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 4876 to 4900 of 5000 results

4876. Luke 12:13-21

Luke 12:13-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... be no future filled with eating, drinking, and merriment. Instead, God declares “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you” (v.20). The rich man had many possessions but he was a “fool” because he thought those possessions insured a long and happy life. God’s final words are a stark reminder to Jesus’ listeners that you can’t take it with you – “The things you have prepared, whose will they be?” Jesus concludes his parable by contrasting those who “build a personal ...

4877. A Faith That Transforms, Not Just Adorns

Hebrews 11:1-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the opportunity to be pregnant and bear a child — at the age of eighty or so! This was not an adorning faith but a transforming faith. Hope hurries to make things better right now. Faith isn’t focused on the right now. Faith has long-distance vision. Hope hurriedly sweeps out all the garbage accumulating under your feet. Faith composts. And what eventually emerges is rich and full of life, for each new generation. Don’t be a sucker for “hope” unless that “hope” is tethered to the “assurance ...

4878. Be Square

Hebrews 11:1-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... you until you did. Some of our square halo people we may never even get to meet. Like a stone dropped into water, their actions ripple out across our lives and the world, changing things, changing people, changing us. Jesus wore a square halo long before he was transformed by crucifixion and resurrection into a round halo Savior. The square halo Jesus hung out with average Joes, fisherman, and small-town citizens. Square halo Jesus ate dinner with anyone who invited him over, played with the kids, wandered ...

4879. A Strange Way in and a New Way Out

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Charles L. Aaron

... time to help boil water for the birth, they have some things to teach us about what it means to encounter Jesus. We rejoice that, early in his gospel, Matthew has Gentiles come to celebrate Jesus' birth and to offer him worship. The church has long understood this passage as a message about opening the gospel to the world, represented by the three outsiders who come to Jesus. We find curious not that Matthew has Gentiles come to worship Jesus, but that they find Jesus the way they do. These Gentile visitors ...

4880. The Rest of The Message

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Lee Griess

... after his received his freedom, the government in Ethiopia was overthrown and all foreign missionaries were expelled from the country. Twenty-four years passed before Raymond Davis was allowed to return to Wallamo. However, through all those years, Tigyne had not forgotten and he longed to see Davis again. When he heard that his friend was returning to Africa, he went to the mission station to greet him. Because dates on the calendar and times on the clock didn't mean much to Tigyne, he just kept coming ...

4881. Always with Us

John 14:15-21

Sermon

Lee Griess

... his voice in a song of lament — a mournful, deep song whose words gave expression to the pain of having been taken from home, separated from family, and subjected to slavery. With hurt and longing he sang these words: Sometimes I feel like a motherless child, Sometimes I feel like a motherless child, Sometimes I feel like a motherless child, A long ways from home. Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone, Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone, Sometimes I feel like I'm almos' gone, Way up in de heab'nly land ...

4882. One in Faith and One in Service

John 17:1-11

Sermon

Lee Griess

... what we don't know won't hurt us. Tell that to Jorge. It's equally absurd to say that what we believe doesn't matter, as long as we are sincere about it. What we believe does matter. How we live does make a difference. As Jesus prepares to go to the cross, as ... the boy, that the Nazis would come and take him away. "They'll never take a child of mine," Erickson declared. "Not as long as I'm alive." In keeping with the promise the Swedish government had made, Johann tried his best to respect Rolf's religious ...

4883. Having Fun with The Great Commission

Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... .gallup.com/poll/content/default/aspex?ci. 7. See Dean Hamer, The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into Our Genes (New York: Doubleday, 2004). Also see Antoine Lutz, Lawrence L. Greischar, Nancy B. Rawlings, Matthieu Richard, and Richard J. Davidson, "Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 101, No. 46 (Nov. 16, 2004), pp. 16369-16373. 8. See Michael D. Lemonick, "The Biology of Joy," Time, Jan. 17, 2005 ...

4884. Why We Need the Pledge of Allegiance

Matthew 13:31-35, Matthew 13:44-46, Matthew 13:47-52

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... demanded that we sing alone. Our fearless leader did his best, but half-way to Christmas, it was obvious that we were all losing: We in the choir had lost our places, he as director and new teacher on the block was about to lose face, and Handel had long ago lost interest in all of us. Still, we had gone too far to turn back, and with a grace we didn't feel we stumbled through the first part of our concert. Our parents smiled politely, while our little sisters and brothers squirmed restlessly. Some of our ...

4885. Hunger and Politics

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... us freedom. Yet, when we use our abilities for our own ends we tend to lose what is best in ourselves and often demean it in others, and push like adolescents away from our spiritual parent. Only if we become restless to find the face of God in some longing for home will we regain a glimpse of our own best faces reflected back toward us in the kindness and smile of God. Here is where the hunger found in Matthew's story connects with us. We are the people who go out into the wilderness seeking something to ...

4886. Personal Politics

Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... and refused to share in payment. They argued and fought about it, and finally took the case to court. A legal judgment settled the claim, but it did nothing to heal the breach between them. These grown men never spoke to one another again as long as they lived. When Sullivan wrote the music for a new production he would mail it to Gilbert. Then, when Gilbert finished the libretto, he would post it back to Sullivan again. One time they were requested to make a curtain call together. Although they normally ...

4887. Political Pardon

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... sent down to Faken to drop a small pebble into Fouke's heart. In the morning, when he exercised again his righteous vindictiveness, a sharp pain slashed through his body. Day after day the tiny pebbles accumulated, and the hurting in his chest increased. Before long, tall and upright Fouke began to walk with a bit of a bend, and stoop more when he was working. And his boundless energy seemed sapped by the changes taking place in his body. Within several months Fouke trudged down the street nearly doubled ...

4888. Restoration Frustration

Isaiah 63:7-9

Sermon

Tony Everett

... homes to aliens ... Mount Zion, which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it. — Lamentations 5:1-2, 18— Lamentations 5:1-2, 18 So, what was your Christmas like? Did anyone "Christmas" against you? Did you "Christmas" against anyone? Did you return home after a long absence? Did anyone return to your home? Were you alone then and still alone today? What happened to your hopes for renewal and restoration? What is it like for you to experience restoration frustration? Where is God in all this? How do we find ...

4889. Aprons or Bibs

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Sermon

Tony Everett

... clear direction of God's teachings and decrees. Left on our own, life can be just one curse after another. Then we die. Left on our own, in the middle of life's cursed troubles, we gaze at folks who seem to have it all together. We long to graze at their buffet table of happiness and security. If only we could just understand the step-by-step directions to success and joy. A doctoral student who was living in another state forwarded a dissertation proposal for her major professor to critique. She enclosed a ...

4890. Losers, Weepers

Isaiah 49:8-16a

Sermon

Tony Everett

... those who are trapped in the darkness of despair, rejection, and violence. Because Christ has inscribed us on the palms of his hands, therefore, we "losers and weepers" are sent to rebuild hearts and souls that lay in ruins, just like the walls of Jerusalem long ago. God proclaims to the exiles and to us that he sees the brokenness around us and within us, and gives us power to do something about it. "... your walls are continually before me. Your builders outdo your destroyers" (Isaiah 49:16-17). Alone, we ...

4891. I Don't Do Windows

Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28

Sermon

Tony Everett

... and curse; life and death (Deuteronomy 11:26-28). Indeed, the past experience of God's deliverance was exciting. The vision of a new land of their very own was terrific. Yet, wandering endlessly in the present anxious wilderness brought constant frustration and fears. How long must they wander? We know the journey lasted forty years, but they did not. In fact, in Hebrew, "forty" is also an adjective that is translated as "many." With no specific end date in sight, it's no wonder that this band of God's ...

4892. Preaching Peace By Jesus Christ ...

Acts 10:34-43

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

... fire department because I believe that what these people do is essentially good. I give my time and energy to the PTA at my children's school because I agree with the stated goals of the organization. Each one of us, I'm sure, could make a long list of the things we participate in because we are in agreement with their agenda or basic principles. The church is no different. Most of us are in church because we are in agreement with the basics about Christian faith. Otherwise, why would we be involved? Indeed ...

4893. Being a Witness

Acts 2:14, 22-32

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

... mess and not get cracked up myself. As soon as I stopped, though, I jumped out of my car and went to check on the two drivers to be sure that everyone was unhurt. By God's grace, no major injuries! The cars, however, were another matter. Honestly, as long as everyone was okay, I didn't much care about the cars. I had a meeting to get to on the other side of town. Just as I was leaving, though, the police arrived. One officer asked if anyone had "witnessed" the accident. Several people standing there turned ...

4894. God, What Are You Up To?

Genesis 12:1-9

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... of "Oh, now I see why God wanted Joan to do that." It is in this final point that the television show is probably the furthest from the actual experience of most of us who try to obey God. Generally, God's purposes do not become clear for a long time, and sometimes not in this lifetime. In that regard, the Genesis story is a more realistic model than the television show. In fact, it's not difficult to understand why, as the series developed, Joan came to obey God somewhat more readily; it's because she saw ...

4895. Eat and Run

Exodus 12:1-14

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... feel so busy, or so pressured, or so involved in our work that stopping to eat feels like an interruption. Consequently, some folks stop working just long enough to sit down and eat, and then they go right back to work. There are still others who do not even stop to eat: They ... churches' questions about the believers who had died, about Christ's delay, and about life in the meantime. After so long a wait, it would be an easy thing — natural, really — for us to live with diminished expectations. To let one ...

4896. A Change of Mind

Exodus 32:1-14

Sermon

Timothy J. Smith

... call to inform her that the part she was hoping for went to another actress; the pilot television program would not be produced. She was discouraged, losing sight of herself. A conversation with a pastor of a church she had been attending in California revealed her deep longing. "You miss your family," he told her. She admitted that it was true as tears rolled down her cheeks. She said she knew that all along but needed someone to tell her. "God has a way of bringing us what we truly need, when we follow ...

4897. Caught in the Middle

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... district or conference level, but somehow just remain unaware of what is happening elsewhere in our world, which now includes everywhere. Not long ago I heard that there were more Anglicans at worship on any given Sunday in Nigeria than in the British Isles. I ... ) either amuse or befuddle many third-world Christians where they all get together for worship and do it all, all day long. And the pseudo-gospel of success, the "name it and claim it" gospel of prosperity, simply mystifies Christians in parts of ...

4898. By Whose Standards?

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... one thing that pop psychology has taught us, it is that how we feel about ourselves, having a "positive self-image" is terribly important, a notion Paul seems to dismiss in 4b: "I am not thereby acquitted." Paul says it is faithfulness that is most crucial in the long run. Maybe that is why we are so attracted to people like Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa, and Henri Nouwen. Each of them were gifted and could have been successful by any of a number of criteria. But they chose the one Paul commends to us in ...

4899. Yes, You

1 Peter 2:2-10

Sermon

David O. Bales

... you, if your equality with all God's people overwhelms you, or if biblical religion appears not to be the kind you thought you signed up for, do what Peter tells us in verse 2, "Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation." Long for something more fundamental than church traditions. Desire a vital relationship with God, and if your job of representing God sounds too hard, realize that this is something God does through us. As Peter encourages us, "let ...

4900. Rock Bottom

1 Peter 3:13-22

Sermon

David O. Bales

... it with gentleness and reverence." What we say about our faith and hope needs to be appropriate to the person hearing and always in a gentle manner. Few people can be scared into Christianity. No one can be argued into Christianity, at least not for very long. Yet, we must speak. Our current society is like that of the early Christians, where people don't automatically become Christians. Too many Christians think that the church in America will grow today as it did in the 1950s. In case you missed it, the ...

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