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 51 to 75 of 125 results

51. The Blessing Of A Godly Mentality

Genesis 18:16-33

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... from any expression of religion. But the American Constitution guarantees the free expression of religion, not just in the privacy of one’s home but also in the public sector. Friends, we must not respond to the militant enemies of Christianity with hatred or animosity. We must be firm but respectful in our stand for biblical truth. Our only chance of attracting some of our opponents to the faith is if Jesus’ spirit is transparent in us. Our mandate number four is to EVANGELIZE WINSOMELY. One of the ...

52. Is There Hope For World Peace?

Matthew 24:1-35

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... of religious persecution, but worrisome signs can already be seen. The ACLU is dedicated to banishing religion from the public sector. Many knowledgeable observers believe that America’s elite media are deeply anti-Christian. Jesus predicted that this kind of public animosity toward the faith would be prevalent before the final end of history. Another birth-pang that Jesus predicted as a sign of the end-time was that there would be AN INCREASE IN WICKEDNESS. Certainly our soaring crime rate in Memphis ...

53. Heresies of the Heart

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... wrap themselves in a protective casing of intellectualized doctrinal debates. The heresies that most threaten the church and her mission today are heresies of the heart. Attitudes like spiritual apathy, denominational arrogance, cultural anonymity, and social animosity are among the prevalent heresies causing heart failure in the church today. Heresies of the heart take many forms, some insidious, some blatant, some circular, but all dangerous. Heretical doctrines have never really threatened the soul ...

54. Used Tombstones

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... Eastering events succeed in transforming the crucifixion from a stumbling block into a philosopher's stone, a surface of faith that changes everything else with which it comes in contact. Paul's "Eastering" occurred on the Damascus Road where, despite his former animosity to the church and his conviction that he was one "untimely born," he experienced the risen Christ with such brilliance that his eyes and soul were Son-blinded for days. The "other disciple" at the tomb, as described by John, experienced an ...

55. Speak Up for Forgiveness

Hebrews 13:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... forgiveness, legitimates, indeed demands, equal pain be suffered by the one who has wronged us. But naked justice is not Christian forgiveness. Making forgiveness real takes us out of the "get even" competition that has fueled such infamous animosities as those between Arab and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, black and white, Hatfield and McCoy. Forgiveness does not keep score. Wangerin's fourth phase steps outside our own head and demands that compassionate, confrontational communication take place between ...

56. The Monster Under Megan's Bed

John 6:1-21

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... purpose? Perhaps they did, for they knew of Jesus' healing powers. All the text tells is that those who had enough faith to "sit down" received all they could possibly want from Jesus' hands. Children don't yet see generations of hatred and animosity. They see common needs, common desires, common hungers. Remember Yitzhak Rabin's funeral? What do you remember? The tears and testimony of his young grand-daughter spoke the most eloquently and passionately for the dream of peace for which her grandfather had ...

57. Cut It Out!

Matthew 5:27-30

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... those things that lead to war. If you want a closer relationship with your children,...stop doing those things and saying those things that build up walls between you. If you want to rekindle the romance in your marriage,...stop doing those things that create animosity and boredom. If you want to live in a close-knit, caring community,...stop hiding behind your front door. If you want a spiritual life that fills you up,...stop pouring all your energies everywhere but toward God. It is possible just to stop ...

58. James 3:13-18

James 3:13-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... all powerful, dynamic leaders are beneficial to the whole. With examples like that of the church at Corinth probably known to him, James is acutely aware that it is possible for "spirit-inspired" charismatic leaders to cause division and animosity within a Christbody community. The first vice James identifies is "envy" or "jealousy" (or perhaps better yet, "harsh zeal" or "rivalry"). Coupled with "selfish ambition," James deems this attitude uniquely destructive. Verse 14 seems to differentiate between a ...

59. Philemon 1-21

Philemon 1-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Onesimus now as Paul's emissary "welcome him as you would welcome me" (not unlike Paul's directives to the Corinthians on Timothy's behalf in 1 Corinthians 4:17). In addition, Paul dares to mention what may well have been the root of any animosity that had grown between Philemon and Onesimus money. Paul pledges to repay any debts Onesimus had outstanding on Philemon's books. Yet note: There is no evidence any theft has occurred. In his role as reconciler between Philemon and Onesimus, Paul agrees to put his ...

60. James 3:13-18

James 3:13-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

61. Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:1-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... " and "the ruler of the power of the air." The "course," or more literally "the age of this world," refers to the general malevolence of the various celestial powers. In pagan cosmology, there were no such things as simply benign spirits; rather, a general animosity against humanity permeated the universe. The "prince" or "ruler" of the "power of the air" is a reference to the Devil, who ruled from his own territory, that space found between the earth and the moon. This space was believed to be the demons ...

62. Mark 2:23-3:6

Mark 2:23-3:6

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 5's apparently redactional commentary declares that Jesus was "grieved at their hardness of heart" even before he heals the man's withered hand. The mysterious "Herodians" are nowhere clearly identified in Mark's gospel and here serve as further evidence of the animosity that was growing between Jesus and the Pharisees. There are two schools of thought about what traditional form Mark drew from when crafting the healing/controversy scene in 3:1-6. In one camp are those scholars who find the narrative model ...

63. Mark 12:38-44

Mark 12:38-44

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... only at the closed populations of his disciples or accusers. It is not surprising that, after this public condemnation of scribal behavior, the next time Jesus makes a public appearance is as a prisoner before the court of the Jewish establishment. The animosity between Jesus and the religious authorities almost hums. According to the Mishnah (Shekalim VI.6), there were 13 trumpet-shaped receptacles that stood up against the wall of the Court of Women that functioned to gather the gifts of the faithful for ...

64. 1 Kings 21:1-10, (11-14) 15-21a

1 Kings 21:1-10, (11-14) 15-21a

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... code of propriety in suggesting to Naboth that he either swap this vineyard for a better one, or buy it outright for a reasonable price. Naboth, for his part, replies in a manner which is equally businesslike and does not betray any hint of personal animosity toward the king. The king's request, however, is rejected on religious and cultural grounds. The land, Naboth says, is "my ancestral inheritance," and this places an insurmountable obstacle in the way of either a swap or a sale. As the patrimony of his ...

65. Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15

Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... because of the threatening approach of Egyptian armies), this was still a hazardous journey made over barren, war-torn lands. There is no information given about why Jeremiah is the chosen family member to act as "redeemer" (other than divine design). In light of the animosity between Jeremiah and some of his kinsmen in Anathoth (see Jeremiah 11:18-12:6 for details), it is evident that both messenger and message were viewed as hostile to the best interests of his family. It may even be that Hanamel's offer ...

66. Genesis 1:1-2:4a

Genesis 1:1-2:4a

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to any mediating scouts. In the old model "creationist" war against "evolutionists," "creation science" rams into archaeological research and biblical literalists hold out against historical-critical scholars. Even within supposedly kindred camps there is suspicion and animosity - as between the "evangelical concordists" (those who seek to harmonize Genesis with modern science) and "evangelical nonconcordists" (those who define Genesis as neither history nor science, and so find no need to try to reconcile ...

67. Matthew 10:40-42

Matthew 10:40-42

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the negative works and attitudes their enemies may turn towards them, Jesus now shifts attention away from the apostles to the actions of those who would host them on their travels. Despite the warning (vv.14-39) that nothing but suspicion and animosity lay between the synagogue and the church, verse 40 now suggests the possibility of some successful contact with the larger Jewish community. When welcoming happens, Jesus wants both the host and the guest to understand the mutuality of the relationship. What ...

68. Evangelism is Holy Communion

John 4:1-26

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... settled in Israel. Intermarriage took place. The result was a mixed-race, viewed as impure, corrupted, unclean – the Samaritans. When the Second Temple was being rebuilt, the Samaritans offered to help. Because they were viewed as unclean, their offer was refused. Animosity resulted. It continued through the time of Jesus. In Luke 9, Jesus has left Galilee in the north to go south to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. He sends messengers ahead into Samaria to make arrangements for food and lodging. The ...

69. Jesus' Good News of a New World · Part 3

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. Have you ever tried to be a peacemaker? I was once assigned to a church in which the organist and choir director couldn’t stand each other. It got so bad that one night during choir practice, their animosity toward each other exploded in front of the choir. I said to myself, “I’ll be a peacemaker.” So I invited the choir director and organist to my office on Sunday afternoon. Each showed up with her husband. What I did was ask each of them to ...

70. Kill Them with Kindness

Proverbs 3:3, 19:22

Sermon

James Merritt

... that doesn't need a kind word. It is impossible, not to be unbelievably blessed when somebody sends a kind deed or a kind word your way. There is an old saying that goes, "Kill them with kindness." You really can do that with people. You can kill animosity, bitterness, anger, and hard feelings with just a little kindness. As I was trying to think of a good definition of kindness, I came up with this thought. Kindness is treating others the way God treats you. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind to ...

71. Counting the Cost of Discipleship

Luke 14:25-33

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... makes it more difficult to know what Jesus was really saying. The original Greek word used here is misei from the root word, miseo. Miseo literally means to regard with less affection, to love less, or to esteem less. It doesn't mean animosity, ill will, or revenge, which our English word, "hate," suggests. Miseo doesn't mean that the object is detestable or repugnant. Having miseo toward someone doesn't mean that he or she is an abomination. It just means that by comparison, someone or something ...

72. Love Is Patient

Luke 4:14-21; 1 Cor 13

Illustration

Dale Johnson

... 's bullet murdered the president in a theater. Lincoln's body was carried off to another room. Stanton came, and looking down upon the silent, rugged, face of his dead President, he said through his tears, "There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen." Stanton's animosity had finally been broken. How? By Lincoln's patient, long-suffering, non-retaliatory love.

73. Luke 13:31-35

Luke 13:31-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to Jesus, a fellow Jew and admired teacher and observer of the commandments, a suggestion about his safety. Within Jewish religious circles Herod was hardly an admired individual. His homicidal tendencies were well known. In either case, whether with veiled animosity or genuine concern, the suggestion that Jesus “get away from here” in order to escape Herod reveals that these Pharisees have not understood Jesus’ message and do not recognize his true identity and final mission. If Herod had changed his ...

74. Luke 9:51-62

Luke 9:51-56

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... made by the Jerusalem-bound Jesus is a Samaritan village. This reveals that instead of bypassing the Samaritan region by traveling through the Transjordan area, Jesus and his followers took the more direct route through the Samaritan settled lands. The animosity between Jews and Samaritans was that which grows within families. Samaritans had broken with traditional Judaism by making the focus of their faith the shrine at Mt. Gerizim instead of Mt. Zion. Samaritans rejected both the theological and political ...

75. The Broken Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 11:17-26

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... you, for your meetings do more harm than good." Jimmy Carter, in a recent article in Christian Century, laments: “The most serious blight that presently exists among believers is a division within this powerful river of faith. These divisions and even animosities are a cancer that is metastasizing within the body of Christ, presenting to the world a negative image of Christianity." Even on World Communion Sunday, we are conscious that numbers of people are not welcome at many tables of Communion around ...

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