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 4251 to 4275 of 5000 results

4251. Proper 5

Matthew 9:18-26, Matthew 9:9-13, Hosea 6:1--7:16, Hosea 5:1-15, Romans 4:1-25, Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... to show similar love rather than to observe religious events. 2. A desperate God (v. 4). Like a parent at the point of despair, twice God asks about his people, "What shall I do with you?" Here is another insight into the kind of God we have. He longs to have his people with him in covenantal love and loyalty. God has appealed to them through the prophets. He sent judgment to get them to repent. He wants from his people love and a relationship of peace, but they are content to render cheap sacrifices and ...

4252. Proper 10

Genesis 25:19-34, Isaiah 55:1-13, Romans 8:1-17, Romans 8:18-27, Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... suffering, later permanent glory. Now we are children of God but not fully. In this transitional period on earth, we wait, groan, and long for the end of the pilgrimage. What we endure today is a temporary loss for a permanent gain of glory as children of God ... Outline: In this period of temporary loss - a. We wait for redemption - vv. 19, 23. b. We groan because of suffering - vv. 22, 23. c. We long for permanent gain - v. 19. Lesson 2: Romans 8:9-17 (E) 1. If Alive, You'll Know It! 8:12-17 Need: Are you ...

4253. Proper 20

Exodus 16:1-36, Isaiah 55:1-13, Jonah 3:1-10, Jonah 4:1-11, Philippians 1:12-30, Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... the gospel. Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16 Parable of the laborers in the vineyard. Jesus teaches what the kingdom is like. The parable does not deal with labor relations nor with hours and wages. It teaches that people in the kingdom do not work for rewards. Regardless of how long we have served, the wage is the same - the privilege of serving God. We are reminded that God can do as he pleases with what is his. His generosity is seen by giving the same pay to those who worked the last time. The last who come to ...

4254. All Saints Day

Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... Psalm 34:1-10 (C) - "O fear the Lord, you his saints" (v. 9). Psalm 23:1-6 (RC) - "Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face" (v. 6). Psalm 149 (E) - "For the Lord takes pleasure in his people" (v. 4). Prayer of the Day "Almighty God, ... God. Being separated from God, the world does not know what God's people know. Christians have a knowledge the world will never know as long as it stays apart from God. What do we know that the world does not know? Outline: We know what the world does not know - ...

4255. In the Darkness of Uncertainty, There Is the Light of Wonder

Luke 2:8-20

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

... but believe that they always remembered it, held onto it, and kept alive in their hearts the wonder of it. Perhaps, some of them were still around when Jesus came to Jerusalem, many years later. I can almost see them saying to each other, “Remember that night long ago. We knew then there was something special about him, and now here he is.” I know Mary and Joseph held onto the wonder of that night. Parents always hold on to the wonder of birth, and this birth was a special birth. Saint Luke said Mary ...

4256. In the Darkness of Suspicion, There Is the Light of Devotion

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

... Hang onto this as we move away from Christmas. One year, as we were putting things away after Christmas, my wife said, “Well, Christmas is about over.” Our daughter replied, “Yes, but we still have the memories.” Let the memory of that night and those days so long ago continue to live in your heart. Remember these things about the visit of the Magi and their devotion: I Keep Christ as the object of your devotion. We see in those three men who came from so far away that he was just that for them. He ...

4257. Disappointed in Jesus

Matthew 11:2-11

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... you." So, the woman did just that. And what she saw thrilled her. There was peace on earth, no more war, no hunger or poverty, peace in families, no more drugs, harmony, clean air. She wrote furiously and finally approached the counter, handing a long list to Jesus. He skimmed the paper, and then smiling at her said, "No problem." Reaching under the counter, he grabbed some packets and laid them out on the counter. Confused, she asked, "What are these?" Jesus replied: "These are seed packets. You see, this ...

4258. Rejoicing in Reality

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... service on this sacred hill. A bit stunned, I was somewhat at a loss as to what to do. There was a male pastor in our group, but he had taken no spiritual leadership during the trip and didn't particularly want to. And, besides, I had been longing to speak the words of institution on this spot so central to the ministry of Jesus. Finally, we agreed that all of us would say the familiar words consecrating the bread and cup - not really what the nuns had in mind, but technically honoring the request that a ...

4259. In Our Pastor's Success, So Is Our Own!

Matthew 10:40-42

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

... walk away, shaking their heads in disbelief, they spit in disgust or worse. Jesus knew the busy pace of ministry. But he had replenishing friendships that gave him breaks from his labors. A friend with a sailboat, a meal with no agenda at Mary and Martha's, a long walk in the great out-of-doors ... these were restful to him. I challenge you to approach your ministry staff in your parish. Take them out to lunch. Look them in the eyes; ask them how the work is going. Inquire if they're doing too much. Insure ...

4260. Supper's Ready!

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

... you have questions, bring them to Sunday school, to Bible study, and worship. You will find your answers here. Doubters welcome! "As Long As You Are Sincere ..." Let's look at one final excuse that people make for absenting themselves from the Lord's ... you ever heard this one? "Any religion is good enough. All roads lead to the top of the mountain. I've got my own religion. As long as one is sincere, that's all that's important." Well, all I've got to say is, bull! Sincerity is no basis for a relationship ...

4261. The 4 LAWS of a Whole Personality

Matthew 11:1-19

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." This message - if brought to John the Baptist - would undoubtedly set fire to his imagination, whetting his appetite for the military messiah that Judaism had so long expected. No wonder John sent his disciples back out to Jesus, demanding once and for all if he was "the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" John was more than ready to be done waiting. Despite Jesus' straight-forward talk about ...

4262. Prime Time Waiting

2 Peter 3:1-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... things are just and true and good . . . think on these things." Christian waiting isn't a blanking out, it's a filling up . . . . a filling up with beauty, truth and goodness. Advent is a special time of waiting, of great expectation. Ask any child how long advent lasts and they'll guess it's about a million years from Thanksgiving until Christmas! But the waiting Christians do during Advent is active waiting. Let's not passively sit and wait for Advent anticipation to drip down upon us. Let's make Advent ...

4263. The Holidaze Craze

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... that loomed largest. It was a personal water filtration device called the LifeStraw. Instead of being sleek and ergonomically pleasing, it looked kind of fat and clunky. The LifeStraw contains a series of filtration systems in a long tube about two inches in circumference and ten inches long. With extremely low-tech operation all you do is stick the end of the straw into any water source and suck it up into your mouth. The numerous filtration systems remove organic, mineral, and chemical contaminates as ...

4264. Trapped in Paradise

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... for those who focus less on the plan than on being prepared for a variety of scenarios, it's far easier to find a new way, to think in a new direction, to look for and find new solutions. Canned plans only work as long as everyone has their own can opener, and as long as there are enough cans to go around. In this week's gospel text ten bridesmaids are all onboard with a great plan. They will wait for the announcement of the approaching arrival of the bridegroom and his entourage. Then they will process out ...

4265. The Ladder or the Wheel

Matthew 23:1-39

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... planet. As Jesus denounced the Pharisees in today's gospel text, he called attention to two great failures in their teachings. First, they opted for things over people. The Pharisees had a great concern to show their piety and purity through their elaborate phylacteries and long fringes. They wanted to be seen in all the right places and wanted to be shown the right amount of respect. But they lacked compassion: they won't lift a finger, Jesus said, to help ease the burdens on the people's shoulders. Second ...

4266. Don't Fit In, Fit Together

Philippians 3:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... within the body. It all fits together so perfectly that we take the miraculously coordinated symphony of systems for granted--as long as they function flawless. We call this state health. We call this state fitness. It's only when something goes wrong, ... at lower elevations. Their bodies adapt. Example 2: Free divers descend to tremendous depth, depriving themselves of oxygen for long minutes, and withstand enormous atmospheric pressure. Example 3: Astronauts learn how to function in zero gravity and then re ...

4267. A High FLOSS Church

Romans 14:1--15:13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... bruised from having snatched survivors from the dangerous debris they had clung to. But he also noted that each and every one of his rescue personnel had to be forced to take a couple hours off to rest, sleep, and eat before heading back out for another long shift. They are driven to save, aching to do good, needing to be out there doing all they can to rescue as many as possible. For both FLOSSers and Laborers, that MasterCard ad is right on: the good feeling that comes from helping others is priceless. As ...

4268. Gross Personality Disorder

Romans 12:9-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... of prayer. Every morning when I get up - no matter how early or late I rise - I take a shower. Sometimes I don't WANT to take a shower. But I have to. Why? Because without that morning water ritual I feel grungy and grimy; I feel "wrong" all day long. Paul calls on Christians to persevere in prayer - that is, to pray persistently, continually. Any day that doesn't start with prayer should feel as out-of-whack and wrong to a Christian as a morning without a shower. Don't pray when you get up, and the whole ...

4269. God Will Take Care of You

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... of the poor. But this simple sustenance is what kept people going. In Jesus' day the daily bread was the difference between a full belly and clutching hunger. The disciples' concern for the crowd's need for bread, for simple basic food at the end of a long day, was realistic and sensible. Out there at night in that deserted place all would go hungry. Yet Jesus' reply to the disciples demand that he send the crowds away (verse 15) shifts focus from the hungry crowd back to himself. If Jesus is Master and ...

4270. Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord

Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... people sitting in this sanctuary. Cesar Chavez knew the meaning of relational power. Chavez worked hard to ban the short-handled hoe, the el cortito ("the short one"), a hoe dubbed "the devil's arm" that was only 24 inches long and required the farm workers who used it to hunch and bend over all day long in a position that led to serious, lifelong injuries for many. One young female farm worker told a grower that she had measured his land inch by inch with the short-handled hoe. Chavez knew the devil's arm ...

4271. God's Resolutions

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Year. At least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700's, it was first published in 1796 after Burns' death. Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce the modern rendition. An old Scotch tune, auld lang syne literally means "old long ago," or simply, the good old days. We sing about the good old days as our first act in the New Year, for they are all we know. The New Year is an unknown. Thus two spirits cohabit on New Year's: nostalgia and hope. If nostalgia is ...

4272. Soren's Heart

2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... century BC (some 400 years before the Dead Sea Scrolls). The find is dated just before the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC by Nebuchadnezzar and the exile of Israelites to Babylon. When unrolled, one amulet is four inches long and an inch wide; the other amulet is an inch and a half long and an inch wide. These words were a blessing and protection for the person who wore them. These silver scrolls "preserve the earliest known citations of texts also found in the Hebrew Bible and that they provide us with ...

4273. Keep on Praying

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... gum aisle, the candy aisle, the cough drop aisle, or the battery aisle, cajoling, whining, nagging, begging, even out-right crying and screaming is sure to break out as the desired goody is passed. The child knows that if they beg, moan, screech, or scream long and loud enough, there's a good chance that the adult-in-charge may cave in - either out of embarrassment, or exhaustion, or because some primitive survival gene suddenly takes them over. Of course, once the adult does give in, the lesson has been ...

4274. But Wait! There's More!

Luke 20:27-40

Sermon

King Duncan

... God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” With his answer Jesus was firmly putting himself into the camp of those who believe in the resurrection. Of course, it would not be long until he was making resurrection a reality by his own return from the grave. “[God] is not the God of the dead,” said Jesus, “but of the living, for to him all are alive.” When our hearts are heavy with grief at the graveside of a loved one, Jesus ...

4275. Addiction Free

Psalm 30:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... of the world, an immovable mountain in total control of his own destiny. Like all addicts, the psalmist discovered how fragile, how delicate, how precious, was the life that animated his spirit. The Church has before it a bigger pool of addicted, needy, aching-for-fulfillment, longing-for-freedom, souls than has ever before faced it. The de-tox program of Christ's church is not a 10-Step Program or a 12-Step Program. The glory and wonder of our message is a true one-step wonder. Jesus accomplished it all on ...

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