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 251 to 275 of 1838 results

251. A Courtroom Confrontation

Matthew 27:11-26

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... the age of retirement, he discovered that his banker, who he thought was his friend, had defrauded him. Markham thought he was financially secure for retirement; instead he was horrified to learn that because of the fraud he was almost penniless. He was also bitter, so bitter that he could no longer write poetry. One day Markham was sitting at his desk doodling, brooding over the man who had wronged him. He later testified that the Holy Spirit spoke to him and said, "Markham, if you do not deal with this ...

252. Hay, Harmony, and Hallelujah

Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20

Sermon

G. William Genszler

... harmonies seemed to swell and rise like a choir of angels singing, "Hallelujah, and He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings and Lord of lords." Nanuska was glad because He was her friend and, for love of her, this mighty God had slept in the hay. Bitter, heartbreaking days were yet to come for Nanuska but she would manage in spite of it all. She always found the patience to endure by remembering the song her mother had sung about the little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay. Maybe that is exactly what we ...

253. Hymns at Midnight

Acts 16:16-40

Illustration

Larry Powell

... , he stopped by to see her. She proceeded to scold him because neither he nor anyone at the church had been to see her in the hospital (one and one-half days). She was sadly unable to enjoy the good news about her health because she had a bitterness in her spirit. It was the same kind of attitude that put Paul and Silas in prison. Paul and Silas were singing hymns in the cell and, about midnight, there was a great earthquake. The foundations of the jail quivered and shook. The doors were flung open and ...

254. In The Beginning

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Sermon

Robert Allen

... the only answer is the echo of our wailing cry. But hope sees a star, and in the night of death, listening love can hear the rustling of an angel’s wing. Some have asked the question, "Is there anybody there?" and they have come back with a bitter atheism - a bitter denial of God. Jean Paul Richter said: I have traveled the world, I have risen to the suns. There is no God! I have gazed into the gulf beyond and cried out, "Where art Thou?" And no answer came. We are utterly alone. And others have asked the ...

255. I Believe In Prayer

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

Robert Allen

... of the most debilitating illnesses known. Over a period of time, all of the muscles of the body become useless. But, the mind remains clear and sharp - trapped in a body that cannot move. Of course, this man reacted the way you or I would expect. He was bitter and angry at what was happening to him. When he did pray, his prayers were questions that asked, "Why me, God? Why is this happening to me?" Once, when I called on him, he cursed me ... He cursed God ... He cursed his illness. And who could blame him ...

256. Just A Whisper

Isaiah 9:1-7

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

... our lives. When confronted by terminal illness we want the word that a cure is at hand. Why does God allow life to be cut short? In grief and loss we are tempted to blame God, or to question our faith. When relationships fail we are tempted to be bitter and vow to never trust anyone again. At such times we need to tune our ears to hear once again the whisper of God’s love. Of course hearing that whispered message is difficult unless along the way we have cultivated the readiness to listen. That is one of ...

257. When Things Don’t Work Out, What Then?

2 Samuel 12:1-31

Sermon

Edward Chinn

... of the God whose sense of justice causes him to repay every man for his deeds; for another thing, sin takes on a life of its own as its effects spread out to engulf the innocent and the guilty alike. Not even David’s repentance can remove the bitter fact of consequences. David shared this problem of disappointment. "David prayed to God that the child would get well" (2 Samuel 12:16). He refused to eat and spent the nights lying on the floor of his room. His court officials tried to comfort him and get him ...

258. OUR LORD BETRAYED

Sermon

E. Jerry Walker

... another. An aura of tension surrounded them that was as real as the dust which clouded softly as it rose from their sandaled feet. Now two had joined in a subdued, but terse, exchange which could have been only the ragged, tag end of a bitter running argument. Something about which was to inherit the place of more prominence in some future kingdom. Clearly it was a challenge to personal prestige and status; and another of the band, who did not participate in the debate, turned aside, disgust written on his ...

259. OUR LORD DENIED

Sermon

E. Jerry Walker

... to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me." For an instant the hillside was breathless. There was no time for feeling or thought. Someone cursed and the mob sprang upon him and ... the memory of it was so bitter that a tear broke from Peter’s tightly closed eyes and he pulled his robe about him as though chilled by the night ... and they had fled. All his friends, his disciples, had fled ... And now, Peter walked alone. Alone, alien to the world. A group of men ...

260. OUR LORD FORSAKEN

Sermon

E. Jerry Walker

... said. "They toil not neither do they spin, and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as one of these." He had said this to demonstrate the deep significance of his teaching about God’s care and love, but with the thought, bitter sorrow was renewed. Where now was this loving Father? How could he have let this dreadful thing come to pass? At the base of the hill was an enlarged cave with a huge sealing stone at one side. The men carried their burden into its dark depths, the women ...

261. Reinforced With Joy

John 15:1-17

Sermon

O. Garfield Beckstrand, II

... would live in the hearts of those who trusted in him. There is a well-known and true story about Martin Luther which we all need to remember. At the height of his greatness, Luther had not only loyal supporters, but bitter enemies as well. Persecution, lies, bitterness, and betrayals brought him into a prolonged mood of depression and despair. One morning his wife appeared at the breakfast table dressed in somber black. Luther looked at her with amazement and said, "Who is dead?" His wife replied, "Do you ...

262. Called into Friendship

John 15:1-17

Sermon

O. Garfield Beckstrand, II

... longed to hear again the crack of a bat against a ball and smell the ballpark with all of its various odors. There his friend whispered to him, "Ted, you are going to make it with the help of God." Up to that point Ted Husing had been bitter toward God. Suddenly he saw his mistake. He repented. Loyal friends and thousands of letters and prayers from all over the country brought him back to God and the simple trusting faith of his childhood. He recovered much of his lost health. But he also learned through ...

263. A Good God and the Problem of Suffering

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

... is your most difficult problem relative to Christian Belief?" This was the answer of one woman: "Giving up all our children, whom we so much wanted and loved. First an infant son. Second an infant daughter. Third a daughter 13 1/2 years old. There was no bitterness in my soul - but a deep heart hunger." Why? Walk down any street, in any city, in any country of the world. It’s there, behind the doors and windows that line that street. In my congregation, a mother with three children is struck down by polio ...

264. Counting The Cost?

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

... first job as a "bag boy"? Of course you recall your school custodian who repaired your locker and refused money for the service, and he was always cheerful. How well you call to mind your minister who, with courage, stood up for his convictions amid strong and bitter opposition, yet he did not recriminate. In short, people you best remember are those who gave of themselves. It was not what they gave; it was that they gave. It was not giving out of necessity; it was giving out of a full heart. An elderly ...

265. Dealing With The Dividing Walls

Ephesians 2:11-22

Sermon

James W. Moore

... will wither and wilt and ultimately die. Vengeance is like that plastic covering. We can’t be spiritually healthy until that plastic covering is removed. Let me ask you something: Has someone hurt you? Do you feel estranged or alienated or crossways with anybody? Do you have bitterness in your heart toward any other person? If so, go fix that! Don’t wait around any more. Don’t put it off any longer. For your sake, for their sake, for God’s sake – go fix it! Ask God to go with you… and with his ...

266. The Shadow Ascending

John 21:15-25

Sermon

Gregory J. Johanson

... with the home and marriage. She in turn tries everything possible to make the marriage work to prove he is wrong. She works at being wife, housekeeper, nurse, doctor, counselor, and maybe earns part of the income. She tries to do the impossible, and the guilt, bitterness, resentment, and hostility keep rolling. She feels pressure from society for not being a good wife and mother when she thinks of getting out. So no matter what he does, the alcoholic knows he will always have a home to come back to. Act II ...

267. Be Careful How You Live

Ephesians 5:15-20

Sermon

Brett Blair

... the sun go down in your anger. He who is stealing must steal no longer. No unwholesome talk. Get rid of bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and malice. There should be no hint of sexual immorality, impurity, or greed. No obscenity, foolish talk, or ... there's no goat -- only the nine of us." It’s all a matter of perspective isn’t it? We can be grateful or we can be bitter. We can seek wisdom or we can live as fools. We can be sober learning what the Lord’s will is or we can fill ourselves with ...

268. His Last Supper

Luke 22:7-38

Sermon

Brett Blair

... the upper Floor of his house to the disciples and Jesus to come together to partake of the first Seder of the Passover. In this ancient meal, Jews eat certain symbolic foods to remind them of their former bondage in Egypt. A bitter herb is eaten to remind them of the bitterness of the experience. Applesauce is eaten to remind them that they were required to make bricks without straw. It was at this point that Jesus took the matzo bread and broke it and spoke the ancient words of the Baruch: Blessed art ...

269. The Peace Of Christ In A Chaotic World

John 14:15-31

Sermon

Brett Blair

... , chase away demons, give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, and, what is even a far greater work, if we should raise the dead after four days, write that this would not be perfect joy. After proceeding a few steps farther, and still bitterly cold, he cried out again with a loud voice: O Brother Leo, thou little lamb of God! if we monks could speak with the tongues of angels; if we could explain the course of the stars; if we knew the virtues of all plants; if all the treasures of ...

270. Wisdom: The Secret of Effective Living

Proverbs 8:34-35

Illustration

Robert Allen

... he was set for life. But he was devastated that his company would let him go in the prime of life. For weeks he was lost and didn’t know what to do. His self-confidence was replaced with frustration. His friendly attitude changed to one of bitterness. The anger and emptiness he felt even made him consider suicide. After weeks of feeling helpless and not knowing what to do, Jack began to take an inventory of his life. His wife, who had been his high-school sweetheart, still loved him. His children were in ...

271. The Power to Change the Past

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... .' You need time. You need perspective and growth. It's too early to say definitively that I have forgiven them. But it's something that over the course of time I feel confident will be resolved," she added. "I can say I don't hold a lot of bitterness or anger. Those things would be detrimental to me and my family, and the terrorists have certainly taken enough from us. I'm not going to let them take any more."(5) Good for you, Lisa. Good for you. What about Simon Wiesenthal and that young trooper? Should ...

272. Last Words

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

King Duncan

... . The first message we proclaim from Christ is this: IN WHAT DIRECTION IS YOUR LIFE HEADED? That is, everyone's life has a direction and sometimes that direction is not desirable. For example, from time to time we encounter someone who is becoming more bitter with every day that passes. You've known people like that. Somewhere along the way something has caused them to sour on life. And rather than seeing the folly of such a depressing attitude rather than acknowledging that they ought to do something about ...

273. The Greatest Good News Of All

Luke 2:8-20, Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... FINALLY, HE EMPOWERS US TO A NEW LEVEL OF LIVING IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE BABE WHO ONCE INHABITED THE STABLE OF BETHLEHEM NOW RESIDES IN OUR HEARTS. George Elliot once wrote a book that many of us read while we were in school. It’s about a bitter old miser, Silas Marner, whose only preoccupation is his growing pile of gold. One day the gold is stolen. Marner longs to identify the thief and recover his gold. Instead, a young golden-haired child finds her way into Silas’ cottage, and he grows to love her ...

274. Confused But Not Forgotten

Genesis 21:8-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... . Abraham had taken God's promise seriously that he would father a great nation. When God was slow to act, Abraham decided to take matters into his own hands and have a son with this slave. Hagar and Sarah didn't get along; there was deep resentment and bitterness on Sarah's part. Sarah saw Ishmael playing with her son Isaac. She was filled with jealousy and anger. She wanted Abraham to get rid of this woman and her son. You would have thought that Sarah would have been grateful for having a son in her old ...

275. A Long Line Of Love

Ruth 1:1-22

Sermon

King Duncan

... for her to gain and everything to lose. So these two women set out for Bethlehem, Naomi's home town. Naomi's relatives greeted her fondly as they entered the city. But she told them, "Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara," which means bitter, "for my life has been a bitter one." The only food Naomi and Ruth had to eat after that was what was left in the farmers' fields after harvest. This system was known as "gleaning." Farmers were not permitted to go over their fields a second time. Whatever was left from ...

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