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 3601 to 3625 of 4962 results

3601. Cleaned and Claimed

Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever been around someone who is not particularly concerned with personal hygiene say, in a crowded elevator? If so you can be grateful that you didn’t live 100 years ago or 200 years ago. One of the changes that has taken place over the centuries that we can be thankful for is the concern for personal hygiene. For example, what if we lived in the 1500s? This is interesting. One writer tells us that in the 1500s most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still ...

3602. Demons, Pigs, and the Economy

Luke 8:26-39

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Garasenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. — Luke 8:37 In polite society we have not wanted to talk much of demons and the demonic. In our liberal, educated culture, we believe that sin was due mostly to ignorance and that evil could be eradicated by education. In our psychologically enlightened times we have avoided the more ancient religious and mythological language of devils ...

3603. The Supremacy of Christ

Colossians 1:15-23

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

The Hymn to Christ Scholars are virtually unanimous in their opinion that verses 15–20 constitute a hymn. Since the existence of hymns in the early church was common (Phil. 2:5–11; Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19), it is not difficult to believe that this is a carefully written poem intended to convey a specific self-contained message about Christ to the readers at Colossae. Paul has already alluded to the work of Christ with respect to deliverance and the forgiveness of sins (1:13, 14). In the hymn he continues to ...

3604. Treasure Hidden In a Clay Jar

2 Corinthians 4:5-12

Sermon

King Duncan

A few years ago, a brother and a sister in west London found an old vase while cleaning out their parents’ home. They thought it might have some value. Subsequently they hired Bainbridge, an auction house, to sell it. They discovered it was valued at nearly $2 million. But, get this: after 30 minutes of spirited bidding at the auction, this vase, which turned out to be an 18th century Qing [pron. cheeng] Dynasty vase went to a buyer from China for more than 69 million dollars, the most ever paid at auction ...

3605. Friendship? Yes, Please!

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

According to a recent poll only about ten percent of American males say they have a good friend. And while women fare somewhat better, neither do they set a record. Why is this? I believe it is because we place such an emphasis on doing, producing, and having that we have very little time and energy left for developing relationships. In short, we'd rather have things than people. Actually, the Bible predicts this is how it will be in the end of times. Revelation 18:11-13 describes the economy of Babylon, ...

3606. Seeing The Unseeing

John 9:35-41, John 9:13-34, John 9:1-12

Sermon

David Belgum

Sing along with me: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now I'm found; Was blind, but now I see. This plaintive spiritual song is a favorite among the elderly and nursing home residents at chapel time, those for whom physical eyesight is waning and for whom spiritual sight is increasingly significant. I think many believe it is a Negro spiritual, maybe because of its haunting melody. Actually it was written by John Newton, who was part of the revival of the ...

3607. Lent 5

John 7:45--8:11, Luke 20:9-19, John 12:1-11, Philippians 3:12-4:1, Philippians 3:1-11, Isaiah 43:14-28

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 43:16-21 Yahweh promises to do a new thing for his people in exile. The "new thing" (v. 19) Yahweh promises is a new exodus from bondage in Babylon. The "former things" (v. 18) refer to the exodus from Egypt. As in the first exodus, Yahweh will make a way through the wilderness and provide water as the people cross 600 miles of desert from Babylon to Jerusalem. A third exodus is the sacrifice of Christ who redeemed us from the bondage of sin and who now provides food and ...

3608. Killing A King

Luke 19:28-44

Sermon

"I was treated like a king!" is a common saying when one received the best possible treatment. This is to say that a king deserves and gets the very best. A red carpet is laid out for the king to walk on, lest he dirty his feet. Only the best food is served. His clothes are made of the finest material with top class and style. A king wears genuine jewels, no artificial diamonds or costume jewelry, for a king deserves only the best. A king is given honor, respect, loyalty, obedience, and love. All of this ...

3609. What Do You Think You’re Worth?

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered." [Matthew 10:29, 30] What do you think you’re worth? It is not likely you are worth the billions of a Paul Getty or a Howard Hughes. Do you go to the other extreme when you would sell yourself for a nickel and give three cents change? Are you like the young lad who wore a football t-shirt with the letters 00, a double cipher? Was this the way he ...

3610. Jesus ... Who?

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." [Matthew 16:13-16] Supplementary text: Matthew 17:1-9 When Jimmy Carter first started campaigning for the presidency in 1976, the slogan in some parts of the ...

3611. "The Sawdust and the Circus"

Numbers 27:12-23

Sermon

This being Evangelism Sunday in our church, I made the flip remark to someone last week that I was going to preach about the "sawdust trail." And the answer I received really stopped me. "Oh," this person said, "going to talk about the circus, huh? What’s so theological about that?" I had thought that the "sawdust trail" was an expression that was so much of a cliche that everyone knew just what it meant - but apparently that was not the case. The sawdust trail, of course, got its name from the old tent ...

3612. The Ten Commandments #4: The Sabbath

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

David E. Leininger

Let me tell you a story.(1) It seems a young Martian was studying comparative anthropology and, in preparation for a doctoral dissertation which was long overdue, made a quick flight down to earth in his flying saucer to check on the habits of the residents of the planet. He could not get too close or make any prolonged inspection because his work had to be submitted in just a few days, so time was of the essence. He had made a fortunate choice of days and locations - a fine summer Sunday over the United ...

3613. Mary's Song

Luke 1:46-56

Sermon

King Duncan

A Sunday school teacher challenged her children to take some time on Sunday afternoon to write a letter to God. They were to bring back their letter the following Sunday. One little boy wrote, "Dear God, We had a good time at church today. Wish You could have been there. I think it was that same little fellow who turned to a classmate and asked, "Who was Round John Virgin?" She answered, "I think he was one of the 12 opossums." The Christmas story is such a magnificent one ”so full of tenderness and love ” ...

3614. Once In A Lifetime

Isaiah 6:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

One Wednesday night at Chicago Stadium, during a fan promotion at a Chicago Bulls-Miami Heat basketball game, a 23-year-old fan by the name of Don Calhoun from Bloomington, Illinois, had a once in a lifetime experience. He was pulled from the bleachers to see if he could shoot a 79-foot shot (a shot that was launched from the opposite free throw line, three-quarters of the length of the basketball court). And Calhoun, who was picked from the crowd because he was wearing bright, yellow shoes, hit "nothing ...

3615. If We Had Known You Were Going To Win . . .

Acts 10:34-43

Sermon

King Duncan

A gentleman wrote into The Christian Herald magazine. In their family, he said, it was a custom to have a sing-along while traveling by car. It helped keep their boys out of trouble and in a good mood. On one trip their eldest son, Aaron, asked if they could sing the “Gravy Song.” “What’s that?” The rest of the family asked. “Teach it to us.” With all innocence Aaron began singing the Easter hymn, “Up from the gravy arose.” (1) It’s sad that the only day of the year when churches sing the gravy song is ...

3616. Facing Difficult Decisions in Life! Part VI

Philippians 1:1-11

Sermon

Eric Ritz

J. Wallace Hamilton, one of the great voices of Methodism, once shared an old story that I want to use to open our sermon today. "An old Chinese farmer had one prized workhorse for his small farming enterprise. For example, when it was time to plow, he hooked the animal up to the plow and it broke the ground for planting. When it was time to take the harvest to the market, he would hitch the horse to a wagon. When he wanted to travel any great distance, he would put a saddle on it and ride the horse. The ...

3617. Can You Hear Me Now?

Exodus 3:1-15

Sermon

Arley K. Fadness

A cell phone commercial asks, "Can you hear me now?" The assumption is that one can hear any place, any time, in any situation through this miraculous technology -- the latest cell phone device and service. When the voice of God comes from a burning bush that is not consumed -- "Can you hear me now?" -- Moses finds excuse after excuse for not hearing or listening to God's call.1 Moses has good reason and credible excuses, at least in his mind, to resist, but God, nonetheless, persists in calling. God's ...

3618. The Perfect Storm

Mark 4:35-41

Sermon

James Merritt

October 1991, the Andrea Gail, a seventy-two foot long fishing boat, with a 365 horsepower turbo-charged diesel engine, leaves a New England port headed for the Atlantic Ocean. It is going on what was supposed to be another routine fishing trip. But it was to be her last voyage. Why? Because she ran into the most powerful and dangerous force on earth—a full-blown hurricane on the open seas. An ocean hurricane is so powerful that the combined nuclear arsenals of the United States and the former Soviet Union ...

3619. Is Jesus The Only Way?

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

It may surprise you to know what many Americans consider to be the most serious sin. No, it’s not murder. Even murder can have mitigating factors. According to an article by Daniel Taylor in “Christianity Today,” many Americans consider the worst sin to be intolerance. And guess who are the worst sinners, in the minds of many Americans.... We evangelical Christians! One writer said, "Christians are seen as the pit bulls of culture wars small brains, big teeth, strong jaws, and no interest in compromise." A ...

3620. The Kindness of Strangers

1 Kings 17:8-24

Sermon

Stan Purdum

In 1994, a 37-year-old man by the name of Mike McIntyre decided to confront his fears and the shaky path his life was taking. Living in San Francisco at the time, he left his job, his girlfriend, his apartment — all the trappings of his life, and decided to hitchhike across America, heading for Cape Fear, North Carolina, a location he selected for its name, which symbolized his fear of many things in life. He put a few things in a backpack, but to help him with this confrontation with his fears, he left ...

3621. Rahab: Seven Minutes To Midnight

Joshua 6:15-25

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

How many of you are interested in genealogy? Then you've probably heard the story about the prominent individual who discovered that one her grandfathers was a murderer who had been executed in the electric chair in one of the State Penitentiaries. She was mortified and went to one of the leading genealogists and asked what she could do. The genealogist thought for awhile and then wrote: "Mrs. Smith's grandfather occupied the chair of applied electricity in one of our best-known state institutions. He was ...

3622. Doing What Disciples Do

John 15:12-17

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

The new pastor of a congregation preached his first sermon from the text, “Love one another.” The people were pleased. The next Sunday the pastor preached the exact same sermon from the exact same text, “Love one another.” The people were surprised. When the pastor preached the same sermon the third week from the same text , the people were angry. The Staff Parish Relations chairperson confronted the new pastor with the obvious question, “Why do you preach the same sermon every week?” The pastor replied, “ ...

3623. Broken Lives and Broken Chains

Luke 8:26-39

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Every one of us, men and women, young and old alike live with a Legacy. Unfortunately, you can't choose the Legacy you have to live with. It's given to you by those who have gone before you. By those who raised you and influenced your life. Some of us live with a with Legacy that has set us free and empowered us. Some of us live with a Legacy that is more like chains which bind us. And struggle as we might we've been unable to break those chains. I wanted to start with that modern retelling of the story we ...

3624. How Deserted Lies the City

Lamentations 1:1-22

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

Lament for and by Jerusalem: 1:1–2 Alef/Bet. The poet does not name Jerusalem at the start, but simply speaks of the city. The name of the city does not have to be spoken; poet and readers would know the identity of the now deserted city of Jerusalem. As today there is no doubt when a New Yorker refers to “the city,” so there is no secret concerning the identity of the city among Judeans. This once bustling place (a city “closely compacted together” [Ps. 122:3]) is now eerily deserted. The poet engages the ...

3625. Paying What's Due

Matthew 22:15-22

Sermon

David G. Rogne

In Joseph Heller's book Catch-22, an Air Force bombardier is desperately seeking relief from going out on the deadly missions he must fly each day. As he gets close to the number of missions that will allow him to be rotated, the number of missions needed for rotation keeps changing. He concludes that only a crazy person would keep flying those dangerous missions. He thinks he must be crazy, and therefore he should be sent home. His superiors agree with him that a crazy person should be sent home but only ...

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