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 376 to 400 of 2173 results

376. An Extraordinary Wedding Gift

John 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

During a wedding rehearsal, the groom approached the priest with an unusual offer. “Look, I’ll give you $100 if you’ll change the wedding vows. When you get to the part where I’m to promise to ‘love, honor, and obey’ and ‘forsaking all others, be faithful to her forever,’ I’d appreciate it if you’d just leave that part out.” He slipped the priest the cash and walked away. The wedding day arrived. When it came time for the groom’s vows, the priest looked the young man in the eye and said, “Will you promise ...

377. Personal Rights and Christian Testimony

1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: Personal rights must be put aside when they hinder an effective witness to unbelievers, or if they endanger the faith of immature believers. Even theological arguments that disclose certain behaviors as immaterial to the Christian faith become irrelevant in light of the greater assignment to imitate Christ. Understanding the Text The transition from chapter 8 seems quite abrupt. Is Paul taking a ninety-degree turn from a question about participation in Corinthian parties (eating meat) to his ...

378. Slow Burn

Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 6:19-24

Sermon

Lori Wagner

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people. (Ephesians 1:18) “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50) Everyone will be salted with fire. (Mark 9:49) Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow? (Job 6:6) Prop: large salt ...

379. Oh That Cookie Jar Goodness!

Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) Prop: If you can find one, a “lie detector” device could also serve as an interesting opening (in reference to the movie, “Meet the Parents”) Has anyone had one of those mothers or grandmothers….or maybe a father or grandfather who just seems to know your next move? You’re going for the cookie jar when you hear a voice clear from the other ...

380. Proper 23

Matthew 22:1-14

Bulletin Aid

Theme: The peace of Christ Call To Worship Leader: Let us gather together all who would worship and serve the Lord! People: For we were once outsiders and knew not the kingdom of the Lord. Leader: Now we have been called as guests by the Lord God Almighty. People: Then let us tell all the nations of God's wonderful mercy and grace. Leader: And let our voices proclaim the glory of God in song and praise! All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect O, God, in Your mercy You have invited even the outsiders ...

381. Cross Purposes

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

"In the cross of Christ I glory towering o'er ..." Is the cross today towering over the world? Atlanta is presently boasting of its newest hotel, seventy stories high, the highest hotel in the entire world. Just a couple of blocks from this hotel are a Methodist church and a Catholic church, each with a tower and a cross on top. There was a time when the highest point in a town was the church spire with a cross on its pinnacle. Now city skyscrapers dwarf the church with its cross. The cross is over-towered ...

382. For Future Generations

Psalm 22:1-31

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

We thought you might like to see the oral style in which Wayne Brouwer prepares his messages. INTRODUCTION (1) In 1976, Gail Sheehy wrote a book about the changes we go through in our lives. She called it Passages (Bantam, 1977). And it opens with a scene from one of the most terrible days in her life. She was a news reporter in Northern Ireland. She’d been sent there to write a story about the women: what they were doing; how they were coping with life in the middle of a war zone. She says she was ...

383. The “Sad-You-See” Syndrome

Mark 12:18-27

Sermon

Michael Milton

Today we witness an ancient military war tactic at work—attack in waves, leaving no time for the enemy to recover from the first shot. First came the chief priests, scribes, and elders with their religious question to trap Jesus Christ.[1] They were defeated by Jesus, and they knew it. But it wasn’t over. The scheming conspirators then sent the unlikely alliance of the Pharisees and the Herodians to throw a political net over the Savior, but they failed. Now, in an unrelenting attack, comes a rather ...

384. Accept His Peace

John 4:1-26, Romans 5:1-11, Exodus 17:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

It was the deciding round of play of the 1983 U.S. Open golf tournament. A player named Larry Nelson was tied for first place. But then he hit a difficult situation. His approach shot to the sixteenth green left him sixty-two feet from the hole. His fans groaned. In the world of golf, sinking a sixty-two-foot putt is about as likely as a hole-in-one. Larry Nelson paused for a long moment. Then he raised his head, sized up the terrain, and stroked his ball. It rolled downhill for a spell, then up an incline ...

385. Time to Pick a Side

Luke 12:49-53

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever noticed how many warning signs you pass by in the average day? Signs like “Do Not Enter,” “School Crossing,” “Caution: Wet Floor.” There’s a hilarious warning circulating on the Internet (author unknown). It goes like this: WARNING: Do Not Shampoo Your Hair In The Shower! It’s so good to finally get a health warning that is useful. It involves the shampoo when it runs down your body while you shower with it. Shampoo Warning! I don’t know WHY I didn’t figure this out sooner! I use shampoo in ...

386. The Good Catch

Matthew 17:24-27

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Animation: Basin of water; rubber fish or coins “Not fair!!” yelled my five-year old. “The teacher said all of us need to pay to go to the school play, even if we’re already in it!” “Why do we have to pay? We are the ones doing the play for everyone else!?” “Well,” I said, “I guess it’s just a rule that everyone needs to contribute in order for the school to make money on the play.” “After all, it’s for your school!” “Well, I shouldn’t have to do it!” “Look,” I said. “It’s only two dollars each. Why don’t ...

387. The Writing on the Wall

2 Samuel 11:1-27, 2 Samuel 12:1-31, John 7:25-44, John 7:45--8:11

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Were you ever startled by your own reflection? Maybe you are passing by a mirror, but don’t realize it’s a mirror until an image catches the corner of your eye. You jump. Then you realize the image was you –reflected in the mirror that you just walked by. Or maybe one morning you get up, after a night of restless sleep, and look into the mirror. There you see a stranger with dark circles under the eyes, puffy face, tangled hair, and a hollow expression. You gasp. Who is that person? Surely not me! Am I the ...

388. Run Away Bride

Exodus 24:1-18, Matthew 22:1-14, Hosea 1:1-2:1

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Better is a dish of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox served with hatred. Proverbs 15:17 If you are a fan of Facebook, you know that by looking at someone’s “status,” you can find out some things about a person: whether they are male or female, where they live, and most intriguingly, their “relationship status.” That is, of course, if they have filled in those blanks and answered those questions when they set up the account. Some status indicators say: “In a relationship.” Others simply say “ ...

389. Hanging Around Jesus Changes You

Philippians 3:17 — 4:1

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

Writing to Christians in a Macedonian city of Philippi, Paul writes: “For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ...” (v.18). People don’t like this message, don’t want anything to do with the cross of Christ. No surprise. Who of us wants to mess with death and suffering? Why, it’s just common sense. Cross-bearing goes against the grain of what pop culture in America tells us about life. It goes against the grain of our desire for instant gratification. After all, we’ve been taught to follow our dreams ...

390. Praying With Tears in Your Eyes

Hebrews 1:1-14

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard for his godly fear. (Hebrews 5:7) When you finish your prayers, are there tears in your eyes? Usually we "say" our prayers, not "cry" them. We associate prayer with peace, calm, and strength. We may feel weepy when we begin our prayers, but we expect to be comforted by the end of them. Because there are very seldom tears in our eyes when we pray, our ...

391. Your Faith: Winning or Whining?

Hebrews 11:1-40

Sermon

Eric Ritz

I have been overwhelmed with all the material and insights that one can find in the eleventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews. I want to examine the first seven verses of this magnificent book along with the passage that we read from the Gospel of Luke 17:1-6. Both of these passages deal with an ingredient that is fundamental to the understanding and practicing of what we call "Christian faith." Would you like to have greater faith in God? The Disciples did. They were honest and forthright, and they asked ...

392. The Question that Will Change Your Life

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you noticed there are all kinds of questions? There are silly questions and there are great questions. There was a comedian who was riding a subway into work. He had finished reading the morning paper and was saving it to bring to his friends at work. “How do you save a newspaper on the subway?” he asks. You sit on it. A new commuter came on the subway, saw the newspaper that the comedian was sitting on and asked, “Are you reading that paper?” The comedian stood up, turned the page, sat down on the ...

393. Orderly Worship

1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

Protocol for Practicing Spiritual Gifts Paul steps back from a strict focus on prophecy and tongues in verses 26–33a as he considers more generally the practice of Christian worship. Essentially, Paul delineates regulations for orderly assembly and worship. Behind all the particular instructions about worship practices, however, is the basic theme Paul sets out at the end of verse 26, “All of these things must be done for the strengthening of the church.” 14:26 The modern reader of Paul’s letter gains a ...

394. Searching for Happiness

Ephesians 5:15-20

Sermon

King Duncan

Many people today spend their lives in a desperate search for happiness, for pleasure, for fun. Many people in our society are simply bored. They mope around, fantasizing about some secret joy that lies out there somewhere. “I’m looking for adventure, excitement, and beautiful women,” said the young man to his father as he was leaving home. “And don’t try to stop me!” “Who wants to stop you?” said his father. “I’m going with you!” The ironic thing about seeking such pleasure, however, is how little joy it ...

395. Courage to Break

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

From 2009-2013 television viewers couldn’t wait each week to watch an innovative, if disturbing, show called “Breaking Bad.” The storyline followed an ordinary chemistry teacher turned villainous meth kingpin. The idiom “breaking bad” which comes from a southern expression for “raising hell” seemed to suggest within the series the contagion of “hellishness” that Walt brought to everyone around him, including his family. All this resulted and escalated from one initial choice. Choices –they fill our lives. ...

396. Good News / Bad News

Luke 12:49-56

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. Luke 12:51 Sports writers still talk about the joy they used to take in interviewing the great New York Yankees catcher, Yogi Berra. Yogi was something of a rough-hewn philosopher given to malaprops and seemingly contradictory statements that managed to, somehow, still make a weird kind of sense. It was Yogi who said: “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” And, “It’s like déjà vu all over again.” When giving his opinion of a New York ...

397. The Flock Paradox

2 Samuel 5:1-5, Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20, Ezekiel 34:1-31, Jeremiah 33:1-26

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Christmas is a time of joy and enjoy, but also a time of unprecedented envy. The great gifts one person receives are inevitably desired by any number of that person’s friends. The gifts one child receives are immediately coveted by their sister or brother. Shopping for a gift for others, we often find things we desire for ourselves as well! We like to have what others have. We like to do what others do. Some call it “keeping up with the Joneses.” Scientists call it the “flock syndrome.” It’s the crowd ...

398. The Christian and the World

James 4:1-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

Because he is aware of practical problems in the community, James makes an abrupt switch from peacemakers, the wise leaders of the community, to the actual situation of intrachurch conflict. 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? That is a good question, for if God’s wisdom is found in peacemakers, community strife does not come from them. A conflict with the pagan world or the synagogue might be the inevitable result of following Christian standards, but these are quarrels within the church (i.e ...

399. The Christian Life Farmland

Hebrews 5:11-6:12

Bulletin Aid

Call to Worship Leader: Land that soaks up the rain and produces a useful crop for the farmer receives a blessing from God. It speaks to the ability of the farmer and the owner. Congregation: Land that produces thorns and weeds is worthless and in danger of being cursed. It speaks to the neglect of the farmer and brings reproach to the owner. Leader: Our lives are farms owned by God and under our own managemant. If we consult his desires, as revealed in his Word by his Spirit, we shall produce abundant, ...

400. Prayer

Psalm 42:1-11

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Prayer is at the heart of the Christian life. If not the greatest, it is certainly one of the greatest privileges given us as Christians. You may or may not have had a meal yet today. But before the day is past you will have eaten something – probably three meals, and maybe a snack between. Fasting is natural and necessary. If you haven’t eaten today, the chances are you have had a cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of water or milk. Drinking is natural and necessary. Like eating and drinking, prayer is not ...

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