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 351 to 375 of 5000 results

351. A Vision of Hope

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... to us, especially in times of stress. Jesus loves the sheep so much that he is willing to lay down his life. Could it be the hectic pace of our modern lives that makes the notion of sheep and shepherds so appealing to us? Maybe deep down we long for the simpler days of green pastures and sheep although most of us no longer have direct contact with either sheep or shepherds. Jesus defines his mission as one of a shepherd, "I am the good shepherd," Jesus teaches. "The good shepherd lays down his life for the ...

352. One of the Family

Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... important. And knowing who we belong is even more important. This morning the author of the letter to the Hebrews talks about Belonging and our relationship with God. Let's look at the passage and find out how we are "One of the Family." Hebrews 1:1-4 (NRSV) [1] Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, [2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. [3] He is the reflection of God's ...

353. Totally Poured Out

2 Timothy 4:9-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” These are inspiring words. In light of Paul’s writing, let me ask you some questions. The first is this: how ... few days after that one of his landlady’s young sons died, and then the man who lived in the house next door. It wasn’t long before 20 people per week were dying in the town. The year was 1665, the disease was bubonic plague, and the town was called Eyam. ...

354. What Will You Do with Your Gift?

Matthew 3:13-17

Illustration

Susan R. Andrews

... in charge. Before I leave I would like to leave each of you with a gift; a gift I pray will help you learn how to wisely use your power to rule." Then he placed in each of their hands a single grain of rice. The first daughter tied a long golden thread around her grain of rice and placed it in a beautiful crystal box. Every day she looked at it and reminded herself that she was powerful. The second daughter took one look at the common grain of rice, and threw it away, thus squandering her father's ...

355. The Rabbi's Gift

Luke 2:21-40

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... once. After that, no one must ever say it aloud again. Agree? Abbot: (holds hand over heart) Yes, yes, I will honor your request. Rabbi: (looks straight into Abbot’s eyes) This is what I have to say to you (pauses), “The Messiah is among you.” (There is a long, quiet pause.) Sexton: For some time it was quiet in the little hut. Neither the abbot nor the rabbi spoke again except for the rabbi to say, Rabbi: You must go now. God’s peace to you. Sexton: The abbot got up, walked out of the rabbi’s hut ...

356. Having a Good Name

Proverbs 1:20-33

Sermon

Donna Schaper

... else besides ourselves? The creed matters here: Jesus mattered to someone besides himself. How would we know if our own lives, however long or short, measured up to goals we had set for ourselves? One goal could be to maximize serendipity. Another would be to ... my contexts are at war with my creeds — and that I don't take the time to sort them through or to stand in their shade long enough to redecorate my living room — to know what I believe, what I think, who I think it with, and what I am going to ...

357. A New Perspective

Illustration

Staff

... ?" "Yes." "Would you do it again?" "No." "Why did you do it?" "Because," he said, "you can't just sit there." HERE'S HOW THE NEW YORK TIMES COVERED THE STORY AT THE TIME: From The New York Times, 3 July 1982 Truck Driver Takes to Skies in Lawn Chair LONG BEACH, Calif, July 2 (AP) A truck driver with 45 weather balloons rigged to a lawn chair took a 45-minute ride aloft to 16,000 feet today before he got cold, shot some balloons out and crashed into a power line, the police said. "I know it sounds strange ...

358. No Time for a Sermon

Hebrews 1:1-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the topic remains in all its validity, “No Time For A Sermon.” There is a moment that comes, just before Christmas, a moment when we find ourselves at “the still point of a turning world.” It may come in the wee hours of the morning after having spent a long night wrapping presents, or while we are waiting to catch the bus, or at that most precious time of all when we recognize that the wonder of the day can only be seen in the eyes of a child. Until the moment comes we have been too busy giving out ...

359. Running with Perseverance

Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... are not much up for a distance run. Let's face it, we live in a world of instant gratification. We can communicate across long distances in a flash. The cable channels practically report the news before it happens. Food pops out of our microwave in no time. ... make our world fairer for all people? Let us not throw in the towel. Justice is God's will as well as ours. For the long run, nothing can thwart God's will. We are running our faith race with a great cloud of witnesses cheering us on. We run with ...

360. Revelation 22:12-14; 16-17; 20-21

Revelation 22:1-6

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to “eat” of all that was offered in Eden. The Ascended Christ now affirms that all are invited to drink at the fountain of redemption so that they may once again be connected to the fullness of God’s love. Lots of people lament the “long goodbye.” They find lengthy leave-takings overly sentimental, or maudlin, or awkward and uncomfortable, or even just bad luck. For those who want to say goodbye as swiftly as possible, the post-911 security rules at airports that require kicking your loved one to ...

361. Hebrews 11:29-12:2

Hebrews 11:1-40

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , 28,30) and other Maccabean martyrs (2 Maccabees 7:1-41). The reference to being “sawn in two” alludes to the apocryphal description of the prophet Isaiah’s death (from the “Ascension of Isaiah” 1:1-3:3:12; 5:1b-14). Stoning had long been the most common form of capital punishment in Israel. It was carried out against those who broke the law and those who prophesied against lawbreakers (Jeremiah 26:23). Faithfulness, the Hebrews’ author continues to remind his readers, does not insure a worldly ...

362. Flip the Switch

Psalm 119:105

Sermon

James Merritt

... the best way to fight temptation every day when you go out to work, school, or play? Treasure God’s Word in your heart and it will guard you against doing the wrong thing. Becoming computer literate is a constant work in progress for me and I’ve come a long way from where I was when I started several years ago. One of the things I’ve learned about a computer is it only has so much memory. Once the hard drive on a computer is full it won’t take anymore data. You either have to basically live with ...

363. Sometimes You Have to Do Something

Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon

King Duncan

... if he leaves, he will take his money with him.” And on it goes. So, because we prefer peace in the church more than we prize progress, support begins to falter and soon disappears altogether. Bishop John Spong said it well: “Most churches will die of boredom long before they die of controversy.” How can a dream dissipate that once seemed to be God’s will for a church? People take their eyes for just a moment off of Jesus. They listen to their fears rather than their faith. They are more conscious of ...

364. Welcome Home

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

James Merritt

... -14, ESV) The word “squandered” literally means “to blow.” In other words, he blew it! He lost it all. But it gets worse. “So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.” (Luke 15:15-16, ESV) If you know anything about Jews and pork, nothing else needs to be said. This boy who wanted to live as they say, “high on the hog” ended up ...

365. Timothy’s Encouraging Report

1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... the idea, “to pray,” Paul adopts one in particular, deomai, that conveys his sense of dependence on God. What follows relates both the content and the purpose (see disc. on 2:12) of his prayer. It was twofold: First, that we may see you again—the longing for the Thessalonians already mentioned several times in this epistle (cf. 2:17f.; 3:5f.)—and second, that we may supply what is lacking in your faith. That is, Paul has a pastoral as well as a personal interest in his prayer. “Notice how Paul ...

366. False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 Peter 2:1-22

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... a bad name among outsiders. The end result of false teaching is the proponents’ inevitable condemnation and destruction. The OT had long ago foretold this (Deut. 13:1–5; Jude 4), and although the carrying out of the sentence may seem to have ... longer confine their ill-doing under the cover of darkness, but are now prepared to carouse in broad daylight, a practice that has long been recognized as a sign of degeneration (Isa. 5:11). They are blots (spiloi) and blemishes (mōmoi), precisely the opposite of ...

367. The Tabernacle

Exodus 26:1-37

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... approx. 15 ft.). God further instructed that the wooden frames be erected side by side and touching, the whole length of the wall (so the stud frames were about 24 in. on center). The north and south sides of the tabernacle had the longer walls, thirty cubits long (45 ft.), made of twenty frames each (by 1.5 cubits wide). The west end of the tabernacle was ten cubits wide (15 ft.), and was made of eight frames: six regular frames plus two special corner frames that would have been half a cubit (9 in.) wide ...

368. Israel’s Ill-Placed Confidence

Amos 5:18-27

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... establish a kingdom over all the earth, he would destroy all of its enemies and exalt Israel above all nations. It is that confidence in the day that Amos attacks in 5:18. The prophet’s announcement is that Israel, in desiring the day of the Lord, is longing for its own doom, for on that day there will be darkness and not light, death and not life. God will fight not only against his enemies outside of Israel, but also against those within it. Though Israel has previously escaped God’s wrath, like a man ...

369. Warnings and Exhortations for Jerusalem and Judah

Zephaniah 1:1-3, Zephaniah 1:4-13, Zephaniah 1:14--2:3

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... in the world in either way. Against the background of that conviction, the declaration that Yahweh will search Jerusalem with lamps gains extra force. The people who think Yahweh will do nothing will have a rude awakening. The natural human hope is that you should live long enough to dwell in the house you build and drink the wine from the vineyard you plant, and Yahweh can promise that (Isa. 65:21). But the actual human experience is often that people get taken by illness or war before they can do so. That ...

370. When Jesus Prays

John 17:20-26

Sermon

King Duncan

... better. Ready to face the rest of the day, she opened the door and was greeted by three terrified faces. “Mom,” said her five-year-old. “I told you there was a monster in that closet!” (2) I’ll bet those three youngsters stayed away from that closet for a long, long time. Being a mom isn’t easy, but it is the most important single job in the world. It is our moms, with help from our dads, to whom God entrusts our care until we are able to make it on our own. Our lesson for the day comes from ...

371. Thanksgiving and Prayer

Philippians 1:1-11

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

... Philippians needed to be assured of this; Paul is never reticent about his love for his converts (cf. 2 Cor. 12:15; Gal. 4:19; 1 Thess. 2:8). But the terms he uses in addressing the Philippians “show a depth not plumbed elsewhere” (O’Brien, p. 29). He longs for all of them with the affection of Christ Jesus—it is an utterly selfless affection. “As it is not Paul, but Jesus Christ, that lives in Paul, so it is not by Paul’s heart, but by the heart of Jesus Christ, that Paul is moved” (Bengel ...

372. Isaac and Rebekah

Genesis 24:1-67

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... oath by placing his hand under his thigh, the area that symbolized his virile strength. He was to swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that he would not take a wife for Isaac from . . . the Canaanites. His assignment was to take a long journey to the place of Abraham’s relatives and get a wife for Isaac there. 24:5–9 Before taking the oath, the servant sought to clarify the precise extent of his obligation. He asked what he should do if the woman he found was unwilling to come back ...

373. The New Heaven and New Earth

Revelation 21:1-27

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death.” God now makes good on his long-standing promise to live among his people (e.g., Lev. 26:11–12; Ezek. 37:26–28; Zech. 2:10–11; 2 Cor. 6:16; Rev. 21:22).4We will become his permanent “dwelling place” or tabernacle (sk?n?), a term also used (in its verbal form) to describe Jesus ...

374. No Greater Love

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... a stream that cut across the fields. You had to walk quite a distance to get to the place where it narrowed enough to pass. I admired Miss Ellie, who would set off to visit her friend full of bouncy enthusiasm, with no worry for the snakes or the long miles. I also felt sorry for her. Poor Miss Ellie, I thought, old and arthritic, having to walk all that way, pushing through the thick summer heat, not to mention the snakes. I felt sorry -- until I hit upon the perfect plan. I arranged with some men to help ...

375. Unstoppable Love

Mark 1:40-45

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... wrong. A colleague of mine loves to tell the story about a woman who was active in his church who had a husband who was an atheist. He would come to worship with her occasionally to support her but he thought faith in God was just a fairy tale. Not long after she became active in the church, her husband was stricken with cancer. She loved him and cared for him as he became weaker and closer to death’s door. Before he died he received Christ as his Lord and Savior. When he was asked what convinced him to ...

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