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 3401 to 3425 of 5000 results

3401. You Shall Be My Witness

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... to which his wife replied, “Well why don’t you just tell her what you’re going to do and let her tell you what’s her favorite kind,” So that’s what he did. “Well, when he asked her, his secretary said, “Oh, Mr. Skelton, I just love working for you. You don’t have to buy me a gift.” But of course, he persisted. So finally she said, “Well, if you insist, my favorite perfume is called ‘Romantic Thoughts at Midnight.’” So the next day, Red Skelton went to the department store to get ...

3402. Jesus or Niccolo?

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... moment of temptation, we will find comfort in remembering that we have a Savior high priest who was tempted "at all points as we are" but did not succumb to temptation. For that reason, we worship him today. He went to the cross because he loved us and he loves us still. He understands because he became "like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself ...

3403. Humanity Reaching Out

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

... our world that is always reaching out to humanity, wherever it is across all of the boundaries that would divide us, in an effort to pull the world together and make it good. It is that humanity that reverences life, beauty, and hope. It is the implanted image of the loving God that is in us and in our world. It is through humanity that God reaches out to work in our lives and in our world to save us to the life for which we were created. This story helps us put the Christmas message in its larger context ...

3404. Come Clean

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... attractive. In fact, sin can be so attractive that when we are told to run away from it, we cannot help but pick it up and take it with us, choosing to forget the unbearable stench it sprays over our lives. So even with love, advice, wisdom, warnings, and even screams, we apparently are unable to leave our sins behind. Our inability to relinquish our sins makes the beginning of Lent very challenging. In order to prepare for the resurrection of Christ, we are encouraged to “give up” something. Unable ...

3405. Wounded Healers

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... out, you will find that people will eagerly receive you. I cannot tell you how many people come in to my office in tears and say to me, “I just want someone to listen to me. I just want someone to understand me. I just want someone to love me.” There is an old story about the great preacher Charles Allen. He says that, over the years, people jokingly have told him that he is the “world’s greatest counselor.” He explains: “Someone comes to me and I ask, ‘How are you doing?’ And they tell me ...

3406. More Beyond

Acts 16:16-34

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... in his letter to his friends in Rome: “I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38- 39). This is the promise which gave Paul the capability to survive and overcome opposition. He knew that he had a source of strength that could sustain and empower him. As he faced the dark hours of ...

3407. I Wonder Why Bad Things Happen to Good People

Romans 8:28-29

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... there an answer? The Evil Side to Free Will There is a partial answer to the theodicy question: free will. God wants us to love him because we choose to love him, so he has given us free will. It is a great gift, but there is a negative side to it. People can use ... suffering in the world, look at all the goodness that abounds! Where does all this goodness come from? It can only come from a loving God who cares for us. Allow the goodness in the world to lead you back to the goodness of God. We Do Not Face ...

3408. I Wonder about the Miracles in the Bible

John 2:1-11

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... of God are all around us. Take a look at the wonder of our working hands! See the wonder of the vision of our eyes! Listen to the wonder of our ability to speak and process language! Reflect on our ability to create music, to write poetry, to love and be loved! The miracles of God are all around us! The Sunday School Times printed a story about an Eastern King seated in a garden. One of his counselors was speaking on the wonderful works of God. The King said, “Show me a sign, and I will believe!” The ...

3409. Nothing Is Impossible with God!

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... best de-scribes Mary’s experience is “He has taken notice.” Can’t you feel Mary’s emotion? “God, you have taken notice of me — a poor teenage girl. You have taken notice of me!” If there is one consistent theme throughout the Bible it is that God loves us and takes notice of each of us. Now that sounds simple enough, but you would not believe how difficult it is to convince people that it is true. As a preacher, I hear so many myths about God. When I am on the golf course and people find ...

3410. Does Prayer Make Any Diﬀerence?

Mark 1:35-39

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... , or do it at the breakfast table. Get a devotional or turn to your favorite pas-sage of scripture. Read the devotional or scripture passage. When you find that you are quiet on the inside, pray, “Lord, I want to get to know you better. I want to know your love. I want a relationship with you.” Then share with God what is on your mind and heart. Don’t hold back. Just share it. He is listening and wants to hear from you. Be sure to include not only your own needs but the needs of others. Before you end ...

3411. Death, Risk, and Confidence

Matthew 10:24-39

Sermon

Tom Garrison

... out where you do not know the end from the beginning, and in such risk, finding it is true: There is no fleeing from God's loving presence. "If I ascend up into heaven, lo, he is there. If I make my bed in Sheol, he is there. Lo, if I take the ... the morning and flee to the uttermost parts of the sea, even there his right hand holds me, his right hand sustains me." It is "perfect love that casteth out fear," and you do not have to wait until you die to begin to experience it. On the other side of risk is ...

3412. The Greatest Commandment

Matthew 22:34-40

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... be no question of greater or less (p. 185). The issue, however, was regularly discussed by the rabbis. Jesus’ answer comes from Deuteronomy 6:4–5, which is the opening of the Shema, the fundamental creed of Judaism. The most important commandment is to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and mind. Matthew’s account substitutes mind for “strength” (Deut. 6:5); the parallels in Mark and Luke have both “mind” and “strength” (Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). Elsewhere in the Old Testament we find ...

3413. You Are Invited to a Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... you and I can pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps and be what God would have us to be. We stand in the presence of God on the shoulders of Christ or not at all. The Gospel songwriter was right when he wrote, “Love lifted me, love lifted me; when nothing else could help, love lifted me.” We are here not because of what we have done but because of what Christ has done in our behalf. Doesn’t that make you nearly delirious with joy? If we understand that we are here simply and solely because of God ...

3414. What a Friend

John 15:9-17

Sermon

John Jamison

... argue that it means we’ve not lived up to our part of the deal: to go out and bear fruit. But isn’t that pretty subjective? What kind of fruit? And how much fruit? Some of us have spent a lifetime doing everything we can to bear fruit and love those around us; yet when we ask in Jesus’ name, nothing happens. Some find an answer to this by creating a bunch of rules that have to be followed, promising that they will then result in enough fruit to get your prayers heard. But Jesus didn’t say there were ...

3415. His Name Is John

Luke 1:57-66, 80

Sermon

King Duncan

... if you have children of your own, make these years count. If, for any reason, you did not come from a happy home, your road will be rockier. But with God’s help and by God’s grace you can overcome. Your greatest need will be to experience the unconditional love of God so that you can pass it on to others. Sam Levenson tells a wonderful story about the birth of his first child. The first night home the baby would not stop crying. His wife frantically flipped through the pages of Dr. Spock to find out why ...

3416. Chaos and Solitude

Mark 6:30-44, 53-56

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... of blood, Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:21-43), and the 5,000 hungry people who were fed with a few leftovers (Mark 6:1-12). Jesus fed the multitude like a caring mother feeds her beloved children. Jesus showed that same kind of love to hundreds of other people. You could see the love in his eyes as he moved among people. You could also see hope in his eyes. He was the most hopeful man that anyone had ever seen. Hope radiated from his words and from his being. He helped people overcome physical, mental, and ...

3417. At the Intersection of Heaven and Earth

Luke 3:1-6

Sermon

King Duncan

... really well. So now I think that the toughest thing God ever tried to do is to get us to understand who He is and that He loves us.” Out of the mouths of babes . . . Al Lindgren could simply say to his boy, “Son. I think you’re right. That is the hardest thing ... that is never used? What good is God’s gift of his Son if you and I have not opened our heart to His love? God has come down in Jesus Christ. God humbled himself in our behalf. Humanity has been lifted up. Salvation has come near. Where the ...

3418. The Light Still Shines

Luke 2:8-20, Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... . But do you know what? The only thing that didn't go to pieces that night was the light bulb in the manger . . . It never stopped shining. (3) And that, of course, is the ultimate meaning of Christmas. God’s light never stops shining, the light of God’s love for all people, no matter who we may be or what we have done. It is the essential meaning of this sacred night. Through the babe of Bethlehem God has made Himself available to us all. We no longer have to worship God from afar. He is now available ...

3419. Can I Get Some Help Over Here?

John 14:23-29

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... and turning toward her child. She stood there for a couple minutes so that Billy might be reassured by her ongoing nearness. Then she whispered in a way he might read her lips. “Billy, I must go now, but I will come back. You will be all right. I love you.” Jesus gave his followers that assurance. “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you” (14:18). In the next few verses, Jesus told his followers that even though the world would not see him, they would sense he was near to them. When they ...

3420. In Search of a New Life

Revelation 21:1-5a

Sermon

King Duncan

... Lulu. Lulu tried to shut her up, but Diane said, “Just listen to me. Let me tell you that Jesus is real. Let me tell you how He’s changed my life.” Lulu did listen, and she prayed to receive Jesus. And she says at that moment she found the love she’d been searching for her whole life. She instantly lost her desire for drugs. When the producers of Hee Haw saw how completely Lulu’s life had changed, they asked her to come back on the show. She used her fame to share her testimony of how Jesus had ...

3421. A Prayer to a Good, Good Father

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... in a way that will be ultimately for our good. That’s who God is. As a popular contemporary Christian song by singer Chris Tomlin says, “You’re a good, good Father, it’s who you are, it’s who you are, it’s who you are . . . And I’m loved by you, it’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am . . .” (4) That’s also why we can pray, “Your kingdom come.” Because we know God’s character, we know that His kingdom is something wonderful to anticipate. Now I’m sure you’ve ...

3422. A Mystery

John 16:12-15

Sermon

Robert C. Cochran

... the Father through the Holy Spirit. What should we do? I think we should take Pastor Marty’s advice and seize the opportunity we have been given to enjoy God, to delight in the Lord, to dance in the Spirit. You don’t have to fully understand something to love it. The late Cardinal Cushing once related that, when he was a parish priest, he was summoned to a store to give last rites to a man who had collapsed. Following custom, he knelt by the man and said, “Do you believe in God the Father, God the Son ...

3423. Being Neighborly

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

Robert C. Cochran

... teacher had told her that whenever you need God’s help, just call out: and Aubrey knew what she needed right then! Susan came to door and said, “Aubrey, God sent me.” God has sent all of us to help, heal, and spread the good news of unconditional love and salvation made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. With the Spirit’s support, we can be there for all who cry out for God’s assistance. We are called and sent to be good neighbors. I was in the parking lot of the inner ...

3424. An Attitude of Gratitude

John 6:25-35

Sermon

Molly F. James

... to hold onto the sense of gratitude for the tremendous blessings in your lives — and there are tremendous blessings in your lives. If you don’t believe me, you aren’t looking hard enough. We have all been given that most profound gift of God’s abiding and sustaining love that is with us always. May we hold fast to the knowledge of all the blessings in our lives, so that when we go out into the world and life returns to its hectic pace, we may go filled with the peace of God, so that our hearts and ...

3425. Learning to Walk in the Dark

Matthew 26:14-16

Sermon

David & Marian Plant

... 26:75, 28:10-16) Reverend Stephanie Jaeger, reflecting on Matthew 26 and 27 wrote: The core revelation of Palm/Passion Sunday is this: God doesn’t save in the ways we might expect. God doesn’t rule the way humans do. God dominates with love, not violence. God overpowers through sacrifice, not by taking away. God wins by suffering, not humiliation — suffering and aligning God’s self with those who suffer. [2] It’s not that we become masters of the dark. We could though become masters of walking in ...

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