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 701 to 725 of 2173 results

701. Pentecost

John 20:19-23, Acts 2:1-13, Acts 2:14-41, Genesis 11:1-9, John 14:5-14, Romans 8:1-17

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 2:1-21 On Pentecost the Disciples receive the Holy Spirit and Peter explains the happening. Luke gives an account of the Spirit's coming upon the gathered Disciples in Jerusalem on Pentecost accompanied by a mighty wind and tongues of fire. Then the reaction of the crowd is given the Disciples are accused of being drunk. Peter responds by explaining the experience as fulfillment of Joel's prophecy that at the end of the era the Spirit would come to all. The overall purpose of the ...

702. Easter 5

Jn 13:31-35 · Acts 13:44-52; 14:8-18; 21-27 · Rev 21:1-5

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Acts 14:8-18 After a miracle of healing, the people consider Paul and Barnabas to be gods. In this pericope we have Paul's first miracle and his first sermon to pagans. It is very unlike Paul because no mention is made of Jesus and the resurrection, nor the name of Jesus as the power of healing. The account does not say that the faith of the cripple was faith in Jesus, the Healer. Moreover, a miracle usually ends in the people's glorifying God, but here the people give the credit to Paul and ...

703. Pentecost

Jn 14:8-17, 25-27; 20:19-23 · Acts 2:1-21 · 1 Cor 3-7, 12-13 · Gen 11:1-9

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Genesis 11:1-9 By the confusion of language, Yahweh stops the building of Babel and scatters the people. In fear of being scattered, men built a city and tower. They would make a name for themselves by building a tower which would reach the sky. To prevent this Yahweh confused their language so that they would not understand each other and the building project had to cease. As a result men were scattered over the earth. Pentecost is a language affair. The evil spirit causes confusion and ...

704. All Saints' Sunday

Mt 5:1-12 · Is 26:1-21 · Rev 21:9-11, 21-27

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Isaiah 26:1-4, 8-9, 12-13, 19-21 In God's city of salvation where the righteous dwell, the dead rise, sing for joy, and escape God's wrath. Revelation 21:9-11, 22-27 A vision of heaven where the glory of God is a perpetual light and where those whose names are in the Book of Life dwell. Matthew 5:1-12 The Beatitudes. THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 1. Disciples (v. 1). The Beatitudes are addressed to the disciples of Jesus, not to the public. A disciple is one who believes in Jesus ...

705. Epiphany 8

Lk 6:39-49 · 1 Cor 15:51-58 · Jer 7:1-7 · Isa 55:10-13

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Isaiah 55:10-13 God's Word will effect its promise of bringing back the Exiles to Jerusalem. Deutero-Isaiah brings his book to a close with chapter 55. It is an appeal for God's people to come to Yahweh, to seek him and find forgiveness. Yahweh promises that his Word will not be void nor fruitless but will accomplish his purpose which is to bring his people out of bondage in Babylon and restore them with great joy to their homeland. Jeremiah 7:1-7 The futility of clinging to ritual as a ...

706. Proper 16

Lk 13:22-30 · Heb 12:5-7, 11-13, 18-29 · Jer 28:1-9 · Isa 66:18-23

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Jeremiah 28:1-9 Hananiah, a prophet, contradicts Jeremiah's prophecy of doom. Jeremiah is confronted by Hananiah, a prophet from Gibeon, in the temple. It is a dramatic scene with Jeremiah's wearing a yoke to symbolize the coming bondage of Judah to Babylon. To Jeremiah in the presence of the priests and people, Hananiah tells Jeremiah that Babylon will be defeated and within two years the king, exiles, and the temple treasures will be returned to Jerusalem. Sarcastically Jeremiah says "Amen" to ...

707. Proper 8 & Pentecost 6

2 Kings 4:8-37, Genesis 32:22-32, Psalm 89:1-52, Psalm 17:1-15, Isaiah 2:6-22, Jeremiah 28:1-17, Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Beyond the natural progression of the Pentecost cycle/season, with its eschatological emphasis, there is no clear and definitive clue from the church year. The insertion of these particular readings within the theological framework of the church year does, however, tend to emphasize realized eschatology as much as it does any future eschatology. The latter, of course, is always present, if only in the Eucharist with its "as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the ...

708. Paying Taxes to Caesar

Mark 12:13-17

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

12:13–17 This passage deals with the first of three questions put to Jesus by his critics in 12:13–34. The purpose of the question is to trap him (lit., “to snare”). The trap does not succeed, however, and Jesus impresses his opponents in this discussion tinged with hostility. In order to understand the significance of the question and how it was intended as a snare for Jesus, it is necessary to take notice of the political situation of the time. The land of Palestine was under the rule of the Romans, and ...

709. Paul's Plan to Visit Rome

Romans 15:23-33

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

15:23 For years Paul had desired to visit Rome, but had been hindered from coming because of his labors in the eastern Mediterranean. But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, says Paul, the way is clear for the long-awaited visit. On the face of it, that is an astounding claim. As we noted at verse 19, the claim that there is no more place for me to work is surely tempered by the prospect of the imminent return of Christ. The nail of Christianity had been set in the east due to ...

710. Pentecost

John 20:19-23, Acts 2:1-21, 1 Corinthians 12:3-13, Psalm 104

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 2:1-21 On Pentecost the disciples receive the Holy Spirit and Peter explains the happening. Luke gives an account of the Spirit's coming upon the gathered disciples in Jerusalem on Pentecost accompanied by a mighty wind and tongues of fire. Then the reaction of the crowd is given - the disciples are accused of being drunk. Peter responds by explaining the experience as a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy that, at the end of the era, the Spirit would come to all. The overall purpose of ...

711. Proper 17/ Pentecost 15/ Ordinary Time 22

Matthew 16:21-28

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

Additional Readings: Jeremiah 15:15-21; Psalm 26:1-8; Romans 12:9-21 Prayer Of The Day Leader: O Jesus our Savior, turn our eyes toward you, that we would only seek your goodness. Open our mouths, that we would only speak that which you desire. Unclench our fists, so that we would trust you to make all things right, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. All: Amen. Gospel Litany Leader: Saving, losing, All: our lives are always in motion. Leader: Losing, ...

712. An Eye for an Eye

Matthew 5:38-42

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

Sermon on the Mount: Kingdom Ethics and the Law: Matthew’s Gospel has a didactic purpose. Special emphasis is given to the message of Jesus. One of the distinct features of Matthew’s Gospel is that the teaching of Jesus is collected into five sections. The Sermon on the Mount (chaps. 5–7) is the first of these blocks. The others are Instructions to the Twelve (chap. 10), Parables of the Kingdom (chap. 13), Life in the Christian Community (chap. 18), and Eschatological Judgment (chaps. 23–25). Each block ...

713. The Calling of Levi

Mark 2:13-17

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

2:13–17 Mark introduces a second example of conflict, in this section devoted to conflict stories, by means of this story of Jesus’ call of a tax collector and Jesus’ social association with such people. There are two incidents mentioned here, the call of Levi (vv. 13–14) and the eating with “sinners” (or outcasts; vv. 15–16), and the connection between them is that they both show Jesus associating closely with people deemed unacceptable by the religious purists of his day. In the one case, a tax collector ...

714. Detestable Practices

Deuteronomy 18:9-13

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Leadership in Israel: Priests and Prophets: After the two sections on “secular” leadership (the judge and the king 16:18–17:20), we now have in Chapter 18 two sections on the “spiritual” leadership provided by the priest and the prophet. The Prophet: The prophet comes last in the listing of Israel’s different leadership roles. Almost certainly this is deliberate and significant, like the putting of the judge before the king. Maintaining justice was a higher priority than having a dynastic monarchy. Judge ...

715. Trinity Sunday

Mt 28:16-20 · Jn 3:16-18 · Gen 1:1--2:4a · Ex 34:4-9 · 2 Cor 13:11-13 · Ps 8

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

THIS WEEK'S TEXT Revised Common: Genesis 1:1--2:4a · 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 · Matthew 28:16-20 Roman Catholic: Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9 · 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 · John 3:16-18 Episcopal: Genesis 1:1--2:3 · 2 Corinthians 13:(5-10) · Matthew 28:16-20 Lutheran: Genesis 1:1--2:3 or 2 Corinthians 13:11-14 · Matthew 28:16-20 · Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40 COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Genesis 1:1--2:4a This is the first of two creation accounts found in Genesis. God creates through the power of his word. This account suggests ...

716. Easter 3

Luke 24:36-49, Acts 3:11-26, 1 John 2:28--3:10

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Jesus fulfills all of God's plans and promises. Repent and believe in him and God will give you a new life. COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 3:12-19 In the first part of the chapter Peter heals a crippled beggar at Solomon's Colonnade in the temple. Great crowds are attracted to Peter and the other disciples and so Peter uses the opportunity to preach the gospel. Peter is brutally blunt in his preaching, accusing them of killing Jesus, even if it was in ignorance. The God of their fathers has glorified ...

717. Israel Asks for a King

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

The Request for a King: The parallels between the behavior of Samuel’s sons and that of Eli’s sons are unmistakable. The misuse of power may not have followed the exact pattern, but the contempt for God’s law, God’s people, and thus God was the same. The strong, competent Samuel had no more success in controlling his sons than had the ineffectual, food-loving Eli. The text gives no indication that Samuel tacitly concurred in his sons’ misdoings as Eli did, but he appointed them, and he did not prevent ...

718. Hostage Crisis

1 Kings 19:1-8

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

Sweat swarmed and beaded the palms of his hands as his heart thumped and pulse escalated. Bulging eyes blinked rapidly as his face twitched. His brown, swollen hands rumbled nervously through the inside pocket of his urine-stained tweed overcoat. "I got to find a match," he said to himself. "I got to find a match." Again he jerked through every pocket of his pants, jacket, and shirt. Still no match. Wildly flailing his arms more frantically now, he began overturning chairs and tables in the room. Yellow ...

719. Wheel Within The Wheel

Acts 1:12-26

Sermon

Durwood L. Buchheim

In our text for this last Sunday in the Easter season, we are at that awkward time for the new church, the time between ascension and Pentecost. Jesus is gone, but his spirit has not yet come. In this time of waiting, we are told that the first thing the church did was to fill a leadership vacancy created by faithless Judas, a leader who betrayed the movement. Yes, the very first act of the church had to do with getting organized. So the observation has been made that at first and perhaps even second ...

720. Jesus Prays For Us

John 17:20-26

Sermon

King Duncan

In Yakima, Washington, sometime back a dying man made a strange request. On his deathbed, Grant Flory said to his family: "Get me to the Mustangs' playoffs. No matter what." He was referring to his old high school team, The Prosser Mustangs. So in early December, when the Mustangs played in Seattle's Kingdome, Flory's cremated remains were in attendance. His son Dwight approached the stadium gate wearing a camera bag that contained his father's urn. He was stopped by a guard who asked what was in the bag ...

721. A Great Love Story Gone Awry

Genesis 24:1-67

Sermon

King Duncan

Comedians have a field day with the subject of marriage. The jokes probably number in the thousands. Rita Rudner used this classic: “My mother buried three husbands.” Then she adds, “And two of them were just napping.” One woman said to a friend: “I’m in trouble. I broke my husband’s favorite golf club.” “What did he say?” her friend asked. The first woman smiled and replied, “He said, ‘What hit me?’” Erma Bombeck had this to say: “People are always asking couples whose marriages have endured at least a ...

722. God, Or the World?

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Richard Gribble

He was a man of mystery and charm; he was a man of brokenness and faith. He was hunted down like a common criminal; his only crime was seeking God's glory. The "Whiskey Priest" lived in Southern Mexico. The time was the 1920s; the Cristero Rebellion was underway. The Whiskey Priest was not perfect - far from it. He drank too much; he had fathered a child. In those days, the Mexican government said that is was illegal to practice the priesthood, but that did not stop the Whiskey Priest. Everything he did; ...

723. Easter 5

Acts 8:26-40, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-17

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Epistle: Acts 8:26-40 The treasurer of an Ethiopian queen was on his way home after worshiping in Jerusalem. His chariot was on a main road from Jerusalem to Egypt. The Spirit directed Philip, one of the seven deacons (Acts 6:1-5), to meet the chariot at Gaza. The eunuch was probably a proselyte or God-fearer of Judaism. Philip found him reading Isaiah 53 but not understanding it. After Philip's explanation, the Ethiopian asked to be baptized. He accepted Christ and according to tradition, he ...

724. Instructions on Worship

1 Timothy 2:1-15

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

Proper Objects of Prayer Following the charge to Timothy in chapter 1, which points to the presence of false teachers as the occasion of the letter, Paul now moves on to give a series of specific instructions (2:1–7 on the proper objects of prayer; 2:8–15 on the proper demeanor for prayer; 3:1–13 on qualifications for church leadership). All of this leads directly to 3:14–15, where Paul repeats his purpose for writing in terms of the believers’ knowing how to conduct themselves in God’s household. Because ...

725. Overseers and Deacons

1 Timothy 3:1-16

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

Qualifications for Overseers To this point, Paul has addressed some concerns related to the community at worship and corrected some abuses generated by the activities of the erring elders. Now he turns to the elders themselves and sets forth some qualifications for “office.” He begins, in verses 1–7, with a group called episkopoi (“overseers”); then moves in verses 8–13 to a group called diakonoi (“servants,” “deacons”), with a note also about some “women” in verse 11. It is altogether likely that both “ ...

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