take a taxi, or will you be nervous? Better still, would you turn down the invitation? When John Kennedy was president of the United States, he invited a number of accomplished artists to a White House banquet. Among those invited was the then ...

2670. Taking Something Up for Lent

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Sometimes, not often and never intentionally, the secular calendar and the sacred calendar mesh. The liturgical calendar has us in the midst of Lent. Lent is traditionally a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and study, leading up to the solemn events of Passion week. Lent is usually associated with giving up something, making some small personal sacrifice in order to better understand the immense sacrifice made by the Son of God. But this is also a season of sacrifice for secular society as well. ...

2671. God's Resolutions

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Sociological bean-counters report that now barely one in three of us continue to make the traditional New Year's Resolution. Is it any wonder??? Almost without exception all the usual resolutions are so macho; so austere; so instantly depressing. Resolutions only succeed in casting a grey pall over the brand new year. Midnight strikes and we vow to lose twenty pounds; midnight strikes and we vow to rise an hour earlier in order to exercise; midnight strikes and we vow to master some new work-skill. Facing ...

2672. Soren's Heart

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

How many of you are wearing or have in your pocket or purse some sort of talisman - a small something that reminds you of something much bigger? We often call these things we carry around with us keepsakes or mementos or jewelry. But they're really talismans. According to the dictionary, a talisman is a trinket or piece of jewelry thought to afford some protection against danger and evil. Maybe you wear a locket that holds inside it photos of loves ones. Maybe you keep a worry stone (or a rosary?) in your ...

2673. Dolphin Drops

Isaiah 56:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Anybody here speak Italian? You all do. You all know more Italian words than you think you do. Rigatoni, marinara, al dente, alfredo, pasta, grande (both Italian and Spanish for large). Anybody here speak Spanish? You all do. You all know more Spanish words than you think you do. Taco, con carne, burrito, grande burrito, quesadilla, margarita. There are certain Greek and Hebrew words every Christian should know. Let's see how good your Greek is. Feta, baklava. Logos (Word), Christos (Christ), Kyrios (Lord ...

2674. Don't Be a Turkey (Thanksgiving)

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon

Alex Gondola

There is little question that the commercially grown turkey is, pound for pound, one of nature’s less intelligent creatures, at least according to an article I once read. In that article, author Fred McGuiness calls the domesticated turkey "as brainless as a baseball," and describes how turkeys can have trouble doing even simple things. For example, your average turkey can get into trouble doing something as simple as eating. Turkeys have been known to starve to death right next to a mountain of food. But ...

2675. Poison Control

Romans 7:7-25

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

It's every parent's nightmare. You walk into the room only to see your toddler happily playing with open bottles of pills. The contents of several bottles spilled across the floor. This was the sight we took in one suspiciously quiet morning when our daughter was about eighteen months old. Somehow she had created a climbing wall for herself that had enabled her to reach a high-shelf basket containing a cornucopia of "cure-it-yourself" vitamin pills. Also nestled somewhere in the bottom of the basket was ...

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