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 2801 to 2825 of 3108 results

2801. Walking First Class

2 Corinthians 3:12-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

McFaith. You know people like that don't you? They want Gospel Lite as if it were something consumable and not something to consume their souls. They don't want to bear the cross as Jesus said, but they'll gladly wear it as jewelry. They don't seem to get it. They have no idea what their destination or purpose in life is all about. They remind me of a story told about the late Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. When he was eighty-eight years old he was traveling by train. When the conductor came ...

2802. Do We Live in ‘Why’ or ‘Whynot’

Romans 12:3-8, 16-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

(Pursuit of Happiness Clip) If you have seen the movie Pursuit of Happiness, it is based on the true story of Chris Gardner. Chris Gardner's life is falling apart. After a business deal goes bad, he feels that the only way he can make a good life for his family is if he changes careers. So despite all the odds, Gardner enters the chase for a lucrative job as a stockbroker at Dean-Whitter. The only problem is that the competitive internship required doesn't pay anything, and there is no guarantee of ...

2803. A Word to Prodigals

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

King Duncan

Retired seminary professor Fred B. Craddock was preaching on the parable of the prodigal son. After the service a man said, “I really didn’t care much for that, frankly.” Craddock asked, “Why?” The man said. “Well, I guess it’s not your sermon, I just don’t like that story.” Craddock asked, “What is it you don’t like about it?” He said. “It’s not morally responsible.” Craddock asked, “What do you mean by that?” “Forgiving that boy,” said the man. Craddock asked, “Well, what would you have done?” The man ...

2804. The Smell Of Smoke Still Lingers

John 21:1-19

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

An old Reader's Digest story tells about a family who moved to Seattle from Texas. The whole family was missing Texas, especially when Christmas was just around the corner and the whole place was covered in snow. We like it snow on Christmas morning or Christmas Eve, just as long as it's all gone by the time we get on the road to go to visit our families, right Well anyway, this woman said she went to pick up our first-grade son from school, his teacher told me about a conversation she overheard as the ...

2805. By Right Paths

Psalm 23:3

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Rev. Dicky Love tells the story of an overworked mother of three active young boys who was playing in the yard with her boys one afternoon when her neighbor came by to borrow a cup of sugar. One of her boys aimed his play pistol at his mother and yelled, "Bang! You're dead!" Mom acted the part perfectly. She took the shot, groaned, "You got me." Then she spun and fell to the ground. When she fell to the ground, she didn't get up. Her neighbor waited for her to get up. But Mom didn't get up, so the ...

2806. The Guest List

Luke 2:8-20

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

I remember an old Family Circus cartoon, Dolly was sitting with her baby brother on her lap and was telling him the story of Christmas. It was something like this: "Jesus was born just in time for Christmas up at the North Pole surrounded by 8 tiny reindeer and the Virgin Mary. Then Santa Claus showed up with lots of toys and stuff and some swaddling clothes. The 3 wise men and elves all sang carols while the Little Drummer Boy and Scrooge helped Joseph trim the tree. In the meantime, Frosty the Snowman ...

2807. Trusting God's Generosity

2 Corinthians 1:20-22

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

For in him every one of God's promises is a "Yes." For this reason it is through him that we say the "Amen," to the glory of God. But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first installment. (2 Corinthians 1:20-22 - NRSV) Back before I answered the call to preach, Mary and I worked a farm with her grandparents. I thoroughly enjoyed those days on the farm. We worked hard but you could see the results. My ...

2808. Cross Eyed: Anger

John 2:13-22

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Pet Peeves, we all have them don't we? Those things that just set us off. Some of my pet peeves are: People who don't use their turn signals or turn them on when they're turning. Road maps that aren't folded back up correctly. I don't know why, it just bugs me. I guess it's like the next one, tangled and wadded up extension cords. Fast food lines that aren't fast. All the prescription drug ads on TV with their long disclaimers of possible side effects. (They make me want to run and hide, not ask my doctor ...

2809. Haiti

Job 1:6-22

Sermon

Brett Blair

On Tuesday of this week just before sunset a powerful 7 magnitude earthquake rocked the island country of Haiti. You have seen the images of suffering and the aftermath on the internet and TV. There horrible irony is that this is considered by many to be the poorest country in the western hemisphere. They had no direction to go but up. And now this. Already at the bottom economically and now they have been shoved through the floor. As I watched TV, listened to radio, listened to people in our community, ...

2810. Harmony and Humor: The Ties That Bind Christianity’s Many Christianities

Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Let’s begin this morning with a song. Please stand. Most of you know the song “Beneath the Cross of Jesus.” If you don’t, you are hearing our organist/pianist/keyboardist play it right now as I’m talking. On the PC-USA webpage, there was posted a hymn written a week ago by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. It addresses in song the Haitian disaster where, according to the most recent estimates, between 100,000 and 200,000 Haitians perished. The words are sung to the tune of “Beneath the Cross of Jesus.” I invite ...

2811. The Eighty-Yard Run

Luke 5:1-11

Illustration

James Garrett

Irwin Shaw wrote a short story called The Eighty-Yard Run. As a college freshman, at his first football practice, he broke loose for an 80-yard touchdown run. His teammates looked at him with awe. His coach said, "You're going to have quite a future around here." His girlfriend awarded him with a kiss after the practice. Irwin Shaw has the feeling that life is completely satisfying and rewarding. But nothing in the rest of his life ever lives up to that day again. His football experience is equally ...

2812. Giving Up

Luke 13:31-35

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Lent started early this year. With the east coast up to its eyebrows in snow, the Lenten season was underway. I only learned recently that every year Fat Tuesday comes to an abrupt end at midnight. New Orleans police shut down the Mardi Gras festivities promptly at 12 am in reverence for Ash Wednesday. The stroke of midnight is the moment Bourbon Street revelers must give it up. We always think of “giving up” something for Lent. Some people give up meat. Others give up sweets, or alcohol, or television. If ...

2813. You Got Them Today Preacher!

Luke 13:1-9

Illustration

C. Robert Allred

A young and fearless preacher had a problem with a somewhat worldly parishioner who would remark sarcastically every Sunday as he shook the preacher's hand at the door, "You got them today preacher!" Sunday after Sunday this fellow never seemed to feel that he needed to repent and always felt that the sermon was for everybody else. Then one Sunday there was a bad snow storm and the preacher and this one fellow were the only ones that could show up. The preacher seized the opportunity and preacher his ...

2814. What Matters In the Light of Eternity: “God Matters”

Acts 17:16-34

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, It was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity. What Charles Dickens said of Europe in the eighteenth century could be said of religion in the twenty-first century. In short, the world is polarizing over religion. It is getting both more and less religious at the same time and that’s what I would like to talk about today. When the Apostle Paul walked among the idols on Mars Hill in ...

2815. Resurrected Following (Series: Living on the Resurrection Side of Life)

John 10:1-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

A famous actor was the guest of honor at a social gathering. As people gathered around, they asked the actor to recite excerpts from various literary works. He obliged and did so brilliantly. Finally, an elderly pastor asked the author to recite the 23rd Psalm. The actor hesitated at first and then agreed on one condition. The pastor would return the favor. The actor’s recitation was brilliant and eloquent. People responded to the actor with lengthy applause. The pastor’s rendition was feeble and frail. ...

2816. Discover the Perfect Gift of Christmas

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

This time of year we're all searching for the perfect gift aren't we? We want Christmas to be special for the people we know and love. We want it to be memorable. Often times though we're like a comic I saw this week in the theological section of the paper. In the Pearls Before Swine comic strip: Pig and Rat are talking and Pig says: "Look, Rat . I'm counting down the days to Christmas with my new homemade calendar. You open a prize box for each day that passes. It's called and Advil calendar." Rat simply ...

2817. Follow Your Changes (Series: An Invitation to Christian Discipleship)

John 16:5-16

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

On January 31, 1829, Governor Martin Van Buren of New York wrote this letter to President Andrew Jackson. “As your know, Mr. President, railroad carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 mph by engines which roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed.” Do you remember when a mouse was a rodent that liked cheese, a chip was a piece ...

2818. Winning the War Over Stuff (Series: Winning The War Over Daily Life)

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Have you noticed how almost everything you buy these days has a warning label on it? Welcome to the world of protection from litigation. Some of the wackiest ones include: A bottle of sleeping pills with the warning: “Caution, may cause drowsiness” A fishing lure with the warning: “Harmful if swallowed” Washing machine with the instructions: “Don’t put people inside.” It causes me to start thinking about appropriate warning labels for worship to be printed in the bulletin: “Sleep at your own risk” “Caution ...

2819. Why Am I So Lonely? (Series: Real Faith For Real People)

Acts 2:42-47

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

Why am I so lonely? Do you ever ask yourself that question? On Google’s “Lonely Life” website, a lady by the name of Amanda made this entry: “I am living in NYC. I miss my family really bad. My boyfriend dumped me. I lost my job. I am feeling very, very lonely tonight - lonely enough to Google loneliness.” Loneliness is increasing in America. IN 1985, 10% of Americans said they had no close friends. By 2004, that percentage had increased to 24.6%. Loneliness is an epidemic. And I think I know the reason ...

2820. Cast All Your Anxiety on Him

1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Open With Video: Incredible Family from www.sermonspice.com I hope none of you are cringing. All of us would like to lay claim to having an Incredible Family. We admit that we have our problems but despite those problems and shortcomings we still want that incredible family. And we usually think our families are pretty incredible. We all have problems in our families. Even God. And we can take comfort from the thought that even God had problems with God's kids. Remember the story in Genesis? After creating ...

2821. Loving as Jesus Loved Us

John 13:31-38

Illustration

Scott Hoezee

Some years back neurologist Oliver Sacks wrote a fascinating vignette of an intriguing neurological difficulty. As some of you know, Tourette's Syndrome is a bizarre mental disorder that causes victims to have any number of physical and verbal tics. Some Tourettic people have constant facial twitches, others find themselves uncontrollably uttering verbal whoops, beeps, and sometimes also raunchy swear words. One man with Tourette's whom Dr. Sacks knew was given to deep, lunging bows toward the ground, a ...

2822. To Live Is to Choose

Matthew 7:13-14

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

It been in this congregation only eight days, but I discovered that there are a lot of men in this congregation who play golf. In fact, I’m wondering when some of these men work. I hope you won’t hold it against me that I don’t play golf. I do like golf stories. There is one out of the life of Arnold Palmer that legend of a golfer in our time that introduces the theme for our message today. Arnold Palmer, the legendary golfer. During the Los Angeles Open Golf Tournament a few years ago, Arnie was ...

2823. God's Chosen People: Partners

John 15:1-17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

A certain society matron took a course in First Aid. A few days after completing the course, she was an on-the-spot witness of a bad auto accident. Occupants of the car were thrown out by the impact and lay seriously wounded on the street. Later, describing the accident to a friend, the matron said, “It was awful, awful — and it happened so fast, right there in front of me. Tires squealed, breaks screeched, and all of a sudden there was the grinding crash. The next thing I knew people were lying in the ...

2824. There Is a Price for Everything, Part 2

Matthew 13:44-46

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

There is an old adage which has God saying: “Take what you wish - take it and pay for it.” That puts us immediately into the heart of our theme today: There is a Price For Everything. There is truth in that saying that the best things in life are free but we have to be careful about that. It isn’t absolute truth. Certainly we can’t buy love, but isn’t there really a price tag on love? How can we appropriate the love of a husband or a wife without paying the price of attention and tenderness, caring and the ...

2825. Barriers to Grace

Exodus 6:28--7:7

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Winston Churchill once described the Soviet Union as “an enigma wrapped in riddle.” Chapters 7-12 of Exodus is that an enigma wrapped in a riddle. It’s the story of God through Moses dealing with Pharaoh, seeking to convince Pharaoh to let the people go. It’s a graphic presentation of the plagues. The Nile River turns to blood and becomes foul; the fish of the river die; swarms of frogs overrun the land filling the houses, even the bedchambers (how would you like to go to bed with a hundred bullfrogs under ...

Showing results