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 3201 to 3225 of 4961 results

3201. Just When We Think We're Safest, There's a Sunset Touch

Mark 6:30-44

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Today we’re beginning a series of sermons on coping - coping as a Christian. To cope is to “contend or struggle successfully.” Now I had some hesitancy about the use of the word cope in the title of this series. A lot of people are talking about coping. Being who I am, a Christian minister seeking to proclaim the word of God, I was not interested just in a series of self-help, psychological messages. So I thought for awhile that I would talk about conquering as Christians. Paul said we Christians are to be ...

3202. The Holy Spirit and You

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

In the spring of 1998 Sandy and I bought our first home. After years of parsonage living, it was an absolute delight to have our own place, though the bank still owned the most of it. The Director of Christian Education asked if we would host a little Sunday School party on Pentecost Sunday. We immediately agreed to do so, even though the house was far from ready for “company." We thought about twenty people would come. Fifty showed up at our door. We prayed that the weather would be good and the sun would ...

3203. Planning Your Way Out

John 6:35, 41-51

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

A television news magazine told of a young, adventuresome man, full of life, flown into the desolate north country of Alaska in order that he might find himself among the natural beauty and mysteries there. He prepared for months. He carried sophisticated photographic equipment and more than 1,400 pounds of provisions. He packed boxes of notebooks, in which he intended to record his experiences. Record them he did. His carefully detailed notes describe his sense of wonder at the spectacular beauty of the ...

3204. Waking the Giant

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

In 1811, Napoleon Bonaparte was at the height of his power as a military and political leader. On one occasion he called together all of his commanding officers. Their purpose was to review and assess his conquests. He stood before a huge map and pointed to spots marked on the map, highlighting his victories over fallen foes. There was one spot on the map, however, that caused him to pause and issue a solemn warning. “Here lies a sleeping giant,” said Napoleon. “Don’t awaken him. He will shake terribly the ...

3205. Ignite: Man on Fire

Acts 9:1-19a

Sermon

James Merritt

You hear a lot of people say a lot of times, “Nothing surprises me anymore!” Just about the time I believe nothing surprises me anymore, something surprises me. In fact, it didn’t just surprise me, but frankly shocked, amazed, and astounded me. There is a website called, “Top-10-list.org” I went to it to see what they said would be the top ten most important events in history. As I put these up on the screen you might want to in your mind jot down as many as you can think of. I want you listen to not only ...

3206. Death, Risk, and Confidence

Matthew 10:24-39

Sermon

Tom Garrison

I shall never forget a most vivid pastoral encounter that I had. There was a fine older member of the church who was terminally ill with cancer, and since he would never be able to come and meet me, I went by his home to meet him. Although we had never met before, I suppose my role prompted him to get right to the central issue of his concern at that moment, which was with the whole experience of death. He wanted to know what I believed lay beyond the experience of dying. He was concerned about guilt and ...

3207. Chaos and Solitude

Mark 6:30-44, 53-56

Sermon

Ron Lavin

Everywhere Jesus went, people flocked to him. They wanted what he was offering. They wanted inspiration. They wanted healing. They wanted God. Mark's gospel tells us that "so many people were coming and going they (Jesus and the apostles) did not even have a chance to eat" (Mark 6:31). That coming and going provided a chaotic atmosphere for Jesus' ministry. That chaos meant that even before Jesus got to a town, the mass of admirers and hangers-on rushed ahead of him and waited for his arrival (Mark 6:33). ...

3208. Wavering Notes by an Uncertain Trumpet

2 Peter 3:1-18

Sermon

Ron Love

Benjamin Gilman served in the United States House of Representatives for thirty years. He retired from Congress in 2003. Gilman represented New York’s 27th congressional district. Gilman served as the chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and he was the congressional representative to the United Nations. Gilman, a Republican, was an outspoken critic of President Bill Clinton’s foreign policy. He especially disapproved of the favoritism that Clinton showed Russia over the former Soviet Republics ...

3209. House of God

1 Kings 8:22-30

Sermon

Will Willimon

"Will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven, and the highest heaven cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built." Fifty-one years ago tomorrow, Duke Chapel was dedicated in a great service of worship. Speakers hailed this Chapel as a splendid symbol of faith. President B.R. Lacy of Union Seminary in Richmond was the first to speak at the Sunday afternoon service on June2nd. Dr. Lacy noted, "Other universities have great faculties and student bodies, well-equipped laboratories, ...

3210. Life Begins at Thirty-Eight

John 5:1-15

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, Do you want to be made well?’” (John 5:6) It sounds like a stupid question, doesn’t it? Jesus meets this fellow at the crowded pool, this poor crippled chap who had been coming there for perhaps thirty-eight years waiting to be healed, and asks him point blank, “Do you want to be made well?” We can imagine the look the crippled man must have given Jesus. We can imagine him saying something like, “Do I want to be ...

3211. The Problem with Promises

Genesis 18:1-15, 21:1-7

Sermon

James L. Killen

The problem with promises is that you have to trust them. You have to believe that they will be fulfilled, and live as if you believe that they will be fulfilled, before they can do you any good. We don't like to do that. We are cautious people. We want something to be thoroughly proven before we will believe that it is true. We want to investigate an enterprise thoroughly before we will invest in it. But that doesn't really work with believing in God. There is a limit to what we can know about God without ...

3212. Stand Up and Be Counted

Daniel 3:1-30

Sermon

James Merritt

The Olympics are coming to Atlanta. The Olympic Flame is coming through America. But Cobb County, in Atlanta, has been declared off limits to the Olympic Flame. Why? Because of this resolution that was passed by five Cobb County Commissioners: Whereas, the Cobb County Commission is legally charged with protection of the safety, health, and welfare of the community; and Whereas, there are increasing assaults on those community standards which further the protection of the public safety, health, and welfare ...

3213. No Intimidation

Luke 13:31-35

Sermon

Donald Charles Lacy

Boldness is necessary to accomplish ministry, especially that which is prophetic and points to judgment. Our dear Lord is boldly assertive and wants there to be no doubt about what his Father has sent him to accomplish. He provides both a lesson and model for us. Our timidity in the face of odds is not becoming to those who profess to follow Christ. Only when it covers a determined soul for the faith is it in keeping with our commitment. Let's face it, some of the most timid souls in church can be ...

3214. The Resurrection

Mark 16:1-20

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

16:1–8 The resurrection of Jesus was the single most important event in the formation of faith in Jesus in the early church. The resurrection not only overturned the effects of the crucifixion, giving life where there was death, but more importantly, signified that Jesus had been vindicated by God and made the prince and pioneer of salvation for anyone believing in him. In 1 Corinthians 15:12–28, Paul gives a concise description of the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection, portraying the risen Jesus as the basis ...

3215. Do You See What I See?

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

There is a gentle and quaint Christmas carol in which the shepherds of Bethlehem point out to everyone they meet on their way the marvel they have seen in the manger. "Do you see what I see?" they ask all those gathered in Bethlehem. According to this Christmas carol, this birth, which had taken place under the most plain and ordinary of circumstances, would surely have been overlooked were it not for those shepherds who called it to everyone's attention by exclaiming, "Do you see what I see?" In my church ...

3216. The Infinite Becomes An Infant

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

The Miracle Of The Nativity Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; 19and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is ...

3217. Marked For Community

Sermon

George Bass

“Just as a human body, though it is made up of many parts, is a single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so it is with Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptized, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to all to drink.” v. 17f -- “Now you together are Christ’s body; but each of you is a different part of it.” v. 25 -- “… but that each part may be equally concerned for all the others.”1 Corinthians 12:12-13 “The cross is still there” and it ...

3218. Healing And Forgiveness

Luke 5:17-26

Sermon

Let us pray: Gracious and eternal God, we continue our worship during this season of Lent, seeking to understand the gifts of healing which you bring to our lives. Lord, in these moments, may we catch a glimpse of the truth that your spirit can touch and heal us of our afflictions. In the precious name of Jesus we pray, Amen. There is a story about an old Maori woman in the country of New Zealand who had earned a reputation for being an argumentative, combative person, for which she received the nickname ...

3219. The Master Has Come - And Calls Disciples

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

The Roman legions crossed the English Channel, and landed their small ships at the foot of the cliffs of Dover. The Britons looked down and saw them. They laughed, thinking these Romans could pose no real threat to them. But, the Roman commander ordered his soldiers to burn their boats. There would be no turning back. They were there to stay. They had left their boats for good. When I read that, it brought to mind that scene early in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus is walking along the beach. Little waves ...

3220. It Makes No Difference Where You Belong

Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

King Duncan

Religion has always been a rich vein for humorists to mine, particularly the differences between denominations. For example, two men were in an airplane and the plane developed engine trouble. It was clear that they were going to be killed. One said to the other, "Well, this is it. We are going to die. Are you religious?" The other one said, "No, are you?" The first one said, "No. I'm not either. We ought to do something religious, though, because we're going to be dead in a few seconds. Don't you remember ...

3221. It's A Question Of Priorities

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

King Duncan

A group of friends went deer hunting. They separated into pairs. That night, one hunter returned alone, staggering under an eight-point buck. The other hunters asked, "Where's Harry?" The lone hunter replied, "Harry fainted a couple miles up the trail." The others couldn't believe it. "You mean you left him lying there and carried the deer back instead?" The man answered, "It was a tough call, but I figured no one was going to steal Harry." To this deer hunter it was simply a matter of priorities. And one ...

3222. Some Healing Is Up To You

John 5:1-15

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

There is a famous legend in Buddhist folklore in which the Buddha compared philosophical preoccupation with settling the matter of God’s existence to a man shot with a poisoned arrow. Before the man can allow the arrow to be withdrawn and the wound treated, he insisted upon knowing who shot him, what sort of poison was in the arrow, and what kind of medicine would be administered.. The man died before the questions were answered. Buddha concluded that in the same way, people need to be rescued from the ...

3223. Don't Believe the Lie about the Truth

John 8:32

Sermon

James Merritt

I am convinced that in some ways children are far wiser than adults. Because children at least know that there are certain things that are absolutely true. I recently came across a list of great truths about life that little children have learned and totally believe. No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats. When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair. If your sister hits you, don't hit her back; they always catch the second person. Never ask your three-year old brother to ...

3224. A Concert of Prayer

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Drama

Leonard Sweet

Christ is not and cannot be divided if the church is to stand. Yet upon that single foundation of Christ, a multitude of diverse structures may be constructed. Paul preferred the beauty and complexity of a choir to the elegance of a solo. He celebrated the diversity he saw in the churches he founded and attended, seeing their differences as potential for greater strength - not weakness. Our own preference today, however, seems to be for creating a cream-of-wheat church. Smooth, bland, tasteless and benign ...

3225. The Man of Lawlessness

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2:1–3:15 Review · The Body of the Letter: The introduction of the letter included both a thanksgiving and digression concerning the revelation of the Lord (1:3–10) and a prayer for the church (1:11–12). The authors now introduce the eschatological and moral themes that constitute the body of the letter (2:1–3:15). 2:1–17 Review · The time of the day of the Lord: The first section of the body (2:1–17) is a discourse concerning the time of the day of the Lord (2:1–12) and a thanksgiving for the divine ...

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