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 26 to 50 of 2173 results

26. A Straying Heart

Psalm 95:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... station WPIX-TV and the nationally syndicated independent Network news. In 1979, Bob Harris had to weather a public storm of his own making. Though he had studied math, physics and geology at three colleges, Harris left school without a degree. Still, he had a strong desire to be a media weatherman. One day he phoned WCBS-TV, introducing himself as a Ph.D. in geophysics from Columbia U. The phony degree got him in the door. After a two-month tryout, he was hired as an off-camera forecaster for WCBS ...

27. Give Me Jesus!

John 6:60-71

Sermon

Richard Patt

... were normally eight hours a day and more, for over a week. The hours on the convention floor were filled with motions and amendments to motions and amendments to the amendments. After a few days of this Robert’s-Rules-of-Order maneuvering, I had a strong desire to stand up in the midst of this convention - called to conduct the business of the Lord’s Gospel mission - and shout out, "Give me Jesus!" Yes, even within the church, and within our own congregation, we seem at times to stray far away from ...

28. Just Follow The Signs

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

Daniel G. Mueller

... kill his only-begotten, just-born Son. "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). God loved you and me. God’s love for the world expresses itself chiefly in his strong desire for the salvation of the world. Because God loved the world he sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. "God wants all people to be saved and to come to know the truth," Saint Paul wrote (1 Timothy 2:4). To that end, God is active in ...

29. Ruth’s Proposal

Ruth 3:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... surpass his own due to closer familial ties. The law requires that Boaz appeal to this person before agreeing to Ruth’s request (3:10–13). Now there are two possible places where Ruth might find a home! Boaz cautions Ruth but assures her of his strong desire to provide for her. Ruth returns home ( 3:16–18 ) · Again Boaz does not send Ruth back to Naomi “empty-handed” (3:17). He gives her an ample supply of barley and causes her to return with another favorable report (3:14–15). As before, the ...

30. It's A Question Of Priorities

Mark 9:33-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me." (NASB) IF YOU ARE LIKE MANY PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY, YOU HAVE A STRONG DESIRE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR CHOSEN CAREER. Never before have we had a generation to whom success is so important. We want to be at the top of the pyramid. We want to be number one. And there's nothing wrong with that. I was reading recently about a young ...

31. Don't Be Afraid

Matthew 14:22-36

Sermon

King Duncan

... of a car. So, what is the motivation for buying an SUV? Why are people lugging around all that extra weight? Bigger engines (usually V8s) are not known for fuel economy and low emissions. Iacocca attributes it to fear. He writes, “I think the SUV feeds a strong desire for security and control on the road. In this day and age, people want to put as much steel and iron around them as they can. They equate weight with safety. It’s a factor, but in no way compares to solid structural design and the use ...

32. The Gospel of the Little Man

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

... and climb the sycamore we cannot say, except that in his curiosity he sought a passing glimpse of this strange character from Nazareth whose name was on the lips of people everywhere. That he was prompted by a sense of personal need, or by a strong desire in his heart for mercy and a healing of his personal relationship with God and with his fellow citizens in Jericho - this, it seems to me, would push the story much too far. People do strange things and sometimes lose their dignity for lesser reasons ...

33. Practicing Righteousness

Matthew 6:1-4

Sermon

Richard A. Jensen

... people in need. We are called to practice this hidden righteousness, this righteousness of Christ living in our lives. We practice this hidden righteousness when we daily renew our baptism. We practice this hidden righteousness when we ask daily that our strong desire to practice our own public righteousness be drowned. We practice this hidden righteousness when we daily ask that our lives be buried with Christ so that Christ’s righteousness may live and grow in us. Our text makes it clear that Jesus ...

34. Light For Our Lives

John 1:1-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... life? That blessed saint, Helen Keller once wrote: "Christmas is the harvest time of love. Souls are drawn to other souls. All that we have read and thought and hoped comes to fruition at this happy time. Our spirits are astir. We feel within us a strong desire to serve. A strange, subtle force, a new kindness animates man and child. A new spirit is growing in us. No longer are we content to relieve pain, to sweeten sorrow, to give the crust of charity. We dare to give friendship, service, the equal loaf ...

35. A Message For Big Bird

John 11:17-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... . And that has led Christians to have a wide range of views on this subject. The story's told about a couple who lived on a beautiful piece of ground in an isolated area. In the process of time, he died. Before he died, he expressed his strong desire to be buried upon their own property. His new widow made the necessary arrangements. She sent a funeral home crew to dig the grave on their property. She shortly received a telephone call which went like this: "We cannot dig this grave like you have it laid ...

36. Big Fish

John 21:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... a long story short, the first month he sold thirty-three houses and led the state of California in real-estate sales. He still couldn’t speak a sentence in English. (3) This is an amazing land with all kinds of opportunities. If you have a strong desire to succeed and if you live by some basic principles of right and wrong, you will probably prosper. This does not mean, of course, that you won’t experience setbacks. Everyone does from time to time. Setbacks are God’s way of testing us and refining ...

37. The Harvest of Love

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Illustration

Helen Keller

That blessed saint, Helen Keller once wrote: "Christmas is the harvest time of love. Souls are drawn to other souls. All that we have read and thought and hoped comes to fruition at this happy time. Our spirits are astir. We feel within us a strong desire to serve. A strange, subtle force, a new kindness animates man and child. A new spirit is growing in us. No longer are we content to relieve pain, to sweeten sorrow, to give the crust of charity. We dare to give friendship, service, the equal loaf of ...

38. Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... his father's house was not his first option _ his first choice had been feeding the pigs of a Gentile for a handful of food. The reader is given no indication whether this first choice was based on pride and obstinacy, or anger or a still-strong desire to be away from the home and family in which he had grown up. And while the son's "confession" in verses 18-19 sounds contrite and genuine enough, a careful examination of the thought process that led him to this confession reveals only one clear motivating ...

39. 1 Peter 2: 2-10

1 Peter 1:13-2:3

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... an image of weakness into an image of eager new beginnings. Unlike Paul’s use of “milk” as a metaphor for the diet of spiritually immature believers (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Hebrews 5:12-14), Peter uses an infants instinctually strong desire for milk as a template to illustrate the natural urge of a “newborn” Christian for the nourishment of “pure spiritual milk.” Those who have heard and accepted the gospel message are offered the “rebirth” of salvation and those who have experienced ...

40. A Long Shortcut

Illustration

Nancy Shulins

... Bob Harris, weatherman for NY TV station WPIX-TV and the nationally syndicated independent Network news, had to weather a public storm of his own making. Though he had studied math, physics and geology at three colleges, he left school without a degree but with a strong desire to be a media weatherman. He phoned WCBS-TV, introducing himself as a Ph.D. in geophysics from Columbia U. The phony degree got him in the door. After a two-month tryout, he was hired as an off-camera forecaster for WCBS. For the next ...

41. What the Bible Teaches Leaders

Illustration

Millard J. Erickson

... to do what they are unwilling to do themselves. Leaders will seek to distinguish their own preferences from the will and welfare of the group as a whole. Normally the position should seek the leader. There may be some situations in which persons may apply or volunteer. Nevertheless, when someone strongly desires a particular responsibility, his or her motivation should be carefully examined. We must learn to see each other as valuable to the Lord and basically equal in his sight.

42. Therefore Walk in Unity

Ephesians 4:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , genuine concern for people’s need for love, acceptance, and respect; and (3) patience (4:2). Patience produces a loving tolerance of people’s weaknesses and foibles (including one’s own) but without encouraging such shortcomings. Patience also displays a strong desire to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (4:3). This is not the same thing as keeping the peace, which often leads to complicity. Fostering true unity requires endless patience as insecure personalities come closer ...

Before strongly desiring anything, we should look carefully into the happiness of its present owner.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

44. The Weak and the Strong

Romans 14:1--15:13

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

The general exhortation on agapē in chapters 12–13 proceeds now to a specific discussion of the “strong” and “weak” in 14:1–15:13. Paul divides the entire unit into three subsections. In the present section he argues that self-righteous judgments are divisive in the body of Christ; in 14:13–23 he teaches that responsibility for the other takes priority over individual rights; and he concludes in 15:1–13 with the servant role of Christ as the example for behavior within the Christian fellowship. Although ...

45. The Weak and the Strong

Romans 14:1--15:13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

14:1–15:13 Review · Unity in diversity: The believers in Rome are “holy people” (1:7), but they also have problems. In the final paragraph of his exhortation, Paul addresses the conflict that exists between believers who regard the Christian faith as an essentially Jewish movement and believers who do not pay attention to distinctive Jewish traditions—that is, between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians (cf. 15:7–9). The critical debate is not about whether Gentile Christians must be circumcised (as ...

46. Strong in God’s Name

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Lee Griess

A young man was sent to Spain by his company to work in a new office they were opening there. He accepted the assignment because it would enable him to earn enough money to marry his long-time girlfriend. The plan was to pool their money and, when he returned, put a down payment on a house, and get married. As he bid his sweetheart farewell at the airport, he promised to write her every day and keep in touch. However, as the lonely weeks slowly slipped by, his letters came less and less often and his ...

47. Tying Up A Strong Man

Mark 3:20-30, 1 Samuel 8:1-22, 2 Corinthians 4:1-18, Mark 3:31-35, Psalm 138:1-8

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

Mark's gospel account very quickly gets into the conflict that will eventually culminate in the death of Jesus. Despite, or because of, Jesus' works which aroused wonder and amazement in the multitudes, opposition also arose. Any activity so extraordinary upset the status quo. His popularity threatened the authority and leadership of the official religion. They had to try to put it down before it got out of hand. Even the friends and family of Jesus were concerned about him. How often do people try to ...

48. Are You Strong Enough To Forgive?

Genesis 45:1-28

Sermon

King Duncan

A woman and her grandmother, a very forgiving and religious soul, were sitting on their porch discussing a member of the family. "He's just no good," the young woman said. "He's completely untrustworthy, not to mention lazy." "Yes, he's bad," the grandmother said as she rocked back and forth in her rocker, "but Jesus loves him." "I'm not so sure of that," the younger woman persisted. "Oh, yes," assured the elderly lady. "Jesus loves him." She rocked and thought for a few more minutes and then added, "Of ...

49. The Strong Timber Is Tested

Matthew 4:1-11

Illustration

Lee Griess

A group of mountain hikers came across an old woodsman with an axe on his shoulder. "Where are you going?" they asked him. "I'm headed up the mountain to get some wood to repair my cabin," replied the woodsman. "But why are you going up the mountain?" they asked incredulously. "There are plenty of trees all around us here." "I know," he said, "but I need strong timber and it grows only on the highest elevations, where the trees are tested and toughened by the weather around them. The higher up you go, the ...

50. A Father's Desire

Luke 13:31-35

Children's Sermon

Brett Blair

Exegetical Aim: To communicate our Father's desire to gather and save his children. Props: One of the newborn infants of the congregation or a baby doll. Lesson: [Hold the baby in your arms.] What do I have in my arms? (response) Yes, and babies are very special. Can you tell me something that a baby needs? (response) The children may need a little prompting here. When a baby cries, what does the baby need? (response) And what else do they need when they cry? (response) Yes, they need food, and sometimes ...

Showing results