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 2876 to 2900 of 4961 results

2876. Colorizing Jesus

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Carl Jech

The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said ... "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." (John 20:26b, 29b) Most of us are familiar with the controversy that has been going on over the issue of "colorizing" old black-and-white movies. Do Humphrey Bogart and the Maltese Falcon or Jimmy Stewart and his Wonderful Life look better in the original black-and-white photography or with color added by one of the latest wrinkles in computer technology? There is a strong parallel ...

2877. Jeremy And Jesus

Luke 1:39-45

Sermon

King Duncan

(Fourth Sunday in Advent) There is a book titled BARREN COUPLES AND BROKEN HEARTS. It is about married couples who desperately want to have children but, for one reason or another, are unable. It is one of life's ironies, isn't it? Some couples have unexpected and even unwanted pregnancies. Other couples who are totally unfit to be parents also have no difficulty breeding. Then there are those couples with so much love to give but who are denied the opportunity. Of course, children are a challenge. I read ...

2878. Just Know Him In His Visible Return

Revelation 1:7-8

Sermon

James Merritt

I want to share with you some headlines that actually ran on the front page of American newspapers. Again, as Rush Limbaugh would say I am not making these up: "Something went wrong in Jet crash, expert says" "Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers" "Plane too close to ground crash probe told" "Minors refuse to work after death" "If strike isn't settled quickly, it may last a while" "Cold wave linked to temperatures" "Couple slain: Police suspect Homicide" "New study of obesity looks for larger test ...

2879. Thanksgiving and Prayer

Colossians 1:1-14

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

Paul’s Greetings The opening greeting in this epistle is typical of the way in which Paul has addressed other churches to whom he has written (1 Cor. 1:1–3; 2 Cor. 1:1–2; Phil. 1:1–2; 1 Thess. 1:1–2; 2 Thess. 1:1–2; cf. Eph. 1:1–2). Although the form of these salutations is quite similar to contemporary Greek models, the content is distinctly Christian and, in the case of Colossians, sets forth statements that are important to the body of the letter. 1:1 Paul links Timothy with the writing of this letter ( ...

2880. Tomorrow Doesn't Always Come

James 4:1-12

Sermon

Edward Inabinet

A very popular song from the musical Annie called "Tomorrow," was sung by the little red-haired orphan girl, and the words go something like this: The sun will come out tomorrow Bet your bottom dollar That tomorrow there will be sun And the refrain goes: Tomorrow, tomorrow It''s almost tomorrow It''s only a day away. Our hearts are really attracted to that, lifted up by those words. And the song does express the popular and comforting idea that there is always going to be more time, a second chance and ...

2881. He's Here Somewhere

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Sermon

Mark Trotter

To understand the gospels you must remember that they were written some generations after the Resurrection, and written to answer the questions being raised in that generation. In the case of the Gospel of John, which is the lesson for the sermon this morning, it was written at least sixty years after the Resurrection, three or four generations after. So the question being asked in our text is, "Where is he?" "If he has been resurrected, then where is he?" It is a particularly critical question for that ...

2882. Honoring the Fathers

Hebrews 11:17-22

Sermon

Mark Trotter

2883. Missing the Mark

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Sermon

Charles Allo

I love movies. I love movies because they make me think. No matter what I am going through, I can walk into the theatre and focus on a story other than mine. I see the images and how they paint a story about situations in life. Real situations. Unreal situations. It doesn't matter. For two hours and seven bucks, I get to experience a situation. Just a combination of circumstances; a state of affairs. In which I become lost, engaged in the flashes and personalities that remind me of my world, a world I want ...

2884. Advent 3

Luke 13:1-9, Exodus 3:1-22, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Isaiah 55:1-13

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Isaiah 55:1-9 Yahweh will have mercy on all sinners who come to him. This lection is in the last chapter of Deutero-Isaiah. It is a fitting and beautiful invitation to the Exiles in Babylon to return to Yahweh. If they return, they will receive the mercy of forgiveness. Lesson 1: Exodus 3:1-15 Moses is called to deliver God's people from bondage in Egypt. While tending his father-in-law's sheep, Moses is called by Yahweh to return to Egypt to lead out his oppressed people. First Yahweh ...

2885. Of Preachers and Preaching

Micah 1:8-16

Sermon

Of the several significant themes which may be identified in the Scripture lessons read today, I choose the one about preachers and preaching. Perhaps this is because I tune in most easily on this wave length. The prophet Micah came out of the village of Moresheth with a message concerning Samaria and Jerusalem which he was sure the Lord wanted him to deliver. It was a social Gospel message condemning the prominent and powerful of those societies for their many sins. "Have you no sense of justice?" he ...

2886. Sleeping through a Revolution

Mark 14:32-42

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

The story is told of a mother who called up the stairs to her son: “Get up! It is time to go to church.” The son said, “Aw, Mom, I don’t want to go to church. The people there all make fun of me. They don’t really like me. Nobody there ever listens to what I say. I’d rather stay home in bed.” The mother said, “But son, you’ve got to go.” The son said, “Give me two good reasons.” The mother replied, “Well for one thing, you are forty-two years old; and, for another, you’re the minister!” I’ve always had ...

2887. A Faith that Works with a Victorious Attitude

Philippians 2:12-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Today, we continue to preach and study through the marvelous letter of the Apostle Paul to the church and believers at Philippi. As many of you know, I often begin with a story or illustration, but today I want to begin our work by addressing and hopefully clearing up two major misconceptions or misinterpretations often associated with this text. THE FIRST MISINTERPRETATION IS THAT WE ARE SAVED BY OUR ATTEMPTS AT GOOD WORKS RATHER THAN SOLELY BY THE GRACE OF GOD revealed through the all sufficient, ...

2888. How to Connect With God

1 John 5:14-15

Sermon

James Merritt

In a Newsweek cover story entitled, "Talking to God", a Gallup poll reported that 91% of women and 85% of men say they pray regularly. That includes 94% of blacks and 87% of whites; 57% of Americans say they pray at least once every day.1 This survey went on to say that 32% of the people who pray, report that praying gives them a deep sense of peace; 26% said they sense the actual presence of God in their prayers.2 All of that sounded encouraging until I read this final statistic: Only 15% regularly ...

2889. Building a Lasting Legacy

Matthew 7:24-29

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

First, let me just say I am honored and deeply humbled to be your pastor and to have this special moment in the life of this church. I am grateful to my staff that has been here all morning long, to all of those who put this moment together, and for hundreds and hundreds of lay people who have made this day possible. Once to every man and nation, comes a moment to decide. Today is a decision day for this congregation and I pray that God himself will be our guide. When Jesus wanted to drive home a truth, he ...

2890. Love Sender

John 3:1-21

Sermon

James Merritt

Without even trying kids can teach us some of the greatest life lessons and when you are a kid you learn some of the greatest lessons in life. I want to share with you a lesson that I learned as a child. It all revolves around this gift [open gift – take out gumballs and a Milky Way]. Now here is the story behind this gum and this candy bar. When I was a child, I had saved enough money to do something I had never done before at Christmas which was to buy my parents a Christmas gift. I had saved up a dollar ...

2891. You're Watching What?

Matthew 11:1-19, Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

King Duncan

Someone has said that cleaning with kids in the house is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos . . . Isn’t that so? Another person has said that behind every good marriage is a great house cleaning service. Speaking of cleaning your house, let me ask you a question: what is your go-to technique for relieving stress? Just about everyone feels overwhelmed with stress from time to time. A mental health foundation in the United Kingdom ran a poll on the effects of stress. Respondents to the poll said ...

2892. A Law We Can Live With

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

Many of you, I'm sure, have seen those public service announcements on television promoting the use of safety belts which close with the tag line: "A law we can live with." It's intended, of course, to be something of a double entendre -- the phrase "can live with" meaning both able to accept and able to survive. Whether it will actually prove an effective campaign, I suppose only time will tell. However, at the risk of appearing irreverent, it seems to me that the same could be claimed of the Ten ...

2893. A Woman's Place

Genesis 2:4-25

Sermon

Erskine White

It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him. (Genesis 2:18) Ask a chauvinist where a woman's place is and he or she will say, "A woman's place is in the home," or, "A woman's place is subordinate to the man's." Ask a feminist where a woman's place is and she or he will say, "A woman's place is wherever she chooses to be," or, "A woman's place is anywhere a man's place is." Ask a chauvinist and a feminist what the Bible says about a woman's place and chances are that ...

2894. Thanksgiving

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

Letters in the Greco-Roman world had a fairly standard form. They would begin with a salutation, followed by a conventional thanksgiving (often in the form of a prosaic prayer). Next came the body of the letter, often followed by parenesis (concrete directions), and then the closing of the letter. The salutation itself normally contained three parts that first named the sender, then named the recipient, and finally offered a greeting. A typical non-Christian letter from Paul’s day might open as follows: “ ...

2895. Mercy Me!

Romans 14:1--15:13, Luke 6:27-36, Luke 6:37-42, Luke 6:43-45

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“My yoke is easy, my burden light.” --Jesus What burdens are you carrying this morning? How heavy is your heart? How weighed down is your spirit? Most of the time, when we think about that question, we think of the burdens of responsibility we carry or the weight of grief, the sandbags of unfair treatment levied against us, or hardships, such as unemployment, or health, or broken relationships. Certainly, those burdens of despair and sorrow can weigh heavily upon our hearts. But other kinds of burdens can ...

2896. Pride: The Deadliest of the Seven Deadly Sins

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

R. Curtis Fussell

Girolamo Savonarola was one of the great preachers of the fifteenth century. He preached in the great cathedral of Florence, Italy, which contained a magnificent marble statue of the blessed virgin Mary. When Savonarola started preaching at this great cathedral, he noticed one day an elderly woman praying before this statue of Mary. He then began to notice that it was her habit to come every day and pray before the statue. Savonarola remarked one day to an elderly priest who had been serving in the ...

2897. Stilling The Storm

Mark 4:35-41

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

WHAT'S HAPPENING? First Point Of Action: In the evening, Jesus wants to leave the crowds and cross to the other side of the lake. The disciples take Jesus in the boat. Several boats accompany them. Second Point Of Action: A storm rises and swamps the boat. Jesus sleeps through it all until the frightened disciples wake him. Third Point Of Action: Jesus speaks to the wind and to the sea. The storm stops. Jesus speaks to the disciples. Fourth Point Of Action: The disciples respond with awe and wonder. ...

2898. Let Me See Your Hands

John 20:24-31

Sermon

Robert Allen

A little boy, growing up in a community where his father served as a Methodist minister was outside playing. He was doing all of the things that a little boy does. He was climbing trees. He was swinging on the swing set and jumping out. He was rolling and playing with his dog. His mother called him for dinner and all of the family gathered at the table. His mother looked at him and said, "Young man, let me see your hands." There was some rubbing of his hands on his blue jeans before he held his hands up. ...

2899. Are You Under Arrest?

Heb 5:11-13; 10:39

Sermon

Robert Noblett

It was a Saturday morning and I recall it all well. I was at my grandmother’s house when a call came from my mother that there was a policeman who wanted to see me at home. I could hardly believe what she was relating! I couldn’t imagine why a policeman would want to see me. Home I went and there sitting in a chair in the living room was a great big hulk of a sargeant! I still remember his opening greeting - "Hello, Bob!" It seemed that a woman two doors down the street had sent a letter to the Rochester ...

2900. Only the Wounded Can Serve

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Sermon

Allan J. Weenink

When war casualty figures are announced, the list usually includes both the dead and wounded. For all practical purposes an injury is almost as useful as a fatality. The cold logic of such devilish grim business classes both in the same category ... loss of retaliatory potential. There is no place in this horror called war for the wounded. They have nothing more to offer to the immediate needs. They have been reduced from possibility to impotency. Thus, those who use statistics as part of strategy take ...

Showing results