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 676 to 700 of 3108 results

676. Changing The Rules

Mark 7:1-23

Sermon

Robert Salzgeber

When I was a camp director the rules of long established and understood games were constantly being changed in order to incorporate a larger sphere of players. For the same reason Jesus said, "You have a clever way of rejecting God's law in order to uphold your own teaching." Jesus had a knack for constantly changing the rules of the game of life in order to incorporate a larger sphere of people in his kingdom net. One such game where the rules were often changed was volleyball. Volleyball is a well- ...

677. Quantum Leap

Acts 13:13-52

Sermon

Carl Jech

Introduction The evidence is everywhere: we have made a quantum leap into "the age of the computer." In schools, hospitals, businesses, publishers, even local and national church offices, everything is "computerized," digitalized, programmed. You may be fascinated by computer technology or you may hate this computer craze. But none of us can escape a concern with the impact this "revolution" is having on our lives. (The other day I had to wait about three minutes for the clerk at Kentucky Fried Chicken to ...

678. Addresses and Christians

Philippians 3:17-21

Children's Sermon

Object: an envelope addressed correctly and an envelope addressed incorrectly. Good morning, boys and girls, and how are you today? Are you all fine and happy to be here this morning? Good, I knew you were. Did you know that every Sunday morning when you get up and come to Sunday School and worship, you set a good example? Of course, when you sleep in or stay home and read the funny papers you set a bad example. St. Paul wrote a lot about setting a good example. Let me show you what I mean. Here are two ...

679. Choosing to Serve God

Luke 11:14-28

Children's Sermon

Object: An old stool or some other object which you can saw in half and allow to stand simply by having the two sides lean against one another. Good morning to you, boys and girls. Here we are in a new month, March. It used to seem funny to me that the year was all divided up into twelve different months with different names to go with each one. But it makes the year interesting and it is kind of nice all divided up. But let me tell you a story about a friend of mine who liked to divide things in a way ...

680. The Master Has Come - To Be Lord of Life

Luke 24:1-12

Sermon

He was eight years old, and mentally retarded. His name was Stephen. I do not know much about him. I only read his story in another church’s bulletin. But, I was touched by it. There were seven other children in his Sunday church school class. In the spring as Easter approached the children were asked to bring to Sunday church school those L’eggs panty hose containers, with some object inside which represented new life. Not wanting to embarrass Stephen, and being afraid he had not understood, the teacher ...

681. Not For Sale at Any Price

Matthew 13:44-46

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it." [Matthew 13:45-46] Before you answer this question, think deeply for a minute. What is your most valuable possession? What is so valuable to you that if someone would want to buy it, you would say, "It’s not for sale at any price"? The person who answers like that is saying to the prospective buyer that the article is considered so valuable that ...

682. A Shepherd To Lead Us

John 10:1-21

Sermon

Brett Blair

Leadership. We all want good leadership. Good shepherds to lead us in and out of green pasture. We vote hoping to elect it, we apply for jobs hoping to work for it, and we go to school hoping to be educated by it. But we do not always find it. The trust we place in our leaders can be broken. So what are we to do? John 10 holds the answer. Look at the picture Jesus gives us here in John 10: This wonderful vivid portrait of a shepherd caring for his sheep. The shepherd would lead his sheep out to distant ...

683. Judgment Day is Coming (Adapted)

Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 13:36-43, Matthew 13:47-52

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

The late great Bishop Ken Goodson of Virginia was considered a staunch conservative. He had a very liberal Methodist lady in his conference named Tess Hoover. One day Tess said to him, "Bishop, you're so conservative that you probably believe in the devil." "Yes I do," he said, "and I don't like her at all." The text this morning says that one-day—we do not know when—but it asserts that one day the ages of earth will end. There will be a final judgment when God separates those whom he calls wheat and those ...

684. In Control

Mark 13:1-31

Sermon

James W. Robinson

Throughout the Christian era, men and women have looked with alarm at the turbulent conditions of their day and found in them signs of the End and of the Second Coming of Christ. In every instance they have been either disappointed or elated, depending on their state of spiritual preparedness. Many Christians today are convinced that they are living in the Last Days and that the End is just over the horizon. Christ is about to return. Perhaps. Perhaps not. Christians disagree on the imminence and the ...

685.

Drama

David E. Ullery

CAST (in order of appearance) Claudia: The wife of Pontius Pilate, Procurator of Palestine. She has been influenced by Jesus. Rachel: A Jewish servant-girl in Pilate’s household. Joanna: Wife of the chief steward in Herod’s household. She is a follower of Jesus. Pilate: Pontius Pilate, the strong-willed Procurator, symbol of the hated Roman conquerors. Sergius: A Roman soldier, personal body-guard of Pontius Pilate. Caiaphas: Chief Priest and leader of the Jewish Sanhedrin, an evil and crafty man - a ...

686. Trouble in the Manse

Hosea 1:1-2:1

Sermon

David E. Leininger

There once was a retreat attended by the clergy of a community for the purpose of establishing support groups. To kick things off the leader broke the participants up into groups of four and instructed them to confide in one another. In one group, a rabbi broke the ice by saying, "I'll begin by sharing one of my most disturbing problems. Occasionally I slip out of town and give in to my craving for pork - I stuff myself with bacon, sausage, ham, pork chops, and sometimes even baby back ribs." At this point ...

687. Make It Right!

Matthew 5:21-26

Sermon

David E. Leininger

There is a church in Columbia, SC near the seminary I attended which has one of those bulletin boards out front to list service times, special events, sermon subjects, and so on. For several years there was one other thing on that bulletin board, one of those little "sentence sermons" that we see so often. It said, "The same Bible that says BELIEVE also says BEHAVE." I do not know if there were any significance to the fact that it was located so near to all us seminary students; perhaps someone figured we ...

688. Hang in There!

Matthew 15:21-28

Sermon

David E. Leininger

What do you think of that story? Not much, I suspect. For those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ, this might make us wonder what we have done. After all, at first blush, this lesson makes the Lord sound like something of a jerk. My first reaction is to want to "rescue" Jesus, find some way of explaining away this conversation that will put him in a bit more flattering light. The commentators are all over the lot on this one. Some have said that Jesus was just having a bad day - he and the twelve had ...

689. Superstition Or Authentic Faith?

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

King Duncan

Why do bad things happen to good people? It is a question all of us ask from time to time. Some of Jesus' listeners asked him this same question. They brought up a recent news story about some Galileans who had been cruelly offered as human sacrifices by Pilate. Were they greater sinners than others in Galilee that they should suffer so? A tower had fallen in Siloam and crushed eighteen bystanders. Was it because of their sin? Jesus had already dealt with this question when confronted with a man who had ...

690. Right Choices

Matthew 13:24-30

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: a kitchen strainer Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you help your mommies and daddies in the kitchen? Well, then maybe you know what this thing is. It's a strainer (also called a colander). Pretty funny looking, isn't it? Is this used to hold food, like flour or sugar? No, because it's got all these holes in the bottom. The flour or sugar would flow right through these holes and fall out the bottom. So a strainer isn't for holding foods. You use a strainer when you want to separate foods. ...

691. Who Should I Invite To My Party?

Luke 14:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

Series: Jesus said . . . What? Outrageous Teachings, No. 1 Michael Yaconelli, in his book, Dangerous Wonder: The Adventure of Childlike Faith, says that the most critical issue facing Christians is not abortion, pornography, the disintegration of the family, moral relativity, MTV, drugs, racism, sexuality, or school prayer. The critical issue today, says Yaconelli, is dullness. We have lost our astonishment. The Good News is no longer good news, it is okay news. Christianity is no longer life changing, it ...

692. Born Again? When?

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

A layperson was talking to a friend of mine recently, and told him of his teen-age daughter who had recently decided to become a Christian. The father was a life-long member of the church, and was naturally pleased by his daughter’s decision, but he was worried as well. He told his pastor that the daughter had decided to attend a Christian Youth Camp the following summer. Then he paused, and a worried look came across his face. He said, “Pastor, I want her to become a good Christian...but I don’t want her ...

693. Good News for Tough Times - Encouragment for the Soul

Luke 2:8-20, Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Eric Ritz

Recently, three men were nervously waiting in the Father''s room at the Good Samaritan Hospital as their wives prepared for the births of their first children. They were too scared to go in. Soon the head nurse arrived with good news from the birthing rooms. She said to the first father-to-be, "Sir, you are a father of twins!" "That''s great," he said. "I am going to sign a contract with the Minnesota Twins. This will be good press." Soon, the nurse arrived and shared with the second father-to-be, "Sir, ...

694. 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

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 12:1-9 Yahweh calls Abraham to go to Canaan and promises to make of him a great nation. Today we learn how Jews and Christians came into existence through one man, Abraham. Yahweh commanded him to leave his family, friends, culture, and vocation to go to a strange land. With his barren wife, Sarah, and his nephew, Lot, Abraham obeys the command and accepts the promise that he will become a great nation. His obedience and trust will result in his being a blessing to the ...

695. Help!

Romans 7:7-25

Children's Sermon

Tim Carpenter

Exegetical Aim: Jesus Christ rescues us from our sinful selves. Props: Some candy, a soda, a piece of cake, a tray, and two adult volunteers. Lesson: I’m glad to see you. Today I want to talk to you about . . . Have one of the volunteers come inside the church at precisely this point carrying a tray with the items on it. Stare at the person as he/she places the tray down and says, “Would you all please watch this for me. I have to go over there.” Sure, I’ll watch it for you. The volunteer then walks out ...

696. The Prosecutor Perry Mason Can't Beat

John 16:7-11

Sermon

James Merritt

Perry Mason. A name that can strike the fear of God into the heart of any prosecutor. For any defendant accused of murder, he was the supreme "ace in the hole." From September of 1957 to October of 1966, Perry Mason tried 270 murder cases on television. How many cases did he lose? Believe it or not, he appears to have lost two. In "the case of the Terrified Typist" a jury returns a guilty verdict against Perry's client, and the prosecutor, Hamilton Burger, gets goose bumps thinking he had finally beaten ...

697. No One Left Behind

2 Kings 7:3-20

Sermon

James Merritt

"No One Left Behind" - that is a universal creed that is shared by every firefighter, soldier and law enforcement person in America. Whenever they go out on a mission to fight fire, to fight crime or to fire an enemy of our nation, they are determined that when it comes to their own there will be "No One Left Behind." I don't know where this motto originated, but it could have come from the story we will study today. The Kingdom of David, which then was passed on to his son, Solomon, was known as the ...

698. Hell under Fire

Matthew 5:22; 28-30

Sermon

James Merritt

We are in a middle of a series that we have entitled "The War of the Worlds" and today the series is really going to heat up (no pun intended!) What we are talking about is the war of the world views. Remember, every person has a world view; a lens through which they see the world they live in, the life they live and it is the guide they use to make the crucial decisions about how they are going to live and what they are going to believe. There are basically only two world views the Christian world view ...

699. Putting Ourselves in the Picture

Matthew 13:44-46

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

There is an old adage which has God saying, take what you will, take it and pay for it. That brings us immediately into the heart of our theme this morning. There is a price, a price for everything. We began our discussion of this theme in the sermon last Sunday, and if you were here you may recall that we used this first scripture lesson that we read today for that sermon last Sunday. And to get on board with the theme, let’s review it. In this lesson, Jesus gives us three parables – many parables really ...

700. What Happens When You Are Not Number One?

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

In his book, Hide or Seek, James Dobson tells of a time when John McKay, the great football coach at the University of Southern California, was interviewed on television, and the subject of his son’s athletic talent was raised. Son John was a successful player on his dad’s team. Coach McKay was asked to comment on the pride that he felt over his son’s accomplishments on the field. His answer was most impressive: “Yes, I’m pleased that John had a good season last year. He does a fine job, and I’m proud of ...

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