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 3926 to 3950 of 5000 results

3926. Holy Goat!

Leviticus 16:1-34, John 20:24-31

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... hiding means to take a risk. To summon us out of our hiding places, we need “proof” that the coast is clear. Is that puddle water, or ice? Instead of jumping right in, we extend a finger or a foot. Test it out. Ice. Hard. Safe. Okay! We don’t want to believe and get our hopes up only to have them dashed again! When a child looks forward to a birthday party and is promised a wonderful day, and then for some reason, the celebration must be canceled, there is a huge let-down from excitement to loss and ...

3927. Scroll Bread and Honey

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... of feeling sick, and died.*) If you are diabetic, you cut out sugars and starches! At least you’re supposed to, right? Yeah, I know, we’ve also got the cheaters out there. But we try, right? Cause we have no real desire to poison our bodies. We all want to live well for as long as we possibly can. Today, more than any other time in history perhaps, we understand what food does for our bodies and how what we eat affects how we live. What we put into our bodies in large part determines how long we ...

3928. What is Your Golden Calf?

Exodus 32:1-33:6, Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... for relationship may be our deepest need and the source of our neediness. In our scripture story for today, the Israelites are in that wilderness, on that journey from Egypt to an unknown place of promise. They are facing a lot of unknowns. They are also a bit unsure they want to get there. Let’s face it, they take a two week journey that lasts…wait for it….40 years! They don’t know where they are going. They don’t really know Moses from Adam. And now, he’s gone up a mountain to talk to God, a ...

3929. The Excellent Meal Ticket

Genesis 37:1-11, Genesis 37:12-36, John 21:15-25, Mark 8:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... feeding others. [You may use another example like the one below.] A few weeks ago, I took a group of kids to Hershey Park. At the very last minute, one extra girl joined the group. But we only had tickets for those already registered. But we didn’t want to turn her down. So she came along, and we agreed to purchase the extra ticket when we arrived, even though knowing it would likely cost much more than the original group rate. When we arrived however, before we could get halfway through the line, a woman ...

3930. Why Can’t I Have It All?

Genesis 3:1-24, Genesis 2:4-25

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... so much time working for it, striving for it? Why shouldn’t you have the best immediately and without any cost or toil? Why shouldn’t you have it all now? Why should you have to work for it, invest in it? Why shouldn’t you have what you want? You are, after all, you. And God is no better than you! Why should you be subject to God when you can be on the same level as God, enjoying the freedom that God has? The Jewish people call this “poisonous voice” lashon hara, the “evil inclination,” the ...

3931. The Scariest Job Interview

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... he got so confused by that question that he couldn’t recover his composure. Needless to say, he didn’t get the job. (2) I want you think for a few moments about what might seem to you the scariest job interview you will ever have—that is to be a ... and experience the character and the blessings and the message of God when they look at us? If that question doesn’t make us want to stop right now and pray fervently for God’s power and guidance, then nothing will. The second essential step if we are to ...

3932. Trapped!

Romans 6:15-23

Sermon

King Duncan

... all around him people being damaged because they could not free themselves from a destructive way of living or thinking or feeling. He could see it in their faces—anger, guilt, fear, depression, envy—the list of enslavers is unlimited. But wait. Don’t panic yet. Paul wants us to know there is a way out of being trapped or enslaved. The way to escape sin or bad attitudes or even bad religion is to become attached to God in the same way that we were once attached to that which is negative, destructive ...

3933. What's Your Superpower?

Luke 24:36-49, Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... shout. They meditate. They wait for God’s power to come upon them, so that they can do the kind of mission that God requires. Today’s churches are not used to waiting. They are not accustomed to relying on supernatural power in order to do the things they want to do. Today’s churches too often rely merely on what they perceive as their own human strengths, or worse try to copy the ministries of others, in order to do God’s mission in the world. And more than not, God’s mission is not at all what ...

3934. The Art of Critique

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... around them to “dance to the tune they play” – to decide how others around them should behave and live. Or sometimes, they have no rhyme or reason to their critique at all, except that they want to express their distaste and dissatisfaction at anything and everyone around them. This kind of “ornery” behavior is not based in reason but simply in the desire to disagree – with anything or anyone other than themselves just because they feel a frustration inside they cannot appease. Jesus directs ...

3935. A Personal Question Deserves a Personal Answer

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

Roy Howard

... enter into a life with Jesus, who forgives sins and gives to all who follow him abundant life. Rather than laugh at them or ridicule them as I expected to do when I opened the door, I heard in their simple invitation something true and honest. I wanted to laugh at them, but something else happened. I didn’t walk away. Instead I heard an invitation to come home. As I have learned over the years since that time, they were giving me an opportunity to enter a lifelong journey of discipleship in the Christian ...

3936. About Face!

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

King Duncan

... you with great wealth. Your life. Your talents and energy and intellect and influence. And God can’t use you for His glory if you are afraid of investing your life in good works for God’s glory. So now is the time to ask yourself, what do you want to hear at the end of your life? What will it take to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” The Christian life ...

3937. Keeping Your Eye on the Ball

Matthew 22:15-22

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... world or your role in the social and political arenas. It simply means, keeping your priorities straight. Keeping your life in perspective. Always putting God first. In our scripture for today, Jesus is confronted by a group of Pharisees and Herodians who want to challenge him on his politics, hoping to twist his words, entrap him, and reveal him as a hypocrite and revolutionary, so that they can diffuse his mission, or better, have him arrested for sedition. The political arena in Jesus’ day consisted ...

3938. What Really Matters

John 3:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... counts in life—our relationship with those closest to us. How quick we are to forget that fact. We who are so busy working ourselves to an early grave so that we can give our families all the material blessings of life when all they really need or want is us. That is the one nice thing about the sequestering many of us [were] forced to do during the pandemic. Hopefully, it’s given some of our families an opportunity to reconnect. But there is another family that we don't talk about like we should--and ...

3939. The Eleventh Commandment

John 13:1-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... his death in a way that nothing else—no theories, no clever ideas—could ever do.” (2) No wonder the church has for so long celebrated this sacred night. This is the one night we can see as well as touch the meaning of Christ’s death. But if we want to have the ultimate meaning of it all, all we have to do is read a few verses farther in this same chapter to verses 34 and 35 where Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one ...

3940. Freedom

Acts 16:16-40

Sermon

Will Willimon

... in the stocks are singing, praying, having some kind of a rally, there, in jail? A few years ago, we were honored by a visit by Bishop Emilio de Carvalho, Methodist Bishop of Angola. What is it like to be the church in a Marxist country, we wanted to know. Is the new Marxist government supportive of the church? we asked. "No," the Bishop responded, "but we don't ask it to be supportive." "Have there been tensions," we asked. "Yes," said the Bishop. "Not long ago the government decreed that we would disband ...

3941. Having the Right Connection

John 15:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

... little sentence? We find our identity in being connected with someone or something. Our identity is shaped by our connection to our parents and family, our teachers and coaches and friends. Our church family. Our community. When another person sees you and values you and wants the best for you, that is what shapes your identity. We find our identity in our connection to others. In today’s lesson, Jesus gives us the ultimate gift. He says, “You are connected to me. And you are not just connected to me ...

3942. The Mighty Mustard Seed

Mark 4:26-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... or hope we can offer, if we overlook the little ways we can shine God’s light in the world, then we will not be prepared for the big opportunities God has to use us for His glory. In his book How God Works, Edward T. Sullivan writes, “When God wants an important thing done in this world, or a wrong righted, He goes about it in a very singular way. He does not release His thunderbolts or stir up His earthquake. He simply has a tiny, helpless baby born, perhaps in an obscure home, perhaps of a very humble ...

3943. The Transformative Power of God

1 John 1:1--2:2

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... and I bet you cannot do it.” “Of course,” the young man, gruffly responded, “I can do anything you propose.” “Fine,” said the priest. “All that I ask is that you come with me into the church and follow me into the sanctuary. I want you to stare at the figure of Christ and I want you to scream at the top of your lungs, as loudly as you can, ‘Christ died on the cross for me and I don’t care a bit.’” So the young man entered the sanctuary and screamed as loud as he could, while looking ...

3944. Because We Are Chosen

Ephesians 1:3-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... his crimes, Richard skipped his trial, abandoned his wife and family, and went on the run. He ended up on the U.S. Marshals’ Most Wanted list. He spent a year on the run, moving from town to town. He brought enough cash with him to ensure that he could ... your life living in anxiety and envy and disappointment. You may have let your family, your culture or your past define you. God wants you to know you have nothing to fear. You have been chosen. You have been forgiven! You are no longer trapped by what ...

3945. The Dean's Dilemma

Ephesians 5:15-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... need God; I need a lawyer!” Paul would say that’s the perspective of a fool. The fool sees no value in knowing God. The fool wants a quick fix so he can go back to his old life, to his foolish ways. If there is a God, and if there is a purpose ... that is marked by contagious joy and thankfulness. And the end result of this life is purposeful living now and eternal life with God. If you want to have this kind of life, then I urge you to pray and ask Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of your life, so that ...

3946. Will the “Real” Jesus Please Stand Up

Mark 3:20-35

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... of self and make us essentially feel good about who we are in a world that seems to criticize us at every turn. Now that’s catnip. Who doesn’t come from a dysfunctional family? Who doesn’t do stupid things sometimes? Who doesn’t feel alone or want approval or feel criticized or lament life sometimes? For kids, this online connection to others lets us know that this is just part of being human. And as we watch others in their mundanity, we learn who we are, we mold ourselves. We come of age, even as ...

3947. Religious Rage

Psalm 137:1-9

Sermon

Will Willimon

... , uncomplimentary evaluations I have ever received from a student. Well, she had been abused in her earlier marriage, you say. Yes. She was having a rough time balancing school, child care, and all the rest, you say. Yes. But people like her are not pleasant to be around. I wanted her out of the class. But, thank God, she is not out of the Bible, not out of the church. Read Psalm 137 -- all of it. Come, you hurting daughters of Zion, don't just grieve, rage with me. Did it ever occur to you that God may be ...

3948. Lazarus, Arise!

John 11:1-44

Sermon

Will Willimon

... head, and moves on toward Palm Sunday, on to the cross which is also where we're headed in that like Lazarus, none of us will make it out of this alive. But in the meantime, on the way to the cross, to his death, deep in Lent, I want you to ponder what Jesus told Martha: Resurrection is not something you wait for until Easter, not some forth coming day in a still undetermined future. Resurrection is now. It is a present reality, more than just a coming one. Anytime Jesus arrives, the dead are set loose. You ...

3949. The Invitation

Matthew 20:1-15

Sermon

Will Willimon

... s wrong with that? Am I not doing you right?" Somehow, it just doesn't feel right. You look at your A. It was what you wanted out of the class. But now that everyone else also has an A, what with Professor Smith's forays into the dorm and everything, it ... everyone in the class gets an the giver of a banquet who won't be happy until everyone moves to the music. If all we want is justice from God, that's all we'll get. Take your denarius and go, says the master. Big deal. But, through the master's ...

3950. No Turning Back

John 6:56-69

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

... man born blind got it. The religious experts didn’t. Some people get it. Some don’t. Some people came to Jesus expecting they would no longer have to work to earn their daily bread, that Jesus like Moses could rain manna down from on high. They wanted the bread of life that Jesus offered to be a reprise of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. They had offered the example of the manna as a scriptural way of proving to Jesus that he could only demonstrate his lordship by continuing to provide miraculous ...

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