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 3001 to 3025 of 3108 results

3001. Talented People

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

David G. Rogne

In 27 BC, Augustus Caesar became the ruler of the Roman empire. Petty kings came from near and far to plead for reappointment to their kingdoms. Among them was Herod, king of the Jews. He had to leave his kingdom temporarily in the hands of others while he sought continuance of his rule. Those to whom he entrusted the kingdom were responsible to Herod for how they administered the kingdom in his absence. If they did poorly and he was returned to power, they stood to suffer. If they served him well but ...

3002. Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

Romans 6:1-14

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

In Romans 6 we note a shift in the argument. The quotation from Habakkuk 2:4 in Romans 1:17, literally translated, “The one who is righteous by faith will live,” provided Paul with a general outline for the epistle. Until now his primary concern has been with the first part of the quotation, “The one who is righteous by faith.” But being right with God is not the end of the matter. Chapter 6 evinces that righteousness is a commencement, not a commemoration; reveille, not taps. In chapters 6–7 Paul takes up ...

3003. Israel's Unbelief

Romans 9:30--10:21

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Righteousness: Gift or Reward? So far Paul has considered the case of Israel from God’s side. God made choices from among Abraham’s descendants to create a peculiar people for himself. The election of Jacob over Esau was independent of human merit or responsibility, since the choice was made when both were still in Rebekah’s womb. If in subsequent generations God hardened Pharaoh and blessed Israel, it was “in order that [his] purpose in election might stand” (9:11), a purpose rooted in mercy and directed ...

3004. The Lord Speaks

Job 38:1--41:34

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

God’s Appearance and Examination of Job Excursus: It should be clear from the outset that the fact God that appears in response to Job’s plea for a meeting immediately puts the lie to any claims to the contrary that Elihu and the other friends have made. God does appear in response to Job. His very appearance, therefore, proves Elihu’s earlier claim false—that God will not respond to Job because he has already spoken his final word of judgment in Job’s suffering. Deciding how to characterize this divine ...

3005. A Tree and Its Fruit

Matthew 7:15-23

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

7:15–20 For several hundred years before the time of Christ it was generally believed that prophecy had ceased. The period between the two Testaments is sometimes called the silent years. With John the Baptist the prophetic voice returned, and in early Christianity prophecy flourished. To the crowd that gathered on the Day of Pentecost, Peter explained that the phenomenon of tongues was the fulfillment of Joel’s promise that in the last days God would pour out his Spirit on everyone, so that young men ...

3006. Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat

Daniel 8:1-14

Understanding Series

William Nelson

The Vision of the Ram and the Male Goat: Here in chapter 8 the language reverts back to Hebrew. When the Aramaic section began, the narrator introduced it by saying, “The astrologers answered the king in Aramaic” (2:4). There is no explanation given in chapter 8 for the change back. The author inherited the Aramaic material (2:4b–7:28) but shaped it for his purposes. He then added chapters 1 (actually, 1:1–2:4a) and 8–12 in Hebrew. Chapter 8 is linked to chapter 7 explicitly by informing the reader that ...

3007. Lord of the Sabbath

Mark 2:23-3:6

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

2:23–28 In this passage the author gives a fourth controversy story, this time dealing with the matter of Sabbath observance, the issue in the next story also (3:1–6). When reading this passage we must remember that the observance of Sabbath rest from labor is a command from the OT (indeed, one of the Ten Commandments, Exod. 20:1–17) and in Jesus’ day was perhaps the supremely important demonstration of a Jew’s loyalty to God and to his nation. Some later rabbis said that the Messiah would come if all ...

3008. The Parable of the Tenants

Mark 12:1-12

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

12:1–12 Jesus’ parable of the Tenants in the Vineyard is transparently a description of the leaders of Israel as unwilling to receive God’s word sent to them by the prophets, as verse 12 demonstrates. In the preceding passage (11:27–33), these leaders showed their rejection of John the Baptist and their opposition to Jesus. The parable says that in these actions they are guilty of rejecting those sent to them by God and are like their ancestors who had rejected the ministry of earlier prophets (see notes ...

3009. More Than Conquerors

Romans 8:28-39

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

8:28 Verse 28 is a widely quoted and often misunderstood passage. It is sometimes interpreted to mean that good fortune favors nice people, or that things are not as bad as they seem and that everything “will work out in the end.” But this is to confuse wishful thinking with Christian faith. The first part of verse 28 was in fact an axiom in both Hellenism and Judaism. Plato says in the Republic: This must be our notion of the just man, that even when he is in poverty or sickness, or any other seeming ...

3010. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:1-6, James 4:13-17, James 5:7-12, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

Throughout the book James has been dealing with the root causes of disharmony within the community. In the previous section, he has dealt with their complaining, their criticizing, and their roots in worldliness (3:1–4:12). Now he turns to another theme, the test of wealth. The poor person is totally dependent and knows it. Although such a person may well be consumed with envy and ambition, Christians are more likely to turn to prayer and humble dependence upon God. The wealthier person, however, may be ...

3011. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:7-12, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

3012. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:13-20, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:7-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

3013. Be Holy

1 Peter 1:13-2:3

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

The Believers’ Response in Conduct 1:13 Do the readers now appreciate the magnificence of God’s far-reaching salvation plan in which they have been caught up? Then their response has to be a wholehearted commitment to their new life in Christ. They are to prepare their minds for action, that is, they must put away any distractions which would hinder their growth in grace and their being available to carry forward God’s work of salvation in whatever way he may indicate. The Greek is literally “gird up the ...

3014. Elijah on Mount Carmel

1 Kings 18:16-46

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Elijah and the Prophets of Baal: Chapter 17 launched Elijah suddenly into the public arena of Israel’s politics (v. 1) only to whisk him away again into the privacy of the Transjordanian wilderness and a Sidonian home. There he has contributed in a small way to the war that the LORD is now waging upon the worship of Baal, while leaving the drought to do most of the damage. The time has now come for his reappearance on the main stage—for the great battle of the war, indeed. The drought is to end, but before ...

3015. Woes and Judgments

Isaiah 5:8-30

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Judgment Missed and Demonstrated: In length and theme chapter 5 pairs with chapter 1 and closes a bracket around 2:2–4:6. Chapter 5 comprises a mock love song; a series of woes that will be completed in 10:1–4; and a warning about Yahweh’s outstretched hand that will continue in chapter 9. In contrast to 1:1–2:1 and 2:2–4:6, no positive note is struck at the beginning or the end. Chapters 1–5 come to a close as bleak as their opening. Rebellion and darkness ultimately bracket them.In length and theme ...

3016. Why?

Isaiah 55:1-9, Luke 13:1-9

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: tube of Neosporin and cartoon Band-Aids (might want to get a few adult volunteers to help pass out Band-Aids at end of children's time) Boys and girls, have you ever hurt yourself? Maybe you've scraped your knee while playing basketball. Or you fell off your bicycle. Or your cat scratched you while you were playing with it. What's the first thing you do when you get hurt? You run to mommy and daddy and show them where it hurts, don't you? And then mommy or daddy puts some medicine on your hurt ...

3017. Gratitude: A Matter of Perspective

Deuteronomy 8:7-18

Sermon

King Duncan

It was the day after Thanksgiving. A woman caught her husband weighing himself on the scale. He was sucking in his stomach. “That won’t help you, Fred,” the woman said. “You know that, don’t you?” “Oh it helps a lot,” said Fred. “It’s the only way I can see the numbers!” I hope you’re ready for Thanksgiving--and not just for the turkey and all the trimmings. Giving thanks is important to a successful life. A growing body of research is indicating that a sense of gratitude is vital if we are to be happy and ...

3018. Noah and the Robots

Genesis 9:8-17

Sermon

King Duncan

It sounds like a rock group, doesn’t it--“Noah and the Robots?” Some of you probably think the title of my message is a bit frivolous. It may be, but the subject matter we are going to discuss today is not frivolous at all. I read something interesting about the famous novelist Charles Dickens. It seems that Dickens wrote all his great stories in installments. Week after week, Dickens would spin out his tales and the English public would breathlessly wait to see what was going to happen next to such ...

3019. The Bethsaida Boys

Mark 8:31-38

Sermon

John Jamison

After Jesus was baptized by John, he went to spend time in the desert lands east of the Jordan River, to begin preparing for the work he was going to do. While he was there in the wilderness, he got word that John had been arrested and killed. It was then that he decided it was time to come back to Galilee and get to work. He traveled around Galilee, which is not a big place, and began preaching and teaching, picking up where John the Baptist had stopped. We could spend a lot of time talking about John’s ...

3020. The Pointer

Mark 6:14-29

Sermon

Ron Lavin

John, the cousin of Jesus, baptized Jews in the Jordan River for the forgiveness of sins. He pointed to sin to prepare people for the coming Messiah. John the Baptist might also be called, John the Pointer. In the gospel of Mark, we read that the ministry of John points to the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. John prepared the way for the coming of Jesus (Mark 1:1-2) by pointing. John pointed away from himself to the Lord Jesus Christ. It's not an exaggeration to say that John ...

3021. What Does It Mean to Be Blessed?

Ephesians 1:3-14

Sermon

King Duncan

Many churches across our land have instituted a ceremony that has become very popular with animal lovers called “The Blessing of the Animals.” It is an opportunity for pet owners to bring their pets for a priest or pastor to lay on hands or sprinkle on holy water or simply have a prayer for the animals either individually or in groups. Some churches celebrate this rite on Oct. 4 as a part of their celebration of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. A few years ago the Associated Press reported on one ...

3022. Could the Pharisees Have Been Irish?

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Sermon

King Duncan

Our Roman Catholic friends celebrate a feast day known as Corpus Christi (the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ). In some countries such as Ireland which is heavily Catholic, this is an important celebration. In many rural communities there is a Corpus Christi procession through the streets of the parish. Altar boys go ahead of the procession ringing bells to alert the faithful that the procession is coming near. People come out of their houses, kneel, and cross themselves as the Holy Eucharist passes ...

3023. Do You Believe in Miracles?

Mark 7:31-37

Sermon

King Duncan

Joe Sardler had been blind for six years. His blindness was caused by atrophy of the optical nerve. One night Joe tripped over his dog’s dish which had been left on a step. Subsequently he fell down the basement stairs. As he fell, his head slammed against a wall--and suddenly, miracle of miracles--his vision was restored. All of a sudden Joe could see things he hadn’t seen in years, such as the face of his five-year-old daughter. Can you imagine such an incident? Can you imagine how this event made him ...

3024. Flying High

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

King Duncan

In the backwoods of the Appalachian Mountains, you don’t see too many people hang gliding. But ol’ Zeek decided to save up and get a hang glider. He goes to the highest mountain, and after struggling to the top, he gets ready to take flight. He takes off running and reaches the edge‑‑into the wind he goes! Meanwhile, Maw and Paw Hicks are sittin’ on the porch swing talkin’ bout the good ol’ days when maw spots the biggest bird she had ever seen! “Look at the size of that bird, Paw!” she exclaims. Paw ...

3025. Who Owns the Cloud: Google or God?

Luke 21:25-36

Sermon

King Duncan

Welcome on this First Sunday of Advent. Today’s lesson from Luke’s Gospel is a little unsettling. In it Christ seems to be describing the end of the world. Listen to his words: “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken . . .” That’s vivid imagery. “Signs in the sun, moon and stars . . . ...

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