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 2751 to 2775 of 3108 results
2751. 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Sweet
Leonard Sweet
Paul's conversations with the Corinthians take on various tones throughout his letters. At times he harangues, sometimes he pleads; elsewhere he criticizes, cajoles or convinces. In today's text, Paul is continuing his response to the questions some Corinthians had posed previously about eating meat that had been offered to idols. Paul has already urged the Corinthians to be like athletes (9:25) and "exercise self-control in all things." But he now turns to established Scriptural examples to demonstrate ...
2752. Matthew 2:13-23
Matthew 2:13-23
Sweet
Leonard Sweet
Matthew's gospel interjects into the birth narrative the intertwined stories of the baby Jesus' family's flight into Egypt, and the murderous rage of Herod the Great. The so-called "slaughter of the innocents" (vv.16-18) recounts a crime so heinous that it continues to confound and confuse us even after 20 centuries of similar and periodic vicious violence and conscienceless cruelty. The overall view that Matthew's narrative assembles here is a moving picture portraying the sometimes surprising speed of ...
2753. Etched in Stone
Exodus 20:1-21
Sermon
King Duncan
A mother and her two small boys were having a serious discussion about stealing and why it was wrong. “Tell me,” she said, “Why do you think stealing is wrong?” Five-year-old Luke said that stealing was against God’s laws. He had learned about the Ten Commandments in Sunday school. Mother asked the boys if they knew any of the other Ten Commandments. Luke remembered two others: “You shall not murder,” and “Honor your father and mother.” But the boys couldn’t think of any other commandments, until little ...
2754. Everything Is Broken
Mark 1:29-39
Illustration
Michael D. Powell
We live in a broken world. The contemporary Jewish prophet, Robert Zimmerman, once detailed the list of things that were broken. Everything Is Broken, he said. Broken bottles, broken plates, broken switches, broken gates. Broken dishes, broken parts, streets are filled with broken hearts. Broken words, never meant to be spoken, everything is broken. Broken bodies, broken bones, broken voices on broken phones. Take a deep breath, feel like you're chokin', everything is broken. Broken treaties, broken vows, ...
Sermon
Mike Ripski
Allow me to set the stage for the story you are about to hear. Recall that last week we heard the story of a leader of the religious establishment, Nicodemus, and his coming to Jesus at night to check him out. Jesus ends up checking Nicodemus out, for “Jesus himself knew what was in everyone.” So in Chapter 3 of John’s testimony to God’s good news focuses on Jesus’ challenge of a leader of the religious establishment, who can’t understand why Jesus says he needs to be reborn in order to enjoy that life ...
Sermon
Mike Ripski
What is the mission of the United Methodist Church? To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Jesus is the Master teacher. We are his apprentices. We do what he shows us. Then we practice it with others who are his disciples, his apprentices, too. It’s called “Church.” So, what has Jesus taught you lately? What are you practicing with other apprentices? We are sitting on the hillside with those who have experienced God’s new world through Jesus’ healing them. He says, “Sit down ...
2757. Theology 101
Psalm 111:1-10
Sermon
Mike Ripski
I. Knowledge and Faith Once upon a time a man had car trouble near a monastery. He knocked on the door, and tells the monk, “My car broke down. Can I spend the night?” The Monks receive him with great hospitality. They feed him a wonderful dinner and even fix his car. They show the man to a guest room for the night. As the man is about to fall asleep, he hears a strange sound. It’s a sound like nothing he’s ever heard. It’s a sound that draws him toward it.. He can’t sleep, wondering where that sound is ...
2758. No Celebration without Confession
John 2:12-25
Illustration
Brett Blair
Another set of "money-changers" in the church seem to have lost their reason for forgiveness. Catholic priests have expressed concern over the sharp decline in the number of people desiring to take confession. We hear a lot of talk about the word celebration in our church today. There can be no celebration until there is first confession. In the parable of the prodigal son, the banquet does not occur until the boy had first come to himself. A Sunday School class in a church once made an unusual request one ...
Sermon
Brett Blair
I can’t think of a greater condemnation to be levied against a people than this: They loved darkness instead of light. I would never want that to be said of me. But that is the way God sees the world. You and I see the world as it is right now. Most of the people around us try and do the right thing and when we are wrong hopefully we apologize. So we tend to think well of most people. But look out on the passage of time…. The Ancient World of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Hellenism, Rome, Persia, India, and East ...
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY This pericope constitutes the third of the four servant songs in Isaiah. Yehweh'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 he believes Yahweh will vindicate, help and pronounce him innocent. Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11 Paul is pleading for unity in the Philippian congregation. He uses Jesus as an example of humility. In this pericope, Paul shows the ...
2761. Easter 5
Acts 8:26-40, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-17
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 8:26-40 The treasurer of an Ethiopian queen was on his way home after worshiping in Jerusalem. His chariot was on a main road from Jerusalem to Egypt. The Spirit directed Philip, one of the seven deacons (Acts 6:1-5), to meet the chariot at Gaza. The eunuch was probably a proselyte or God-fearer of Judaism. Philip found him reading Isaiah 53 but not understanding it. After Philip's explanation, the Ethiopian asked to be baptized. He accepted Christ and according to tradition, he ...
2762. Lent 2
Mark 8:31--9:1, Romans 4:1-25, Genesis 17:1-27
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 17:1-27 This is the account of Yahweh's covenant with Abraham. As with Noah, Yahweh offers a covenant with Abraham. Through the covenant Yahweh offers him a people, a land, a son and a God. The outward sign of the covenant is circumcision. The effect of the covenant is a change in Abraham's life symbolized by the change of his name from Abram to Abraham. In response Abraham has the responsibility to walk before Yahweh and to live blamelessly. Yet, when Yahweh informed him ...
2763. Proper 11
2 Samuel 7:1-17, Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-44, Mark 6:45-56
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Old Testament: 2 Samuel 7:1-14a Through Nathan, Yahweh refuses David's intention of building a temple and informs David that his son will build it. Scholars consider this chapter the most controversial in 2 Samuel. It is a temple necessary for religion. This pericope deals with the first half of the chapter. The situation is this: The ark of the covenant is now in Jerusalem but housed in only a tent (tabernacle) made of curtains. David, having conquered his enemies, has peace and begins to ...
2764. Christmas 1
Isaiah 61:10–62:3, Luke 2:21-40, Galatians 3:26–4:7
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 61:10--62:3 This passage, written by Third Isaiah around 530 B.C. deals with a time when the returned exiles did not find conditions as glorious as Second Isaiah promised. Third Isaiah kept the message of righteousness and salvation, pictured as festive garments, alive in a disappointed people. In chapters 60-62 the prophet announces God's promise of deliverance. Verses 10-11, spoken by Isaiah or Jerusalem, constitute praise and thanksgiving for the promised deliverance. In ...
2765. Christmas 2
Ephesians 1:1-14, Jeremiah 30:1--31:40, John 1:1-18
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 the returning of the exiles to Zion. Epistle: Ephesians 1:3-14 In Christ, God ...
Sermon
King Duncan
In May of 1997, a powerful tornado swept through parts of Texas, flattening buildings and overturning cars. Shoppers at the Albertson’s supermarket in Cedar Park, Texas, were in a state of panic. Then a commanding voice come over the intercom, the voice of Larry Fore, the manager of Albertson’s. This is what he said: “Don’t leave the store or you will die . . . Your only chance of survival is to do exactly what I tell you.” Fore then directed the shoppers to enter the nearest meat locker. They did just as ...
2767. One Life Will Do Fine
Illustration
Staff
In one of his books, noted Presbyterian author Frederick Buechner tells about a trip to the grocery store. He and his wife were in a hurry, so when they entered the small New England general store, they tore their shopping list in two. He took one half of the list and she took the other and they set off down separate aisles. The store was mostly empty so they talked with each other from one aisle to the next. Standing by the shelf of breakfast cereal and cake mix, Buechner called out, "Don't forget the ...
2768. A Time for Opportunity
Ephesians 4:17--5:21
Sermon
King Duncan
Some of you are familiar with a 26-year-old blogger in Montreal, Canada named Kyle MacDonald. Kyle is the ultimate modern day horse trader. He has become famous for trading a red paper clip for a house. Yes, you heard right. A paper clip for a house. How did he accomplish this remarkable exchange? Well, he didn’t have a job, but one day he looked at a red paper clip on his desk and decided to trade it on the barter section of the popular website Craigslist. He asked people to trade with him anything of ...
Sermon
James Merritt
Everyone who has ever gone to school, be it high school, college or graduate school knows that there are two words that can turn your stomach into a pretzel, make your mouth as dry as cotton, shoot your blood pressure through the roof and send your sweat glands into apoplexy. Those two words are the words – "final exam". I will never forget the final- final I ever took. It was my oral examination in front of my three supervisory professors in my doctorial program. I've never felt such pressure in my life, ...
Sermon
James Merritt
Anyone who knows anything about the Bible knows that beyond question, the central character and the hero of the entire Bible is the Lord Jesus Christ. With the exception of Jesus Christ, one individual has more scripture devoted to Him than any other individual. Would you know who that is? Hint: It is neither Paul nor Moses. This character is mentioned in I and II Samuel, I Kings, I Chronicles, and seventy-five psalms. He is the first person named in the New Testament after Jesus Christ and he is the last ...
Sermon
James Merritt
There was only one thing that John Q's son needed and wanted—a heart. The one thing his dad was willing to give him at all costs was his heart. God loves you so much He gave the heart of His own Son for you. The reason He did it was grace. You will never understand the Bible unless you understand it is a story of grace. Grace is simply God giving to us what we do not deserve. God created this world but He didn't have to. God created you but He didn't have to. God sent His son Jesus Christ to die on the ...
2772. Mind Games
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Sermon
James Merritt
(After a video of Hershel Walker) Oh, those were the glory days! Now there is something most of you probably missed in seeing that video. You thought the focus was on Hershel Walker, but the key to what you just saw was the offensive line. Not even Hershel Walker, the greatest college running back who ever lived, who happened to play for the greatest college football team, at the greatest university in history, cannot run one yard unless he has an offensive line opening the holes. There is an old football ...
Sermon
James Merritt
Everybody at one time or another has read the comic strip "Peanuts" by Charles Schulz. If you have, you can't help but love Charlie Brown. In one of the classic cartoons, Charlie Brown is at the beach building a beautiful sandcastle. He has worked on it all day long and as he stands back to admire his finished work, it is suddenly consumed by a huge wave. Looking at the smooth sand mound that had been his creation just a moment before, with that forlorn look, Charlie Brown says, "There must be a lesson ...
2774. Parenting 101
Ephesians 6:1-4
Sermon
James Merritt
There was a young couple who had just purchased brand new appliances for their house, and they decided to give their old refrigerator to their parents. Since they lived many miles apart, they just shipped the refrigerator to their parents. A few days later the phone rang, her mother said, "Honey, we want to send you a check for the refrigerator." The daughter said, "No, Mom, it's a gift. We want you to have it." The mother said, "But you could have sold it and made money." The daughter said, "Look, Mom, ...
Sermon
James Merritt
It came to guitarist, Keith Richards, literally in the middle of the night. He woke up, recorded the lyrics on a cassette tape player and went back to sleep. Three weeks later, the Rolling Stones recorded that song and it became their first number one hit, both in the United Kingdom and in the United States and it became their launching pad to fame. Mick Jagger, who wrote the lyrics to the song, said at the time it simply expressed his frustration with the consumerism and commercialism he found in the ...
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